Thoughts on the Hugo and Campbell nominees

To a good approximation I don't read short fiction; indeed, given that all the nominees are available on-line, I demonstrably don't read even free short fiction. On the other hand, I do tend to react to the Hugo nominations by buying those of the nominees that I don't already have, and to the Campbells by picking up novels by the novel-nominated writers.

I have now managed to read these, and might as well review them since I've not received a ballot.

( 650 words of reviews by one not practised in the form follow )