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The Hugo Award is given annually by the World Science Fiction society. Society members may be fans or professional writers in the field, but the Hugo is considered a fan award. Awards are voted on by the members of the current world science fiction convention. Members need not attend the convention to receive ballots. The Hugo is named for Hugo Gernsback, editor of the first science fiction magazine. Awards are given for works published in the previous year. Banks,
Iain. THE ALGEBRAIST. Night Shade Books. 2004. Clarke,
Susanna. JONATHAN STRANGE AND MR. NORRELL. Bloomsbury, 2004. WINNER! McDonald,
Ian. RIVER OF GODS. Simon and Schuster. 2004. In 2047, a hundred years after Independence, India is burdened with ecological troubles and accelerated technology. The cast of characters includes a comedian who inherits a business empire, a journalist, a policeman hunting rogue AI's, an American scientist, a politician, a neuter, a small-time crook, a Big Dumb Object, and India itself. Per critics, it's dazzling. Mieville,
China. IRON COUNCIL. Ballantine. 2004. Set
in the fantasy city of New Crobuzon, this is a place filled with talk
of revolution and the legacy of socialism from many years ago. It contains
variegated humans and near humans, unusual love affairs, extraordinary
landscapes and nods Stross,
Charles. IRON SUNRISE. Ace. 2004 The "Iron Sunrise" is an artificially ( possibly accidentally) triggered supernova that wipes out an entire solar system. This story features neo-Nazis in space, tough teenage girl protagonist, brilliant prose, and rapid plot twists. Space opera plus spy story.
2006 HUGO NOMINATIONS MacLeod,
Ken. LEARNING THE WORLD: A SCIENTIFIC ROMANCE. Tor. 2005. The ancient starship is entering orbit around a promising new system after a 400-year journey. However, the human passengers detect unexpected, curious electromagnetic emissions from the system's earth-like world. The planet is already occupied by batlike aliens, and now war is about to break out between two of the alien nations. Should they interfere? Per critics, this is contemporary sf at its best, with some weighty philosophical issues to be considered. Martin,
George R.R. A FEAST FOR CROWS ( A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE #4). Bantam. 2005. This fourth installment of the Martin saga continues the bloody drama of the war-torn Seven Kingdoms and the battle for the Iron Throne. With the king dead and a child on the throne, the Queen Regent must protect her son from his enemies vying for control of the realm. A popular, grandiose fantasy epic. Scalzi,
John. OLD MAN'S WAR. Tor. 2005. Earth must defend its claims to new planets against alien races. To this end, the government has created the Colonial Defense Force ( aka Old Farts), an army of senior citizens who have given up their lives and even their old bodies to fight aliens. In return, they get the secret of reverse aging. Seventy-five year old John Perry thinks it's a good deal, until he sees a ghost. Per critics, compelling sf thriller and an endearing love story. Stross,
Charles. ACCELERANDO. Ace. 2005. Manfred Macx. a 21st century intelligence amplification entrepreneur, lives much of his life in the virtual world of artificial intelligence and molecular nanotechnology. His young daughter Amber indentures herself, via a computer program, to a mining company on Jupiter. There, she discovers a byproduct of the Singularity, the emergence of computronium, microscopic AI's who convert all extraneous mass into copies of themselves. Decades later, Sirhan, the son of an alternate Amber, also becomes aware of the great danger that may destroy the solar system. Per critics, a high-tech adventure, filled with complex concepts. Hard to read. Wilson,
Robert Charles. SPIN. Tor. 2006. As ten-year-old Tyler Dupree sits in the back yard of his Washington D.C. home, the stars go out. A barrier now encloses the Earth, generated by huge artifacts hovering over the poles. Even weirder, time passes 100 million times more swiftly outside the barrier, so the sun may only last 40 years. However, a visitor from a newly terraformed Mars has an idea, to seed the ice-filled Kuiper Belt with slow-growing, living machines capable of investigating the so-called "Hypotheticals." Per critics, a far-fetched but fascinating time-odyssey .
The Nebula awards are given annually by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America) Membership is restricted to professional science fiction writers in either print or media. Awards are given for the best novel published during the previous year. Bujold,
Lois McMaster. PALADIN OF SOULS. HarperCollins. 2003. WINNER! Cured
of the madness that made her a prisoner in the castle of her family, the
Lady Ista dy Baocia, Dowager Royina of Chalion, finds herself at loose
ends. Bereft of husband, son, and parents, she decides to undertake a
pilgrimage of atonement. But it soon becomes a dangerous quest to stop
a supernatural threat from shattering the peace of Chalion. Sequel to
Curse of Chalion. Popular series. A young man barely 100 years old, Jules is working at his dream job, running the Haunted Mansion ride at Disney World, when he is killed for the fourth time. With the help of two friends, Jules fights the impending coup, but struggles more with his relationships in an era when people routinely store their memories to avoid boredom or unpleasantness. Per critics, a fun breezy read though there are hints of darker world. McDevitt,
Jack. OMEGA. Ace. 2003. The discovery of the omega cloud phenomenon --cloudlike waves of energy that destroy entire civilizations - has put Earth on alert. When the cloud heading toward Earth veers toward a planet populated by a primitive alien species, a few concerned individuals travel to that world to save it. And they also find a way to save their own planet. Per critics, gripping adventure, hard science, and engaging characters. Mitchell,
David. CLOUD ATLAS. Random House. 2004. This virtuosic novel has 6 narratives in an array of genres. There is a naïve clerk on a 19th century voyage to Polynesia; an aspiring composer who insinuates himself into the home of a syphilitic genius; a journalist investigating a nuclear power plant; a publisher with a best seller on his hands; and cloned human beings created for slave labor. Their stories are arranged around the oral history of a post-apocalyptic island, Hawaii. Per critics, a dazzling entertaining, challenging puzzle. Stewart,
Sean. PERFECT CIRCLE. Small Beer. 2004. Ghosts are like homeless people, we are told by our hero, DK "Dead" Kennedy. But seeing ghosts complicates life, because, at night, the ghosts look just like the living, and he's wrecked cars trying to avoid them. Moreover, are these ghosts going to threaten his life with his family? And then a cousin wants DK to exorcise the ghost of a girl he murdered! Critics called this poignant, hilarious, and sometimes creepy, but always compelling. Wolfe,
Gene. KNIGHT. Tor. 2004. A young boy crosses from the modern into the fantasy world of Mythgarthr, where he finds himself in the body of an adult and receives the name "Abel of the High Heart." As he quests for the sword that will make him a knight, he encounters both monstrous and human enemies, discovers romance, and learns about love and honor. Wolfe is considered an elegant stylist and literary philosopher. First of a 2-volume saga. Critics called this a masterpiece and compelling fantasy. 2006 NEBULA NOMINATIONS Clarke,
Susanna. JONATHAN STRANGE AND MR. NORRELL. Bloomsbury. 2004. Magic returns to England in the early 19th century and helps England win the Napoleonic Wars. The difficult relationship between the two protagonists ( Strange and Norrell, a sort of wizardly Gilbert and Sullivan), and between them and the realm of faery, is portrayed in a beautiful pastiche of 19th century literary style, complete with remarkable footnotes. Per critics, long but engrossing. Haldeman,
Joe. CAMOUFLAGE. Ace. 2004. A million years before the emergence of humans, an alien emerges from a spacecraft that's crashed in the Pacific Ocean. Over many millennia, the alien has evolved from fish to man. Now the Navy has found another mysterious artifact seven miles underwater in the Tonga-Kermodec Trench. Government scientist Russell Sutton tries to examine the object, but his efforts attract the attention of the original alien and another alien. And Sutton senses they are there! Per critics, nonstop action and a panoramic view of history. McDevitt,
Jack. POLARIS. Ace. 2004 During a sightseeing trip to a distant star on the Polaris, all the passengers (brilliant scientists) disappear without a trace. Sixty years later, antiques dealer Alex Benedict and his partner Chase Kolpath want to purchase artifacts from the Polaris. But they also begin to investigate the whereabouts of the missing passengers. However, some unknown pursuers are on their tail. Per critics, high adrenaline plot and a complex meditation on some thorny ethical dilemmas. Pratchett,
Terry. GOING POSTAL. HarperCollins. 2004. Con man Moist von Lipwig is sentenced to be hanged, but this is, of course, Discworld. So he is mysteriously revived, and Lord Vetinari tells him he is now responsible for the defunct Ankh-Morpork postal system, which has been taken over by the internet "clacks" who work for the Grand Trunk Co. Moist tries to escape, but he is forced to deal with "the voices of unsent letters" and a corporate conspiracy. Fortunately, a vampire, a secret society of unemployed postal workers, and crafty Mr. Tiddles, a cat, are there to help. Per critics, sharp, satirical humor. Ryman,
Greg. AIR. St. Martin's. 2004. It's 2020 in Karzistan, a primitive, chaotic Central Asian city. One day, its citizens, along with the rest of the world, are subjected to a test of hyper advanced technology that brings internal communication directly into their minds. But some people die, and intelligent, but illiterate Chung Mae, now shares her mind with a dying woman from another time. But Chung soon realizes she now knows a lot about the future and the past. So she tries to help the villagers by negotiating between them and the government. Per critics, intensely political and full of sharp commentary and vivid characters Wright,
John C. ORPHANS OF CHAOS. Tor. 2005. Five orphans being raised in a very strict British boarding school discover that they may not be human. Amelia seems able to travel in the fourth dimension. Victor is a synthetic being who can control the molecular arrangement of matter. Vanity finds secret passages in walls. Colin is a psychic. Quentin is a warlock. Where have these "orphans" come from - from a laboratory or from some pagan god? Why are they here? Per critics, a sophisticated fantasy with an erotic charge and a fascinating, complex myth-infused series.
The
James Tiptree, Jr. Awards, voted and presented by the, Tiptree Award Council,
for science fiction 2005 2004
(Co-winners) 2003 2002
(Co-winners) 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997
( Co-winners) 1996
( Co-winners) 1995
( Co-winners) 1994
( Co-winners) 1993 1992 1991
(Co-winners) RETROSPECTIVE
WINNERS Charnas,
Suzy McKee. MOTHERLINES. WALK TO THE END OF THE WORLD. Russ,
Joanna. "When It Changed" in AGAIN, DANGEROUS VISIONS Russ,
Joanna. "When It Changed" in THE FEMALE MAN John
W. Campbell Awards, 1973-2002 The
John W. Campbell Award for the best science-fiction novel of the year
is one of the three major annual awards for science fiction. The first
Campbell Award was presented at the Illinois Institute of The
Award was created to honor the late editor of Astounding Science Fiction
magazine, which is now named Analog. Campbell, who edited the magazine
from 1937 until his death in 1971, is called, by many
1974 1975 1976 *The
committee felt that no truly outstanding original novel was published
in 1975. 1st place, 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
LOOK FOR SF AWARD WINNERS ON GOOGLE.COM USING WORDS SUCH AS HUGO NOMINATIONS OR WINNERS, NEBULA NOMINATIONS OR WINNERS, JOHN W. CAMPBELL NOMINATIONS OR WINNERS, JAMES TIPTREE NOMINATIONS OR WINNERS. See also LOCUSMAG.COM. |
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