The Skids Wins The Copper Cylinder Award

The Copper Cylinder Award is an annual award for Canadian literature of the fantastic, selected by members of the Sunburst Award Society for books published during the previous year. It derives its name from what is considered the first Canadian scientific romance, A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder, by James De Mille (1833-1880). All winners of the Copper Cylinder receive a unique, handcrafted copper cylinder trophy.

The winner of the 2017 Copper Cylinder Young Adult Award is The Skids by Ian Donald Keeling. [ChiTeen]

From the publisher: They’re called the Skids. They’ve got three-eyes, tank treads and a bucket-full of attitude. They play the games and the few that don’t get vaped in the first weeks still die at five years old. Game over, thanks for playing. Johnny Drop’s the best skid the Skidsphere’s seen in generations, but he won’t get to enjoy it. Because his world is going to die. Part Hunger Games, part X-Games, with a little Monster’s Inc. and The Matrix smashed into the mix, The Skids will take you on a ride beyond what you know of the world. So pop the top and show ’em the circus, we-we- we’re going for a ride.

Ian Donald Keeling is an author and actor. His short fiction and poetry have previously appeared in Realms of Fantasy, On Spec, and Grain. He is also on the faculty for sketch and improv at Second City in Toronto.

Read more at http://coppercylinderaward.ca/2017-winners