The Incomparable, number 461, May 2019.

Welcome back, everybody, to The Incomparable.

I am your host, Jason Snell.

This episode is all about books.

We are, it's one of our two annual episodes where we look at books that are on a short list for the

science fiction and fantasy novels of the year. This is for the Nebula Awards, which are given out

by the Science Fiction Writers Association of America. And we have all read, I believe, six

books, six novel nominees. I will check in now with my panelists to see to make sure

if they've read all six or not. Aline Sims is here. Aline, did you read all six? I read all six. Do I get a

nebula? No, but you get a gold star. Sweet, I'll take it. And millions of those, well,

no, that's a galaxy. What makes a nebula? It's just gas. Anyway, okay, your gold star is next to a nebula.

Awesome.

But is not a nebula itself does not comprise a nebula.

Eric Ensign, did you read all six books?

I did. All the homework.

Thank you. Thank you. And Scott McNulty. Did you read all the books?

I did indeed. Oh, excellent, excellent.

Okay.

Now, none of us remember any of them.

Usually it's just me.

But it's been, you know, I'm almost through the Hugo nominees now, and I had to think back to the nebula nominees.

But sick books that obviously some group of people thought were

...