Previous Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, April 15, 2025

2025 PROMETHEUS AWARD FINALISTS CHOSEN FOR BEST NOVEL

Works by Cherryh & Fancher, Flynn, King, McCarthy and Shriver selected as finalists

The Libertarian Futurist Society, a nonprofit all-volunteer international organization of liberty-loving science fiction/fantasy fans, has announced five finalists for the Best Novel category of the Prometheus Awards.

Here are the Best Novel finalists in brief, in alphabetical order by author: Alliance Unbound, by C.J Cherryh and Jane S. Fancher (DAW); In the Belly of the Whale, by Michael Flynn (CAEZIK SF & Fantasy); Cancelled: The Shape of Things to Come, by Danny King (Annie Mosse Press); Beggar’s Sky, by Wil McCarthy (Baen Books); and Mania, by Lionel Shriver (HarperCollins Publishers).

Full-length reviews of each Best Novel finalist, explaining how each fits the distinctive focus of the Prometheus Awards, have been (or in one case, soon will be) posted on the Prometheus Blog. Meanwhile, here are capsule descriptions of all five finalists:

Eleven 2024 novels were nominated by LFS members for this year's award. Other Best Novel nominees, listed in alphabetical order by author: Time: A Novel, by Peter Grose (Merriam Publishing); Shadow of the Smoking Mountain, by Howard Andrew Jones (Baen Books); Machine Vendetta, by Alastair Reynolds (Orbit Books); The Glass Box, by J. Michael Straczynski (Blackstone Publishing); Alien Clay, by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Orbit Books); and The Last Murder At the End of the World, by Stuart Turton (Sourcebooks Landmark).

The Best Novel winner will receive an engraved plaque with a one-ounce gold coin. An online Prometheus awards ceremony, open to the public, is tentatively planned for mid-August. David Friedman, an SF/fantasy novelist and a leading economist and libertarian thinker, will be this year’s celebrity guest presenter. The date of the ceremony will be announced once the winners are known for both annual categories, including the Prometheus Hall of Fame for Best Classic Fiction.

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. The Prometheus Hall of Fame category for Best Classic Fiction, launched in 1983, is presented annually with the Best Novel category.

The Prometheus Awards recognize outstanding works of speculative or fantastical fiction (including science fiction and fantasy) that dramatize the perennial conflict between Liberty and Power, favor voluntarism and cooperation over institutionalized coercion, expose the abuses and excesses of coercive government, and/or critique or satirize authoritarian systems, ideologies and assumptions.

Above all, the Prometheus Awards strive to recognize speculative fiction that champions individual rights, based on the moral/legal principle of non-aggression, as the ethical and practical foundation for peace, prosperity, progress, justice, tolerance, mutual respect, civility and civilization itself.

All LFS members have the right to nominate eligible works for all categories of the Prometheus Awards, while publishers and authors are welcome to submit potentially eligible works for consideration using the guidelines linked from the LFS website’s main page.

A 12-person judging committee, drawn from the membership and chaired by LFS co-founder Michael Grossberg, selects the Prometheus Award finalists for Best Novel from members’ nominations. 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.

Membership in the Libertarian Futurist Society is open to any freedom-loving science fiction/fantasy fan interested in how speculative or fantastical fiction can enhance an appreciation of the value of liberty and broaden public recognition of the dangers and evils of tyranny and the abuses more prevalent under the State’s centralized and coercive powers.

For a full list of past Prometheus Award winners in all categories, visit our site. For reviews and commentary on these and other works of interest to the LFS, visit the Prometheus blog. For more information, contact LFS Publicity Chair Chris Hibbert (publicity@lfs.org).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, Dec. 20, 2024

2025 PROMETHEUS HALL OF FAME AWARD FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

POUL ANDERSON, RUDYARD KIPLING, CHARLES STROSS AND THE ROCK GROUP RUSH SELECTED

The Libertarian Futurist Society has selected four finalists for the 2025 Hall of Fame Award for Best Classic Fiction.

This year's finalists – first published between 1912 and 2003 - include novels by Poul Anderson and Charles Stross, a story by Rudyard Kipling, and a song by the Canadian rock group Rush.

Here are capsule descriptions of each work, listed in alphabetical order by author:

In addition to the above finalists, the Prometheus Hall of Fame Finalist Judging Committee considered six other nominees: "Death and the Senator," a 1961 short story by Arthur C. Clarke; That Hideous Strength, a 1945 novel by C.S. Lewis; "Ultima Thule," a 1961 novella by Mack Reynolds; The Demon Breed, a 1968 novel by James H. Schmitz; Between the Rivers, a 1998 novel by Harry Turtledove; and "Conquest by Default," a 1968 novelette by Vernor Vinge.

The final vote will take place in mid-2025. All Libertarian Futurist Society members are eligible to vote. The award will be presented at a major science fiction convention and/or online.

Hall of Fame nominees may be in any narrative or dramatic form, including prose fiction, stage plays, film, television, other video, graphic novels, song lyrics, or epic or narrative verse; they must explore themes relevant to libertarianism and must be science fiction, fantasy, or related speculative genres.

First presented in 1979 (for Best Novel) and presented annually since 1982, 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.

The awards include gold coins and plaques for the winners for Best Novel, Best Classic Fiction (Hall of Fame), and occasional Special Awards.

The Prometheus Award is one of the most enduring awards after the Nebula and Hugo awards, and one of the oldest fan-based awards currently in sf.

Nominations for the 2026 Hall of Fame Award can be submitted to committee chair William H. Stoddard (halloffame@lfs.org) at any time up to Sept. 30, 2025. All LFS members are eligible to nominate.

The LFS welcomes new members who are interested in speculative fiction and the future of freedom. More information is available at our website, lfs.org and on the Prometheus blog (lfs.org/blog).

Previous Press Releases

YearFinalistsWinnersOther News
2025 Best Novel Finalists   Hall of Fame Finalists  
2024 Best Novel Finalists   Hall of Fame Finalists Best Novel: Critical Mass, Classic: The Truth Victor Koman presented the 2024 Prometheus award to Daniel Suarez for "Critical Mass". Robert Poole presented the Hall of Fame award For Terry Pratchett's novel "The Truth".
2023 Best Novel Finalists,   Hall of Fame Finalists Best Novel: Cloud Castles, Classic: "Free Men" Prometheus Award presentation by Sarah Hoyt to Dave Freer for "Cloud Castles", with remarks by Heinlein Trust and Heinlein Society leaders
2022 Best Novel Finalists,   Hall of Fame Finalists Best Novel: Rich Man's Sky, Classic: Citizen of the Galaxy Prometheus Award presentation by Travis Corcoran to Wil McCarthy for "Rich Man's Sky". Hall of Fame Award awarded to Robert Heinlein
2021 Best Novel Finalists , Hall of Fame Finalists Best Novel: The War Whisperer, Book 5: The Hook, Classic: "Lipidleggin' " Prometheus Award Ceremony and panel discussion with Reason Magazine as media sponsor
2020 Best Novel Finalists , Hall of Fame Finalists Best Novel: Alliance Rising, Classic: "Sam Hall" Virtual Events at ConZealand and Columbus NASFIC
Video of ConZealand panel
2019 Hall of Fame Finalists, Best Novel Finalists Best Novel: Causes of Separation, Classic: "Harrison Bergeron"
2018 Hall of Fame Finalists, Best Novel Finalists Best Novel: The Powers of the Earth, Classic: "With Folded Hands …"
2017 Hall of Fame Finalists, Best Novel Finalists Freefall (webcomic) wins Special Award Best Novel: Core of the Sun Classic: Coventry Prometheus Blog
2016 Hall of Fame Finalists, Best Novel Finalists Best Novel: Seveneves, Classic: Courtship Rite L. Neil Smith, Lifetime Achievement, Special Award for Alex + Ada (a Graphic Novel), Smith Award Ceremony at MileHiCon
2015 Best Novel Finalists Best Novel: Influx, Classic: "'Repent Harlequin!', Said the Ticktockman" F. Paul Wilson, Lifetime Achievement
acceptance remarks from Harlan Ellison.
2014 Jan 2014 HOF April 2014 Best Novel Best Novel tie between Homeland and Nexus; Classic Fiction: Falling Free; Special Award for Leslie Fish May 6, Vernor Vinge, Lifetime Achievement; August 16 Prometheus Award Ceremony Video
2013 April 2013 Best Novel and HOF, 7/20/2013: Pirate Cinema and Classic: Cryptonomicon  
2012 HOF: February, 2012, Best Novel: April, 2012 7/13/2012: tie between Ready Player One and The Freedom Maze; Classic: The Machine Stops Prometheus Newsletters Online
2011 HOF: March, 2011, Best Novel: April, 2011 7/4/2011: Darkship Thieves; Classic: 1984 Award Ceremony (YouTube)
2010 March, 2010 7/10/2010: The Unincorporated Man  
2009 March, 2009 7/06/2009: Little Brother  
2008 March, 2008 July 2008: Ha'penny and The Gladiator, plus a Special Award for V For Vendetta  
2007 March, 2007 September, 2007: Glasshouse  
2006 March, 2006 August, 2006: Learning the World and a Special Award for Serenity  
2005 March, 2005 August, 2005: The System of the World and Two Special Awards 10/04: Nominee list
2004 May, 2004 9/04: Sims  
2003 April 2003 8/03: Night Watch  
2002   9/02: Psychohistorical Crisis  
2001 April 2001 9/01: Forge of the Elders 6/01: Poul Anderson (Special Award)
2000 June 11, 2000    

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