Hugo & Nebula Awards: Best Novels discussion

Hi everyone, let's nominate for our June 2024 monthly theme, which is the Dark Fantasy subgenre. You can check our our group bookshelf here, which are all eligible excluding the ones published in the 2020s:

https://www.goodreads.com/group/books...

If you know of a suitable book from the H/N novel list that isn't included on the bookshelf (they're never perfectly inclusive) feel free to nominate that too.

Mechanique: A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti, which is listed even if I am not sure it is really dark

Day of the Minotaur by Thomas Burnett Swann is my nom.

I’ve nominated Mechanique a few times, unsuccessfully. I’ll second that nomination.

Does anyone else have a nomination here???

Allan wrote: "Does anyone else have a nomination here???"

Seems no... :'(

I like Acorn’s nomination so I decided not to nominate another.

The Ring of the Dark Elves. This is essentially a retelling of Wagner's Ring Cycle operas which in turn are based loosely on The Ring of the Nibelung and other sources from Nordic mythology.

I read Mechanique back in 2012 and liked it a lot. I might be interested in a reread, depending what else I have on the go. I don’t have much of a sense of Thomas Burnett Swann, though I have an idea I may have read a story or two back in the ‘70s. Again, I might be up for Day of the Minotaur. I looked at the Dark Fantasy shelf and didn’t see anything else there that seemed to demand a nomination at this time. (Fwiw I’m not sure of the definition of Dark Fantasy, but Mechanique certainly has darkish elements as I recall.)

Jim wrote: "The Ring of the Dark Elves. This is essentially a retelling of Wagner's Ring Cycle operas which in turn are based loosely on The Ring of the Nibelung and other sources from Nordic my..."

Hi Jim, while we appreciate the nomination, the only books that can be nominated are ones from the finalist lists for the Hugo or Nebula Awards, specifically for this month books from those lists that are also dark fantasy. Since Ring of the Elves isn't on the list, it's not eligible.

Kalin wrote: "Jim wrote: "The Ring of the Dark Elves. This is essentially a retelling of Wagner's Ring Cycle operas which in turn are based loosely on The Ring of the Nibelung and other sources fr..."

Ooops, sorry. I got nothing then, since I rarely read anything in this genre.

I only have a couple of the books on this list and I know I don't have time to read The Grace of Kings. So I'll throw out this one:


The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe

Poll is up!

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

Thanks, I meant to do this but keep getting sidetracked by work and kids and stuff. Ugh, distractions!

Kalin wrote: "Thanks, I meant to do this but keep getting sidetracked by work and kids and stuff. Ugh, distractions!"

You're welcome, no worries!

The poll is over and The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe is the winner and will be our June BOTM for this category.

(Damn, I really want to read this but I'm not ready to jump on it yet.)

I read it a few years ago with the intent of moving on through the series, but I never did. So I'll re-read & try again.

Kalin wrote: "The poll is over and The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe is the winner and will be our June BOTM for this category...."

I'm in! Been wanting to read this forever.

I read it back in the 80s and I remember some things but I’m pretty sure I missed a lot.