My votes for BSFA Best Art 2016
Since none of the artists whose work is up for the BSFA for Best Art is also on the Hugo ballot, I think I can list my preferences here in the usual way.
6) Suzanne Dean and Kai & Sunny - Cover of The Sunlight Pilgrims by Jenni Fagan (William Heinemann).
Geometrically pleasing but not super-exciting.
5) David A Hardy - Cover of Disturbed Universes by David L Clements (NewCon Press).
Hardy is one of the great sf artists, but this didn't appeal to me as much as some of his other work.
4) Chris Moore - Cover of The Iron Tactician by Alastair Reynolds (NewCon Press).
A more interesting composition, but again didn't quite grab me.
3) Tara Bush - Transition (Cover of Black Static #53).
This is more like it, an interesting and somewhat haunting playing with images.
2) Juan Miguel Aguilera - Cover of The 1000 Year Reich by Ian Watson (NewCon Press).
Much more going on here; you feel that this is an important moment in the history of an interesting world/worlds.
1) Sarah Anne Langton - Cover for Central Station by Lavie Tidhar (Tachyon Publications).
Fascinating, weird, does amazing things with only one colour and just a few lines at angles to each other. Makes me want to read the book, more than any of the others do.
Novel | Art | Non-Fiction | Short Fiction
6) Suzanne Dean and Kai & Sunny - Cover of The Sunlight Pilgrims by Jenni Fagan (William Heinemann).
Geometrically pleasing but not super-exciting.
5) David A Hardy - Cover of Disturbed Universes by David L Clements (NewCon Press).
Hardy is one of the great sf artists, but this didn't appeal to me as much as some of his other work.
4) Chris Moore - Cover of The Iron Tactician by Alastair Reynolds (NewCon Press).
A more interesting composition, but again didn't quite grab me.
3) Tara Bush - Transition (Cover of Black Static #53).
This is more like it, an interesting and somewhat haunting playing with images.
2) Juan Miguel Aguilera - Cover of The 1000 Year Reich by Ian Watson (NewCon Press).
Much more going on here; you feel that this is an important moment in the history of an interesting world/worlds.
1) Sarah Anne Langton - Cover for Central Station by Lavie Tidhar (Tachyon Publications).
Fascinating, weird, does amazing things with only one colour and just a few lines at angles to each other. Makes me want to read the book, more than any of the others do.
Novel | Art | Non-Fiction | Short Fiction