Tähtivaeltaja Award Nominees Announced

The nominees for the Tähtivaeltaja award (for best science fiction book published in Finnish last year—both original works and translations) were announced today. Toni Jerrman, the chairman of the jury, notes that the selection process was difficult this time: so many good sf books were published in 2008 that some excellent ones were left out of the list. This is a very good thing, and so is also that there are two original Finnish books on the short list, he adds.

The nominees are:

• Nova Swing, by M. John Harrison (Like)
• Apina ja Uusikuu, by Viivi Hyvönen (WSOY)
• Tie (The Road), by Cormac McCarthy (WSOY)
• Pilvikartasto (Cloud Atlas), by David Mitchell (Sammakko)
• Karsintavaihe, by Maarit Verronen (Tammi)

The winner will be selected by a jury comprising journalist Hannu Blommila, critic Toni Jerrman, critic Elli Leppä, and journalist Vesa Sisättö. The results will be announced in late spring.