Mar-28-2010, 04:44 PM (UTC)
I think there's some sort of a tradition for all kind of contests and polls for March? Not sure. 
Anyway, the difference (and the reason why this note is currently sticky here) is that this is a real award, while the BSC and Suvudu contests are more like fun entertainment and not so serious (and at least partially created to get more traffic for the sites).
There's lots of "real" fantasy/sci-fi awards out there, the Hugos and the Nebulas, Saturns, Locus, British Fantasy Awards etc etc but every one of them is a "closed" voting in one way or another - you need to be a member of some association, subscribe to a magazine, attend a con or live in a certain country etc etc in order to vote. The David Gemmell Legend Award seems to be the first real fantasy award that is really based on the public opinion. There's no panel to determine which books are listed: it's up to the publishers to nominate them. Anyone with an Internet access can vote. No memberships, no fees have to be paid for. The award is still new (and the website needs some serious redesign IMO) but I personally hope that this will become a respected award that is a real honour for the winners to receive, not "just another online poll".
Anyway, the difference (and the reason why this note is currently sticky here) is that this is a real award, while the BSC and Suvudu contests are more like fun entertainment and not so serious (and at least partially created to get more traffic for the sites).
There's lots of "real" fantasy/sci-fi awards out there, the Hugos and the Nebulas, Saturns, Locus, British Fantasy Awards etc etc but every one of them is a "closed" voting in one way or another - you need to be a member of some association, subscribe to a magazine, attend a con or live in a certain country etc etc in order to vote. The David Gemmell Legend Award seems to be the first real fantasy award that is really based on the public opinion. There's no panel to determine which books are listed: it's up to the publishers to nominate them. Anyone with an Internet access can vote. No memberships, no fees have to be paid for. The award is still new (and the website needs some serious redesign IMO) but I personally hope that this will become a respected award that is a real honour for the winners to receive, not "just another online poll".
"Green nubs on the dry sticks of the clematis promised that the appearance of death was not death itself." - Ship of Destiny
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