Nova Swing by M John Harrison (published by Gollancz) was announced as the winner of the 2007 Arthur C Clarke Award for science fiction literature at the awards ceremony on the opening night of the Sixth SCI-FI-LONDON Film Festival at the Apollo West End, London, Harrison was handed a cheque for £2007 and the prestigious, commemorative engraved bookend by Paul Kincaid. In a brief acceptance speech Harrison said he was honoured to have been selected by a jury of his peers.
The novel was picked from a shortlist featuring the best of the past year’s publications, made up of:
End of the World Blues: Jon Courtenay Grimwood – Gollancz
Hav: Jan Morris – Faber & Faber
Oh Pure and Radiant Heart: Lydia Millet – William Heinemann
Gradisil: Adam Roberts – Gollancz
Streaking: Brian Stableford – P.S. Publishing
The judging panel consisted of: Niall Harrison and Claire Weaver from the British Science Fiction Association, Pat Cadigan and Graham Sleight from the Science Fiction Foundation, Davel Palmer from the Science Museum, and was chaired by Paul Billington who introduced the nominees.
M John Harrison is an established author of science fiction, fantasy and literary fiction as well as a reviewer for The Times Literary Supplement, The Guardian and Daily Telegraph. A keen climber he won the Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature in 1989 for his novel Climbers.
The Arthur C Clarke Award, considered to be the most prestigious science fiction writing award in the world, on a par with the Booker Prize, was established in 1986 with a grant from Clarke to promote science fiction literature in Britain. It had an initial prize of £1000, which was raised to £2001 in 2001, with the prize amount rising annually to reflect the year in which it was awarded. The Award is administered by the Serendip Foundation, with continuing support from Clarke.
 M John Harrison with his 2007 Award |
 John Landis delcares the Festival Open |
Things To Come
After the sci-fi literati finished, a specially invited audience was treated to an exclusive pre-release screening of William Cameron Menzies’ spectacular interpretation of HG Wells prescient story, The Shape of Things to Come. The film was introduced by legendary American film director John Landis (ANIMAL HOUSE, BLUES BROTHERS, AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON, TRADING PLACES), who enthused about the film as well as entertaining the crowd with the humour that made his films such great successes. And with that the sixth SCI-FI-LONDON Film Festival was underway.
For more Festival photos click here.