The Aurealis Awards Nominations (for best Sf/Fantasy/Horror/Young Adult/Children's Australian literature) have been released (okay, mid-December, but I'm trying to catch up) and the full list can be found at their website. The awards night is listed for January 22 in Brisbane, but, in the meantime, here are some reviews (where I can find any) of the novels under consideration:
SF Novels
Orbital Burn, KA Bedford
- "The Courier-Mail"
- SF Site
The Rebel, Jack Dann
- "The Age"
- Boomerang Books
Nylon Angel, Marianne de Pierres
- SF Revu
- Diverse Books
Less than Human, Maxine McArthur
- SF Site
- MEviews
Heirs of Earth, Sean Williams & Shane Dix
- SF Reviews
- TheForce.Net
Fantasy Novels
Brilliance of the Moon, Lian Hearn
- SF Site
- "The Age"
- Galaxy Bookshop
Snow, Fire, Sword, Sophie Masson
- Infinitas Bookshop
Giants of the Frost, Kim Wilkins
- Boomerang Books
- "The West Australian"
The Crooked Letter, Sean Williams
- TheForce.net
- Galaxy Bookshop
Horror Novels
The Black Crusade, Richard Harland
- Tabula Rasa
- Fantastic Queensland
Fire in the Shell, S Pennicott
- Galaxy Bookshop
Giants of the Frost, Kim Wilkins
- Boomerang Books
- "The West Australian"
Young Adult Novels
Midnighters 1: The Secret Hour, Scott Westerfield
- The Review Centre
Hot Nights, Cool Dragons, Matt Zurbo
- The Age
Undine, Penny Russon
- Boomerang Books
Flesh & Blood, Jackie French
- Galaxy Bookshop
Children's Novels
Snow, Fire, Sword, Sophie Masson
- Infinitas Bookshop
How To Live Forever, Colin Thompson
- Department of Education, Tasmania
The Pearl of Tiger Bay, Gabriel Wang
- January Magazine
Ranger's Apprentice, John Flanagan
- Gleebooks
Claire de Lune, Cassandra Golds
A bit of a problem here with the nomination of Giants of the Frost by Kim Wilkins in both the Fantasy and Horror categories. (I know that Sophie Masson is nominated in two different categories, but that seems okay to me: Children's and Fantasy seems quite compatible.) One or the other I would have thought was the best option.
It is pleasing to see so many novels listed. I remember back in the seventies and eighties when even one sf/fantasy/horror genre novel a year by an Australian author was considered good going. But the biggest question is: where are all the reviews? It seems that great scads of Australian literature is being ignored in this country. Especially in the children's section. Either that or the reviews aren't ending up on the web.
