The Sunburst Awards for Canadian Literature of the Fantastic is a juried award based on excellence of writing, and consists of a medallion and a C$1,000 prize. It is for Canadian authors living in or outside of Canada, as well as Canadian immigrants. The winners of the 2008 Sunburst (for books published in 2006) will be announced this Autumn. This is the first year that there is an award for Young Adult literature.
The shortlists for this year’s awards are:
Adult:
Double-blind by Michelle Butler Hallett (published by Killick Press)
Darkness of the God by Amber Hayward (Edge)
The New Moon’s Arms by Nalo Hopkinson (Warner)
Wonderfull by William Neil Scott (NeWest)
Axis by Robert Charles Wilson (Tor)
Young Adult:
Choices by Deborah Lynn Jacobs (Roaring Brook)
Retribution by Carrie Mac (Puffin Canada)
Darkwing by Kenneth Oppel (HarperCollins Canada)
Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet by Joanne Proulx (Viking Canada)
The Night Wanderer by Drew Hayden Taylor (Annick)
This year’s jury is comprised of Timothy Anderson, Kelley Armstrong, Barbara Haworth-Attard, Dena Bain Taylor, and Robert J. Wiersema. In addition to the shortlists, the jury announced lists of honorable mentions. In the adult category, that list is: The Book of Stanley by Todd Babiak; Ysabel by Guy Gavriel Kay; Spook Country by William Gibson; Rollback by Robert J. Sawyer; and Ha’Penny by Jo Walton. The young adult honorable mentions are: The Warrior’s Daughter by Holly Bennett; The Twilight Box by Troon Harrison; Baboon by David Jones; Frost by Nicole Luiken; and Cry Wolf by Edo van Belkom.
To be considered for the 2009 award, (for books published in 2008), six copies of each book should be sent to:
The Sunburst Award
2 Farm Greenway
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
M3A 3M2
Deadline for consideration is 31 January 2009. Packages from outside Canada must be marked Promotional Materials.
Below are the jury’s comments on the shortlisted works:
Double-blind by Michelle Butler Hallett: “Sanity, madness, torture in the name of science—Double-blind is wonderfully original while chillingly based in history. It really shook us up. Through the chronically self-deceived mind of the narrator, the novel delves into profound questions of ethics in a morally ambiguous world, and comes up with tragically ironic answers. The writing is incredibly layered, with metaphor and symbol perfectly balanced against the hard neutrality of scientific language.”
Darkness of the God by Amber Hayward: “With Darkness of the God, the second book in the Children of the Panther series, Hayward really finds her footing. Melding old mythology with contemporary society, she creates a different kind of urban fantasy for readers tired of the old supernatural tropes.”
The New Moon’s Arms by Nalo Hopkinson: “Nalo Hopkinson crafts an engrossing story featuring an unforgettable character. With generous doses of mystery, humour, magical fantasy and insight, The New Moon’s Arms is a entrancing read.”
Wonderfull by William Neil Scott: “Scott follows the tradition of Canadian magic realism in a first novel brimming with quirky writing that would seem forced in less capable hands. The novel has huge scope—bigger on the inside than it appears on the outside and covering the entire lifecycle of a magical town—without ever sacrificing intimacy or detail. Scott has said he was inspired by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and the ghosts conjured by his own family’s stories.”
Axis by Robert Charles Wilson: “Original and creative, with strikingly lyrical prose, Wilson shows insight into the human need to dominate every landscape he or she sets foot upon, be it the West in ‘olden’ times or a new planet in the future—and the mistakes and pitfalls that occur while rushing to do so. He also shows the determination and fortitude our ancestors possessed and passed on, and the ability to learn from our errors and go forward.”
Choices by Deborah Lynn Jacobs: “Jacobs’ second novel is original and fast-paced, with characters we’d love to know. Kathleen, Kay, Kate, Kathy—Jacobs juggles realities with dazzling confidence. The resolution satisfies but keeps you thinking—about love and loss, and the choices we make.”
Retribution by Carrie Mac: “A timely novel, given the current rise of child armies in parts of the world. Strong writing pulls the reader through this sequel to The Droughtlanders. The sibling characters Eli, Sabine and Seth continue to grow as an exciting, action-packed yet thoughtful story unwinds.”
Darkwing by Kenneth Oppel: “Kenneth Oppel always spins wonderful fantasies about worlds hidden within our own, and in Darkwing he imagines one of those sub-worlds before our own. Darkwing takes the reader back to the earliest evolutionary form of bats and gives them a well-crafted, fast-paced adventure sure to please both grade schoolers and young teens.”
Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet by Joanne Proulx: “Proulx doesn’t shy away from showing the tumultuous mix of beauty and ugliness at work in the mind of a teen stoner. Her debut novel tackles ESP, drug use, teen sexuality and the mores of small-town conservative Michigan all foregrounded against the soundscape of Luke Hunter’s life. There is no doubt teens will recognize many of the characters in this uncomfortable novel. The book, like the protagonist, is not without flaws; Proulx’s huge accomplishment here is writing a character whose rage, frustration and love are palpable through the disaffected teen voice.”
The Night Wanderer: A Native Gothic Novel by Drew Hayden Taylor: “Taylor crafts a fast-paced tale of old magic meeting the modern world in this coming-of-age novel set in an Ontario reserve. With a spare, effective narrative style, he draws compelling portraits of teenage Tiffany, her struggling father, and a grandmother who carries the old world and the old Anishinabe language in her head. The mysterious Pierre brings a darkly gothic element to the prosaic setting, settling in the Hunters’ basement room while he looks for a cure for his cravings. Taylor is an accomplished storyteller tackling themes of alienation and compromise with an accessible and engaging voice.”