Lou Anders - Argosy, Anthologies, Pyr, and Awards - Pyr

Pyr

Having been encouraged to apply to Prometheus Books' advert for "someone to help them launch a new SF line", Anders has been editorial director of Prometheus Books' science fiction imprint Pyr, since its launch in March, 2005. Pyr is an imprint of Prometheus Books, and its titles under Anders have been nominated for multiple awards. Anders hopes that the imprint will help regain science fiction's "grounding in science," while making sure to note that that is not the be-all and end-all. He is adamant that the imprint not be so

"..narrow as to confine our authors to one agenda, so that while I am selecting books that mesh broadly with their overall aesthetic, I'm not limiting us to just one mode or sub-genre or philosophical position... I'm hoping Pyr will stay slanted towards science fiction over fantasy, while publishing engaging and intelligent offerings from both genres. I have a real need for hard science fiction."

He states that it is the core concept that is important, that:

"If a story can survive without the speculative element and is only using the science fiction as backdrop, then I'm not interested."

Pyr's launch titles in its "first season" comprised eight titles - "four original novels, two North American debuts, one classic reprint, and one anthology". The authors (and anthologist Gardner Dozois) were all recipients of multiple industry awards and/or nominations, and were:

"..weighted towards hard SF, but contain two fantasies (one secondary world, one historical), one sci-fantasy or soft SF, and an anthology of stories examining the very Promethean struggle of science vs. superstition."

Those, Anders stated, were "highly reflective" of his subsequent intentions as editor, which he says are similar to those of Robert Silverberg, effectively "pruning" science fiction to its relevant core.

Anders is particularly proud to have brought John Meaney to American attention. Pyr's published authors also include Michael Moorcock, Alan Dean Foster, Adam Roberts, Mike Resnick, Justina Robson, Joe Abercrombie, and Ian McDonald.