My The Downloaded 2: Ghosts in the Machine just won this year’s Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Award (“the Aurora”) for Best Novel of the Year!
I’m absolutely thrilled — and so is the lead narrator of the Audible Originals audio version, Academy Award-winner Brendan Fraser (pictured are Brendan and me during the recording sessions).
The best-novel ballot this year was absolutely spectacular:
The Bewitching, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Del Rey
Blight, Rachel A. Rosen, The BumblePuppy Press
Direct Descendant, Tanya Huff, DAW Books
The Downloaded 2: Ghosts in the Machine, Robert J. Sawyer, Audible Originals/Shadowpaw Press
Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales, Heather Fawcett, Del Rey
A Shift of Time, Julie E. Czerneda, DAW Books
Written on the Dark, Guy Gavriel Kay, Viking Canada
You can see the nominees and winners in the other categories here:
https://www.csffa.ca/aurora-archives-home/2026-aurora-awards/
Here’s the Aurora Awards ceremony, cued up to my acceptance speech:
And CBC Books has a fabulous article about this year’s winners:
More about The Downloaded 2: Ghosts in the Machine:
You can get the terrific Audible Originals audiobook or the wonderful Shadowpaw Press print or ebook editions here:
Autographed Copies Directly From Me:
My Book Tour Partners:
The science-fiction bookstore I used to work at (I’ll be autographing their pre-orders):
Other retailers:
If you have a premium Audible Account, The Downloaded 2: Ghosts in the Machine is free — no Audible credit required! (If you have the new “Standard” account, you can get it for one credit.)
Canada: https://www.audible.ca/pd/The-Downloaded-2-Ghosts-in-the-Machine-Audiobook/B0FNRYLF6L
US: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Downloaded-2-Ghosts-in-the-Machine-Audiobook/B0FNRXBKG1
UK: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/The-Downloaded-2-Ghosts-in-the-Machine-Audiobook/B0FNRXT971
Australia: https://www.audible.com.au/pd/The-Downloaded-2-Ghosts-in-the-Machine-Audiobook/B0FNRZM6YW
And in other Audible markets worldwide!
My massive 225,000-word nonfiction collection Sawyer on Science Fiction is now out in trade paperback and ebook editions, and the initial reviews are fabulous:
“What we have here is a wonderful anthology of columns, addresses, introductions, interviews, profiles, reviews and autobiographical sketches that mainly address the subject of science fiction — its past, present and future — but that also have something to say about writing and the art of fiction, as well as science, politics and even how being Canadian may have impacted Sawyer’s thinking about these things.
“Sawyer has all the qualities you could want in a guide, being well read, perceptive and a keen and generous critical writer. You can dip into this book at any point and come away with some insight that will stick. For Sawyer the goal of science fiction is ‘to shake up complacency’ and not make predictions, but provide visions of potential futures. It’s the same for writing about science fiction, and Sawyer does so with experience, brio and an optimistic faith in the shape of things to come.” —The Toronto Star
“Incisive and often startlingly frank views on writing, publishing, and human shenanigans past, present, and future.” —Amazing Stories
I’m having four book-launch events for Sawyer on Science Fiction. Please come out and say hello. Bonus: everyone who buys the print edition at one of the launch events will also get a coupon for a free copy of the ebook and PDF editions:
Calgary Book launch for Sawyer on Science Fiction
Thomson Social Hub at Hyatt Regency Calgary
700 Centre Street South
Calgary, Alberta
Saturday, August 15, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.
A public event free and open to everyone
(you don’t have to be attending When Words Collide to come to this)Sawyer on Science Fiction
Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society (LASFS)
8819 Reseda Blvd., between Parthenia and Rayen
Northridge, California
Thursday, August 20, 2026, 8:00 p.m.
More infoFeatured Guest plus book launch!
LACon V: The 2026 World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon)
Anaheim, California
August 27-31, 2026
Book launch at LACon V for Sawyer on Science Fiction is Saturday, August 29, at 10:30 a.m. in the Hilton room San Simeon A
More infoToronto Book launch for Sawyer on Science Fiction
Bakka-Phoenix Books
84 Harbord Street
Toronto, Ontario
Saturday, September 12, 2026, at 3:00 p.m.
More info
If you can’t make it to any of the launches, please pick up the book from our favourite independent bookseller or any of these retailers. Any bookstore anywhere can order it in for you with this information:
Sawyer on Science Fiction by Robert J. Sawyer
Shadowpaw Press (distributed by LitDistCo) August 2026
Print: 6x9” trade paperback • 673 pages • US$29.95 • Cdn$39.95
ISBN 978-1-998273-74-4
And other ebook vendors worldwide!
Autographed Copies Directly From Me:
Major Retailers:
Great Canadian Independent Bookstores:
Until next time, live long and prosper!
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