Comments: In 2009, the Libertarian Futurist Society demonstrated why so few people take the Prometheus Awards seriously by nominating John C. Wright's novel The Golden Age for induction into its Hall of Fame. There's nothing wrong with the novel, but it was published in 2002, which is so close in time to 2009 as to make the idea that the Hall of Fame is to honor "classic" works of libertarian fiction into a farce. Furthermore, in 2003, when it would have been eligible for the honor of Best Novel, The Golden Age wasn't even nominated, which makes one wonder what happened in the intervening years to make it worthy of Hall of Fame consideration. And it isn't like The Golden Age was an unknown work published by a small press in 2003: The book was prominent enough to be nominated for a Locus Award and the Campbell Award. An observer might note that John C. Wright very publicly converted to Roman Catholicism after having visions of "ghosts and spirits". A cynical observer might then note that the Libertarian Futurist Society seems to have been at least partially captured by religious conservatives and consider the possibility that the important change from 2003 and 2009 didn't have anything to do with the book, but rather with the author's religious affiliation. But that's silly - religious conservatives would never promote a work they snubbed earlier merely because they wanted to reward the author for converting and accepting their superstitious nonsense. Also, I have a bridge to sell you.
Best Novel
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
Other Nominees:
Half a Crown by Jo Walton
The January Dancer by Michael F. FlynnMatter by Iain M. Banks
Opening Atlantis by Harry Turtledove
Saturn's Children by Charles Stross
Hall of Fame
The Lord of the Rings (The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King) by J.R.R. Tolkien
Other Nominees:
As Easy as A.B.C. by Rudyard Kipling
Courtship Rite by Donald M. Kingsbury
Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold
The Golden Age by John C. Wright
The Once and Future King by T.H. White
Go to previous year's nominees: 2008
Go to subsequent year's nominees: 2010
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