2004 Locus Awards Winners
 

2004 Locus Award Winners have been annouced. They're probably the third biggest SF award and they often go on to win the Hugo. They tend to be more deserving winners than the Nebulas too, imo (at least in recent years).
From locusmag.com:

Winners of the 2004 Locus Awards are announced in Locus Magazine's July 2004 issue, along with complete results of this year's readers poll.

SF NOVEL
Ilium, Dan Simmons (Subterranean; Eos)

FANTASY NOVEL
Paladin of Souls, Lois McMaster Bujold (Eos)

FIRST NOVEL
Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom, Cory Doctorow (Tor)

YOUNG ADULT NOVEL
The Wee Free Men, Terry Pratchett (HarperCollins)

NOVELLA
"The Cookie Monster’’, Vernor Vinge (Analog Oct 2003)

NOVELETTE
"A Study in Emeralds", Neil Gaiman (Shadows Over Baker Street)

SHORT STORY
"Closing Time", Neil Gaiman (McSweeney’s Mammoth Treasury of Thrilling Tales)

COLLECTION
Changing Planes, Ursula K. Le Guin (Harcourt)

ANTHOLOGY
The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twentieth Annual Collection, Gardner Dozois, ed. (St. Martin's)

NONFICTION/ART
The Sandman: Endless Nights, Neil Gaiman, et al. (Vertigo)

EDITOR
Gardner Dozois

MAGAZINE
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction

BOOK PUBLISHER
Tor

ARTIST
Michael Whelan

For the past several years Locus Awards winners have been announced at a banquet during Westercon; however this year arrangements could not be made with the Westercon committee. The awards will officially be presented at a ceremony at Worldcon in Boston, Friday 3 September at 11 a.m.

I'm glad to see Ilium won. Another boost to the fact that I plan on reading it soon.

I am glad Ilium won, it is my choice for the Hugo, and I think only Bujold is likely to pose a challenge, as she may have the largest or next largest block of people who read her book.

I also like the format of the Locus awards: splitting Fantasy and SF, using a first novel catagory, and separate ones for Anthology and Collection - I can't see them ever being recognized otherwise. I wish the Hugos did the same. I don't really care about the rest of the catagories.

Best first novel was a tough call. Strong efforts by both Cory Doctorow and Jeff Vandermeer. Both deserving of the prize.

-Neil

I have Doctorow's book but have not read it yet. VanderMeer's was brilliant and to my mind he should have gotten it. I can't imagine Doctorow's book being better. I did read his short story collection and was not greatly impressed. VanderMeer's book seemed like a consice Mieville - it was that good, maybe better than CM.

i just finished ilium... it was 'ok'... but imo it wasn't that great... anyone else not like it?

I was thinking Bakker's "The Darkness that comes before"would be the best choice for "best first novel".

Given that it was only released in the US in the last few months, most Locus voters never had a chance to see it.

-Neil

Vote for it next year :) . It just came out so it will be eligible for the next go round.