Loncon 3, the 72nd World Science Fiction Convention
Loncon 3 logo
GenreScience fiction
Dates14–18 August 2014
VenueExCeL London
Location(s)London
CountryUnited Kingdom
Attendance7,951
Organized byLondon 2014 Limited
Websiteloncon3.org[usurped]

The 72nd World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon), also known as Loncon 3, was held on 14–18 August 2014 at the ExCeL London in London, United Kingdom.[1][2]

The convention committee was co-chaired by Alice Lawson and Steve Cooper and organized as London 2014 Limited.

Participants

Attendance was 7,951, out of 10,833 paid memberships.

Guests of Honour

John Clute during his Guest of Honour interview.
  • Iain M. Banks: a writer who received both popular and critical acclaim for his science fiction novels published over 25 years, including the Culture series, and for 15 other books published under the name Iain Banks. Banks died in June 2013, having announced just two months earlier that he had inoperable cancer.[3]
  • John Clute: a critic and writer of international renown, whose extensive work in the genre includes co-editing The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and The Encyclopedia of Fantasy.
  • Malcolm Edwards: currently Deputy CEO and publisher at the Orion Publishing Group, and who has also been a science fiction editor, critic, and writer, as well as a fan for over 40 years.
  • Chris Foss: an artist whose ground-breaking images revolutionised SF paperback covers from the early 1970s and shaped the way a generation visualised science fiction.
  • Jeanne Gomoll: recognised as one of the prime movers in science fiction feminism in the 1970s, and who has been influential in SF fandom as an artist, editor, writer, and organiser ever since.
  • Robin Hobb: the author of five successful series of fantasy novels, in addition to earlier works written as Megan Lindholm and a collection published under both names.
  • Bryan Talbot: a comics writer and artist whose career of over 30 years in the field includes the creation of the first British graphic novel, The Adventures of Luther Arkwright.

Programming and events

Masquerade

The Loncon 3 masquerade was held on 16 August. The winners, across four experience-based categories, were:[4][5][6]

Young Fan division

  • Best Time Traveler: "Alberta Gear" by Tali Semo
  • Most Beautiful and Coolest: "Elsa" by Nicole Keller
  • Most Original and Creative: "Lost and Found" by Olivia and Eleah Flockhart
  • Special Judge's Award: "Elsa" by Nicole Keller

Novice division

  • Most Creepy: "The Slender Man" by Andrew Wishart
  • Best Recreation: "70's Doctor Who Monsters" by Christine Halse and Joseph Halse
  • Honourable Mention for Fabric Manipulation: "Fish Pond" by Emma Roberts
  • Best Workmanship: "Puff & Perry on the Other Side of Boring" by Petra Kufner and Antje Brand
  • Best Presentation: "Tribal" by Rebecca Lale
  • Best in Class (Group): "Puff & Perry on the Other Side of Boring" by Petra Kufner and Antje Brand
  • Best in Class (Solo): "Tribal" by Rebecca Lale

Journeyman division

  • Judge's Favourite: "Life is a Dream" by Loretta and Tim Morgan
  • Best Workmanship: "A Glamorous Evening of Galactic Domination" (Dalek ball gown costume) by Jennifer Skwarski
  • Best Presentation: "A Message from the Ministry of Magic" by Sabine Furlong
  • Best in Class: "Coliseum" by Peter Westhead

Master division

  • Most Beautiful: "The Odyssey Dress" by Miki Dennis
  • Workmanship and Attention to Detail: "We Dance" by Laura Hunt
  • Best Workmanship: "Aratalindalë" (Vala from The Silmarillion) by Ian Spittlehouse, Maggie Percival, Mike Percival, Marcus Streets, Liz Caldwell, Alex Davidson, Lawrence Percival and Helen Armstrong[7]
  • Best Presentation: "Aratalindalë" (Vala from The Silmarillion) by Ian Spittlehouse, Maggie Percival, Mike Percival, Marcus Streets, Liz Caldwell, Alex Davidson, Lawrence Percival and Helen Armstrong[7]

Overall

  • Best in Show: "Aratalindalë" by Ian Spittlehouse et al.[7]

Awards

Main article: Hugo Award

The World Science Fiction Society administers and presents the Hugo Awards,[8] the oldest and most noteworthy award for science fiction. Selection of the recipients is by vote of the Worldcon members. Categories include novels and short fiction, artwork, dramatic presentations, and various professional and fandom activities.[8][9]

Other awards may be presented at Worldcon at the discretion of the individual convention committee. This has often included the national SF awards of the host country, such as the Japanese Seiun Awards as part of Nippon 2007,[10] and the Prix Aurora Awards as part of Anticipation in 2009. The Astounding Award for Best New Writer and the Sidewise Award, though not sponsored by the Worldcon, are usually presented, as well as the Chesley Awards, the Prometheus Award, and others.[10] The 1939 Retro Hugos were presented in 2014 to honor the 75th anniversary of the 1st World Science Fiction Convention.[11]

The convention received 3,587 valid ballots for the 2014 Hugo Awards and 1,307 for the 1939 Retro Hugo Awards.[12] Both figures are record participation by members in these awards. More than 99% of the ballots were cast online with just 16 by postal mail for the 2014 awards and 12 for the 1939 awards.[13] Authors Mary Robinette Kowal and Rob Shearman hosted the Retro Hugo Award ceremony.[11]

On 1 March 2014, the convention committee announced that comedian Jonathan Ross would be the host of the Hugo Award Ceremony; this choice was met with some controversy, and directly led to Farah Mendlesohn's decision to resign from the committee.[14] Ross subsequently tweeted that he was withdrawing from hosting the ceremonies.[15] Authors Geoff Ryman and Justina Robson were later named as hosts for the ceremony.[1][16]

2014 Hugo Awards

[16][12]

Best Novella winner Charles Stross
Best Novelette winner Mary Robinette Kowal
Best Professional Editor, Short Form winner Ellen Datlow

1939 Retro Hugo Awards

[17][11]

Other awards

Staff

Loncon 3 was co-chaired by Alice Lawson and Steve Cooper. Division heads included Helen Montgomery for Events, Farah Mendlesohn for Exhibits, Mike Scott for Facilities, Eemeli Aro for Hospitality, Nigel Furlong for Logistics, James Bacon for Programme, Nicholas Whyte for Promotions, Kees Van Toorn for Publications, and Carolina Gómez Lagerlöf for Services.[18]

Site selection

The Loncon fan village, where the bids had their tables and bid parties.

At the March 2012 filing deadline, only one committee who had announced a bid to hold the 72nd World Science Fiction Convention had filed the required paperwork to be on the site selection ballot.[19][20] That bid, "London in 2014", was chaired by Steve Cooper and Mike Scott.[21][22]

London's bid to host the Worldcon was formally unopposed and won in balloting among the members of the 70th World Science Fiction Convention held in Chicago, Illinois, in 2012.[23][1] With 932 ballots cast, the voting breakdown was 864 votes for London, 29 ballots expressed no preference, and there were 39 write-in votes for various sites, including "Peggy Rae's House", Phoenix, Stockholm, and Tonopah, Nevada.[24]

As a result of London's win, a vote for the 11th North American Science Fiction Convention to be held in 2014 took place at the 71st World Science Fiction Convention in San Antonio, Texas, in 2013.[25] Of the two announced bids, Detroit's bid was certified as the winner with 231 votes over a Phoenix bid that garnered 210 votes.[26] The Detroit convention was named Detcon1.[27]

Future site selection

Two committees announced bids and qualified to be on the site selection ballot for the 74th World Science Fiction Convention: "KC in 2016" for 17–21 August 2016, in Kansas City, Missouri, and "Beijing in 2016" for 14–19 August 2016, at the National Convention Center in Beijing, China. The 2016 site selected by the voters, Kansas City, was announced during the convention's final World Science Fiction Society business meeting on Sunday, 17 August 2014.[28][29][30]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Barnett, David (23 July 2014). "Science fiction takes over London as Worldcon and Nine Worlds land". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  2. ↑ Ellis-Petersen, Hannah (15 August 2014). "World Science Fiction Convention 2014 beams into London". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
  3. ↑ Banks, Iain (3 April 2013). "A personal statement from Iain Banks". Official website. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
  4. ↑ Silver, Steven H (17 August 2014). "Loncon 3 Masquerade Winners". SF Site. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  5. ↑ "Loncon 3 - Masquerade". Sci-Fii 4 Ever. 28 August 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  6. ↑ Parker, Carole (January–February 2015). "Loncon3 Masquerade" (PDF). International Costumer. XIV (1): 3–5.
  7. 1 2 3 Helen, Daniel (24 August 2014). "Tolkien Society members triumph at Worldcon Masquerade". The Tolkien Society. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  8. 1 2 "Article 3: Hugo Awards". WSFS Constitution. World Science Fiction Society. 2008. Archived from the original on 20 May 2011. Retrieved 5 April 2009.
  9. ↑ Franklin, Jon (30 October 1977). "Star roars: this year's champs in science fiction". The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore, MD. p. D5. Archived from the original on 8 March 2013. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
  10. 1 2 "Awards". Nippon2007: 65th World Science Fiction Convention. Retrieved 15 March 2009.
  11. 1 2 3 "1939 Retro Hugo Award Winners". Loncon 3. 14 August 2014. Archived from the original on 16 August 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  12. 1 2 "2014 Hugo Award Statistics" (PDF). Loncon 3. 17 August 2014. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 17 August 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  13. ↑ "Loncon 3 announces record participation in the 2014 Hugo Awards" (PDF) (Press release). Loncon 3. 7 August 2014. Archived from the original on 14 August 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014.{{cite press release}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  14. ↑ Stross, Charlie (1 March 2014). "The latest Hugo awards storm". Charlie's Diary. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  15. ↑ Ross, Jonathan (1 March 2014). "I have decided..." Twitter. Retrieved 1 March 2014. I have decided to withdraw from hosting the Hugo's @loncon3 in response to some who would rather I weren't there. Have a lovely convention.
  16. 1 2 Standlee, Kevin (17 August 2014). "2014 Hugo Award Winners". The Hugo Awards. World Science Fiction Society. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
  17. ↑ "1939 Retrospective Hugo Award Statistics" (PDF). Loncon 3. 14 August 2014. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  18. ↑ Glyer, Mike (27 July 2012). "London in 2014 Names Worldcon Committee". File 770. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  19. ↑ "Chicon 7 Announces London as Sole 2014 Site Selection Bidder" (Press release). Chicon 7. 7 March 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  20. ↑ Glyer, Mike (8 March 2012). "London in 2014 Bid Files". File 770. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  21. ↑ Silver, Steven H (2 April 2010). "London In 2014". SF Site. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
  22. ↑ Langford, Dave (2010). "Rumblings". Ansible. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
  23. ↑ Mitchell, Petrea (2 September 2012). "2014 Worldcon in Loncon3". con-news.com. Archived from the original on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
  24. ↑ Glyer, Mike (3 September 2012). "2014 Worldcon: Loncon 3". File 770. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  25. ↑ Fox, Rose (3 September 2012). "Worldcon Breaking News". Genreville. Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on 26 September 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
  26. ↑ Glyer, Mike (31 August 2013). "2014 NASFiC Result". File 770. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  27. ↑ DeNardo, John (9 January 2014). "Detcon1 Announces the Detcon1 Awards for Young Adult and Middle Grade Speculative Fiction". SF Site. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  28. ↑ "2016 Site Selection". London: Loncon 3. 16 February 2014. Archived from the original on 2 July 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  29. ↑ "Worldcon and NASFiC Bids". Worldcon.org. 1 July 2014. Archived from the original on 7 April 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
  30. ↑ Glyer, Mike (17 August 2014). "Kansas City Wins 2016 Worldcon Race". File 770. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
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