Hugos, Short Stories

I've read 4 of the 5 nominated short stories. Herewith are my planned votes, recorded for my later convenience. As stated previously, I intend to look with a gimlet eye on anything affiliated with a slate.

Definitely below "No Award"

“The Parliament of Beasts and Birds”, John C. Wright (The Book of Feasts & Seasons, Castalia House) - anybody who bitched about "If You Were a Dinosaur" and nominated this has no room to talk. It's twice as long and three times less interesting.

“Turncoat”, Steve Rzasa (Riding the Red Horse, Castalia House) - I read this when I bought the original anthology. It was one of the weaker stories in the collection, and I had to re-read it to recall anything about it. Frankly, John Scalzi's "Tale of the Wicked" did it better.

Haven't Read Yet
“A Single Samurai”, Steven Diamond (The Baen Big Book of Monsters, Baen Books)

Will Probably Vote as Follows

Second Place - “On A Spiritual Plain”, Lou Antonelli (Sci Phi Journal #2, 11-2014) - reasonably competent story.

First Place - “Totaled”, Kary English (Galaxy’s Edge Magazine, 07-2014) - better than the Antonelli, although derivative of "Flowers for Algernon."

I've read the Analog novelettes but not the novella, so that's my next project, as well as track down the non-Analog nominees.