World Fantasy Award—Novel


The World Fantasy Awards are given each year by the World Fantasy Convention for the best fantasy fiction published in English during the previous calendar year. The awards have been described by book critics such as The Guardian as a "prestigious fantasy prize", and one of the three most prestigious speculative fiction awards, along with the Hugo and Nebula Awards. The World Fantasy Award—Novel is given each year for fantasy novels published in English or translated into English. A work of fiction is defined by the organization as a novel if it is 40,000 words or longer; awards are also given out for pieces of shorter lengths in the Short Fiction and Novella categories. The Novel category has been awarded annually since 1975.
World Fantasy Award nominees and winners are decided by attendees and judges at the annual World Fantasy Convention. A ballot is posted in June for attendees of the current and previous two conferences to determine two of the finalists, and a panel of five judges adds three or more nominees before voting on the overall winner. The panel of judges is typically made up of fantasy authors and is chosen each year by the World Fantasy Awards Administration, which has the power to break ties. The final results are presented at the World Fantasy Convention at the end of October. Winners were presented with a statue in the form of a bust of H. P. Lovecraft through the 2015 awards; more recent winners receive a statuette of a tree.
During the 51 nomination years, 184 authors have had works nominated; 52 of them have won, including ties. Five authors have won twice: Gene Wolfe, out of eight nominations; Tim Powers, out of five; Patricia McKillip, out of four; Jeffrey Ford, out of three; and James K. Morrow for both of his nominations. Wolfe has the most nominations for an author who has won at least once, while Stephen King has the most nominations without winning, at nine, followed by Charles L. Grant at six and Jonathan Carroll at five.

Winners and nominees

In the following table, the years correspond to the date of the ceremony, rather than when the novel was first published. Each year links to the corresponding "year in literature". Entries with a yellow background and an asterisk next to the writer's name have won the award; the other entries are the other nominees on the shortlist.
* Winners
YearAuthorNovelPublisher/publicationRef.
1975*Atheneum Books
1975Merlin's RingBallantine Books
1975Doubleday
1976*Bid Time ReturnViking Press
1976Salem's LotDoubleday
1977*Doctor RatAlfred A. Knopf
1977Farrar, Straus and Giroux
1977Dark CrusadeWarner
1977Bobbs-Merrill Company
1977Ballantine Books
1977Quartet, DAW Books
1978*Our Lady of DarknessBerkley Books
1978Holt, Rinehart & Winston
1978Doubleday
1979*GlorianaAvon Publications
1979Charles Scribner's Sons
1979Night's MasterDAW Books
1979Doubleday
1979Doubleday
1980*WatchtowerBerkley Books
1980Berkley Books
1980Atheneum Books
1980Harpist in the WindAtheneum Books
1980Doubleday
1980St. Martin's Press
1981*Simon & Schuster
1981AriostoPocket Books
1981FirelordDoubleday
1981Dark Forces
1981ShadowlandCoward, McCann & Geoghegan
1982*Little, BigBantam Books
1982Timescape
1982Macmillan Publishers
1982Timescape
1982Viking Press
1983*Nifft the LeanDAW Books
1983Fevre DreamPoseidon Press
1983Pocket Books
1983PhantomAtheneum Books
1983Timescape
1984*Timescape
1984Poseidon Press
1984LyonesseBerkley Books
1984Pet SemataryDoubleday
1984Tea with the Black DragonBantam Books
1984Taplinger
1985*Bridge of BirdsSt. Martin's Press
1985*Mythago WoodVictor Gollancz
1985Archer's GoonMethuen Publishing
1985Viking Press
1985Viking Press
1985Viking Press
1986*Song of KaliBluejay Books
1986Weidenfeld & Nicolson
1986Bantam Spectra
1986IllywhackerHarper & Row
1986Alfred A. Knopf
1986WinterkingAtlantic Monthly Press
1987*PerfumeAlfred A. Knopf
1987ItViking Press
1987Tor Books
1987Soldier of the MistTor Books
1987StrangersPutnam Publishing Group
1987Talking ManArbor House
1987J. M. Dent & Sons
1988*ReplayArbor House
1988ÆgyptBantam Spectra
1988MiseryViking Press
1988On Stranger TidesAce Books
1988Seventh SonTor Books
1988Swan SongPocket Books
1988WeaveworldPoseidon Press, William Collins, Sons
1989*KokoE. P. Dutton, Viking Press
1989Bantam Spectra
1989FadeVictor Gollancz, Delacorte Press
1989Mark V. Ziesing, Ace Books
1989St. Martin's Press
1989Sleeping in FlameLegend, Doubleday
1990*MadoucUnderwood–Miller
1990Carrion ComfortDark Harvest
1990Legend, Century
1990In a Dark DreamTor Books
1990Soldier of AreteTor Books
1990Ace Books
1991*Only Begotten DaughterWilliam Morrow and Company
1991*Thomas the RhymerWilliam Morrow and Company
1991Good OmensVictor Gollancz, Workman Publishing Company
1991Good OmensVictor Gollancz, Workman Publishing Company
1991Mary ReillyDoubleday
1991TiganaViking Press
1992*Boy's LifePocket Books
1992Bone DanceAce Books
1992Hunting the Ghost DancerHarperCollins
1992William Morrow and Company
1992Outside the Dog MuseumMacdonald
1992Ace Books
1993*Last CallWilliam Morrow and Company
1993Anno DraculaSimon & Schuster, Carroll & Graf Publishers
1993Briar RoseTor Books
1993Photographing FairiesBallantine Books
1993WasHarperCollins, Alfred A. Knopf
1994*GlimpsesWilliam Morrow and Company
1994Drawing BloodDelacorte Abyss
1994Roc Books
1994Millennium, Morrow AvoNova
1994Lord of the Two LandsTor Books
1994SkinDelacorte Abyss
1994E. P. Dutton, Borderlands Press
1995*Towing JehovahHarcourt Brace
1995Brittle InningsBantam Books
1995Harcourt Brace
1995From the Teeth of AngelsHarperCollins, Doubleday
1995Love & SleepBantam Books
1995Waking the MoonHarperCollins, HarperPrism
1996*Touchstone Books
1996All the Bells on EarthAce Books
1996Expiration DateHarperCollins, Tor Books
1996Red Earth and Pouring RainLittle, Brown and Company
1996RequiemMichael Joseph, Signet Creed
1996AvoNova
1997*Godmother NightSt. Martin's Press
1997St. Martin's Press
1997Doubleday
1997Devil's TowerDel Rey Books
1997HarperCollins Voyager, Bantam Spectra
1997DAW Books
1997DAW Books
1997DAW Books
1997Shadow of AshlandForge Books
1998*Avon Publications
1998American GoliathSt. Martin's Press
1998 Harcourt Brace
1998Dry WaterAvon Publications
1998Tor Books
1998TraderTor Books
1999*HarperFlamingo
1999Forge Books
1999MockingbirdAce Books
1999Sailing to SarantiumEarthlight, Viking Press
1999Someplace to Be FlyingTor Books
2000*ThraxasOrbit Books
2000Gardens of the MoonBantam Books
2000Ace Books
2000Ace Books
2000TamsinRoc Books
2000Forge Books
2001*DeclareSubterranean Press, William Morrow and Company
2001*GalvestonAce Books
2001Scholastic, Alfred A. Knopf
2001Bantam Spectra
2001Lord of EmperorsViking Press, HarperPrism
2001Perdido Street StationMacmillan Publishers, Del Rey Books
2002*Harcourt
2002American GodsWilliam Morrow and Company
2002Brown HarvestFour Walls Eight Windows
2002Eos
2002From the Dust ReturnedWilliam Morrow and Company
2002Tor Books
2002Tor Books
2003*Victor Gollancz
2003*Ombria in ShadowAce Books
2003Fitcher's BridesTor Books
2003William Morrow and Company
2003Macmillan Publishers, Del Rey Books
2004*Tooth and ClawTor Books
2004Prime Books
2004FudokiTor Books
2004Ace Books
2004Veniss UndergroundPrime Books
2005*Jonathan Strange & Mr NorrellBloomsbury Press
2005Iron CouncilDel Rey Books, Macmillan Publishers
2005Perfect CircleSmall Beer Press
2005Putnam Publishing Group, Victor Gollancz
2005Tor Books
2006*Kafka on the ShoreHarvill Press, Alfred A. Knopf
2006Victor Gollancz, Atria
2006Lunar ParkAlfred A. Knopf, Macmillan Publishers
2006Od MagicAce Books
2006Tor Books
2006VellumMacmillan Publishers, Del Rey Books
2007*Soldier of SidonTor Books
2007Victor Gollancz, Bantam Spectra
2007Lisey's StoryCharles Scribner's Sons, Hodder & Stoughton
2007In the Night GardenBantam Spectra
2007Bantam Spectra, Small Beer Press
2008*YsabelViking Press, Roc Books
2008FanglandPenguin Press
2008Tor Books
2008Earthling Publications
2008TerritoryTor Books
2009*William Morrow and Company
2009*Tender MorselsAllen & Unwin, Alfred A. Knopf
2009HarperCollins, Bloomsbury Press
2009Tor Books
2009PandemoniumDel Rey Books
2010*Macmillan Publishers, Del Rey Books
2010Blood of AmbrosePyr
2010FinchUnderland Press
2010In Great WatersJonathan Cape, Del Rey Books
2010Roc Books
2011*Who Fears DeathDAW Books
2011Orbit Books
2011Redemption in IndigoSmall Beer Press
2011Victor Gollancz, Doubleday
2011Under HeavenViking Press, Roc Books
2011Zoo CityJacana Media, Angry Robot
2012*OsamaDAW Books
201211/22/63Charles Scribner's Sons
2012Among OthersTor Books
2012Tor Books
2012Those Across the RiverAce Books
2013*Alif the UnseenGrove, Corvus
2013Orbit Books
2013Some Kind of Fairy TaleVictor Gollancz
2013Roc Books
2013CrandolinChomu Press
2014*Small Beer Press
2014Dust Devil on a Quiet StreetLethe Press
2014Tor Books
2014William Morrow and Company
2014Harper
2014Tor Books
2015*Random House
2015Area X: The Southern Reach TrilogyFarrar, Straus and Giroux
2015City of StairsJo Fletcher Books
2015Tor Books
2015My Real ChildrenTor Books
2016*Sceptre
2016Orbit Books
2016UprootedDel Rey Books
2016SavagesSubterranean Press
2016Alfred A. Knopf
2016William Morrow and Company
2017*Redhook Books
2017BorderlineSaga Press
2017Lovecraft CountryHarper
2017Orbit Books
2017RoadsoulsAqueduct Press
2018*Spiegel & Grau
2018*Jade CityOrbit Books
2018Harper Voyager
2018Ka: Dar Oakley in the Ruin of YmrSaga Press
2018SpoonbendersAlfred A. Knopf
2018Saga Press
2019*WitchmarkTor.com Publishing
2019In the Night WoodJohn Joseph Adams Books
2019MCD
2019Harper Voyager
2019Trail of LightningSaga Press
2020*Queen of the ConqueredOrbit Books
2020Redhook Books/Orbit UK
2020Orbit Books
2020Gideon the NinthTor.com Publishing
2020Pantheon Books/Harvill Secker
2020 Pantheon Books/Harvill Secker
2021*Trouble the SaintsTor Books
2021PiranesiBloomsbury Press
2021Saga Press/Titan UK
2021Mexican GothicDel Rey Books/Jo Fletcher UK
2021Erewhon/Orbit UK
2022*Orbit Books
2022Black Water SisterAce Books/Macmillan Publishers
2022Inkyard Press
2022Nightfire Books/Viper Books
2022Tor.com Publishing/Orbit UK
2023*Saint Death's DaughterSolaris Books
2023BabelHarper Voyager
2023Redhook Books/Orbit UK
2023Siren QueenTordotcom
2023SpearTordotcom
2024*Saga Press/Titan UK
2024Looking Glass SoundViper Books/Nightfire Books
2024Random House
2024Shigidi and the Brass Head of ObalufonDAW Books/Victor Gollancz
2024Starling HouseTor Books
2024Witch KingTordotcom
2025*Del Rey Books/Hodderscape
2025Henry Holt and Company/Quercus UK
2025Counterpoint/Titan UK
2025Viking Press/Del Rey UK
2025Tachyon Publications