After my last post about the Dragon Award website, I sent the gist of the post as an email to the email addresses I had for the awards. I’ve not had a reply and it may be a coincidence but some of the issues have been fixed:

• The register vote button now works and allows you to register to vote (note that’s for the second stage of voting – it’s not the nomination page).
• The rules now exist: http://application.dragoncon.org/dragon_awards_terms_conditions.php I think these are the same rules with new dates.

Getting to the nomination page is still circuitous. Find the 2017 “Nominations are now live” news post and that has a link to this year’s nomination page. They’ve also fixed the first sentence which now says “Welcome to the annual Dragon Awards” instead of “Welcome to the third annual Dragon Awards”. The register to vote page still has the old sentence though.

It has been a couple of months since I last checked on the Dragon Award website. Nothing has changed in the interim. To recap:

• The awards are supposed to open for nominations in November.
• As far as I am aware no announcement for 2019 has been made.
• The register to vote link at the top navigation bar…simply takes you back to the front page.
• A 2017 post saying “Nominations are now live” (in the ‘Recent Posts’ side bar) does have a link to a nomination page.
• That page says “Welcome to the third annual Dragon Awards!” which implies it is last year’s page but…
• …says “Nomination Deadline: July 20, 2019” implying it is this year’s page.
• To nominate using this page you have to agree to the rules of the competition but the “rules” link leads only to the generic Dragon Con page.
• The “Process” page says a qualifying novel is “around 70,000 words long” implying it might be a bit less or a bit more.
• The “?” hover text on the nomination page says a qualifying novel is “at least 70,000 words long” implying it cannot be less but can be any size bigger than that.

This remains the strangest way of promoting an award I have ever seen.

[ETA: There’s an extra outbreak of revisionist Puppy history at Mad Genius Club: https://madgeniusclub.com/2019/02/16/fanhistory/ It’s not substantive enough for a post because it’s a secondhand account of somebody’s else presentation. There’s points were nominations and final votes seem to be being confused but I don’t want to attribute the claim to either the post writer or the original presenter because it’s not clear enough. However, this line stood out: “Dave Doering thinks that the Sad Puppy legacy was good for fandom. They led to the development of a truly descriptive award, the Dragons.” Hmmmm…]

I’m pulling these from Red Panda Fraction’s live tweeing:

They must have nimble little paws to tweet so swiftly.

Overall, largely unsurprising safe choices. Stray observations:

• The YA winner looks interesting (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34728667-children-of-blood-and-bone ).
• Sarah Hoyt gets an award – good for her.
• Game of Thrones winning best TV is the most dull of all the choices.

Best Science Fiction Novel: Artemis by Andy Weir
It Takes Death to Reach a Star by Gareth Worthington and Stu Jones
Persepolis Rising by James S.A. Corey
The Mutineer’s Daughter by Chris Kennedy and Thomas A. Mays
Win by Vera Nazarian
Sins of Her Father by Mike Kupari

Best Fantasy Novel (Including Paranormal): Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson
Shoot the Messenger by Pippa DaCosta
War Hammer by Shayne Silvers
The Land: Predators by Aleron Kong
The Traitor God by Cameron Johnston
A Tempered Warrior by Jon R. Osborne

Best Young Adult / Middle-Grade Novel: Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Cold Bath Street by A.J. Hartley
A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas
When Tinker Met Bell by Alethea Kontis
Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne
Warcross by Marie Lu

Best Military Science Fiction or Fantasy Novel: A Call to Vengeance by David Weber, Timothy Zahn, and Thomas Pope
Communications Failure by Joe Zieja
Points of Impact by Marko Kloos
Ghost Marines: Integration by Jonathan P. Brazee
Price of Freedom by Craig Martelle and Michael Anderle
Legend by Christopher Woods

Best Alternate History Novel: Uncharted by Kevin J. Anderson and Sarah A. Hoyt
Dark State by Charles Stross
The Sea Peoples by S.M. Stirling
Witchy Winter by D.J. Butler
Dream of the Iron Dragon by Robert Kroese
Minds of Men by Kacey Ezell

Best Media Tie-In Novel: Leia: Princess of Alderaan by Claudia Gray
Before the Storm by Christie Golden
Phasma by Delilah S. Dawson
Fear Itself by James Swallow
Legacy of Onyx by Matt Forbeck
Desperate Hours by David Mack

Best Horror Novel: Sleeping Beauties by Stephen King and Owen King
Beneath the Lighthouse by Julieanne Lynch
Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero
A Time to Run by Mark Wandrey
The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay
Glimpse by Jonathan Maberry

Best Comic Book: Mighty Thor by Jason Aaron and James Harren, Marvel Comics
Doomsday Clock by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank, DC Comics
Aliens: Dead Orbit by James Stokoe, Dark Horse Comics
Mister Miracle by Tom King and Mitch Gerads, DC Comics
Saga by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples, Image Comics
Star Wars: Darth Vader by Charles D. Soule and Giuseppe Camuncoli, Marvel Comics

Best Graphic Novel: Brandon Sanderson’s White Sand Volume 1 by Brandon Sanderson, Rik Hoskin, and Julius M. Gopez, Dynamite Entertainment
Chicago Typewriter: The Red Ribbon by Brandon Fiadino, Djibril Morissette-Phan, and James Greatorex, Dark Legion Comics
Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol
Monstress Vol. 2: The Blood by Marjorie M. Liu, Sana Takeda, Image Comics
Vision (The Vision) by Tom King, Gabriel Hernandez Walta, Marvel Comics
Paper Girls Volume 4 by Brian K. Vaughn and Cliff Chiang, Image Comics

Best Science Fiction or Fantasy TV Series: Game of Thrones, HBO
The Expanse, Syfy
Lucifer, Fox
Supernatural, CW
Star Trek: Discovery, CBS All Access
Altered Carbon, Netflix
Stranger Things, Netflix

Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Movie: Black Panther directed by Ryan Coogler
Incredibles 2 directed by Brad Bird
Thor: Ragnorok directed by Taika Waititi
Blade Runner 2049 directed by Denis Villeneuve
Avengers: Infinity War directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo
Ready Player One directed by Steven Spielberg
Deadpool 2 directed by Dave Leitch

Best Science Fiction or Fantasy PC / Console Game: Middle-earth: Shadow of War by Monolith Productions
Fortnite by Epic Games
Cuphead by Studio MDHR
Destiny 2 by Bungie
Battletech by Harebrained Schemes
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus by MachineGames

Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Mobile Game: Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery by Jam City
Planescape: Torment, the Enhanced Edition by Beamdog
Nocked! by Andrew Schneider
Lineage 2: Revolution by Netmarble
Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition by Square Enix

Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Board Game: Red Dragon Inn 6: Villains by Slugfest Games
Rising Sun by CMON Games
When I Dream by Asmodee
Mysterium: Secrets and Lies Expansion by Asmodee
Azul by Plan B Games
Photosynthesis by Blue Orange

Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Miniatures / Collectible Card / Role-Playing Game: Magic: The Gathering Unstable by Wizards of the Coast
Warhammer 40,000 8th Edition by Games Workshop
Force and Destiny Role-playing Game: Knights of Fate by Fantasy Flight Games
Bubblegumshoe – RPG by Evil Hat
Cooking with Dice: The Acid Test by Oddfish Games
D100 Dungeon by Martin Knight

Very interesting. Bad news for the more obvious slates and bad news specifically for the Rabid Puppies who appear to have reached the final inevitable stage of hydrophobia as a campaign. Some obviously popular stuff but also some relatively obscure works and authors.

There are some odd results. Chris Kennedy is the most interesting person on this list. Four hits and two misses in total for works he promoted. The hits include two in the headline categories of Best Science Fiction (as an author) and one in Best Fantasy.

My crystal ball not only didn’t do a good job of predicting finalists it also got whole categories wrong in strange places. Notably:

• Michael Anderle, Craig Martelle – Nomad’s Galaxy, didn’t get a nod in Best SF but a different book by the same authors did in Best MilSF (which is a very crowded category for the Dragons). I assume I missed a post where they promoted that one?
• Robert Kroese’s Vikings with a spaceship story Dream Of The Iron Dragon got a fair bit of promotion for Best SF but is actually a finalist in Best Alternate History. I assume the admins rejig votes across categories which would be the fair thing to do but as always, it’s not clear if that is done or no. With lots of works being arguably eligible in multiple categories it would also create some dilemmas for admins.

In books/comics, the only work on the Rabid Puppies slate to get a nod is Before the Storm by Christie Golden, which isn’t associated with VD or Castalia in any way. Likewise, Happy Frogs was a complete bust in books and comics. I can see two basic hypotheses:

• Neither slate had enough votes. Not implausible but it isn’t like all the categories are only full of hyper-popular stuff.
• Votes were disallowed. Not implausible but I’d have thought somebody would have raised a stink if they suspected that.

Who knows? Aside from the admins, nobody.

I’m really surprised that Nick Cole and Jason Anspach’s Galaxy’s Edge series didn’t get a nod somewhere. The books have had a lot of hype in the wider Puppysphere and have cross-factional love amid rightwing SF circles, as well as an active fanbase. Possibly, voters were unclear about which volume was eligible?

Who declined a nomination? One pseudonymous person has said they did. Larry Correia may have or maybe his fans knew that he would decline so voted for other things. Others, presumably did but who knows?

Best Science Fiction Novel

• It Takes Death to Reach a Star by Gareth Worthington and Stu Jones
• Persepolis Rising by James S.A. Corey
• The Mutineer’s Daughter by Chris Kennedy and Thomas A. Mays: Projected Chris Kennedy
• Win by Vera Nazarian
• Sins of Her Father by Mike Kupari: Semi-projected [Late promotion] Larry Correia
• Artemis by Andy Weir

Not finalists:

• John C. Wright – Superluminary: The Lords of Creation NOT A FINALIST  Vox Day/Rabid Puppies
• Robert Kroese – Dream Of The Iron Dragon [DIFFERENT CATEGORY] [see below]
• Richard Fox, Josh Hayes – Terra Nova NOT A FINALIST Josh Hayes, Richard Fox
• Kal Spriggs – Prisoner of the Mind NOT A FINALIST Kal Spriggs
• Michael Anderle, Craig Martelle – Nomad’s Galaxy NOT A FINALIST  Craig Martelle (Price of Freedom by same authors is a finalist in Best MilSF)

Best Fantasy Novel (Including Paranormal)

• Shoot the Messenger by Pippa DaCosta
• War Hammer by Shayne Silvers: Projected Shayne Silvers Den of Freaks’ fan group
• Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson
• The Land: Predators by Aleron Kong
• The Traitor God by Cameron Johnston
• A Tempered Warrior by Jon R. Osborne: Projected Chris Kennedy

Not finalists

• John C. Wright – Tithe to Tartarus NOT A FINALIST  Vox Day/Rabid Puppies
• Lindsay Buroker – Dragon Storm NOT A FINALIST Happy Frogs
• Russell Newquist – War Demons NOT A FINALIST Happy Frogs
• Larry Correia – Monster Hunter Siege NOT A FINALIST  Kal Spriggs
• Max Floschutz – Shadow of an Empire NOT A FINALIST  Max Floschutz
• Christy Nicholas – Call Of The Morrigú NOT A FINALIST  Christy Jackson Nicholas
• L. James Rice – Eve of Snows (Sundering the Gods Book 1) NOT A FINALIST  L. James Rice
• Rob Hobart – The Sword of Amatsu (Empire of the Sun and Moon Book 1) NOT A FINALIST Rob Hobart

Best Young Adult / Middle Grade Novel

• Cold Bath Street by A.J. Hartley
• A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas
• When Tinker Met Bell by Alethea Kontis
• Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne
• Warcross by Marie Lu
• Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Not finalists

• Rod Walker – Young Man’s War NOT A FINALIST Vox Day/Rabid Puppies
• Keira Drake – The Continent NOT A FINALIST Happy Frogs
• L.Jagi Lamplighter – The Awful Truth About Forgetting NOT A FINALIST Declan Finn
• Jason Cordova – Devastator NOT A FINALIST Chris Kennedy
• Kal Spriggs – Valor’s Calling NOT A FINALIST Kal Spriggs
• Kal Spriggs – Valor’s Duty NOT A FINALIST Kal Spriggs

Best Military Science Fiction or Fantasy Novel

• Communications Failure by Joe Zieja
• Points of Impact by Marko Kloos
• Ghost Marines: Integration by Jonathan P. Brazee
• Price of Freedom by Craig Martelle and Michael Anderle [Not projected but a different novel by the same authors was]
  
• Legend by Christopher Woods
• A Call to Vengeance by David Weber, Timothy Zahn and Thomas Pope

Not finalists

• G.D. Stark – Wardogs Inc. #1 Battlesuit Bastards NOT A FINALIST Vox Day/Rabid Puppies
• Mark Wandrey and Chris Kennedy – A Fiery Sunset NOT A FINALIST Chris Kennedy
• Nick Cole, Jason Anspach – Galactic Outlaws (Galaxy’s Edge Book 2) NOT A FINALIST Galaxy’s Edge Fan Club
• Daniel Humphrey – A Place Called Hope NOT A FINALIST Daniel Humphrey/Declan Finn
• Richard Fox – The Ibarra Sanction NOT A FINALIST Josh Hayes/Richard Fox
• Jon Del Arroz – The Stars Entwined NOT A FINALIST  Declan Finn
• Kal Spriggs – Ghost Star NOT A FINALIST  Kal Spriggs
• Nick Cole, Jason Anspach – Legionnaire (Galaxy’s Edge) [possibly not eligible] NOT A FINALIST Benjamin Cheah Kai Wai
• Peter Grant – An Airless Storm NOT A FINALIST Peter Grant
• Christopher Woods – Legend (Four Horsemen Tales Book 1)
  NOT A FINALIST Chris Woods

Best Alternate History Novel

• Dark State by Charles Stross
• The Sea Peoples by S.M. Stirling
• Witchy Winter by D.J. Butler
• Uncharted by Kevin J. Anderson and Sarah A. Hoyt Projected High Mad Genius, Kal Spriggs
• Dream of the Iron Dragon by Robert Kroese [Projected in the wrong category] Happy Frogs, Declan Finn
• Minds of Men by Kacey Ezell Projected Chris Kennedy

Not finalists

• Kai Wai Cheah – Hammer of the Witches NOT A FINALIST Very High Vox Day/Rabid Puppies
• Hans Schantz – A Rambling Wreck NOT A FINALIST Medium Happy Frogs, Declan Finn

Best Media Tie-In Novel

• Leia: Princess of Alderaan by Claudia Gray
• Before the Storm by Christie Golden: Projected Vox Day/Rabid Puppies
• Phasma by Delilah S. Dawson
• Fear Itself by James Swallow
• Legacy of Onyx by Matt Forbeck
• Desperate Hours by David Mack

Not a finalist

• Seanan McGuire – Deadlands: Boneyard NOT A FINALIST Happy Frogs (trolling by JDA I assume)

Best Horror Novel

• Beneath the Lighthouse by Julieanne Lynch
• Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero
• A Time to Run by Mark Wandrey Projected Chris Kennedy
• The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay
• Sleeping Beauties by Stephen King and Owen King
• Glimpse by Jonathan Maberry

Not finalists

• Nate Crowley – The Death and Life of Schneider Wrack NOT A FINALIST  Vox Day/Rabid Puppies
• Russell Newquist – War Demons NOT A FINALIST Happy Frogs/Declan Finn/Benjamin Cheah Kai Wai
• Declan Finn – Good to the last drop NOT A FINALISTDeclan Finn/Benjamin Cheah Kai Wai

Best Comic Book

• Mighty Thor by Jason Aaron and James Harren
• Doomsday Clock by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank
• Aliens: Dead Orbit by James Stokoe
• Mister Miracle by Tom King and Mitch Gerads
• Saga by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples
• Star Wars: Darth Vader by Charles D. Soule and Giuseppe Camuncoli

Not finalists

• Alt-Hero #2 Rebel’s Cell – Alt-Hero Arkhaven Comics NOT A FINALIST Vox Day/Rabid Puppies
• Mark Pellegrini/Timothy Lim/Brett R. Smith – My Hero MAGAdemia #1 NOT A FINALIST Happy Frogs
• Kōhei Horikoshi – My Hero Academia Vol. 13 (English translation) NOT A FINALIST Benjamin Cheah Kai Wai
• Jonathan David Baird – Dark Maiden NOT A FINALIST Very Low Jonathan David Baird

Best Graphic Novel

• Chicago Typewriter: The Red Ribbon by Brandon Fiadino
• Brandon Sanderson’s White Sand Volume 1 by Brandon Sanderson
• Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol
• Monstress Vol. 2: The Blood by Marjorie M. Liu
• Vision (The Vision) by Tom King
• Paper Girls Volume 4 by Brian K. Vaughn and Cliff Chiang

Not finalists

• Gary Kwapisz – Rebel Dead Revenge Dark Legion Comics NOT A FINALIST  Vox Day/Rabid Puppies
• Matt Kindt/Tyler Jenkins – Grass Kings Vol 1 NOT A FINALIST Happy Frogs

As people probably have realised, I was late arriving at SJW Headquarters a few months ago when the grand global conspiracy to ruin everything was giving out assignments. Due to that and my frequent (but comical) clumsiness around our hi-tech SJW spy gadgets, I was given the least popular gig: “Keep an eye on the Dragon Awards, there’s a good fellow.” I was told by George Soros.

Anyway, it might not be the most glamorous task but I’m determined to do it well in the hope that one day HQ will give me a beloved genre franchise from people’s childhood to wreck by giving characters agency or something.

The latest report is this. I got an email saying that the finalists will be announced this upcoming Tuesday (presumably US time). Don’t all get too excited at once.

The Dragon Con Twitter account responded to a tweet from me about when the names of Dragon Award finalists would be released:

I suggested that they might want to say that on their website.