Nebula Finalists 1972

Discussion:

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James Nicoll

2024-02-26 14:42:50 UTC

Another week, another round of which Nebula finalists have you read?
This week, for 1972.

Check marks don't work here so I will list all of the finalists, then
the subset I have read. Kate Wilhelm was on fire this year, thus she's
present in every category save one.

1972 Nebula Finalist Novels

A Time of Changes by Robert Silverberg
The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin
The Devil Is Dead by R. A. Lafferty
Margaret and I by Kate Wilhelm
The Byworlder by Poul Anderson
Half Past Human by T. J. Bass

1972 Nebula Finalist Novellas

The Missing Man by Katherine MacLean
The Infinity Box by Kate Wilhelm
Being There by Jerzy Kosinski
The God House by Keith Roberts
The Plastic Abyss by Kate Wilhelm

1972 Nebula Finalist Novelettes

The Queen of Air and Darkness by Poul Anderson
Mount Charity by Edgar Pangborn
Poor Man, Beggar Man by Joanna Russ
A Special Kind of Morning by Gardner Dozois
The Encounter by Kate Wilhelm

1972 Nebula Finalist Short Stories

Good News from the Vatican by Robert Silverberg
The Last Ghost by Stephen Goldin
Horse of Air by Gardner Dozois
Heathen God by George Zebrowski

Of which I have read

1972 Nebula Finalist Novels

A Time of Changes by Robert Silverberg
The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin
Margaret and I by Kate Wilhelm
The Byworlder by Poul Anderson
Half Past Human by T. J. Bass

1972 Nebula Finalist Novellas

The Missing Man by Katherine MacLean
The Infinity Box by Kate Wilhelm
The God House by Keith Roberts

1972 Nebula Finalist Novelettes

The Queen of Air and Darkness by Poul Anderson
A Special Kind of Morning by Gardner Dozois
The Encounter by Kate Wilhelm

1972 Nebula Finalist Short Stories

Good News from the Vatican by Robert Silverberg
The Last Ghost by Stephen Goldin
Horse of Air by Gardner Dozois

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Chris Buckley

2024-02-26 18:50:48 UTC

Permalink

Post by James Nicoll
Another week, another round of which Nebula finalists have you read?
This week, for 1972....
1972 Nebula Finalist Novels
A Time of Changes by Robert Silverberg
The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin
The Devil Is Dead by R. A. Lafferty
Margaret and I by Kate Wilhelm
The Byworlder by Poul Anderson
Half Past Human by T. J. Bass

Read all. A poor year for novels, IMO. Among the 9 novels in Hugo and
Nebula nominations, only _Jack of Shadows_ is on my Favorites' bookcase
(one of two Zelazny's that I regard as minor but maintained enjoyment
through multiple re-readings.)

(_Dragonquest_ is on my bookcase as part of an omnibus, but I don't
regard it as a Favorite in itself.)

Post by James Nicoll
1972 Nebula Finalist Novellas
The Missing Man by Katherine MacLean
The Infinity Box by Kate Wilhelm
Being There by Jerzy Kosinski
The God House by Keith Roberts
The Plastic Abyss by Kate Wilhelm

Read all but the Kosinski (never heard of it!) and _The Plastic Abyss_.

Post by James Nicoll
1972 Nebula Finalist Novelettes
The Queen of Air and Darkness by Poul Anderson
Mount Charity by Edgar Pangborn
Poor Man, Beggar Man by Joanna Russ
A Special Kind of Morning by Gardner Dozois
The Encounter by Kate Wilhelm
1972 Nebula Finalist Short Stories
Good News from the Vatican by Robert Silverberg
The Last Ghost by Stephen Goldin
Horse of Air by Gardner Dozois
Heathen God by George Zebrowski

Read all. _Nebula Award Stories Seven_ is a much larger anthology
than the older Nebula anthologies that I have and includes (with
biographies) all the Novelettes, Short Stories, the winning Novella,
several other non-finalist nominated stories, and several essays.

I hadn't realized before reading the Knight essay what an
upheaval 1971 was in science fiction publishing. John W. Campbell
died (at age 61(What?!!!)) and Carr and Wollheim left Ace, ending
Carr's Ace Science Fiction Special series (very good) and with Wollheim
forming DAW.

Chris

James Nicoll

2024-02-26 21:31:52 UTC

Permalink

Post by Chris Buckley

Read all. A poor year for novels, IMO. Among the 9 novels in Hugo and
Nebula nominations, only _Jack of Shadows_ is on my Favorites' bookcase
(one of two Zelazny's that I regard as minor but maintained enjoyment
through multiple re-readings.)
(_Dragonquest_ is on my bookcase as part of an omnibus, but I don't
regard it as a Favorite in itself.)

Read all but the Kosinski (never heard of it!) and _The Plastic Abyss_.

I recommend the film based on Being There. It would have been a great
film for Peter Sellers to go out on. Alas, he made one more film,
the dire The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu.

Post by Chris Buckley

I really need to read those anthologies....

Post by Chris Buckley
I hadn't realized before reading the Knight essay what an
upheaval 1971 was in science fiction publishing. John W. Campbell
died (at age 61(What?!!!)) and Carr and Wollheim left Ace, ending
Carr's Ace Science Fiction Special series (very good) and with Wollheim
forming DAW.
Chris

William Hyde

2024-02-26 22:38:15 UTC

Permalink

Post by James Nicoll
Another week, another round of which Nebula finalists have you read?
This week, for 1972.

As predicted, we've reached the time when I haven't read everything.
It doesn't seem to be as strong a year as 70 and 71 were, though.

Post by James Nicoll
Check marks don't work here so I will list all of the finalists, then
the subset I have read. Kate Wilhelm was on fire this year, thus she's
present in every category save one.
1972 Nebula Finalist Novels
A Time of Changes by Robert Silverberg
The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin
The Devil Is Dead by R. A. Lafferty
Margaret and I by Kate Wilhelm
The Byworlder by Poul Anderson
Half Past Human by T. J. Bass

Hanging my head in shame, I have to admit that despite being a Lafferty
fan, I haven't read TDID.

The Silverberg gains interest in the context of his other novels. Most
of his lead characters did not have large egos, but in this society the
protagonist is barred from saying "I". I reread it once, I believe.

The LeGuin is fine, though one of her lesser novels.

I was not the target audience for "Margaret and I". But I found it
compelling, nonetheless.

I found the Anderson to be about average for his work, which is pretty good.

While I know that many others differ, I didn't greatly like "Half Past
Human". Still, it was pretty good for a first novel, and I regret that
he didn't write much else in the field.

Here I did even worse. I can only recall "The Infinity Box" and "Being
there". Both excellent.

I don't think I read the Dozois, and have no recollection of the Russ,
though at the time I read anything of hers that I found.

Post by James Nicoll
1972 Nebula Finalist Short Stories
Good News from the Vatican by Robert Silverberg
The Last Ghost by Stephen Goldin
Horse of Air by Gardner Dozois
Heathen God by George Zebrowski

I never was clear as to why the Silverberg was rated so highly. Maybe
I missed something, or everything. I don't recall the rest.

William Hyde

Ted Nolan <tednolan>

2024-02-26 22:58:51 UTC

Permalink

Post by William Hyde

Post by James Nicoll
Another week, another round of which Nebula finalists have you read?
This week, for 1972.

As predicted, we've reached the time when I haven't read everything.
It doesn't seem to be as strong a year as 70 and 71 were, though.

Hanging my head in shame, I have to admit that despite being a Lafferty
fan, I haven't read TDID.

I remember liking it less than _Fourth Mansions_, but couldn't tell you
anything else about it at this point.

Post by William Hyde

I never was clear as to why the Silverberg was rated so highly. Maybe
I missed something, or everything. I don't recall the rest.

Similar reaction to the Silverberg: It just seemed like a one-joke story.

--
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What's not in Columbia anymore..

Lynn McGuire

2024-02-26 23:00:53 UTC

Permalink

Post by James Nicoll
Another week, another round of which Nebula finalists have you read?
This week, for 1972.
Check marks don't work here so I will list all of the finalists, then
the subset I have read. Kate Wilhelm was on fire this year, thus she's
present in every category save one.
1972 Nebula Finalist Novels
A Time of Changes by Robert Silverberg
The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin
The Devil Is Dead by R. A. Lafferty
Margaret and I by Kate Wilhelm
The Byworlder by Poul Anderson
Half Past Human by T. J. Bass
1972 Nebula Finalist Novellas
The Missing Man by Katherine MacLean
The Infinity Box by Kate Wilhelm
Being There by Jerzy Kosinski
The God House by Keith Roberts
The Plastic Abyss by Kate Wilhelm
1972 Nebula Finalist Novelettes
The Queen of Air and Darkness by Poul Anderson
Mount Charity by Edgar Pangborn
Poor Man, Beggar Man by Joanna Russ
A Special Kind of Morning by Gardner Dozois
The Encounter by Kate Wilhelm
1972 Nebula Finalist Short Stories
Good News from the Vatican by Robert Silverberg
The Last Ghost by Stephen Goldin
Horse of Air by Gardner Dozois
Heathen God by George Zebrowski
Of which I have read
1972 Nebula Finalist Novels
A Time of Changes by Robert Silverberg
The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin
Margaret and I by Kate Wilhelm
The Byworlder by Poul Anderson
Half Past Human by T. J. Bass
1972 Nebula Finalist Novellas
The Missing Man by Katherine MacLean
The Infinity Box by Kate Wilhelm
The God House by Keith Roberts
1972 Nebula Finalist Novelettes
The Queen of Air and Darkness by Poul Anderson
A Special Kind of Morning by Gardner Dozois
The Encounter by Kate Wilhelm
1972 Nebula Finalist Short Stories
Good News from the Vatican by Robert Silverberg
The Last Ghost by Stephen Goldin
Horse of Air by Gardner Dozois

Zero.

Lynn