Felix Gilman

I just received my voting packet for the Hugos. The deadline isn't until July, but I should get things tied up with my pieces on each of the John W. Campbell Award Finalists. So...

There's only one left: Felix Gilman, who happens to be the other novelist on the ballot! He's the author of Thunderer and Gears of the City. Thunderer got a lot of praise, including stuff like this...

"This masterly first novel is as stunning and unexpected as a thunderclap out of a clear blue sky." --Paul Witcover.

"That thunderous, earth-shattering sound vibrating through the pavement and up-ending your coffee is the harbinger of approaching giants: first-time novelist Felix Gilman's incredibly imaginative New Weirdish urban fantasy Thunderer ... a brilliant new author." --Jeff VanderMeer.

Great recommendations by two great guys. It also garnered him a nominated for a Locus Award for Best First Novel.

So Mr. Gilman is a contender. I'm pretty sure he agreed to have a beer with me in Montreal, as well, so it's all good.

Other info? Well, there's more info on his website, of course, but Felix was born in London in 1974. That sounds fairly straightforward. I'll put quotes around this next bit, though: "He holds two degrees in history from Oxford, a J.D. from Harvard Law School, a doctorate in Ludology from the Waldzell School of the Order of Castalia, and certain advanced but curiously non-specific qualifications in modern American poetry from the National University of Zembla."

Also he went to Hogwarts. Why not?

Here's Mary Robinette Kowal's Interview with him.

Here's one with Jeff VanDermeer.

And that concludes my wee collection of posts about my fellow noms. I think that together we're an interesting bunch, happily diverse and stylistically varied. Of course, I'm sure we all want to win the thing, but - regardless - it still means a lot to me to be included in lists like this. So best of luck to Aliette, Gord, Tony and Felix. I'll hold a bit of that back for myself, and then I'll hope to see you all in Montreal - to celebrate. No matter what, it'll be a good time!