Indie Lit Awards 2011: Winners!
March 20, 2012 10 Comments
Finally! The winners of the Independent Literary Awards have been announced! You can see the full list of genres and winners HERE.
I was involved with the Speculative Fiction genre (magic, fantasy, science fiction, etc.). The shortlist was a good representation of the genre, I think.
The following five books made it to the shortlist:
- A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (Candlewick)
- The Magician King by Lev Grossman (Viking)
- 11/22/1963 by Stephen King (Scribner)
- Among Others by Jo Walton (Tor Books)
- Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (Crown)
I read these five books in the January to March period and they were all worthy of being on the shortlist. I had a great time reading these. So, here is the winner of the Speculative Fiction genre…
Winner: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Runner-Up: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
The world in Ready Player One is quite different from ours – a post-apocalyptic world where people spend a great deal of their time online (even children can go to school online – with a helmet on and special gloves, it feels as if they’re really present rather than looking at a screen). The world felt so real to me! While I was reading the book, it was as if this world really existed somewhere. A great book.
The publishers say: “At once wildly original and stuffed with irresistible nostalgia, READY PLAYER ONE is a spectacularly genre-busting, ambitious, and charming debut—part quest novel, part love story, and part virtual space opera set in a universe where spell-slinging mages battle giant Japanese robots, entire planets are inspired by Blade Runner, and flying DeLoreans achieve light speed.”
Reviews of Ready Player One:
Aths of Reading on a Rainy Day
Jenn of Jenn’s Bookshelves
Marleen of More Than a Reading Journal
Let’s make a list of reviews! Have you read this book? Let me link to your review.
Don’t forget to look at the other genre winners of the Indie Lit Awards in HERE.
What do you think of Ready Player One?
Did you read it and love it? Do you plan to read it?
Well, since you asked for it, here’s a link to my review of Ready Player One: http://meen-readingjournal.blogspot.com/2012/02/ready-player-one.html
Thanks Marleen. I see that you also really enjoyed this book.
I’m glad Ready Player One came in first. That is one of my favorite books. Besides being a great story, it probably touched on every geeky cultural reference from the 80s and then some. I’m ready to read it again! Ok, this time I’ll listen to the audio, which I heard is excellent.
Leslie, I agree, it’s a wonderful book. I liked all those references to the 80s too.
Must read this! I requested my library purchase it but no sign of it yet!
Shelleyrae, let’s hope they get it soon. It’s a great story.
I was excited to see Ready Player One win! One of my favorites from last year.
Yes, I was happy with that choice too, Aths. I loved the book.
I enjoyed all the gaming nostalgia, here’s my review:
http://curiositykilledthebookworm.blogspot.com/2011/09/ready-player-one.html
Thanks for the link, Ellie.