The shortlist for the 2023 Prix Actusf de l’Uchronie was revealed on November 7.

It is a juried award for work in a specialized segment of sff field:

Uchronia: fictional rewriting of history or a personal history from a point of divergence. The word “uchronia” was coined by the philosopher Charles Renouvier in the 19th century, from the Greek roots “οὐ” (“u”), which means “no”, and “Χρόνος” (“kronos”), which means “time”.

Middle-Earth and the Hyborean Age are examples of uchronic settings.

French publisher ActuSF gives the award in three categories:

• Literature, for essays and novels;
• Graphic design, for comics, covers and other pictorial initiatives;
• The Special Prize, for an original uchronic work, whether it is a game, an exhibition, etc.

Eligible works were those published or released in French between September 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023. The jury members are Étienne Barillier (writer), Bertrand Campeis (essayist), Karine Gobled (essayist), Hermine Hémon (translator) and Jean Rébillat (writer).

Here is the list of nominees for the 2023 Prix ActuSF de l’Uchronie:

PRIX LITTÉRAIRE

• Burning Sky by Stéphane Przybylski (Denoël Lunes d’encre)
• Guerre et Peur by Johan Heliot (Mnémos)
• La Fureur des siècles by Johan Heliot (Critic)
• Les Chants de Nüying by Émilie Querbalec (Albin Michel Imaginaire)
• Sur la Lune by Mary Robinette Kowal [The Relentless Moon]. Translated into French by Patrick Imbert (Denoël Lunes d’encre)

PRIX GRAPHIQUE

The jury chose not to give an award in this category in 2023.

PRIX SPÉCIAL

• La Trilogie du Singe by Pierre Léauté (Mille Cent Quinze)
• Hello Tomorrow (Apple TV)
• L’exposition Uchronie by Vincent Fournier au Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature
• L’uchronie. Histoire(s) alternative(s) by Laurent Bazin (Presses Universitaires Blaise Pascale collection L’Opportune)
• Uchronies Sibériennes, Le Trans Alaska sibérien by Patricia Chichmanova (Les Carnets de l’Aléatoire)