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The 1991 James Tiptree, Jr. Award

Judges

Suzy McKee Charnas, Sherry Coldsmith, Bruce McAllister, Vonda McIntyre, Debbie Notkin (coordinator)

Non-attributed commentary harvested from correspondence among the judges.

1991 Winners

Eleanor Arnason, A Woman of the Iron People, William Morrow, 1991

"Four-square grumpy humor and effortless inventiveness. It explores the situation of a people much more obviously (if not more deeply) fixed in mammalian psycho-sexual wiring than we are (or think we are). No easy answers, no question begging, just a clean, clever job."
"That wonderful mix of 'sense of wonder' (alien-ness) and shock of recognition (humanity) which … the very best science fiction has and which … 'courage' in SF demands."

Gwyneth Jones, The White Queen, Gollancz, 1991

"The real reason this book is so good is its moral complexity. You don't know whether to root for the heroes as they challenge the seemingly benevolent aliens or to pity the heroes for their xenophobia. Jones makes that decision as difficult for us as the decision to support the PLO or the IRA or the Mojahadeen (take your pick) is for people today. The book is infuriatingly and justifiably inconclusive; the characters are as confused as most of today's viewers are."