British Fantasy Awards 2010

Hobbit

Hobbit

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So here I am, bleary-eyed, just before the third day of FantasyCon.

The British Fantasy Awards were announced last night in their usual quirky manner.

Hosted by our own James Barclay, the results were:

BEST NOVEL: One, Conrad Williams (Virgin Horror)

BEST NOVELLA: The Language of Dying, Sarah Pinborough (PS Publishing)

BEST SHORT FICTION: "What Happens When You Wake Up in the Night," Michael Marshall Smith (Nightjar)

BEST ANTHOLOGY: THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF BEST NEW HORROR 20, edited by Stephen Jones (Constable and Robinson)

BEST COLLECTION: Love Songs for the Shy and Cynical, Robert Shearman (Big Finish)

THE PS PUBLISHING BEST SMALL PRESS AWARD: Telos Publishing, David Howe

BEST COMIC/GRAPHIC NOVEL: Whatever Happened To The Caped Crusader?, Neil Gaiman and Andy Kubert (DC Comics/Titan Books)

BEST ARTIST: Vincent Chong, for work including covers for The Witnesses Are Gone (PS Publishing) and The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 20 (Constable & Robinson)

BEST NON-FICTION: Ansible, David Langford

BEST MAGAZINE/PERIODICAL: Murky Depths, edited and published by Terry Martin

BEST TELEVISION: Doctor Who, head writer: Russell T Davies (BBC Wales)

BEST FILM: Let The Right One In, directed by Tomas Alfredson (EFTI)

BEST NEWCOMER: Kari Sperring for LIVING WITH GHOSTS (Daw)

THE BRITISH FANTASY SOCIETY SPECIAL AWARD: Robert Holdstock


There were tears, crudity and Russell T Davies impressions.

The Award for Robert Holdstock and the response from his widow was especially touching.

Back to the fray!


Mark
 
Hobbit said:
There were tears, crudity and Russell T Davies impressions.
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And much laughter!!

A good Con all round this year!

But I can't understand why my feet are aching. I did a lot of sitting down, not walking?
 
I'm glad Russell T. Davies got some praise. I can't stand people who write him off and worship before the Temple of Moffat, who thinks if he gives some people a decent horror story he's allowed to create the crappest cast of hateable characters and ruin my obsession.

Oh, and ruin his own creations. I mean, the horror just vanished from them Angels. Still, 'least Davies brought 'Who back to a new generation.

...Okay, this can become a rant.

I really loved Let the Right One In, too, book and film. C: And I want to read Love Songs for the Shy and Cynical, sounds fun. On Gaiman's comic now so.

Wish I had been there, or at least saw it. D:
 
It was a really excellent FantasyCon all round. Very good attendance and a warm and welcoming atmosphere that bound us all up in an aura of friendship and family.

The awards ceremony worked so well because every winner was worthy, popular and cheered to the rafters by a fantastically noisy audience. Ramsay Campbell's words about Rob Holdstock were well-chosen, heartfelt and as Hobbit said, touched us all. A fitting tribute to a man greatly missed.

Great fun to be MC, by the way. It was a blast. Everyone should do it.

NOM
 
I'll just remark on the obvious, since no one else has sofar...

Strange that, even though the BSFA has a history of dark fantasy/horror nominees, the award is now utterly dominated not by Fantasy but by horror. I mean, this is called The British Fantasy Award and the winner of best novel is a post-apocalyptic horror, and then best novella, short story, collection and anthology are all horror books.

Time for some rebranding?
 
The reason that it's probably not mentioned though, Mith, is that it has been mentioned before and usually every year. (I could be wrong but it may have been you last year, as well as others!)

The reason for the name in the first place is quite complicated. As I understand it, the BFS was originally the British Dark Fantasy Award, and they were a breakaway group (in 1971) from the BSFA. Its membership often reflects that, though I think things are changing. There were lots of new blood there this year, which is always good, and the guests of Honour included Peter F. Hamilton.

Though it can take some getting used to, I think most people who have been around a while are aware of what the BFS likes and what sort of material is likely to do well.

I did say 'quirky', didn't I?

Mark
 
And yet I can never quite give up hope that we can get more fantasy representation in the awards, the Con and the publications. (also more female authors, but that's a whole 'nother thing!) ;)

To up the fantasy winners in the awards, we need more people voting for the fantasy items on the awards shortlists (well, duh!) - you don't need to be a BFS member, you're eligible to vote if you've been to Fantasycon or are booked for the next one.

Although if we got more fantasy fans as BFS members I'd be stoked as this would mean a better chance of getting more fantasy peeps volunteering to write articles and interviews and the like for the publications (they've already had words with one of the mag editors re. horror dominance and he hadn't noticed but is now trying to rectify, so that's cool!)
Seriously, they really really want more material and at the moment it seems to be the horror fans that are providing most of it.
(Sorry, I'll shut up now!)

Hobbit: I think it was originally Weird Fantasy rather than Dark Fantasy, and legend has it that way back in the 70's/80's there were complaints that the BFS was weighted too much towards fantasy rather than horror! (Apparently Conan was reaaaaaaally popular then!) :p

On a completely different subject: how amazing was MC James Barclay? We need more of him! :D
 
I think it was originally Weird Fantasy rather than Dark Fantasy,
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It was, and I stand corrected: thanks for the clarification, D.

As for that Barclay bloke, he was alright. :)

It's a good job he didn't know about the ripping Guy Adams gave him at the legendary Raffle, though..... :D

Mark
 
If Guy Adams hadn't given me a ripping, I would have been most concerned as to the state of his health. Just wait til 2011 in Brighton - we have... plans.

Which reminds me, all you UK based fantasy fans, get registered for FantasyCon as early as possible. I'm keen for the balance to swing a little further towards fantasy and away from horror and getting fantasy fans on board will help that in terms of the awards, the panels and the whole convention feel.

Keep your eye on the BFS website

Plea over.

NOM
 
That sounds like fun already.

Just to add to James' post, the booking for the 2011 Brighton Con is now on, and is pretty cheap at the moment, at least until the end of the month. Then it starts going up... so best to get in now.

Might be worth it for the Adams/Barclay death-match alone!

Mark
 
Holbrook

I would like to thank-you for posting the BFS awards. I enjoyed it tremendously!:D
 
Actually, Holbrook and I are in that highlights video, much to my surprise...
 
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