2010 AUREALIS AWARDS

The finalists have just been announced for the 2010 Aurealis Awards, which are awards - first established in 1995 - that celebrate the achievements of Australian science fiction, fantasy and horror writers. In the past few years there has been a growing list of different categories, including awards for best short story, YA and kids book, to all the better include Australia’s prolific output in the SF, fantasy and horror genres.

I Love these awards! Some of my fav authors have won or been finalists over the years, including Juliet Marillier, Victor Kelleher, Margo Lanagan, Isobelle Carmody and Sonya Hartnett. These were the books I devoured as a kid and of course still revisit even know, and what’s even better is that they are all Australian. These books can more than hold their own in the worldwide literary landscape! To quote from the website:

“This list of past winners and finalists is not only a great guide to a basic bookshelf selection of the best Australian works, it is also a useful survey of more than a decade's worth of signficant topics and themes, a who's who of the genre locally and the growth of the Australian publishing industry's commitment to the genre.”

Below are the finalists for the SF, fantasy, horror, YA and Children’s Fiction categories:

CHILDREN'S FICTION (told through words)

Grimsdon, Deborah Abela

Ranger's Apprentice #9: Halt's Peril, John Flanagan

The Vulture of Sommerset, Stephen M Giles

The Keepers, Lian Tanner

Haggis MacGregor and the Night of the Skull, Jen Storer & Gug Gordon

YOUNG ADULT Novel

Merrow, Ananda Braxton-Smith

Guardian of the Dead, Karen Healey

The Midnight Zoo, Sonya Hartnett

The Life of a Teenage Body--‐Snatcher, Doug MacLeod

Behemoth (Leviathan Trilogy Book Two), Scott Westerfeld

(I hope Merrow wins this one – I read it last year and thought it was amazing)

HORROR Novel

After the World: Gravesend, Jason Fischer

Death Most Definite, Trent Jamieson

Madigan Mine, Kirstyn McDermott

FANTASY Novel

The Silence of Medair, Andrea K Höst

Death Most Definite, Trent JamiesonStormlord Rising, Glenda Larke

Heart’s Blood, Juliet Marillier

Power and Majesty, Tansy Rayner Roberts

(my heart’s with Marillier on this one)

SCIENCE FICTION Novel

Song of Scarabaeous, Sara Creasy

Mirror Space, Marianne de Pierres

Transformation Space, Marianne de Pierres

More details at:

http://www.aurealisawards.com/

Wildwood Dancing, by Juliet Marillier

Published in 2007 by Pan Macmillan

Gorgeous, gorgeous book. Really does the fairytale re-telling genre justice. I used to read a lot of adult fantasy in my early and mid-teens and then stopped once I got into YA and children’s books. Wildwood Dancing makes me want to get into it again – it is sumptuous, vividly told and seamlessly incorporates many elements of folklore and fantasy fiction.

Jena, her five sisters and faithful companion, the frog she calls Gogu, live in a crumbling castle on the fringe of a wildwood in Transylvania. They have shared a secret for nine years – the existence of a hidden portal that allows them to travel through the Wildwood to the other Kingdom, on the evening of a full moon. Their father falls ill and must escape the winter cold to regain his health. When he leaves, the girls’ cousin Cezar gradually assumes overbearing control and creates trouble for them. Their secret is threatened and Jena must embark on a dark and perilous quest into the fantastic realms to save the lives of those she loves.

The world of Wildwood Dancing is sophisticated and intriguing. Dwelling among all these fantastic occurrences is the harsh light of reality and a story of a young girl forced to grow up and assume responsibility. This grounding in realism makes the existence of another world both tangible and engaging. Marillier writes with such belief in her story, and with such story-telling prowess, that Wildwood Dancing is one of those books that can be enjoyed by all ages.

The Transylvanian backdrop is stunning, each location infused with a pearly magic, swathed with the silent, watching presence of the moon and the forest and the frost. There is a seamless blend of Romanian vampire lore, Celtic faerie tradition and classic fairytales. The supporting characters, generally fay creatures, are well-drawn. The villain of the story is a complex and layered character, easy to loathe but easier to understand.

Wildwood Dancing is also about love and longing, and Marillier generally does it well. Tati and Sorrow’s relationship has a lovely ethereal quality. Jena’s own love story is played out skillfully; there is a great sense that her and her partner are true soul mates. The fact that we are introduced to him as a frog only makes it more agreeable.  My only qualm was the final scene, the ‘happy ending’. I think this was a teeny bit overwrought and it made me go ‘ick’, but as this is a fairytale I guess I can make allowances.

This is a beautiful book, a sprawling, shimmering work of art. I could find a few things to nitpick – a few moments of twee sentimentality, a bit of draggy prose, some frustration with Jena – but as a whole it is utterly charming. Love the cover as well.