Dragon Awards | |
Location: | Atlanta, Georgia |
Country: | United States |
Awarded For: | Best science fiction, fantasy, horror, and alternate history works of previous year |
Presenter: | Dragon Con |
Year: | 2016 |
The Dragon Awards are a set of literary and media awards voted on by fandom and presented annually since 2016 by Dragon Con for excellence in various categories of science fiction, fantasy, and horror in various media — novels, movies, television, and games.
The Dragon Awards were first presented in 2016,[1] [2] created on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Dragon Con to "recognize excellence in all things Science Fiction and Fantasy."[3] [4] By 2018, 11,000 voters cast a ballot,[5] given out annually at Dragon Con in Atlanta, Georgia.
A unique feature of the Awards is that it runs a diverse set of subgenera on the ballot.[6]
The finalist short list for the first Dragon Awards was announced on August 11, 2016,[7] and the winners were announced on September 4 that year.[8]
In 2017, nominated authors Allison Littlewood, John Scalzi, and N. K. Jemisin asked Dragon Con to remove their names from the ballot; John Scalzi subsequently reconsidered and remained in the contest. However, the coordinators of the Dragon Awards initially refused to remove other authors' names from the running, which generated criticism across blogs and science fiction related publications, ultimately leading the organizers to comply with nominee wishes when they desire to abstain.[9] [10] [11]
The nominations and votes are collected electronically. Participation is available to everyone, requiring only an e-mail address, but no membership or other fees, to vote. The Dragon Awards website states that they "[reserve] the right to invalidate suspect or questionable ballots without notice,"[12] and that "All decisions regarding the voting process and selection of winners shall be made by DRAGON CON in its sole discretion, shall be final, and shall not be subject to challenge or appeal."[13] Language describing the review of nominations does not state that nominations are counted numerically but are "gathered and reviewed to create a final ballot."[14] Neither counts of nominations nor votes have ever been made public.
The award process consists of two steps:
The Dragon Awards have been criticized because of the appearance that the awards were created in conjunction with campaigns by the Rabid and Sad Puppies to attack the Hugo Award.[15] Another concern raised is regarding the opaqueness of the nomination and voting process.[11]
The full list of nominees ("shortlist") can be found at List of Dragon Award nominees.
Year | Work | Author(s) | Publisher(s) | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | Somewhither: Being the First Part of A Tale of the Unwithering Realm | Castalia House | [16] | ||
2017 | Babylon's Ashes | Orbit Books | [17] | ||
2018 | Artemis | Crown Publishing Group | [18] [19] | ||
2019 | A Star-Wheeled Sky | Baen Books | [20] | ||
2020 | The Last Emperox | Tor Books | |||
2021 | Project Hail Mary | Ballantine Books | [21] | ||
2022 | Leviathan Falls | James S. A. Corey | Hachette Book Group | [22] [23] | |
2023 | The Icarus Plot | Baen Books | [24] |
Year | Work | Author(s) | Publisher(s) | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | Son of the Black Sword | Baen Books | |||
2017 | Baen Books | ||||
2018 | Oathbringer | Tor Books | |||
2019 | House of Assassins | Baen Books | |||
2020 | The Starless Sea | Doubleday | |||
2021 | Battle Ground | Ace Books | |||
2022 | Book of Night | Tom Doherty Associates | |||
2023 | Witch King | Tordotcom |
Year | Work | Author(s) | Publisher(s) | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | The Shepherd's Crown | Doubleday | |||
2017 | The Hammer of Thor | Disney-Hyperion Books | |||
2018 | Children of Blood and Bone | Henry Holt and Company | [25] | ||
2019 | Bloodwitch | Tor Books | |||
2020 | Finch Merlin and the Fount of Youth | Nightlight Books | |||
2021 | A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking | T. Kingfisher | Argyll Productions | ||
2022 | A Dark and Starless Forest | HMH Books for Young Readers | |||
2023 | The Golden Enclaves | Del Rey Books |
The category "Best Military Science Fiction or Fantasy Novel" was removed from the awards in 2023.
Year | Work | Author(s) | Publisher(s) | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | Hell's Foundations Quiver | Tor Books | |||
2017 | Iron Dragoons | Richard Fox | Triplane Press | ||
2018 | A Call to Vengeance | Baen Books | |||
2019 | Uncompromising Honor | Baen Books | |||
2020 | Savage Wars | Jason Anspach & Nick Cole (author) | Galaxy's Edge | ||
2021 | Gun Runner | Larry Correia & John Brown | Baen Books | ||
2022 | A Call to Insurrection | Simon & Schuster |
Year | Work | Author(s) | Publisher(s) | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | League of Dragons | Del Rey Books | |||
2017 | Fallout | Del Rey Books | |||
2018 | Uncharted | Baen Books | |||
2019 | Black Chamber | Baen Books | |||
2020 | Witchy Kingdom | D.J. Butler | Baen Books | ||
2021 | Baen Books | ||||
2022 | The Silver Bullets of Annie Oakley | DAW Books | |||
2023 | Lost In Time | A. G. Riddle | Head of Zeus |
The category "Best Apocalyptic Novel" was removed from the awards in 2018.
Year | Work | Author(s) | Publisher(s) | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | Ctrl Alt Revolt! | Nick Cole | self-published | ||
2017 | Walkaway | Tor Books | [26] |
The category "Best Media Tie-In Novel" was first introduced in 2018 and removed from the awards in 2023.
Year | Work | Author(s) | Publisher(s) | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018 | Leia: Princess of Alderaan | Disney-Lucasfilm | |||
2019 | Penguin Random House | ||||
2020 | Firefly: The Ghost Machine | Titan Books | |||
2021 | Firefly: Generations | Titan Books | |||
2022 | Random House Worlds |
Year | Work | Author(s) | Publisher(s) | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | Souldancer | self-published | |||
2017 | The Changeling | Spiegel & Grau | |||
2018 | Sleeping Beauties | Scribner | |||
2019 | Little Darlings | Melanie Golding | Crooked Lane Books | ||
2020 | The Twisted Ones | T. Kingfisher | Saga | ||
2021 | The Hollow Places | T. Kingfisher | Saga | ||
2022 | The Book of Accidents | Del Rey Books | |||
2023 | A House with Good Bones | Tor Books |
The category "Best Illustrative Cover" was first introduced in 2023.
The categories "Best Comic Book" and "Best Graphic Novel" were combined into a single category in 2023.
Year | Work | Author(s)/ Artist(s) | Publisher(s) | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | Ms. Marvel | Marvel Comics | [27] | ||
2017 | The Dresden Files: Dog Men | Jim Butcher, Mark Powers | Dynamite Entertainment | [28] [29] | |
2018 | Mighty Thor | Marvel Comics | [30] | ||
2019 | Saga | Image Comics | |||
2020 | Avengers | Marvel | |||
2021 | X-Men | Marvel | |||
2022 | Immortal X-Men | Marvel |
The categories "Best Comic Book" and "Best Graphic Novel" were combined into a single category in 2023.
Year | Work | Author(s)/ Artist(s) | Publisher(s) | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | Vertigo Comics | ||||
2017 | Jim Butcher, Carlos Gomez | Dynamite Entertainment | |||
2018 | White Sand, Volume 1 | Brandon Sanderson, Rik Hoskin and Julius M. Gopez | Dynamite Entertainment | [31] | |
2019 | X-Men Grand Design – Second Genesis | Marvel Comics | |||
2020 | Battlestar Galactica: Counterstrike! | John Jackson Miller & Daniel HDR | Dynamite Entertainment | ||
2021 | The Magicians: New Class | Lev Grossman, Lilah Sturges & Pius Bak | Archaia Entertainment | ||
2022 | BOOM! Studios |
"Best Comic Book" and "Best Graphic Novel" existed as separate categories before 2023.
Year | Work | Creator(s) | Released on | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | Game of Thrones | HBO | |||
2017 | Stranger Things | Netflix | |||
2018 | Game of Thrones | David Benioff and D. B. Weiss | HBO | ||
2019 | Good Omens | Amazon Prime Video | [32] | ||
2020 | The Mandalorian | Disney+ | [33] | ||
2021 | The Expanse | Amazon Prime Video | |||
2022 | Stranger Things | Netflix | |||
2023 | The Sandman | Netflix |
Year | Work | Creator(s) | Studio | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | The Martian | Ridley Scott (director), Drew Goddard (writer) | Scott Free Productions, Kinberg Genre, TSG Entertainment | ||
2017 | Wonder Woman | Patty Jenkins (director), Allan Heinberg (writer), Zack Snyder (writer), Jason Fuchs (writer) | RatPac-Dune Entertainment, DC Films, Tencent Pictures, Wanda Pictures, Atlas Entertainment, Cruel and Unusual Films | ||
2018 | Black Panther | Ryan Coogler (director, writer), Joe Robert Cole (writer) | Marvel Studios | ||
2019 | Russo brothers (directors) | Marvel Studios | |||
2020 | Disney | ||||
2021 | The Old Guard | Netflix | |||
2022 | Dune | Legendary Pictures | |||
2023 | Jonathan Goldstein (director, writer), John Francis Daley (director, writer), Michael Gilio (writer) | Paramount Pictures |
The categories "Best Science Fiction or Fantasy PC/Console Game" and "Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Mobile Game" were combined into a single category in 2023.
Year | Work | Publisher(s) | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | Fallout 4 | Bethesda Softworks | [34] | |
2017 | Nintendo | [35] | ||
2019 | Monolith Productions | |||
2019 | Red Dead Redemption 2 | Rockstar Games | ||
2020 | [36] | |||
2021 | Assassin's Creed: Valhalla | |||
2022 | Elden Ring | Bandai Namco Entertainment |
The categories "Best Science Fiction or Fantasy PC/Console Game" and "Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Mobile Game" were combined into a single category in 2023.
Year | Work | Developers(s) | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | Fallout Shelter | Bethesda Softworks | ||
2017 | Pokémon Go | Niantic | ||
2018 | Jam City | |||
2019 | Niantic, WB Games San Francisco | |||
2020 | Minecraft Earth | Mojang Studios | ||
2021 | Harry Potter: Puzzles and Spells | Zynga | ||
2022 | Diablo Immortal | Blizzard |
"Best Science Fiction or Fantasy PC/Console Game" and "Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Mobile Game" existed as separate categories before 2023.
The categories "Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Board Game" and "Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Miniatures / Collectible Card / Role-Playing Game" were combined into a single category in 2023.
Year | Work | Publisher(s) | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | Pandemic: Legacy | Z-Man Games | ||
2017 | Betrayal at House on the Hill: Widow's Walk | Avalon Hill | ||
2018 | Red Dragon Inn 6: Villains | Slugfest Games | ||
2019 | Betrayal Legacy | Avalon Hill Games | ||
2020 | Tapestry | Stonemaier Games | ||
2021 | Imperium | Dire Wolf Games | ||
2022 | Fantasy Flight Games |
Year | Work | Publisher(s) | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | Call of Cthulhu Roleplaying Game (7th edition) | Chaosium | ||
2017 | Magic: The Gathering: Eldritch Moon | Wizards of the Coast | ||
2018 | Magic: The Gathering: Unstable | Wizards of the Coast | ||
2019 | Call of Cthulhu Masks of Nyarlathotep Slipcase Set | Chaosium | ||
2020 | Magic: The Gathering: Throne of Eldraine | Wizards of the Coast | ||
2021 | Warhammer: Age of Sigmar: Soulbound Role-Playing Game | Cubicle 7 | ||
2022 | Wizards of the Coast |
"Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Board Game" and "Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Miniatures / Collectible Card / Role-Playing Game" existed as separate categories before 2023.