Ian R Macleod wins 2009 Arthur C Clarke award

Ian R Macleod is this years winner of the coveted Arthur C Clarke award, with his 5th book, Song of Time. The news was announced at the Apollo West End theatre as part of the start of the Sci-fi London film festival.

Ian R Macleod faced very tough competition from long established authors including Alastair Reynolds and Paul McAuley.

The winning novel, Song of Time is a near future novel regarding the way memory shapes our lives, told through the recollections of an old and dying violinist as she recounts her life story.

The Arthur C Clarke award is the UK's most prestigious award for Science Fiction and has been running annually since 1987 and for the last few years has been announced at the beginning of the Sci-fi London film festival.

Arthur C Clarke Award Winners

• 2009 Song of Time - Ian R Macleod
• 2008 Black Man - Richard Morgan
• 2007 Nova Swing - M. John Harrison
• 2006 Air - Geoff Ryman
• 2005 Iron Council - China Miéville
• 2004 Quicksilver - Neal Stephenson
• 2003 The Separation - Christopher Priest
• 2002 Bold As Love - Gwyneth Jones
• 2001 Perdido Street Station - China Miéville
• 2000 Distraction - Bruce Sterling
• 1999 Dreaming In Smoke - Tricia Sullivan
• 1998 The Sparrow - Mary Doria Russell
• 1997 The Calcutta Chromosome - Amitav Ghosh
• 1996 Fairyland - Paul J. McAuley
• 1995 Fools - Pat Cadigan
• 1994 Vurt - Jeff Noon
• 1993 Body of Glass - Marge Piercy
• 1992 Synners - Pat Cadigan
• 1991 Take Back Plenty - Colin Greenland
• 1990 The Child Garden - Geoff Ryman
• 1989 Unquenchable Fire - Rachel Pollack
• 1988 The Sea and Summer - George Turne
• 1987 The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood