Nebula Awards Showcase 2017 Read online

  ALSO AVAILABLE:

  Nebula Awards Showcase 2016

  edited by Mercedes Lackey

  Nebula Awards Showcase 2015

  edited by Greg Bear

  Nebula Awards Showcase 2014

  edited by Kij Johnson

  Nebula Awards Showcase 2013

  edited by Catherine Asaro

  Nebula Awards Showcase 2012

  edited by James Patrick Kelly and John Kessel

  Published 2017 by Pyr®, an imprint of Prometheus Books

  Nebula Awards Showcase 2017. Copyright © 2017 by Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA, Inc.). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, digital, electronic, mechanical, photocopy­ing, recording, or otherwise, or conveyed via the Internet or a website without prior written permission of the publisher, ex­cept in the case of brief quotations em­bodied in critical articles and reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Any characters, organizations, products, locales, and events portrayed either are products of the authors’ imaginations or are used fictitiously.

  Cover illustration © Maurizio Manzieri

  Cover design by Liz Mills

  Cover © Prometheus Books

  Inquiries should be addressed to

  Pyr

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  ISBN 978–1–63388–271–3 (paperback)

  ISBN 978–1–63388–272–0 (ebook)

  ISSN 2473–277X

  Printed in the United States of America

  To C.J. Cherryh,

  my favorite from her first book and inspiration to all who dream the big stuff.

  PERMISSIONS

  “Introduction” © 2017 by Julie E. Czerneda.

  Excerpts from Nominees’ Autobiographical Notes from The SFWA Bulletin: 2016 Nebula Awards © 2015, first published in The SFWA Bulletin vol. 50, issue 2, May 2015.

  “Madeleine” © 2015 by Amal El-Mohtar, first published in Lightspeed Magazine, issue 61, June 2015.

  “Cat Pictures Please” © 2015 by Naomi Kritzer, first published in Clarkesworld, January 2015.

  “Damage” © 2015 by David D. Levine, first published on Tor.com, January 21, 2015.

  “When Your Child Strays from God” © 2015 by Sam J. Miller, first published in Clarkesworld, July 2015.

  “Today I Am Paul” © 2015 by Martin L. Shoemaker, first published in Clarkesworld, August 2015.

  “Hungry Daughters of Starving Mothers” © 2015 by Alyssa Wong, first published in Nightmare Magazine: Queers Destroy Horror! Special Issue, issue 37, October 2015.

  “Shutdown” © 2014 by Marge Simon, first published in Qualia Nous, October 2014.

  “abandoned nursing home” © 2013 by Greg Schwartz, first published in Tales of the Talisman vol. 9, issue 3, Winter 2013/2014.

  “Our Lady of the Open Road” © 2013 by Sarah Pinsker, first published in Asimov’s, June 2015.

  Binti © 2015 by Nnedi Okorafor, first published on Tor.com, August 2015.

  Excerpt from Raising Caine © 2015 by Charles E. Gannon, first published by Baen, October 2015. Reprinted by permission of Baen Books.

  Excerpt from the book The Fifth Season © 2015 by N. K. Jemisin, first published by Orbit US; Orbit UK, August 2015. Reprinted by permission of Orbit, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc., New York, NY. All rights reserved.

  Excerpt from the book Ancillary Mercy © 2015 by Ann Leckie, first published by Orbit US; Orbit UK, October 2015. Reprinted by permission of Orbit, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc., New York, NY. All rights reserved.

  Excerpt from The Grace of Kings © 2015 by Ken Liu, first published by Saga Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc, April 2015.

  Excerpt from Barsk: The Elephants’ Graveyard © 2015 by Lawrence M. Schoen, first published by Tor, December 2015. Reprinted by permission of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

  Excerpt from Uprooted © 2015 by Naomi Novik, first published by Del Rey, May 2015.

  “100 Reasons to Have Sex with an Alien” © 2014 by F.J. Bergmann, first published on sfpoetry.com, October 2014.

  “A Remarkable Win” © 2017 by Mark Askwith, first publication.

  Excerpt from Updraft © 2015 by Fran Wilde, first published by Tor, September 2015. Reprinted by permission of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

  “I Have Read Them All, Now.” © 2017 by Michelle Sagara, first publication.

  “Damon Knight Grand Master: C. J. Cherryh” © 2015 by Betsy Wollheim, first published in The SFWA Bulletin: 2016 Nebula Awards vol. 50, issue 2, May 2015.

  Excerpt from Pride of Chanur © 1981 by C. J. Cherryh, first published by DAW Books, January 1981.

  Excerpt from Foreigner © 2004 by C. J. Cherryh, first published by DAW Books, December 2004.

  CONTENTS

  INTRODUCTION

  Julie E. Czerneda

  ABOUT THE SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY WRITERS OF AMERICA

  KEVIN O’DONNELL, JR., SERVICE TO SFWA AWARD RECIPIENT: LAWRENCE M. SCHOEN

  ABOUT THE NEBULA AWARDS

  2015 NEBULA AWARDS BALLOT

  Nebula Award Nominees: Best Short Story

  “Madeleine”

  Amal El-Mohtar

  “Cat Pictures Please”

  Naomi Kritzer

  “Damage”

  David D. Levine

  “When Your Child Strays from God”

  Sam J. Miller

  “Today I Am Paul”

  Martin L. Shoemaker

  Nebula Award Winner: Best Short Story

  “Hungry Daughters of Starving Mothers”

  Alyssa Wong

  ABOUT THE RHYSLING AND DWARF STARS AWARDS

  Rhysling Award Winner: Best Short Poem

  “Shutdown”

  Marge Simon

  Dwarf Stars Award Winner

  “abandoned nursing home”

  Greg Schwartz

  Nebula Award Winner: Best Novelette

  “Our Lady of the Open Road”

  Sarah Pinsker

  Nebula Award Winner: Best Novella

  Binti

  Nnedi Okorafor

  Nebula Award Nominees: Best Novel

  Excerpt from Raising Caine

  Charles E. Gannon

  Excerpt from The Fifth Season

  N. K. Jemisin

  Excerpt from Ancillary Mercy

  Ann Leckie

  Excerpt from The Grace of Kings

  Ken Liu

  Excerpt from Barsk: The Elephants’ Graveyard

  Lawrence M. Schoen

  Updraft

  Fran Wilde

  Nebula Award Winner: Best Novel

  Excerpt from Uprooted

  Naomi Novik

  Rhysling Award Winner: Best Long Poem

  “100 Reasons To Have Sex With An Alien”

  F. J. Bergmann

  ABOUT THE RAY BRADBURY AWARD

  Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation: Mad Max: Fury Road

  “A Remarkable Win”

  Mark Askwith

  ABOUT THE ANDRE NORTON AWARD

  Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy

  Excerpt from Updraft

  Fran Wilde

  ABOUT THE KATE WILHELM SOLSTICE AWARD

  Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award Winner: Sir Terry Pratchett

  “I Have Read Them All, Now.”

  Michelle Sagara

  ABOUT THE DAMON KNIGHT MEMORIAL GRAND
MASTER AWARD

  Damon Knight Grand Master: C. J. Cherryh

  “Damon Knight Grand Master: C. J. Cherryh”

  Betsy Wollheim

  Excerpt from Pride of Chanur

  C. J. Cherryh

  Excerpt from Foreigner

  C. J. Cherryh

  PAST NEBULA AWARD WINNERS

  ABOUT THE EDITOR

  ABOUT THE COVER ARTIST

  INTRODUCTION

  We rock.

  We do. The works and creators being honored in this year’s Showcase are amazing. My job as editor was more about rubbing my hands with glee than anything else. Why? Because this is our stuff, and it astonishes.

  Ours? Oh, yes. Feel free to use your inner Gollum-voice. OURS! That’s how we roll in genre fiction. Whether we consume or create, we claim it, fiercely, to be our own. At least the bits that call to us. No problem. There’s something within science fiction and fantasy to pique the interest and snare the heart of any reader.

  I don’t know about you, but sometimes that breadth is daunting. We can’t read it all.

  We can celebrate it all, though. Awards like the Nebulas are how we spur on those who create for us and thank them, profoundly. Take a look through the past winners. Pick out those you remember—the ones that stuck in your head. Became yours, forever.

  That’s what you’ll discover in these pages, by the way. Stories and their creators. Maybe new favorites. Certainly some familiar ones.

  I have. Though when I accepted the invitation to edit this anthology, I innocently expected time-honored guidelines so I wouldn’t mess up. But no. This, I was informed, would be mine.

  I love my life.

  With great responsibility comes . . . the ability to email your favorite author on business! I discovered C. J. Cherryh’s work at a time in my life when SF seemed to have nothing new to offer me. I was delighted to be wrong then—and to continue to be wrong on that point since. I was beyond delighted when C. J. asked my opinion on what excerpts to include. (Editorial disclaimer: I accepted this before I knew C. J. Cherryh would be the Grand Master, thrilled just to be able to dedicate the book to her. To include her stuff? MINE!) I do love my life.

  Thank you, SFWA. This has been a wonderful experience, and I’m grateful to my authors (it’s a theme, you realize) in this book, especially Betsy, Mark, and Michelle for contributing your fine essays. Everyone’s been enthused from the start; a great reassurance. My sincere gratitude to Eleanor Wood for her sage guidance, to Rene Sears for answering questions and help, and to the publishing staffers who blinked at me during their summer vacations but were very gracious indeed. No task like this is done alone.

  Being done, I’ll get out of your way now, but first, a thought.

  What you have in your hands is precious, not because the works here are being honored, but because they exist. Stories matter. Stories linger in the mind and change us. We want more. We need more—yes, from our beloved favorite authors but also, and this is vital, from those new to us. You never know who will become a favorite.

  All?

  Are ours.

  Julie E. Czerneda, Ontario, Canada

  ABOUT THE SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY WRITERS OF AMERICA

  The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc., includes among its members many active writers of science fiction and fantasy. According to the bylaws of the organization, its purpose “shall be to promote the furtherance of the writing of science fiction, fantasy, and related genres as a profession.” SFWA informs writers on professional matters, protects their interests, and helps them in dealings with agents, editors, anthologists, and producers of nonprint media. It also strives to encourage public interest in and appreciation of science fiction and fantasy.

  Anyone may become an active member of SFWA after the acceptance of and payment for one professionally published novel, one professionally produced dramatic script, or three professionally published pieces of short fiction. Only science fiction, fantasy, horror, or other prose fiction of a related genre, in English, shall be considered as qualifying for active membership. Beginning writers who do not yet qualify for active membership but have published qualifying professional work may join as associate members; other classes of membership include affiliate members (editors, agents, reviewers, and anthologists), estate members (representatives of the estates of active members who have died), and institutional members (high schools, colleges, universities, libraries, broadcasters, film producers, futurist groups, and individuals associated with such an institution).

  Readers are invited to visit the SFWA site at www.sfwa.org.

  KEVIN O’DONNELL, JR., SERVICE TO SFWA AWARD RECIPIENT: LAWRENCE M. SCHOEN

  The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) presented the Kevin O’Donnell, Jr., Service Award to Dr. Lawrence M. Schoen as part of the Nebula Awards ceremony in Chicago.

  Dr. Schoen spent several years heading the election committee, working to find suitable candidates for the SFWA Board of Directors. His success is demonstrated by the number of candidates who have run for the board and the broad range of experience represented by the board members. In addition to his duties as the head of the election committee, he has often volunteered his time to help SFWA staff tables at conferences and makes himself generally available when help has been needed.

  The Kevin O’Donnell, Jr., Service to SFWA Award recognizes a member of SFWA who best exemplifies the ideal of service to his or her fellow members. O’Donnell won the Service Award in 2005 the first time the Nebula Awards were presented in Chicago.

  ABOUT THE NEBULA AWARDS

  Shortly after the founding of SFWA in 1965, its first secretary-treasurer, Lloyd Biggle, Jr., proposed that the organization periodically select and publish the year’s best stories. This notion evolved into the elaborate balloting process, an annual awards banquet, and a series of Nebula anthologies.

  Throughout every calendar year, members of SFWA read and recommend novels and stories for the Nebula Awards. The editor of the Nebula Awards Report collects the recommendations and publishes them in the SFWA Forum and on the SFWA members’ private web page. At the end of the year, the NAR editor tallies the endorsements, draws up a preliminary ballot containing ten or more recommendations, and sends it all to active SFWA members. Under the current rules, each work enjoys a one-year eligibility period from its date of publication in the United States. If a work fails to receive ten recommendations during the one-year interval, it is dropped from further Nebula consideration.

  The NAR editor processes the results of the preliminary ballot and then compiles a final ballot listing the five most popular novels, novellas, novelettes, and short stories. For purposes of the award, a novel is determined to be 40,000 words or more; a novella is 17,500 to 39,999 words; a novelette is 7,500 to 17,499 words, and a short story is 7,499 words or fewer. Additionally, each year SFWA impanels a member jury, which is empowered to supplement the five nominees with a sixth choice in cases where it feels a worthy title was neglected by the membership at large. Thus, the appearance of more than five finalists in a category reflects two distinct processes: jury discretion and ties.

  A complete set of Nebula rules can be found at nebulas.sfwa.org/about-the-nebulas/nebula-rules/.

  2015 NEBULA AWARDS BALLOT

  NOVEL

  Winner: Uprooted, Naomi Novik (Del Rey)

  Nominees:

  Raising Caine, Charles E. Gannon (Baen)

  The Fifth Season, N. K. Jemisin (Orbit US; Orbit UK)

  Ancillary Mercy, Ann Leckie (Orbit US; Orbit UK)

  The Grace of Kings, Ken Liu (Saga)

  Barsk: The Elephants’ Graveyard, Lawrence M. Schoen (Tor)

  Updraft, Fran Wilde (Tor)

  NOVELLA

  Winner: Binti, Nnedi Okorafor (Tor.com)

  Nominees:

  Wings of Sorrow and Bone, Beth Cato (Harper Voyager Impulse)

  “The Bone Swans of Amandale,” C.S.E. Cooney (Bone Swans, Mythic Delirium Books)

>   “The New Mother,” Eugene Fischer (Asimov’s 4-5/15)

  “Waters of Versailles,” Kelly Robson (Tor.com 6/10/15)

  NOVELETTE

  Winner: “Our Lady of the Open Road,” Sarah Pinsker (Asimov’s 6/15)

  Nominees:

  “Rattlesnakes and Men,” Michael Bishop (Asimov’s 2/15)

  “And You Shall Know Her by the Trail of Dead,” Brooke Bolander (Lightspeed 2/15)

  “Grandmother-nai-Leylit’s Cloth of Winds,” Rose Lemberg (Beneath Ceaseless Skies 6/11/15)

  “The Ladies’ Aquatic Gardening Society,” Henry Lien (Asimov’s 6/15)

  “The Deepwater Bride,” Tamsyn Muir (F&SF 7-8/15)

  SHORT STORY

  Winner: “Hungry Daughters of Starving Mothers,” Alyssa Wong (Nightmare 10/15)

  Nominees:

  “Madeleine,” Amal El-Mohtar (Lightspeed 6/15)

  “Cat Pictures Please,” Naomi Kritzer (Clarkesworld 1/15)

  “Damage,” David D. Levine (Tor.com 1/21/15)

  “When Your Child Strays from God,” Sam J. Miller (Clarkesworld 7/15)

  “Today I Am Paul,” Martin L. Shoemaker (Clarkesworld 8/15)

  RAY BRADBURY AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING DRAMATIC PRESENTATION

  Winner: Mad Max: Fury Road, Written by George Millar, Brendan McCarthy, & Nick Lathouris

  Nominees:

  Ex Machina, Written by Alex Garland

  Inside Out, Screenplay by Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, Josh Colley; Original Story by Pete Docter & Ronnie del Carmen

  Jessica Jones: AKA Smile, Teleplay by Scott Reynolds & Melissa Rosenberg; Story by Jamie King & Scott Reynolds

  The Martian, Screenplay by Drew Goddard

  Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Written by Lawrence Kasdan, J.J. Abrams, & Michael Arndt

  ANDRE NORTON AWARD FOR YOUNG ADULT SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY

  Winner: Updraft, Fran Wilde (Tor)

  Nominees:

  Seriously Wicked, Tina Connolly (Tor Teen)

  Court of Fives, Kate Elliott (Little, Brown)

  Cuckoo Song, Frances Hardinge (Macmillan UK 5/14; Amulet)

  Archivist Wasp, Nicole Kornher-Stace (Big Mouth House)

  Zeroboxer, Fonda Lee (Flux)

  Shadowshaper, Daniel José Older (Levine)