Aurealis Awards 2014 finalists announced

The finalists for the 2014 Aurealis Awards, presented for science-fiction, fantasy and horror writing in Australia, have been announced.

Among the categories are:

Fantasy novel

• Fireborn (Keri Arthur, Hachette)
• This Shattered World (Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner, A&U)
• The Lascar’s Dagger (Glenda Larke, Hachette)
• Dreamer’s Pool (Juliet Marillier, Pan Macmillan)
• Afterworlds (Scott Westerfeld, Penguin)
• Daughters of the Storm (Kim Wilkins, Harlequin)

Science-fiction novel

• Aurora: Meridian (Amanda Bridgeman, Momentum)
• Nil by Mouth (LynC, Satalyte)
• The White List (Nina D’Aleo, Momentum)
• Peacemaker (Marianne de Pierres, Angry Robot)
• This Shattered World (Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner, A&U)
• Foresight (Graham Storrs, Momentum)

Young adult novel

• The Astrologer’s Daughter (Rebecca Lim, Text)
• Afterworld (Lynnette Lounsbury, A&U)
• The Cracks in the Kingdom (Jaclyn Moriarty, Pan Macmillan)
• Clariel (Garth Nix, A&U)
• The Haunting of Lily Frost (Nova Weetman, UQP)
• Afterworlds (Scott Westerfeld, Penguin)

Children’s book

• Slaves of Socorro: Brotherband Book 4 (John Flanagan, Random House)
• Ophelia and the Marvellous Boy (Karen Foxlee, Hot Key Books)
• The Last Viking Returns (Norman Jorgensen, illus by James Foley, Fremantle Press)
• Withering-by-Sea (Judith Rossell, ABC Books)
• Sunker’s Deep: The Hidden Book 2 (Lian Tanner, A&U)
• Shadow Sister: Dragon Keeper (Carole Wilkinson, Black Dog Books).

The full list of finalists in all 12 categories is available here.

The finalists were selected from over 750 entries, with judging coordinator Tehani Wessely observing that ‘the trend towards quality e-published fiction continued in 2014, with a high percentage of entries published this way’, while ‘both traditional publishing and the smaller presses are well represented in the shortlists, reflecting the general entry trend’.

Winners of the 2014 Aurealis Awards will be announced at a ceremony on 11 April at the University House in Canberra.

To see the winners of last year’s Aurealis Awards, click here.