"The Shortlist Has Landed!" Announcing the shortlist for the 35th Arthur C. Clarke Award science fiction book of the year
Greetings, Carbon-Based Bipeds!
It is with great pleasure that we can announce our 35th shortlist for the Arthur C. Clarke Award science fiction book of the year.
The six shortlisted titles are:
The Infinite - Patience Agbabi (Canongate)
The Vanished Birds – Simon Jimenez (Titan)
Vagabonds – Hao Jingfang (Head of Zeus)
Edge of Heaven – R.B. Kelly (NewCon Press)
The Animals in that Country – Laura Jean McKay (Scribe)
Chilling Effect - Valerie Valdes (Orbit)
"As always, the shortlisting process was closely argued, and it was especially tough for the judges to get the shortlist down to just six.
"To everyone’s surprise, each of the titles is a debut novel. This has never happened before."
Dr Andrew M. Butler, Chair of Judges
“As we announce our 35th Clarke Award shortlist I’m reminded of Sir Arthur’s wish that the prize continue to reflect the best of UK science fiction, and not one fixed definition of it.
“With SF publishing in the UK currently thriving and over 100 increasingly diverse titles again submitted to our judges this year, a single definition of science fiction in the 2020s was always going to be a challenge but with this shortlist I believe our judges not only met the challenge, they’ve raised the bar.
“Whether its SF for readers of all ages, works in translation, books from the heart of SF publishing, our vibrant small presses or literary imprints embracing their speculative fiction sides, our judges have created a definition of the best of science fiction literature today that is uniquely their own yet instantly recognisable.”
Tom Hunter, Award Director
The Clarke Award directors would like to wish monolith-sized thank yous to our judging panel and our supporting organisations.
Stewart Hotston, British Science Fiction Association
Alasdair Stuart, British Science Fiction Association
Phoenix Alexander, Science Fiction Foundation
Nicole Devarenne, Science Fiction Foundation
Nick Hubble, SCI-FI-LONDON film festival
A complete list of all eligible titles submitted to the judging panel can be found here.
This year's winner will be announced in September 2021 (date TBC)
Tom Hunter
Award Director