British Fantasy Award


The British Fantasy Awards are awarded annually by the British Fantasy Society, first in 1976. Prior to that they were known as The August Derleth Fantasy Awards. First awarded in 1972 only for novels, the number of award categories increased and in 1976 the BFS renamed them collectively to the British Fantasy Awards. As of 2023 the award categories are:
  • Best Fantasy Novel
  • Best Horror Novel
  • Best Novella
  • Best Short Fiction
  • Best Anthology
  • Best Collection
  • Magazine/Periodical
  • Best Independent Press
  • Best Artist
  • Best Audio
  • Best Non-Fiction
  • Best Newcomer
  • The Karl Edward Wagner Award for "important contribution to the genre or the Society" is given at the discretion of the BFS committee.
The membership of the BFS vote to determine the shortlists of the awards, the winners being decided by juries.

Conventional Fiction Writing

1Previously "Best Short Story", before 2008.
2Was originally presented as a single award known as "Best Novel", the August Derleth Fantasy Award, until split in 2012.

Anthology, Collection, Magazine, and Press

1Provided as "Small Press" until 2015, when that was ended and replace with "Independent"
YearLocationBest CollectionBest AnthologyMagazine/PeriodicalSmall/Independent Press1
1977Anduril
1978Fantasy Tales 1
1979Fantasy Tales 2
1980Fantasy Tales 3
1981Airgedlamh
1982Fantasy Tales
1983Fantasy Tales
1984Ghosts & Scholars
1985Whispers
1986Fantasy Tales
1987Fantasy Tales
1988Dagon
1989Dagon
1990Dagon
1991Best New Horror, Stephen Jones and Ramsey CampbellDagon
1992Darklands, Nicholas RoylePeeping Tom
1993Darklands 2, Nicholas RoylePeeping Tom
1994Dark Voices 5, ed. David Sutton and Stephen JonesDementia 13
1995The Earthwire, Joel LaneNecrofile
1996Last Rites and Resurrections: Stories from The Third Alternative, ed. Andy CoxThe Third Alternative
1997The Nightmare Factory, Thomas LigottiH. P. Lovecraft: a Life
1998Dark Terrors 3: the Gollancz Book of Horror, Stephen Jones and David SuttonInterzone
1999Ghosts and Grisly Things, Ramsey CampbellDark Terrors 4: the Gollancz Book of Horror, ed. Stephen Jones and David SuttonThe Third Alternative
2000Lonesome Roads, Peter CrowtherThe Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 10, ed. Stephen JonesRazorblade Press
2001Where the Bodies Are Buried, Kim NewmanHideous Progeny: a Frankenstein Anthology, ed. Brian WillisPeter Crowther
2002Aftershocks, Paul FinchThe Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 12, ed. Stephen JonesPeter Crowther
2003Ramsey Campbell, Probably: On Horror and Sundry Fantasies, Ramsey CampbellKeep Out the Night, ed. Stephen JonesPeter Crowther
2004WalsallTold by the Dead, Ramsey CampbellThe Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 14, ed. Stephen JonesPeter Crowther
2005WalsallOut of His Mind, Stephen GallagherThe Alsiso Project, ed. Andrew HookElastic Press
2006Nottingham20th Century Ghosts, Joe HillThe Elastic Book of Numbers, ed. Allen AshleyPeter Crowther
2007NottinghamFragile Things, Neil GaimanExtended Play: The Elastic Book of Music, ed. Gary CouzensPeter Crowther
2008NottinghamOld Devil Moon, Christopher FowlerThe Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 18, ed. Stephen JonesPeter Crowther
2009NottinghamBull Running for Girls, Allyson BirdThe Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 19, ed. Stephen JonesPostscripts, ed. Peter Crowther and Nick GeversElastic Press
2010NottinghamLove Songs for the Shy And Cynical, Robert ShearmanThe Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 20, ed. Stephen JonesMurky Depths, ed. Terry MartinTelos Publishing
2011BrightonFull Dark, No Stars, Stephen KingBack from the Dead: The Legacy of the Pan Book of Horror Stories, ed. Johnny MainsBlack Static, ed. Andy CoxTelos Publishing
2012BrightonEveryone's Just So So Special, Robert ShearmanThe Weird, ed. Jeff VanderMeer and Ann VanderMeerBlack Static, ed. Andy CoxChômu Press
2013BrightonRemember Why You Fear Me, Robert ShearmanMagic: an Anthology of the Esoteric and Arcane, ed. Jonathan OliverInterzone, ed. Andy CoxChiZine Publications
2014YorkMonsters in the Heart, Stephen VolkEnd of the Road, ed. Jonathan OliverClarkesworld, ed. Neil Clarke, Sean Wallace and Kate BakerThe Alchemy Press
2015NottinghamNick Nightmare Investigates, Adrian ColeLightspeed: Women Destroy Science Fiction Special Issue, ed. Christie YantHoldfast Magazine, ed. Laurel Sills and Lucy SmeeFox Spirit Books
2016ScarboroughGhost Summer: Stories, Tananarive DueThe Doll Collection, ed. Ellen DatlowBeneath Ceaseless Skies, ed. Scott H. AndrewsAngry Robot
2017PeterboroughSome Will Not Sleep, Adam NevillPeople of Colour Destroy Science Fiction, ed. Nalo Hopkinson & Kristine OngTor.comGrimbold Books
2018Chester
  • New Fears, ed. Mark Morris
  • 2084, ed. George Sandison
  • Dark Satanic Mills: Great British Horror Book 2, ed. Steve Shaw
  • Imposter Syndrome, ed. James Everington & Dan Howarth
  • Pacific Monsters, ed. Margret Helgadottir
  • Shoreline of Infinity, ed. Noel Chidwick
  • Black Static, ed. Andy Cox
  • Gingernuts of Horror, ed. Jim Mcleod
  • Grimdark Magazine, ed. Adrian Collins
  • [Interzone (magazine)|Interzone], ed. Andy Cox
  • Unsung Stories
  • Fox Spirit Books
  • Grimbold Books
  • NewCon Press
  • Salt Publishing
  • 2019Glasgow
  • All the Fabulous Beasts, Priya Sharma
  • The Future is Blue, Catherynne M Valente
  • How Long 'til Black Future Month?, NK Jemisin
  • Lost Objects, Marian Womack
  • Octoberland, Thana Niveau
  • Resonance & Revolt, Rosanne Rabinowitz
  • Year's Best Weird Fiction, Vol. 5, ed. Robert Shearman & Michael Kelly
  • The Devil and the Deep: Horror Stories of the Sea, ed. Ellen Datlow
  • Humanagerie, ed. Sarah Doyle & Allen Ashley
  • New Fears 2, ed. Mark Morris
  • This Dreaming Isle, ed. Dan Coxon
  • Uncanny
  • Black Static, ed. Andy Cox
  • Gingernuts of Horror, ed. Jim Mcleod
  • Interzone, ed. Andy Cox
  • Shoreline of Infinity, ed. Noel Chidwick
  • Unsung Stories
  • Fox Spirit Books
  • Luna Press
  • NewCon Press
  • 2020Online
  • Sing Your Sadness Deep, Laura Mauro
  • The Boughs Withered When I Told Them My Dreams, Maura McHugh
  • Growing Things, Paul G. Tremblay
  • This House of Wounds, Georgina Bruce
  • Of Wars, And Memories, And Starlight, Aliette de Bodard
  • New Suns: Original Speculative Fiction for People of Color, ed. Nisi Shawl
  • A Secret Guide to Fighting Elder Gods, ed. Jennifer Brozek
  • The Big Book of Classic Fantasy, ed. Ann & Jeff VanderMeer
  • Once Upon a Parsec: The Book of Alien Fairy Tales, ed. David Gullen
  • Wonderland, ed. Marie O’Regan & Paul Kane
  • The Woods, ed. Phil Sloman
  • FIYAH, ed. DaVaun Sanders
  • Black Static, ed. Andy Cox
  • The Dark
  • F&SF
  • Gingernuts of Horror, ed. Jim Mcleod
  • Shoreline of Infinity, ed. Noel Chidwick
  • Rebellion Publishing
  • Aqueduct Press
  • Black Shuck Books
  • Luna Press
  • NewCon Press
  • Undertow Publications
  • 2021Birmingham
  • The Watcher in the Woods, Charlotte Bond
  • Bloody Britain, Anna Taborska
  • Only the Broken Remain, Dan Coxon
  • We All Hear Stories in the Dark, Robert Shearman
  • Dominion: An Anthology of Speculative Fiction From Africa and the African Diaspora, ed. Zelda Knight & Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki
  • After Sundown, ed. Mark Morris
  • Black Cranes: Tales of Unquiet Women, ed. Lee Murray & Geneve Flynn
  • Shadows & Tall Trees, Vol. 8, ed. Michael Kelly
  • Strange Horizons
  • Black Static, ed. Andy Cox
  • The Dark
  • FIYAH,'' ed. DaVaun Sanders
  • Gingernuts of Horror, ed. Jim Mcleod
  • Shoreline of Infinity, ed. Noel Chidwick
  • Luna Press
  • Black Shuck Books
  • Flame Tree Press
  • Unsung Stories
  • 2022Heathrow
  • Never Have I Ever, Isabel Yap
  • The Ghost Sequences, A.C. Wise
  • I Spit Myself Out, Tracy Fahey
  • The Museum for Forgetting, Pete W. Sutton
  • We All Have Teeth, C.A. Yates
  • Sinopticon: A Celebration of Chinese Science Fiction, ed. Xueting C. Ni
  • Dreamland: Other Stories, ed. Sophie Essex
  • Out of the Darkness, ed. Dan Coxon
  • There Is No Death, There Are No Dead, ed. Aaron J. French & Jess Landry
  • When Things Get Dark, ed. Ellen Datlow
  • The Year's Best African Speculative Fiction, ed. Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki
  • Apex Magazine
  • Anathema Magazine
  • Black Static
  • Ginger Nuts of Horror
  • Interzone
  • Shoreline of Infinity
  • Luna Press Publishing
  • Black Shuck Books
  • Unsung Stories
  • Wizard's Tower Press
  • 2023Birmingham
  • Under the Moon, E.M. Faulds
  • Behind a Broken Smile, Penny Jones
  • Breakable Things, Cassandra Khaw
  • Candescent Blooms, Andrew Hook
  • Someone in Time, ed. Jonathan Strahan
  • Africa Risen: A New Era of Speculative Fiction, ed. Sheree Renée Thomas, Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki & Zelda Knight *The Book of Queer Saints, ed. Mae Murray
  • Great British Horror 7: Major Arcana, ed. Steve J. Shaw
  • Isolation: The Horror Anthology, ed. Dan Coxon
  • Sky Breaker: Tales of the Wanderer – Lee C. Conley, H.L. Tinsley, J.E. Hannaford, David Green, Derek Power, C. Marry Hultman, Damien Larkin and C.F. Welburn
  • Interzone*
  • Ginger Nuts of Horror
  • Shoreline of Infinity
  • Strange Horizons
  • Luna Press Publishing*
  • Black Shuck Books
  • Flame Tree Press
  • NewCon Press
  • 2024Chester
  • Jackal, Jackal: Tales of the Dark and Fantastic, Tobi Ogundiran,
  • A Curious Cartography, Alison Littlewood,
  • No Happily Ever After, Phil Sloman
  • No One Will Come Back for Us, Premee Mohamed,
  • The House on the Moon, Georgina Bruce,
  • Under my Skin, K.J. Parker,
  • Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror, ed. Jordan Peele,
  • At the Lighthouse, ed. Sophie Essex,
  • Mothersound: The Sauútiverse Anthology, ed. Wole Talabi,
  • Never Whistle at Night, ed. Shane Hawk,
  • Something Peculiar: Great British Horror 8, ed. Steve J. Shaw,
  • The Other Side of Never: Dark Tales from the World of Peter & Wendy, eds. Marie O’Regan & Paul Kane,
  • Shoreline of Infinity
  • Hellebore
  • Interzone/IZ Digital
  • khōréō
  • Occult Detective Magazine
  • Flame Tree Press
  • Angry Robot
  • Black Shuck Books
  • Eibonvale Press
  • Luna Press Publishing
  • Newcon Press
  • 2025Brighton
  • Elephants in Bloom, Cecile Cristofari – Newcon Press
  • Dirt Upon My Skin, Steve Toase – Black Shuck Books
  • Limelight and Other Stories, Lyndsey Croal – Shortwave Publishing
  • Mood Swings, Dave Jeffery, Black Shuck Books
  • Preaching To The Perverted, James Bennett – Lethe Press
  • Bury Your Gays – An Anthology of Tragic Queer Horror, Sofia Ajram, Ghoulish Books
  • Nova Scotia 2, Neil Williamson and Andrew J Wilson – Luna Press Publishing
  • I Want That Twink Obliterated!, Trip Galey, C.L. McCartney, and Robert Berg, Bona Books
  • Fight Like A Girl 2, Roz Clarke and Joanne Hall, Wizard's Tower Press
  • Heartwood: A Mythago Wood Anthology, Dan Coxon, PS Publishing
  • The Year’s Best African Speculative Fiction , Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki and Chinaza Eziaghighala, Caezik SF & Fantasy
  • ParSec
  • Phantasmagoria
  • Ginger Nuts of Horror
  • Shoreline of Infinity
  • Flame Tree Press
  • Newcon Press
  • Black Shuck Books
  • Luna Press Publishing
  • Swan River Press''
  • Multimedia

    1Was initially conferred 1973–1980 as "Best Comic"; it was revived in 2009 as "Best Comic / Graphic Novel". The category was removed at the 2022 AGM
    2Awarded only to films from 1973 to 1990, this honor was renewed 2009–2011,, and again starting in 2014 as "Best Film / Television Episode", and then "Best Film / Television Production" from 2016 onward. In the two years 2012–2013, the BFS decided to present for extraordinary contributions to screenplay literature to Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris and co-writers Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon for Cabin in the Woods. The category was again removed following the 2022 AGM.
    LocationBest Comic / Graphic Novel1Best ArtistBest Television / Film Production2Best Audio
    1973ConanTales from the Crypt
    1974ConanLegend of Hell House
    1975Savage Sword of ConanThe Exorcist
    1976Savage Sword of ConanMonty Python and the Holy Grail
    1977Howard the Duck #3Michael KalutaThe Omen
    1978Marvel Premiere 38: WeirdworldSteve FabianCarrie
    1979Savage Sword of Conan #30: The Scarlet Citadel, Roy Thomas and Frank BrunnerBoris VallejoClose Encounters of the Third Kind
    1980Heavy MetalSteve FabianAlien
    1981Dave CarsonThe Empire Strikes Back
    1982Dave CarsonRaiders of the Lost Ark
    1983Dave CarsonBlade Runner
    1984Rowena MorrillVideodrome
    1985Steve FabianGhostbusters
    1986JK PotterA Nightmare on Elm Street
    1987JK PotterAliens
    1988JK PotterHellraiser
    1989Dave CarsonBeetlejuice
    1990Dave CarsonIndiana Jones and the Last Crusade
    1991Les Edwards
    1992Jim Pitts
    1993Jim Pitts
    1994Les Edwards
    1995Martin McKenna
    1996Josh Kirby
    1997Jim Burns
    1998Jim Burns
    1999Bob Covington
    2000Les Edwards
    2001Jim Burns
    2002Jim Burns
    2003Les Edwards
    2004WalsallLes Edwards
    2005WalsallLes Edwards
    2006NottinghamLes Edwards
    2007NottinghamVincent Chong
    2008NottinghamVincent Chong
    2009NottinghamLocke and Key, Joe Hill and Gabriel RodriguezVincent ChongFilm: The Dark Knight
    Television: Doctor Who
    2010NottinghamWhatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?, Neil Gaiman and Andy KubertVincent ChongFilm: Let The Right One In
    Television: Doctor Who
    2011BrightonAt the Mountains of Madness: a Graphic Novel, Ian CulbardVincent ChongFilm: Inception
    Television: Sherlock
    2012BrightonLocke and Key, Joe Hill and Gabriel RodriguezDaniele SerraScreenplay: Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen
    2013Brighton[Saga (comic book)|Saga], Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona StaplesSean PhillipsScreenplay: The Cabin in the Woods, Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard
    2014YorkDemeter, Becky CloonanJoey Hi-Fi"The Rains of Castamere", David Benioff and D.B. Weiss
    2015NottinghamThrough the Woods, Emily CarrollKarla OrtizGuardians of the Galaxy
    2016ScarboroughBitch Planet, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Valentine De Landro, Robert Wilson IV and Cris PeterJulie DillonJonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, Peter Harness
    2017PeterboroughMonstress, Vol 1: Awakening, Marjorie Liu & Sana TakedaDaniele SerraArrival
    2018Chester[Monstress (comics)|Monstress], Vol 2: The Blood, Marjorie Liu & Sana TakedaJeffrey Alan LoveGet OutAnansi Boys
    2019Glasgow
  • Vince Haig
  • David Rix
  • Daniele Serra
  • Sophie E Tallis
  • Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Phil Lord & Rodney Rothman
  • Annihilation, Alex Garland
  • Avengers: Infinity War, Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely
  • Black Panther, Ryan Coogler & Joe Robert Cole
  • The [Haunting of Hill House (TV series)|The Haunting of Hill House], Mike Flanagan
  • Inside No. 9, series 4, Steve Pemberton & Reece Shearsmith
  • Breaking the Glass Slipper Podcast, Lucy Hounsom, Charlotte Bond, & Meghan Leigh
  • Bedtime Stories for the End of the World
  • Blood on Satan's Claw, by Mark Morris
  • PodCastle
  • PseudoPod
  • 2020Online
  • DIE, Kieron Gillen & Stephanie Hans
  • 2000AD, ed. Matt Smith
  • Basketful of Heads #1, Joe Hill
  • B.P.R.D. The Devil You Know, Vol. 3: Ragna Rok, Mike Mignola, Scott Allie, Laurence Campbell et al.
  • DCeased #1-6, Tom Taylor, Trevor Hairsine, Stefano Gaudiano et al.
  • The Ozone Diary, Pentti Otsamo & Tero Mielonen
  • Ben Baldwin
  • Vince Haig
  • Jackie Morris
  • David Rix
  • Us, Jordan Peele
  • Game of Thrones: The Long NightDavid Benioff & DB Weiss
  • Watchmen: "It's Summer and We're Running Out of Ice", Damon Lindelof
  • The Witcher: "Rare Species", Haily Hall
  • PodCastle
  • Breaking the Glass Slipper
  • PseudoPod
  • Speculative Spaces
  • 2021Birmingham
  • DIE Vol. 2: Split the Party, Kieron Gillen & Stephanie Hans
  • The Daughters of Ys, Jo Rioux & M.T. Andersen
  • John Constantine: Hellblazer, Vol. 1: Marks of Woe, Simon Spurrier & Aaron Campbell
  • The Magic Fish, Trung Le Nguyen
  • Rivers of London: The Fey and the Furious, Ben Aaronovitch & Andrew Cartmel
  • Venus in the Blind Spot, Junji Ito
  • Daniele Serra
  • Warwick Fraser-Coombe
  • David Rix
  • Vincent Sammy
  • The Boys: "What I Know", Rebecca Sonnenshine & Eric Kripke
  • Birds of Prey, Christina Hodson & Cathy Yan
  • The Haunting of Bly Manor: "The Romance of Certain Old Clothes", Leah Fong & Axelle Carolyn
  • The Invisible Man, Leigh Whannell
  • The Lighthouse, Robert Eggers & Max Eggers
  • Saint Maud, Rose Glass
  • The Magnus Archives, Rusty Quill
  • Breaking the Glass Slipper, Megan Leigh, Lucy Hounson & Charlotte Bond
  • PodCastle, Escape Artists
  • PseudoPod, Escape Artists
  • The Sandman, Dirk Maggs & Neil Gaiman
  • Stellar Firma, Rusty Quill
  • 2022Heathrow
  • The Girl from the Sea, Lee Knox Ostertag
  • 2000AD
  • DIE Vol. 4, Kieron Gillen & Stephanie Hans
  • Djeliya, Juni Ba
  • ExtraOrdinary, V.E. Schwab & Enid Balam
  • Usagi Yojimbo: Homecoming, Stan Sakai
  • Jenni Coutts
  • Olga Beliaeva
  • Randy Broecker
  • Alison Buck
  • Vincent Sammy
  • Daniele Serra
  • Last Night in Soho
  • Candyman
  • Dune
  • The Green Knight
  • In the Earth
  • Space Sweepers
  • Monstrous Agonies, H. R. Owen
  • Breaking the Glass Slipper, Megan Leigh, Lucy Hounsom & Charlotte Bond
  • Daughter of Fire and Water, Lyndsey Croal
  • PodCastle, Escape Artists
  • PseudoPod, Escape Artists
  • 2023BirminghamCategory discontinued
    *Vince Haig
    Category discontinued
    • The Stranger Times, C.K. McDonnell
    • Breaking the Glass Slipper
    • The Painkiller Podcast
    • PodCastle, Escape Artists
    • PseudoPod, Escape Artists
    • The Secret of St. Kilda, Michael Ireland & Naomi Clarke
    2024Chester
  • Asya Yordonova
  • Jenni Coutts
  • Vince Haig
  • David Rix
  • The Tiny Bookcase, Nico Rogers & Ben Holroyd-Dell
  • Cast of Wonders
  • The Penumbra Podcast, Harley Takagi Kaner, Kevin Vibert, Ginny D’Angelo, Alice C. LeBeau, Noah Simes
  • PodCastle
  • PseudoPod
  • Simultaneous Times Podcast
  • 2025Brighton
  • Kelly Chong
  • Jenni Coutts
  • Greg Chapman
  • L.N. Bayen
  • Breaking the Glass Slipper
  • PodCastle
  • The Tiny Bookcase
  • Pseudopod
  • Award controversy of 2011

    In 2011, British writer Sam Stone won the British Fantasy Award but returned it three days later after editor and anthologist Stephen Jones posted a blog entry pointing out that three of the winning entries were published by Telos Publishing, a company owned by David Howe. At the time, Howe was also chair of the British Fantasy Society, British Fantasy Award coordinator, and partner of Stone.