the Philip K. Dick Award, 2018

The Philip K. Dick award 2018 will be announced tonight, and I’ve been racing against the clock to read all the nominees in time. It is awarded each year as part of Norwescon to “the best science fiction paperback novel published in the United States in the previous calendar year.”

Below, I’ll talk a little bit about each book as a nominee, as well as give you both my vote (which book I think should win) and my prediction (which book I think will win). Also, for each book I will include a link to my full review so you can get all caught up and (if I’ve done my job right) form your own opinions just in time for the award announcement.

The Book of Etta

This book, by Meg Elison, is the sequel to her award-winning debut The Book of the Unnamed Midwife. Elison really brought a lot to the table in The Book of Etta, and while I think it’s stellar, I do think it is pale in comparison to its predecessor. I anticipate that the PKD judges will feel similarly, particularly given that The Unnamed Midwife did win the award back in 2014.

It’s the story of, well, Etta, as she navigates a post-apocalyptic United States a couple of generations after women stopped being able to give birth. As you can probably guess from my use of the word “generation”, babies have returned to the world and society is beginning to rebuild itself. Seeing the new world through Etta’s eyes, as she compares her home civilization to others she encounters, thinks often of “the Unnamed” (the protagonist of the first book, whose legacy is a heavy influence on the society Etta grew up in), and develops an ever stronger sense of self and sense of womanhood, is thrilling and quite moving.

You can read my full review by clicking here.

Bannerless

Bannerless begins a new series from Carrie Vaughn, a prolific fiction writer with a strong following. It’s unique in this collection for its tone. This is by far the least action-packed of the bunch, and notable for that reason if for no other. Of course, it’s also incredibly well-written, and Vaughn’s voice shines out in this lineup as truly rare and original.

Her book, too, is a post-apocalyptic story that flouts the typical “everything is horrible and the worst of humanity lurks around every corner”  narrative many have come to expect from their post-apocalypse. Bannerless is slow-paced; almost a study in setting more than anything else. It was a relaxing pleasure to read, but my estimation is that it’s too plot-light for this award, and far too lacking in action (as judging by the past decade or so of award winners).

You can read my full review by clicking here.

All Systems Red

With a title like that (and a series title, to boot), how could I not read this book? All Systems Red is the first book in Martha Wells’ series “the Murderbot Diaries”. This story is from the perspective of a sentient military AI on a rare (and fascinating) scientific mission. When everything goes to hell, that’s when you know it’s getting good.

Martha Wells is a fun and engaging writer, who clearly knows how to write compelling characters. How she squeezed that monumental (and moving) character arc into, like, 200 pages is simply beyond me – and I have not stopped saying that since I first read the book back in June of last year. This is a book that really sticks with you, and it’s got plenty of action to keep the award judges engaged. However, I think it’s just too short to win. While it’s clearly got as thoroughly original world as the other nominees, there just isn’t enough book there to give readers the full experience that the others do. Don’t think for a moment, though, that I won’t be reading every book in this series.

You can read my full review here.

Six Wakes

Mur Lafferty’s Six Wakes is a closed-spaceship murder mystery – with clones! If this doesn’t get your attention, I don’t know what you’re doing here. This book keeps you on your toes, keeps you guessing, and has you up all night with the lights on (or was that just me?). As a mystery, it’s satisfying from beginning to end. As a scifi tale? Same.

Honestly, I can’t quite say why I don’t think it’s going to win. I would be thrilled to see Lafferty take home the gold, and she would certainly deserve it for this work. Somehow, though, I think the judges will lean another way. In 2008, the PKD winner was another space-murder mystery, and maybe it’s due. But no matter how much I loved this book, it does have its problems – and I think they edge it out of top place.

You can read my full review here.

My Prediction: Revenger

Revenger is Alastair Reynolds’ so-called first stab at a Young Adult scifi book, and he knocks it out of the park! Everything about this book is thrilling. I have not spent a single day since I finished it without (at some point) thinking “I really wish I could play an RPG set in the world of Revenger“. I can’t think of much higher praise than that.

In Revenger, two sisters head out from their father’s house to follow their destiny as Bone Readers (think psychic navigators, though that’s a terrible explanation) on a ship of space pirates/archaeologists. This story is bananas. But somehow, Reynolds pulls it all together. His cast of characters is wonderfully lively, and I challenge you to resist falling for them. Looking at past award winners, I think they’re going to end their 4-year post-apocalypse streak and name Revenger this year’s winner.

You can read my full review here.

My Vote: The Wrong Stars

No book has taken me on this much of a wild emotional journey as Tim Pratt’s The Wrong Stars. No book has left me mouth-agape, jaw on the floor, stunned beyond my wits as often as Tim Pratt’s The Wrong Stars. This is absolutely a case where I’m so enamored of the whole that I’m blind to its faults, and I am 100% here for that. This book blew me away.

The power of this book is in its depth. Pratt is clearly a skilled writer, and I enjoy his narration, his characters, his pacing, the extent to which he’s willing to take the time to explain the science/history/etc. for readers; I’m in his corner for all of it. But what sends me right over the edge is the depth of this universe he’s created. The history, the culture, the science … he’s woven it all together to create this tapestry that just keeps growing and evolving. It’s breathtaking. I’m ready to see it become a breathtaking award winner.

You can read my full review here.

Note: I did not review the final nominee – Deji Bryce Olukotun’s After the Flare. I read the first book in this series in preparation for reading this nominee, and absolutely hated it. It was, however, an award winner in its own right, and met with critical success. The sequel may be a contender for this award as well. Given my experience with the first book, I was not willing to read the second – and I could not review a book I did not read.

You can, if you’d like, read my full review of the first book (Nigerians in Space) by clicking here.