There is nothing like being right and saving the award show
These are the books shortlisted for this year Arthur C. Clarke Awards:
Greg Bear - Hull Zero Three
Drew Magary - The End Specialist
China Miéville - Embassytown
Jane Rogers - The Testament of Jessie Lamb
Charles Stross - Rule 34
Sheri S.Tepper - The Waters Rising
However, you don't really feel it's the award season until someone makes an ass off himself by proving how wrong everyone else tastes are. This year we have Christopher Priest who trashes the Clarke Awards nominees and explains why the books he liked are so superior. I agree with Scalzi that, even though it was a mean, it is his right to disagree with the judges. It even starts funny and Charlie Stross got an awesome t-shirt out of it. And his picks even might be better.
However, Priest overdid it when he listed how the problem of weak shortlist should be dealt with:
But there is a better way forward, and here it is.
1. The present panel of judges should be fired, or forced to resign, immediately. Their names are Juliet E. McKenna, Martin Lewis, Phil Nanson, Nikkianne Moody and Rob Grant. Chairman Andrew M. Butler should also resign. These people have proved themselves incompetent as judges, and should not be allowed to have any more say about or influence on the Arthur C. Clarke Award.
2. The 2012 Arthur C. Clarke Award should be suspended forthwith, and the planned awards ceremony on 2nd May should be cancelled.
3. The award fund (£2,012.00, as I understand it) should be held over until next year. Next year’s fund should be added to it, so that the prize for 2013 becomes £4,013.00.
4. The 2013 Clarke Award should be made to the best novel published in the two years ended 31st December 2012. All novels currently eligible for the 2012 award, whether or not they have been shortlisted by this year’s panel, are eligible again.
5. All the other usual rules of the Award should be applied.
Way to prove you are an condescending asshole. As others said - hope you'll get to be the judge next time.
Greg Bear - Hull Zero Three
Drew Magary - The End Specialist
China Miéville - Embassytown
Jane Rogers - The Testament of Jessie Lamb
Charles Stross - Rule 34
Sheri S.Tepper - The Waters Rising
However, you don't really feel it's the award season until someone makes an ass off himself by proving how wrong everyone else tastes are. This year we have Christopher Priest who trashes the Clarke Awards nominees and explains why the books he liked are so superior. I agree with Scalzi that, even though it was a mean, it is his right to disagree with the judges. It even starts funny and Charlie Stross got an awesome t-shirt out of it. And his picks even might be better.
However, Priest overdid it when he listed how the problem of weak shortlist should be dealt with:
But there is a better way forward, and here it is.
1. The present panel of judges should be fired, or forced to resign, immediately. Their names are Juliet E. McKenna, Martin Lewis, Phil Nanson, Nikkianne Moody and Rob Grant. Chairman Andrew M. Butler should also resign. These people have proved themselves incompetent as judges, and should not be allowed to have any more say about or influence on the Arthur C. Clarke Award.
2. The 2012 Arthur C. Clarke Award should be suspended forthwith, and the planned awards ceremony on 2nd May should be cancelled.
3. The award fund (£2,012.00, as I understand it) should be held over until next year. Next year’s fund should be added to it, so that the prize for 2013 becomes £4,013.00.
4. The 2013 Clarke Award should be made to the best novel published in the two years ended 31st December 2012. All novels currently eligible for the 2012 award, whether or not they have been shortlisted by this year’s panel, are eligible again.
5. All the other usual rules of the Award should be applied.
Way to prove you are an condescending asshole. As others said - hope you'll get to be the judge next time.