On Friday, the 43rd annual Los Angeles Time Book Prizes were awarded at the University of Southern California. The Ray Bradbury Prize for Science Fiction, Fantasy & Speculative Fiction went to Nicola Griffith for Spear, from Tordotcom Publishing!
The four other finalists for the Bradbury Prize were:
- The Book of the Most Precious Substance by Sara Gran
- The Ballad of Perilous Graves by Alex Jennings
- The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler
- Liberation Day: Stories by George Saunders
Spear is an Arthurian tale; in a review, Tobias Carroll said it “pulls off the impressive feat of being both a bold retelling of something familiar and a pared-down example of the same.” Here’s the summary:
She left all she knew to find who she could be . . .
She grows up in the wild wood, in a cave with her mother, but visions of a faraway lake drift to her on the spring breeze, scented with promise. And when she hears a traveler speak of Artos, king of Caer Leon, she decides her future lies at his court. So, brimming with magic and eager to test her strength, she breaks her covenant with her mother and sets out on her bony gelding for Caer Leon.
With her stolen hunting spear and mended armour, she is an unlikely hero, not a chosen one, but one who forges her own bright path. Aflame with determination, she begins a journey of magic and mystery, love, lust and fights to death. On her adventures, she will steal the hearts of beautiful women, fight warriors and sorcerers, and make a place to call home.
The LA Times Book Prizes “recognize literary excellence and celebrate the highest quality of writing from authors at all stages of their careers.” Along with books in a dozen genres, the Times recognized James Ellroy with the Robert Kirsch Award for lifetime achievement, and the American Library Association’s Freedom to Read Foundation with the Innovator’s Award.
Congratulations to Griffith and all the winners!
Buy the Book
Spear
