I did look at the rest of the Hugo novel nominees

[cahn]

gah, I keep meaning to talk about these and don't, so here at least is a record that I actually read these :P

Black Sun (Roanhorse) - 3+/5. I wasn't able to get through Roanhorse's previous book with the kick-butt angsty teen heroine, but I am happy to say that this was a function of not being able to read books like that anymore and not a reflection on Roanhorse, because this one I actually liked! It's a fantasy novel inspired by pre-Columbian cultures, and I found it fairly compelling. It does end on a total cliffhanger, which I wish I'd known before reading it!

Network Effect (Wells) - 3+/5 - Murderbot! :D I love Murderbot and I don't have anything different to say about this one than I did about past Murderbot books, which is wow I relate so much to Murderbot -- except, okay, um, I related even more to 3. Which... this is the kind of thing that makes me think that E's ASD diagnosis is clearly genetic :P
If you've read Murderbot, you know what to expect; if you haven't, don't start here. No, wait, I have more feelings. First: yay ART! (Was that a spoiler? I think I saw a bunch of things saying ART was back, and this didn't bother me, but just in case...) Second: MURDERBOT 2.0, ahhhhh oh my heart. Third: well, I've already said how much I loved 3!

The Relentless Moon (Kowal) - DNF - I understand this one is supposed to be better than Stars, but there is just something about Kowal's writing I can't deal with. I did try and noped out within a chapter.

The City We Became (Jemisin) - DNF - I got further in it than into Moon :) I respect Jemisin's work, and I suspect this book is probably good. but I think maybe this one is better read by someone who, well, likes cities? Or likes NYC in particular? I had much the same problem with Kim Stanley Robinson's New York 2140.

Novels:
Piranesi > Harrow the Ninth > Network Effect > Black Sun > City > Moon > No Award
(IDK, I may switch Harrow and Network. I think Network is a more solid book, but Harrow blew my mind more. It's really hard for me to compare them.)

Comments

[hamsterwoman]

but I think maybe this one is better read by someone who, well, likes cities? Or likes NYC in particular? I had much the same problem with Kim Stanley Robinson's New York 2140.

I'm 90% done with The City We Became, so I suspect my opinion won't change further, but I was surprised by how readable I found it despite the fact that I do not like/care about NYC at all (I've visited it once; it was fine, but I have no strong feelings about it either way) and also do not care about Lovecraftean stuff or the subversion thereof. Certainly I found it about 100 times more fun than New York 2140, which I think I managed to make it about 25 pages into.

I think Network is a more solid book, but Harrow blew my mind more. It's really hard for me to compare them.)

Yeah, they're very different books... Network Effect is still going at the top of my list (I mean, I still need to read/try Relentless Moon and Black Sun, but I think those are unlikely to topple it), but I do think it's a less unique and audacious book than either Harrow or Piranesi, both of which I'm putting below it. I just loved it too much (♥ ART! ♥) to rank it anywhere else.

[isis]

I like and agree with your phrasing here: Harrow and Piranesi are unique and audacious, Network Effect is fun.

[cahn]

Huh, I am surprised you found it readable! I found myself not really caring about any of it, and therefore having trouble getting through it :)

I think I tend to prioritize unique and audacious for the Hugos! :)

[hamsterwoman]

I'm also surprised I found it readable! (I've now finished, and I didn't actually like it, but it stayed readable for me till the end. I still don't totally know why XD)

[likeadeuce]

I was really put off by the New York centricism of 'City We Became' and the general 'only a few cities matter' nature of the world building -- as someone who lives in a midsize city that's grappling with a lot of history, i feel like if the mythology had been more of a 'every city has its spirit' premise i would have dealt with it better. I was just very much in a place of having read too many NYC-centric books at the time.

[cahn]

*nods* Yeah, that was probably part of my response too -- I've visited but never lived in a large city, but I am quite attached to a couple of cities that range from midsize-to-frankly-small.

[skygiants]

I love New York and lived there for years and I also bounced hard off The City We Became for its intense New York-centrism ... it was just too much 'this city is special above all others' in a way I cannot quite believe!

[cahn]

Yes, this! I'm glad I'm not the only one :)

[lokifan]

One of the main reasons I don't think I'll be reading this one, despite being a massive Jemisin fan. I'm a city lover and a Londoner and I feel like I'll almost love it and be irritated.

[sophia_sol]

I am in basically total agreement with you on three out of these four books! Murderbot is extremely relatable, I couldn't read The City We Became either, and really enjoyed Black Sun.

I have been really enjoying the Lady Astronaut series though - but I found Relentless Moon harder to read than the others in the series, because it was way too stressful for me...

[cahn]

Oh, I forgot to reply to this! I'm glad you are enjoying the Lady Astronaut series! I feel like I am the outlier on this, a lot of people seem to like it. But it is also cool that we agree on the others :D