Ryman wins one of world’s top science fiction prizes

21 May 2012

A University of Manchester creative writing lecturer has won one of science fiction’s most coveted awards for his novelette ‘What We Found’.

Geoff Ryman, who is based at the University’s Centre for New Writing, won the  Nebula award whose previous winners include Brian Aldiss in 1966 and Arthur C. Clarke in 1973.

Since 1965, the Nebula Awards have been given each year for the best novel, novella, novelette, and short story. The award for best script was added in 2000. Nominees and winners are chosen by members of the SFWA.

First published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Sept/Oct 2011, What We Found is about a scientific breakthrough by a Nigerian scientist, and the deep personal impact it has on how he understands his own family history from independence to the future in 2030.

Ryman is also on the final ballot for a Hugo, another of the world’s top awards, which will be announced in front of 20,000 SF fans at the world SF convention August.

Previous Hugo novelette winners include Brian Aldiss in 1979,  Richard Cowper in 1977 and Ursula Le Guin in 1973.

Ryman said: “I’m delighted and proud that What We Found has won the Nebula in the Best Novelette category.

“The Nebula is one’s colleagues nominating and voting – which is why it feels so good.

“Both sides of the SF equation - readers and writers - get involved in the awards, which says something about the collegiate nature of the whole SF endeavour.”