Comments: One side effect of award lists is placing stories into context by lining them up with other, contemporaneous;y published stories. And sometimes, in comparison, stories don't seem to hold up all that well. As an example, I would contrast David Brin's Startide Rising, this year's Best Science Fiction novel winner with Norman Spinrad's The Void Captain's Tale, which appears in the same category a few places down the list. Startide Rising is pretty much eactly what I would expect of mid-1980s science fiction - a dynamic story of a discovery by the human and dolphin crew of the starship Streaker and the galactic upheaval that ensues. The Void Captain's Tale, on the other hand, seems like a novel from the early 1970s, replete with sexual politics that seem drawn directly from the 1960s. That these two novels were published in the same year seems almost impossible, and yet there they are.
Best Science Fiction Novel
Winner:
1. Startide Rising by David Brin
Other Nominees:
2. The Robots of Dawn by Isaac Asimov
3. Millennium by John Varley
4. Helliconia Summer by Brian W. Aldiss
5. The Void Captain's Tale by Norman Spinrad
6. Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern by Anne McCaffrey
7. Thendara House by Marion Zimmer Bradley
8. Against Infinity by Gregory Benford
9. Orion Shall Rise by Poul Anderson
10. The Nonborn King by Julian May
11. Superluminal by Vonda N. McIntyre
12. Welcome, Chaos by Kate Wilhelm
13. The Crucible of Time by John Brunner
14. Worlds Apart by Joe Haldeman
15. Valentine Pontifex by Robert Silverberg
16. Gods of Riverworld by Philip José Farmer
17. The Citadel of the Autarch by Gene Wolfe
18. Forty Thousand in Gehenna by C.J. Cherryh
19. A Matter for Men by David Gerrold
20. The Birth of the People's Republic of Antarctica by John Calvin Batchelor
21. Wall Around a Star by Jack Williamson and Frederik Pohl
22. Golden Witchbreed by Mary Gentle
23. Broken Symmetries by Paul Preuss
24. Roderick at Random by John Sladek
25. There Is No Darkness by Joe Haldeman and Jack C. Haldeman II
26. Code of the Lifemaker by James P. Hogan
27. Tik-Tok by John Sladek
28. Transformer by M.A. Foster
Best Fantasy Novel
Winner:
1. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Other Nominees:
2. The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers
3. The Armageddon Rag by George R.R. Martin
4. Lyonesse by Jack Vance
5. White Gold Wielder by Stephen R. Donaldson
6. Christine by Stephen King
7. Pet Sematary by Stephen King
8. The Dreamstone by C.J. Cherryh
9. Damiano by R.A. MacAvoy
10. Neveryóna by Samuel R. Delany
11. Dragon on a Pedestal by Piers Anthony
12. Hart's Hope by Orson Scott Card
13. (tie) Cugel's Saga by Jack Vance
(tie) The Sword of Winter by Marta Randall
14. Tea with the Black Dragon by R.A. MacAvoy
15. Magician's Gambit by David Eddings
16. The Tree of Swords and Jewels by C.J. Cherryh
17. On a Pale Horse by Piers Anthony
18. Floating Dragon by Peter Straub
19. The Neverending Story by Michael Ende
20. Anackire by Tanith Lee
21. The Dragon Waiting by John M. Ford
22. Sung in Shadow by Tanith Lee
23. 'Ware Hawk! by Andre Norton
24. The Silent Gondoliers by S. Morgenstern
25. The Sword Is Forged by Evangeline Walton
Best First Novel
Winner:
1. Tea with the Black Dragon by R.A. MacAvoy
Other Nominees:
2. The Blackcollar by Timothy Zahn
3. A Rumor of Angels by M. Bradley Kellogg
4. King's Blood Four by Sheri S. Tepper
5. Starrigger by John DeChancie
6. The Shadow of the Ship by Robert W. Franson
7. Harpy's Flight by Megan Lindholm
8. Anvil of the Heart by Bruce T. Holmes
9. The Forest of App by Gloria Rand Dank
10. Ratha's Creature by Clare Bell
Best Novella
Winner:
1. Her Habiline Husband by Michael Bishop
Other Nominees:
2. Cascade Point by Timothy Zahn
3. Seeking by David R. Palmer4. Homefaring by Robert Silverberg
5. Hardfought by Greg Bear
6. Hurricane Claude by Hilbert Schenck
7. The Gospel According to Gamaliel Crucis by Michael Bishop
8. The Lord of the Skies by Frederik Pohl
9. The Curse of the Smalls and the Stars by Fritz Leiber
10. In the Face of My Enemy by Joseph H. Delaney
11. Gilpin's Space by Reginald Bretnor
12. Aquila Meets Bigfoot by Somtow Sucharitkul
13. Eszterhazy and the Autogóndola-Invention by Avram Davidson
Best Novelette
Winner:
1. The Monkey Treatment by George R.R. Martin
Other Nominees:
2. Black Air by Kim Stanley Robinson
3. Slow Birds by Ian Watson
4. Blood Music by Greg Bear
5. Street Meat by Norman Spinrad
6. The Sidon in the Mirror by Connie Willis
7. Multiples by Robert Silverberg
8. (tie) The Black Current by Ian Watson
(tie) The Invasion of the Church of the Holy Ghost by Russell Kirk
10. The Final Report on the Lifeline Experiment by Timothy Zahn
11. The Monkey's Bride by Michael Bishop
12. The Mind of Medea by Kate Wilhelm
13. Blind Shemmy by Jack Dann
14. And the Marlin Spoke by Michael Bishop
15. Remembering Siri by Dan Simmons
16. Cicada Queen by Bruce Sterling
17. Into Whose Hands by Karl Edward Wagner
18. Belling Martha by Leigh Kennedy
19. Red Star, Winter Orbit by Bruce Sterling and William Gibson
20. (tie) In Whose Name Do We Seek the Quark? by Thomas Dulski
(tie) Nunc Dimittis by Tanith Lee
(tie) A Simple Case of Suicide by Marc Stiegler
23. The Hills Behind Hollywood High by Avram Davidson and Grania Davis
24. Deep Song by Reginald Bretnor
25. Life on the Tether by Mark Wheeler
26. A Day in the Life of Justin Argento Morrell by Greg Frost
Best Short Story
Winner:
1. Beyond the Dead Reef by James Tiptree, Jr.
Other Nominees:
2. The Peacemaker by Gardner Dozois
3. Spending a Day at the Lottery Fair by Frederik Pohl4. Servant of the People by Frederik Pohl
5. Speech Sounds by Octavia E. Butler
6. Spook by Bruce Sterling
7. The Geometry of Narrative by Hilbert Schenck
8. Wong's Lost and Found Emporium by William F. Wu
9. Her Furry Face by Leigh Kennedy
10. Brothers by Richard Cowper
11. Amanda and the Alien by Robert Silverberg
12. Solitario's Eyes by Lucius Shepard
13. Needle in a Timestack by Robert Silverberg
14. Stone Eggs by Kim Stanley Robinson
15. Golden Gate by R.A. Lafferty
16. Potential by Isaac Asimov
17. Man-Mountain Gentian by Howard Waldrop
18. La Ronde by Damon Knight
19. Revisions by Gordon Eklund
20. Basileus by Robert Silverberg
21. The Man Outside by O. Niemand
22. $CALLLINK4(CATHY) by Cherie Wilkerson
Best Single Author Collection
Winner:
1. Unicorn Variations by Roger Zelazny
Other Nominees:
2. Red as Blood by Tanith Lee
3. The Sentinel by Arthur C. Clarke
4. The Wind From a Burning Woman by Greg Bear
5. The Zanzibar Cat by Joanna Russ
6. Hoka! by Poul Anderson and Gordon R. Dickson
7. The 57th Franz Kafka by Rudy Rucker
8. (tie) Midas World by Frederik Pohl
(tie) The Saint-Germain Chronicles by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
10. The Worlds of H. Beam Piper by H. Beam Piper, edited by John F. Carr
11. Sector General by James White
12. The Winds of Change and Other Stories by Isaac Asimov
13. Time Patrolman by Poul Anderson
14. Ringing Changes by R.A. Lafferty
15. Golden Gate and Other Stories by R.A. Lafferty
16. Fire from the Wine-Dark Sea by Somtow Sucharitkul
Best Anthology
Winner:
1. The Best Science Fiction of the Year #12 edited by Terry Carr
Other Nominees:
2. The Face of Chaos edited by Robert Lynn Asprin and Lynn Abbey
3. Universe 13 edited by Terry Carr
4. The 1983 Annual World's Best SF edited by Donald A. Wollheim with Arthur W. Saha
5. Whispers IV edited by Stuart David Schiff6. Heroic Visions edited by Jessica Amanda Salmonson
7. Magic for Sale edited by Avram Davidson
8. Changes edited by Michael Bishop and Ian Watson
9. Shadows 6 edited by Charles L. Grant
10. Isaac Asimov Presents The Great SF Stories: 10 (1948) edited by Isaac Asimov and Martin H. Greenberg
11. Isaac Asimov Presents The Great SF Stories: 9 (1947) edited by Isaac Asimov and Martin H. Greenberg
12. New Worlds edited by Michael Moorcock
13. The Arbor House Treasury of Science Fiction Masterpieces edited by Robert Silverberg and Martin H. Greenberg
14. The Fantasy Hall of Fame edited by Robert Silverberg and Martin H. Greenberg
15. The Year's Best Fantasy Stories: 9 edited by Arthur W. Saha16. Nebula Award Stories 17 edited by Joe Haldeman
17. The Nebula Awards #18 edited by Robert Silverberg
Best Nonfiction, Related, or Reference Book
Winner:
1. Dream Makers, Volume II by Charles Platt
Other Nominees:
2. The High Kings by Joy Chant
3. The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy, Vol. 3 by Donald H. Tuck4. The Fantastic Art of Rowena by Rowena Morrill
5. Staying Alive: A Writer's Guide by Norman Spinrad
6. Worlds Beyond: The Art of Chesley Bonestell by Frederick C. Durant III and Ron Miller; art by Chesley Bonestell
7. Philip K. Dick edited by Martin H. Greenberg and Joseph D. Olander8. Amber Dreams: A Roger Zelazny Bibliography by Daniel J.H. Levack
9. The Science Fiction Book of Lists by Maxim Jakubowski and Malcolm Edwards
10. The Guide to Supernatural Fiction by Everett F. Bleiler
11. Uranian Worlds: A Reader's Guide to Alternative Sexuality in Science Fiction and Fantasy by Eric Garber and Lyn Paleo
12. De Camp: An L. Sprague de Camp Bibliography by Charlotte Laughlin and Daniel J.H. Levack
13. The Entropy Exhibition: Michael Moorcock and the British 'New Wave' in Science Fiction by Colin Greenland
Best Magazine
Winner:
1. Locus
Other Nominees:
2. Fantasy & Science Fiction
3. Analog
4. Asimov's
5. Amazing Stories
6. Omni
7. Science Fiction Review
8. Twilight Zone
9. Science Fiction Chronicle
10. Starlog
11. Fantasy Newsletter/Fantasy Review
12. Whispers
13. File 770
14. Fantasy Book
15. Interzone
Best Publisher
Winner:
1. Ballantine/Del Rey
Other Nominees:
2. Pocket/Timescape
3. DAW
4. Ace
5. Berkley
6. Bantam
7. Tor
8. Doubleday
9. Underwood-Miller
10. Donald M. Grant
11. Phantasia
12. Science Fiction Book Club
13. Atheneum
14. Arkham House
15. Houghton Mifflin
Best Artist
Winner:
1. Michael Whelan
Other Nominees:
2. Rowena Morrill
3. Don Maitz
4. Barclay Shaw
5. Boris Vallejo
6. Darrell Sweet
7. Victoria Poyser
8. Val Lakey Lindahn
9. Frank Kelly Freas
10. Carl Lundgren
11. Alicia Austin
12. Vincent Di Fate
13. Jim Burns
14. David Mattingly
15. Leo Dillon and Diane Dillon
16. Stephen Fabian
17. Frank Frazetta
18. Tom Kidd
19. Phil Foglio
20. (tie) Alexis Gilliland
(tie) Kevin Johnson
Go to previous year's nominees: 1983
Go to subsequent year's nominees: 1985
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