This is a Rabid Puppy recommendation for the Hugo Awards. The short story was published in Nature #519.
The commander of an alien battle fleet writes logs describing his conquest of a world called Earth. Through the logs, we follow his developing understanding of the residents. He thinks their accomplishments mean they are ready for the stars and admires their ferocity as they defend their world. However, he is disappointed to find there seems to be no ruling class and that everyone turns out to be the bipeds he took for a slave race. Worse than that, they don’t seem to regenerate when their bodies are laid out along the coastline. What could have gone wrong?
This is a sharp little story, hilarious, very original, and written in a creative format. It might be a contender, but I think it’s too short for a Hugo win. Four and a half stars.
Lela E. Buis 
May 01, 2016 @ 10:23:21
May 05, 2016 @ 03:50:46
Interesting story, very old-fashioned in its view of the mighty Earth warriors but original and smart.
I will have to consider it, not an automatic rejection despite who nominated it.
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May 05, 2016 @ 12:18:53
Mays withdrew “The Commuter,” so unless there’s some brilliant replacement, this is the only real choice on the short story ballot. The others tend to parody, porn and attack fiction. I’m one of the people who think votes should be on merit, so I’d pick this one as the winner.
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