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The Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association (CSFFA)
The Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association (CSFFA)
Home of the Prix Aurora Awards and CSFFA Hall of Fame

2017 Aurora Awards

Press Release for the 2017 Aurora awards winners

For Immediate Release

This year the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association (CSFFA) gave out a special award that is only given out every 10 years.  This year’s Best of the Decade is for novels or multi-volume stores that were published between 2001 and 2010.  The winner was Robert J. Sawyer’s, Neanderthal Parallax trilogy.

Winners for the Best Novel and Best YA Novel went to:  Quantum Night by Robert J. Sawyer, Penguin Canada, and Icarus Down by James Bow, Scholastic Canada.  The Best Short Fiction award went to Hayden Trenholm for his story, “Marion’s War” that was published in the Strangers Among Us anthology from Laksa Media.  Director Denis Villeneuve won the Best Visual Presentation award for his movie, Arrival.

The Graphic Novel award went to, Angel Catbird, Volume One by Margaret Atwood, Johnnie Christmas and Tamra Bonvillian, Dark Horse Books.  Editors Susan Forest and Lucas K. Law’s anthology, Strangers Among Us: Tales of the Underdogs and Outcasts from Laksa Media won the Best Related Work award and their cover artist, Samantha M. Beiko, won for Best Artist.

The following is the complete list of winners:

  • Best of the Decade:  The Neanderthal Parallax, Robert J. Sawyer, Tor Books
  • Best Novel:  Quantum Night by Robert J. Sawyer, Penguin Canada
  • Best YA Novel: Icarus Down by James Bow, Scholastic Canada
  • Best Short Fiction: “Marion’s War” by Hayden Trenholm, Strangers Among Us: Tales of the Underdogs and Outcasts, Laksa Media
  • Best Graphic Novel: Angel Catbird, Volume One by Margaret Atwood, Johnnie Christmas and Tamra Bonvillian, Dark Horse Books
  • Best Related Work: Strangers Among Us: Tales of the Underdogs and Outcasts edited by Susan Forest and Lucas K. Law, Laksa Media
  • Best Visual Presentation: Arrival, director, Denis Villeneuve, 21 Laps Ent, FilmNation and Lava Bear
  • Best Artist: Samantha M. Beiko, cover to Strangers Among Us: Tales of the Underdogs and Outcasts
  • Best Fan Publication: Speculating Canada edited by Derek Newman-Stille
  • Best Fan Organizational: Randy McCharles, chair, When Words Collide, Calgary
  • Best Fan Related Work: Derek Newman-Stille, Speculating Canada on Trent Radio 92.7 FM

Please note that no Poem/Song Aurora Award was given out this year due to a lack of eligible nominated works.

Aurora awards have been given out for Canadian literary and fan works that members of the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association (CSFFA) feel are exceptional. This year the awards ceremony was held on September 22nd in Halifax, Nova Scotia in conjunction with Hal-Con 2017.  A total of eleven awards were given out.

For a more details about CSFFA, the Auroras or this year’s nominees please go to our website at: www.prixaurorawards.ca. CSFFA memberships are open to all Canadians citizens and permanent residents.

Complete Results

2017 Aurora Results in Grids

The Nominees


This ballot is for works done in 2016 by Canadians. The Aurora Awards are nominated by members of the
Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association. The top five nominated works were selected. Additional
works were included where there was a tie for fifth place.

Best Novel

Children of Earth and Sky by Guy Gavriel Kay, Viking Canada
Company Town by Madeline Ashby, Tor Books
The Courier by Gerald Brandt, DAW Books
The Nature of a Pirate by A.M. Dellamonica, Tor Books
Quantum Night by Robert J. Sawyer, Penguin Canada
Stars like Cold Fire by Brent Nichols, Bundoran Press

Best Young Adult Novel

Day of the Demon by Randy McCharles, CreateSpace
Door into Faerie by Edward Willett, Coteau Books
Heir to the Sky by Amanda Sun, Harlequin Teen
Icarus Down by James Bow, Scholastic Canada
Mik Murdoch: Crisis of Conscience by Michell Plested, Evil Alter Ego Press
The Wizard Killer – Season One by Adam Dreece, ADZO Publishing

Best Short Fiction

Age of Miracles by Robert Runté, Strangers Among Us: Tales of the Underdogs and Outcasts, Laksa Media
Frog Song by Erika Holt, Strangers Among Us: Tales of the Underdogs and Outcasts, Laksa Media
Living in Oz by Bev Geddes, Strangers Among Us: Tales of the Underdogs and Outcasts, Laksa Media
Marion’s War by Hayden Trenholm, Strangers Among Us: Tales of the Underdogs and Outcasts, Laksa Media
Seasons of Glass and Iron by Amal el-Mohtar, The Starlit Wood: New Fairy Tales, Saga Press
When Phakack Came to Steal Papa, A Ti-Jean Story by Ace Jordyn, On Spec Magazine

Best Poem/Song

No award will be given out in this category in 2017 due to insufficient eligible nominees

Best Graphic Novel

Angel Catbird, Volume One by Margaret Atwood, Johnnie Christmas and Tamra Bonvillian, Dark Horse Books
Crash and Burn by Kate Larking and Finn Lucullan, Astres Press
Earthsong by Crystal Yates, Webcomic
It Never Rains by Kari Maaren, Webcomic
Weregeek by Alina Pete, Webcomic

Best Related Work

Clockwork Canada: Steampunk Fiction edited by Dominik Parisien, Exile Editions
Enigma Front: Burnt, managing editor Celeste A. Peters, Analemma Books
Lazarus Risen edited by Hayden Trenholm and Mike Rimar, Bundoran Press
Strangers Among Us: Tales of the Underdogs and Outcasts edited by Susan Forest and Lucas K. Law, Laksa
Media
Superhero Universe (Tesseracts Nineteen) edited by Claude Lalumière and Mark Shainblum, EDGE

Best Visual Presentation

Arrival, director, Denis Villeneuve, 21 Laps Ent, FilmNation and Lava Bear
Orphan Black, Season 4, John Fawcett and Graeme Manson, Temple Street Productions
Killjoys, Season 2, Michelle Lovretta, Temple Street Productions
Dark Matter, Season 2, Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie, Prodigy Pictures
Murdoch Mysteries, Season 9, Peter Mitchell and Christina Jennings, Shaftesbury Films

Best Artist

Samantha M. Beiko, cover to Strangers Among Us: Tales of the Underdogs and Outcasts
James Beveridge, covers and poster art
Melissa Mary Duncan, body of work
Erik Mohr, covers for ChiZine Publications and Company Town for Tor Books
Dan O’Driscoll, covers for Bundoran Press

Best Fan Writing and Publications

Amazing Stories Magazine, weekly column, Steve Fahnestalk
BCSFAzine #512 to #519, edited by Felicity Walker
The Nerd is the Word, articles by Dylan McEvoy
OBIR Magazine #4, edited by R. Graeme Cameron
Speculating Canada edited by Derek Newman-Stille

Best Fan Organizational

Samantha Beiko and Chadwick Ginther, co-chairs, Chiaroscuro Reading Series: Winnipeg
R. Graeme Cameron, chair, VCON 41, Surrey, BC
Sandra Kasturi and Angela Keeley, co-chairs, 2016 Toronto SpecFic Colloquium
Derek Künsken and Marie Bilodeau, executive, Can*Con 2016, Ottawa
Randy McCharles, chair, When Words Collide, Calgary
Matt Moore, Marie Bilodeau, and Nicole Lavigne, co-chairs, Chiaroscuro Reading Series: Ottawa
Sandra Wickham, chair, Creative Ink Festival, Burnaby, BC

Best Fan Related Work

S.M. Carrière, Silver Stag Entertainment, YouTube channel
Ron S. Friedman, Villains and Conflicts presentation, When Words Collide, Calgary Comic Expo, and File 770
Kari Maaren, Concert, SFContario
Derek Newman-Stille, Speculating, Canada on Trent Radio 92.7 FM

Best of the Decade

This is a special category for this year’s awards for works published between January
2001 and December 2010. Note: Items in italics are for multi-volume works. Multi-volume stories were
considered if they began prior to 2001 but ended before or close to 2011. We defined a multi-volume story as one with a continuous narrative. Finalists were chosen by an eight-person jury from across Canada. The
winner will be chosen by our membership’s votes.

Blind Lake by Robert Charles Wilson, Tor Books
The Blue Ant Trilogy by William Gibson, Berkley
Malazan Book of the Fallen, Steven Erikson, Tor Books
The Neanderthal Parallax, Robert J. Sawyer, Tor Books
The Onion Girl, Charles de Lint, Tor Books
Under Heaven, Guy Gavriel Kay, Viking Canada

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