The Dragon Award nominees were announced this morning. Gun Runner, by me and John Brown, is up for best Mil SF. Ironically, I know almost every other author in that same category, and they’re awesome. Hell, I’ve Book Bombed two of them. š I’ve known Marko since before either of us were writers. I think Christopher is one of the best young writers alive. I was just talking to Rick this morning before either of us realized we were nominated in the same category!
Best of luck to all the nominees. That’s a lot of talent in that category. I usually tell my fans to spread the love because I’ve won before, but not for collaborative works. Then it’s about the other guy getting recognized, and John Brown is a great writer and all around wonderful human being.
For me personally, looking over the ballot, I figure Andy Weir takes sci-fi with Hail Mary. Jim Butcher takes fantasy with Battle Ground (but he’s up against Brandon Sanderson, so coin flip). No idea on YA. Alternate History, Eric and Chuck. Tie in, I like Abnett, but Zahn is the master, and it’s for Thrawn. Horror I’m really rooting for Michaelbrent Collings (I taught him to shoot!).
Comics and graphic novels, not my area, so no idea. On TV, I’m voting for the Expanse because I’m Team Amos. No idea on the movies (I watch almost nothing the year it comes out). Ghost of Tsushima was brilliant. And haven’t played any of the table top games
It’s an honor to be on the same ballot as you and Walter Jon Williams, man. Hell, Voice of the Whirlwind is the book that got me started writing cyberpunk-flavored Mil SF and space opera, one of the main things that kick started my career.
“Voice of the Whirlwind” is one of my all time favorites, along with “Hardwired”.
Congratulations, Larry!
Just finished Bloodlines. Great stuff! Good to see all the usual suspects back in play. I hate to ask, but have you penciled in time to write the sequel?
Dave Small
Next book is in the works. No idea on date yet.
I was hoping for a Peace Talks/ Battleground situation. Oh well. Keep up the good work.
Are there any plans for a potential Gun Runner sequel?
Possibly, but not nailed down yet.
In a way, the Dragon Awards ballot this year is making me a little sad. I remember when I had time to read that many books, but now days I’m lucky if I can keep up with a couple favorite authors. This year in particular, because I have read exactly ONE book on the entire ballot (guess which one LOL!) While other people seemed to be getting more reading time due to the pandemic lockdowns, I ended up with less because I still had to work full time AND I had to chase kiddos around and (try to) make them do their school work (among other things). Sigh…
Also, as a funny aside. MARKO KLOOS!?!?! That guy is still writing?!?! Dangit… I lost track between books a few years ago and forgot to go back and see if he published anything else. Holy crap I got some catching up to do. Sigh… On the bright side, since I’ve moved to e-books at least I am not in danger of being buried alive if my to-read pile falls over on top of me anymore.
I feel exactly the way yo do about the ballot.
I like Kloos, he’s the only Tor author I buy, and his short story “Lucky 13” was the best episode of Love, Death, and Robots S1 (all three Scalzi entries were nihilistic, cynical crap). I’m reading his latest, Citadel (the Palladium Wars) right now. It came out Tuesday.
I already finished your latest, only took a couple of days. The twist at the end is…interesting. I’m wondering how our long-lived character didn’t recognize him earlier.
Said long lived character got cut off from that branch of the family when a certain other Shackleford’s wife left him and took the kids. š
I’m going to have to reread some MHI to follow some family twists on that, because I’m not quite remembering…oh the humanatee.
Holy Cowbells!!! That … well… it doesn’t explain everything, but wow! Nice bit of MHI trivia. I bet you’ll be having a lot of fun writing the scene where they throw down (and we’ll be eating it up!)
“all three Scalzi entries were nihilistic, cynical crap”
I hear the sky is blue, bears defecate in the woods, and the Pope is a member of the Church of Rome.
I appreciate Iām not the only one who feels this way about scalzi books. Iāve only poked my toe into the scalzi-verse a few times but my reaction is always:
– The author doesnāt really care about these characters
– I get no sense of overarching purpose/real moral universe (I find that interacting with a moral universe that the author takes seriously a necessity for a story to be engaging)
Which, to be fair, has been my general experience with the majority of science fiction writ large.
I’m already hearing some grumbles from the other side that the Dragons are “too white”.
God, these people never take a day off, do they?
As if the Hugos weren’t? Before Nora came along, it was all white and one Asian. Now they vote her in every year just so they don’t have to read another one.
Nope. They are filled with the dreadful suspicion that someone, somewhere, is enjoying a fun book. (With apologies to H.L. Menken)
Time to start writing all dragon speech as either eubonics, or interlaced with spanish!
Oh wait, no, that would be racist.
I always liked Marko. I was just telling a co-worker last week about his essay, ‘Why the gun is civilization’. Great stuff.
And a quick search from my phone when I was showing it to the guy told me Marko is STILL getting shafted on the credit to that essay that he wrote back when he was known to most of us as The Munchkin Wrangler.
I cast my ballot before reading this post.
Yes for Andy Weir, yes for Michaelbrent Collings, yes for Jim Butcher and hell yes for Timothy Zahn and Thrawn. Also checked the box for SM Stirling in alt-hist over Flint and Gannon.
Haven’t a clue about comix, graphic novels or gaming, so that was a case of eenie-meenie-minie-moe, catch a nerd by the toe. *shrug*
Monstress for the comic. Yeah, it gets nominated a lot, but it’s gorgeous, and the rest are… not good.
I’m voting Gunrunner just to get some recognition for John Brown. I know you’ve already got one.
For games you should give Days Gone a Chance. I think itās one you would like.
P.s. any date set on a a monster hunter bloodlines for audible?
Early September
Will you be making nerd Mardi Gras this year?
Larry, love your books. Long time reader, first time poster. Iāve bought the audiobooks and ebook versions, separately, for most of your stuff. I will probably participate in fueling your lifestyle for as long as I can š
Gun Runner was super fun, especially at a time when I needed all the fun I could find. Combine mechwarrior, Godzilla and blade runner, pure magic.
In a better alternative reality we would see a tv series for it in short order.
However, I think the award should go to Demon in White. To be honest, that series, and in particular, that entry, is so good itās actual competition is not this yearās Dragon Award contestants. Itās real competition is the novel Dune.
I donāt get the sense Christopher is real famous yet, but (maybe after the awards? Not fair to you) maybe book bomb him?
I think Christopher is one of the most talented new authors alive. I’d love for him to win.
Sadly, social media throttling algorithms have basically killed book bombs as we know them.
Larry,
Considering the funding and talent coming available through Sub Stack, have you ever thought about graphic novels? Marvel and DC are dead as Democrat voters. Huge hole in that market for good stories. Seems to me MHI and Hard magic are tailor made to claim all the money.
Any word on a sequel to Gunrunners? It was amazeballs.
The mark of a book thatās a hoot to read? Being the first in your office to finish, then sitting back and chortling as you wait for coworkers to hit certain Moments.
And plenty of shooting IN the book I got nomād for (Synchronicity), so thanks, Larry!
Project Hail Mary is quite good. I would be very surprised if it didn’t win best SF.
Currently reading “The Family Business” by Kupari. I assume it was published late enough in the year that it qualifies for next years ballot, not this one?