The 50th Anniversary Hugo Awards Ceremony took place tonight at the 61st World Science Fiction Convention (Torcon 3) in Toronto, Ontario. MC Spider Robinson’s opening comments praising Science Fiction seemed at odds with the number of fantasy works which were nominated or which won.
The familiar rocket-statue was plated with gold this year, and set in carved maple representing the fury and flame of lift-off, stylized into a maple leaf.
So…. Who won?
Best Fan Artist: Sue Mason
Best Fan Writer: Dave Langford
Best Fanzine: Mimosa, edited by Rich and Nicki Lynch
Best Semi-Prozine: Locus, edited by Charles N. Brown, Jennifer A. Hall, Kirsten Gong-Wong.
Best Short Form Dramatic: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: “Conversations with Dead People.”
Best Professional Artist: Bob Eggleton
Best Professional Editor: Gardner Dozois
Best Related Book: Better to Have Loved: the Life of Judith Merril, Judith Merril and Emily Pohl-Weary.
Best Long-form Dramatic: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
Best Short Story: “Falling Onto Mars” by Geoffrey A. Landis (Analog 7-8/02)
Best Novelette: “Slow Life” by Michael Swanwick (Analog 12/02
Best Novella: Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Best Novel: Hominids by Robert J. Sawyer
(presented by George R.R. Martin, whose somewhat lengthy build-up to the revelation prompted the words “Best Long Presentation: George R.R. Martin” to appear on the auditorium’s main screen).
Lucid commentary and photos will appear here soon. Meanwhile, my quick illucid draft comments there may prove entertaining. Ideas were exchanged, views were exchanged, costumes were worn, alcohol was consumed, I was “mobbed” by belly-dancers, and Enterpise was dissed…..
science
What the hell is up with non sci-fi winning hugos?
Sure, “conversation with dead people” was good, but why in the world
would it win a SCIENCE fiction award? Don’t fantasy/horror works have
their own awards?
Re: science
The Hugos aren’t just for sci-fi:
3.2.1: Unless otherwise specified, Hugo Awards are given for work in the field of science fiction or fantasy appearing for the first time during the previous calendar year.
(From: http://www.torcon3.org/ballots/hugoWSFS.html)
Re: science
Is that new? ’cause looking at the past winners it was sci-fi sci-fi and
more sci-fi…
Re: science
What about those who were nominated? The winners may be a result of the sci-fi being better work or from a bias by the voters. Someone on Slashdot notes that fantasy novels were being nominated as far back as the 1960s. Here’s the list he gave:
For a list of previous winners
Locus magazine lists all the winners and nominations for the Hugos:
http://www.locusmag.com/SFAwards/Db/Hugo.html
(It’s missing the nominations for the first few years. There may have been a different process then.)
The line between sci-fi and other genres is blurry in some cases. It’s no wonder some people prefer calling it “speculative fiction” or just “genre”.
Genre-bending
Many panels addressed the blurring in passing and, while the “hard science” and “elvish fantasy” types exist, most people seem to read both (and blends) and a good many writers write both– and, increasingly, blends.
The masquerade was delayed, so they played a CBC report on Torcon2 from the early 70s to pass they time. It’s worth noting that the SF/horror/fantasy mix was apparent in the old footage– and that Tarzan fans were much in evidence at that thirty-years-past WorldCon.
Further musings and jot notes appear here