The first round of voting for the Silmarillion Awards has drawn to a close, and what a round it was for those vying to win the Wisest Counselor Silmaril.

Nominations poured in, some expected, some unexpected. Some from well-known tales, some from relatively undiscovered stories. Some from classics, some from recent novels.

Huge thanks to everyone who participated in the Wisest Counselor voting. It was fun on my end to see the variety and range of nominations.

(Dare I admit I didn’t recognize most of them? 😮 ) But let’s keep that hush-hush. All that means is I have a lot more reading to do, right? *tries not to think about how long TBR list is becoming*

Of the many nominees (24 in all…WOOT!), some immediately leapt to the front as favorites, garnering much attention from readers. Others of more modest notice continued to plug away.

As you may recall, the top five from each category move on to the second round of voting, which begins today. Before we reach the part of the program where I reveal the five finalists for the Wisest Counselor Silmaril, let’s give some recognition to a few notable runner-ups.

• Professor Hamilton from Dragons in Our Midst
• Prince Aethelbald from Tales of Goldstone Wood
• Cosimo from The Skin Map
• Endathlorsam from The Ilyon Chronicles

These contestants battled hard, holding nothing back. It wasn’t for lack of wisdom, character, or pluck that these individuals fell short. Ultimately, their competition was excellent. There’s no shame in losing to the best.

Which brings us to the top of the pyramid of wise counselors. Who are the fortunate five characters moving on?

Let the drumbeat sound out and the fireworks explode (it’s July 4th, so why not?). 😉

The five finalists for the Wisest Counselor Silmaril are…

Aslan

No surprise here. Put the words wise and counselor together and you may as well have coined Aslan’s middle name. As the great son of the Emperor-over-the-sea, Aslan embodies everything you could ask for in a wise counselor.

He’s wise, virtuous, strong, self-sacrificing, loving, patient, ferocious, gentle. He always seeks the good of those he loves.

Professor Digory Kirke

Another finalist from Narnia, Professor Kirke doesn’t often appear in his role as wise mentor. But when he does, he never lacks for advice to give.

Beana from Tales of Goldstone Wood

Although she’s a goat (yes, you read that right), Beana deserves this spot in the top five contestants due to her steadfast loyalty and keen insight. Though she receives less attention than most wise mentors, her counsel is invaluable to Rose Red.

Halt from The Ranger’s Apprentice

As a Ranger, Halt tends to keep to himself in a reclusive manner. Rarely does he speak of his past, and though he ranks as the most skilled Ranger in service of the king, he remains humble. Any apprentices who learn under Halt’s tutelage can expect him to demand their best—for their own good.

Rayad from The Ilyon Chronicles

Rayad’s occasional gruffness is counterbalanced by his kindness and ability to encourage those around him. Though labeled a traitor to the emperor, he never lacks for a wise word and is a firm follower of the God Elom.

Five noteworthy contenders, to be sure. A quick rundown of the details for this next phase:

• Voting begins today and runs through July 15
• In case of a tie, the judge presenting the award will be the tie-breaker
• It’s not mandatory, but you’re welcome to and encouraged to share about the Awards on social media (#SilmAwards2016)

Unlike the previous phase, we have a fancy form to fill out thanks to DJ Edwardson.

You’ll notice each category is represented in the form, meaning you can vote for your favorite in each category all at once. Pretty nifty, huh?

Let the voting begin! May the best of fantasy win. 😀