The Prometheus Award is an award for libertarian science fiction novels given annually by the Libertarian Futurist Society, which also publishes the quarterly journal Prometheus. L. Neil Smith established the award in 1979, but it was not awarded regularly until the newly founded Libertarian Futurist Society revived it in 1982. The Society created a Hall of Fame Award (for classic works of libertarian science fiction, not necessarily novels) in 1983, and also presents occasional one-off awards.
Some authors have won the award for best novel more than once:
Cory Doctorow (three times)
Victor Koman (three times)
Ken MacLeod (three times)
L. Neil Smith (three times)
James P. Hogan (twice)
Neal Stephenson (twice)
Vernor Vinge (twice)
F. Paul Wilson (twice)
A few authors have won the Prometheus Hall of Fame award more than once:
Poul Anderson
Robert Heinlein
George Orwell
Ayn Rand
F. Paul Wilson
Anyone may join the Libertarian Futurist Society at various levels: Basic, Full, or Full plus Committee.
Books published in a given year are eligible (although books from the last few months of the previous year are also eligible if it is felt that they have been overlooked).
- All members may nominate novels for the award.
- Members of the Best Novel Committee read at least 10-12 of the nominated novels and vote for a slate of 5 finalists.
- Full members (a higher price tier of membership) then vote on the finalists.
Step 2 happens in the first few months of the following year.
Step 3 happens in early summer of the following year.
The awards are given at the Annual Worldcon.
Prometheus Award winners and finalists
* Winners + No winner selected
1988 Alfred Bester, The Stars My Destination
1989 J. Neil Schulman, Alongside Night
1990 F. Paul Wilson, The Healer
1991 F. Paul Wilson, An Enemy of the State
1992 Ira Levin, This Perfect Day
1993 Ursula K. Le Guin, The Dispossessed
1994 Yevgeny Zamyatin, We
1995 Poul Anderson, The Star Fox
1996 Robert A. Heinlein, Red Planet
1997 Robert A. Heinlein, Methuselah's Children
1998 Robert A. Heinlein, Time Enough for Love
1999 H. Beam Piper / John J. McGuire, A Planet for Texans (also known as Lone Star Planet)
2000 Hans Christian Andersen, "The Emperor's New Clothes"
2001 Jerry Pournelle / John F. Carr (editors), The Survival of Freedom
2002 Patrick McGoohan, The Prisoner (TV series)
2003 Robert A. Heinlein, "Requiem"
2004 Vernor Vinge, "The Ungoverned"
2005 A. E. van Vogt, The Weapon Shops of Isher
2006 Alan Moore (author) / David Lloyd (illustrator), V for Vendetta (graphic novel)
2008 Anthony Burgess, A Clockwork Orange
2009 J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings
2010 Poul Anderson, "No Truce with Kings"
2011 George Orwell, Animal Farm
2012 E. M. Forster, "The Machine Stops"
2013 Neal Stephenson, Cryptonomicon
2014 Lois McMaster Bujold, Falling Free
2015 Harlan Ellison, ""Repent, Harlequin!" Said the Ticktockman"
2016 Donald Kingsbury, Courtship Rite
1998 – Brad Linaweaver and Edward E. Kramer: editors, Free Space (anthology)
2001 – Poul Anderson, Special Prometheus Award for Lifetime Achievement
2005 – Mark Tier and Martin H. Greenberg: editors, Give Me Liberty and Visions of Liberty (anthologies for Baen Books)
2005 – L. Neil Smith (writer) and Scott Bieser (illustrator), The Probability Broach: The Graphic Novel
2006 – Joss Whedon (writer-director), Serenity
2007 – James McTeigue (director) and the Wachowski brothers (screenplay), V for Vendetta (Motion Picture)
2014 – Vernor Vinge, Special Prometheus Award for Lifetime Achievement
2014 - Leslie Fish, "Tower of Horses" (novella) and "The Horsetamer's Daughter" (song).
2015 - F. Paul Wilson, Special Prometheus Award for Lifetime Achievement
2016 - L. Neil Smith, Special Prometheus Award for Lifetime Achievement
2016 - Jonathan Luna and Sarah Vaughn, Alex + Ada
