News: Retro Hugo Shortlist Nominees 1939 / 2014

Retrospective Hugo awards may be voted under certain circumstances to fill the perceived gap left by a past World SF Convention at which no Hugos were presented. Besides voting the usual Hugos for the previous year’s sf, a Worldcon can optionally allow its members to choose Retro Hugos which could have been but were not presented at the actual (not hypothetical) Worldcon of 50, 75 or 100 years previously.

These awards have been presented three times: in 1996 for 1945 work, in 2001 for 1950 work, and in 2004 for 1953 work. Since Hugo presentations have continued without a break since 1954, the next Retro Hugo opportunity is in 2014 – 75 years from the 1939 Worldcon, honouring work from 1938.

With this in mind, the nominees for the Retro Hugo Awards for 2014/1939 are as follows:

BEST NOVEL (208 ballots)

Carson of Venus by Edgar Rice Burroughs (Argosy, February 1938)
Galactic Patrol by E. E. Smith (Astounding Stories, February 1938)
The Legion of Time by Jack Williamson (Astounding Science-Fiction, July 1938)
Out of the Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis (The Bodley Head)
The Sword in the Stone by T. H. White (Collins)

BEST NOVELLA (125 ballots)

Anthem by Ayn Rand (Cassell)
“A Matter of Form” by H. L. Gold (Astounding Science-Fiction, December 1938)
“Sleepers of Mars” by John Beynon [John Wyndham] (Tales of Wonder, March 1938)
“The Time Trap” by Henry Kuttner (Marvel Science Stories, November 1938)
“Who Goes There?” by Don A Stuart [John W. Campbell] (Astounding Science-Fiction, August 1938)

BEST NOVELETTE (80 ballots)

“Dead Knowledge” by Don A. Stuart [John W. Campbell] (Astounding Stories, January 1938)
“Hollywood on the Moon” by Henry Kuttner (Thrilling Wonder Stories, April 1938)
“Pigeons From Hell” by Robert E. Howard (Weird Tales, May 1938)
“Rule 18” by Clifford D. Simak (Astounding Science-Fiction, July 1938)
“Werewoman” by C. L. Moore (Leaves #2, Winter 1938)

BEST SHORT STORY (108 ballots)

“The Faithful” by Lester Del Rey (Astounding Science-Fiction, April 1938)
“Helen O’Loy” by Lester Del Rey (Astounding Science-Fiction, December 1938)
“Hollerbochen’s Dilemma” by Ray Bradbury (Imagination!, January 1938)
“How We Went to Mars” by Arthur C. Clarke (Amateur Science Stories, March 1938)
“Hyperpilosity” by L. Sprague de Camp (Astounding Science-Fiction, April 1938)

BEST DRAMATIC PRESENTATION (SHORT FORM) (137 ballots)

Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne. Written & directed by Orson Welles (The Mercury Theater of the Air, CBS)
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Written & directed by Orson Welles (The Campbell Playhouse, CBS)
Dracula by Bram Stoker. Written by Orson Welles and John Houseman, directed by Orson Welles (The Mercury Theater of the Air, CBS)
R. U. R. by Karel Čapek. Produced by Jan Bussell (BBC)
The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells. Written by Howard Koch & Anne Froelick, directed by Orson Welles (The Mercury Theater of the Air, CBS)

BEST EDITOR – SHORT FORM (99 ballots)