Balrog Award

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The Balrog Award was a literary prize that was awarded from 1979 to 1985 for works from the field of fantasy and science fiction . The prize was awarded by the International Fantasy Gamers Society from 1979 to 1982 at the Foolcon Fantasy Convention at Johnson County Comminity College in Overland Park , Kansas , in early April (April 1st is April Fools' Day ) based on a vote. The name of the award refers to the Balrog , a mythical demon from the works of JRR Tolkien . The award was never taken completely seriously, which is why people often ironically talked about the Coveted Balrog Awards , the “coveted Balrog awards”. The reason for this may be that a very manageable number of voters gave prizes in numerous categories, that the prize was named after a monster, or the connection of the voting date with April Fools' jokes .

The Balrog Award was given in the following categories:

  • novel - novel
  • short fiction / short story - short story
  • collection / anthology - collection / anthology
  • poet - lyric
  • artist - artist
  • amateur publication - fanzine
  • professional publication - Prozine
  • amateur achievement - special achievement (amateur)
  • professional achievement - special achievement (professional)
  • sf film hall of fame - Science fiction film (Hall of Fame)
  • fantasy film hall of fame - Fantasy film (Hall of Fame,)
  • judges' choice - jury award
  • special award - Special Price

The prizes for novel, short story and collection / anthology were awarded for works published in the previous year. The Hall of Fame prizes for science fiction and fantasy films were awarded retrospectively, meaning that the works awarded were usually older.

List of award winners

novel
Short story
Collection / anthology
Poetry
Artist
Fanzine
  • 1985: Eldritch Tales
  • 1984: Fantasy Newsletter
  • 1983: Shayol
  • 1982: Eldritch Tales
  • 1981: Fantasy Newsletter
  • 1980: Fantasy Newsletter
  • 1979: Shayol
Prozine
  • 1985: Masques , JN Williamson
  • 1984: F&SF
  • 1983: F&SF
  • 1982: Omni
  • 1981: F&SF
  • 1980: Omni
  • 1979: Age of Dreams , Alicia Austin
special performance (amateur)
  • 1985: David B. Silva, for The Horror Show
  • 1984: Stan Gardner, for saving the Balrogs
  • 1983: Allan Bechtold, for SF workshops
  • 1982: Robert A. Collins, for saving the Fantasy Newsletter
  • 1981: Paul C. Allen & Susan Allen, for the Fantasy Newsletter
  • 1980: Paul C. Allen, for the Fantasy Newsletter and Of Swords and Sorcery
  • 1979: Paul C. Allen, for the Fantasy Newsletter and Of Swords and Sorcery
special performance (professional)
Science Fiction Film (Hall of Fame)
Fantasy film (Hall of Fame)
Jury Prize
  • 1984: Mercer Mayer, for teaching fantasy art to children
  • 1982: Leo Dillon & Diane Dillon
  • 1979: Jonathan Bacon, for Fantasy Crossroads
  • 1979: Andre Norton , for life's work
Special Price

Web links