Hugo & Nebula Awards: Best Novels discussion

We did this last year but missed it for the Nebulas this year. Since the Hugo short list will be out in a few weeks, have a guess at the 6 novels you think will make it. (Note: it's not a list of your favorites, it's what you think will be the final 6.)

I’m guessing there will be Chinese works few of us have heard of on the short list.

Is there a rule about English language publication?

I don't know.

Publications can be nominated from any language, but because the awards are traditionally dominated by English-language works, any translation of a previously published work is eligible in its first year as a published translation into English.

Basically -- any Chinese-language work is eligible (alongside every other published genre work globally), it doesn't have to be translated, and is more likely to end up on the ballot this year due to Chengdu's hosting of the awards.

I can see Babel: An Arcane History and Nona the Ninth getting Hugo nods on top of Nebula, and maybe The Mountain in the Sea. This is strictly intuition, as I've only read the latter. It had some interesting ideas, but it didn't really grab me. I reviewed the list of eligibles, but since I didn't read many of them, nothing really jumped out at me.

Legends & Lattes seems to be the kind of crowd pleaser that might well reach the final ballot.

L&L
Babel
The Spare Man
Nettle and Bone

Can't decide the other two. I haven't read most of the Locus recommended novel list/Nebula noms.

30 April is the deadline but I am not going to read more novels, maybe just short stories or novelettes.

Allan wrote: "I can see Babel: An Arcane History and Nona the Ninth getting Hugo nods on top of Nebula, and maybe The Mountain in the Sea. ."

I agree on all three, esp., bearing in mind later nominations, therefore more Western nominations after Nebula nominees were announced

Assuming it's not a full Chinese ballot, I'm pretty sure Babel will be up there. Also has a strong chance at winning. I think Nona too. But these are also my favourites and I haven't paid much attention elsewhere this year to what others are super excited about. I really have no idea. I'm feeling more and more out of sync with the voters.

How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu also did very well this past year, although I haven't heard it talked about as much in recent months. I haven't read it but think it could be a contender.

I think Babel. Otherwise, no opinion