Literary award · United States · since 1978

Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel

Literary award by the science fiction and fantasy magazine Locus. Established 1978 in United States.

About Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel

The Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel is one of the annual Locus Awards presented by the science fiction and fantasy magazine Locus. Awards presented in a given year are for works published in the previous calendar year. The award for Best Science Fiction Novel was first presented in 1980, and is among the awards still presented (as of 2022). Previously, there had simply been an award for Best Novel. A similar award for Best Fantasy Novel was introduced in 1978. The Locus Awards have been described as a prestigious prize in science fiction, fantasy and horror literature.

From the Wikipedia article “Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Recent winners

YearWinnerWinning work
2026Nnedi OkoraforDeath of the Author
2023John ScalziThe Kaiju Preservation Society
2022Arkady MartineA Desolation Called Peace
2020Charlie Jane AndersThe City in the Middle of the Night
2019Mary Robinette KowalThe Calculating Stars

From Wikidata; the list may be incomplete for some years.

Eligibility and entering

Check the official rules of the Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel for the current eligibility window, accepted formats, residency or language requirements and any entry fee. For most established prizes the publisher submits on the author's behalf, often with a limit on entries per imprint.

If you are self-published, look for an explicit statement that independently published books are accepted, and budget for entry fees and copies for judges.

Sources & data