Although circulation suffered, the sf magazines—especially Asimov's and F&SF—published a lot of good fiction. Omni and Playboy also did some fine stories. There were about fifteen original anthologies. Altogether, there were approximately six hundred new works of short fiction published in 1984.
Obituaries: A. Bertram Chandler, 72, died June 6, 1984, after a heart attack. Although Chandler, a sea captain, started as a John W. Campbell/Astounding author in 1944, he made his science fictional name as a novelist for Ace. His "Grimes" stories, which transferred his seagoing experience into space, proved popular for thirty years. William L. Crawford, 72, who started both the small press field and the semi-professional magazine field in the thirties, died January 26, 1984. Walter Tevis, 56, died of lung cancer on August 9, 1984. His most famous sf novels were The Man Who Fell to Earth (1963) and Mockingbird (1980). Other deaths included Charles G. Finney, 79, author of The Circus of Dr. Lao, Leonard Wibberly, 68, author of The Mouse That Roared, and Johnny Weismuller, 79, the embodiment of Tarzan.
Tim Powers won the Philip K. Dick Memorial Award for best paperback original of 1983 with The Anubis Gates. The award was presented at Norwescon in March, 1984.
The John W. Campbell Memorial Award for best novel of 1983 went to Gene Wolfe for The Citadel of the Autarch. The award was presented at the University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, July 28.
The 1983 Nebula Awards were presented at a banquet aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California, on April 28, 1984, with lots of "ship of fools" jokes. Winners were: Best Novel, Startide Rising by David Brin; Best Novella, "Hardfought" by Greg Bear; Best Novelette, "Blood Music" by Greg Bear; Best Short Story, "The Peacemaker" by Gardner Dozois. The Nebulas are nominated and voted on by members of the Science Fiction Writers of America.
The 1984 Locus Awards were announced on June 20. Winners were: Best SF Novel, Startide Rising by David Brin; Best Fantasy Novel, The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley; Best First Novel, Tea With the Black Dragon by R.A. MacAvoy; Best Novella, "Her Habiline Husband" by Michael Bishop; Best Novelette, "The Monkey Treatment" by George R.R. Martin; Best Short Story, "Beyond the Dead Reef" by James Tiptree, Jr.; Best Anthology, The Best SF of the Year #12 edited by Terry Carr; Best Single Author Collection, Unicorn Variations by Roger Zelazny; Best Related Nonfiction Book, Dream Makers, Volume II by Charles Platt; Best Artist, Michael Whelan; Best Magazine, Locus; Best Publisher, Ballantine/Del Rey. The Locus Awards are chosen by subscribers to Locus magazine.
The 1984 Hugo Awards were presented in Anaheim, California, September 2, 1984. Winners were: Best Novel, Startide Rising by David Brin; Best Novella, "Cascade Point" by Timothy Zahn; Best Novelette, "Blood Music" by Greg Bear; Best Short Story, "Speech Sounds" by Octavia Butler; Best Nonfiction Book, The Encyclopedia of SF & Fantasy, Vol. Ill, by Donald H. Tuck; Best Dramatic Presentation, Return of the Jedi; Best Professional Editor, Shawna McCarthy; Best Professional Artist. Michael Whelan; Best Semi-Prozine, Locus, edited by Charles N. Brown; Best Fanzine, File 770, edited by Mike Glyer; Best Fan Writer, Mike Glyer; Best Fan Artist, Alexis Gilliland. The John W. Campbell Award for best new writer went to R.A. MacAvoy. Nominations and voting for the Hugos and the Campbell Award are open to any member of the World Science Fiction Convention in the year of presentation.
The 1984 World Fantasy Awards were presented at the World Fantasy Convention in Toronto, Canada, on October 14. Winners were: Life Achievement, L. Sprague de Camp, Richard Matheson, E. Hoffman Price, Jack Vance, and Donald
Wandrei; Best Novel, The Dragon Waiting by John M. Ford; Best Novella, "Black Air" by Kim Stanley Robinson; Best Short Fiction, "Elle Est Trois (La Mort)" by Tanith Lee: Best Anthology/Collection, High Spirits by Robertson Da-vies; Best Artist, Steve Gervais; Special Award (Professional), Ian and Betty Ballantine, Joy Chant, George Sharp, and David Larkin for The High Kings; Special Award (Non-Professional), Stephen Jones and David Sutton, for Fantasy Tales; Special Convention Award, Donald M. Grant. The awards are chosen by a panel of judges.
LAcon II, the 42nd World Science Fiction Convention, held August 30 to September 3, 1984, was both the largest and the most profitable science fiction convention ever held. Because Constellation, last year's convention, budgeted too high and lost $40,000, the LAcon committee did some very tight planning. They ended up with a record attendance of 8,200 and a profit of nearly $200,000, which is being used for various fannish and science fictional projects. The convention itself, spread over several hotels and a huge convention center, was excellent and, despite the number of people, uncrowded. This annual sf party has been getting better with age and has something for everyone, from the rankest beginner to the oldest jaded fan.
The 43rd World Science Fiction Convention will be held in Melbourne, Australia. August 22 to 26, 1985. Guests of Honor are Gene Wolfe and Ted White. For information on membership, write Fred Patten, 11863 West Jefferson Blvd. Apt. 1, Culver City, CA 90230, USA.
The North American Science Fiction Convention (The First Occasional Lone Star SF Convention & Chili Cook-Off) will be held in Austin, TX, August 30-September 2, 1985. Guests of Honor are Jack Vance, Richard Powers, Joanne Burger, and Chad Oliver. For membership information write NASFIC, Box 9612, Austin, TX 78766.
The 44th World Science Fiction Convention, Confederation, will be held in Atlanta, GA, August 28-September 1, 1986. Guests of Honor will include Ray Bradbury, Terry Carr, and Bob Shaw. For membership information write Confederation, 2500 N. Atlanta St. #1986, Smyrna, GA 30080.
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Charles N. Brown is the editor of Locus, the newspaper of the science fiction field; it appears monthly and is in its eighteenth year of publication. Copies are $2.50 each. Subscriptions in the United States are $24.00 for twelve issues, $45.00 for twenty-four issues, via second-class mail. First-class subscriptions in the U.S. or Canada are $31.00 for twelve issues, $59.00 for twenty-four issues. Overseas subscriptions are $26.00 for twelve issues, $49.00 for twenty-four issues, via sea mail. Airmail overseas subscriptions are $38.00 for twelve issues, $72.00 for twenty-four issues. All subscriptions are payable only in U.S. funds to Locus Publications, P.O. Box 13305, Oakland, CA 94661.
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RECOMMENDED READING
Terry Carr
BRIAN ALDISS: "The Gods in Flight." Interzone, Autumn 1984; and Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, Mid-December 1984.
BEN BOVA: "Out of Time." Omni, November 1984.
DAVID BRIN: "Cyclops." Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, March 1984.
DAMIEN BRODERICK: "Coming Back." Omega Science Digest, July-August 1984.
EDWARD BRYANT: "Pilots of the Twilight." Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, Mid-December 1984.
PAT CADIGAN: "Variation on a Man." Omni, January 1984.
GORDON EKLUND: "Chambers of Memory." Light Years and Dark.
SHARON N. FARBER: "Passing as a Flower in the City of the Dead." Universe 14.
MOLLY GLOSS: "Interlocking Pieces." Universe 14. "Joining." Fantasy and Science Fiction, June 1984.
HARVEY JACOBS: "The Man Who Came Close." Fantasy and Science Fiction, December 1984.
JACK McDEVITT: "Promises to Keep." Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, December 1984.
M. SARGENT MACKAY: "Demon Lover." Fantasy and Science Fiction, June 1984.
PAT MURPHY: "Art in the War Zone." Universe 14.
DAVID OHLE: "Bagatelle." The Missouri Review, Vol. VII, no. 2.
FREDERIK POHL: "The Kindly Isle." Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, November 1984.
KIM STANLEY ROBINSON: "Ridge Running." Fantasy and Science Fiction, January 1984.
JOANNA RUSS: "Bodies." Extra(ordinary) People.
HILBERT SCHENCK: "Silicon Muse." Analog, September
1984. LEWIS SHINER: "Till Human Voices Wake Us." Fantasy and Science Fiction, May 1984.
GARY W.-SHOCKLEY: "The Coming of the Goonga." The Clarion Awards.
HOWARD WALDROP: "Helpless, Helpless." Light Years and Dark.
Table of Content
s
Acknowledgments
Contents
Introduction
Press Enter
Blued Moon
Summer Solstice
Morning Child
The Aliens Who Knew, I Mean, Everything
A Day in the Skin (or, The Century We Were Out of Them)
Instructions
The Lucky Strike
Green Hearts
Bloodchild
Trojan Horse
Fears
Trinity
1984, the SF Year in Review
Recommended Reading
Best Science Fiction of the Year 14 Page 43