As you may have heard, this year’s list of Hugo finalists contain five Tor.com Originals. Congratulations again to Charles Stross, Andy Duncan, Ellen Klages, Mary Robinette Kowal, Thomas Olde Heuvelt, and John Chu. We’ve managed to stop hopping with excitement for just long enough to make all five of these wonderful stories free to download from all major ebook retailers. Below the cut you’ll find links where you can get these stories for free.
Best Novella:
“Wakulla Springs”
Written by Andy Duncan and Ellen Klages
Illustration by Garry Kelley
Edited by Patrick Nielsen Hayden
Wakulla Springs, in the deep jungle of the Florida panhandle, is the deepest submerged freshwater cave system in the world. In its unfathomable depths, a variety of curious creatures have left a record of their coming, of their struggle to survive, and of their eventual end. And that’s just the local human beings over the last seventy-five years. Then there are the prehistoric creatures…and, just maybe, something else.
Ranging from the late 1930s to the present day, “Wakulla Springs” is a tour de force of the human, the strange, and the miraculous.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes
“Equoid”
Written by Charles Stross
Illustration by Dave Palumbo
Edited by Patrick Nielsen Hayden
The “Laundry” is Britain’s super-secret agency devoted to protecting the realm from the supernatural horrors that menace it. Now Bob Howard, Laundry agent, must travel to the quiet English countryside to deal with an outbreak of one of the worst horrors imaginable. For, as it turns out, unicorns are real. They’re also ravenous killers from beyond spacetime…
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes
Best Novelette:
“The Lady Astronaut of Mars”
Written by Mary Robinette Kowal
Thirty years ago, Elma York led the expedition that paved the way to life on Mars. For years she’s been longing to go back up there, to once more explore the stars. But there are few opportunities for an aging astronaut, even the famous Lady Astronaut of Mars. When her chance finally comes, it may be too late. Elma must decide whether to stay with her sickening husband in what will surely be the final years of his life, or to have her final adventure and plunge deeper into the well of space.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes
Best Short Story:
“The Ink Readers of Doi Saket”
Written by Thomas Olde Heuvelt
Illustration by Victo Ngai
Edited by Ann VanderMeer
People send their dreams and wishes floating down the Mae Ping River with the hope that those dreams will be captured, read and come true. It is a surprise what some wish for and why. One can never know what’s inside someone’s heart—what they really truly want, and those dreams sometimes reveal our true selves.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes
“The Water That Falls on You from Nowhere”
Written by John Chu
Illustration by Christopher Silas Neal
Edited by Ann VanderMeer
In the near future water falls from the sky whenever someone lies (either a mist or a torrential flood depending on the intensity of the lie). This makes life difficult for Matt as he maneuvers the marriage question with his lover and how best to “come out” to his traditional Chinese parents.
All these were good reads. Still waiting on the rest of the Hugo package to arrive, since Tor has been the most friendly publisher.
Equoid will never let you see unicorns in the same way again. Disturbing, but well written.
Lady Astronaut of Mars is my favorite so far.
Much appreicated.
“The Ink Readers of Doi Saket” is not available in the iTunes Spain Store, for some reason, it wants me to change to the american store. I could download the others without a hitch.
Thank you for making them available for free, and congratulations to all the writers.
Yay!! My new Kindle is very happy!!! I’m sure these stories will play well with My Real Children.
Is there a reason “The lady astronaut of Mars” is priced at 1.24 $ at amazon when i follow the link? Is it because i live in europe?
The packet is at: Hugo Packet.
If you are a Loncon 3 member, you can download it now.
Thank you Tor! I downloaded “Wakulla Springs” before it won a Hugo and out of the many stories I’ve read in the past two or three months this story has stayed with me and always will. Such a beautiful valentine to…. Florida, wonderful “B” movies, Jonny Weismuller, swimming,… life, love… and so much more. The vivid and compelling portrayal of life in the south as an African American in the 30’s and beyond is real and heartfelt. Truly a stunning piece. Congratulations and thank you to Andy Duncan and Ellen Klages!
Thank you so much! I downloaded all of them but “The Ink Readers of Doi Saket” doesn’t seem to exist on Amazon in Canada! All the others I had no problem with.
@8 – Moderator here! I’ve forwarded your comment to our production staff, who’ll look into the issue. Thanks for letting us know!
Ink Readers also not available at Amazon UK, by the way. :)
Lady Astronaut of Mars is currently free in the UK iBooks store but chargeable for Kindle.
Lady Astronaut of Mars is not available in Israel neither in itunes nor in Amazon
Hi, the The Ink Readers of Doi Saket is not available on the French store either (just like in Canada and Spain)
Cheers and thanks for making these available !