Chapter 241 Nebula Award Ceremony
After the host’s brief opening speech, the first trophy of this year’s Nebula Award was awarded.
Best Novel Award.
When the host read out the title of "Neuromancer" (Neuromancer), the audience burst into warm applause.
Fang Minghua also applauded.
I have to say, this book is really awesome.
It’s about a genius hacker, a female killer, a special forces officer, and a consciousness manipulation expert. They are hired to do two things: steal a key and obtain a password.
They are career criminals and hopeless misanthropes; they are in self-imposed exile while subconsciously looking for a way home. And their employer is the most powerful opponent that mankind has ever encountered since the beginning of civilization...
This is the first book to win the "Hugo Award", "Nebula Award" and "Philip K. Dick Award" three major science fiction award-winning works, this record no one can break.
What’s even more powerful is that it foreshadows the computer network world in the 1990s!
William Gibson not only created "cyberspace" in his book, but also gave birth to a culture "cyberpunk": "high technology, low life".
At this time, a middle-aged man in his thirties with glasses and messy hair stood up, greeted everyone with a smile, and then walked quickly to the podium. It was the author William Gibson.
It is said that this novel was written last year (1984) when this guy was studying for a degree in English literature at Columbia University.
This guy doesn’t understand computers at all, so he typed out this novel that belongs to the Internet world word by word on a traditional typewriter!
Gibson took the stage to receive the trophy, a spiral nebula made of transparent synthetic resin, and then delivered his acceptance speech.
"The future is already here, it's just not evenly distributed," Gibson said as he walked off the podium to a round of applause.
Then the list of winners for the best novella was awarded. It was "Press Enter" written by the American science fiction novelist John Varley
It talks about computer networks and artificial intelligence. Murder mystery story.
The next step is to award the Best Short Novella Award, and the book "Country Teacher" is among the nominees.
Seeing the host reading the list of nominated novels, Fang Minghua couldn't help but straighten up.
His subtle movement was seen by Emily, who was sitting next to him. She had an inexplicable fondness for the young man from the mysterious country of Dongfeng.
Gentle and elegant, generous and decent.
Of course he is very handsome.
So he whispered:
"It seems that you care very much about whether your Chinese compatriot can win the award."
"I do care a little." Fang Minghua said with a smile.
"It's impossible to win the prize!" Jack, who was sitting on the other side of Emily, listened and whispered immediately.
At this moment, the host held an opened envelope with an incredible expression on his face.
After a pause, he read aloud:
"The novel that won the best short and medium story at this year's Nebula Award is "Village Teacher" from China! Please invite the author, Mr. Minghua!"
The theater immediately burst into thunderous applause.
Jack was stunned.
Emily was overjoyed. Somehow, she really hoped that this novel would win an award.
It was because the scenes described in this novel moved her.
Or is it because your father was also a teacher?
She turned her head and suddenly found that Fang Minghuali, who was sitting next to her, took out a red tie from his pocket, tied it around his neck, and stood up again.
"You, why are you going?" Emily asked subconsciously.
"Go and receive the award." Fang Minghua replied casually, then thought of something and asked in a low voice: "Emily, please help me see if my tie is tied properly?" "It's tied properly. ”
“Thank you.”
Fang Minghua strode towards the podium, leaving Emily still messy in the wind.
The award guest is the famous Isaac Asimov.
"Mr. Minghua, as a Nebula Award presenter, I have handed this small trophy to many writers, but as a Chinese, this is the first time." Asimov said with emotion.
Fang Minghua replied with a smile.
"Thank you, Mr. Asimov, but I think there will be more Chinese people taking over this trophy from you later."
When Fang Minghua took the trophy from the host, the venue once again burst into warm applause.
This is the first time that an Asian with black hair and yellow skin appears on the podium!
Fang Minghua held the trophy in one hand and took out a piece of paper from his pocket with the other. Facing the dark crowd in the audience, he said with a smile.
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. It is a great honor for me to receive the Nebula Award. Between the two distant cultural planets of Chinese and English, there is a spiral nebula connecting them. Together, this is the Nebula Award.”
Here I would like to thank the translator of this book, a friend of mine, the beautiful Miss Li Li from Yenching University, who translated it into English. I would like to thank another friend of mine, Mr. Sun Lizhe, who is studying for a PhD at the University of Chicago, for helping me submit it, and of course, I would also like to thank the editors of the Journal of Fantasy and Science Fiction.
"Without their cooperation, this novel would not have been able to meet readers in the United States. Finally, I would like to thank the readers of this book, thank you for sharing this book."
"Next, I want to say something else Let’s talk about some feelings about this novel. Han Yu, a famous litterateur in the Tang Dynasty of my country, wrote an article called "Teacher's Theory", in which he once said this sentence: Teachers, so they teach and solve doubts, which means that Teachers are used to teach principles, teach academics, and explain doubts.”
“I think the teacher Li Baoku in the novel did it. It was he who cleared away the fog of ignorance, and the stars were all over the sky, and the universe was majestic. Shining in the starry sky.”
“Thank you everyone!”
The audience burst into applause. Fang Minghua returned to his seat after receiving the award. Emily looked at her with admiration, while Jack looked away and felt embarrassed.
Of course Fang Minghua didn't say anything and accepted the congratulations from the two girls.
The award ceremony ended quickly, and Fang Minghua accepted another interview with reporters. By the time all of this was finished, it was already 10 o'clock in the evening.
Fang Minghua originally wanted to contact Sun Lizhe, but it's too late now. Let's visit him tomorrow.
After checking into the hotel at night, Fang Minghua took a hot bath and then lay half-ly on the bedside. He picked up the phone on the bedside table and made an international long-distance call to Song Tangtang in his hometown to tell him about the award. Good thing.
Of course I want to share it with the girl I love.
The girl was very happy to hear this: "Minghua, I will tell your parents after get off work tonight to make them happy!"
"By the way, I also called Lili to express my thanks. , she also contributed a lot to your winning this time!"
"Okay, thank her for me."
After hanging up the phone, Fang Minghua originally wanted to give Chengdu "Science Literature and Art". Editor-in-chief Yang Xiao made a phone call and thought about it before forgetting it.
I didn’t tell anyone that I came to the United States to study. There is no need to show off now.
"Sleep, we have to find Sun Lizhe tomorrow." Fang Minghua got into bed.
Here in the United States, the Nebula Award for Best Short Story and Novelette was won by a Chinese young man, which has become the top news. However, in China on the other side of the ocean, everything is calm.
At the beginning of January of this year, the United States announced the official launch of the "Star Wars Project", which is also the "Strategic Defense Plan for the Anti-Ballistic Missile Defense System". Only a week later, domestic newspapers began to report, not to mention the Science Fiction Nebula Award for such unpopular news?
But two people are paying close attention to the news on the other side of the ocean.
(End of this chapter)