Following up on Monday's post, some other thoughts on this year's possible Clarke shortlist: Ian Sales thinks it will be a year for the literary contenders; David Hebblethwaite is disappointed by the absence of most of the year's mainstream-published sf from the submissions list; and Martin McGrath thinks the women could do well. Meanwhile the guess-the-shortlist competition is rolling along. The wisdom of the crowd currently says the shortlist will be Embassytown, The Islanders, Osama, The Testament of Jessie Lamb, By Light Alone, and Rule 34, although there is quite a gap between Mieville/Priest and everyone else, and a chasing pack for the sixth slot consisting of Savage City, Reamde, The End Specialist, Mr Fox, Dead Water, Bringer of Light and Wake Up and Dream.