1939 Hugo Awards

My votes, as indicated in my recommendations. Bold indicates a winner.

Best Novel
Out of the Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis
The Sword in the Stone by T.H. White

Best Novella
Anthem by Ayn Rand
Who Goes There? by Don A Stuart

Best Novelette
“Rule 18” by Clifford D. Simak

Best Short Story
“Hollerbochen’s Dilemma” by Ray Bradbury
“How We Went to Mars” By Arthur C. Clarke

Best Editor, Short Form
John W. Campbell

Best Fan Writer
Ray Bradbury

Rather pleased about those first two (on the bottom). Campbell was the one in which I was most interested. I’d quite like to see Simak and Lewis win, although I wouldn’t object to E.E. Smith winning Best Novel for Galactic Patrol.

HG Wells won Best Dramatic Presentation for War of the Worlds. I voted for that too, but then, I’d be shocked if anyone didn’t.

UPDATE: Hmmm. The Sword in the Stone?  I had it third on my ballot, but a retelling of Arthurian legend over the seminal science fiction space opera and a true SF classic? But he seems to be a favorite of the Moorcock-inspired crowd and I suppose a socially impaired British agnostic is always going to be viewed more favorably by the fandom crowd than a Christian apologist, even a British one. But I really would have thought they’d go for Smith, not White.

Three out of six isn’t bad, but my take on this is that the Blue SF vote is still pretty small; it’s enough to serve as a swing vote, but probably won’t have much of an effect on Sunday. Regardless we’ll find out soon enough.

UPDATE 2: Stats are out. It’s a rough metric, but there appear to be 300 hardcore Pink votes who voted No Award over Anthem vs 160 Blue who voted it and Hollerbochen’s Dilemma first. Just out of curiosity, I was interested to note that Out of the Silent Planet came in second, with 555 votes to 499 for Galactic Patrol which finished third.