[Hobbit]

Just heard something will please many posters on this forum - the results of the British Fantasy Society Awards.

They were:
THE AUGUST DERLETH AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL PERDIDO STREET STATION by China Mieville (MacMillan)
BEST ANTHOLOGY HIDEOUS PROGENY, edited by Brian Willis (Razorblade Press)
BEST COLLECTION WHERE THE BODIES ARE BURIED by Kim Newman (Alchemy Press/Airgedlemh Publications)
BEST SHORT FICTION NAMING OF PARTS by Tim Lebbon (PS Publishing)
BEST ARTIST Jim Burns
BEST SMALL PRESS PS Publishing
KARL EDWARD WAGNER AWARD Peter Haining

Thought you might like to know!

Hobbit

[Rob B]

You beat me to it!

Saved me typing, thanks!

I thought The Derleth Award could've gone to either Perdido Street Station or Ash, but I'm glad PSS won.

[JohnH]

I have read Ash and enjoyed it to some degree. I have yet to read Perdido. I am curious what the other entrants for best novel were though. If someone could provide a list or a link to the list I would greatly appreciate it.

[James Barclay]

The best place to look will be the BFS website though I notice they've not updated it yet. You'll find a section dedicated to the awards and it goes back years...

The address is: www.britishfantasysociety.com (http://www.britishfantasysociety.com)

I was at the awards ceremony and convention day and would encourage UK based fantasy fans to get involved with the BFS if they can.

I'll be posting a message about the society soon as it's a good place to find new talent, short fiction and the like - look out for a new thread soon...

[Rob B]

NOM:

Will there be a poll in this topic?

j/k

Do you get a sense that the British are more serious minded towards fantasy/science fiction? Or are more respectful?

FF

[James Barclay]

A Poll! A fine idea FF http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

British fans are very serious about their genres but whether they're more serious or respectful, I couldn't say, having not met enough fans from other countries.

What there is, is a firm demarcation between the 'serious' fans of SF & F and those of say, Star Trek and other mass market genre areas.

The fans I've met are a very keen bunch who love their genre, like airing their views and enjoy the fact that the authors are just like them, when all is said and done. I expect it's the same the world over - those that come to conventions and vote for awards represent a relatively small, but very committed, sample of the whole market.

[Cadfael]

As regards the demarcation thing... I agree. I have no time at all for these 'spin-off' books that fill the SF section of bookstores, leaving very little room for mainstream SF. I do like Star Trek, Babylon 5 and X-Files etc etc, but I thing the SF genre is so much more.

As I have said before, the people who buy these books are not necassarily SF fans, but fans of a particular series... and they are being catered to, the hard-core SF fan is being forgotten by if not the publishers, the buyer for book-stores.

[Shehzad]

That would be music to neologik's ears-and I agree wholeheartedly.

One question: are the British fantasy awards only awarded to British authors or international authors as well?

[James Barclay]

Anyone can win a BFS award - they don't have to be British.

[neologik]

Hey? What's that....?

A bit of music to my ears!!!!

--gabe chouinard
despiser of skiffy