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If at First You Don't Succeed, Try, Try Again
A hapless imugi is determined to attain the form of a full-fledged dragon and gain entry to the gates of heaven. For a long time, things don't go well. Then, it meets a girl. The B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog presents an original short story by Campbell Award-nominated author Zen Cho.
30 pages, ebook
First published November 29, 2018
9 people are currently reading
1,952 people want to read
About the author
Zen Cho
62books2,645followersI'm a Malaysian fantasy writer based in the UK. Find out more about my work here:
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November 28, 2024
Zen Cho: and then the dragon flew through the sky
Me: *sobbing in public*
Goddammit.
Okay but this was surprisingly beautiful and bittersweet. Zen Cho’s Hugo award winning novelette If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again begins as a story about failed transformation but sneaks up on you through the snark to be a transformative story about the power of persistence and love. It is a charming fairy tale in the best of ways, harnessing an exciting mythology about the imugi—imugi are to dragons as the caterpillar is to the butterfly more or less—but zooms in from the grand scale where hundreds of years are a blink in the vastness of the cosmos to the span of a few decades to harmonize the human with the folkloric. Cho captures the feeling of failure, be it the thwarted ambitions to become a dragon or to attain tenure at a University, but shows how transformation can come in surprising ways and when one road to our future becomes barricaded we must not be defeated and discover another path forward. Sometimes the path may be rocky or seem aimless, but its usually more scenic and if we keep on keeping on as Bob Dylan said, we might just get to where we are going.
�Sometimes,� it said, “you try really hard and it’s not enough. You put in all you’ve got and you still never get where you thought you were meant to be...It hurts. Knowing it wasn’t enough, even when you gave it the best of yourself. But you get over it.�
Zen Cho has a great sense of humor that resides comfortably in both the snarky and the sweet and that made this quite an endearing read. I enjoyed how Byam—the imugi central to the story—has gender neutral pronouns (using “it� which is also the pronouns for Murderbot in great series) though during their relationship with Leslie takes on a female presenting form. Cho tends towards queer narratives, which I really appreciate. The way this moves from the more magical to the mundane of daily domesticity is done so beautifully and makes the quotidian on equal footing with the mystical. The transformation here is quite moving and sad, but we see how the bittersweetness of a lifespan of love can become the cocoon for meaningful metamorphosis. Short but sweet, I’m drying my eyes and thankful I read If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again.
4/5
Oh and it appears the only way to read this is to claim the free ebook version and I didn’t go into libraries to NOT give people free access to stories so please claim a free copy.
Me: *sobbing in public*
Goddammit.
Okay but this was surprisingly beautiful and bittersweet. Zen Cho’s Hugo award winning novelette If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again begins as a story about failed transformation but sneaks up on you through the snark to be a transformative story about the power of persistence and love. It is a charming fairy tale in the best of ways, harnessing an exciting mythology about the imugi—imugi are to dragons as the caterpillar is to the butterfly more or less—but zooms in from the grand scale where hundreds of years are a blink in the vastness of the cosmos to the span of a few decades to harmonize the human with the folkloric. Cho captures the feeling of failure, be it the thwarted ambitions to become a dragon or to attain tenure at a University, but shows how transformation can come in surprising ways and when one road to our future becomes barricaded we must not be defeated and discover another path forward. Sometimes the path may be rocky or seem aimless, but its usually more scenic and if we keep on keeping on as Bob Dylan said, we might just get to where we are going.
�Sometimes,� it said, “you try really hard and it’s not enough. You put in all you’ve got and you still never get where you thought you were meant to be...It hurts. Knowing it wasn’t enough, even when you gave it the best of yourself. But you get over it.�
Zen Cho has a great sense of humor that resides comfortably in both the snarky and the sweet and that made this quite an endearing read. I enjoyed how Byam—the imugi central to the story—has gender neutral pronouns (using “it� which is also the pronouns for Murderbot in great series) though during their relationship with Leslie takes on a female presenting form. Cho tends towards queer narratives, which I really appreciate. The way this moves from the more magical to the mundane of daily domesticity is done so beautifully and makes the quotidian on equal footing with the mystical. The transformation here is quite moving and sad, but we see how the bittersweetness of a lifespan of love can become the cocoon for meaningful metamorphosis. Short but sweet, I’m drying my eyes and thankful I read If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again.
4/5
Oh and it appears the only way to read this is to claim the free ebook version and I didn’t go into libraries to NOT give people free access to stories so please claim a free copy.
May 20, 2020
Review permanently at
Sweet. A touch uneven but a solid heart. Chinese dragons, karma, transformation, all rolled in to a modernized version of a traditional morality tale.
Four pearls
Story:
A short sequel at (thanks, Cathy (cathepsut)):
Sweet. A touch uneven but a solid heart. Chinese dragons, karma, transformation, all rolled in to a modernized version of a traditional morality tale.
Four pearls
Story:
A short sequel at (thanks, Cathy (cathepsut)):
January 2, 2021
WELCOME TO DECEMBER PROJECT!
this explanation/intro will be posted before each day’s short story. scroll down to get to the story-review.
this is the FIFTH year of me doing a short story advent calendar as my december project. for those of you new to me or this endeavor, here’s the skinny: every day in december, i will be reading a short story that is 1) available free somewhere on internet, and 2) listed on goodreads as its own discrete entity. there will be links provided for those of you who like to read (or listen to) short stories for free, and also for those of you who have wildly overestimated how many books you can read in a year and are freaking out about not meeting your 2020 reading-challenge goals. i have been gathering links all year when tasty little tales have popped into my feed, but i will also accept additional suggestions, as long as they meet my aforementioned 1), 2) standards, because i have not compiled as many as usual this year.
IN ADDITION, this may be the last year i do this project since GR has already deleted the pages for several of the stories i've read in previous years without warning, leaving me with a bunch of missing reviews and broken links, which makes me feel shitty. because i don't have a lot of time to waste, i'm not going to bother writing much in the way of reviews for these, in case gr decides to scrap 'em again. 2020 has left me utterly wrung out and i apologize for what's left of me. i am doing my best.
DECEMBER 13: IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED, TRY, TRY AGAIN - ZEN CHO
this one grew into five stars for me. it didn't start out that way—in the beginning, i was getting kinda bored and bogged down in the folktaliness of it; the story of an imugi studying the Way in order to ascend and become a dragon &yadda. but that all changed when i got to this part here:
once the story took on a more...contemporary tone, i absolutely loved it. to this imugi, i say: SAME—getting mired in frustration over not achieving one's goals, being thwarted by fate and happenstance despite prolonged efforts, hard work, ingenuity of approach, feeling foolish for having dreams, for wanting more, becoming accustomed to failure, accepting one's lot, resigned to making a life smaller than you'd hoped and finding happiness in this smaller life while still experiencing twinges of thwarted ambition—it is all very relatable.
it's a crappy hand, knowing you have the potential to be a dragon but no matter how hard you try to punch through, people don't see you for what you are—or what you're trying so hard to become—and you end up stuck in the life of a goddamn worm.
apparently there was a sequel to this story: , which was available to read on the author's site until last may, and yet SOMEHOW the gr scrubbers haven't deleted its page even though they have deleted NINE of my advent-stories, but that's just FINE. i missed it by months, but considering it was available for two years, i only have myself to blame for not getting to it sooner. the story will become available once more, in a collection the author will be self-publishing, and as someone who does a lot of work for free—a situation which gives me a lot of the same feelings as byam the imugi—trying and trying and getting nowhere, and feeling like a failure—i get her decision because not getting paid for work, especially creative work, really sucks.
sorry. seems i'm in a MOOD tonight.
DECEMBER 1: PG - COURTNEY SUMMERS
DECEMBER 2: THE JUMPING MONKEY HILL - CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE
DECEMBER 3: ORIGIN STORY - T. KINGFISHER
DECEMBER 4: THE GREAT SILENCE - TED CHIANG
DECEMBER 5: A CLEAN SWEEP WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS
DECEMBER 6: BORED WORLD - ANDY WEIR
DECEMBER 7: VAMPIRE - ROBERT COOVER
DECEMBER 8: A STATEMENT IN THE CASE - THEODORA GOSS
DECEMBER 9: STET - SARAH GAILEY
DECEMBER 10: MARGOT'S ROOM: EMILY CARROLL
DECEMBER 11: HORROR STORY - CARMEN MARIA MACHADO
DECEMBER 12: TERRAIN - GENEVIEVE VALENTINE
DECEMBER 14: GHOUL - GEORGE SAUNDERS
DECEMBER 15: DURING THE DANCE - MARK LAWRENCE
DECEMBER 16: CLEARING THE BONES - CELESTE NG
DECEMBER 17: THE WAITER'S WIFE - ZADIE SMITH
DECEMBER 18: DEMOLITION - FIONA MCFARLANE
DECEMBER 19: NO PERIOD - HARRY TURTLEDOVE
DECEMBER 20: DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE - GG
DECEMBER 21: RUB-A-DUB-DUB - TONY MILLIONAIRE
DECEMBER 22: HANSA AND GRETYL AND PIECE OF SHIT - REBECCA CURTIS
DECEMBER 23: BRIDESICLE - WILL MCINTOSH
DECEMBER 24: I, CTHULHU, OR, WHAT'S A TENTACLE-FACED THING LIKE ME DOING IN A SUNKEN CITY LIKE THIS (LATITUDE 47° 9' S, LONGITUDE 126° 43' W)? - NEIL GAIMAN
DECEMBER 25: CHRISTMAS TALE - MARK LAWRENCE
DECEMBER 26: THE MONSTERS OF HEAVEN - NATHAN BALLINGRUD
DECEMBER 27: TWO DREAMS ON TRAINS - ELIZABETH BEAR
DECEMBER 28: THE MARTIANS CLAIM CANADA - MARGARET ATWOOD
DECEMBER 29: UNDER THE WAVE - LAUREN GROFF
DECEMBER 30: MR. SALARY - SALLY ROONEY
DECEMBER 31: A/S/L - EMMA CLINE
this explanation/intro will be posted before each day’s short story. scroll down to get to the story-review.
this is the FIFTH year of me doing a short story advent calendar as my december project. for those of you new to me or this endeavor, here’s the skinny: every day in december, i will be reading a short story that is 1) available free somewhere on internet, and 2) listed on goodreads as its own discrete entity. there will be links provided for those of you who like to read (or listen to) short stories for free, and also for those of you who have wildly overestimated how many books you can read in a year and are freaking out about not meeting your 2020 reading-challenge goals. i have been gathering links all year when tasty little tales have popped into my feed, but i will also accept additional suggestions, as long as they meet my aforementioned 1), 2) standards, because i have not compiled as many as usual this year.
IN ADDITION, this may be the last year i do this project since GR has already deleted the pages for several of the stories i've read in previous years without warning, leaving me with a bunch of missing reviews and broken links, which makes me feel shitty. because i don't have a lot of time to waste, i'm not going to bother writing much in the way of reviews for these, in case gr decides to scrap 'em again. 2020 has left me utterly wrung out and i apologize for what's left of me. i am doing my best.
DECEMBER 13: IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED, TRY, TRY AGAIN - ZEN CHO
this one grew into five stars for me. it didn't start out that way—in the beginning, i was getting kinda bored and bogged down in the folktaliness of it; the story of an imugi studying the Way in order to ascend and become a dragon &yadda. but that all changed when i got to this part here:
Byam turned for its last look at the earth as an imugi. The lake shone in the sun. It had been cold, and miserable, and lonely, full of venomous water snakes that bit Byam’s tail. Byam had been dying to get away from it.
But now, it felt a swell of affection. When it returned as a dragon, it would bless the lake. Fish would overflow its banks. The cows and pigs and goats would multiply beyond counting. The crops would spring out of the earth in their multitudes�
A thin screechy noise was coming from the lake. When Byam squinted, it saw a group of little creatures on the western bank. Humans.
One of them was shaking a fist at the sky. “Fuck you, imugi!�
“Oh shit,� said Byam.
once the story took on a more...contemporary tone, i absolutely loved it. to this imugi, i say: SAME—getting mired in frustration over not achieving one's goals, being thwarted by fate and happenstance despite prolonged efforts, hard work, ingenuity of approach, feeling foolish for having dreams, for wanting more, becoming accustomed to failure, accepting one's lot, resigned to making a life smaller than you'd hoped and finding happiness in this smaller life while still experiencing twinges of thwarted ambition—it is all very relatable.
“Sometimes,� it said, “you try really hard and it’s not enough. You put in all you’ve got and you still never get where you thought you were meant to be...It hurts. Knowing it wasn’t enough, even when you gave it the best of yourself. But you get over it.�
it's a crappy hand, knowing you have the potential to be a dragon but no matter how hard you try to punch through, people don't see you for what you are—or what you're trying so hard to become—and you end up stuck in the life of a goddamn worm.
apparently there was a sequel to this story: , which was available to read on the author's site until last may, and yet SOMEHOW the gr scrubbers haven't deleted its page even though they have deleted NINE of my advent-stories, but that's just FINE. i missed it by months, but considering it was available for two years, i only have myself to blame for not getting to it sooner. the story will become available once more, in a collection the author will be self-publishing, and as someone who does a lot of work for free—a situation which gives me a lot of the same feelings as byam the imugi—trying and trying and getting nowhere, and feeling like a failure—i get her decision because not getting paid for work, especially creative work, really sucks.
sorry. seems i'm in a MOOD tonight.
DECEMBER 1: PG - COURTNEY SUMMERS
DECEMBER 2: THE JUMPING MONKEY HILL - CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE
DECEMBER 3: ORIGIN STORY - T. KINGFISHER
DECEMBER 4: THE GREAT SILENCE - TED CHIANG
DECEMBER 5: A CLEAN SWEEP WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS
DECEMBER 6: BORED WORLD - ANDY WEIR
DECEMBER 7: VAMPIRE - ROBERT COOVER
DECEMBER 8: A STATEMENT IN THE CASE - THEODORA GOSS
DECEMBER 9: STET - SARAH GAILEY
DECEMBER 10: MARGOT'S ROOM: EMILY CARROLL
DECEMBER 11: HORROR STORY - CARMEN MARIA MACHADO
DECEMBER 12: TERRAIN - GENEVIEVE VALENTINE
DECEMBER 14: GHOUL - GEORGE SAUNDERS
DECEMBER 15: DURING THE DANCE - MARK LAWRENCE
DECEMBER 16: CLEARING THE BONES - CELESTE NG
DECEMBER 17: THE WAITER'S WIFE - ZADIE SMITH
DECEMBER 18: DEMOLITION - FIONA MCFARLANE
DECEMBER 19: NO PERIOD - HARRY TURTLEDOVE
DECEMBER 20: DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE - GG
DECEMBER 21: RUB-A-DUB-DUB - TONY MILLIONAIRE
DECEMBER 22: HANSA AND GRETYL AND PIECE OF SHIT - REBECCA CURTIS
DECEMBER 23: BRIDESICLE - WILL MCINTOSH
DECEMBER 24: I, CTHULHU, OR, WHAT'S A TENTACLE-FACED THING LIKE ME DOING IN A SUNKEN CITY LIKE THIS (LATITUDE 47° 9' S, LONGITUDE 126° 43' W)? - NEIL GAIMAN
DECEMBER 25: CHRISTMAS TALE - MARK LAWRENCE
DECEMBER 26: THE MONSTERS OF HEAVEN - NATHAN BALLINGRUD
DECEMBER 27: TWO DREAMS ON TRAINS - ELIZABETH BEAR
DECEMBER 28: THE MARTIANS CLAIM CANADA - MARGARET ATWOOD
DECEMBER 29: UNDER THE WAVE - LAUREN GROFF
DECEMBER 30: MR. SALARY - SALLY ROONEY
DECEMBER 31: A/S/L - EMMA CLINE
November 3, 2024
“Heaven wasn’t immune to the pressures of public perception. It wouldhaveto recognise Byam then.�
“Envision yourself with those horns, those whiskers, three claws and a thumb, basking in the glow of your own cintamani,� urged the Dragon King of the East Sea in his popular memoirSixty Thousand Records of a Floating Life.�
“I’ve told you, I can’t actually talk to the cat,� said Leslie. (Which was a blatant lie, because she did it all the time, though it was true they had strange conversations, generally at cross-purposes.)�
“Envision yourself with those horns, those whiskers, three claws and a thumb, basking in the glow of your own cintamani,� urged the Dragon King of the East Sea in his popular memoirSixty Thousand Records of a Floating Life.�
“I’ve told you, I can’t actually talk to the cat,� said Leslie. (Which was a blatant lie, because she did it all the time, though it was true they had strange conversations, generally at cross-purposes.)�
April 20, 2019
This turned out to be a very cute fable. Or maybe a bit more than cute. :)
It would be too easy to name the kind of story this is, but suffice to say, the Imugi, the mythological creature who would become a dragon, lost in frustration, gives up for a time to fall in love.
I thought it was very charming. And heartfelt.
Nommed for Hugo in '19.
It would be too easy to name the kind of story this is, but suffice to say, the Imugi, the mythological creature who would become a dragon, lost in frustration, gives up for a time to fall in love.
I thought it was very charming. And heartfelt.
Nommed for Hugo in '19.
September 24, 2021
This novelette is about dragons, about wanting something, and about hard work, the kind of work that can take centuries and yet be disrupted by the smallest thing. It's about love, and partnership, and being who you are. And it's about trying to reach your dreams. Even if they change, even if you momentarily forget them, even if you feel like giving up.
It's funny, queer, and tender, and the ending made my face kind of rainy? Don't know what that was about.
Contains a brief reference to a consideration of suicide.
You can .
And now there's a sequel, also free to read:
It's funny, queer, and tender, and the ending made my face kind of rainy? Don't know what that was about.
Contains a brief reference to a consideration of suicide.
You can .
And now there's a sequel, also free to read:
July 1, 2022
absolutely HUMILIATING that I teared up over a short story about a silly little dragon. HUMILIATING
November 2, 2019
This pleasant novelette won the 2019 Hugo Award, and it’s free online. An imugi (a magical serpent that’s an earlier stage of a dragon, at least in this world’s mythology) wants nothing more than to become a full-fledged dragon and live in the heavens. Every thousand years the imugi, Byam, gets a chance to fly up into the sky and try to achieve its transformation, but something always goes wrong.
The third time, when Byam’s transformation is interrupted by someone taking a selfie, Byam decides to give up. Or eat the person who so rudely interrupted it. Maybe both. But something goes wrong with that plan too...
It’s a soft 4 stars for me (I tend to think it won the Hugo for its queer representation as much as anything else), but it has a good message. Which ... I mean, it’s right there in the title. :) But it’s not as simplistic as it might sound.
Read it here:
The third time, when Byam’s transformation is interrupted by someone taking a selfie, Byam decides to give up. Or eat the person who so rudely interrupted it. Maybe both. But something goes wrong with that plan too...
It’s a soft 4 stars for me (I tend to think it won the Hugo for its queer representation as much as anything else), but it has a good message. Which ... I mean, it’s right there in the title. :) But it’s not as simplistic as it might sound.
Read it here:
May 27, 2020
“who i am?� said byam. it was like a rock had lodged inside its throat. it was hard to speak past it. “an imugi, you mean. an earthworm with a dream.�
what if you wanted something so badly you spent ages pursuing it, only to fail every single time?
that’s the harsh reality for byam, an imugi (korean serpent or proto-dragon) looking to ascend to the celestial plane so it may finally transform into a dragon. and yet, something is always holding byam back, leading to much pain, frustration, and a bit of a grudge against humanity.
this is a beautiful fairytale about preservation and dreams, starting in ancient times and moving all the way into our modern age. i was pleasantly surprised by this, not expecting from the way it started off to see selfies and hashtags eventually play a role in the narrative.
it’s a very charming tale, and byam’s commentary on human society is often hilarious. there is such tragedy and fear of failure hidden in its character that it made me Emotional� to the point where i shed a lonely tear when this novelette came to its end.
also, i’m a sucker for mythical creature + human relationships. and especially for a short story, this (queer) relationship had enough warmth, depth, and fun to appeal to me in every way.
check it out yourself and !
� 4.0 stars.
August 5, 2020
Sometimes,� it said, “you try really hard and it’s not enough. You put in all you’ve got and you still never get where you thought you were meant to be. But at least you tried. Some people never try.
A novellette about an imugi trying to ascend, through a lot of perseverance and failed attempts. Although short, I enjoyed this and felt it carries a strong yet hopeful message. It was rather tongue in cheek too.
A novellette about an imugi trying to ascend, through a lot of perseverance and failed attempts. Although short, I enjoyed this and felt it carries a strong yet hopeful message. It was rather tongue in cheek too.
May 17, 2020
Now this turned out to be rather sweet.
The story of an Imugi* trying and constantly failing to become a full-fledged dragon began as a funny, almost hilarious tale.
But soon I was starting to feel for the hapless creature. And then the story took a quite surprising turn and became a very tender tale about empathy and trying to find your own way to happiness.
3.5 stars
Can be read for free here:
There's also a short sequel, which I liked even better:
/book/show/4...
*Korean folk mythology states that most dragons were originally Imugis (이무�), or lesser dragons, which were said to resemble gigantic serpents.
***Winner of the 2019 Hugo Award for Best Novelette***
____________________________
Best Novel
� The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal
� by Becky Chambers
� by Yoon Ha Lee
� Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente
� by Naomi Novik
� by Rebecca Roanhorse
Best Novella
� Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
� by Seanan McGuire
� by Nnedi Okorafor
� The Black God’s Drums by P. Djèlí Clark
� by Kelly Robson
� The Tea Master and the Detective by Aliette de Bodard
Best Novelette
� If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again by Zen Cho (Barnes & Noble Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog)
� by Tina Connolly (Tor.com)
� Nine Last Days on Planet Earth by Daryl Gregory (Tor.com)
� by Brooke Bolander (Tor.com)
� The Thing About Ghost Stories by Naomi Kritzer (Uncanny Magazine)
� When We Were Starless by Simone Heller (Clarkesworld Magazine)
Best Short Story
� The Court Magician by Sarah Pinsker (Lightspeed Magazine)
� The Rose MacGregor Drinking and Admiration Society by T. Kingfisher (Uncanny Magazine)
� The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington by P. Djèlí Clark (Fireside Magazine)
� STET by Sarah Gailey (Fireside Magazine)
� The Tale of the Three Beautiful Raptor Sisters, and the Prince Who Was Made of Meat by Brooke Bolander (Uncanny Magazine)
� A Witch’s Guide To Escape: A Practical Compendium Of Portal Fantasies by Alix E. Harrow (Apex Magazine)
Best Series
� The Centenal Cycle by
� The Laundry Files by
� Machineries of Empire by
� The October Daye Series by
� The Universe of Xuya by
� Wayfarers by
Best Related Work
� Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
� by Alec Nevala-Lee
� The Hobbit Duology (a documentary in three parts), written and edited by Lindsay Ellis and Angelina Meehan
� by Jo Walton
� The Mexicanx Initiative Experience at Worldcon 76 by Julia Rios, Libia Brenda, Pablo Defendini, and John Picacio
� by Ursula K. Le Guin with David Naimon
Best Graphic Story
� , written by Saladin Ahmed, art by Sami Kivelä, colors by Jason Wordie, letters by Jim Campbell
� , written by Nnedi Okorafor and Aaron Covington, art by André Lima Araújo, Mario Del Pennino, and Tana Ford
� , written by Marjorie Liu, art by Sana Takeda
� On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden
� Paper Girls, Volume 4 , written by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Cliff Chiang, colors by Matt Wilson, letters by Jared K. Fletcher
� Saga, Volume 9, written by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Fiona Staples
Best Art Book
� illustrated by Charles Vess, written by Ursula K. Le Guin
� by Julie Dillon
� by Michael Witwer, Kyle Newman, Jon Peterson, and Sam Witwer
� , editor John Fleskes
� by Ramin Zahed
� , editor Catherine McIlwaine
Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book
��� Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (Henry Holt; Macmillan Children’s Books)
� by Dhonielle Clayton (Freeform / Gollancz)
� by Holly Black (Little, Brown / Hot Key Books)
� by Justina Ireland (Balzer + Bray)
� by Peadar O’Guilin (David Fickling Books / Scholastic)
� by Rachel Hartman (Random House / Penguin Teen)
The story of an Imugi* trying and constantly failing to become a full-fledged dragon began as a funny, almost hilarious tale.
But soon I was starting to feel for the hapless creature. And then the story took a quite surprising turn and became a very tender tale about empathy and trying to find your own way to happiness.
3.5 stars
Can be read for free here:
There's also a short sequel, which I liked even better:
/book/show/4...
*Korean folk mythology states that most dragons were originally Imugis (이무�), or lesser dragons, which were said to resemble gigantic serpents.
***Winner of the 2019 Hugo Award for Best Novelette***
____________________________
2019 Hugo Award Finalists
Best Novel
� The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal
� by Becky Chambers
� by Yoon Ha Lee
� Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente
� by Naomi Novik
� by Rebecca Roanhorse
Best Novella
� Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
� by Seanan McGuire
� by Nnedi Okorafor
� The Black God’s Drums by P. Djèlí Clark
� by Kelly Robson
� The Tea Master and the Detective by Aliette de Bodard
Best Novelette
� If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again by Zen Cho (Barnes & Noble Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog)
� by Tina Connolly (Tor.com)
� Nine Last Days on Planet Earth by Daryl Gregory (Tor.com)
� by Brooke Bolander (Tor.com)
� The Thing About Ghost Stories by Naomi Kritzer (Uncanny Magazine)
� When We Were Starless by Simone Heller (Clarkesworld Magazine)
Best Short Story
� The Court Magician by Sarah Pinsker (Lightspeed Magazine)
� The Rose MacGregor Drinking and Admiration Society by T. Kingfisher (Uncanny Magazine)
� The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington by P. Djèlí Clark (Fireside Magazine)
� STET by Sarah Gailey (Fireside Magazine)
� The Tale of the Three Beautiful Raptor Sisters, and the Prince Who Was Made of Meat by Brooke Bolander (Uncanny Magazine)
� A Witch’s Guide To Escape: A Practical Compendium Of Portal Fantasies by Alix E. Harrow (Apex Magazine)
Best Series
� The Centenal Cycle by
� The Laundry Files by
� Machineries of Empire by
� The October Daye Series by
� The Universe of Xuya by
� Wayfarers by
Best Related Work
� Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
� by Alec Nevala-Lee
� The Hobbit Duology (a documentary in three parts), written and edited by Lindsay Ellis and Angelina Meehan
� by Jo Walton
� The Mexicanx Initiative Experience at Worldcon 76 by Julia Rios, Libia Brenda, Pablo Defendini, and John Picacio
� by Ursula K. Le Guin with David Naimon
Best Graphic Story
� , written by Saladin Ahmed, art by Sami Kivelä, colors by Jason Wordie, letters by Jim Campbell
� , written by Nnedi Okorafor and Aaron Covington, art by André Lima Araújo, Mario Del Pennino, and Tana Ford
� , written by Marjorie Liu, art by Sana Takeda
� On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden
� Paper Girls, Volume 4 , written by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Cliff Chiang, colors by Matt Wilson, letters by Jared K. Fletcher
� Saga, Volume 9, written by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Fiona Staples
Best Art Book
� illustrated by Charles Vess, written by Ursula K. Le Guin
� by Julie Dillon
� by Michael Witwer, Kyle Newman, Jon Peterson, and Sam Witwer
� , editor John Fleskes
� by Ramin Zahed
� , editor Catherine McIlwaine
Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book
��� Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (Henry Holt; Macmillan Children’s Books)
� by Dhonielle Clayton (Freeform / Gollancz)
� by Holly Black (Little, Brown / Hot Key Books)
� by Justina Ireland (Balzer + Bray)
� by Peadar O’Guilin (David Fickling Books / Scholastic)
� by Rachel Hartman (Random House / Penguin Teen)
August 24, 2019
4 1/2 stars
“Sometimes,� it said, “you try really hard and it’s not enough. You put in all you’ve got and you still never get where you thought you were meant to be. But at least you tried. Some people never try. They resign themselves to bamboozling monks and devouring maidens for all eternity.�
Such a wise, funny, touching, and lovely tale...
The underlining in the excerpts is mine:
But the eastern side was still reserved to beasts and spirits. There was plenty of space for an imugi to take off.
The mountains around the lake said hello to Byam. (It was always safer to be polite to an imugi, since you never knew when it might turn into a dragon.) The sky above them was a pure light blue, dotted with clouds like white jade.
Byam’s heart rose. It launched itself into the air, the sun warm on its back.
***
For the first half-millennium or so, Byam could be confident of finding the solitude necessary for study. But more recently, there seemed to be more and more humans everywhere.
Humans weren’t all bad. You couldn’t meditate your way through every doctrinal puzzle, and that was where monks proved useful. Of course, even the most enlightened monk was wont to be alarmed by the sudden appearance of a giant snake wanting to know what they thought of the Sage’s comments on water. Still, you could usually extract some guidance from them, once they stopped screaming.
A herd of cows was grazing by the bank, as though they were waiting for Byam.
It only intended to eat one cow. It wanted to keep sharp for its ascension. Dragons probably didn’t eat much. All the dragons Byam had ever seen were svelte, with perfect scales, shining talons, silky beards.
Unfortunately Byam wasn’t a dragon yet. It was hungry, and the cows smelled so good. Byam had one, and then another, and then a third, telling itself each time that this cow would be the last. Before it knew it, almost the whole herd was gone.
***
But you had to get out of the water in order to ascend. It was impossible to exclude the possibility of being seen by humans, even in the middle of the ocean. It didn’t seem to bother them that they couldn’t breathe underwater; they still launched themselves onto the waves on rickety assemblages of dismembered trees. It was as if they couldn’t wait to get on to their next lives.
It hadn’t helped back then that the lake humans had named Byam for what it was: no dragon, but an imugi, a degraded being no better than the crawling beasts of the earth.
But if, as Byam flashed across the sky, a witness saw a dragon� that was another matter. Heaven wasn’t immune to the pressures of public perception. It would have to recognise Byam then.
The spirits of the wind and water were too hard to bluff; fish were too self-absorbed; and there was no hope of hoodwinking the sea dragons. But humans had bad eyesight, and a tendency to see things that weren’t there. Their capacity for self-deception was Byam’s best bet.
***
Sometimes Byam felt like giving up. How could it make a dragon when it didn’t even know how to be one?
To conquer self-doubt, it chanted the aphorisms of the wise:
Nobody becomes a dragon overnight.
Real dragons keep going.
A dragon is only an imugi that didn’t give up.
***
But there were consolations available to imugi who reconciled themselves to their fate. Like revenge.
But you couldn’t study something for 3,000 years without becoming interested in it for its own sake.
“Tell me about your research,� said Byam.
“What you said just now,� said the monk. “Did you not � �
Byam showed its teeth.
“My research!� said the monk. “Let me tell you about it.�
***
“It’s impressive,� she said. “That you’re so open to learning new things. If I were a celestial fairy, there’s no way I’d work so hard. I’d just lie around getting drunk and eating peaches all day.�
“You have a skewed image of the life of a celestial fairy,� said Byam.
Byam bethought itself of the other creature that was important in their lives. "Did you tell the cat? Is that why it doesn’t like me?�
“I’ve told you, I can’t actually talk to the cat,� said Leslie. (Which was a blatant lie, because she did it all the time, though it was true they had strange conversations, generally at cross-purposes.)
***
Before, Byam had always thought that humans must be used to dying, since they did it all the time. But now it had got to know them better, it saw they had no idea how to deal with it.
This was unfortunate, because Byam didn’t know either.
***
“Am I not good enough as I am?�
“Of course you’re good enough [...]. If you’re happy, then that’s fine. But you should know you can be anything you want to be. That’s all. I don’t want you to let fear hold you back.�
*** Much appreciation to Dennis for providing the link for this free story and now I will do the same for those who may also be interested:
“Sometimes,� it said, “you try really hard and it’s not enough. You put in all you’ve got and you still never get where you thought you were meant to be. But at least you tried. Some people never try. They resign themselves to bamboozling monks and devouring maidens for all eternity.�
Such a wise, funny, touching, and lovely tale...
The underlining in the excerpts is mine:
But the eastern side was still reserved to beasts and spirits. There was plenty of space for an imugi to take off.
The mountains around the lake said hello to Byam. (It was always safer to be polite to an imugi, since you never knew when it might turn into a dragon.) The sky above them was a pure light blue, dotted with clouds like white jade.
Byam’s heart rose. It launched itself into the air, the sun warm on its back.
***
For the first half-millennium or so, Byam could be confident of finding the solitude necessary for study. But more recently, there seemed to be more and more humans everywhere.
Humans weren’t all bad. You couldn’t meditate your way through every doctrinal puzzle, and that was where monks proved useful. Of course, even the most enlightened monk was wont to be alarmed by the sudden appearance of a giant snake wanting to know what they thought of the Sage’s comments on water. Still, you could usually extract some guidance from them, once they stopped screaming.
A herd of cows was grazing by the bank, as though they were waiting for Byam.
It only intended to eat one cow. It wanted to keep sharp for its ascension. Dragons probably didn’t eat much. All the dragons Byam had ever seen were svelte, with perfect scales, shining talons, silky beards.
Unfortunately Byam wasn’t a dragon yet. It was hungry, and the cows smelled so good. Byam had one, and then another, and then a third, telling itself each time that this cow would be the last. Before it knew it, almost the whole herd was gone.
***
But you had to get out of the water in order to ascend. It was impossible to exclude the possibility of being seen by humans, even in the middle of the ocean. It didn’t seem to bother them that they couldn’t breathe underwater; they still launched themselves onto the waves on rickety assemblages of dismembered trees. It was as if they couldn’t wait to get on to their next lives.
It hadn’t helped back then that the lake humans had named Byam for what it was: no dragon, but an imugi, a degraded being no better than the crawling beasts of the earth.
But if, as Byam flashed across the sky, a witness saw a dragon� that was another matter. Heaven wasn’t immune to the pressures of public perception. It would have to recognise Byam then.
The spirits of the wind and water were too hard to bluff; fish were too self-absorbed; and there was no hope of hoodwinking the sea dragons. But humans had bad eyesight, and a tendency to see things that weren’t there. Their capacity for self-deception was Byam’s best bet.
***
Sometimes Byam felt like giving up. How could it make a dragon when it didn’t even know how to be one?
To conquer self-doubt, it chanted the aphorisms of the wise:
Nobody becomes a dragon overnight.
Real dragons keep going.
A dragon is only an imugi that didn’t give up.
***
But there were consolations available to imugi who reconciled themselves to their fate. Like revenge.
But you couldn’t study something for 3,000 years without becoming interested in it for its own sake.
“Tell me about your research,� said Byam.
“What you said just now,� said the monk. “Did you not � �
Byam showed its teeth.
“My research!� said the monk. “Let me tell you about it.�
***
“It’s impressive,� she said. “That you’re so open to learning new things. If I were a celestial fairy, there’s no way I’d work so hard. I’d just lie around getting drunk and eating peaches all day.�
“You have a skewed image of the life of a celestial fairy,� said Byam.
Byam bethought itself of the other creature that was important in their lives. "Did you tell the cat? Is that why it doesn’t like me?�
“I’ve told you, I can’t actually talk to the cat,� said Leslie. (Which was a blatant lie, because she did it all the time, though it was true they had strange conversations, generally at cross-purposes.)
***
Before, Byam had always thought that humans must be used to dying, since they did it all the time. But now it had got to know them better, it saw they had no idea how to deal with it.
This was unfortunate, because Byam didn’t know either.
***
“Am I not good enough as I am?�
“Of course you’re good enough [...]. If you’re happy, then that’s fine. But you should know you can be anything you want to be. That’s all. I don’t want you to let fear hold you back.�
*** Much appreciation to Dennis for providing the link for this free story and now I will do the same for those who may also be interested:
August 21, 2019
I love dragons so of course I had to read this one, especially after this year's HUGOs.
This is the story of an named Byam, who is determined to attain the form of a full-fledged dragon, thus gaining entry to the gates of heaven.
If at First You Don't Succeed, Try, Try Again won Best Novelette in 2019's HUGOs.
It was a cute little story about perseverance and how life often isn't fair - a concept invented by humans, ironically enough. Nevertheless, giving up shouldn't be an option and wasn't for our protagonist. The story is also about finding out who you are, not just what.
Moreover, there is a constant slightly humorous undertone that the author uses to flesh out this mythologically themed story with such unlikely elements as public opinion / judgment, tutoring (both in academia as well as selfworth) and sexuality.
It was a cute little story that I enjoyed quite a lot (though it wasn't as good as its competition).
You can read the story for free here:
This is the story of an named Byam, who is determined to attain the form of a full-fledged dragon, thus gaining entry to the gates of heaven.
If at First You Don't Succeed, Try, Try Again won Best Novelette in 2019's HUGOs.
It was a cute little story about perseverance and how life often isn't fair - a concept invented by humans, ironically enough. Nevertheless, giving up shouldn't be an option and wasn't for our protagonist. The story is also about finding out who you are, not just what.
Moreover, there is a constant slightly humorous undertone that the author uses to flesh out this mythologically themed story with such unlikely elements as public opinion / judgment, tutoring (both in academia as well as selfworth) and sexuality.
It was a cute little story that I enjoyed quite a lot (though it wasn't as good as its competition).
You can read the story for free here:
May 6, 2019
I cried like a baby at the end, five stars all the way! This story of an imugi (Korean folklore, lesser dragon in form of a large serpent), trying to become a fully-fledged dragon, went an very unexpected way! Silly, cute and lovely.
Can be read for free here:
Also have a look at „Head of a Snake, Tail of a Dragon�, a short sequel:
Can be read for free here:
Also have a look at „Head of a Snake, Tail of a Dragon�, a short sequel:
April 20, 2019
This was the cutest story ever. About an imugi who is trying to become a dragon and the woman who falls in love with it (also, the imugi's human form is a woman, so... f/f!). It's about not seeing yourself as a failure, and about whether persistence is worth it.
Also: if you like this story and you haven't read Aliette de Bodard's In the Vanishers' Palace yet... try it!
Also: if you like this story and you haven't read Aliette de Bodard's In the Vanishers' Palace yet... try it!
November 3, 2019
An imugi who keeps trying to turn into a dragon (and failing) meets an astrophysics Ph.D and falls in love. Silly and sweet. Hugo award winner for best novelette (2019),
As in most shorts, I think it's better to go into this one cold. If you like Asian-flavored fantasy -- and/or dragons! -- this is the story for you. Highly recommended.
As in most shorts, I think it's better to go into this one cold. If you like Asian-flavored fantasy -- and/or dragons! -- this is the story for you. Highly recommended.
June 13, 2019
4.5 stars. A story of an imugi striving toward dragonhood. Byam spends so very long studying the Way and trying to impress so that she can be transformed into a beautiful dragon from her current snake form. There are many near misses (and several monks frightened and cows eaten) but no dragonhood. Then, Byam meets a young woman and ends up falling in love.
I loved this little tale. There's plenty of humour, and a beautiful little love story between Byam and Leslie.
I loved this little tale. There's plenty of humour, and a beautiful little love story between Byam and Leslie.
April 23, 2019
Beautiful! I devoured this fantasy novelette one morning over breakfast. By turns humorous, fanciful, insightful, loving, and heartbreaking, it is a lovely tale.
Per the blurb: "A hapless imugi is determined to attain the form of a full-fledged dragon and gain entry to the gates of heaven. For a long time, things don't go well. Then, it meets a girl." The imugi's human form is a woman, so also hooray for inclusive queer fantasy!
Feeling melancholic at the ending, I was thrilled to learn that there is a sequel (also free to read) that gives an uplifting continuation to the story:
Thank you, Antonella, for the wonderful recommendation!
Highly recommend!!
Per the blurb: "A hapless imugi is determined to attain the form of a full-fledged dragon and gain entry to the gates of heaven. For a long time, things don't go well. Then, it meets a girl." The imugi's human form is a woman, so also hooray for inclusive queer fantasy!
Feeling melancholic at the ending, I was thrilled to learn that there is a sequel (also free to read) that gives an uplifting continuation to the story:
Thank you, Antonella, for the wonderful recommendation!
Highly recommend!!
August 21, 2019
“You have thousands of years,� said Leslie. “You shouldn’t just give up.� She looked Byam in the eye. “Don’t you still want to be a dragon?�
Beautiful and creative.
Beautiful and creative.
October 29, 2019
4.5ish stars.
July 18, 2019
Last of the Hugo-nominated novelettes: a take on Korean mythology, with an imugi (mythical serpent) striving for thousands of years to ascend and become a proper celestial dragon. It features one of my favourite things, ie. a monstrous inhuman thing learning how to human (with a few funny missteps along the way) -- but in the end it's about perseverance, love, finding happiness in places that you didn't expect, and not giving up hope.
3.5 stars. Read it for free here:
3.5 stars. Read it for free here:
May 31, 2019
Fun. Twisty. Dragons.
May 19, 2019
An interesting story about an imugi, an earth-bound creature who makes several attempts to ascend to heaven and become a dragon. But it is always bought back to earth by humans who see it and proclaim it to be an imugi, not a dragon.
When its latest attempt is thwarted by a selfie taking woman, the imugi decides enough is enough and sets out to find the woman and devour her. But at the last moment, the imugi, disguised as a heavenly angel, becomes fascinated by the woman instead and strikes up a long term relationship with her. As time passes, it begins to forget it is an imugi and deepens their relationship.
But in the end, it reveals its true self to her and she urges it to try to become a dragon one last time.
When its latest attempt is thwarted by a selfie taking woman, the imugi decides enough is enough and sets out to find the woman and devour her. But at the last moment, the imugi, disguised as a heavenly angel, becomes fascinated by the woman instead and strikes up a long term relationship with her. As time passes, it begins to forget it is an imugi and deepens their relationship.
But in the end, it reveals its true self to her and she urges it to try to become a dragon one last time.
December 23, 2018
I really liked this little short story.
The first couple attempts Byam makes at ascension are a bit humorous but as the little Imugi continues to fail and her spirit gets beaten down, the story takes a quieter turn. It’s a thoughtful piece with a nice little message about life, love, dreams, and failure, letting people’s words keep you down and how they can raise you back up- especially when it’s someone who is important to you. Very nice.
The first couple attempts Byam makes at ascension are a bit humorous but as the little Imugi continues to fail and her spirit gets beaten down, the story takes a quieter turn. It’s a thoughtful piece with a nice little message about life, love, dreams, and failure, letting people’s words keep you down and how they can raise you back up- especially when it’s someone who is important to you. Very nice.
April 23, 2020
"Sometimes,� it said, “you try really hard and it’s not enough. You put in all you’ve got and you still never get where you thought you were meant to be. But at least you tried. Some people never try. "This was such a nice and comforting read. It divulges a simple tale yet manages to reinforce this adage beautifully.
January 3, 2022
god this was probably one of my favorite stories ever? it's so short and succinct also the sapphic feels
August 26, 2024
a sweet, short story that deals with themes of failure, grief and perseverance
April 3, 2019
This fantasy story is a 2019 Hugo finalist for Best Novelette.
Byam is an imguri, a kind of magical, giant worm, and it wants to become a dragon. It studies The Way, it consults monks, it works very hard, and it keeps trying.
We see three attempts over three thousand years. Things are not going well for Byam.
For its last attempt, the disrupting factor is a human woman, Leslie Han, who looks up, sees it, and says, "An imguri!"
Byam is not inclined to forgive the sabotage. It sets out to find this new, unfamiliar kind of monk, and exact revenge
What follows is unexpected, strange, sweet, and in the end, completely satisfying.
Highly recommended.
Byam is an imguri, a kind of magical, giant worm, and it wants to become a dragon. It studies The Way, it consults monks, it works very hard, and it keeps trying.
We see three attempts over three thousand years. Things are not going well for Byam.
For its last attempt, the disrupting factor is a human woman, Leslie Han, who looks up, sees it, and says, "An imguri!"
Byam is not inclined to forgive the sabotage. It sets out to find this new, unfamiliar kind of monk, and exact revenge
What follows is unexpected, strange, sweet, and in the end, completely satisfying.
Highly recommended.
April 20, 2019
“You get used to being a failure. It was too early to tell her that.�
Excellent. Based on Korean mythology, Cho draws the reader into the mind of an aspiring imugi. Aspiring to be what? That’s the story.
“You couldn’t study something for 3,000 years without becoming interested in it for its own sake.�
Sparse description augmented by the protagonist’s musings and dialogue with humans. Well done.
“Couldn’t take it. Not now, not after � I’m not brave enough to fail again.� “I know.�
(2019 Best Novelette Hugo Award Finalist, published by B&N SFF Originals)
Excellent. Based on Korean mythology, Cho draws the reader into the mind of an aspiring imugi. Aspiring to be what? That’s the story.
“You couldn’t study something for 3,000 years without becoming interested in it for its own sake.�
Sparse description augmented by the protagonist’s musings and dialogue with humans. Well done.
“Couldn’t take it. Not now, not after � I’m not brave enough to fail again.� “I know.�
(2019 Best Novelette Hugo Award Finalist, published by B&N SFF Originals)
May 26, 2020
“Sometimes,� it said, “you try really hard and it’s not enough. You put in all you’ve got and you still never get where you thought you were meant to be. But at least you tried. Some people never try."
Well written story based on korean mythology about imugi. A lot of life message can find in this short story. I love how the ending really meaningfull even it's really short.
Well written story based on korean mythology about imugi. A lot of life message can find in this short story. I love how the ending really meaningfull even it's really short.
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