Nnedi Okorafor is the recipient of a Hugo Award 2016 for in the novella category for Binti. Some of the previous novel by this Nigerian American author include Akata Witch, Who Fears Death (2010, DAW/Penguin), “Hello, Moto” (2011, A Tor.Com Original short story), Kabu Kabu (2013, Prime Books), Lagoon (2014, Hodder & Stoughton Ltd.), and The Book of Phoenix (2015, DAW/Penguin/PRH).
The Hugo Awards, presented annually since 1955, are science fiction’s most prestigious award. They are voted on by members of the World Science Fiction Convention (“Worldcon”), which is also responsible for administering them. Some of the previous winners of the awards include George R. R. Martin who is famous today for the Game of Thrones, Arthur C. Clarke, Kurt Vonnegut, Isaac Asimov, and J. K. Rowling.
The 2016 school of Hugo Award Winners were announced in a ceremony at the 74th World Science Fiction Convention on August 20th, 2016. With ballots were cast by the members of MidAmeriCon II the different categories could be espied keenly; this is one of those award where members make decisions on winners and not a committee. The category that interested us was one for Best Novella with our own Nnedi Okorafor in the running. The news was good as the winner was announced;
Best Novella (2,903 final ballots, 2416 nominating ballots)
- Binti by Nnedi Okorafor (Tor.com)
- Penric’s Demonby Lois McMaster Bujold (Spectrum)
- Slow Bulletsby Alastair Reynolds (Tachyon)
- Perfect Stateby Brandon Sanderson (Dragonsteel Entertainment)
- The Buildersby Daniel Polansky (Tor.com)
Binti is a space odyssey about a young girl faced with leaving her family and surviving the dangerous journey to her university in the galaxy.
P.S. Check this interview of Nnedi when she was still a nominee.
P.P.S. There were other winners and stuff.
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