The Incomparable Mothership
#729
August 16, 2024
2024 Shortlist Book Club: Rankings and Short Fiction
2024 Shortlist Book Club: Rankings and Short Fiction
A Mean Man Made Me Rank Things
Our Book Club wraps up its 2024 walk through nine shortlisted SF/F novels with our overall rankings, some short fiction recommendations, and a quick dip into what we’ve read recently and really enjoyed.
Listen to this episode (1 hour, 14 minutes)
Show Notes
The Incomparable Book Club Consensus
- Translation State by Ann Leckie - 2.0 average rank (2 first-place votes)
- The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty - 2.6 (2)
- Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh - 2.8 (1)
- The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz - 4.4
- Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon by Wole Talabi - 5.0
- Witch King by Martha Wells - 5.6
- The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera - 6.8
- Starter Villain by John Scalzi - 7.8
- The Water Outlaws by S.L. Huang - 8.0
Novellas
- Seeds of Mercury by Wang Jinkang
- The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older
- Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher
- Mammoths at the Gates by Nghi Vo
Novelettes
- The Year Without Sunshine by Naomi Kritzer
- On the Fox Roads by Nghi Vo
- One Man’s Treasure by Sarah Pinsker
- Ivy, Angelica, Bay by C.L. Polk
Short Stories
- The Sound of Chldren Screaming by Rachael K. Jones
- Better Living Through Algorithms by Naomi Kritzer
- How to Raise a Kraken in your Bathtub by P Djèlí Clark
- The Mausoleum’s Children by Aliette De Bodard
What Are We Reading?
Scott:
- Old God’s Time by Sebastian Barry
Heather:
- A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow
- A Mirror Mended by Alix E. Harrow
- Starling House by Alix E. Harrow
- The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
Erika:
- House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas
Aleen:
- City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty
- Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
Jason:
- The Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey
- The Penric and Desdemona novellas by Lois McMaster Bujold