Poet Harry Josephine Giles won the Arthur C Clarke 2022 award for her science fiction novel 'Deep Wheel Orcadia'. Named after the famous science fiction writer Sir Arthur C Clarke, the award is given annually to "the best science fiction novel first published in the United Kingdom during the previous year," as per their official website.
'Deep Wheel Orcadia' is written in verse in the Orkney dialect, along with its parallel translation in English. The story follows Astrid and Darling. While Astrid is returning to her home from an art school on Mars, Darling is on a run. The duo meet on Deep Wheel Orcadia-- a space station that is struggling to survive.
Praising the winning book, Dr Andrew M Butler- Chair of the judges, said it is “the sort of book that makes you rethink what science fiction can do and makes the reading experience feel strange in a new and thrilling way... It’s as if language itself becomes the book’s hero and the genre is all the richer for it."
This year's award was judged by Dr Andrew M Butler (Chair of the judges), Crispin Black, Stark Holborn, Phoenix Alexander, Nicole Devarenne, and Nick Hubble.
Giles' novel 'Deep Wheel Orcadia' was chosen as the winner from a shortlist of six books. The other nominees for the Arthur C Clarke 2022 award were: 'Klara and the Sun' by Kazuo Ishiguro, 'A Desolation Called Peace' by Arkady Martine, 'A River Called Time' by Courttia Newland, 'Wergen: The Alien Love War' by Mercurio D Rivera, and 'Skyward Inn' by Aliya Whiteley.
Giles was announced the winner at an award ceremony which was hosted by the Science Museum in London, UK. She received a trophy and a prize money of £2022.
Previous winners of the Arthur C Clarke award includes debut author Laura Jean McKay, Margaret Atwood, China Miéville, among others.
