Balrog Awards

{{Short description|Literary award}} The '''Balrog Awards''' were a set of awards given annually from 1979 to 1985 for the best works and achievements of speculative fiction in the previous year. The awards were named after the balrog, a fictional creature from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium.<ref name="Locus">[https://web.archive.org/web/20111016205602/http://www.locusmag.com/SFAwards/Db/Balrog.html ''Locus'' Index to SF Awards: About the Balrog Awards]. Accessed 26 March 2021.</ref> The awards were originally announced by editor Jonathan Bacon in Issue #15 of ''Fantasy Crossroads'' and presented at the Fool-Con II convention on April Fool's Day, 1979 at Johnson County Community College, Kansas.<ref>[http://www.robert-e-howard.org/NemedianChroniclers4.pdf ''Nemedian Chroniclers''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116032213/http://www.robert-e-howard.org/NemedianChroniclers4.pdf |date=2013-01-16 }}, Issue #4, p. 12.</ref> The awards were never taken seriously and are often referred to, tongue-in-cheek, as the "coveted Balrog Awards".<ref name="Locus" />

==Awards (by year)==

===1979=== * Best Novel: ''Blind Voices'', Tom Reamy * Best Short Fiction: "Death from Exposure", Pat Cadigan * Best Collection/Anthology: ''Born to Exile'', Phyllis Eisenstein * Best Poet: Ray Bradbury * Best Artist: Tim Kirk * Best Amateur Publication: ''Shayol'' * Best Professional Publication: ''Age of Dreams'', Alicia Austin * Best Amateur Achievement: Paul C. Allen (for ''Fantasy Newsletter'' and "Of Swords & Sorcery") * Best Professional Achievement: J. R. R. Tolkien and Donald M. Grant (tie) * Judges' Choice: Jonathan Bacon (for ''Fantasy Crossroads'') * Judges' Choice: Andre Norton (for lifetime achievement)

===1980=== * Best Novel: ''Dragondrums'', Anne McCaffrey * Best Short Fiction: "The Last Defender of Camelot", Roger Zelazny * Best Collection/Anthology: ''Night Shift'', Stephen King * Best Poet: H. Warner Munn * Best Artist: Michael Whelan * Best Amateur Publication: ''Fantasy Newsletter'' * Best Professional Publication: ''Omni'' * Best Amateur Achievement: Paul Allen (for ''Fantasy Newsletter'' and "Of Swords and Sorcery") * Best Professional Achievement: Anne McCaffrey * SF Film Hall of Fame: ''2001: A Space Odyssey'' and ''Star Wars'' (tie) * Fantasy Film Hall of Fame: ''Fantasia'' * Special Award: Ian Ballantine & Betty Ballantine

===1981=== * Best Novel: ''The Wounded Land'', Stephen R. Donaldson * Best Short Fiction: "The Web of the Magi", Richard Cowper * Best Collection/Anthology: ''Unfinished Tales'', J. R. R. Tolkien, edited by Christopher Tolkien * Best Poet: H. Warner Munn * Best Artist: Frank Frazetta * Best Amateur Publication: ''Fantasy Newsletter'' * Best Professional Publication: ''F&SF'' * Best Amateur Achievement: Paul C. Allen & Susan Allen (for ''Fantasy Newsletter'') * Best Professional Achievement: George Lucas (for contributions, including the ''Star Wars'' saga) * SF Film Hall of Fame: ''The Empire Strikes Back'' * Fantasy Film Hall of Fame: ''The Wizard of Oz'' * Special Award: Jorge Luis Borges * Special Award: Fritz Leiber

===1982=== * Best Novel: ''Camber the Heretic'', Katherine Kurtz * Best Short Fiction: "A Thief in Korianth", C. J. Cherryh * Best Collection/Anthology: ''Shadows of Sanctuary'', Robert Lynn Asprin, ed. * Best Poet: Frederick Mayer * Best Artist: Real Musgrave * Best Amateur Publication: ''Eldritch Tales'' * Best Professional Publication: ''Omni'' * Best Amateur Achievement: Robert A. Collins (for saving ''Fantasy Newsletter'') * Best Professional Achievement: George Lucas and Steven Spielberg (tie) * SF Film Hall of Fame: ''Forbidden Planet'' * Fantasy Film Hall of Fame: ''King Kong'' * Judges' Choice: Leo & Diane Dillon

===1983=== * Best Novel: ''The One Tree'', Stephen R. Donaldson * Best Short Fiction: "All of Us Are Dying", George Clayton Johnson * Best Collection/Anthology: ''Storm Season'', Robert Lynn Asprin, ed. * Best Poet: Frederick J. Mayer * Best Artist: Tim Hildebrandt * Best Amateur Publication: ''Shayol'' * Best Professional Publication: ''F&SF'' * Best Amateur Achievement: Allan Bechtold (for SF workshops) * Best Professional Achievement: Ben Bova (for writing and editing ''Omni'' and ''Analog'') * SF Film Hall of Fame: ''The Day the Earth Stood Still'' * Fantasy Film Hall of Fame: ''The Dark Crystal'' * Special Award: Kirby McCauley

===1984=== * Best Novel: ''The Armageddon Rag'', George R. R. Martin * Best Short Story: "Wizard Goes A-Courtin'", John Morressy * Best Collection/Anthology: ''Unicorn Variations'', Roger Zelazny * Best Poet: Frederick J. Mayer * Best Artist: Real Musgrave * Best Amateur Publication: ''Fantasy Newsletter'' * Best Professional Publication: ''F&SF'' * Best Amateur Achievement: Stan Gardner (for saving the Balrogs) * Best Professional Achievement: Pendragon Gallery (for promoting fantasy artwork) * SF Film Hall of Fame: ''Blade Runner'' * Fantasy Film Hall of Fame: ''Bambi'' * Judges' Choice: Mercer Mayer (for educating children in fantasy art)

===1985=== * Best Novel: ''The Practice Effect'', David Brin * Best Short Story: "A Troll and Two Roses", Patricia A. McKillip * Best Collection/Anthology: ''Daughter of Regals and Other Tales'', Stephen R. Donaldson * Best Poet: Ardath Mayhar * Best Artist: Richard Pini & Wendy Pini * Best Amateur Publication: ''Eldritch Tales'' * Best Professional Publication: ''Masques'', J. N. Williamson, ed. * Best Amateur Achievement: David B. Silva (for ''The Horror Show'') * Best Professional Achievement: Hap Henriksen (for the National SF/Fantasy Hall of Fame) * SF Film Hall of Fame: ''Starman'' * SF Film Hall of Fame: ''E.T. The Extraterrestrial'' * Fantasy Film Hall of Fame: ''Raiders of the Lost Ark'' * Special Award: Lester del Rey

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:American literary awards B Category:Science fiction awards Category:Fantasy awards