Comments: 1971 was a fairly ordinary year for the Hugo Awards, with only two notable elements, both of which are somewhat negative.
First: After a couple of years in which women made inroads in the male dominated field of science fiction, the 1971 ballot was devoid of any female writers in the fiction categories.
Second: Despite a somewhat weak array of nominees, the result of "No Winner" in the Best Dramatic Presentation category was still something of an embarrassment - either Colossus: The Forbin Project or No Blade of Grass would have both been worthy winners. This marked the third time that the Best Dramatic Presentation Award had a "No Winner" result. The Best Dramatic Presentation category did have some interesting new nominees in the field, with two albums nominated, one by Paul Kantner, formerly of Jefferson Airplane, performing on Blows Against the Empire with the embryonic Jefferson Starship, and the second by comedy troupe Firesign Theatre.
Best Novel
Ringworld by Larry Niven
Other Nominees:
Star Light by Hal Clement
Tau Zero by Poul Anderson
Tower of Glass by Robert Silverberg
The Year of the Quiet Sun by Wilson Tucker
Best Novella
Ill-Met in Lankhmar by Fritz Leiber (reviewed in The Hugo Winners, Volume 3, Book 1)
Other Nominees:
Beastchild by Dean R. Koontz
The Region Between by Harlan Ellison
The Thing in the Stone by Clifford D. Simak
The World Outside by Robert Silverberg
The Snow Women by Fritz Leiber
Best Short Story
Slow Sculpture by Theodore Sturgeon (reviewed in The Hugo Winners, Volume 3, Book 1)
Other Nominees:
Brillo by Ben Bova and Harlan Ellison
Continued on Next Rock by R.A. Lafferty
In the Queue by Keith Laumer
Jean Duprès by Gordon R. Dickson
Best Dramatic Presentation
No Winner
Other Nominees:
Blows Against the Empire (album)
Colossus: The Forbin Project
Don't Crush That Dwarf, Hand Me the Pliers (album)
Hauser's Memory (television movie)
No Blade of Grass
Best Professional Magazine
Fantasy & Science Fiction edited by Edward L. Ferman
Other Nominees:
Amazing Stories edited by Ted White
Galaxy edited by Ejler Jakobsson
Vision of Tomorrow edited by Philip Harbottle
Best Professional Artist
Leo Dillon and Diane Dillon
Other Nominees:
Frank Kelly Freas
Jack Gaughan
Eddie Jones
Jeff Jones
Best Fanzine
Locus edited by Charles N. Brown and Dena Brown
Other Nominees:
Energumen edited by Michael Glicksohn and Susan Glicksohn
Outworlds edited by Bill Bowers and Joan Bowers
Science Fiction Review edited by Richard E. Geis
Speculation edited by Peter R. Weston
Best Fan Writer
Richard E. Geis
Other Nominees:
Terry Carr
Tom Digby
Elizabeth Fishman
Ted Pauls
Best Fan Artist
Alicia Austin
Other Nominees:
Steve Fabian
Mike Gilbert
Tim Kirk
Bill Rotsler
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