John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel
じょん・だぶりゅー・きゃんべるきねん さいゆうしゅうえすえふちょうへんしょう
An annual award given to the best science fiction novel published in English the previous year (established 1973, final award 2019).
- Established
- 1973
- Organizer
- Center for the Study of Science Fiction (University of Kansas), 1979–2021
- Category
- Genre Fiction
- Selection Method
- Recommendation
- Target
- Professional
- Frequency
- 1 per year
- Announcement Period
- around May
- Status
- Active
Description
The John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel (commonly known as Campbell Memorial Award) is an annual award established in 1973 for the best science fiction novel published in English the previous year. Founded by Harry Harrison, Brian Aldiss, and others, it was operated from 1979 by the University of Kansas's Center for the Study of Science Fiction (Gunn Center). Winners were selected through nominations from publishers or jurors, followed by a small expert panel deliberating, narrowing down candidates, and ultimately selecting the winner. Winners received an engraved plaque on a permanent trophy, and individual trophies from 2004 onward; awards were typically announced at the ceremony during the May conference. No winners in 1976 and 1994; multiple winners in 1974, 2002, 2009, 2012. The conference and award were canceled in 2020–2021 due to COVID-19 and have not resumed (final award 2019).
Prize
- Main Prize
- Permanent trophy (plaque engraved with winner's name) and from 2004 onward, small individual trophy for the winner. Winners invited to the award ceremony.
- Engraving on permanent trophy
- Individual trophy awarded from 2004
- Invitation to award ceremony (conference)
Selection
Selection Process
| Stage | Judges | Pass Rate | Announcement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nomination | Nominations submitted by publishers and jurors | — | — |
| Shortlist selection (shortlist creation) | Selection panel (SF experts committee called the "small panel". Examples: Gregory Benford, James Gunn, Christopher McKitterick, Farah Mendlesohn, Paul Kincaid, Tom Shippey, etc.) | — | — |
| Final selection and voting | Winner determined by voting and deliberation by the selection panel | — | Usually announced at the award ceremony of the Campbell Conference held in May. Winners are often invited to the ceremony. |
Criteria
- Must be a full-length SF novel published in English the previous year
- Comprehensive evaluation including literary value, originality, structure, contribution to SF, etc.
- No formal minimum length (minimum word count, etc.) defined by the Center
Application Tips
Dos
- 作品が前年に英語で刊行されていることを確認する。
- 出版社にノミネーションを依頼する（推薦は出版社や審査員から行われることが一般的）。
- 応募・推薦時に出版年月や出版社情報を正確に提供する。
- 受賞候補になった場合に授賞式に出席できるよう調整する。
Don''ts
- 出版社や指定された手続きによらず自己流で応募しようとすること。
- 出版年・言語要件を満たさない作品を応募すること。
- 最低文字数について過度に心配する（センターは最小長を正式に定義していない）。
From Judges
- パネルは小規模で、候補作を十分に議論できる人数に保たれている。
- 文学性・独創性・SFとしての貢献が評価の中心となる。
- 出版社経由のノミネーションが実務上重要である。
- 受賞作は会議で紹介されるため、受賞の機会に合わせた広報準備が有効。
Related Awards
- Theodore Sturgeon Award (sister award for short fiction at the same conference)
- Astounding Award for Best New Writer (formerly John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, now Astounding Award)
- Locus Awards
- Nebula Award for Best Novel
- Hugo Award for Best Novel