Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Who do you think will win this year's slate of Locus Awards?

The Locus Science Fiction Foundation recently announced the top five finalists in each category of the 2012 Locus Awards. The winners will be announced during the Science Fiction Awards Weekend June 15-17 in Seattle.

The finalists for this year’s Best Science Fiction Novel award include:
- “Leviathan Wakes” by James S.A. Corey
- “11/22/63” by Stephen King
- “Embassytown” by China Mieville
- “Rule 34” by Charles Stross
- “The Children of the Sky” by Vernor Vinge

The finalists for this year’s Best Fantasy Novel include:
- “A Dance with Dragons” by George R.R. Martin
- “Snuff” by Terry Pratchett
- “The Wise Man’s Fear” by Patrick Rothfuss
- “Deathless” by Catherynne M. Valente
- “Among Others” by Jo Walton

The finalists for this year’s Best First Novel include:
- “Ready Player One” by Ernest Cline
- “God’s War” by Kameron Hurley
- “Soft Apocalypse” by Will McIntosh
- “The Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern
- “Mechanique: A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti” by Genevieve Valentine

The finalists for Best Nonfiction include:
- “In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination” by Margaret Atwood
- “Becoming Ray Bradbury” by Jonathan R. Eller
- “Musings and Meditations” by Robert Silverberg
- “Evaporating Genres: Essays on Fantastic Literature” by Gary K. Wolfe
- “Sightings: Reviews 2002-2006” by Gary K. Wolfe

Other categories include Young Adult Book, Novella, Novelette, Short Story, Magazine, Publisher, Anthology, Collection, Editor, Artist and Art Books.

The Locus Awards for Best Novel are arguably the most prestigious of all the Locus Awards. The award was first presented in 1971, and in 1980 the award was split into two awards, one for Best Science Fiction Novel and another for Best Fantasy Novel. The all-time winners are as follows:

Locus Award for Best Novel
1971 – Ringworld by Larry Niven
1972 – The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin
1973 – The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov
1974 – Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
1975 – The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin
1976 – The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
1977 – Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang by Kate Wilhelm
1978 – Gateway by Frederik Pohl
1979 – Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McINtyre

Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel:
1980 – Titan by John Varley
1981 – The Snow Queen by Joan D. Vinge
1982 – The Many Colored Land by Julian May
1983 – Foundation’s Edge by Isaac Asimov
1984 – Startide Rising by David Brin
1985 – The Integral Trees by Larry Niven
1986 – The Postman by David Brin
1987 – Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card
1988 – The Uplift War by David Brin
1989 – Cyteen by C.J. Cherryh
1990 – Hyperion by Dan Simmons
1991 – The Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons
1992 – Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold
1993 – Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
1994 – Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
1995 – Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold
1996 – The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson
1997 – Blue Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
1998 – The Rise of Endymion by Dan Simmons
1999 – To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
2000 – Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
2001 – The Telling by Ursula K. Le Guin
2002 – Passage by Connie Willis
2003 – The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson
2004 – Ilium by Dan Simmons
2005 – The Baroque Cycle (i.e. Quicksilver, The Confusion, The System of the World) by Neal Stephenson
2006 – Accelerando by Charles Stross
2007 – Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge
2008 – The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabon
2009 – Anathem by Neal Stephenson
2010 – Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
2011 – Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis

Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel:
1978 – The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkein
1979 – No Award
1980 – Harpist in the Wind by Patricia A. McKillip
1981 – Lord Valentine’s Castle by Robert Silverberg
1982 – The Claw of the Conciliator by Gene Wolfe
1983 – The Sword of the Lictor by Gene Wolfe
1984 – The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
1985 – Job: A Comedy of Justice by Robert A. Heinlein
1986 – Trumps of Doom by Roger Zelazny
1987 – Soldier of the Mist by Gene Wolfe
1988 – Seventh Son by Orson Scott Card
1989 – Red Prophet by Orson Scott Card
1990 – Prentice Alvin by Orson Scott Card
1991 – Tehanu: The Last Book of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
1992 – Beauty by Sheri S. Tepper
1993 – Last Call by Tim Powers
1994 – The Innkeeper’s Song by Peter S. Beagle
1995 – Brittle Innings by Michael Bishop
1996 – Alvin Journeyman by Orson Scott Card
1997 – A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
1998 – Earthquake Weather by Tim Powers
1999 – A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
2000 – Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
2001 – A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
2002 – American Gods by Neil Gaiman
2003 – The Scar by China Mieville
2004 – Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold
2005 – Iron Council by China Mieville
2006 – Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
2007 – The Privilege of the Sword by Ellen Kushner
2008 – Making Money by Terry Pratchett
2009 – Lavinia by Ursula K. Le Guin
2010 – The City & the City by China Mieville
2011 – Kraken by China Mieville

In the end, how many of the books mentioned above have you read? Which did you like or dislike? Which would you recommend and why? Let us know in the comments section below.

No comments:

Post a Comment