Libertarian Futurist Society
The Libertarian Futurist Society is pleased to announce that Poul Anderson has received the first Special Prometheus Award for Lifetime Achievement, and that "The Survival of Freedom,'' an sf anthology edited by Jerry Pournelle and John Carr, has won the 2001 Prometheus Hall of Fame award for Best Classic Fiction.
Both Prometheus awards were presented before an audience of more than 1,000 people during LFScon, the Libertarian Futurist Society's first national conference and 20th anniversary celebration, held May 25-27 during Marcon 36 in Columbus, Ohio. LFScon was a great success, with our Prometheus awardwinning guests of honor helping Marcon to attract a record attendance of more than 3,000 people.
Karen Anderson, Poul's wife and a guest of honor, accepted for Anderson, whose illness had prevented him from attending LFScon as Marcon's Grand Master guest of honor. Anderson, widely respected as a Grand Master of s.f., already had been recognized by the LFS three times over the past two decades, having won the Prometheus Hall of Fame twice for "The Star Fox'' and "Trader to the Stars" and the Best Novel award for "The Stars Are Also Fire'' (1995).
F. Paul Wilson, who contributed a short story "Lipidlegging'' to "The Survival of Freedom,'' accepted for Pournelle. Wilson praised Pournelle for his uphill battle to bring out such a specialized-theme anthology at a time when publishers weren't that interested in such anthologies.
In an emailed acceptance speech, Pournelle said: "I am very pleased to accept this award and I regret that I cannot be there to do it in person. Between writing commitments and keeping Niven functioning after his injuries I seem to have a career in Southern California.Of course the real credit goes to the Contributors. It is perhaps time to bring this book out again with new prefaces, and some additional material. I am sure I can find a publisher. And I note that (Wilson's) "Lipidlegging" is no longer science fiction at all. Alas, some of the other stories aren't fiction either. But then we always knew that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty - and that even if it is paid the tax consumers don't always deliver what they promised. Thank you all."
Other former Prometheus Awardwinners who were honored and introduced onstage during the LFScon/Marcon awards ceremony at Marcon's Masquerade: F. Paul Wilson, L. Neil Smith, James Hogan, J. Neil Schulman, Victor Milan, Vernor Vinge and Brad Linaweaver. The awards were presented by LFS Assistant Director Amy Rule and Lynn Maners, chair of the Hall of Fame finalist judging committee. Smith announced the award to Anderson.
All LFS members voted for the awards. Anderson's Lifetime Achievement Award was approved unanimously-- a first in the history of the Prometheus Awards. The first Special Award was presented in 1998 to "Free Space,'' a landmark libertarian sf anthology edited by Brad Linaweaver and Ed Kramer.
LFS members chose "The Survival of Freedom'' as this year's Hall of Fame winner after a Hall of Fame finalist judging committee whittled down two dozen nominations to five finalists. The other finalists were Poul Anderson's "Orion Shall Rise", Sinclair Lewis' "It Can't Happen Here", L. Neil Smith's "The Wardove" and Melinda Snodgrass' The Measure of a Man (Star Trek: Next Generation episode). Snodgrass' script was the first TV episode to become a finalist in the Hall of Fame, which recently was opened up in eligibility to include dramatic presentations (film or TV), plays, poems, anthologies, novels, novellas and short stories.
Meanwhile, LFS members are reading the finalists and voting on the Best Novel award, which will be presented in an awards ceremony over the Labor Day weekend at the Philadelphia Worldcon. The award ceremony is tentatively scheduled at 5 p.m. Sunday Sept. 2, just before a Worldcon panel discussion on "Beyond Ayn Rand and Robert Heinlein: Libertarian SF.''
The LFS' Best Novel Finalist judging committee has chosen five novels published in 2000 for the 2001 award:
Lodestar, by Michael Flynn (TOR Books)
The Sky Road, by Ken MacLeod (TOR Books)
The Truth, by Terry Pratchett (HarperCollins)
Forge of the Elders, by L. Neil Smith (Baen Books)
Eagle Against the Stars, by Steve White (Baen Books)
This year's Best Novel winner will receive a plaque and a one-ounce gold coin, double the size of previous years.
This is the first time that Pratchett and White have been honored as Prometheus Award finalists. Three of the five finalist authors are previous Prometheus Award winners: MacLeod won most recently in 1998 for "The Stone Canal'' and in 1996 for "The Star Fraction.'' Smith won in 1994 for "Pallas'' and in 1982 for "The Probability Broach.'' Flynn won in 1991 for "In the Country of the Blind'' and in 1992 for "Fallen Angels'' (co-authored by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle);
Twelve novels were nominated by LFS members for this year's awards. The other nominees were Candle, by John Barnes (TOR Books); The Legend That Was Earth, by James Hogan (Baen Books); Outlaw School, by Rebecca Ore (HarperCollins/EOS); Chimera, by Will Shetterly (TOR Books); Vampire Nation, by Thomas Sipos (www.communistvampires.com); Conspiracies, by F. Paul Wilson (Forge Books); and All the Rage, by F. Paul Wilson (FORGE Books)
The Prometheus awards for Best Novel, Best Classic Fiction (Hall of Fame) and (occasional) Special awards honor outstanding science fiction/fantasy that explores the possibilities of a free future, champions human rights (including personal and economic liberty), dramatizes the perennial conflict between individuals and coercive governments, or critiques the tragic consequences of abuse of power-- especially by the State.
The Prometheus Award, sponsored by the Libertarian Futurist Society (LFS), was established 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 in sf. Presented annually since 1982 at the World Science Fiction Convention, the Prometheus Awards include a gold coin and plaque for the winners.
The Hall of Fame, established in 1983, focuses on older classic fiction, including novels, novellas, short stories, poems and plays. Past Hall of Fame awardwinners range from Robert Heinlein and Ayn Rand to Ray Bradbury and Ursula LeGuin.
Last year's Prometheus Award winner for Best Book was Vernor Vinge's "A Deepness in the Sky'' (TOR Books). Last year's Prometheus Award Hall of Fame winner for Classic Fiction was Hans Christian Andersen's "The Emperor's New Clothes.''
Publishers who wish to submit 2001 novels for consideration should contact Michael Grossberg (614-236-5040, SpecialAward@lfs.org, 3164 Plymouth Place, Columbus OH 43213), Chair of the LFS Prometheus Awards Best Novel Finalist judging committee.
Prometheus Award and Hall of Fame winners
Founded in 1982, the Libertarian Futurist Society sponsors the annual Prometheus Award and Prometheus Hall of Fame; publishes reviews, news and columns in the quarterly "Prometheus" arranges annual awards ceremonies at the Worldcon, debates libertarian futurist issues (such as private space exploration); and provides fun and fellowship for libertarian-SF fans.
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