Critical Mass April 16th: Kinds of SF

Critical Mass, Critical Mass News

Andrew and Kate have been looking at past Hugo/Nebula nominees to see if there’s any pattern as to reader preferences in various years.

DATA: Of the books nominated for Hugo/Nebula per year, what fraction had a particular label.

TO CONSIDER: Chicken or egg – more published or more interest 

FOR FUTURE DISCUSSION: How would we label older titles? Is there more diversity now?

Figures Hugo = Red; Nebula = Blue;

  • Points are 5-yearly binned nomination rates (number of books with/out a tag).

Here are three categories

Cyberpunk

  • Bladerunner released 1982 – Egg?
  • Neuromancer published 1984 – Egg?
  • Matrix 1999 – early 2000s – Chicken!

Steampunk

  • Parallels with Romance as Victorian themes often romantic settings?
  • Why the sharp peak in 2008-2013?

Time Travel

  • 1970s spike = 2001 Space Odyssey, Slaughterhouse 5?

Please download the notes from Andrew and consider what themes are missing,
or examples which should be considered.

SFF trends – Questions for discussion 2.rtfDownload

Critical Mass will meet at 6:30pm on Wednesday, April 16th at the Minor Works Building,
22 Stamford Court, Adelaide.
[If you enter from Sturt Street, there’s an open path between 50 and 52 Sturt Street
leading to the community centre]
For those who can’t make it in person, they’re welcome to join us via zoom

Zoom details

https://unisa.zoom.us/j/89022584672?pwd=bzysad1E2jrrJayXadBiRGKPyI6wwm.1
Password: 463437

6:30-8pm Adelaide, 7-8:30pm Melbourne, 10:30-12 noon London