Comments: Cyberpunk crashed into the Hugo Awards in full force in 1985, with William Gibson's novel Neuromancer, the most famous, and probably the best example of the subgenre taking home the Best Novel prize. And not only did Gibson storm the gates of the Hugo establishment with his novel, he climbed over long time Hugo stalwarts Robert A. Heinlein and Larry Niven to get there.
This year's Best Dramatic Presentation field was an odd collection. With two light and fluffy comic pieces in Ghostbusters and The Last Starfighter, the bloated monstrosity of David Lynch's Dune, and the somewhat turgid 2010, the sequel to 2001: A Space Odyssey, as competition, this seems like it should have been the year that Star Trek III: The Search for Spock broke through with a victory for Star Trek movies. But even though they embraced cyberpunk in the Best Novel category, Hugo voters are somewhat conservative, and they selected 2010 as the winner instead, probably as an homage to Arthur C. Clarke.
Best Novel
Neuromancer by William Gibson
Other Finalists:
Emergence by David R. Palmer
The Integral Trees by Larry Niven
Job: A Comedy of Justice by Robert A. Heinlein
The Peace War by Vernor Vinge
Best Novella
PRESS ENTER[] by John Varley
Other Finalists:
Cyclops by David Brin
Elemental by Geoffrey A. Landis
Summer Solstice by Charles L. Harness
Valentina by Joseph H. Delaney and Marc Stiegler
Best Novelette
Bloodchild by Octavia E. Butler
Other Finalists:
Blued Moon by Connie Willis
The Lucky Strike by Kim Stanley Robinson
The Man Who Painted the Dragon Griaule by Lucius Shepard
Return to the Fold by Timothy Zahn
Silicon Muse by Hilbert Schenck
The Weigher by Eric Vinicoff and Marcia Martin
Best Short Story
The Crystal Spheres by David Brin
Other Finalists:
The Aliens Who Knew, I Mean, Everything by George Alec Effinger
Ridge Running by Kim Stanley Robinson
Rory by Steven Gould
Salvador by Lucius Shepard
Symphony for a Lost Traveler by Lee Killough
Best Nonfiction, Related, or Reference Work
Wonder's Child: My Life in Science Fiction by Jack Williamson
Other Finalists:
The Dune Encyclopedia edited by Dr. Willis E. McNelly
The Faces of Science Fiction by Patti Perret
In the Heart or in the Head: An Essay in Time Travel by George Turner
Sleepless Nights in the Procrustean Bed by Harlan Ellison
Best Dramatic Presentation
2010
Other Finalists:
Dune
Ghostbusters
The Last Starfighter
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Best Professional Editor
Terry Carr
Other Finalists:
Edward L. Ferman
Shawna McCarthy
Stanley Schmidt
George Scithers
Best Professional Artist
Michael Whelan
Other Finalists:
Vincent Di Fate
Tom Kidd
Val Lakey Lindahn
Barclay Shaw
Best Semi-Prozine
Locus edited by Charles N. Brown
Other Finalists:
Fantasy Review edited by Robert A. Collins
Science Fiction Chronicle edited by Andrew I. Porter
Science Fiction Review edited by Richard E. Geis
Whispers edited by Stuart David Schiff
Best Fanzine
File 770 edited by Mike Glyer
Other Finalists:
Ansible edited by Dave Langford
Holier Than Thou edited by Marty Cantor and Robbie Cantor
Mythologies edited by Don D'Ammassa
Rataplan edited by Leigh Edmonds
Best Fan Writer
Dave Langford
Other Finalists:
Leigh Edmonds
Richard E. Geis
Mike Glyer
Arthur Hlavaty
Best Fan Artist
Alexis Gilliland
Other Finalists:
Brad W. Foster
Steven Fox
Joan Hanke-Woods
William Rotsler
Stu Shiffman
John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer
Lucius Shepard
Other Finalists:
Bradley Denton
Geoffrey A. Landis
Elissa Malcohn
Ian McDonald
Melissa Scott
What Are the Hugo Awards?
Go to previous year's nominees: 1984
Go to subsequent year's nominees: 1986
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