The Libertarian Futurist Society has announced its Best Novel finalists for its annual Prometheus Awards. The awards will be presented during Sasquan, the 73rd annual World Science Fiction Convention August 19-23, 2015 in Spokane. The Best Novel finalists (in alphabetical order by author) for this year’s Prometheus Award for best pro-freedom novel of 2014:

• The Three-Body Problem, by Liu Cixin (TOR Books, Nov. 2014) is a first contact novel by one of China’s best loved science fiction authors. Ye Wenjie, a young astrophysicist whose life is molded by experiences during China’s brutal Cultural Revolution, makes crucial decisions about the future of humanity. The struggle to make rational sense of the universe, using methods of logic and science, is essential to nearly all of the human and alien characters.
• Raising Steam, by Terry Pratchett (March 18, 2014, Knopf Doubleday) is the 40th Discworld novel and the last published in Pratchett’s lifetime.  further explores the theme of technological advances in communication and transportation and their liberating impact. Moist von Lipwig, the protagonist of Going Postal and Making Money, reappears as the key figure in the creation of the Discworld’s first railroad, and in the legal negotiations that make it possible.
• A Better World, by Marcus Sakey (Amazon, Thomas & Mercer, June 2014) is a sequel to Brilliance, which explored a world populated by people with fantastic talents. In this story, some Brilliants are using terrorism to work toward separation, while others work to make a more civil, cooperative society.
• Influx, the fourth techno-thriller by Daniel Suarez (Dutton Adult, Feb. 20, 2014), depicts a government so concerned about politically destabilizing and potentially dangerous innovations that it creates the Bureau of Technology Control to manage the introduction of new technologies. Inventors who don’t follow their edicts are sentenced to a high-tech prison. To end the impending new dark age, the prisoners must fight ruthless individuals already living in our future and armed with mind-blowing genetic technology.

Ten novels were nominated for this year’s Best Novel award. The other 2014 novels nominated for this award: The Break, by Sean Gabb (The Hampden Press); The Little Green Book of Chairman Rahma, by Brian Herbert (TOR Books); Counteract, by Tracy Lawson (Buddapuss Ink); The Stars Came Back, by Rolf Nelson (Castalia House); The Collection: A Registry Novel, by Shannon Stoker (William Morrow/Harper Collins); and Archetype, by M.D. Waters (Plume/Dutton).

The Prometheus Award, sponsored by the Libertarian Futurist Society (LFS), was established in 1979, making it one of the most enduring awards after the Nebula and Hugo awards, and one of the oldest fan-based  awards currently in sf. Presented annually since 1982 at the World Science Fiction Convention, the Prometheus Awards include a gold coin and plaque for the winners. For more than three decades, the Prometheus Awards have recognized outstanding works of science fiction and fantasy that stress the importance of liberty as the foundation for civilization, peace, prosperity, progress and justice.

For a full list of past Prometheus Award winners in all categories, visit www.lfs.org. Membership in the Libertarian Futurist Society is open to any science fiction fan interested in how fiction can promote an  appreciation of the value of liberty.

For more information, contact LFS Publicity Chair Chris Hibbert (publicity@lfs.org). To submit 2015 novels for consideration and possible nomination by LFS members, contact Best Novel awards coordinator Michael Grossberg (BestNovel@lfs.org). To propose works published more than five years ago for the Hall of Fame, contact William H. Stoddard, Hall of Fame finalist judging committee chair (HallOfFame@lfs.org).