Six finalists for the 'Arthur C. Clarke Award' for outstanding science fiction novels will be announced

The ' Arthur C. Clarke Award ', named after science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke , known for his works such as 'End of Childhood, ' ' Rendezvous with Space, ' and ' 2001: A Space Odyssey,' was held in the United Kingdom. It is said to be the most prestigious science fiction award. Six finalists were selected from the 2020 nominated works of the Arthur C. Clarke Awards.

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At the Arthur C. Clarke Awards in 2020, 121 works were recommended, including recommendations from 45 publishers and individual recommendations. According to the selection committee member Tom Hunter, it can be said that the number is increasing year by year, considering that the total number of works was about 45 14 years ago.

In addition, 40% of the entries submitted in 2020 were by female artists. Since it was 29% in 2019, the activities of female writers will continue to increase, Hunter said. Also, four of the six finalists are female writers, which is said to be the first in the history of more than 30 years since the Arthur C. Clarke Award was founded.

Of the 121 works, 6 works selected as final candidates are as follows. According to Mr. Hunter, the six finalists are in the same science fiction, but in a wide variety of genres.

◆ 1: Charlie Jane Anders ' The City in the Middle of the Night '

◆ 2: Kameron Hurley ' The Light Brigade '

◆ 3: Arkady Martine ' A Memory Called Empire '

◆ 4: Namwali Serpell ' The Old Drift '

◆ 5: Adrian Tchaikovsky ' Cage of Souls '

◆ 6: David Wellington ' The Last Astronaut '

In response to the question, 'Sci-fi is said to be a Trojan horse for asking social issues, is science fiction essentially a progressive movement?', Mr. Hunter said, 'Sci-fi itself is a movement. No, but there is a movement in science fiction. For example, a movement called New Wave took place in the late 1960s, and cyberpunk is a kind of rebellion in science fiction novels in the early 1980s. ' In addition, Mr. Hunter said, 'There are two sides to the science fiction movement,' he said. 'The final candidate work for 2020 is not only a superficial movement, but also going back to the past science fiction works and reconstructing the science fiction itself. You can find a movement that slowly evolves in. '