THE 2026 HUGO AWARD FINALISTS: NOVELETTES

RATED 83% POSITIVE. STORY SCORE = 3.8 OUT OF 5

6 STORIES: 1 GREAT / 3 GOOD / 2 AVERAGE / 0 POOR / 0 DNF

In Science Fiction, the most prestigious awards are the Hugo Awards. Voted on by the fans who buy a voting membership and are given out at The World Science Fiction Convention. The 84th World Science Fiction Convention will take place on August 27-31, 2026 in Anaheim, California. The list of finalists just dropped.

The best thing I can say about this year’s Hugo Finalists for Best Novelette is that they are all fast reads. These stories all emphasize storytelling over complex prose structure. In doing so, they put their ideas and characters front and center. I appreciate that.

Once again every story is available online for free. The problem of the 2020s Hugo award persists in that people love free stuff, but most of the best stories are behind paywalls. I don’t know how the Hugo Awards will ever combat this … or even if they want to.

But I shouldn’t complain too much, there are some good stories worth reading here, with the HH Pak story being the most worthy of the name Hugo.

This is the sixth year that I am trying to review and rank all of the short fiction finalists.

Novella. Stories of between 17,500 and 40,000 words. (Reviewed: 2024, 2023 & 2022)
Novelettes. Stories of between 7,500 and 17,500 words (Reviewed: 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022 & 2021)
Short Stories. Stories of less than 7,500 words. (Reviewed: 2025, 2024, 2022 & 2021)

Best Short Story

“Never Eaten Vegetables” by H.H. Pak (Clarkesworld, Issue 220)
Great. A sentient transport ship’s ai has to deal with babies that need her when a small number of the embryos awake ahead of schedule. Years later, one of those who were born investigates why the corporation wants to destroy the ai that saved them. I found this a more interesting science fictional examination on abortion than more well know stories like Rabbit Test.
“Kaiju Agonistes” by Scott Lynch (Uncanny Magazine, Issue 62)
Good. A fun alternate history where a monster - seeded thousands of years ago - is awakened by the dropping of the atom bomb. It tries to get humanity to learn from its violent attacks, but humanity isn’t listening. So the Messenger has to find another way.
“When He Calls Your Name” by Catherynne M. Valente (Uncanny Magazine, Issue 65)
Good. A charming vampire/succubus story, closely inspired by the famous Dolly Parton song “Jolene.”
“The Girl That My Mother Is Leaving Me For” by Cameron Reed (Reactor, April 2, 2025)
Good. A trans-woman is sterile and can’t give the CEO the clone she requires, so that CEO finds a woman who will. Things go pear-shaped at the 2 must escape their home.
“The Millay Illusion” by Sarah Pinsker (Uncanny Magazine, Issue 67)
Average. Pleasant enough character study of an orphan girl who performs as a boy in the circus. She meets a young female magician who isn’t getting enough respect from the owners of circus, so she heads off to find her own success.
“Rapport: Friendship, Solidarity, Communion, Empathy” by Martha Wells (Reactor, July 10, 2025)
Average. A well written part of a story. Some humans and an ai sneak aboard a corporate space station, but the ai is getting them problems. It has something on its mind. This feels like a vignette in an existing universe or a chapter in an unfinished novel. The Martha Wells fans obviously put this incomplete story here.