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Nebula Award Reviews — Short Fiction
Science fiction, fantasy, and horror have long been genres with a very strong short fiction element. This speaks to the genres’ origin in the pulps.
Here are short reviews of the six short stories that rose to the top in the Nebulas this year. (Poss. spoilers).
Badass Moms in the Zombie Apocalypse by Rae Carson
Zombies are a very specific thing, and zombie fiction seldom gets major awards; it tends to have a small but very dedicated fanbase. The Walking Dead has helped increase its popularity, but I’m still surprised to see a zombie story on the list.
This is also a story about choices, and specifically about women’s choices. It’s about choosing to be a mother even when it’s risky, but it manages to do it in a way that doesn’t come over as pro life propaganda. And it’s quite nicely written.