1987 in science fiction

The year 1987 was marked, in science fiction, by the following events.

Births and Deaths

Deaths

• Alfred Bester
• James Tiptree, Jr.

Literary Releases

Novels

Further information: Category: 1987 science fiction 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

Comics

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

Movies

Further information: Category: 1987 science fiction films

• Predator , dir. by John McTiernan
• RoboCop , dir. by Paul Verhoeven
• The Running Man , dir. by Paul Michael Glaser
• Spaceballs , dir. by Mel Brooks

Television

• Star Cops
• Star Trek: The Next Generation

Video games

• R-Type

Awards

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

Other events

• 45th World Science Fiction Convention, held in Brighton, United Kkingdom

References

1. "1987 Hugo Awards". The Hugo Award. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
2. "1987 - The Nebula Awards". The Nebula Awards. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
3. "BSFA - Past Winners". British Science Fiction Association. Retrieved 28 September 2025.