Saturdays in Books

This has definitely been far more detail than I typically discuss. There are still several categories that I'm not quite sure on the order. Voting closes July 15th so I can be indecisive a bit longer.

Adding a sixth work to every category and adding a series category made for a lot more work this year. I think next year I may not vote in all categories. Best Editor, Long Form is one I don't typically vote in. I've given it a try this year, and have nearly convinced myself to just not vote in it ever. Fancast is the other I'm considering just sitting out in future years. 

And, while the rest of the rankings matter under this voting system, I'm not going to post my entire ballot. Right now, the top positions on my ballot look like this (links to my discussion posts):

Novel: Ninefox Gambit (link)
Novella: The Ballad of Black Tom (link)
Novelette: "You'll Surely Drown Here If You Stay" (link)
Short Story: "That Game We Played During the War" (link)
Related Work: The Geek Feminist Revolution (link)
Graphic Story: Paper Girls, Volume 1 (link)
Dramatic Long: Arrival (link)
Dramatic Short: The Expanse: "Leviathan Wakes" (link)
Editor Long: Devi Pillai (link)
Editor Short: Neil Clarke (link)
Pro Artist: Galen Dara (link)
Semiprozine: The Book Smugglers (link)
Fanzine: Lady Business (link)
Fancast: Fangirl Happy Hour (link)
Fan Writer: Abigail Nussbaum (link)
Fan Artist: Elizabeth Leggett (link)
Series: The Expanse (link)
Campbell: Malka Older (link)

I did finished the first October Daye novel, and the rest of it did not live up to the promise of the first 20%. I doubt I'll pick up the next one. I've also finished The Princess Diarist and am comfortable with where I had placed it after listening to the first few chapters.

A week before voting closed, the Hugo committee made two updates. One to note that Sarah Gailey was in her second year of eligibility for the Campbell. You only get two years, so this is her last, though I fully expect to see her work nominated in future years. The second update was to add Steam tokens for the full version of each of the Craft games. These are text based games I already own for iOS. The first was my entry point into the series, so I'm kind of excited to see voters getting access to more than the preview chapters available already. I think this may also be the first time games have been under consideration on the final ballot? That's very exciting.

As a result of my reading from the voter packet, I've so far purchase:

Raven Stratagem (Machineries of Empire) - Yoon Ha Lee 

Victor Lavalle Destroyer #1 - Victor Lavalle 

Victor LaValle's Destroyer #2 - Victor LaValle  

Saga, Volume 5 - Brian K. Vaughan, Fiona Staples 

Saga, Volume 6 - Brian K. Vaughan, Fiona Staples 

Saga, Volume 7 - Fiona Staples, Brian K. Vaughan 

If I had not already purchased all of The Craft Sequence, I would have also picked the rest of them up. Same with my pre-order for The Stone Sky.

I hope they ratify the Series amendment. And make some fucking progress on a YA category, already. And then maybe we can work on a video game category? I won't get to go and vote at this year's business meeting, though, since I'm not going to be able to attend. Looks like it's going to be a great convention!