The 31st World Science Fiction Convention (

Worldcon Worldcon, officially the World Science Fiction Convention, the annual convention of the World Science Fiction Society (WSFS), is a science fiction convention. It has been held each year since 1939 (except for the years 1942 to 1945, during Wor ...

), also known as Torcon II, was held on 31 August–3 September 1973 at the Royal York Hotel in

Toronto, Ontario Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

, Canada. The chairman was John Millard.

Participants

Attendance was approximately 2,900.

Guests of Honour

Robert Bloch Robert Albert Bloch (; April 5, 1917September 23, 1994) was an American fiction writer, primarily of crime fiction, crime, psychological horror fiction, horror and Fantasy Fiction, fantasy, much of which has been dramatized for radio, cinema and ...

(pro) *

William Rotsler Charles William Rotsler () was an American artist, cartoonist, Pornography, pornographer and science fiction author. Rotsler was a four-time Hugo Award winner and one-time Nebula Award nominee. Rotsler's papers including dozens of matted color ...

(fan) *

Lester del Rey Lester del Rey (June 2, 1915 – May 10, 1993) was an American science fiction author and editor. He was the author of many books in the juvenile Winston Science Fiction series, and the fantasy editor at Del Rey Books, the fantasy an ...

(toastmaster)

Awards

1973 Hugo Awards

* Best Novel: ''

The Gods Themselves ''The Gods Themselves'' is a 1972 science fiction novel written by Isaac Asimov, and his first original work in the science fiction genre in fifteen years (not counting his 1966 novelization of ''Fantastic Voyage''). It won the Nebula Award for ...

'' by

Isaac Asimov Isaac Asimov ( ; – April 6, 1992) was an Russian-born American writer and professor of biochemistry at Boston University. During his lifetime, Asimov was considered one of the "Big Three" science fiction writers, along with Robert A. H ...

* Best Novella: ''

The Word for World is Forest ''The Word for World Is Forest'' is a science fiction novel by American writer Ursula K. Le Guin, first published in the United States in 1972 as a part of the anthology '' Again, Dangerous Visions'', and published as a separate book in 1976 by ...

'' by

Ursula K. Le Guin Ursula Kroeber Le Guin ( ; Kroeber; October 21, 1929 – January 22, 2018) was an American author. She is best known for her works of speculative fiction, including science fiction works set in her Hainish universe, and the ''Earthsea'' fantas ...

* Best Novelette: " Goat Song" by

Poul Anderson Poul William Anderson ( ; November 25, 1926 – July 31, 2001) was an American fantasy and science fiction author who was active from the 1940s until his death in 2001. Anderson also wrote historical novels. He won the Hugo Award seven times an ...

* Best Short Story: ** " Eurema's Dam" by R. A. Lafferty and ** " The Meeting" by

Frederik Pohl Frederik George Pohl Jr. (; November 26, 1919 – September 2, 2013) was an American list of science fiction authors, science-fiction writer, editor, and science fiction fandom, fan, with a career spanning nearly 75 years—from his first ...

and Cyril M. Kornbluth (tie) * Best Dramatic Presentation: ''

Slaughterhouse-Five ''Slaughterhouse-Five, or, The Children's Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death'' is a 1969 semi-autobiographic science fiction-infused anti-war novel by Kurt Vonnegut. It follows the life experiences of Billy Pilgrim, from his early years, to his ...

'' * Best Professional Editor:

Ben Bova Benjamin William Bova (November 8, 1932November 29, 2020) was an American writer and editor. During a writing career of 60 years, he was the author of more than 120 works of science fact and fiction, an editor of ''Analog Science Fiction and Fac ...

* Best Professional Artist:

Frank Kelly Freas Frank Kelly Freas (August 27, 1922 – January 2, 2005) was an American artist known for his work in science fiction and fantasy, with a career spanning more than 50 years. He was known as the "Dean of Science Fiction Artists" and he was the s ...

* Best Amateur Magazine: '' Energumen'' edited by

Mike Glicksohn Michael David Glicksohn, better known as Mike Glicksohn (May 20, 1946 – March 18, 2011) was a Canadian high school math teacher and the co-editor of the science fiction fanzine '' Energumen'' with his then-wife Susan Wood (Glicksohn). Energumen ...

and

Susan Wood Glicksohn Susan Joan Wood (August 22, 1948 – November 12, 1980) was a Canadian literary critic, professor, author and science fiction fan and editor. She was born in Ottawa, Ontario. Biography Wood discovered science fiction fandom while she was ...

* Best Fan Writer:

Terry Carr Terry Gene Carr (February 19, 1937 – April 7, 1987) was an American science fiction fan, author, editor, and writing instructor. Background and discovery of fandom Carr was born in Grants Pass, Oregon. He attended the City College of S ...

* Best Fan Artist: Tim Kirk

Other awards

The 31st Worldcon was the first one in which the

John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer The ''Astounding'' Award for Best New Writer (formerly the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer) is given annually to the best new writer whose first professional work of science fiction or fantasy was published within the two previous ...

was awarded. * Special Award:

Pierre Versins Pierre Versins (born Jacques Chamson; January 12, 1923 in Strasbourg – April 19, 2001 in Avignon) was a French Science Fiction collector and scholar. From 1957-62, he published a critical fanzine, ''Ailleurs''. He published four science fi ...

for ''L'Encyclopedie de l'Utopie et de la science fiction'' *

Jerry Pournelle Jerry Eugene Pournelle (; August 7, 1933 – September 8, 2017) was an American scientist in the area of operations research and ergonomics, human factors research, a science fiction writer, essayist, journalist, and one of the first bloggers. ...

References

External links

NESFA.org: The Long List

{{DEFAULTSORT:World Science Fiction Convention 031 1973 conferences 1973 in Toronto Science fiction conventions in Canada Worldcon August 1973 in Canada September 1973 in Canada Events in Toronto