On Saturday, April 7th, this year’s prestigious Hugo Award Nominees were announced. Those who attended the Norwescon, Leprecon, Minicon, Marcon, and the Olympus 2012 conventions were able to see the announcements delivered live while those at home were able to stream it via UStream.

The Hugo Awards is the leading award for excellence in the field of science fiction and fantasy. The award was named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the science fiction magazine ‘Amazing Stories.’ His magazine had inspired many writers and was the first to publish works from many well-known science fiction writers including Isaac Asimov. Originally, the Hugo Award was named the Science Fiction Achievement Awards until 1992 when it was changed to its present name.

Last year, winners included Steven Moffat and Toby Haynes for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form for their work on the ‘Doctor Who’ season 5 finale episodes ‘The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang, Christopher Nolan in the category of Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form for his work on ‘Inception’, Connie Willis in the category of Best Novel for ‘Blackout/All Clear’ and Lev Grossman for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer.

This year’s nominees include a time lord, a superhero, a house with multi-dimensional portals, and the continuing saga of a blood thirsty monoarchy. Here is this year’s list of 2012 Hugo Award Nominees:

Best Novel

‘Among Others’, Jo Walton (Tor)

‘A Dance With Dragons’, George R. R. Martin (Bantam Spectra)

‘Deadline’, Mira Grant (Orbit)

‘Embassytown’, China Miéville (Macmillan / Del Rey)

‘Leviathan Wakes’, James S. A. Corey (Orbit)

Best Novella

“Countdown”, Mira Grant (Orbit)

“The Ice Owl”, Carolyn Ives Gilman (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction)

“Kiss Me Twice”, Mary Robinette Kowal (Asimov’s)

“The Man Who Bridged the Mist”, Kij Johnson (Asimov’s)

“The Man Who Ended History: A Documentary”, Ken Liu (Panverse 3)

“Silently and Very Fast”, Catherynne M. Valente (WSFA)

Note: 6 nominees due to tie for final position.

Best Novelette

“The Copenhagen Interpretation”, Paul Cornell (Asimov’s)

“Fields of Gold”, Rachel Swirsky (Eclipse Four)

“Ray of Light”, Brad R. Torgersen (Analog)

“Six Months, Three Days”, Charlie Jane Anders (Tor.com)

“What We Found”, Geoff Ryman (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction)

Best Short Story

“The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees”, E. Lily Yu (Clarkesworld)

“The Homecoming”, Mike Resnick (Asimov’s)

“Movement”, Nancy Fulda (Asimov’s)

“The Paper Menagerie”, Ken Liu (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction)

“Shadow War of the Night Dragons: Book One: The Dead City: Prologue”, John Scalzi (Tor.com)

Best Related Work

‘The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction’, Third Edition, edited by John Clute, David Langford, Peter Nicholls, and Graham Sleight (Gollancz)

‘Jar Jar Binks Must Die…and other Observations about Science Fiction Movies’, Daniel M. Kimmel (Fantastic Books)

‘The Steampunk Bible: An Illustrated Guide to the World of Imaginary Airships, Corsets and Goggles, Mad Scientists, and Strange Literature’, Jeff VanderMeer and S. J. Chambers (Abrams Image)

‘Wicked Girls’ (CD), Seanan McGuire

‘Writing Excuses, Season 6’ (podcast series), Brandon Sanderson, Dan Wells, Howard Tayler, Mary Robinette Kowal, and Jordan Sanderson

Best Graphic Story

Digger, by Ursula Vernon (Sofawolf Press)

Fables Vol 15: Rose Red, by Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham (Vertigo)

Locke & Key Volume 4: Keys To The Kingdom, written by Joe Hill, illustrated by Gabriel Rodriguez (IDW)

Schlock Mercenary: Force Multiplication, written and illustrated by Howard Tayler, colors by Travis Walton (The Tayler Corporation)

The Unwritten (Volume 4): Leviathan, created by Mike Carey and Peter Gross, written by Mike Carey, illustrated by Peter Gross (Vertigo)

Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form

Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form

Doctor Who, ”The Doctor’s Wife”, written by Neil Gaiman; directed by Richard Clark (BBC Wales)

“The Drink Tank’s Hugo Acceptance Speech”, Christopher J Garcia and James Bacon (Renovation)

Doctor Who, ”The Girl Who Waited”, written by Tom MacRae; directed by Nick Hurran (BBC Wales)

Doctor Who, ”A Good Man Goes to War”, written by Steven Moffat; directed by Peter Hoar (BBC Wales)

Community, ”Remedial Chaos Theory”, written by Dan Harmon and Chris McKenna; directed by Jeff Melman (NBC)

Best Semiprozine

Apex Magazine, edited by Catherynne M. Valente, Lynne M. Thomas, and Jason Sizemore

Interzone, edited by Andy Cox

Lightspeed, edited by John Joseph Adams

Locus, edited by Liza Groen Trombi, Kirsten Gong-Wong, et al.

New York Review of Science Fiction, edited by David G. Hartwell, Kevin J. Maroney, Kris Dikeman, and Avram Grumer

Best Fanzine

Banana Wings, edited by Claire Brialey and Mark Plummer

The Drink Tank, edited by James Bacon and Christopher J Garcia

File 770, edited by Mike Glyer

Journey Planet, edited by James Bacon, Christopher J Garcia, et al.

SF Signal, edited by John DeNardo

Best Fancast

The Coode Street Podcast, Jonathan Strahan & Gary K. Wolfe

Galactic Suburbia Podcast, Alisa Krasnostein, Alex Pierce, and Tansy Rayner Roberts (presenters) and Andrew Finch (producer)

SF Signal Podcast, John DeNardo and JP Frantz (presenters), Patrick Hester (producer)

SF Squeecast, Lynne M. Thomas, Seanan McGuire, Paul Cornell, Elizabeth Bear, and Catherynne M. Valente

StarShipSofa, Tony C. Smith

Best Editor, Long Form

Lou Anders

Liz Gorinsky

Anne Lesley Groell

Patrick Nielsen Hayden

Betsy Wollheim

Best Editor, Short Form

John Joseph Adams

Neil Clarke

Stanley Schmidt

Jonathan Strahan

Sheila Williams

Best Professional Artist

Dan dos Santos

Bob Eggleton

Michael Komarck

Stephan Martiniere

John Picacio

Best Fan Artist

Randall Munroe

Spring Schoenhuth

Maurine Starkey

Steve Stiles

Taral Wayne

Best Fan Writer

James Bacon

Claire Brialey

Christopher J. Garcia

Jim C. Hines

Steven H Silver

The John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer

Mur Lafferty

Stina Leicht

Karen Lord

Brad R. Torgersen

E. Lily Yu

Winners will be announced at the World Science Fiction Convention (aka Worldcon) in Chicago, IL, on September 2, 2012. Once we find out who the winners are, we’ll let you know!

So what do you think of the list? Do you have a favorite to win?