1987 in science fiction

Births

Deaths

• Alfred Bester
• James Tiptree, Jr.

Novels

• 2061: Odyssey Three, by Arthur C. Clarke
• Consider Phlebas, by Iain M. Banks
• Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, by Douglas Adams
• Sphere (novel), by Michael Crichton

Short stories

Children's books

Comics

• Xenozoic Tales, aka Cadillacs and Dinosaurs, begins publication with Kitchen Sink Press

Hugos

• Best novel: Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card^[1]
• Best novella: Gilgamesh in the Outback by Robert Silverberg^[1]
• Best novelette: "Permafrost" by Roger Zelazny^[1]
• Best short story: "Tangents" by Greg Bear^[1]
• Best related work: Trillion Year Spree by Brian W. Aldiss and David Wingrove^[1]
• Best dramatic presentation: Aliens, dir. by James Cameron; screenplay by James Cameron; Story by James Cameron and David Giler & Walter Hill; Based on characters created by Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett^[1]
• Best professional editor: Terry Carr^[1]
• Best professional artist: Jim Burns^[1]
• Best semiprozine: Locus, ed. by Charles N. Brown^[1]
• Best fanzine: Ansible, ed. by David Langford^[1]
• Best fan writer: David Langford^[1]
• Best fan artist: Brad W. Foster^[1]

Nebulas

• Best novel: The Falling Woman by Pat Murphy^[2]
• Best novella: The Blind Geometer by Kim Stanley Robinson^[2]
• Best novelette: "Rachel in Love" by Pat Murphy^[2]
• Best short story: "Forever Yours, Anna" by Kate Wilhelm^[2]

Other awards

• Arthur C. Clarke Award: The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
• BSFA Award for Best Novel: Grainne by Keith Roberts^[3]
• Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel: Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card
• Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film: Robocop