The Dragon Awards, which were launched by DragonCon a year or two back, have released their shortlists. There are 15 different categories (you can find the full list here); these are the main science fiction categories.
Best Science Fiction Novel
A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers
Babylon’s Ashes by James S.A. Corey
Death’s End by Cixin Liu
Escaping Infinity by Richard Paolinelli
Rise by Brian Guthrie
Space Tripping by Patrick Edwards
The Collapsing Empire by John Scalzi
The Secret Kings by Brian Niemeier
Best Military Science Fiction or Fantasy Novel
Allies and Enemies: Exiles by Amy J. Murphy
Caine’s Mutiny by Charles E. Gannon
Cartwright’s Cavaliers by Mark Wandrey
Invasion: Resistance by J.F. Holmes
Iron Dragoons by Richard Fox
Star Realms: Rescue Run by Jon Del Arroz
Starship Liberator by B.V. Larson and David VanDyke
The Span of Empire by Eric Flint and David Carrico
Best Alternate History Novel
1636: The Ottoman Onslaught by Eric Flint
A Change in Crime by D.R. Perry
Another Girl, Another Planet by Lou Antonelli
Breath of Earth by Beth Cato
Fallout: The Hot War by Harry Turtledove
No Gods, Only Daimons by Kai Wai Cheah
The Last Days of New Paris by China Mieville
Witchy Eye by D.J. Butler
Best Apocalyptic Novel
A Place Outside the Wild by Daniel Humphreys
American War by Omar El Akkad
Codename: Unsub by Declan Finn and Allan Yoskowitz
The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin
The Seventh Age: Dawn by Rick Heinz
Walkaway by Cory Doctorow
ZK: Falling by J.F. Holmes
From the start, the Dragon Awards have tended to favour the sorts of works promoted by the Rabid Puppies, but this year there seem to be definite signs of interference by the Puppies in the nominating and voting process. Enough, at least, to prompt two of the nominees, John Scalzi in the Best Science Fiction category and Alison Littlewood, whose novel The Hidden People was shortlisted in the Best Horror category, to ask that their books be withdrawn from the ballot.
However, in a recent statement, Alison Littlewood has announced that the Dragon Award administrators have refused to remove her book from the ballot. It is unclear whether or not they have removed Scalzi’s novel from the ballot, but it is still listed at the Dragon Awards web site. This would appear to be unprecedented, and does not reflect well on the integrity of the Awards.
Dark Orbit
From Nebula and Hugo Award–nominated Carolyn Ives Gilman comes Dark Orbit, a compelling novel featuring alien contact, mystery, and murder.
Reports of a strange, new habitable planet have reached the Twenty Planets of human civilization. When a team of scientists is assembled to investigate this world, exoethnologist Sara Callicot is recruited to keep an eye on an unstable crewmate.
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