by Jane Yolen
* * *
Arabella paced in her bedroom, sick with worry. Her hands worked at her handkerchief as she went, twisting and straining the delicate fabric until it threatened to tear asunder.
A black-bordered letter. An express. No one would send such dire news by such an expensive means unless it concerned a member of the family. She forced herself to hope that it might be an error, or news of some distant relative of whose existence she had not even been aware . . . but as the silence went on and on, that hope diminished swiftly.
Who was it who had passed? Father, or Michael? Which would be worse? She loved them both so dearly. Michael and she were practically twins, and he had many more years ahead of him, so his loss would surely be the greater tragedy. But Father . . . the man who had shared with her his love of automata, who had sat her on his knee and taught her the names of the stars, who had quietly encouraged her to dare, to try, to risk, despite Mother’s objections . . . to lose him would be terrible, terrible indeed.
Every fiber of her being insisted that she run to her mother’s room, burst through the door, and demand an answer. But that would be unladylike, and, as Mother had repeatedly admonished, unladylike behavior was entirely unacceptable under even the most pressing circumstances. And so she paced, and pulled her handkerchief to shreds, and tried not to cry.
And then, startling though not a surprise, a knock came on the door. It was Nellie, her mother’s handmaid. “Mrs. Ashby requests your presence, Miss Ashby.”
“Thank you, Nellie.”
Trembling, Arabella followed Nellie to her mother’s dressing-room, where Fanny and Chloë, already present, were gathered in a miserable huddle with their mother. The black-bordered letter lay open on her mother’s writing-desk, surrounded by the scattered fragments of the seal, which was of black wax.
Arabella stood rooted, just inside the door, her eyes darting from the letter to her mother and sisters. It was as though it were a lukhosh, or some other dreadful poisonous creature, that had already struck them down and was now lying in wait for her. She wondered whether she was expected to pick it up and read it.
She ached to know what the letter contained. She wanted nothing more than to flee the room.
Nellie cleared her throat. “Ma’am?” Mother raised her head, her eyes flowing with tears. Noticing Arabella, she gently patted the settee by her side. The girls shifted to make room for her.
Arabella sat. Each of her sisters clutched one of her hands, offering comfort despite their own misery.
“The news is . . . it is . . . it is Mr. Ashby,” Mother said. She held her head up straight, though her chin trembled. “Your father has passed on.”
“Father . . . ?” Arabella whispered.
And even though the distance between planets was so unimaginably vast . . . even though the news must be months old . . . even though it had been over eight months since she had seen him with her own eyes . . . somehow, some intangible connection had still remained between her and her father, and at that moment she felt that connection part, tearing like rotted silk.
And she too collapsed in sobs.
PAST NEBULA AWARD WINNERS
1965
Novel: Dune by Frank Herbert
Novella: “He Who Shapes” by Roger Zelazny and “The Saliva Tree” by Brian Aldiss (tie)
Novelette: “The Doors of His Face, the Lamps of His Mouth” by Roger Zelazny
Short Story: “‘Repent, Harlequin!’ Said the Ticktockman” by Harlan Ellison
1966
Novel: Babel-17 by Samuel R. Delany and Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes (tie)
Novella: “The Last Castle” by Jack Vance
Novelette: “Call Him Lord” by Gordon R. Dickson
Short Story: “The Secret Place” by Richard McKenna
1967
Novel: The Einstein Intersection by Samuel R. Delany
Novella: “Behold the Man” by Michael Moorcock
Novelette: “Gonna Roll the Bones” by Fritz Leiber
Short Story: “Aye, and Gomorrah” by Samuel R. Delany
1968
Novel: Rite of Passage by Alexei Panshin
Novella: “Dragonrider” by Anne McCaffrey
Novelette: “Mother to the World” by Richard Wilson
Short Story: “The Planners” by Kate Wilhelm
1969
Novel: The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
Novella: “A Boy and His Dog” by Harlan Ellison
Novelette: “Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones” by Samuel R. Delany
Short Story: “Passengers” by Robert Silverberg
1970
Novel: Ringworld by Larry Niven
Novella: “Ill Met in Lankhmar” by Fritz Leiber
Novelette: “Slow Sculpture” by Theodore Sturgeon
Short Story: No Award
1971
Novel: A Time of Changes by Robert Silverberg
Novella: “The Missing Man” by Katherine MacLean
Novelette: “The Queen of Air and Darkness” by Poul Anderson
Short Story: “Good News from the Vatican” by Robert Silverberg
1972
Novel: The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov
Novella: “A Meeting with Medusa” by Arthur C. Clarke
Novelette: “Goat Song” by Poul Anderson
Short Story: “When It Changed” by Joanna Russ
1973
Novel: Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
Novella: “The Death of Doctor Island” by Gene Wolfe
Novelette: “Of Mist, and Grass, and Sand” by Vonda N. McIntyre
Short Story: “Love Is the Plan, the Plan Is Death” by James Tiptree Jr.
Dramatic Presentation: Soylent Green
1974
Novel: The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin
Novella: “Born with the Dead” by Robert Silverberg
Novelette: “If the Stars Are Gods” by Gordon Eklund and Gregory Benford
Short Story: “The Day before the Revolution” by Ursula K. Le Guin
Dramatic Presentation: Sleeper by Woody Allen
Grand Master: Robert Heinlein
1975
Novel: The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
Novella: “Home Is the Hangman” by Roger Zelazny
Novelette: “San Diego Lightfoot Sue” by Tom Reamy
Short Story: “Catch That Zeppelin” by Fritz Leiber
Dramatic Presentation: Young Frankenstein by Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder
Grand Master: Jack Williamson
1976
Novel: Man Plus by Frederik Pohl
Novella: “Houston, Houston, Do You Read?” by James Tiptree Jr.
Novelette: “The Bicentennial Man” by Isaac Asimov
Short Story: “A Crowd of Shadows” by C. L. Grant
Grand Master: Clifford D. Simak
1977
Novel: Gateway by Frederik Pohl
Novella: “Stardance” by Spider and Jeanne Robinson
Novelette: “The Screwfly Solution” by Racoona Sheldon
Short Story: “Jeffty Is Five” by Harlan Ellison
1978
Novel: Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre
Novella: “The Persistence of Vision” by John Varley
Novelette: “A Glow of Candles, A Unicorn’s Eye” by C. L. Grant
Short Story: “Stone” by Edward Bryant
Grand Master: L. Sprague de Camp
1979
Novel: The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke
Novella: “Enemy Mine” by Barry B. Longyear
Novelette: “Sandkings” by George R. R. Martin
Short Story: “GiANTS” by Edward Bryant
1980
Novel: Timescape by Gregory Benford
Novella: “Unicorn Tapestry” by Suzy McKee Charnas
Novelette: “The Ugly Chickens” by Howard Waldrop
Short Story: “Grotto of the Dancing Deer” by C
lifford D. Simak
Grand Master: Fritz Leiber
1981
Novel: The Claw of the Conciliator by Gene Wolfe
Novella: “The Saturn Game” by Poul Anderson
Novelette: “The Quickening” by Michael Bishop
Short Story: “The Bone Flute” by Lisa Tuttle [declined by author]
1982
Novel: No Enemy but Time by Michael Bishop
Novella: “Another Orphan” by John Kessel
Novelette: “Fire Watch” by Connie Willis
Short Story: “A Letter from the Clearys” by Connie Willis
1983
Novel: Startide Rising by David Brin
Novella: “Hardfought” by Greg Bear
Novelette: “Blood Music” by Greg Bear
Short Story: “The Peacemaker” by Gardner Dozois
Grand Master: Andre Norton
1984
Novel: Neuromancer by William Gibson
Novella: “Press Enter []” by John Varley
Novelette: “Blood Child” by Octavia Butler
Short Story: “Morning Child” by Gardner Dozois
1985
Novel: Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
Novella: “Sailing to Byzantium” by Robert Silverberg
Novelette: “Portraits of His Children” by George R. R. Martin
Short Story: “Out of All Them Bright Stars” by Nancy Kress
Grand Master: Arthur C. Clarke
1986
Novel: Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card
Novella: “R&R” by Lucius Shepard
Novelette: “The Girl Who Fell into the Sky” by Kate Wilhelm
Short Story: “Tangents” by Greg Bear
Grand Master: Isaac Asimov
1987
Novel: The Falling Woman by Pat Murphy
Novella: “The Blind Geometer” by Kim Stanley Robinson
Novelette: “Rachel in Love” by Pat Murphy
Short Story: “Forever Yours, Anna” by Kate Wilhelm
Grand Master: Alfred Bester
1988
Novel: Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold
Novella: “The Last of the Winnebagos” by Connie Willis
Novelette: “Schrödinger’s Kitten” by George Alec Effinger
Short Story: “Bible Stories for Adults, No. 17: The Deluge” by James Morrow
Grand Master: Ray Bradbury
1989
Novel: The Healer’s War by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
Novella: “The Mountains of Mourning” by Lois McMaster Bujold
Novelette: “At the Rialto” by Connie Willis
Short Story: “Ripples in the Dirac Sea” by Geoffrey A. Landis
1990
Novel: Tehanu: The Last Book of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
Novella: “The Hemingway Hoax” by Joe Haldeman
Novelette: “Tower of Babylon” by Ted Chiang
Short Story: “Bears Discover Fire” by Terry Bisson
Grand Master: Lester del Rey
1991
Novel: Stations of the Tide by Michael Swanwick
Novella: “Beggars in Spain” by Nancy Kress
Novelette: “Guide Dog” by Mike Conner
Short Story: “Ma Qui” by Alan Brennert
1992
Novel: Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
Novella: “City Of Truth” by James Morrow
Novelette: “Danny Goes to Mars” by Pamela Sargent
Short Story: “Even the Queen” by Connie Willis
Grand Master: Fred Pohl
1993
Novel: Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
Novella: “The Night We Buried Road Dog” by Jack Cady
Novelette: “Georgia on My Mind” by Charles Sheffield
Short Story: “Graves” by Joe Haldeman
1994
The 1994 Nebulas were awarded at a ceremony in New York City in late April 1995.
Novel: Moving Mars by Greg Bear
Novella: “Seven Views of Olduvai Gorge” by Mike Resnick
Novelette: “The Martian Child” by David Gerrold
Short Story: “A Defense of the Social Contracts” by Martha Soukup
Grand Master: Damon Knight
Author Emeritus: Emil Petaja
1995
Novel: The Terminal Experiment by Robert J. Sawyer
Novella: “Last Summer at Mars Hill” by Elizabeth Hand
Novelette: “Solitude” by Ursula K. Le Guin
Short Story: “Death and the Librarian” by Esther M. Friesner
Grand Master: A. E. van Vogt
Author Emeritus: Wilson “Bob” Tucker
1996
Novel: Slow River by Nicola Griffith
Novella: “Da Vinci Rising” by Jack Dann
Novelette: “Lifeboat on a Burning Sea” by Bruce Holland Rogers
Short Story: “A Birthday” by Esther M. Friesner
Grand Master: Jack Vance
Author Emeritus: Judith Merril
1997
Novel: The Moon and the Sun by Vonda N. McIntyre
Novella: “Abandon in Place” by Jerry Oltion
Novelette: “Flowers of Aulit Prison” by Nancy Kress
Short Story: “Sister Emily’s Lightship” by Jane Yolen
Grand Master: Poul Anderson
Author Emeritus: Nelson Slade Bond
1998
Novel: Forever Peace by Joe Haldeman
Novella: “Reading the Bones” by Sheila Finch
Novelette: “Lost Girls” by Jane Yolen
Short Story: “Thirteen Ways to Water” by Bruce Holland Rogers
Grand Master: Hal Clement (Harry Stubbs)
Author Emeritus: William Tenn (Philip Klass)
1999
Novel: Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler
Novella: “Story of Your Life” by Ted Chiang
Novelette: “Mars Is No Place for Children” by Mary A. Turzillo
Short Story: “The Cost of Doing Business” by Leslie What
Script: The Sixth Sense by M. Night Shyamalan
Grand Master: Brian W. Aldiss
Author Emeritus: Daniel Keyes
2000
Novel: Darwin’s Radio by Greg Bear
Novella: “Goddesses” by Linda Nagata
Novelette: “Daddy’s World” by Walter Jon Williams
Short Story: “macs” by Terry Bisson
Script: Galaxy Quest by Robert Gordon and David Howard
Ray Bradbury Award: Yuri Rasovsky and Harlan Ellison
Grand Master: Philip José Farmer
Author Emeritus: Robert Sheckley
2001
Novel: The Quantum Rose by Catherine Asaro
Novella: “The Ultimate Earth” by Jack Williamson
Novelette: “Louise’s Ghost” by Kelly Link
Short Story: “The Cure for Everything” by Severna Park
Script: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon by James Schamus, Kuo Jung Tsai, and Hui-Ling Wang
President’s Award: Betty Ballantine
2002
Novel: American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Novella: “Bronte’s Egg” by Richard Chwedyk
Novelette: “Hell Is the Absence of God” by Ted Chiang
Short Story: “Creature” by Carol Emshwiller
Script: Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring by Frances Walsh, Phillipa Boyens, and Peter Jackson
Grand Master: Ursula K. Le Guin
Author Emeritus: Katherine MacLean
2003
Novel: Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon
Novella: “Coraline” by Neil Gaiman
Novelette: “The Empire of Ice Cream” by Jeffrey Ford
Short Story: “What I Didn’t See” by Karen Joy Fowler
Script: Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers by Frances Walsh, Phillipa Boyens, Stephen Sinclair, and Peter Jackson
Grand Master: Robert Silverberg
Author
Emeritus: Charles L. Harness
2004
Novel: Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold
Novella: “The Green Leopard Plague” by Walter Jon Williams
Novelette: “Basement Magic” by Ellen Klages
Short Story: “Coming to Terms” by Eileen Gunn
Script: Lord of the Rings: Return of the King by Frances Walsh, Phillipa Boyens, and Peter Jackson
Grand Master: Anne McCaffrey
2005
Novel: Camouflage by Joe Haldeman
Novella: “Magic for Beginners” by Kelly Link
Novelette: “The Faery Handbag” by Kelly Link
Short Story: “I Live with You” by Carol Emshwiller
Script: Serenity by Joss Whedon
Grand Master: Harlan Ellison
Author Emeritus: William F. Nolan
2006
Novel: Seeker by Jack McDevitt
Novella: “Burn” by James Patrick Kelly
Novelette: “Two Hearts” by Peter S. Beagle
Short Story: “Echo” by Elizabeth Hand
Script: Howl’s Moving Castle by Hayao Miyazaki, Cindy Davis Hewitt, and Donald H. Hewitt
Andre Norton Award: Magic or Madness by Justine Larbalestier
Grand Master: James Gunn
Author Emeritus: D. G. Compton
2007
Novel: The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabon
Novella: “Fountain of Age” by Nancy Kress
Novelette: “The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate” by Ted Chiang
Short Story: “Always” by Karen Joy Fowler
Script: Pan’s Labyrinth by Guillermo del Toro