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The shortlist for the 35th Arthur C. Clarke Award science fiction book of the year has been announced.

The annual award is presented for the best science fiction novel of the year, and selected from a list of novels whose UK first edition was published in the previous calendar year. The winner will be announced in September 2021 (final date tbc).

The award was originally established by a generous grant from Sir Arthur C. Clarke with the aim of promoting science fiction in Britain, and is currently administered by the Serendip Foundation, a voluntary organisation created to oversee the on-going delivery and development of the award.

Members of the judging panel are nominated by supporting organisations, currently the British Science Fiction Association, the Science Fiction Foundation and the SCI-FI-LONDON film festival

The Infinite  – Patience Agbabi (Canongate)

The Vanished Birds – Simon Jimenez (Titan)

Vagabonds – Hao Jingfang (Head of Zeus)

Edge of Heaven – R.B. Kelly (NewCon Press)

The Animals in that Country – Laura Jean McKay (Scribe)

Chilling Effect  -  Valerie Valdes (Orbit)

Chair of Judges, Dr Andrew M. Butler, said: “As always, the shortlisting process was closely argued, and it was especially tough for the judges to get the shortlist down to just six. To everyone’s surprise, each of the titles is a debut novel. This has never happened before.”

Award Director Tom Hunter added: “As we announce our 35th Clarke Award shortlist I’m reminded of Sir Arthur’s wish that the prize continue to reflect the best of UK science fiction, and not one fixed definition of it.

“With SF publishing in the UK currently thriving and over 100 increasingly diverse titles again submitted to our judges this year, a single definition of science fiction in the 2020s was always going to be a challenge but with this shortlist I believe our judges not only met the challenge, they’ve raised the bar.

“Whether it’s SF for readers of all ages, works in translation, books from the heart of SF publishing, our vibrant small presses or literary imprints embracing their speculative fiction sides, our judges have created a definition of the best of science fiction literature today that is uniquely their own yet instantly recognisable.”

The judging panel for the Arthur C. Clarke Award 2021 are:

Stewart Hotston, British Science Fiction Association
Alasdair Stuart, British Science Fiction Association
Phoenix Alexander, Science Fiction Foundation
Nicole Devarenne, Science Fiction Foundation
Nick Hubble, SCI-FI-LONDON film festival

Dr Andrew M. Butler represents the Arthur C. Clarke Award in a non-voting role as the Chair of the Judges.