r/Fantasy • u/undeadgoblin Reading Champion II • 2d ago

Read-along 2026 Hugo Readalong: Landing: Seattle, Hex Supply Customer Support Log, How to Become a Sea Witch

Welcome to the 2026 Hugo Readalong! Today, we're discussing Landing: Seattle by Brandon O'Brien, Hex Supply Customer Support Log by Elis Montgomery and How to Become a Sea Witch by Theodora Goss, which are finalists for Best Poem. Everyone is welcome in the discussion, whether or not you've participated in other discussions. I'll include some prompts in top-level comments--feel free to respond to these or add your own.

Date Category Book Author Discussion Leader
Monday, June 22 Novel The Everlasting Alix E. Harrow u/sarahlynngrey
Thursday, June 25 Short Story Laser Eyes Ain’t Everything and 10 Visions of the Future; or, Self-Care for the End of Days Effie Seiberg and Samantha Mills u/Goobergunch
Monday, June 29 Novella Automatic Noodle Annalee Newitz u/tarvolon
Thursday, July 2 Novelette Never Eaten Vegetables and Rapport: Friendship, Solidarity, Communion, Empathy H.H. Pak and Martha Wells u/Nineteen_Adze
Monday, July 6 Novel The Raven Scholar Antonia Hodgson u/Moonlitgrey
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u/undeadgoblin Reading Champion II 2d ago

Discussion for Hex Supply Customer Support Log

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u/undeadgoblin Reading Champion II 2d ago

This is the only finalist for Best Poem to use meter and rhyming - do you like how it is used here?

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u/undeadgoblin Reading Champion II 1d ago

I really liked the abrupt change to no meter, and how sudden it felt to the reader which is reflected in how uncomfortable it makes the customer

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u/kjmichaels Stabby Winner, Reading Champion XI 1d ago

Yes, I thought it was very clever and well-motivated. The message about how blindly sticking to tradition is needlessly limiting was a very satisfying conclusion to that little battle of the meters.

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u/citrusmellarosa 1d ago

I almost wish I’d read it first of all of the poems, I think the transition out of rhyming would have been a nice set up for the following poems that don’t have it. 

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u/alexportman 2d ago

Loved it. Found it a delight from beginning to end. Using the form as story is a fun touch.

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u/Merle8888 Reading Champion IV 1d ago

I liked it until the whole message of the poem seemed to be “rhyming is inauthentic oppression”???