I’ve been lazy lately. I admit it. I only did one blog the other week. I genuinely hope it was last week.
But I should tell you the results of the Dragon Awards.
And no, these aren’t the last of the Dragon Awards, or the end of DragonCon (that I know of). But I need more titles.
1. Best Science Fiction Novel
Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson
Attack Surface by Cory Doctorow
Machine by Elizabeth Bear
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine
And the winner is…
Do I need to tell you that it’s Andy Weir?
2. Best Fantasy Novel (Including Paranormal)
Dead Lies Dreaming by Charles Stross
Battle Ground by Jim Butcher
Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
I was about to say that I didn’t have to tell you that Jim Butcher won, but I’m told Brandon Sanderson is also an awesome writer.
But Jim Butcher won. Believe it or not, this is the first time he’s won this award, for a Dresden novel. And everyone seems to think he should get one for an actual book. But now that he’s got a three-pack, maybe someone else will get it next year.
I’m still blown away that some idiot on Twitter tried to say that Jim Butcher winning for a Dresden novel meant that “the Dragons were still unserious.” Really? Welcome to Twitter, where brain cells go to die.
That’s like saying that Laurell K Hamilton shouldn’t win an award for erotic fiction…
Actually, no, that should probably go to Chloe Tzang. Sadly, I don’t know anyone who gives out that sort of award.
3. 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
Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
A Peculiar Peril by Jeff VanderMeer
The Scapegracers by Hannah Abigail Clarke
Pretty much everyone I know was really Gung Ho about A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher. So I’m not surprised it won. But to be honest, I thought Novik or Philips would win on sheer name recognition.
4. Best Military Science Fiction or Fantasy Novel
Orders of Battle by Marko Kloos
Demon in White by Christopher Ruocchio
Sentenced to War by J.N. Chaney, Jonathan Brazee
Direct Fire by Rick Partlow
Fleet Elements by Walter Jon Williams
Gun Runner by Larry Correia, John D. Brown
Winner: Gun Runner.
Larry Correia keeps telling his readers not to vote for him. So, they vote for books he’s co-authored and say “We’re not voting for Larry, we’re voting for the co-author, honest,” wink wink nudge nudge. When Larry stops co-authoring, then Christopher Ruocchio can finally win, since his fans can’t find an excuse.
…Until, of course, his fans say “It’s been too long since Larry won an award.” But shh, let’s not give them any ideas.
5. Best Alternate History Novel
The Relentless Moon by Mary Robinette Kowal
Daggers in Darkness by S.M. Stirling
1637: No Peace Beyond The Line by Eric Flint, Charles Gannon
A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark
Axiom’s End by Lindsay Ellis
The Russian Cage by Charlaine Harris
Winner: 1637
I can’t say I’m surprised. The 1634 and beyond universe has been insanely popular among its followers.
6. Best Media Tie-In Novel
MacGyver: Meltdown by Eric Kelley, Lee Zlotoff
Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendancy by Timothy Zahn
Shadows Rising World of Warcraft: Shadowlands by Madeleine Roux
Star Wars: Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule
Firefly: Generations by Tim Lebbon
Penitent by Dan Abnett
Winner: Firefly: Generations
The Firefly fanbase is rabid, so they probably got the entire fanbase to vote for one category, then disappeared.
7. Best Horror Novel
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
The Taxidermist’s Lover by Polly Hall
True Story: A Novel by Kate Reed Perry
The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher
Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay
Synchronicity by Michaelbrent Collings
Winner: The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher
I’m not surprised. Kingfisher was popular in one category, and ended up with wins in two. Even I voted for Hollow Places.
Now, from here on out, I didn’t have a horse in … any of these races. I’m not invested. I honestly don’t think I had someone to nominate outside of market sales. But I didn’t read any of them Much of my information on them in secondhand. But…
8. Best Comic Book
Daredevil by Chip Zdarsky, Marco Checchetto
Once & Future by Kieron Gillen, Dan Mora
Invisible Kingdom by G. Willow Wilson, Christian Ward
Monstress by Marjorie Liu, Sana Takeda
Immortal Hulk by Al Ewing, Joe Bennett
X-Men by Jonathan Hickman, Mahmud Asrar
Winner: X-Men
Realy? This one, I don’t get.
Start with the list of nominees. The manga Demon Hunter has out-sold the entire American comic book industry but didn’t even get a nomination?
I liked what I saw of Immortal Hulk, I’ve seen some good work out of Marjorie Liu.
And everything I’ve heard of X-Men lately sounds even worse than the worst of the films. So who the Hell voted for this trash plots and nobody writer?
9. Best Graphic Novel
The Book Tour by Andi Watson
Pulp by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips, Jacob Phillips
The Green Lantern Season Two by Grant Morrison, Liam Sharp
Dracula, Motherf**ker by Alex de Campi, Erica Henderson
The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen
The Magicians: New Class by Lev Grossman, Lilah Sturges, Pius Bak
Winner: The Magicians
Let me get this straight.
Grant Morrison, who has written practically every big name DC Comics has, didn’t win.
Ed Brubaker, who created The Winter Soldier and ran one of the best runs of Captain America I’ve ever seen, didn’t win.
But The Magicians, one of the more horrible, trash premises ever, won?
Something is wrong with the comic book voters out there.
Again, didn’t have a horse in this race, but this makes no intellectual sense.
10. Best Science Fiction or Fantasy TV Series
The Expanse, Amazon
WandaVision, Disney+
Star Trek: Discovery, Paramount+
Resident Alien, SYFY
Loki, Disney+
Shadow & Bone, Netflix
The Nevers, HBO
Winner: The Expanse.
I … have no thoughts on any of these. I haven’t seen a single one. So, yay? Go them?
11. Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Movie
Tenet by Christopher Nolan
The Old Guard by Gina Prince-Bythewood
Justice League by Zack Snyder
Godzilla vs Kong by Adam Wingard
Space Sweepers by Sung-hee Jo
Wonder Woman 1984 by Patty Jenkins
Bill & Ted Face the Music by Dean Parisot
Winner: The Old Guard
Again, I don’t have an opinion here. I figured on Godzilla vs Kong, since I’ve heard largely mixed reviews about everything else. And The Old Guard didn’t really leap out at me when I saw it.
12. Best Science Fiction or Fantasy PC / Console Game
Ghost of Tsushima, Sony Interactive Entertainment
Crusader Kings III, Paradox Interactive
Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, Ubisoft
Cyberpunk 2077, CD Projekt
Hades, Supergiant Games
Star Wars: Squadrons, Electronic Arts
Winner: Assassin’s Creed, Viking LSD Trip
Guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Ubisoft has a large distribution, and the people who are into Assassin’s Creed must fiercely love this franchise, considering how bad it started. If they can get past the terrible plotting and fighting mechanics of the first game, they must love it.
I can see how the others didn’t win. Hades was smaller and more indie, Cyberpunk was a dumpster fire (I don’t even know how it was nominated), Squadrons was a shorter game. I don’t even think either Ghost of Tsushima or Crusader Kings III counts as SFF.
So, it makes sense, I suppose.
13. Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Mobile Game
Genshin Impact, miHoYo
Harry Potter: Puzzles and Spells, Zynga
Alba: A Wildlife Adventure, Ustwo & Plug in Digital
South of the Circle, State of Play Games
Empire of Sin, Paradox Interactive
Orwell’s Animal Farm, The Dairymen Ltd.
Winner: Harry Potter.
I know, I’m shocked too. (We need a sarcasm font for moments like this.) I don’t even know what I voted for, so, we know how invest I am in this.
14. Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Board Game
Marvel United, CMON Games
Dune: Imperium, Dire Wolf Games
Pandemic: Legacy Season 0, Z-Man Games
Oceans, North Star Games
Sleeping Gods, Red Raven Games
Curious Cargo, Capstone Games
Winner: Dune
Dune as a board game. Huh.
15. Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Miniatures / Collectible Card / Role-Playing Game
Magic: The Gathering, Zendikar Rising, Wizards of the Coast
Magic: The Gathering, Strixhaven: School of Mages, Wizards of the Coast
Cyberpunk RED, R. Talsorian Games
Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount, Wizards of the Coast
Warhammer: Age of Sigmar: Soulbound Role-Playing Game, Cubicle 7
Pokemon TCG: Champion’s Path Elite Trainer Box, Pokemon
Winner: Warhammer
Again, not a surprise. It’s a franchise that’s been a juggernaut for decades.
All in all, I like most of the winners. Some of these I don’t understand, but most I do.
Overall, I think this was a great Dragon Awards. Let’s do this again next year. Maybe there will be some films, TV and comics that are halfway decent.
And by then, there will even be a Demon Hunter video game. Heh.
Gah! Way to give me a heart attack. For a minute, I thought the title meant the Dragons had gone the way of the Hugos. You really need new titles - how about "Dragons' Landing" next time? Or "the Dragons Come Home to Roost"? (Okay, that last one is corny, but it can be tweaked with a little work.)
I saw the first season of The Expanse and got into the second before I got sidetracked and never got back to it. It's actually a decent scifi show. Yeah, there's a touch of PC in it and at times it's pretty predictable, but at other times it really does shine. The only reason I never bought the books is because they're like twice the price of what every other author gets. Which is weird.