{"id":5703,"date":"2023-04-06T13:21:05","date_gmt":"2023-04-06T18:21:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/?p=5703"},"modified":"2023-04-06T17:43:39","modified_gmt":"2023-04-06T22:43:39","slug":"fresh-crop-of-best-novel-finalists-spans-genres-with-most-authors-recognized-for-first-time-in-prometheus-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/fresh-crop-of-best-novel-finalists-spans-genres-with-most-authors-recognized-for-first-time-in-prometheus-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Fresh crop of Best Novel finalists spans genres, with most authors recognized for first time in Prometheus history"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Michael Grossberg<\/a><\/p>\n

Reading a novel by an author you’ve never read before can be entertaining, stimulating and surprising.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Writers tend to develop their own distinctive style, even while taking pains to vary their approach to fit different types of subjects and genres \u2013 and most readers quickly come to identify the personality, spirit and style of authors from their stories.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s true even if such stories otherwise recognizably fall into broadly understood and familiar types of tales \u2013 from coming-of-age adventures and first-contact sci-fi dramas to satire and anti-authoritarian dystopian literature.<\/p>\n

All of the above subcategories of science fiction are reflected in this year\u2019s crop of just-announced finalists for the Prometheus Award for Best Novel.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, of the five novels selected as finalists from 15 nominations by LFS members, four were written by authors who never before have been nominated for a Prometheus Award during its 43-year history.<\/p>\n

Welcome to the Prometheus Awards competition, C.J. Carey, Dave Freer, Gordon Hanka and John Van Stry!<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

In brief, here are the five Best Novel finalists for the 43rd<\/sup>annual Prometheus Award:
\n* Widowland,\u00a0<\/em>by C.J. Carey (Quercus)
\n* Cloud-Castles,\u00a0<\/em>by Dave Freer (Magic Isle Press)
\n* Captain Trader Helmsman Spy,\u00a0<\/em>by Karl. K. Gallagher (Kelt Haven Press)
\n* A Beast Cannot Feign,\u00a0<\/em>by \u201cDr. Insensitive Jerk\u201d (AKA Gordon Hanka) (Amazon)
\n* Summer\u2019s End,\u00a0<\/em>by John Van Stry (Baen Books)<\/p>\n

A WORLDWIDE SCOPE<\/strong><\/p>\n

Our finalist authors also are far-flung, too, residing on three continents \u2013 reflecting to some extent the international focus of the Prometheus Awards (which has frequently selected authors from around the world, from China to Great Britain and Canada, as finalists, and includes one winner from Finland<\/a>\u00a0and several Best Novel winners<\/a> by different writers<\/a> in Great Britain.<\/p>\n

Carey lives in greater London, England. (Carey is an author\u2019s pseudonym for Jane Thynne,<\/a> a bestselling spy novelist who\u2019s branched out for the first time into dystopian alternate-reality science fiction.)<\/p>\n

Freer is a prolific\u00a0Australian sf author<\/a> who lives on the island of Tasmania.<\/p>\n

The other three finalist authors live in the United States, with Hanka based in Texas and Gallagher in Minnesota.<\/p>\n

A RETURNING FAVORITE<\/strong><\/p>\n

Of the five authors of this year\u2019s Best Novel finalists, only Karl K. Gallagher has been nominated previously for Prometheus Awards.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Author Karl K. Gallagher (Creative Commons license)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

No stranger to the Prometheus, Gallagher previously has been nominated four times in the Best Novel category.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gallagher<\/a> was first nominated for the three novels in his interstellar Torchship trilogy\u00a0(Torchship, Torchship Pilot\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0Torchship Captain), <\/em>which\u00a0<\/em>were combined by LFS judges into one nomination (since together, they tell one complete story) and became a 2018 Best Novel finalist.<\/p>\n

Embarked upon an ambitious projected nine-volume series entitled Fall of the Censor<\/a>, Gallagher was nominated for the first three novels in that series, starting with Storm Between the Stars\u00a0<\/em>(a 2021 Best Novel finalist) and continuing with Between Home and Ruin\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0Seize What\u2019s Held Dear, <\/em><\/a>both 2022 finalists.<\/p>\n

A VARIED SLATE OF FINALISTS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Just how varied and different are the style s, subjects and settings of this latest crop of Best Novel finalists?<\/p>\n

The answer should become evident as you read through these capsule descriptions of the Best finalists (listed in alphabetical order by author), which also explain how each work fits the distinctive focus of the Prometheus Awards:<\/p>\n

WIDOWLAND<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>*\u00a0Widowland,\u00a0<\/em>by C.J. Carey (Quercus)\u00a0\u2013\u00a0This dystopic alternate history focuses on oppressed castes of women in a Nazi-controlled Great Britain protectorate after World War II.<\/p>\n

The protagonist is an English woman working in a faceless bureaucracy to rewrite the novels of women such as Jane Austen, Emily Bronte and Louisa May Alcott. We see her dawning awareness and quiet resistance to the regime\u2019s efforts to expunge from literature proto-feminist themes of independence that might threaten the new order of conformity, obedience and repression.<\/p>\n

Suspenseful and plausible in its plot, characterization and world-building, the novel goes an imaginative step beyond the focus of Orwell\u2019s\u00a0Nineteen Eighty-Four\u00a0<\/em>on news propaganda and history suppression to explore the bowdlerization of culture and suggest how classic literature and art inspire people to think for themselves and challenge authoritarian regimes.<\/p>\n

CLOUD-CASTLES<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>*\u00a0Cloud-Castles,<\/em>\u00a0by Dave Freer (Magic Isle Press)\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Set on diverse habitats floating above a gas-giant planet, this zestful and often funny coming-of-age adventure\u00a0charts the progress of a mis-educated, socially awkward and well-meaning young man, brilliant but na\u00efve, thrust into a succession of strange human and alien cultures and life- and liberty-threatening situations.<\/p>\n

With help from a street-smart sidekick, he escapes imprisonment and slavery and forges innovative, profitable businesses with decentralized, stateless people scattered through the planet\u2019s clouds.<\/p>\n

Through such entrepreneurship, cooperative individualism and fish-out-of-water encounters with an “outback” frontier culture reflecting the Australian novelist\u2019s own heritage, the story (formally a comedy in structure according to classic Greek definition) reveals how markets work, why profits are moral and necessary in a free society and how societies flourish through reinvestment and market innovation.<\/p>\n

CAPTAIN TRADER HELMSMAN SPY<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>*\u00a0Captain Trader Helmsman Spy,\u00a0<\/em>by Karl. K. Gallagher (Kelt Haven Press)\u00a0\u2013The fourth novel in Gallagher\u2019s Fall of the Censor series\u00a0(following Storm Between the Stars, Between Home and Ruin,\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0Seize What\u2019s Held Dear<\/em>, all previous finalists) explores how people cooperate voluntarily even in the underground niches of a statist system.<\/p>\n

The series portrays\u00a0an interstellar war between a long-isolated alliance of solar systems with basically free societies and a vast empire that maintains control by continuously purging history and destroying older books.<\/p>\n

The title character is a starship captain commanding a spying expedition, disguised as a merchant venture, into enemy territory.<\/p>\n

The captain and crew strive to gain key information and insights about the aggressors while navigating their way under cover amid exotic human cultures with radically different customs and laws \u2013 including slaver societies and worlds where women oppress men.<\/p>\n

A BEAST CANNOT FEIGN<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>*\u00a0A Beast Cannot Feign,\u00a0<\/em>by \u201cDr. Insensitive Jerk\u201d (AKA Gordon Hanka) (Amazon)\u2013\u00a0Provocative, politically incorrect and sometimes intentionally in poor taste, this satire weaves melodramatic villains and a critique of authoritarian progressive politics into a story of first contact.<\/p>\n

The \u201caliens\u201d are actually genetically modified humans, mysteriously different in their customs and behavior, who have returned to Earth to establish a radically free colony against strong official resistance.<\/p>\n

The author explores the human capacity for self-deception, mocks the excesses of government regulation and bureaucracy, and as a cautionary tale, shows the tragedy of mutual misunderstandings that can spark conflict and violence between radically different cultures.<\/p>\n

This novel radically tests the nature and boundaries of coercion and consent \u2013 fundamental issues in libertarianism \u2013 as they might apply to the economy, government and sexual politics.<\/p>\n

SUMMER\u2019S END<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>*\u00a0Summer\u2019s End,\u00a0<\/em>by John Van Stry (Baen Books)\u00a0\u2013 Notable for its unusually detailed focus on free-market economics and practical cost-versus-risk calculations affecting affordable spaceship travel and engine\/gravity maintenance, this coming-of-age adventure weaves family issues, emerging friendships, class differences, political conflicts, straight and gay romance, humor and clashing cultures into a Heinlein-juvenile-style hero\u2019s journey.<\/p>\n

The well-paced tale is told through the eyes of a young engineering-school graduate, a former gang member struggling to reform his violent impulses and escape low-class \u201cProle\u201d origins, who has lots to learn after taking an apprentice-level job on an old tramp steamer plying trade routes among habitats and moons throughout the solar system (including libertarian communities on Ceres).<\/p>\n

Struggling to apply what he\u2019s learned, the engineer hopes to liberate his genius brother from a corrupt and repressive society on Earth.<\/p>\n

OTHER BEST NOVEL NOMINEES<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Fifteen novels (virtually all published in 2022, with one published in the last two months of 2021, eligible under the rules) were nominated by LFS members for this year’s award.<\/p>\n

Also nominated:\u00a0The School for Good Mothers,<\/em>\u00a0by Jessamine Chan (Simon & Schuster);\u00a0Let Us Tell You Again<\/em>,\u00a0by Mackey Chandler (Amazon);\u00a0Entropy,<\/em>\u00a0by Dana Hayward (Amazon);\u00a0The Master Code,<\/em>\u00a0by T.A. Hunter (Amazon);\u00a0Our Missing Hearts,\u00a0<\/em>by Celeste Ng (Penguin).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Plus, Openings: A Hayek Chronicles Novel,\u00a0<\/em>by James S. Peet (self-published);\u00a0Our Lady of Endless Worlds (combined nomination of\u00a0Sisters of the Vast Black\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0Sisters of the Forsaken Stars)<\/em>, by Lina Rather (Tor, Tordotcom);\u00a0The Warrior Worlds<\/em>,\u00a0\u00a0by Stephen Renneberg\u00a0\u00a0(Amazon);\u00a0Ex Supra<\/em>, by Tony Stark (Amazon); and\u00a0Termination Shock<\/em>,\u00a0\u00a0by Neal Stephenson (William Morrow).<\/p>\n

The Prometheus Award, sponsored by the Libertarian Futurist Society (LFS), was established and first presented in 1979, making it one of the most enduring awards after the Nebula and Hugo awards, and one of the oldest fan-based awards currently given in sf.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nFor more than four decades, the Prometheus Awards have recognized outstanding works of science fiction and fantasy that dramatize the perennial conflict between Liberty and Power, favor voluntary cooperation over institutionalized coercion, expose the abuses and excesses of coercive government, critique or satirize authoritarian ideas, or champion individual rights and freedoms as the ethical and practical foundation for peace, prosperity, progress, justice, mutual respect, and civilization itself.<\/p>\n

All LFS members have the right to nominate eligible works for the Prometheus Awards.<\/p>\n

A 12-person judging committee, drawn from the membership, selects the Prometheus Award finalists for Best Novel.<\/p>\n

Thanks to the Best Novel finalist judges for all their reading and discussion of the nominees this past year: John Christmas, Steve Gaalema, Michael Grossberg, Chris Hibbert, Tom Jackson, Lowell Jacobson, Ryan Lackey, Charlie Morrison, Eric S. Raymond, Jeff Schulman, William H. Stoddard and Adam Tuchman.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Following the selection of finalists, all LFS upper-level members (Benefactors, Sponsors and Full Members) have the right to vote on the Best Novel finalist slate to choose the annual winner.\u00a0(Ballots will be emailed to LFS members by around Memorial Day, with the annual voting deadline \u2013 as always, both real and symbolic \u2013 on July 4, America\u2019s Independence Day.)<\/p>\n

Each year’s Best Novel winner receives a one-ounce gold coin and a personalized plaque.<\/p>\n

For more information, check out the official LFS press release<\/a> announcing the 2023 Best Novel finalists.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE:
\n<\/strong>
\n<\/u><\/strong>* Prometheus winners:\u00a0<\/strong>For the full list of Prometheus winners, finalists and nominees \u2013 for the annual Best Novel and Best Classic Fiction (Hall of Fame) categories and occasional Special Awards \u2013 visit the enhanced\u00a0Prometheus Awards page\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>on the LFS website, which now includes convenient links to the full set of published appreciation-reviews of past winners.<\/p>\n

* Read\u00a0\u201cThe Libertarian History of Science Fiction,\u201d<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0an essay in the international magazine\u00a0Quillette<\/em>\u00a0that favorably highlights the Prometheus Awards, the Libertarian Futurist Society and the significant element of libertarian sf\/fantasy in the evolution of the modern genre.<\/p>\n

*\u00a0Watch\u00a0 <\/strong>videos <\/strong>of the 2022 Prometheus ceremony with Best Novel winner Wil McCarthy (Rich Man\u2019s Sky),<\/em>and past Prometheus Awards ceremonies, Libertarian Futurist Society panel discussions with noted sf authors and leading libertarian writers, and other LFS programs on the Prometheus Blog\u2019s\u00a0Video page.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

*\u00a0Join us<\/strong>! To help sustain the Prometheus Awards,\u00a0join\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>the Libertarian Futurist Society (LFS), a non-profit all-volunteer association of freedom-loving sf\/fantasy fans.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Michael Grossberg Reading a novel by an author you’ve never read before can be entertaining, stimulating and surprising. Writers tend to develop their own distinctive style, even while taking pains to vary their approach to fit different types of subjects and genres \u2013 and most readers quickly come to identify the personality, spirit and … Continue reading Fresh crop of Best Novel finalists spans genres, with most authors recognized for first time in Prometheus history<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[31,1125,10],"tags":[1925,414,1852,1524,1839,1841,1842,1829,1006,1828,1850],"class_list":["post-5703","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-awards-news","category-updates","category-news","tag-a-beast-without-feign","tag-best-novel-finalists","tag-c-j-carey","tag-captain-trader-helmsman-spy","tag-cloud-castles","tag-dave-freer","tag-gordon-hanka","tag-john-van-stry","tag-karl-k-gallagher","tag-summers-end","tag-widowland"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pe8nGl-1tZ","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5703","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5703"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5703\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5723,"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5703\/revisions\/5723"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5703"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5703"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5703"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}