Thank you so much for participating in the awards. The entries all had something truly unique or special about them. However, there can only be one winner and just like a good steak, our judges must trim the fat.

Below, are the first round results for Sci-Fi.

Good luck to those continuing and thank you for your efforts to those who didn't make it through.

Judged by OneWinterNight

ENTRIES NOT GOING THROUGH (not in ranked order):

Ricochet by DeejayDJ010
Title: 3/5
Cover: 4 /5
Blurb: 5/10
Hook: 3/10
Total:15/30
Notes: The title is a bit generic and didn't tell me what to expect (a quick search brought up several hundred similar titles). Also, the title is a bit hard to read on the cover because of the red brain. I loved the spiral though. I think a little bit of reworking the composition to make things readable could make this cover really pop out from the crowd. The blurb is concise but too vague. Other than a witnessed kidnapping, I had no idea what to expect or reason to be interested in the plot, Jamie's plight, or his nameless allies. The hook starts out in passive voice, ("Jaime was greeted") and has a lot of exposition. I think you could cut some of it with choice bits of dialogue to move the story and establish Jaime's voice for the reader. The action was vague as well. Leaving the reader in the dark alongside characters can be a great technique, but we need enough information to be interested in what is happening. Finally, the scene change to a "Clara" at the end would probably be better as a second chapter. It seems like you have a very interesting idea for this story, and I think some reworking of the blurb and hook would help draw in readers and communicate your ideas more effectively along the way.

To Abide with Strays by KittyDevan
Title: 5/5
Cover: 3.5/5
Blurb: 3/10
Hook: 1/10
Total: 12.5/30
Notes: The title is very original and interesting, so great job! I also loved the cover concept, but it was hard to read. My eyes didn't know where to go, or what the title was. That little 'with' on the left side is easily missed. The blurb has some strange wording and phrasing choices, and is long and confusing. I read it four times, but other than there being three important women with powers (?), that's all I got from it. Of course, a blurb is like a sales pitch: the reader needs to know who to be invested in (characters) and teased by an exciting setting or plot element to come. I didn't know what I was supposed to be reading about or interested in, or why it should be exciting. Like the cover, the inside graphics are very cool. A glossary is helpful, but I would recommend putting that and the character pics at the end. The first few paragraphs (the hook) switched tenses, and had some characters' dialogues jumbled together with thoughts and narration. It made it chaotic to read and hard to follow the action. I think you have an interesting idea, but it needs a lot of refinement and a clear hook to grab more readers and let your story shine.

Dreams Upon a Silver Pine Branch by NefertitiFenison
Title: 5/5
Cover: 4/5
Blurb: 6/10
Hook: 6/10
Total: 21/30
Notes: The title is beautiful and unique. I love the design and color scheme of the cover, but I would lower the author name a bit and take out the boy on the right hand side (visual distraction). It looks a lot more like fantasy or historical fiction than scifi, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I think your blurb needs to be reworded for maximum impact. It sounds like you have interesting characters and family drama at the heart of the story, but there was also a lot of information. I would figure out the most important details for you as the writer, and tease the readers with only what they must know to be interested in the story. As for the hook, it gets into the themes and introduces major characters right away. However, I wouldn't have known it was scifi unless I read the blurb. Even in light/soft sci fi, world building and scene setting are very important. Your prose is lovely, as were your character descriptions, and I think you could do a great job of describing the world of Silver Pine and making it present in the background. While I really felt for Kenta and his plight with the bully, I think the first chapter needs some restructuring and development, especially in regards to the setting.

Ella and Vlad at the End by RAllenLancaster
Title: 5/5
Cover: 1/5
Blurb: 2/10
Hook: 3/10
Total: 11/30
Notes: The title is fun and reminds me of a TV show title. While the cover photo is beautiful, it makes the font almost illegible. The font and picture also make it look a lot like a romance novel, but maybe that is what you were going for? As for the blurb, the wording is very confusing, and I had to read it several times to understand what was happening. While it introduces key elements and character names, the blurb needs editing for grammatical structure and clarity. The last sentence seems like a random afterthought, so if it's important, I would recommend moving it up into one of the main paragraphs. As for the hook, your style is interesting, almost a cross between poetry and prose. I liked how you started with an active scene of Ella being chased, but the narration was full of grammatical errors that made the action hard to follow. There was also a fair amount of info dumping in the middle that slowed the action down and disconnected me from Ella's immediate situation. I recommend using a free program like Grammarly to help you trim this chapter down and edit it to make the action and the setting more heart-pumping.

The Two Sides of a Sword by AJtheWriter22
Title: 5/5
Cover: 2.5/5
Blurb: 6/10
Hook: 7/10
Total: 20.5/30
Notes: The title seems more like a fantasy novel, but I love it, especially as it could suggest that the two sisters are each the side of a sword. The cover composition needs some work, as the text doesn't show up well (especially at the bottom), and the alignment looks a bit skewed. The blurb is too long and gives us too much information. It's almost like three separate blurbs (each paragraph is almost self-contained). I think the first paragraph is the strongest, but you could add in elements from the other two and only tease us with the most interesting or pivotal points to get us to start reading. I loved how your hook started with a writer and broke the 4th wall a bit, but the pacing slowed down in the buildup to Kofi's appearance, which took away the tension when he did appear. I recommend cutting a bit of the narration and leaning a little more into the horror of having someone in your house. Some dialogue could also be added here, at least before she looks at him long enough to describe him. Finally, I loved the last line and the cliffhanger, but I still felt more like I was reading a fantasy novel than a sci fi novel, so the entry's genre choice did impact my final evaluation.

ENTRIES GOING THROUGH (not in ranked order):

Masters of the Sky by axgirl13
Title: 5/5
Cover: 5/5
Blurb: 9/10
Hook: 9.5/10
Total: 28.5/30
Notes: The cover is beautiful and fits the title perfectly. The blurb is good, but feels a bit flat to me. I think you could shorten the second sentence in the first paragraph and add a little bit more dynamic wording to make it seem as exciting as it actually is. The first paragraph sets the stage well and immerses us in the setting. There was a lot of information, but it fit in well. A few tense inconsistencies and some awkward phrasing, but really clean and gripping overall.

Facing Fear by MiyaHikari
Title: 4/5
Cover: 3.5/5
Blurb: 9/10
Hook: 10/10
Total: 26.5/30
Notes: The title doesn't grab me or sound particularly unique, but I added back a point after reading the blurb and finding out how FEAR tied into the story. The cover concept is good, but the title seems a bit small, the colors could be brightened, and the placement of the hand seemed a bit odd. Loved the line at the beginning of the blurb, but I think the blurb could be shortened for greater impact. Hook is fantastic and I was immediately drawn into the story. I had to stop myself from reading more than just the first chapter!

Subterra Heart by littlesilverwren
Title: 5/5
Cover: 4/5
Blurb: 8/10
Hook: 9/10
Total: 26/30
Notes: Title is unique and hints at an underground setting. The cover has a beautiful color scheme, but the sizing and placement of the font seems a tad off, especially with just "Celia" at the bottom. The blurb loses a bit of punch by the third section, which seems a bit tagged on. I loved the journal entry (I read it as the hook, since I never skip prologues/preludes), and bloodrot sounds interesting, but Nelda wasn't in the blurb so I was curious as to when the journal entry took place. Nelda's voice was strong though!

Amanita: Poison Shot by marsaumell
Title: 5/5
Cover: 4/5
Blurb: 8/10
Hook: 9.5/10
Total: 26.5/30
Notes: Love the title with its poisonous mushroom reference! Cover seems a bit delicate and romantic for the title and the blurb. The blurb runs long and gives a lot of information and names/details. I would recommend cutting it a bit to just tease the reader into being interested. The hook is great and does a fantastic job of mixing in lore, worldbuilding, and Daphne's immediate problems. Only complaint is that Daphne's narrative tone got a bit lost in the narrative and clone history.

The Right to Die by avadel
Title: 5/5
Cover: 3.5/5
Blurb: 9/10
Hook: 10/10
Total: 27.5/30
Notes: Title is intriguing, but the cover suggests a mountain survival story to me. Blurb doesn't give too much away and teases an interesting plot. The second paragraph might flow a bit easier if M'yu's name was used, and above, I'm thinking you meant "leveling the playing field"? The hook was excellent, fully delivered on the blurb, and I was immediately immersed in M'yu's world.

Blank Slate by ToWolfKin
Title: 3.5/5
Cover: 3.5/5
Blurb: 10/10
Hook: 9.5/10
Total: 26.5/30
Notes: Title improved for me after I read the blurb, but a quick search brought up a bunch of very similar titles. I like the cover design concept, but the text is quite hard to read (including the quotation). Your blurb is a perfect length and told me just enough without giving too much away, and I loved the concept immediately. The hook is great and exactly what the blurb promised, but it did drag just a little bit for me in the middle of the narration.

King Eden by RowanCarver
Title: 5/5
Cover: 4.5/5
Blurb: 9/10
Hook: 9.5/10
Total: 28/30
Notes: Original, intriguing title, and a great cover composition. I just found the dark red font over the black design a little hard to read. Maybe a brighter or different color (or outlining the text) could help? I think the "King Eden" page in the book would be a better blurb, as the one on the landing page is slightly long and is loaded with information. Your hook was amazing, fully delivered on the blurb, got us right in the action, and painted a delightfully grimy and gross post-apocalyptic setting. I would personally break up some of the longer blocks of narration for the WP format, as you have such punchy and interesting prose, and I didn't want to miss any of the details while trying to read on a screen!

Goldilocks Forever by ellewritestuff
Title: 5/5
Cover: 5/5
Blurb: 7/10
Hook: 8/10
Total: 25/30
Notes: Title is quirky and fun, and the cover has a retro dime novel feel that I love. The neon colors and simple composition are incredibly effective. The blurb needs to be edited for length and focus. I'm not sure all of the info is necessary, as I only read the first chapter, but I think you could just tease us with some of the most relevant details. Your hook got right into the action, but lost some steam as it continued. For example, the letter was quite long, and might be better as an insert between the chapters, or excerpted in parts (or even a sort of prologue, if that is your style).

The Dangers of Winning the Game by HockHayal
Title: 4/5
Cover: 3/5
Blurb: 9/10
Hook: 8/10
Total: 24/30
Notes: Title is a little long, but it makes sense with the blurb. I love your art style and the designs inside, but the cover with the font is too busy and hard to read. I couldn't actually see the art at all until I went to the first chapter. Also, the font choice is quite bland. Your blurb is solid and establishes the main character and her initial problem, and ties into the title. I love the last line, but I'd switch it to present tense. The hook follows naturally from the blurb, gives us a solid start and a unique voice. The kids and the "game" show up at once. However, Xavier the bully (I'm guessing?) and an unnamed girl get the first lines and character introductions, rather than Zara. I just assumed the girl was Zara from the blurb, and was a little confused. This is more of an observation than a critique, but I would personally reword or structure some of the opening paragraphs to get Zara centered in the narrative/taking charge of the story as soon as possible.

X0X0 (DAY ONE EDITION) by ADZIThePoet
Title: 4/5
Cover: 4.5/5
Blurb: 7/10
Hook: 6/10
Total: 21.5/30
Notes: I thought the title was xoxo (like hugs and kisses) at first, not sure if that is intentional or not. I like the cover design and aesthetic, and how it screams cyberpunk. Only thing I didn't like were the hearts. They didn't quite fit the slick look of the rest of the cover. I liked that it looks like a playing card, but they seemed a little too 2D and simple for the rest of it. The blurb has a lot of information in a small space. I like the first paragraph, but I'd recommend a little bit of rephrasing, and I would split the second part (which is a VERY long sentence) into punchier, smaller sentences. There were 4 or 5 "chapters" of extra things before the actual hook, which I deducted a point for. I think these extras could go at the end. Finally, the hook introduced a fascinating and fast-paced world, but crammed in a lot of information, characters, and details. It also had too many scene changes to hold interest. However, your style is slick and fun, and the chaotic, action-heavy setting really grabbed my attention.

Once again, congratulations to all who made it to the second round!

Good luck as you progress!