Women authors shortlisted for BSFA awards

The BSFA best novel prize pits Hurley’s God’s War – which opens with the attention-grabbing line, “Nyx sold her womb somewhere between Punjai and Faleen, on the edge of the desert” – against Leckie’s debut Ancillary Justice, in which a hive-mind artificial intelligence must animate her one remaining “corpse soldier” to take revenge against her […]

The BSFA best novel prize pits Hurley’s God’s War – which opens with the attention-grabbing line, “Nyx sold her womb somewhere between Punjai and Faleen, on the edge of the desert” – against Leckie’s debut Ancillary Justice, in which a hive-mind artificial intelligence must animate her one remaining “corpse soldier” to take revenge against her enemies.
The line-up – which is voted for by the BSFA’s membership of fans, authors and publishers – also features Evening’s Empires by Paul McAuley, Ack-Ack Macaque by Gareth L Powell and The Adjacent by Christopher Priest.
The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes, and the Booker-shortlisted A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki, just failed to make the final shortlist, according to awards chief Donna Scott.
Last year both the BSFA and the Arthur C Clarke shortlists were entirely made up of male writers, a gender disparity that prompted calls to increase the visibility of women in science fiction.
The short fiction shortlist for the BSFAs was entirely made up of women writers, it was also revealed, with Spin by Nina Allan, Selkie Stories Are For Losers by Sofia Samatar, Saga’s Children by EJ Swift and Boat in the Shadows Crossing by Tori Truslow all competing for the prize.
The winners, voted for by members, will be announced at the Satellite4 Eastercon convention in Glasgow, on 20 April.