SFF Hot from Printers: New Releases discussion

While the month has begun and a lot of members use libraries to get their books (thus are affected by queues) I don't think I should expect much participation but nevertheless. There are several novellas out this year, which can be nominated. Is anyone interested in discussion the following:

The Test by Sylvain Neuvel
Permafrost by Alastair Reynolds
The Deep by Rivers Solomon
The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djèlí Clark

Also other novellas are listed here: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

I've already read "The Deep". I would be interested in either "The Test" or "Permafrost".

I would read the P. Djeli Clark one. I was able to borrow it from the library.

I will read any of them, but not for a couple of weeks.

I would be happy to read any (or all) of those.

Ok, I guess setting up a poll is not very productive at the moment, so I'll start discussion threads to several novellas and everyone is welcome to join

What's the usual medium for novellas? Are they generally found as short books or audio in the library?

Allan: I'd say usually short books/ebooks. I've found some audio versions on Libby as well, but they have been pretty rare.

Allan wrote: "What's the usual medium for novellas? Are they generally found as short books or audio in the library?"

They are chiefly ebooks but more and more are now available on audio. Let's see last year Hugo nominees:

Artificial Condition, by Martha Wells (Tor.com publishing)
The Tea Master and the Detective, by Aliette de Bodard (Subterranean Press / JABberwocky Literary Agency)
Beneath the Sugar Sky, by Seanan McGuire (Tor.com publishing)
The Black God’s Drums, by P. Djèlí Clark (Tor.com publishing)
Binti: The Night Masquerade, by Nnedi Okorafor (Tor.com publishing)
Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach, by Kelly Robson (Tor.com publishing)

only the 2nd wasn't on audio

in 2018 the nominees were

All Systems Red, by Martha Wells (Tor.com Publishing)
“And Then There Were (N-One),” by Sarah Pinsker (Uncanny, March/April 2017)
Down Among the Sticks and Bones, by Seanan McGuire (Tor.Com Publishing)
Binti: Home, by Nnedi Okorafor (Tor.com Publishing)
The Black Tides of Heaven, by JY Yang (Tor.com Publishing)
River of Teeth, by Sarah Gailey (Tor.com Publishing)

and only 2 (#1 & #3) were on audio (also #4 was released January 9, 2018)

Most novellas, especially from Tor.com, have hard copies as well. Tor has actually been publishing hardcovers for the Murderbot and Wayward Children series which kind of annoyed me -- shorter works don't need their prices marked up any higher, even if they are high quality writing. I bought a copy of Binti and Lucky Peach last year.

But anyway, if you like borrowing paper books from the library, you should be able to find any/all of the potential novella nominees as well.

I found audiobook version of The Test on my library (Libby); will listen to it as soon as it becomes available.

Same here, I found that one on Libby too.

I'll set up Test as our novella of the month and may add The Haunting of Tram Car 015 and other novellas as well if anyone is interested. we are now a small group, so even 2-3 members reads are ok for a discussion I guess

Yes, all of these will be good!

Kalin above said that he'd read The Haunting of Tram Car 015 and I'm currently readin it, so I added another thread for it if interested

I'll pass; I've read a short story and a novella by P. Djeli Clark, but I found both of them pretty mediocre and too filled with identity politics to my liking.

Antti wrote: "I'll pass; I've read a short story and a novella by P. Djeli Clark, but I found both of them pretty mediocre and too filled with identity politics to my liking."

While this one have a suffragist movement as a background as well as some questions about exploitation, it is more a story of alt-history 1912 Cairo, where two agents of the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities try to investigate why a tram car is haunted, quite cozy steampunk. not extraordinary but a fine 3 star read