Arthur C Clarke award shortlist 'dreadful', says Christopher Priest

xg4bx · 03-29-2012, 05:39 PM

"The much-garlanded science fiction writer Christopher Priest has launched an extraordinary broadside against the authors nominated for this year's Arthur C Clarke award, describing the shortlist as "dreadful" and calling for the resignation of an "incompetent" panel of judges in a post on his website.

The six titles chosen for the shortlist were announced earlier this week, ranging from China Miéville's deep-space exploration of the fall myth, Embassytown, to Jane Rogers's Booker-longlisted dystopian novel The Testament of Jessie Lamb. According to Priest, author of The Prestige, only Rogers' novel deserves to be on the shortlist, with the remaining titles all unworthy and four novels "outstandingly ignored" by judges: Ian R MacLeod's Wake Up and Dream, Simon Ings's Dead Water, Adam Roberts's By Light Alone and Lavie Tidhar's Osama.

"It is indefensible that a novel like Charles Stross's Rule 34 should be given apparent credibility by an appearance in the Clarke shortlist," writes Priest, who has won both genre and literary prizes for his novels but whose latest outing, The Islanders, failed to make the Arthur C Clarke shortlist. "Stross writes like an internet puppy: energetically, egotistically, sometimes amusingly, sometimes affectingly, but always irritatingly, and goes on being energetic and egotistical and amusing for far too long," he continued. "You wait nervously for the unattractive exhaustion which will lead to a piss-soaked carpet."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012...=FBCNETTXT9038

its a pretty amusing rant.

DiapDealer · 03-29-2012, 05:45 PM

It's never a good idea for one genre author to publicly criticize other genre authors. There's just no way to avoid coming across as an ass... even when you're right.

Penforhire · 03-29-2012, 06:00 PM

I've got two words for Mr. Priest, glass house. Oh wait, Stross wrote that one, lol. Talk about setting yourself up for a fall!

DiapDealer · 03-29-2012, 06:02 PM

... and this year's asshat award goes to ...

carpetmojo · 03-29-2012, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

It's never a good idea for one genre author to publicly criticize other genre authors. There's just no way to avoid coming across as an ass... even when you're right.

carpetmojo · 03-29-2012, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

... and this year's asshat award goes to ...

Connallmac · 03-29-2012, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

... and this year's asshat award goes to ...

With a couple of billion runners up....

DiapDealer · 03-29-2012, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Connallmac

With a couple of billion runners up....

We are talking "shortlist" here.

wallcraft · 03-29-2012, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xg4bx

According to Priest, author of The Prestige, only Rogers' novel deserves to be on the shortlist, with the remaining titles all unworthy

I gave up half way through Embassytown, but I would still put it on a short list for a prize. It is a major work of science fiction, worth of consideration. Priest argues that it isn't up to Miéville's usual standard, but the appropriate comparison is to other titles published in the UK in 2011.

I had not previously heard of the The End Specialist By Drew Magary, and it sounded good enough that I bought it last night. It is only available in the UK (not in the US).

Barty · 03-29-2012, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallcraft

I gave up half way through Embassytown, but I would still put it on a short list for a prize. It is a major work of science fiction, worth of consideration. Priest argues that it isn't up to Miéville's usual standard, but the appropriate comparison is to other titles published in the UK in 2011.

I've never been able to get through a single Mieville book. I find his prose and world building exhausting. It's all very impressive and completely uninvolving. Ditto Neal Stephenson.

Rob Lister · 03-29-2012, 07:45 PM

I always figured these lists to be publishing house 'highest bidders' as to who the winners are.

Joykins · 03-29-2012, 08:09 PM

Charlie Stross has started selling Internet Puppy T-shirts

DiapDealer · 03-29-2012, 08:15 PM

Taking it in stride... as always.

jgaiser · 03-29-2012, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barty

I've never been able to get through a single Mieville book. I find his prose and world building exhausting. It's all very impressive and completely uninvolving. Ditto Neal Stephenson.

There you go. Different strokes for different folks. Love both China Miéville and Neal Stephenson.

JeremyR · 03-29-2012, 11:03 PM

When I was a kid, I loved SF, but it seems to have gotten so pretentious these days.

03-29-2012, 05:39 PM	#1
xg4bx Are you gonna eat that? Posts: 1,633 Karma: 23215128 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Phillipsburg, NJ Device: Kindle 3, Nook STG	Arthur C Clarke award shortlist 'dreadful', says Christopher Priest "The much-garlanded science fiction writer Christopher Priest has launched an extraordinary broadside against the authors nominated for this year's Arthur C Clarke award, describing the shortlist as "dreadful" and calling for the resignation of an "incompetent" panel of judges in a post on his website. The six titles chosen for the shortlist were announced earlier this week, ranging from China Miéville's deep-space exploration of the fall myth, Embassytown, to Jane Rogers's Booker-longlisted dystopian novel The Testament of Jessie Lamb. According to Priest, author of The Prestige, only Rogers' novel deserves to be on the shortlist, with the remaining titles all unworthy and four novels "outstandingly ignored" by judges: Ian R MacLeod's Wake Up and Dream, Simon Ings's Dead Water, Adam Roberts's By Light Alone and Lavie Tidhar's Osama. "It is indefensible that a novel like Charles Stross's Rule 34 should be given apparent credibility by an appearance in the Clarke shortlist," writes Priest, who has won both genre and literary prizes for his novels but whose latest outing, The Islanders, failed to make the Arthur C Clarke shortlist. "Stross writes like an internet puppy: energetically, egotistically, sometimes amusingly, sometimes affectingly, but always irritatingly, and goes on being energetic and egotistical and amusing for far too long," he continued. "You wait nervously for the unattractive exhaustion which will lead to a piss-soaked carpet." http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012...=FBCNETTXT9038 its a pretty amusing rant.

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03-29-2012, 05:45 PM	#2
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,883 Karma: 207000000 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	It's never a good idea for one genre author to publicly criticize other genre authors. There's just no way to avoid coming across as an ass... even when you're right.

03-29-2012, 06:00 PM	#3
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	I've got two words for Mr. Priest, glass house. Oh wait, Stross wrote that one, lol. Talk about setting yourself up for a fall!

03-29-2012, 06:02 PM	#4
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,883 Karma: 207000000 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	... and this year's asshat award goes to ...

03-29-2012, 07:45 PM	#11
Rob Lister Fanatic Posts: 532 Karma: 3293888 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Virginia Device: Nook Simple Touch	I always figured these lists to be publishing house 'highest bidders' as to who the winners are.

03-29-2012, 08:09 PM	#12
Joykins Wizard Posts: 1,612 Karma: 9211856 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: kindle Oasis 2018, kindle 4 NT, kindle PW2, iPhone, iPad mini	Charlie Stross has started selling Internet Puppy T-shirts

03-29-2012, 08:15 PM	#13
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,883 Karma: 207000000 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Taking it in stride... as always.

03-29-2012, 11:03 PM	#15
JeremyR Guru Posts: 973 Karma: 2458402 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: St. Louis Device: Kindle Keyboard, Nook HD+	When I was a kid, I loved SF, but it seems to have gotten so pretentious these days.