Monday, September 2, 2013

Did Redshirts deserve the Hugo Award?

As I figured, Redshirts by John Scalzi has won the Hugo award. Since the award is open to anyone who bought the required ballot, and has had a good marketing campaign over social media, ie a song by Johnathan Coulton.

I do not think that, as an award winner, it is going to age particularly well. Do not mistake me: I do not think that it is a bad thing. Far from it. It is fun, intelligent, but not particularly deep the same way as, say, Dune or Ender's Game or even last year's winner Among Others, are. I feel like it is a product of it's time, and that while future generations may enjoy it for fun, I can't help but feel that it is not going to last.

I can't think of a novel that deserved to win: 2312 already won the Nebula, and I do not like Kim Stanley Robinson; Blackout was good, but not Hugo worthy. Reading Saladin Ahmed's book is probably a good idea---I feel like there's a trend lately to have a fantasy novel to round out the ballot.

Scalzi was destined for a Hugo Award are some point. I think that he can create a great work of science fiction, and I'm glad a writer of the new guard won the Hugo. I just wish it had been for something more substantial.