Okay, we may not be as prestigious or glamorous as the Hugo, the Nebula, or the World Fantasy Awards, but winning a Hottie still means something, right!?! Well, maybe not but what the heck!?!
For the sake of posterity, I've also included my Top 10 SFF novels and the runner-up titles of the year in this post.
Without further ado, here are the 2011 Hottie Awards!
Top 10 Speculative Fiction Titles of 2011
1- Steven Erikson's The Crippled God [Tor, Bantam Press]
2- C. S. Friedman's Legacy of Kings [Daw, Orbit]
3- George R. R. Martin's A Dance With Dragons [Bantam Dell, Voyager]
4- R. Scott Bakker's The White-Luck Warrior [Penguin Canada, The Overlook Press, Orbit]
4- R. Scott Bakker's The White-Luck Warrior [Penguin Canada, The Overlook Press, Orbit]
5- James S. A. Corey's Leviathan Wakes [Orbit]
6- Robert McCammon's The Five [Subterranean Press]
7- Joe Abercrombie's The Heroes [Orbit, Gollancz]
8- Patrick Rothfuss' The Wise Man's Fear [Daw, Gollancz]
9- Melanie Rawn's The Diviner [Daw]
10- Bradley P. Beaulieu's The Winds of Khalakovo [Nightshade Books]
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11- Robin Hobb's The Inheritance and Other Stories [Voyager]
12- Carrie Vaughn's Kitty's Greatest Hits [Tor]
13- Peter F. Hamilton's Manhattan in Reverse [Del Rey, Macmillan]
14- Jasper Kent's The Third Section [Pyr, Bantam Press]
15- Alastair Reynolds' Troika [Subterranean Press]
16- Mark Lawrence's Prince of Thorns [Ace, Voyager]
17- Jeff Somers' The Final Evolution [Orbit]
18- Brandon Sanderson's The Alloy of Law [Tor, Gollancz]
19- Brian Ruckley's The Edinburgh Dead [Orbit]
20- Mark Hodder's The Curious Case of the Clockwork Man [Pyr]
PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR AWARD
- Daw
With three titles in my top 10, a couple of New York Times bestsellers, and the World Fantasy Award for best novel this year, it looks as though Daw can still kick some serious ass!
FAVORITE SFF BLOG
- The Wertzone
Adam has always been a passionate SFF fan and he remains one of my most trusted sources when it comes to books!
BEST SFF MESSAGE BOARD
- Westeros
Honorable mention: SFFWorld.com
Hands down, the two most interesting and lively SFF message boards on the web!
MOST AMBITIOUS PROJECT AWARD
- The Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson and Ian Cameron Esslemont
In terms of depth and scope, nothing even comes close to this series. I say that every year, I know, but it's true! Problem is, it was perhaps a bit too ambitious. Erikson will now need two additional trilogies to "complete" his portion of the tale. But hey, I'm not complaining! ;-)
MOST OVERRATED NOVEL AWARD
- China Miéville's Embassytown
I like Miéville, no doubt about it. But this one was sleep-inducing for the better part of the book. . .
MOST UNDERRATED NOVEL AWARD
- C. S. Friedman's Legacy of Kings
Friedman's The Magister trilogy is one of the very best fantasy series of the new millennium, and yet it sometimes feels as though I'm the only one who has read it. Give these books a shot, damn it!
BEST COVER ART AWARD
- Steve Stone's cover art for Steven Erikson's The Crippled God.
Awesome! I love it!
WORST COVER ART AWARD
- Matthew Hughes' The Other
Pure visual crap. . .
INTERVIEW OF THE YEAR
- R. Scott Bakker, part 1 and part 2
For the first time in his career, Bakker was actually spoilerish!
MOST PROMISING NEW VOICE AWARD
- Bradley P. Beaulieu
Although The Winds of Khalakovo suffered from a number of shortcomings, at times it was simply brilliant.
It looks as though Beaulieu could be the real deal. . .
COMEBACK OF THE YEAR AWARD
- Daw
For the same reasons stated for the Publisher of the Year award! It is obvious that the commercial success of Patrick Rothfuss has allowed them to experiment with new styles and directions, which is for the best. It doesn't hurt that all of their big names released novels this year as well.
UNEXPECTED SURPRISE AWARD
- James S. A. Corey's Leviathan Wakes
Honorable mention: Melanie Rawn's The Diviner
I didn't really know what to expect, but Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck really knocked the ball out of the park with this one!
MOST DISAPPOINTING NOVEL AWARD
- We have a three-way tie between China Miéville's Embassytown, Daniel Abraham's The Dragon's Path, and Peter Orullian's The Unremembered.
I had high expectations for all three, but sadly none lived up to them. . .
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: BEST DEBUT
- Bradley P. Beaulieu's The Winds of Khalakovo
Honorable mention: Mark Lawrence's Prince of Thorns
For a while, it looked as though Mark Lawrence would be cruising toward an easy victory. But December came and I read the Beaulieu. What can I say? Shit happens. It was a close call, but The Winds of Khalakovo ended up the victor.
Still, things are looking up for both authors!
THE LOIS McMASTER BUJOLD "THIS ONE WILL WIN AN AWARD OR THREE" AWARD
- China Miéville's Embassytown
Well, it's China Miéville. . .
MVP AWARD
- Betsy Wollheim and Sheila Gilbert, the heart and soul of Daw Books.
It goes without saying that 2011 was a terrific year for Daw. A smaller publisher, they don't necessarily have the means to always compete with the genre powerhouses out there. But Rothfuss' success demonstrated yet again how important it is to have a passionate publisher backing you and promoting your books. This commercial success has allowed Daw to explore new horizons, which bodes well for the years to come. It's nice to see them on top once again! Well-deserved!
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