2012 Short Story Hugo Nominees

The 2012 Hugo Nominee Short Stories, ranked in order of my preference. Problem with a short story is too much of a summary and I’ve given the plot away. Instead, I’ve settled on just a couple words to try and convey my impressions.



“The Paper Menagerie” by Ken Liu ( The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, March/April 2011)   A Chinese-American child grows to resent his mother and the understanding and forgiveness that comes too late.

“Movement” by Nancy Fulda (Asimov's, March 2011) Autism from the autistic’s persons point of view.


“The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees” by E. Lily Yu (Clarkesworld, April 2011).     Reminiscent of the fable of the Grasshopper and the Ants but different.


“The Homecoming”  by Mike Resnick (Asimov's, April/May 2011)      A young man follows his dream to the stars, but his father resents him for leaving  him and his mother and ultimately, understanding and forgiveness.


“Shadow War of the Night Dragons: Book One: The Dead City: Prologue” by John Scalzi (Tor.com)   Contrived fantasy.