Comments: 1985 was Frederik Pohl's year at the Locus Awards. He didn't win any, but he appears on the list of nominees eight times, far outstripping any other author. This feat is made all the more impressive when put into context, as the field of science fiction was experiencing something of a generational shift in the mid-1980s. Many of the "old guard" of writers from the 1960s and 1970s were coming to the end of their productive period, and a collection of new authors were stepping up to take their place. In Locus Award terms, this meant that by 1985 Pohl's contemporaries were appearing on the list of nominees less and less frequently, while Pohl was stepping up his productivity.
Best Science Fiction Novel
Winner:
1. The Integral Trees by Larry Niven
Other Nominees:
2. Demon by John Varley
3. Heechee Rendezvous by Frederik Pohl
4. Stars In My Pocket Like Grains of Sand by Samuel R. Delany
5. Chanur's Venture by C.J. Cherryh
6. Across the Sea of Suns by Gregory Benford
7. West of Eden by Harry Harrison
8. Neuromancer by William Gibson
9. The Final Encyclopedia by Gordon R. Dickson
10. City of Sorcery by Marion Zimmer Bradley
11. Icehenge by Kim Stanley Robinson
12. The Peace War by Vernor Vinge
13. World's End by Joan D. Vinge
14. Clay's Ark by Octavia E. Butler
15. The Adversary by Julian May
16. The Wild Shore by Kim Stanley Robinson
17. Heretics of Dune by Frank Herbert
18. Emergence by David R. Palmer
19. A Day for Damnation by David Gerrold
20. Native Tongue by Suzette Haden Elgin
21. Green Eyes by Lucius Shepard
22. Free Live Free by Gene Wolfe
23. Star Rebel by F.M. Busby
24. Dr. Adder by K.W. Jeter
25. The Man Who Melted by Jack Dann
26. The Glamour by Christopher Priest
27. The Practice Effect by David Brin
28. Steam Bird by Hilbert Schenck
29. Them Bones by Howard Waldrop
30. Circumpolar! by Richard A. Lupoff
Best Fantasy Novel
Winner:
1. Job: A Comedy of Justice by Robert A. Heinlein
Other Nominees:
2. Damiano's Lute by R.A. MacAvoy
3. Raphael by R.A. MacAvoy
4. The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub
5. The Infinity Concerto by Greg Bear
6. Gilgamesh the King by Robert Silverberg
7. The Ladies of Mandrigyn by Barbara Hambly
8. Enchanter's End Game by David Eddings
9. The Businessman by Thomas M. Disch
10. Bearing an Hourglass by Piers Anthony
11. Crewel Lye: A Caustic Yarn by Piers Anthony
12. Castle of Wizardry by David Eddings
13. Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock
14. Who Made Stevie Crye? by Michael Bishop
15. Vampire Junction by S.P. Somtow
16. Cards of Grief by Jane Yolen
17. The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley
18. Maia by Richard Adams
19. Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter
20. Brisingamen by Diana L. Paxson
21. Moonheart by Charles de Lint
22. The Third Book of Swords by Fred Saberhagen
23. Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones
24. Half a Sky by R.A. Lafferty
25. The Ceremonies by T.E.D. Klein
26. The Bishop's Heir by Katherine Kurtz
27. The Beggar Queen by Lloyd Alexander
Best First Novel
Winner:
1. The Wild Shore by Kim Stanley Robinson
Other Nominees:
2. Neuromancer by William Gibson
3. Emergence by David R. Palmer
4. Green Eyes by Lucius Shepard
5. Them Bones by Howard Waldrop
6. Valentina: Soul in Sapphire by Joseph H. Delaney and Marc Stiegler
7. The Riddle of the Wren by Charles de Lint
8. The Ceremonies by T.E.D. Klein
9. Frontera by Lewis Shiner
10. Procurator by Kirk Mitchell
11. Palimpsests by Carter Scholz and Glenn Harcourt
12. The Alchemists by Geary Gravel
13. The Game Beyond by Melissa Scott
14. Divine Endurance by Gwyneth Jones
15. Elleander Morning by Jerry Yulsman
16. Winter's Daughter by Charles Whitmore
17. Demon-4 by David Mace
Best Novella
Winner:
1. PRESS ENTER[] by John Varley
Other Nominees:
2. The Scapegoat by C.J. Cherryh
3. The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet by Stephen King4. The Blister by Frederik Pohl
5. A Traveler's Tale by Lucius Shepard
6. Trinity by Nancy Kress
7. Marrow Death by Michael Swanwick
8. Young Doctor Eszterhazy by Avram Davidson
9. The Sweet Sad Queen of the Grazing Isles by Frederik Pohl
10. In the Sumerian Marshes by Gerald Pearce
11. The Greening of Bed-Stuy by Frederik Pohl
12. The Unconquered Country by Geoff Ryman
13. Some Are Born Great by J.A. Lawrence
14. Cyclops by David Brin
15. Floodtide by Ben Bova
Best Novelette
Winner:
1. Bloodchild by Octavia E. Butler
Other Nominees:
2. The Man Who Painted the Dragon Griaule by Lucius Shepard
3. Blued Moon by Connie Willis
4. The Lucky Strike by Kim Stanley Robinson
5. With a Little Help From Her Friends by Michael Bishop
6. The Kindly Isle by Frederik Pohl
7. Silicon Muse by Hilbert Schenck
8. Summer Solstice by Charles L. Harness
9. Bad Medicine by Jack Dann
10. Black Coral by Lucius Shepard
11. Foreign Skins by Tanith Lee
12. Freedom Beach by John Kessel and James Patrick Kelly
13. Trojan Horse by Michael Swanwick
14. Draco, Draco by Tanith Lee
15. Demon Lover by M. Sargent MacKay
16. Promises to Keep by Jack McDevitt
17. Slowly, Slowly in the Wind by Rob Chilson
18. A Message to the King to Brobdingnag by Richard Cowper
19. Twilight Time by Lewis Shiner
20. Three Days by Tanith Lee
21. Another One Hits the Road by Pat Cadigan
22. Five Mercies by Michael Conner
23. We Remember Babylon by Ian Watson
Best Short Story
Winner:
1. Salvador by Lucius Shepard
Other Nominees:
2. The Crystal Spheres by David Brin
3. The Aliens Who Knew, I Mean, Everything by George Alec Effinger4. A Cabin on the Coast by Gene Wolfe
5. Bright Burning Tiger by Tanith Lee
6. Ridge Running by Kim Stanley Robinson
7. Criticality by Frederik Pohl
8. Armageddon Between Sets by Edward Bryant
9. The Map by Gene Wolfe
10. A Troll and Two Roses by Patricia A. McKillip
11. Tourist Trade by Robert Silverberg
12. Kitemaster by Keith Roberts
13. Dinner Party by Gardner Dozois
14. Sunken Gardens by Bruce Sterling
15. Bodies by Joanna Russ
16. Out of Time by Ben Bova
17. At the Embassy Club by Elizabeth A. Lynn
18. Fears by Pamela Sargent
19. New Rose Hotel by William Gibson
20. Heat of Fusion by John M. Ford
21. When the Music's Over. . . by Michael Swanwick
22. Morning Child by Gardner Dozois
23. The Affair by Robert Silverberg
24. The Gods in Flight by Brian W. Aldiss
25. Strangeness, Charm and Spin by Kate Wilhelm
26. The Eichmann Variations by George Zebrowski
27. On Cannon Beach by Marta Randall
28. Helpless, Helpless by Howard Waldrop
29. The Scent of Silverdill by Richard Cowper
30. Crow by James Patrick Kelly
31. Barking Dogs by Terence M. Green
Best Collection
Winner:
1. The Ghost Light by Fritz Leiber
Other Nominees:
2. Pohlstars by Frederik Pohl
3. Tamastara by Tanith Lee
4. Extra(ordinary) People by Joanna Russ
5. One Winter in Eden by Michael Bishop
6. The Years of the City by Frederik Pohl
7. Daughter of Regals and Other Tales by Stephen R. Donaldson
8. Rhialto the Marvelous by Jack Vance
9. Utopia Hunters by Somtow Sucharitkul
10. Is That What People Do? by Robert Sheckley
11. Red Dreams by Dennis Etchison
12. The Fire When It Comes by Parke Godwin
13. Clive Barker's Books of Blood, Vols. I-III by Clive Barker
14. Seasons in Flight by Brian W. Aldiss
15. Viriconium Nights by M. John Harrison
16. Robots, Androids, and Mechanical Oddities: The Science Fiction of Philip K. Dick by Philip K. Dick
17. The Lunatics of Terra by John Sladek18. Signs and Portents by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
19. The Conglomeroid Cocktail Party by Robert Silverberg
20. Watchers at the Strait Gate by Russell Kirk
21. The Opium General by Michael Moorcock
Best Anthology
Winner:
1. Light Years and Dark edited by Michael Bishop
Other Nominees:
2. Universe 14 edited by Terry Carr
3. The Best Science Fiction of the Year #13 edited by Terry Carr
4. The Year's Best Science Fiction: First Annual Collection edited by Gardner Dozois
5. Wings of Omen edited by Robert Lynn Asprin and Lynn Abbey
6. The 1984 Annual World's Best SF edited by Donald A. Wollheim with Arthur W. Saha
7. Alien Stars edited by Elizabeth Mitchell
8. Elsewhere, Vol. III edited by Terri Windling and Mark Alan Arnold
9. Faery! edited by Terri Windling
10. Habitats edited by Susan Shwartz
11. (tie) The John W. Campbell Awards, Volume 5 edited by George R.R. Martin
(tie) Shadows 7 edited by Charles L. Grant
13. More Magic edited by Larry Niven
14. Isaac Asimov Presents The Great SF Stories: 11 (1949) edited by Isaac Asimov and Martin H. Greenberg
15. Isaac Asimov Presents The Great SF Stories: 12 (1950) edited by Isaac Asimov and Martin H. Greenberg
16. Far Frontiers edited by Jerry Pournelle and Jim Baen17. The Year's Best Horror Stories: Series XII edited by Karl Edward Wagner
18. Night Visions 1 edited by Alan Ryan
19. (tie) The Clarion Awards edited by Damon Knight
(tie) Masques edited by J.N. Williamson
21. The Year's Best Fantasy Stories: 10 edited by Arthur W. Saha
22. The Nebula Awards #19 edited by Marta Randall
Best Nonfiction, Related, or Reference Book
Winner:
1. Sleepless Nights in the Procrustean Bed by Harlan Ellison
Other Nominees:
2. The Dune Encyclopedia edited by Dr. Willis E. McNelly
3. The Faces of Science Fiction by Patti Perret4. An Atlas of Pern by Karen Wynn Fonstad
5. Wonder's Child: My Life in Science Fiction by Jack Williamson
6. Age of Wonders: Exploring the World of Science Fiction by David G. Hartwell
7. Castles by David Day, art by Alan Lee
8. A Separate Star by Frank Kelly Freas
9. Philip K. Dick: In His Own Words by Gregg Rickman
10. Starboard Wine by Samuel R. Delany
11. Index to Science Fiction Anthologies and Collections 1977-1983 by William G. Contento
12. The Science Fiction Source Book edited by David Wingrove13. Survey of Modern Fantasy Literature (5 vol's) edited by Frank N. Magill
14. Concordance to Cordwainer Smith by Anthony R. Lewis
15. Two-Bit Culture: The Paperbacking of America by Kenneth C. Davis
16. Hallelujah Anyway by Patrick Woodroffe
Best Magazine or Fanzine
Winner:
1. Locus
Other Nominees:
2. Fantasy & Science Fiction
3. Asimov's
4. Analog
5. Amazing Stories
6. Science Fiction Review
7. Omni
8. Twilight Zone
9. Science Fiction Chronicle
10. Interzone
11. Starlog
12. Fantasy Review
13. File 770
14. Fantasy Book
15. Whispers
Best Publisher
Winner:
1. Ballantine/Del Rey
Other Nominees:
2. Ace
3. DAW
4. Bantam
5. Bluejay
6. Tor
7. Berkley/Putnam
8. Baen
9. Pocket/Timescape
10. Berkley/Ace
11. Underwood-Miller
12. Donald M. Grant
13. Scream/Press
14. Arkham House
15. Gollancz
16. Mark V. Ziesing
17. Phantasia
18. Doubleday
Best Artist
Winner:
1. Michael Whelan
Other Nominees:
2. Frank Kelly Freas
3. Rowena Morrill
4. Don Maitz
5. Barclay Shaw
6. Boris Vallejo
7. Jim Burns
8. Darrell Sweet
9. Victoria Poyser
10. Carl Lundgren
11. James Gurney
12. Val Lakey Lindahn
13. David Mattingly
14. Alicia Austin
15. Stephen Fabian
16. J.K. Potter
17. Vincent Di Fate
18. Tom Kidd
19. Alan Lee
20. Phil Foglio
Go to previous year's nominees: 1984
Go to subsequent year's nominees: 1986
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