LFS Press release: Prometheus Awards

[Chris Hibbert]

For immediate release: September, 2001

* Libertarian Futurist Society announced Prometheus Award winners
   Sept. 2 at the Philadelphia Worldcon
* L. Neil Smith won Best Novel for "Forge of the Elders"

At its annual Worldcon award ceremony Sept. 2 in Philadelphia, the
Libertarian Futurist Society  presented its annual Prometheus Award
for Best Novel to L. Neil Smith's "Forge of the Elders" (Baen Books).

The Prometheus Awards ceremony preceded a panel discussion on "Beyond Ayn
Rand and Robert Heinlein: Libertarian SF." The panel was held from 4 to 5
p.m. Sunday Sept.  2 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center and
Philadelphia Marriott in Philadelphia.

L. Neil Smith has won the Prometheus Award twice before: in 1984 for The
Probability Broach, and in 1994 for Pallas.

Forge of the Elders combines two previously published novels with the
story's finale, finally published a decade later.  The story concerns the
culture clash between the human members of an expedition to asteroid 5023
Eris, and the multitude of aliens they find when they arrive.  The twist
is that the aliens are anarchist individualists with a sophisticated
culture, while the humans were sent by a monolithic socialist/communist
world government.  The culture clash results in a few mysterious deaths,
and the investigation of the possible murders reveals much about the
motivations of the perpetrators and suspects.


The other finalists in the voting for the 2001 Prometheus Award were:

* Lodestar, by Michael Flynn  (TOR Books)
* The Sky Road, by Ken MacLeod  (TOR Books)
* The Truth, by Terry Pratchett  (HarperCollins)
* Eagle Against the Stars, by Steve White (Baen Books)

    Twelve novels were nominated by LFS members for this year's awards.
The other nominees were Candle, by John Barnes (TOR Books); The Legend
That Was Earth, by James Hogan (Baen Books); Outlaw School, by Rebecca
Ore (HarperCollins/EOS); Chimera, by Will Shetterly (TOR Books);
Vampire Nation, by Thomas Sipos (www.communistvampires.com);
Conspiracies, by F. Paul Wilson (Forge Books); and All the Rage, by
F. Paul Wilson (FORGE Books)


The 2001 winner of the Hall of Fame award for Best Classic Fiction was
"The Survival of Freedom", an sf anthology edited by Jerry Pournelle and
John Carr.  Pournelle shared the prometheus award in 1992 with Larry Niven
for Fallen Angels.  The LFS' first Special Prometheus Award for Lifetime
Achievement went to Poul Anderson.  Both of these awards were presented at
LFScon, the Libertarian Futurist Society's first national conference and
20th anniversary celebration, held May 25-27 in conjunction with Marcon 36
in Columbus, Ohio.  The audience of more than 1,000 people were treated to
the Awards ceremony as part of the Masquerade festivities.

Karen Anderson, Poul's wife and a guest of honor, accepted for Anderson,
whose illness had prevented him from attending LFScon as Marcon's Grand
Master guest of honor.  Anderson, widely respected as a Grand Master of
S.F., already had been recognized by the LFS three times over the past two
decades, having won the Prometheus Hall of Fame twice for "The Star Fox"
and "Trader to the Stars" and the Best Novel award for "The Stars Are Also
Fire" (1995).  Poul Anderson passed away July 31, 2001 at the age of 74.

    The Prometheus awards for Best Novel, Best Classic Fiction (Hall of
Fame) and (occasional) Special awards honor outstanding science
fiction/fantasy that explores the possibilities of a free future,
champions human rights (including personal and economic liberty),
dramatizes the perennial conflict between individuals and coercive
governments, or critiques the tragic consequences of abuse of power--
especially by the State.

The Prometheus Award, sponsored by the Libertarian Futurist Society (LFS),
was established in 1979, making it one of the most enduring awards after
the Nebula and Hugo awards, and one of the oldest fan-based awards
currently in sf.  Presented annually since 1982 at the World Science
Fiction Convention, the Prometheus Awards include a gold coin and plaque
for the winners.

The Hall of Fame, established in 1983, focuses on older classic fiction,
including novels, novellas, short stories, poems and plays.  Past Hall of
Fame award winners range from Robert Heinlein and Ayn Rand to Ray Bradbury
and Ursula LeGuin.

     Publishers who wish to submit 2002 novels for consideration should
contact Michael Grossberg (614-236-5040, mikegrossb at aol.com, 3164
Plymouth Place, Columbus OH 43213), Chair of the LFS Prometheus Awards
Best Novel Finalist judging committee.

       Prometheus Award and Hall of Fame winners

Founded in 1982, the Libertarian Futurist Society sponsors the annual
Prometheus Award and Prometheus Hall of Fame; publishes reviews, news and
columns in the quarterly "Prometheus"; arranges annual awards ceremonies
at the Worldcon, debates libertarian futurist issues (such as private
space exploration); and provides fun and fellowship for libertarian-SF
fans.

     Here are the past winners of LFS Awards

     Prometheus Award winners
Wheels Within Wheels,  by F. Paul Wilson (1979)
The Probability Broach,  by L. Neil Smith (1982)
Voyage From Yesteryear,  by James Hogan (1983)
The Rainbow Cadenza,  by J. Neil Schulman (1984)
Cybernetic Samurai,  by Victor Milan (1986)
Marooned in Real Time,  by Vernor Vinge (1987)
The Jehovah Contract,  by Victor Koman  (1988)
Moon of Ice,  by Brad Linaweaver (1989)
Solomon's Knife,  by Victor Koman (1990
In the Country of the Blind,  by Michael Flynn (1991)
Fallen Angels,  by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle (1992)
The Multiplex Man,  by James Hogan (1993)
Pallas,  by L. Neil Smith (1994)
The Stars Are Also Fire,  by Poul Anderson (1995)
The Star Fraction,  by Ken MacLeod (1996)
Kings of the High Frontier,  by Victor Koman (1997)
The Stone Canal,  by Ken MacLeod (1998)
The Golden Globe,  by John Varley (Berkley/Ace) (1999)
A Deepness in the Sky,  by Vernor Vinge (TOR Books) (2000)
The Forge of the Elders,  by L. Neil Smith (Baen Books) (2001)
* None of the Above won in 1985, and no awards were given in
1980 and 1981.

      Prometheus Hall of Fame winners
Robert Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress  (1983)
Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged  (1983)
George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four  (1984)
Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451  (1984)
Poul Anderson's Trader to the Stars  (1985)
Eric Frank Russell's The Great Explosion  (1985)
C.M. Kornbluth's  The Syndic,  (1986)
Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson's Illuminatus  trilogy.  (1986)
Robert Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land  (1987)
Ayn Rand's Anthem  (1987)
Alfred Bester's The Stars My Destination  (1988)
J. Neil Schulman's Alongside Night  (1989)
F. Paul Wilson's Healer  (1990)
F. Paul Wilson's An Enemy of the State (1991)
Ira Levin's This Perfect Day  (1992)
Ursula LeGuin's The Dispossessed  (1993)
Yevgeni Zamiatin's We  (1994)
Poul Anderson's The Star Fox  (1995)
Robert Heinlein's The Red Planet  (1996)
Robert Heinlein's Methuselah's Children  (1997)
Robert Heinlein's  Time Enough for Love  (1998)
H. Beam Piper and John McGuire's A Planet for Texans (Also published
as "Lone Star Planet")  (1999)
Hans Christian Andersen's The Emperor's New Clothes  (2000)
The Survival of Freedom, edited by Jerry Pournelle and John F.
Carr  (2001)

SPECIAL AWARDS
1998: "Free Space," edited by Brad Linaweaver and Ed Kramer
2001: Poul Anderson, for lifetime achievement

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