Oceanic (novella)

"Oceanic" is a science fiction novella published in 1998 by Greg Egan. It won the 1999 Hugo Award for Best Novella.

Publication history

"Oceanic" was first published in the August 1998 edition of Asimov's Science Fiction by Dell Magazines. In 1999 and 2007 it was republished by The Year's Best Science Fiction: Sixteenth Annual Collection and The Best of the Best Volume 2: 20 Years of the Best Short Science Fiction Novels respectively by editor Gardner Dozois. In 2008 it was published in Greg Egan's collection Dark Integers and Other Stories and in 2009 it was again published in a collection by Egan, entitled Oceanic.^[1]

Reception

In 1999 "Oceanic" won the Hugo Award for Best Novella, Locus Award best novella, and the Asimov's Reader Poll for best novella.^[2][3][4] It also won two foreign short story awards; the 2000 Hayakawa's SF Magazine Reader's Award and the 2001 Seiun Award.^[5][6] "Oceanic" was also a finalist in the 1998 Aurealis Award for best science fiction short story, a long list nominee for the 1999 James Tiptree Jr Memorial Award and a short-list nominee for the 1999 HOMer Award for best novella.^[7][8][9]

Plot summary

The story follows Martin, a Freelander living on the oceans of Covenant. As a boy he has a religious experience that shapes his life for years to come. As he grows into manhood his experiences and studies begin to conflict with his deep rooted faith. Eventually he joins a small circle of scholars studying the effects of one of Covenant’s most abundant microbes as his views of life change dramatically.

References

External links

• 'Oceanic' by Greg Egan - full text