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World Fantasy Award for Best Novel

World Fantasy Convention (administered by the World Fantasy Awards Association)

An annual award presented at the World Fantasy Convention recognizing the best fantasy novel published in the eligibility year, judged by a rotating panel of judges alongside a juried shortlist supplemented by nominations from convention attendees. Considered one of the most prestigious honors in fantasy literature, it has recognized works ranging from epic and literary fantasy to horror-tinged and dark fantasy novels.

Search through 6,630 awarded or nominated books

2026

  1. Audition for the Fox

    Martin Cahill

    Shortlisted
  2. Once Was Willem

    M. R. Carey

    Shortlisted
  3. The Adventures of Mary Darling

    Pat Murphy

    Shortlisted
  4. The Everlasting

    Alix E. Harrow

    Shortlisted
  5. The Secret Market of the Dead

    Giovanni De Feo

    Shortlisted

2025

  1. The Tainted Cup

    Robert Jackson Bennett

    Won
  2. The Bog Wife

    Kay Chronister

    Shortlisted
  3. The Bright Sword

    Lev Grossman

    Shortlisted
  4. The Fox Wife

    Yangsze Choo

    Shortlisted
  5. The Wings Upon Her Back

    Samantha Mills

    Shortlisted

2024

  1. The Reformatory

    Tananarive Due

    Won
  2. Looking Glass Sound

    Catriona Ward

    Shortlisted
  3. Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon

    Wole Talabi

    Shortlisted
  4. Starling House

    Alix E. Harrow

    Shortlisted
  5. The Possibilities

    Yael Goldstein-Love

    Shortlisted
  6. Witch King

    Martha Wells

    Shortlisted

2023

  1. Saint Death's Daughter

    C. S. E. Cooney

    Won
  2. Babel

    R. F. Kuang

    Shortlisted
  3. Siren Queen

    Nghi Vo

    Shortlisted
  4. Spear

    Nicola Griffith

    Shortlisted
  5. The Ballad of Perilous Graves

    Alex Jennings

    Shortlisted

2022

  1. The Jasmine Throne

    Tasha Suri

    Won
  2. A Master of Djinn

    P. Djèlí Clark

    Shortlisted
  3. Black Water Sister

    Zen Cho

    Shortlisted
  4. The City Beautiful

    Aden Polydoros

    Shortlisted
  5. The Last House on Needless Street

    Catriona Ward

    Shortlisted

2021

  1. Trouble the Saints

    Alaya Dawn Johnson

    Won
  2. Mexican Gothic

    Silvia Moreno-Garcia

    Shortlisted
  3. Piranesi

    Susanna Clarke

    Shortlisted
  4. The Midnight Bargain

    C. L. Polk

    Shortlisted
  5. The Only Good Indians

    Stephen Graham Jones

    Shortlisted

2020

  1. Queen of the Conquered

    Kacen Callender

    Won
  2. Gideon the Ninth

    Tamsyn Muir

    Shortlisted
  3. The Memory Police

    Yōko Ogawa

    Shortlisted
  4. The Raven Tower

    Ann Leckie

    Shortlisted
  5. The Ten Thousand Doors of January

    Alix E. Harrow

    Shortlisted

2019

  1. Witchmark

    C. L. Polk

    Won
  2. In the Night Wood

    Dale Bailey

    Shortlisted
  3. The Mere Wife

    Maria Dahvana Headley

    Shortlisted
  4. The Poppy War

    R. F. Kuang

    Shortlisted
  5. Trail of Lightning

    Rebecca Roanhorse

    Shortlisted

2018

  1. Jade City

    Fonda Lee

    Won
  2. The Changeling

    Victor LaValle

    Won
  3. Ka: Dar Oakley in the Ruin of Ymr

    John Crowley

    Shortlisted
  4. Spoonbenders

    Daryl Gregory

    Shortlisted
  5. The City of Brass

    S. A. Chakraborty

    Shortlisted
  6. The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter

    Theodora Goss

    Shortlisted

2017

  1. The Sudden Appearance of Hope

    Claire North

    Won
  2. Borderline

    Mishell Baker

    Shortlisted
  3. Lovecraft Country

    Matt Ruff

    Shortlisted
  4. Roadsouls

    Betsy James

    Shortlisted
  5. The Obelisk Gate

    N. K. Jemisin

    Shortlisted

2016

  1. The Chimes

    Anna Smaill

    Won
  2. A Head Full of Ghosts

    Paul G. Tremblay

    Shortlisted
  3. Savages

    K. J. Parker

    Shortlisted
  4. The Buried Giant

    Kazuo Ishiguro

    Shortlisted
  5. The Fifth Season

    N. K. Jemisin

    Shortlisted
  6. Uprooted

    Naomi Novik

    Shortlisted

2015

  1. The Bone Clocks

    David Mitchell

    Won
  2. Area X: The Southern Reach Trilogy

    Jeff VanderMeer

    Shortlisted
  3. City of Stairs

    Robert Jackson Bennett

    Shortlisted
  4. My Real Children

    Jo Walton

    Shortlisted
  5. The Goblin Emperor

    Katherine Addison

    Shortlisted

2014

  1. A Stranger in Olondria

    Sofia Samatar

    Won
  2. A Natural History of Dragons: A Memoir by Lady Trent

    Marie Brennan

    Shortlisted
  3. Dust Devil on a Quiet Street

    Richard Bowes

    Shortlisted
  4. The Golem and the Jinni

    Helene Wecker

    Shortlisted
  5. The Land Across

    Gene Wolfe

    Shortlisted
  6. The Ocean at the End of the Lane

    Neil Gaiman

    Shortlisted

2013

  1. Alif the Unseen

    G. Willow Wilson

    Won
  2. Crandolin

    Anna Tambour

    Shortlisted
  3. Some Kind of Fairy Tale

    Graham Joyce

    Shortlisted
  4. The Drowning Girl

    Caitlin R. Kiernan

    Shortlisted
  5. The Killing Moon

    N. K. Jemisin

    Shortlisted

2012

  1. Osama

    Lavie Tidhar

    Won
  2. 11/22/63

    Stephen King

    Shortlisted
  3. A Dance with Dragons

    George R. R. Martin

    Shortlisted
  4. Among Others

    Jo Walton

    Shortlisted
  5. Those Across the River

    Christopher Buehlman

    Shortlisted

2011

  1. Who Fears Death

    Nnedi Okorafor

    Won
  2. Redemption in Indigo

    Karen Lord

    Shortlisted
  3. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms

    N. K. Jemisin

    Shortlisted
  4. The Silent Land

    Graham Joyce

    Shortlisted
  5. Under Heaven

    Guy Gavriel Kay

    Shortlisted
  6. Zoo City

    Lauren Beukes

    Shortlisted

2010

  1. The City & the City

    China Miéville

    Won
  2. Blood of Ambrose

    James Enge

    Shortlisted
  3. Finch

    Jeff VanderMeer

    Shortlisted
  4. In Great Waters

    Kit Whitfield

    Shortlisted
  5. The Red Tree

    Caitlín R. Kiernan

    Shortlisted

2009

  1. Tender Morsels

    Margo Lanagan

    Won
  2. The Shadow Year

    Jeffrey Ford

    Won
  3. Pandemonium

    Daryl Gregory

    Shortlisted
  4. The Graveyard Book

    Neil Gaiman

    Shortlisted
  5. The House of the Stag

    Kage Baker

    Shortlisted

2008

  1. Ysabel

    Guy Gavriel Kay

    Won
  2. Fangland

    John Marks

    Shortlisted
  3. Territory

    Emma Bull

    Shortlisted
  4. The Gospel of the Knife

    Will Shetterly

    Shortlisted
  5. The Servants

    Michael Marshall Smith

    Shortlisted

2007

  1. Soldier of Sidon

    Gene Wolfe

    Won
  2. In the Night Garden

    Catherynne M. Valente

    Shortlisted
  3. Lisey's Story

    Stephen King

    Shortlisted
  4. The Lies of Locke Lamora

    Scott Lynch

    Shortlisted
  5. The Privilege of the Sword

    Ellen Kushner

    Shortlisted

2006

  1. Kafka on the Shore

    Haruki Murakami

    Won
  2. A Princess of Roumania

    Paul Park

    Shortlisted
  3. Lunar Park

    Bret Easton Ellis

    Shortlisted
  4. Od Magic

    Patricia A. McKillip

    Shortlisted
  5. The Limits of Enchantment

    Graham Joyce

    Shortlisted
  6. Vellum

    Hal Duncan

    Shortlisted

2005

  1. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

    Susanna Clarke

    Won
  2. Iron Council

    China Miéville

    Shortlisted
  3. Perfect Circle

    Sean Stewart

    Shortlisted
  4. The Runes of the Earth

    Stephen R. Donaldson

    Shortlisted
  5. The Wizard Knight

    Gene Wolfe

    Shortlisted

2004

  1. Tooth and Claw

    Jo Walton

    Won
  2. Fudoki

    Kij Johnson

    Shortlisted
  3. The Etched City

    K. J. Bishop

    Shortlisted
  4. The Light Ages

    Ian R. MacLeod

    Shortlisted
  5. Veniss Underground

    Jeff VanderMeer

    Shortlisted

2003

  1. Ombria in Shadow

    Patricia A. McKillip

    Won
  2. The Facts of Life

    Graham Joyce

    Won
  3. Fitcher's Brides

    Gregory Frost

    Shortlisted
  4. The Portrait of Mrs. Charbuque

    Jeffrey Ford

    Shortlisted
  5. The Scar

    China Miéville

    Shortlisted

2002

  1. The Other Wind

    Ursula K. Le Guin

    Won
  2. American Gods

    Neil Gaiman

    Shortlisted
  3. Brown Harvest

    Jay Russell

    Shortlisted
  4. From the Dust Returned

    Ray Bradbury

    Shortlisted
  5. The Curse of Chalion

    Lois McMaster Bujold

    Shortlisted
  6. The Onion Girl

    Charles de Lint

    Shortlisted
  7. The Wooden Sea

    Jonathan Carroll

    Shortlisted

2001

  1. Declare

    Tim Powers

    Won
  2. Galveston

    Sean Stewart

    Won
  3. Lord of Emperors

    Guy Gavriel Kay

    Shortlisted
  4. Perdido Street Station

    China Miéville

    Shortlisted
  5. The Amber Spyglass

    Philip Pullman

    Shortlisted
  6. The Grand Ellipse

    Paula Volsky

    Shortlisted

2000

  1. Thraxas

    Martin Scott

    Won
  2. A Red Heart of Memories

    Nina Kiriki Hoffman

    Shortlisted
  3. A Witness to Life

    Terence M. Green

    Shortlisted
  4. Gardens of the Moon

    Steven Erikson

    Shortlisted
  5. Tamsin

    Peter S. Beagle

    Shortlisted
  6. The Rainy Season

    James P. Blaylock

    Shortlisted

1999

  1. The Antelope Wife

    Louise Erdrich

    Won
  2. Mockingbird

    Sean Stewart

    Shortlisted
  3. Sailing to Sarantium

    Guy Gavriel Kay

    Shortlisted
  4. Someplace to be Flying

    Charles de Lint

    Shortlisted
  5. The Martyring

    Thomas Sullivan

    Shortlisted

1998

  1. The Physiognomy

    Jeffrey Ford

    Won
  2. American Goliath

    Harvey Jacobs

    Shortlisted
  3. Dry Water

    Eric Nylund

    Shortlisted

  4. The Club Dumas (nomination withdrawn)

    Arturo Pérez-Reverte

    Shortlisted
  5. The Gift

    Patrick O'Leary

    Shortlisted
  6. Trader

    Charles de Lint

    Shortlisted

1997

  1. Godmother Night

    Rachel Pollack

    Won
  2. A Game of Thrones

    George R. R. Martin

    Shortlisted
  3. Devil's Tower

    Mark Sumner

    Shortlisted
  4. Shadow of Ashland

    Terence M. Green

    Shortlisted
  5. The 37th Mandala

    Marc Laidlaw

    Shortlisted
  6. The Bear Went Over the Mountain

    William Kotzwinkle

    Shortlisted
  7. The Golden Key

    Melanie Rawn, Jennifer Roberson, Kate Elliott

    Shortlisted

1996

  1. The Prestige

    Christopher Priest

    Won
  2. All the Bells on Earth

    James P. Blaylock

    Shortlisted
  3. Expiration Date

    Tim Powers

    Shortlisted
  4. Red Earth and Pouring Rain

    Vikram Chandra

    Shortlisted
  5. Requiem

    Graham Joyce

    Shortlisted
  6. The Silent Strength of Stones

    Nina Kiriki Hoffman

    Shortlisted

1995

  1. Towing Jehovah

    James K. Morrow

    Won
  2. Brittle Innings

    Michael Bishop

    Shortlisted
  3. From the Teeth of Angels

    Jonathan Carroll

    Shortlisted
  4. Love & Sleep

    John Crowley

    Shortlisted
  5. The Circus of the Earth and the Air

    Brooke Stevens

    Shortlisted
  6. Waking the Moon

    Elizabeth Hand

    Shortlisted

1994

  1. Glimpses

    Lewis Shiner

    Won
  2. Drawing Blood

    Poppy Z. Brite

    Shortlisted
  3. Lord of the Two Lands

    Judith Tarr

    Shortlisted
  4. Skin

    Kathe Koja

    Shortlisted
  5. The Innkeeper's Song

    Peter S. Beagle

    Shortlisted
  6. The Iron Dragon's Daughter

    Michael Swanwick

    Shortlisted
  7. The Throat

    Peter Straub

    Shortlisted

1993

  1. Last Call

    Tim Powers

    Won
  2. Anno Dracula

    Kim Newman

    Shortlisted
  3. Briar Rose

    Jane Yolen

    Shortlisted
  4. Photographing Fairies

    Steve Szilagyi

    Shortlisted
  5. Was

    Geoff Ryman

    Shortlisted

1992

  1. Boy's Life

    Robert R. McCammon

    Won
  2. Bone Dance

    Emma Bull

    Shortlisted

  3. Hunting the Ghost Dancer

    A. A. Attanasio

    Shortlisted
  4. Outside the Dog Museum

    Jonathan Carroll

    Shortlisted
  5. The Little Country

    Charles de Lint

    Shortlisted
  6. The Paper Grail

    James P. Blaylock

    Shortlisted

1991

  1. Only Begotten Daughter

    James Morrow

    Won
  2. Thomas the Rhymer

    Ellen Kushner

    Won
  3. Good Omens

    Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman

    Shortlisted
  4. Mary Reilly

    Valerie Martin

    Shortlisted
  5. Tigana

    Guy Gavriel Kay

    Shortlisted

1990

  1. Madouc

    Jack Vance

    Won
  2. A Child Across the Sky

    Jonathan Carroll

    Shortlisted
  3. Carrion Comfort

    Dan Simmons

    Shortlisted
  4. In a Dark Dream

    Charles L. Grant

    Shortlisted
  5. Soldier of Arete

    Gene Wolfe

    Shortlisted
  6. The Stress of Her Regard

    Tim Powers

    Shortlisted

1989

  1. Koko

    Peter Straub

    Won
  2. Fade

    Robert Cormier

    Shortlisted
  3. Sleeping in Flame

    Jonathan Carroll

    Shortlisted
  4. The Drive-In

    Joe R. Lansdale

    Shortlisted
  5. The Last Coin

    James P. Blaylock

    Shortlisted
  6. The Silence of the Lambs

    Thomas Harris

    Shortlisted

1988

  1. Replay

    Ken Grimwood

    Won
  2. Ægypt

    John Crowley

    Shortlisted
  3. Misery

    Stephen King

    Shortlisted
  4. On Stranger Tides

    Tim Powers

    Shortlisted
  5. Seventh Son

    Orson Scott Card

    Shortlisted
  6. Swan Song

    Robert R. McCammon

    Shortlisted
  7. Weaveworld

    Clive Barker

    Shortlisted

1987

  1. Perfume

    Patrick Süskind

    Won
  2. It

    Stephen King

    Shortlisted
  3. Soldier of the Mist

    Gene Wolfe

    Shortlisted
  4. Strangers

    Dean Koontz

    Shortlisted
  5. Talking Man

    Terry Bisson

    Shortlisted
  6. The Pet

    Charles L. Grant

    Shortlisted
  7. The Tricksters

    Margaret Mahy

    Shortlisted

1986

  1. Song of Kali

    Dan Simmons

    Won
  2. Illywhacker

    Peter Carey

    Shortlisted
  3. The Damnation Game

    Clive Barker

    Shortlisted
  4. The Dream Years

    Lisa Goldstein

    Shortlisted
  5. The Vampire Lestat

    Anne Rice

    Shortlisted
  6. Winterking

    Paul Hazel

    Shortlisted

1985

  1. Bridge of Birds

    Barry Hughart

    Won
  2. Mythago Wood

    Robert Holdstock

    Won
  3. Archer's Goon

    Diana Wynne Jones

    Shortlisted
  4. The Ceremonies

    T. E. D. Klein

    Shortlisted
  5. The Talisman

    Stephen King, Peter Straub

    Shortlisted

1984

  1. The Dragon Waiting

    John M. Ford

    Won
  2. Lyonesse

    Jack Vance

    Shortlisted
  3. Pet Sematary

    Stephen King

    Shortlisted
  4. Tea with the Black Dragon

    R. A. MacAvoy

    Shortlisted
  5. The Armageddon Rag

    George R. R. Martin

    Shortlisted
  6. The Wandering Unicorn

    Manuel Mujica Lainez

    Shortlisted

1983

  1. Nifft the Lean

    Michael Shea

    Won
  2. Fevre Dream

    George R. R. Martin

    Shortlisted
  3. Phantom

    Thomas Tessier

    Shortlisted
  4. The Nestling

    Charles L. Grant

    Shortlisted
  5. The Sword of the Lictor

    Gene Wolfe

    Shortlisted

1982

  1. Little, Big

    John Crowley

    Won
  2. The Claw of the Conciliator

    Gene Wolfe

    Shortlisted
  3. The Nameless

    Ramsey Campbell

    Shortlisted
  4. The War Hound and the World's Pain

    Michael Moorcock

    Shortlisted
  5. The White Hotel

    D. M. Thomas

    Shortlisted

1981

  1. The Shadow of the Torturer

    Gene Wolfe

    Won
  2. Ariosto

    Chelsea Quinn Yarbro

    Shortlisted
  3. Firelord

    Parke Godwin

    Shortlisted
  4. Shadowland

    Peter Straub

    Shortlisted
  5. The Mist

    Stephen King

    Shortlisted

1980

  1. Watchtower

    Elizabeth A. Lynn

    Won
  2. Harpist in the Wind

    Patricia A. McKillip

    Shortlisted
  3. The Dancers of Arun

    Elizabeth A. Lynn

    Shortlisted
  4. The Dark Bright Water

    Patricia Wrightson

    Shortlisted
  5. The Last Call of Mourning

    Charles L. Grant

    Shortlisted
  6. The Palace

    Chelsea Quinn Yarbro

    Shortlisted

1979

  1. Gloriana

    Michael Moorcock

    Won
  2. Night's Master

    Tanith Lee

    Shortlisted
  3. The Black Castle

    Les Daniels

    Shortlisted
  4. The Sound of Midnight

    Charles L. Grant

    Shortlisted
  5. The Stand

    Stephen King

    Shortlisted

1978

  1. Our Lady of Darkness

    Fritz Leiber

    Won
  2. The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever

    Stephen R. Donaldson

    Shortlisted
  3. The Hour of the Oxrun Dead

    Charles L. Grant

    Shortlisted

1977

  1. Doctor Rat

    William Kotzwinkle

    Won
  2. Dark Crusade

    Karl Edward Wagner

    Shortlisted
  3. The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights

    John Steinbeck

    Shortlisted
  4. The Doll Who Ate His Mother

    Ramsey Campbell

    Shortlisted
  5. The Dragon and the George

    Gordon R. Dickson

    Shortlisted
  6. The Sailor on the Seas of Fate

    Michael Moorcock

    Shortlisted

1976

  1. Bid Time Return

    Richard Matheson

    Won
  2. Salem's Lot

    Stephen King

    Shortlisted

1975

  1. The Forgotten Beasts of Eld

    Patricia A. McKillip

    Won
  2. A Midsummer Tempest

    Poul Anderson

    Shortlisted
  3. Merlin's Ring

    H. Warner Munn

    Shortlisted