Reviewing the 2026 Nebula Award Finalists: Best Short Story

THE 2026 NEBULA AWARD FINALISTS: SHORT STORY

RATED 75% POSITIVE. STORY SCORE = 3.3 OUT OF 5

6 STORIES: 0 GREAT / 4 GOOD / 1 AVERAGE / 0 POOR / 1 DNF

It was pretty hard to rank these six stories, but nothing really stood out. It was a fast read though.

I was surprised that none of the finalist was worthy of a Great review this year.

The Nebula Awards are the second most important awards given in science fiction and fantasy. Unlike the Hugo Awards, which are given by popular vote, the Nebual Awards are voted on by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA).

“Founded as the Science Fiction Writers of America in 1965 by Damon Knight, the organization began with a charter membership of 78 writers; it now has over 2,000 members, among them many of the leading writers of science fiction and fantasy … Since 1965, the Nebula Awards® have been given each year to outstanding novel, novella, novelette, and short stories eligible for that year’s award … An anthology including the winning pieces of short fiction and several finalists has been published every year since 1966. It was known as the Nebula Awards Showcase and the year from 2000 to 2019; starting in 2020 the series number replaced the year. The latest editions are Nebula Awards Showcase 57, 58, 59, and 60.”

This is the first year that I am trying to review and rank all of the short fiction finalists, but I’ve read many of the Nebula Awards Anthologies.

• 2026 Nebula Award Finalists

• Best Novelettes - 92%

• Nebula Awards

  • “Nebula Awards 22” edited by George Zebrowski. [1986] - 81%

  • “Nebula Awards 32” edited by Jack Dann. [1998] - 89%

  • “Nebula Awards Showcase 2001.” edited by Robert Silverberg. - 75%

  • “Nebula Awards Showcase 2010.” edited by Bill Fawcett. - 75%

  • “Nebula Awards Showcase 2015.” edited by Greg Bear. - 80%

  • “Nebula Awards Showcase 2016.” edited by Mercedes Lackey. - 75%

  • “Nebula Awards Showcase 60” edited by Stephen Kotowych. [2024] - 79%

Best Short Story

1. “The Tawlish Island Songbook of the Dead”, by E.M. Linden (PodCastle 2/18/25)

   Good. A melacholicly beautiful story of people haunted by the ghosts they left on their island. And the ghosts who are haunted by the memories of those people. Rather haunting at places.

2. “Laser Eyes Ain’t Everything” by Effie Seiberg (Diabolical Plots, May 16, 2025)

   Good. You can be super-abled, be in a wheelchair, and the damned superhero union won’t build a ramp to let you in the clubhouse.

3. “In My Country” by Thomas Ha (Clarkesworld, Issue 223)

   Good. In a world that claims have no king, but is always under the surveillance of the First Citizen, a father watches his two children choose different forms of rebellion. Complex symbolic literature vs risky direct action.

4. “Six People to Revise You” by J.R. Dawson (Uncanny Magazine, Issue 62)

   Good. Our protagonist is planning a procedure by which their identity is ‘adjusted,’ but first they need people in their lives to give feedback on what changes are needed.

5. “Through the Machine”, by P.A. Cornell (Lightspeed 5/25)

   Average. An actor’s career is different (and worse) because of artificial intelligence in Hollywood. I expect smarter stories about current technology from science fiction writers. This seems to be written and nominated out of fear. The author doesn’t try to grapple with what a.i. will really mean for moviemaking in a science fictional way.

6. “Because I Held His Name Like a Key”, by Aimee Ogden (Strange Horizons 6/16/25)

   DNF. Nearly unreadable queer romantic fantasy about Alan Turing and some fairy prince.

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Hugo, Nebula, & Asimov’s Reader’s Choice Awards

• Hugo Awards

  • Anthologies

    • “Hugo and Nebula Award Winners from Asimov's Science Fiction.” edited by Sheila Williams. 97%

    • “The Hugo Winners, Volume One” edited by Isaac Asimov. - 94%

    • “The Hugo Winners, Volume Two” edited by Isaac Asimov. - 82%

  • Story Bundles

    • 2024 Hugo Finalists

      • Best Novellas - 83%

      • Best Novelettes - 92%

      • Best Short Stories - 80%

    • 2023 Hugo Finalists

      • Best Novellas - 83%

      • Best Novelettes - 90%

    • 2022 Hugo Award Finalists:

      • Best Novellas - 83%

      • Best Novelettes - 83%

      • Best Short Stories - 75%

    • 2021 Hugo Award Finalists:

      • Best Novelettes - 92%

      • Best Short Stories - 83%

• Nebula Awards

  • “Nebula Awards 22” edited by George Zebrowski. [1986] - 81%

  • “Nebula Awards 32” edited by Jack Dann. [1998] - 89%

  • “Nebula Awards Showcase 2001.” edited by Robert Silverberg. - 75%

  • “Nebula Awards Showcase 2010.” edited by Bill Fawcett. - 75%

  • “Nebula Awards Showcase 2015.” edited by Greg Bear. - 80%

  • “Nebula Awards Showcase 2016.” edited by Mercedes Lackey. - 75%

• 2026 Nebula Award Finalists

  • Best Novelettes - 92%

• Asimov’s Reader’s Choice Awards

  • Reviewing the 35th Annual Reader's Award Finalists from Asimov's Science Fiction. 2021. - 88%

  • Reviewing the 36th Annual Readers’ Award Finalists from Asimov’s Science Fiction. 2022 - 91%

  • Reviewing the 37th Annual Readers’ Award Finalists from Asimov’s Science Fiction 2023 - 90%

  • Reviewing the 38th Annual Readers’ Award Finalists from Asimov’s Science Fiction 2024 - 88%

• Clarkesworld Reader’s Choice Awards

  • Clarkesworld 2024 Readers' Award Finalists: Novellas | Novelettes | Short Stories - 88%