{"id":9971,"date":"2025-10-02T00:11:10","date_gmt":"2025-10-02T05:11:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/?p=9971"},"modified":"2025-10-04T09:37:27","modified_gmt":"2025-10-04T14:37:27","slug":"prometheus-hall-of-fame-nominees-for-best-classic-fiction-include-novels-by-blish-dick-huxley-lewis-pohl-roberts-stross-and-turtledove-a-pohl-short-story-and-babylon-5-f","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/prometheus-hall-of-fame-nominees-for-best-classic-fiction-include-novels-by-blish-dick-huxley-lewis-pohl-roberts-stross-and-turtledove-a-pohl-short-story-and-babylon-5-f\/","title":{"rendered":"Prometheus Hall of Fame nominees for Best Classic Fiction include novels by Blish, Dick, Huxley, Lewis, Roberts, Stross and Turtledove, a Pohl short story and Straczynski’s Babylon 5\u2028"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Michael Grossberg
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\"\"<\/a>
James Blish in the 1950s (Creative Commons license)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Works by James Blish, Philip K. Dick, Aldous Huxley, C.S. Lewis, Frederik Pohl, Adam Roberts, J. Michael Straczynski, Charles Stross and Harry Turtledove have been nominated for the next Prometheus Hall of Fame Award for Best Classic Fiction.<\/p>\n

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Aldous Huxley (Creative Commons license)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A majority of this year\u2019s Hall of Fame nominees are appearing on the short list for the first time – a promising sign that this category for time-honored classic fiction remains full of notable and lasting works worth recognizing.<\/p>\n

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C.S. Lewis (Creative Commons license)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The oldest nominee on the list is Aldous Huxley\u2019s 1932 novel Brave New World, <\/i>with the second-oldest C.S. Lewis\u2019 1945 novel That Hideous Strength.<\/i><\/p>\n

While Lewis\u2019 cautionary sf novel has been nominated before and previously has ranked as a Best Classic Fiction finalist, Huxley\u2019s dystopian classic has never before been nominated for the Prometheus Award – and is arguably overdue.
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\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>Other nominated works were first published or broadcast in 1961, 1974, 1994, 1998, 2000 and 2003.<\/p>\n

Unlike the Prometheus Award for Best Novel, which focuses on novels first published during the most-recent calendar year, the Prometheus Hall of Fame is limited to older works that were first published, released, recorded, broadcast or screened at least 20 years ago.<\/p>\n

Of this year\u2019s nominees, all but two are novels.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The exceptions are \u201cThe Kindly Isle,\u201d a 1984 story by Frederik Pohl, and Babylon 5,<\/i> a 1994-1998 TV series created by writer-producer J. Michael Straczynski.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Hall of Fame nominees encompass fantastic fiction (including but not limited to science fiction and fantasy) created in any narrative or dramatic form, including prose fiction, stage plays, film, television, other video, graphic novels, song lyrics, or epic or narrative verse.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Here is the list of 2025 nominees for the next Prometheus Hall of Fame award, which will be presented in 2026:<\/p>\n

Prometheus Hall of Fame nominees for Best Classic Fiction
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* The Star Dwellers, <\/i><\/b>a 1961 novel by James Blish<\/p>\n

* Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said,<\/i><\/b> a 1974 novel by Philip K. Dick<\/p>\n

* Brave New World, <\/i><\/b>a 1932 novel by Aldous Huxley<\/p>\n

* That Hideous Strength<\/i><\/b>, a 1945 novel by C.S. Lewis<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>* \u201cThe Kindly Isle,\u201d a 1984 story by Frederik Pohl<\/p>\n

* Salt, <\/i><\/b>a 2000 novel by Adam Roberts<\/p>\n

* Babylon 5,<\/i><\/b> a 1994-1998 TV series created by writer-director J. Michael Straczynski<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>* Singularity Sky,<\/i><\/b> <\/i>a 2003 novel by Charles Stross<\/p>\n

* Between the Rivers,<\/i><\/b> a 1998 novel by Harry Turtledove<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>THE FOCUS OF THE PROMETHEUS AWARDS<\/strong><\/p>\n

First presented in 1979 (for Best Novel) and in 1983 (for the Prometheus Hall of Fame), the Prometheus Awards have recognized outstanding works of science fiction and fantasy that dramatize the perennial conflict between liberty and power, favor private social cooperation over legalized coercion, expose abuses and excesses of obtrusive government, critique or satirize authoritarian ideas, or champion individual rights and freedoms as the mutually respectful foundation for peace, prosperity, progress, justice, tolerance, civility, and civilization itself.<\/p>\n

For descriptions of Prometheus Hall of Fame nominees and more information about the eligibility and judging process of the Hall of Fame category for Best Classic Fiction, read this previous Prometheus Blog article<\/a> posted in August.<\/p>\n

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ABOUT THE PROMETHEUS AWARDS AND THE LFS<\/b><\/p>\n

*\u00a0Join us!<\/b> To help sustain the Prometheus Awards and support a cultural and literary strategy to appreciate and honor freedom-loving fiction, \u00a0join<\/a> the Libertarian Futurist Society, a non-profit all-volunteer international association of freedom-loving sf\/fantasy fans.<\/p>\n

Libertarian futurists understand that culture matters. We believe that literature and the arts can be vital in envisioning a freer and better future. In some ways, culture can be even more influential and powerful than politics in the long run, by imagining better visions of the future incorporating peace, prosperity, progress, tolerance, justice, positive social change, and mutual respect for each other\u2019s rights, human dignity, individuality and peaceful choices.<\/p>\n

* Prometheus winners:\u00a0<\/b>For a full list of Prometheus winners, finalists and nominees \u2013 including in the annual Best Novel and Best Classic Fiction (Hall of Fame) categories and occasional Special Awards \u2013 visit the enhanced \u00a0Prometheus Awards page<\/a>\u00a0on the LFS website. This page includes convenient links to all published essay-reviews in our Appreciation series explaining why each of more than 100 past winners since 1979 fits the awards\u2019 distinctive dual focus on both quality and liberty.<\/p>\n

*\u00a0Watch videos of 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.<\/a><\/p>\n

* Read \u201cThe Libertarian History of Science Fiction,\u201d<\/a> an essay in the international magazine\u00a0Quillette<\/i>\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