Comments: In many years the most interesting set of nominees for the Mythopoeic Award are the ones in the Myth and Fantasy Studies category, and 2004 was not exception to this. The element that stands out in the category is the sheer diversity of topics that the nominees cover. Despite all sharing the topic of "myth and fantasy", the nominated works could not be more different. The winner in the category was an analysis of the mythology of super-heroes and how that relates to American culture. One on the non-winning nominees is about spirituality in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. Another is an analysis of the works of Beatrix Potter. A third is about vampires in American fiction. A fourth discusses the evolution of fairy tales in nineteenth century England. Quite simply, the eclectic nature of the topics covered by these books serves as a reminder as to why the Mythopoeic Awards are among the best genre awards out there.
Best Adult Fantasy Literature
Sunshine by Robin McKinley
Other Nominees:
Changing Planes by Ursula K. Le Guin
Fudoki by Kij JohnsonIn the Forests of Serre by Patricia A. McKillip
Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold
Best Children's Fantasy Literature
The Hollow Kingdom by Clare B. Dunkle
Other Nominees:
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
Inkheart by Cornelia FunkeThe Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett
Scholarship Award in Inklings Studies
Tolkien and the Great War: The Threshold of Middle-Earth by John Garth
Other Nominees:
C.S. Lewis, Poet: The Legacy of His Poetic Impulse by Don W. King
Following Gandalf: Epic Battles and Moral Victory in The Lord of the Rings edited by Matthew Dickerson
Tolkien the Medievalist edited by Jane ChanceMyth and Fantasy Studies
The Myth of the American Superhero by John Shelton Lawrence and Robert Jewett
Other Nominees:
Algernon Blackwood: An Extraordinary Life by Mike Ashley
Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit: A Children's Classic at 100 edited by Margaret MackeyA Charmed Life: The Spirituality of Potterworld by Francis Bridger
National Dreams: The Remaking of Fairy Tales in Nineteenth-Century England by Jennifer Schacker
Vampire Legends in Contemporary American Culture: What Becomes a Legend Most by William Patrick Day
Go to previous year's nominees: 2003
Go to subsequent year's nominees: 2005
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