The Last Emperox a Finalist for the 2020 Dragon Awards
Posted on August 12, 2020 Posted by John Scalzi 14 Comments
In the category of Science Fiction novel. And as you can see from the picture above, it has some very fine company, in terms of the other finalists.
If you can’t see it, here they are again:
1. Best Science Fiction Novel
The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
The Future of Another Timeline by Annalee Newitz
The Last Emperox by John Scalzi
The Rosewater Redemption by Tade Thompson
Network Effect by Martha Wells
Wanderers by Chuck Wendig
It’s a field where I would be happy with any one of these writers/titles winning, so that’s really the best of all possible worlds. And it’s nice to see The Last Emperox getting some early recognition, award-wise. That would be lovely to have continue.
Here’s a link to the entire 2020 ballot and the finalists in all the categories. The ballot page also has a link where you may register to vote for the awards this year, if such is your joy, and why shouldn’t it be your joy? Be joyful, damn it!
— JS
To forestall some questions: Yup, the Dragon Awards had a rough few years as it started up. They seem to be figuring themselves out as they go along, which is good to see.
A Memory Called Empire being shut out is kind of a farce.
Congratulations on the nomination. An embarrassment of riches; this list! It was a good year. If Last Emporox weren’t on the list, I’d be very happy to vote for any of several others. Gideon the Ninth was outstanding, and Martha Wells’ series is excellent. You’ve some very fine company indeed.
I love a lot of the fiction from science fiction’s golden age, but I have to say, I think we might be living a second sci-fi golden age right now!
Congrats on the nomination!
Interesting that the Dragon Awards have set their eligibility period as July 1 through June 30. I suppose it allows for a shortlist that doesn’t look exactly like all the other major awards, give or take a book or two. (Not that that’s a major problem to begin with, given the large number of choices the SF book awards have had the last few years.)
bsparks:
I’m reasonably certain it’s meant to coincide with the annual running of Dragon Con in late August/early September.
Congratulations!
[Deleted for spoilers and also, seriously, Brian F., maybe rethink your need to share that sort of thing on this sort of post — JS]
I’ve read six of those (not the Atwood or the Thompson) and they are all excellent, good company to be in. (I’ve read other Thompson books and now it seems I’ll have to check out the Rosewood ones…)
Okay, I’m OLD. Sigh. The only name on this list that I recognize is our host’s.
Congratulations! And best of luck with the voting — you are certainly in worthy company.
Congrats, John!
Wishing you well, but Gideon… and an Atwood novel…
Congratulations!
@rochrist – due to the Dragons’ weird eligibility period, Memory Called Empire was nominated last year…
@Timothy K. Morris. I’m old and even I recognise Margaret Atwood.