Over the last several months, I have spent far too much time reading about the drama surrounding the 2015 Hugo Awards. I’m hoping that next year’s awards will get back to the basics and see nominations based solely upon reader opinions. Because of this year’s mess, but also because I’ve become increasingly interested in participating in the greater SFF community, I’m motivated to nominate and vote for the 2016 Hugo Awards.

I’ve been compiling a list of novels that have caught my interest since the beginning of the year and I plan to work my way through it (as much as possible) so that I have a nice library to pull from when it comes time for nominations…well, that, and these novels sound fantastic and I’m really excited to read them.

So here’s the list that I’m working with as it currently stands.

1. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
2. Karen Memory by Elizabeth Bear
3. The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu
4. The Mechanical by Ian Tregillis
5. The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi
6. Seveneves by Neal Stephenson
7. Superposition by David Walton
8. Apex by Ramez Naam
9. Uprooted by Naomi Novik
10. Time Salvager by Wes Chu
11. Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Hand
12. Armada by Ernest Cline
13. The Fold by Peter Clines
14. Beasts of Tabat by Cat Rambo
15. Chasing the Phoenix by Michael Swanwick
16. The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson
17. The House of Shattered Wings by Aliette de Bodard
18. The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemison
19. Zer0es by Chuck Wendig
20. Shadows of Self by Brandon Sanderson
21. Court of Fives by Kate Elliot
22. The Aeronaut’s Windlass by Jim Butcher
23. Luna by Ian McDonald
24. Sorcerer for the Crown by Zen Cho
25. Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson
26. Updraft by Fran Wilde

I highly doubt that I’ll read all of them–I just don’t read that quickly, but I suspect it includes some great works and I’m excited to find out which I like the best. I’ll report back as I make progress.