Comments: The 2008 Nebula Awards were more or less as uninteresting as the 2007 Nebula awards had been, with nominations for and wins by the books and authors that one would expect to win. Even the win for Best Script that Pan's Labyrinth earned is only surprising because it managed to beat a Doctor Who episode for the prize. No single person received more than one nomination. None of the winners were undeserving, in fact, the very predictable nature of the ballots this year is because all of the winners were deserving selections. The very uninteresting nature of this year's array of ballots and winners is probably the most interesting thing about it. Even in terms of gender equality 2008 was a fairly ordinary year, with women nominated for, and winning a decent share of the awards. I don't know why 2008 turned out to be so bland, perhaps the SFWA is simply becoming predictable, but the fact remains that it did.
Best Novel
The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon
Other Nominees:
The Accidental Time Machine by Joe Haldeman
The New Moon's Arms by Nalo Hopkinson
Odyssey by Jack McDevitt
Ragamuffin by Tobias S. Buckell
Best Novella
Fountain of Age by Nancy Kress
Other Nominees:
Awakening by Judith Berman
The Helper and His Hero by Matt Hughes
Kiosk by Bruce Sterling
Memorare by Gene Wolfe
Stars Seen through Stone by Lucius Shepard
Best Novelette
The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate by Ted Chiang
Other Nominees:
Child, Maiden, Mother, Crone by Terry Bramlett
The Children's Crusade by Robin Wayne Bailey
The Evolution of Trickster Stories Among the Dogs Of North Park After the Change by Kij Johnson
The Fiddler of Bayou Teche by Delia ShermanPol Pot's Beautiful Daughter (Fantasy) by Geoff Ryman
Safeguard by Nancy Kress
Best Short Story
Always by Karen Joy Fowler
Other Nominees:
Captive Girl by Jennifer Pelland
Pride by Mary A. Turzillo
The Story of Love by Vera Nazarian
Titanium Mike Saves the Day by David D. Levine
Unique Chicken Goes In Reverse by Andy Duncan
Best Script
Pan's Labyrinth by Guillermo del Toro
Other Nominees:
Children of Men by Alfonso Cuaron, Timothy J. Sexton, David Arata, Mark Fergus, and Hawk Ostby
Doctor Who: Blink by Steven Moffat
The Prestige by Christopher Nolan and Jonathan Nolan (based on the novel by Christopher Priest)
Star Trek - New Voyages: World Enough and Time by Marc Scott Zicree and Michael Reaves
V for Vendetta by Larry Wachowski and Andy WachowskiAndre Norton Award
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
Other Nominees:
Flora Segunda by Ysabeau S. Wilce
Into the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst
The Lion Hunter by Elizabeth Wein
The Shadow Speaker by Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu
The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex
Vintage: A Ghost Story by Steve Berman
Ray Bradbury Award
Joss Weedon
Other Nominees:
None
Go to previous year's nominees: 2007
Go to subsequent year's nominees: 2009
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