Libertarian Futurist Society
Robert Heinlein Sarah Hoyt Vernor Vinge F. Paul Wilson Terry Pratchett Daniel Suarez Poul Anderson Kurt Vonnegut Ken MacLeod C. J. Cherryh Neal Stephenson Travis Corcoran L. Neil Smith Barry Longyear Dave Freer Jo Walton George Orwell Ursula. Le Guin Ayn Rand
Help nominate fiction and vote for the only annual award for best pro-freedom fiction: the Prometheus Awards for Best Novel and Best Classic Fiction, plus occasional Special Awards. All the writers listed above (and many more) have won Prometheus Awards for their fiction.
“Authoritarianism is on the march in this world once more, and I’m convinced the first step in resisting despots is to be free in one's own thoughts and imagination. LFS is doing great work to keep free-thinking science fiction alive, and for that I thank you.”-- Author Daniel Suarez, two-time Prometheus Award winner for Best Novel for Influx (2016) and Critical Mass (2024)
“(In sf fandom), the Prometheus is now considered third after the Hugo and Nebula.... I first heard it mentioned more than 30 years ago, described as a ‘freethinkers’ literary award’ of considerable virtue, but not on a par with the Nebula or Hugo. ... You’re coming up in the world of Sci-Fi, my friends!”— author-songwriter Leslie Fish (“The Horseman’s Daughter”), frequent filk guest at sf conventions
"The Prometheus Award is an interesting case … The results are as remarkable as the award's longevity … the LFS ranges far outside the borders of conventional American libertarian thought … with equally diverse selections on the nominee lists.… following this particular award can be rewarding for readers of all stripes" —"40 Years of the Prometheus Award," a TOR.com article by James Davis Nicoll (April 2019)
"Libertarian SF is showing no signs of waning. … Libertarian-leaning authors have had an outsized, lasting influence on the field. Libertarians even have their own SF literature awards. Each year, the Prometheus and Prometheus Hall of Fame awards are given out by the Libertarian Futurist Society. … Unlike most ideologies that advocate forms of protectionism and Luddite restrictionism, the libertarian outlook values choice, freedom, … a general openness to radical new ideas and an instinctive rejection of stale convention and custom … Perhaps this is why so much of SF expresses itself as dystopian fiction, a genre which, by its very nature, cannot but take on a libertarian flavor. Totalitarianism, war, and wide-scale oppression is almost always carried out by state force. Liberation, accordingly, must come in the form of negative rights — that is, "freedom from" — and voluntarism." —-- "The Libertarian History of Science Fiction," by Jordan Alexander Hill, Quillette (published June 2020, on quillette.com)
"As a long-time libertarian and science fiction fan, I consider my Libertarian Futurist Society membership one of the best deals around. How else would I learn of the new SF books that I'd be most likely to want to read? LFS dramatically reduces my search time--and that's very valuable to me." —Robert W. Poole, Founder and Past-President, Reason Foundation
"People come to libertarianism through fiction. They come through Ayn Rand... Robert Heinlein.... L. Neil Smith. When he established the Prometheus Awards, Smith was acknowledging the political contributions that fiction makes to libertarianism. He recognized its importance and influence, namely that it fire the imagination, it fires the vision of man and woman, and it is absolutely essential to inspire people." —Author Wendy McElroy, at the 2000 Prometheus Worldcon awards
"Uniquely among political movements, many of libertarianism's most influential texts have been by SF writers... It seems likely that the influence of the (Libertarian SF) movement within sf will grow." —- The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction
If you enjoy fiction and science fiction that dramatizes the value of freedom, and are excited by the possibilities that a free society unleashes, then we invite you to become a part of LFS. If you are intrigued by libertarianism and futurism, and the cross-pollination between these two dynamic fields, consider this decentralized coalition of free spirits working to shape a free future.
To join, donate, or subscribe, please visit our membership and donation page.
To uphold the high standards of the Prometheus Awards, full members and above are responsible for obtaining and reading all the finalists in a category before casting their votes. If you wish to vote for the Prometheus Award for Best Novel and are willing to support the LFS at a higher level, consider becoming an LFS Sponsor or Benefactor.
The Libertarian Futurist Society is a nonprofit organization with federal tax-exempt status. If you would like to support our activities, please consider making a tax-deductible donation. Mail donation checks, marked "donation," to:
Libertarian Futurist Society
650 Castro St. Suite 120-433
Mountain View, CA 94041
Or send a donation via credit card, using one of the PayPal donation options
Publishers, authors and sf/fantasy fans may submit works of fiction for LFS consideration for all categories of the Prometheus Awards. For more details, what required information to submit and who to contact, please read this submission-guidelines letter.
Help us raise our visibility and promote new memberships by downloading and printing this introductory LFS membership flyer (pdf). You can distribute it easily at upcoming conventions, which often have a place for free flyers and other literatures. Or better yet, print a few and hand them out personally to people you meet who might share our love of liberty, science fiction and a freer future.
To inquire about serving on an awards committee or to nominate a book, please contact Michael Grossberg. For Hall of Fame Nominations, please contact Bill Stoddard.
You can change your membership address by sending email to addresschange at lfs.org.
For general inquiries, send to "contact" at our domain (lfs.org), and someone will respond.
Current officers and directors are listed here.
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