I'm suddenly finding myself vested in this whole thing trying to suss out the subtle truth behind all the ins and outs of this shit. I've started writing too, with a keen nose on how to be effective. EFFECTIVE.

At any rate this came onto my radar:
http://www.christopher-priest.co.uk/journal/1077/hull-0-scunthorpe-3/

I don't know any of the books he's talking about except Stross which is interesting because he's pretty much the only writer I've read consistently in the past five years but I've always considered it interesting ideas with fluffy pulp like writing which Priest kind of nails on the head (without admitting it's at least an interesting idea however), so Im inclined to think this isn't just him hating. But LOL at his conclusion:

"But there is a better way forward, and here it is.
1. The present panel of judges should be fired, or forced to resign, immediately. Their names are Juliet E. McKenna, Martin Lewis, Phil Nanson, Nikkianne Moody and Rob Grant. Chairman Andrew M. Butler should also resign. These people have proved themselves incompetent as judges, and should not be allowed to have any more say about or influence on the Arthur C. Clarke Award.
2. The 2012 Arthur C. Clarke Award should be suspended forthwith, and the planned awards ceremony on 2nd May should be cancelled.
3. The award fund (£2,012.00, as I understand it) should be held over until next year. Next year’s fund should be added to it, so that the prize for 2013 becomes £4,013.00.
4. The 2013 Clarke Award should be made to the best novel published in the two years ended 31st December 2012. All novels currently eligible for the 2012 award, whether or not they have been shortlisted by this year’s panel, are eligible again.
5. All the other usual rules of the Award should be applied.
And just in case this modest suggestion of mine is taken up, let me add one final thing:

If enough people seem to think that I have proposed this in my own interests, and that it is an attempt to have my own work made eligible once again, then I would withdraw my novel The Islanders from competition. If that does not satisfy such people, then the 2013 eligibility could be based simply on the books from 2012: and the doubled award be given to one of them. I have nothing published in 2012 that would be eligible."

**** end swipe ***

Has anyone read Priest's books. I saw Islands (?) on the shelf and was intrigued by the description but then completely turned away when I started reading the opening pags (more a format issue I wasn't prepared for).

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Big PEMFin H & z's
"I ain't no entertainer, and ain't trying to be one. I am 1 thing, a musician." © Miles

"When the music stops he falls back in the abyss."