Dragon Ballot 2021

It's here.

I’ve got some good news. The Dragon Award Ballot is out. Let’s see who’s on it, shall we?

First up, Best Science Fiction Novel

And the finalists are…

• Attack Surface by Cory Doctorow

• Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline

• The Ministry of the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson

• A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine

• Machine by Elizabeth Bear

• Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

• Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Who?

I kid, but barely.

I know Andy Weir. If you’ve seen or read The Martian, so have you. I’ve been a fan of his since his webcomic Cheshire Crossing (Mister Weir, you’re famous now, if you want to finish the damn story, please do so, damnit). From there I went on to his other webcomic … which I’ve forgotten the name of (it had “Andy” in the title, but damned if I can recall the rest.)

I’ve at least heard of Doctorow. Robinson and Bear ring a faint bell, somewhere off in the distance. Everyone else… I repeat: Who?

I’m voting Weir on this one.

Moving on to…

Best Fantasy Novel (Including Paranormal)

• Battle Ground by Jim Butcher

• Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson

• Dead Lies Dreaming by Charles Stross

• Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

• The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

• Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow

Butcher, cool. Sanderson, cool.

Everyone else … yikes, who are these people? I feel like I should know Susanna Clarke, maybe Stross, but I couldn’t tell you who they are for the life of me.

I’m voting Butcher on this one, for the record. Battle Ground was awesome, so he can finally get an award for a Dresden novel.

Best Young Adult / Middle Grade Novel

• The Tinderbox: Soldier of Indira by Lou Diamond Phillips

• A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher

• The Scapegracers by Hannah Abigail Clarke

• A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

• A Peculiar Peril by Jeff VanderMeer

• Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger

Hey, a bunch of friends of mine wanted to vote for A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking. I’m glad they got their wish. And Naomi Novik is still writing, that’s good for her. And Lou Diamond Phillips has a book out? I might even check that one.

Until I’ve read them all, I’ll have to go for A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking.

Next

Best Military Science Fiction or Fantasy Novel

• Gun Runner by Larry Correia, John D. Brown

• Demon in White by Christopher Ruocchio

• Sentenced to War by J.N. Chaney, Jonathan Brazee

• Fleet Elements by Walter Jon Williams

• Direct Fire by Rick Partlow

• Orders of Battle by Marko Kloos

Hey, Chris has an award nomination again. Damn that’s awesome. Unfortunately, he doesn’t want to be in MilSF. He wants to be in SF. Oh well, like with my books, once he’s in a category, it’s impossible to get out of it.

And Chris is up against John Brown, so that might get dicey.

My vote here goes to Demon in White.

Best Alternate History Novel

• 1637: No Peace Beyond The Line by Eric Flint, Charles Gannon

• Daggers in Darkness by S.M. Stirling

• The Russian Cage by Charlaine Harris

• A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark

• Axiom's End by Lindsay Ellis

• The Relentless Moon by Mary Robinette Kowal

Hey, Doctor Gannon finally has a nomination. Cool. He gets my vote.

As for the others … eh, I’ve met Stirling, so to heck with him. Harris has been okay, I don’t think I want to see her do Alternate History, though. Ellis can take a long walk off of a short plank. And I see Kowal found enough people at Tor to fake some IP.

My vote here goes to 1637: No Peace Beyond The Line

Best Media Tie-In Novel

Firefly: Generations by Tim Lebbon

Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendancy by Timothy Zahn

Penitent by Dan Abnett

Shadows Rising World of Warcraft: Shadowlands by Madeleine Roux

Star Wars: Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule

MacGyver: Meltdown by Eric Kelley, Lee Zlotoff

Question Title

Best Horror Novel

• The Taxidermist's Lover by Polly Hall

• True Story: A Novel by Kate Reed Perry

• Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay

• The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

• The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher

• Synchronicity by Michaelbrent Collings

Nope. Good luck with this one.

Best Comic Book

• Monstress by Marjorie Liu, Sana Takeda

• Immortal Hulk by Al Ewing, Joe Bennett

• Invisible Kingdom by G. Willow Wilson, Christian Ward

• Once & Future by Kieron Gillen, Dan Mora

• X-Men by Jonathan Hickman, Mahmud Asrar

• Daredevil by Chip Zdarsky, Marco Checchetto

I read Immortal Hulk for a while. It didn’t suck. It was even, gasp, fun.

I’m sure someone can point out to me how it turned to garbage.

Best Graphic Novel

• The Book Tour by Andi Watson

• The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen

• Pulp by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips, Jacob Phillips

• The Magicians: New Class by Lev Grossman, Lilah Sturges, Pius Bak

• Dracula, Motherf**ker by Alex de Campi, Erica Henderson

• The Green Lantern Season Two by Grant Morrison, Liam Sharp

Ah, Ed Brubaker. Good to see he’s still kicking.

Best Science Fiction or Fantasy TV Series

• WandaVision, Disney+

• Resident Alien, SYFY

• Shadow & Bone, Netflix

• The Expanse, Amazon

• The Nevers, HBO

• Loki, Disney+

• Star Trek: Discovery, Paramount+

Oh look, nothing but crap.

I guess it’s time for The Expanse to win again.

Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Movie

• Bill & Ted Face the Music by Dean Parisot

• Godzilla vs Kong by Adam Wingard

• The Old Guard by Gina Prince-Bythewood

• Justice League by Zack Snyder

• Space Sweepers by Sung-hee Jo

• Tenet by Christopher Nolan

• Wonder Woman 1984 by Patty Jenkins

This one isn’t filled with suck. Cool. I’ve heard good things about Justice League and Gozilla v Kong (never has a lawsuit been more fun). Some people even liked Tenent. I saw the Old Guard, but it was a little slow for me.

Vote goes to: Godzilla vs Kong by Adam Wingard

Best Science Fiction or Fantasy PC / Console Game

• Assassin's Creed: Valhalla, Ubisoft

• Star Wars: Squadrons, Electronic Arts

• Cyberpunk 2077, CD Projekt

• Hades, Supergiant Games

• Ghost of Tsushima, Sony Interactive Entertainment

• Crusader Kings III, Paradox Interactive

For the first time, I’m surprised I know most of these.

Now, here, I’ll make a bet.

I’m voting for Crusader Kings III. I’ll be happy if it goes to Hades. But it’ll probably go to something stupid like Valhalla.

Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Mobile Game

• Alba: A Wildlife Adventure, Ustwo & Plug in Digital

• South of the Circle, State of Play Games

• Harry Potter: Puzzles and Spells, Zynga

• Empire of Sin, Paradox Interactive

• Genshin Impact, miHoYo

• Orwell's Animal Farm, The Dairymen Ltd.

I’ve been out of the mobile scene too long. I haven’t heard of any of these.

But I’m definitely checking out Orwell's Animal Farm

Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Board Game

• Curious Cargo, Capstone Games

• Oceans, North Star Games

• Sleeping Gods, Red Raven Games

• Pandemc: Legacy Season 0, Z-Man Games

• Dune: Imperium, Dire Wolf Games

• Marvel United, CMON Games

Nope. I’m telling all these guys to F off. I don’t bother with board games.

15. Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Miniatures / Collectible Card / Role-Playing Game

• Pokemon TCG: Champion's Path Elite Trainer Box, Pokemon

• Warhammer: Age of Sigmar: Soulbound Role-Playing Game, Cubicle 7

• Magic: The Gathering, Zendikar Rising, Wizards of the Coast

• Cyberpunk RED, R. Talsorian Games

• Magic: The Gathering, Strixhaven: School of Mages, Wizards of the Coast

• Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, Wizards of the Coast

Again, not my categories.

So, who do you want to vote for out of this list?