My 2017 Dragon Award Vote

Remember, after August 28th, you can no longer register to vote in the Dragon Awards.

After you've registered, you have until September 1st to vote.

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If you have no idea what the Dragon awards are ... you must be new here. Sorry. It's a long story, and you can find explanations all over the site. Or you can look it up over at the DragonCon website

Anyway.

When we last looked at the Dragons, the ballot looked like this.

Best Science Fiction Novel

• Babylon’s Ashes by James S.A. Corey 
• A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers
• Death’s End by Cixin Liu
• Rise by Brian Guthrie
• Space Tripping by Patrick Edwards
• The Collapsing Empire by John Scalzi
• The Secret Kings by Brian Niemeier
• Escaping Infinity by Richard Paolinelli

I know three names here. I know Brian and Richard, obviously, and I know Scalzi more by the fights he's picked with Larry Correia than by any of his work--I can name you two titles of his, and that's it.

Brian has an argument that goes that he will give his award to L. Jagi Lamplighter (see below) if he wins. He wants to make sure Scalzi doesn't get it, and Jagi is his editor, so he's giving her credit.

Yes, I know the name Cixin Liu from last year's Rabid Puppies, but that's about it.

My vote is for Richard.

My bet for victor? Brian. In part because Happy Frogs is behind Brian, and Brian's campaigning fairly well for it.

Best Fantasy Novel 

(Including Paranormal)

• A Sea of Skulls by Vox Day
• Beast Master by Shayne Silvers
• Blood of the Earth by Faith Hunter
• Dangerous Ways by R.R. Virdi
• Monster Hunter Memoirs: Grunge by Larry Correia and John Ringo
• The Hearthstone Thief by Pippa DaCosta
• Wings of Justice by Michael-Scott Earle

I know Larry, John and Vox.

I'm vaguely aware of Faith Hunter ... I think

I'm voting for John.

My bet? Also John Ringo. Because Vox might have people, but have you MET John Ringo?

Best Young Adult / Middle Grade Novel

• A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
• Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray
• Firebrand by A.J. Hartley
• It’s All Fun and Games by Dave Barrett
• Rachel and the Many Splendored Dreamland by L. Jagi Lamplighter
• Swan Knight’s Son by John C Wright
• The Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan

There are so many different ways for this to play out, it's not funny.

I'm voting for Jagi. But even she's placing money on the Percy Jackson guy, or even Sarah Maas, to win. I don't even think the support of Happy Frogs will win her that one.

Best Military Science Fiction 

or Fantasy Novel

• Allies and Enemies: Exiles by Amy J. Murphy
• Caine’s Mutiny by Charles E. Gannon
• Cartwright’s Cavaliers by Mark Wandrey
• Invasion: Resistance by J.F. Holmes
• Iron Dragoons by Richard Fox
• Star Realms: Rescue Run by Jon Del Arroz
• Starship Liberator by B.V. Larson and David Van Dyke
• The Span of Empire by Eric Flint and David Carrico

For the love of God, what do we do with this?

Baen books in a MilSF category? I usually expect them to steamroll the rest.... except there are two of them. Glint and Gannon. So do they cancel each other out and clear the field for the rest?

Fox is a Vox pick.

Star Realms is a Happy Frogs pick.

And then there's Mark Wandrey....with his own an active online fan base.

My vote will go to Jon. I haven't read any of the nominees this year, but for friendship's sake, I'll vote for Jon.

My BET on who will win? Your bet is as good as mine. This furball can go any which way.

Best Alternate History Novel

• 1636: The Ottoman Onslaught by Eric Flint
• A Change in Crime by D.R. Perry
• Another Girl, Another Planet by Lou Antonelli
• Breath of Earth by Beth Cato
• Fallout: The Hot War by Harry Turtledove
• No Gods, Only Daimons by Kai Wai Cheah
• The Last Days of New Paris by China Mieville
• Witchy Eye by D.J. Butler

Flint vs Turtledove. Hmm. Were this the Oscars, I would say Turtledove, since Flint got an award last year. But don't bet on it. This is another clusterf***. Flint's a big name in Alt-His. Harry's a big name in Alt-His.  Lou's AGAP was amazing and fun, and Happy Frogs is backing Lou. Kai Wai Cheah is a Vox backed pick.

I'm voting for Lou.

I'm betting on no one.

Best Apocalyptic Novel

• A Place Outside the Wild by Daniel Humphreys
• American War by Omar El Akkad
• The Seventh Age: Dawn by Rick Heinz
• Walkaway by Cory Doctorow
• ZK: Falling by J.F. Holmes
• Codename: Unsub by Declan Finn and Allan Yoskowitz

Dan Humphreys got in. Good for him. He's part of CLFA, and made the Superversvie Dragon Award list. So, yay.

I don't know Akkad. I don't know Heinz. I'm told that Doctorow has enough name recognition to squah everyone.  Oh, look, John Holmes again! Good for him.

And, of course, Codename: UnSub. 

Do I have to mention who I'm voting for?

My money on who WINS? Probably Doctorow.

Best Horror Novel

• A God in the Shed by J-F Dubeau
• Blood of Invidia by Tom Tinney and Morgen Batten
• Donn’s Hill by Caryn Larrinaga
• Nothing Left to Lose by Dan Wells
• The Bleak December by Kevin G. Summers
• The Changeling by Victor LaValle
• Live and Let Bite by Declan Finn

Tom Tinney's a friend from CLFA, he's been a guest on the podcast a few times. Good guy. Dubeau? Larrinaga? Summers, LaValle.... Yikes. Do I know these people? Answer, of course not, I don't actually read horror. Technically, I don't even write horror, I write paranormal romance or Urban Fantasy, depending on who you ask.

Then there's Dan Wells.

Of course, Live and Let Bite is a finalist.

I don't have to tell you who I'm voting for here, do I?

Who wins? No idea. Happy Frogs is backing me. But Dan Wells is the big name here. I suspect he'll steamroll us all. But I haven't heard him campaign any, so ... who knows? If I win and the award ceremony is disrupted, that's because I had a heart attack in the front row.

Best Comic Book

• Monstress by Marjorie Liu, Sana Takeda
• Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season Eleven by Christos Gage, Rebekah Isaacs
• Motor Girl by Terry Moore
• Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson, Takeshi Miyazawa
• Saga by Brian K Vaughan, Fiona Staples
• Wynonna Earp Legends by Beau Smith, Tim Rozon, Melanie Scrofano, Chris Evenhuis
• The Dresden Files: Dog Men by Jim Butcher, Mark Powers, Diego Galindo

Jim Butcher wins.

And ... No. Jim Butcher.

... I don't care. Jim Butcher.

Shut up.

Best Graphic Novel

• Clive Barker Nightbreed #3 by Marc Andreyko, Clive Barker, Emmanuel Xerx Javier
• Girl Genius: the Second Journey of Agatha Heterodyne, Book 2: The City of Lightning by Phil and Kaja Foglio
• Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files: Wild Card by Jim Butcher, Carlos Gomez
• Love is Love by Marc Andreyko, Sarah Gaydos, James S. Rich
• March Book 3 by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin
• My Favorite Thing is Monsters by Emil Ferris
• Stuck in My Head by J.R. Mounts

Ugh.... and I like Girl Genius.

Sigh. Butcher is here, too.

Next.

Best Science Fiction or Fantasy TV Series

• Doctor Who, BBC
• Lucifer, Fox
• Marvel’s Agents of Shield, ABC
• Stan Lee’s Lucky Man, Sky1
• Stranger Things, Netflix
• The Expanse, Syfy
• Westworld, HBO
• Wynonna Earp, Syfy

Surprisingly, I neither know nor care. I'll vote for Lucifer.

My bet on the win? Stranger Things or The Expanse

Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Movie

• Arrival directed by Denis Villeneuve
• Doctor Strange directed by Scott Derrickson
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 directed by James Gunn
• Logan directed by James Mangold
• Passengers directed by Morten Tyldum
• Rogue One: A Star Wars Story directed by Gareth Edwards
• Wonder Woman directed by Patty Jenkins

Arival v Doctor Strange v Guardians 2 v Logan v Wonder Woman....

I'll vote Strange.

No bet on who wins this one.

Best Science Fiction or Fantasy PC / Console Game

• Dishonored 2 by Arkane Studios
• Final Fantasy XV by Square Enix
• Mass Effect: Andromeda by Bioware
• NieR: Automata by PlatinumGames
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild by Nintendo
• Titanfall 2 by Respawn Entertainment

Final Fantasy has a fan base going back 30 years. As does Zelda. One of them.

I'll vote for (coin toss) Final Fantasy.

Who wins between those two? [Tosses coin. Coin rolls away]: No bet.

Who will lose? Mass Effect Andromeda.

Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Mobile Game

• Con Man: The Game by Monkey Strength Productions
• Fire Emblem Heroes by Nintendo
• Monument Valley 2 by Ustwogames
• Pokemon GO by Niantic
• Sky Dancer by Pine Entertainment
• Super Mario Run by Nintendo

Pokemon GO. No bet. We're done. It was so addictive and so popular last year, it's not even funny.

And no, I didn't play it at all.

Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Board Game

• Betrayal at House on the Hill: Widow’s Walk by Avalon Hill
• Gloomhaven by Cephalofair Games
• Hero Realms by White Wizard Games
• Mansions of Madness (Second Edition) by Fantasy Flight Games
• Scythe by Stonemaier Games
• Terraforming Mars by Stronghold Games

............

I have no horse in this race. I don't even have a bet on a horse.

WINNER: Eh. Whoever.

Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Miniatures / Collectible Card / Role-Playing Game

• A Shadow Across the Galaxy X-Wing Wave X by Fantasy Flight Games
• Bloodborne: The Card Game by CMON Limited
• Dark Souls: The Board Game by Steamforged Games
• Magic the Gathering: Eldritch Moon by Wizards of the Coast
• Pulp Cthulhu by Chaosium
• Star Wars: Destiny by Fantasy Flight Games

Again, not my scene. [Rolls 6-sided die]. Um ... Star Wars?




Once again, I'd like to thank all of you folks in the fan base for chipping in in the first place, and coming out to vote. If you look at my two nominations with thoughts of "If I vote for him twice, will that be a problem?" No. If I get both wins, one goes to my co-author on UnSub.

Assuming I get either.

If you have your votes firmly set, and you don't want to squeeze in just one last bookbefore voting, you can vote below.

Remember, you may register to receive a ballot until Monday, August 28th at 11:59PM. You must be submit your ballot by September 1, 11:59 EDT

If you want to vote NOW, vote here. As they say in Chicago, vote early, vote often.