Category: Awards nominees

How the Prometheus Hall of Fame has evolved and broadened its scope beyond novels in the 21st century


Note: This is part 2 of an overview and analysis of how the Prometheus Hall of Fame has broadened its scope over the past 43 years.

By Michael Grossberg

Looking back at the pattern of nominees since the Prometheus Hall of Fame was first presented, novels overwhelmingly dominated the Hall of Fame nominations throughout the 20th century.

In retrospect, it makes sense that LFS members would focus almost exclusively on novels when considering what classic pro-liberty SF/fantasy works to nominate for the first decade or two of the Prometheus Hall of Fame.

Novels tend to be more widely praised and remembered within the SF/fantasy genres, and by far the best-known libertarian SF works published between the 1950s and the 1980s were novels.

Continue reading How the Prometheus Hall of Fame has evolved and broadened its scope beyond novels in the 21st century


The new slate of Hall of Fame nominees reflects shift from novels to shorter works


By Michael Grossberg

This year’s recently announced slate of Prometheus Hall of Fame nominees is notable in several ways, with a remarkable range of diverse works.

Especially when compared to last year’s nominees, the new slate for the 2027 award highlights a deeper shift in this annual awards category: Where novels once overwhelmingly dominated the list of annual nominees, they no longer do.

If you examine the pattern of nominees since the Prometheus Hall of Fame was first presented in 1983, a deeper and more gradual shift becomes obvious since the turn of the century – a significant move away from a nearly exclusive focus on novels to a consideration of a far broader range of shorter works, from stories and novellas to films and songs.

That trend was most dramatically underscored by a notable difference between last year’s and this year’s nominees.

For instance, five novels ended up as Best Classic Fiction finalists this past year — with Aldous Huxley’s dystopian classic Brave New World ultimately being the 50th work to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

That won’t be possible this next year, when Libertarian Futurist Society members begin reading or viewing the 2027 Hall of Fame finalists.

Continue reading The new slate of Hall of Fame nominees reflects shift from novels to shorter works


Nine works have been nominated for the next Hall of Fame award, including a majority of first-time Prometheus nominees


By Michael Grossberg

Libertarian Futurist Society members have nominated nine works for the next Prometheus Hall of Fame award for Best Classic Fiction.

Of those, six works have been nominated for the first time in the history of the Prometheus Awards – reflecting an infusion of fresh candidates that deserve recognition.

That includes Roger Zelazny’s Hugo-winning novel Lord of Light, the films Brazil and The Man in the White Suit, and short stories by Ursula K. Le Guin, Jane Lindskold and James H. Schmidt.

Continue reading Nine works have been nominated for the next Hall of Fame award, including a majority of first-time Prometheus nominees


J. Kenton Pierce’s A Kiss for Damocles: First-time nominee wins Prometheus Award for debut novel over stiff competition


By Michael Grossberg

A first-time Prometheus nominee might not be expected to win the Best Novel award, especially with a debut novel or when up against solid works by several popular and acclaimed previous winners.

J. Kenton Pierce (Courtesy of Raconteur Press)

Yet, that’s part of the impressive accomplishment this year of J. Kenton Pierce, whose debut novel A Kiss for Damocles has won the 2026 Prometheus Award for Best Novel.

The science fiction novel, published by Raconteur Press and launching Pierce’s Tales From the Long Night series, illuminates the ethics and efficacy of free trade and self-defense as a proper foundation for civilization.

This year’s award, focusing on novels published in 2025, was considered by many Libertarian Futurist Society members and Prometheus Best Novel judges to have one of the strongest lineups in many years.

Continue reading J. Kenton Pierce’s A Kiss for Damocles: First-time nominee wins Prometheus Award for debut novel over stiff competition


Guess who’s at LibertyCon this weekend? Three of this year’s Prometheus Best Novel finalists, just for starters

By Michael Grossberg

Quite a few authors and publishers recognized by the Prometheus Awards are participating at LibertyCon this weekend.

Left to right: Prometheus Best Novel finalists J. Kenton Pierce, Sarah Hoyt and Karl K. Gallagher at LibertyCon 38 (Photo courtesy of Gallagher)

LibertyCon 38, which continues through June 28 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, has attracted a majority of this year’s Prometheus Best Novel finalists.

That includes Karl K. Gallagher (War by Other Means), Sarah Hoyt (No Man’s Land) and J. Kenton Pierce (A Kiss for Damocles) – who just sent us a photo of themselves at the con “for proof.”

Continue reading Guess who’s at LibertyCon this weekend? Three of this year’s Prometheus Best Novel finalists, just for starters

The rewards of patience: The Prometheus Hall of Fame’s track record of recognition and frequent renominations

By Michael Grossberg

Patience can be a virtue – especially when it comes to nominations for the Prometheus Hall of Fame.

Not all works that become Hall of Fame finalists or winners do so in the first year that they are nominated. But that’s never a permanent obstacle to recognition, because in this annual Prometheus category, Libertarian Futurist Society members benefit from the luxury of time.

If at first a work is overlooked or doesn’t rank high enough to become a finalist, it can be nominated and renominated in future years.

Continue reading The rewards of patience: The Prometheus Hall of Fame’s track record of recognition and frequent renominations

From Doctorow and Tchaikovsky to Nayler and Scalzi, Locus magazine’s finalists for Best Science Fiction of the year overlap with Prometheus judges’ readings of candidates, nominees and winning authors

By Michael Grossberg

Locus magazine has released its Locus Awards finalists for the past year’s best science fiction and fantasy – always a good list to consider for SF/fantasy fans, including LFS members.

There are some excellent novels on the Locus shortlists, based on my own wide readings this past year as a Prometheus Awards Best Novel judge – and as a lifelong SF/fantasy fan.

It’s also an interesting list to compare to the Prometheus Awards, not only in terms of potential overlaps with same-year nominees but also what novels and novelists both awards have recognized.

Continue reading From Doctorow and Tchaikovsky to Nayler and Scalzi, Locus magazine’s finalists for Best Science Fiction of the year overlap with Prometheus judges’ readings of candidates, nominees and winning authors

Review: Karl K. Gallagher’s War by Other Means explores tensions between fighting to preserve freedom and giving up freedom to fight more effectively

By William H. Stoddard

War by Other Means, a Prometheus Best Novel finalist, is the seventh volume in Karl K. Gallagher’s future history series Fall of the Censor. After several volumes focused on military conflict, War by Other Means changes its focus to diplomatic relations among the worlds fighting against the Censorate. 

In doing so, it brings Wynny Landry, the wife of Marcus Landry, the protagonist of several previous books, as a new protagonist, in the role of the ambassador from her native planet, Corwynt.

Continue reading Review: Karl K. Gallagher’s War by Other Means explores tensions between fighting to preserve freedom and giving up freedom to fight more effectively

Former winners, finalists compete with newcomer as Prometheus Best Novel finalists


By Michael Grossberg

Three former Prometheus winners, a frequent Best Novel finalist and a first-time nominee are competing to win this year’s Prometheus Award for Best Novel.

J. Kenton Pierce (Photo courtesy of Raconteur Press)

The Prometheus Best Novel Judging Committee, drawn from the LFS membership, has selected five 2025 novels as 2026 finalists from 14 nominated works. The Best Novel finalists, listed in alphabetical order by author, are Storm-Dragon, by Dave Freer (Raconteur Press); War by Other Means, by Karl K. Gallagher (Kelt Haven Press); No Man’s Land, by Sarah Hoyt (Goldport Press); A Kiss for Damocles, by J. Kenton Pierce (Raconteur Press); and Powerless, by Harry Turtledove (CAEZIK SF & Fantasy.)

Pierce was nominated for the first time for a Prometheus Award, so his inclusion as a Best Novel finalist is particularly impressive in a year that many judges feel has been a superior one for freedom-themed SF/fantasy.

Continue reading Former winners, finalists compete with newcomer as Prometheus Best Novel finalists


A new video, by a nominated author and his editor, discusses the Prometheus Best Novel nominees and 2026 finalists – with a big reveal

By Michael Grossberg

If you were nominated for a Prometheus Award for Best Novel, would you invite the world to watch you in the moment  you found out whether your novel was selected among the finalists?


Novelist John C.A. Manley was willing to do that yesterday with his editor Peter Toccalino in an interesting and wide-ranging 40-minute video discussion of this year’s Best Novel nominees and finalists.

Continue reading A new video, by a nominated author and his editor, discusses the Prometheus Best Novel nominees and 2026 finalists – with a big reveal