Encyclopedia of Fantasy (1997)
Balrog Award

Tagged: Award.

US award given annually 1979-1985 for work in fantasy, named after the demon servants of Melkor the Dark Enemy, who are referred to mainly in the back-story to J R R Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings (1954-1955), though one Malign Sleeper Balrog does survive long enough to be defeated by Gandalf. There were many categories, some granted only intermittent recognition; only the more important are listed below. The award year is one year later than that of publication. [JC]

Best novel

1979: Blind Voices by Tom Reamy

1980: Dragondrums by Anne McCaffrey

1981: The Wounded Land by Stephen R Donaldson

1982: Camber the Heretic by Katherine Kurtz

1983: The One Tree by Stephen R Donaldson

1984: Armageddon Rag by George R R Martin

1985: The Practice Effect by David Brin

Short fiction

1979: "Death from Exposure" by Pat Cadigan

1980: "The Last Defender of Camelot" by Roger Zelazny

1981: "The Web of the Magi" by Richard Cowper

1982: "A Thief in Korianth" by C J Cherryh

1983: "All of us are Dying" by George Clayton Johnson

1984: "Wizard Goes A-Courtin'" by John Morressy

1985: "A Troll and Two Roses" by Patricia McKillip

Best collection/anthology

1979: Born to Exile by Phyllis Eisenstein

1980: Night Shift by Stephen King

1981: Unfinished Tales by J R R Tolkien

1982: Shadows of Sanctuary ed Robert Asprin

1983: Storm Season ed Robert Asprin

1984: Unicorn Variations by Roger Zelazny

1985: Daughter of Regals and Other Tales by Stephen R Donaldson