Fantasy Minute for December 16, 2005: Episode 112

The Aurealis Awards announce their 2005 finalists and honourable mentions in the Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Young Adult and Children's novel and short story divisions. Aurealis Award is an Australian Award and will presented in February 2006. Finalists are:

Fantasy Novel Finalists

Sara Douglass, Darkwitch Rising: The Troy Game Book 3

Anthony Eaton, Nightpeople

Sonya Hartnett, Surrender

Juliet Marillier, Blade of Fortriu: Book II The Bridei Chronicles

Karen Miller, The Innocent Mage: Kingmaker Kingbreaker Book I

Fantasy Short Story Finalists

Adam Browne, “Heart of Saturday Night”

Terry Dartnall, “Ones and Zeros”

Dirk Flinthart, “The Red Priest's Homecoming”

Richard Harland, “The Greater Death of Saito Saku”

Rosaleen Love, “Once Giants Roamed the Earth”

Ottakar's, the British book chain, has revealed that it is unable to compete with discount chains and supermarkets for a share in the book market. These rivals aggressively discount books and Ottakar’s says it can’t compete. This relights the takeover discussions that have been going on the last 6 months.