IOWA PARK, Texas - AussieJournal -- Raconteur Press is pleased to announce that Storm-Dragon, a middle-grade science fiction adventure novel by Dave Freer, has been named as a finalist for the Prometheus Award. Presented annually by the Libertarian Futurist Society, the award honors outstanding works of science fiction and fantasy that explore themes of individual liberty. Freer previously won the Prometheus Award for Best Novel in 2023 for Cloud-Castles, making him one of a small number of authors to be recognized by the LFS in multiple award cycles.

First presented in 1979, the Prometheus Award is one of the longest-running genre awards in science fiction, with a history that includes winners such as Neal Stephenson, Poul Anderson, Vernor Vinge, Terry Pratchett, and Cory Doctorow. Finalists are selected by the membership of the Libertarian Futurist Society from novels published in the prior year.

Storm-Dragon is Freer's first novel for the Boys' Adventure line at Raconteur Press and follows in the tradition of Robert Heinlein's classic science fiction novels for young readers. Set on the colony world of Vann's World, the novel follows Skut, a boy who rescues a small, electric-charged alien creature that bonds to him as a protector — against the wishes of local authorities who would rather destroy it. His new friend Podge, the newest arrival in town, is drawn into the problem just as the settlement itself begins facing a threat no one can yet explain. The novel incorporates interior illustrations and is designed to be accessible to readers as young as middle school while remaining engaging for older audiences.

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"Dave wrote this book because he's worried about the same thing we're worried about. Boys are leaving reading, and the books being published for them aren't helping," said Ian McMurtrie, founder of Raconteur Press. "Storm-Dragon is the antidote: proper science fiction adventure in the Heinlein tradition. A Prometheus nomination says the liberty community agrees."

Freer, a former marine biologist who lives in Tasmania, Australia, brings an unusual depth of real-world adventure to his fiction. His career has included work as a commercial shark fishery scientist, salvage diver, and steeplejack, among other pursuits. He has authored or co-authored more than twenty novels.

Storm-Dragon is available in paperback and ebook at Amazon and paperback at IngramSpark. Parents, educators, and librarians are encouraged to contact pr@raconteurpress.com to request a review copy.

About Raconteur Press Raconteur Press is a Texas-based independent publisher founded in 2022. The Press publishes adult genre fiction anthologies, novels, and a Boys' Adventure line — all books designed to entertain, without apology. Raconteur operates on a philosophy of radical transparency, publishing its author contracts publicly and sharing its operational playbook openly with the indie publishing community. More at raconteurpress.com.

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About the Libertarian Futurist Society The Libertarian Futurist Society is a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring science fiction and fantasy that celebrates freedom. The Prometheus Award has been presented annually since 1982. More at lfs.org.