Hugo Award

The Hugo Award is one of the most prestigious awards within the Science fiction and fantasy community. Rewarding the very best in science fiction and fantasy work and achievements. It's often seen as the pinnacle of achievement in speculative fiction. The Hugo Awards have been presented annually since 1955 and form a part of the WorldCon convention, which is held in a different country each year.

There have also been a number of retro awards given for works dating back as far as 1946. As this still primarily deals with full novels we have presented a list of "Best Novel" winners and short-listed Nominee's. There are however also awards for Best Novella (stories between 17,500 and 40,000 words), Best Novelette (stories between 7,500 and 17,500 words), Best Short Story for stories of less than 7,500 words. Also included are Best Related Work, Best Graphic Story, Best Dramatic Presentation, Best Semiprozine, Best Fanzine, Best Professional Editor, Best Professional Artist, Best Fan Artist, Best Fan Writer and finally Best Fancast.

The Hugo's are named after science fiction pioneer Hugo Gernsback who founded the magazine Amazing Stories and is considered by many to be a founding father of the genre. While the Hugo awards represent a world-wide audience they have often favoured American male, white authors to the detriment of the genre. Lately though this has changed and writers of different gender and race are beginning to receive nominations and awards.

As a result, since 2014 there has been attempts by a small but vocal minority to "game" the awards, critical responses from people who don't like to see diversity outside of the traditional white, male author, in their science fiction. Many of the 2015 and 2016 shortlists were filled with nominations that such a group wanted to see. Thankfully the larger science fiction community have used their votes wisely and as a result the majority of categories in those years received a "no award", or received a fairer vote. In 2023, during WorldCon held in Chengdu, China, there was some controversy around the potential influence the Chinese government may have had on the award selection and the censorship of the nominated works. This came to attention when popular authors including Xiran Jay Zhao, R.F. Kuang and previous winner Neil Gaiman were declared ineligible to be nominated, despite receiving sufficient votes. Leaked emails later revealed details to remove these "outspoken critics" of the Chinese government from officials of Chengdu Worldcon. Later the director of Worldcon Intellectual Property and the chair of the Board of Directors would both resign and the organizers of the 2024 Worldcon vowed to ensure transparency and accountability.

WorldCon 2024 (held in Glasgow, Scotland) would see a return to form, focused on inclusion, fairness and with the slogan "A WorldCon for our Futures", although again some bad actor made a poorly veiled attempt to game the system and over 350 votes were excluded.

Presented below is a list of Best novel shortlist and winners.

• 2024 - Some desperate glory - Emily Tesh
  • - The Saint of Bright Doors - Vajra Chandrasekera
  • - Starter Villain - John Scalzi
  • - Translation State - Ann Leckie
  • - Witch King - Martha Wells
  • - The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi - Shannon Chakraborty
• 2023 - Nettle & Bone - T. Kingfisher
  • - The Daughter of Doctor Moreau - Silvia Moreno-Garcia
  • - The Kaiju Preservation Society - John Scalzi
  • - Legends & Lattes - Travis Baldree
  • - Nona the Ninth - Tamsyn Muir
  • - The Spare Man - Mary Robinette Kowal
• 2022 - A Desolation Called Peace - Arkady Martine
  • - The Galaxy, and the Ground Within - Becky Chambers
  • - Light From Uncommon Stars - by Ryka Aoki
  • - A Master of Djinn - P. Djèlí Clark
  • - Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir
  • - She Who Became the Sun - Shelley Parker-Chan
• 2021 - Network Effect - Martha Wells
  • - The City We Became - N.K. Jemisin
  • - Piranesi - Susanna Clarke
  • - Black Sun - Rebecca Roanhorse
  • - The Relentless Moon - Mary Robinette Kowal
  • - Harrow The Ninth - Tamsyn Muir
• 2020 - A Memory Called Empire - Arkady Martine
  • - Middlegame - Seanan McGuire
  • - Gideon the Ninth - Tamsyn Muir
  • - The Light Brigade - Kameron Hurley
  • - The City in the Middle of the Night - Charlie Jane Anders
  • - The Ten Thousand Doors of January - Alix E. Harrow
• 2019 - The Calculating Stars - Mary Robinette Kowal
  • - Spinning Silver - Naomi Novik
  • - Record of a Spaceborn Few - Becky Chambers
  • - Trail of Lightning - Rebecca Roanhorse
  • - Revenant Gun - Yoon Ha Lee
  • - Space Opera - Catherynne M. Valente
• 2018 - The Stone Sky - N.K. Jemisin
  • - The Collapsing Empire - John Scalzi
  • - New York 2140 - Kim Stanley Robinson
  • - Provenance - Ann Leckie
  • - Raven Stratagem - Yoon Ha Lee
  • - Six Wakes - Mur Lafferty
• 2017 - The Obelisk Gate - N. K. Jemisin
  • - All the Birds in the Sky - Charlie Jane Anders
  • - Ninefox Gambit - Yoon Ha Lee
  • - A Closed and Common Orbit - Becky Chambers
  • - Too Like the Lightning - Ada Palmer
  • - Death’s End - Cixin Liu, translated by Ken Liu
• 2016 - The Fifth Season - N.K. Jemisin
  • - Uprooted - Naomi Novik
  • - Ancillary Mercy - Ann Leckie
  • - Seveneves: A Novel - Neal Stephenson
  • - The Cinder Spires: The Aeronaut’s Windlass - Jim Butcher
• 2015 - The Three Body Problem - Liu Cixin
  • - The Goblin Emperor - Katherine Addison
  • - Ancillary Sword - Ann Leckie
  • - Skin Game - Jim Butcher
  • - The Dark Between the Stars - Kevin J. Anderson
• 2014 - Ancillary Justice - Ann Leckie
  • - Neptune's Brood - Charles Stross
  • - Parasite - Mira Grant
  • - Warbound - Larry Correia
  • - The Wheel of Time - Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
• 2013 - Redshirts - John Scalzi
  • - 2312 - Kim Stanley Robinson
  • - Blackout - Mira Grant
  • - Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance - Lois McMaster Bujold
  • - Throne of the Crescent Moon - Saladin Ahmed
• 2012 - Among Others - Jo Walton
  • - A Dance With Dragons - George R. R. Martin
  • - Deadline - Mira Grant
  • - Embassytown - China Miéville
  • - Leviathan Wakes - James S. A. Corey
• 2011 - Blackout / All Clear - Connie Willis
  • - Feed - Mira Grant
  • - Cryoburn - Lois McMaster Bujold
  • - The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms - N.K. Jemisin
  • - The Dervish House - Ian McDonald
• 2010 - The City & The City - China Miéville
• 2010 - The Windup Girl - Paolo Bacigalupi
  • - Boneshaker - Cherie Priest
  • - Julian Comstock: A Story of 22nd-Century America - Robert Charles Wilson
  • - Palimpsest - Catherynne M. Valente
  • - Wake - Robert J. Sawyer
• 2009 - The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman
  • - Anathem - Neal Stephenson
  • - Little Brother - Cory Doctorow
  • - Saturn’s Children - Charles Stross
  • - Zoe’s Tale - John Scalzi
• 2008 - The Yiddish Policemen’s Union - Michael Chabon
  • - Brasyl - Ian McDonald
  • - Rollback - Robert J. Sawyer
  • - The Last Colony - John Scalzi
  • - Halting State - Charles Stross
• 2007 - Rainbows End - Vernor Vinge
  • - Glasshouse - Charles Stross
  • - His Majesty's Dragon - Naomi Novik
  • - Eifelheim - Michael F. Flynn
  • - Blindsight - Peter Watts
• 2006 - Spin Robert Charles Wilson
  • - Learning the World - Ken MacLeod
  • - A Feast for Crows - George R. R. Martin
  • - Old Man's War - John Scalzi
  • - Accelerando - Charles Stross
• 2005 - Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell - Susanna Clarke
  • - River of Gods - Ian McDonald
  • - The Algebraist - Iain M. Banks
  • - Iron Sunrise - Charles Stross
  • - Iron Council - China Miéville
• 2004 - Paladin of Souls - Lois McMaster Bujold
  • - Ilium - Dan Simmons
  • - Singularity Sky - Charles Stross
  • - Blind Lake - Robert Charles Wilson
  • - Humans - Robert J. Sawyer
• 2003 - Hominids - Robert J. Sawyer
  • - Kiln People - David Brin
  • - Bones of the Earth - Michael Swanwick
  • - The Scar - China Miéville
  • - The Years of Rice and Salt - Kim Stanley Robinson
• 2002 - American Gods - Neil Gaiman
  • - The Curse of Chalion - Lois McMaster Bujold
  • - Passage - Connie Willis
  • - Perdido Street Station - China Miéville
  • - The Chronoliths - Robert Charles Wilson
  • - Cosmonaut Keep - Ken MacLeod
• 2001 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J. K. Rowling
  • - A Storm of Swords - George R. R. Martin
  • - Calculating God - Robert J. Sawyer
  • - The Sky Road - Ken MacLeod
  • - Midnight Robber - Nalo Hopkinson
• 2000 - A Deepness in the Sky - Vernor Vinge
  • - A Civil Campaign - Lois McMaster Bujold
  • - Cryptonomicon - Neal Stephenson
  • - Darwin's Radio - Greg Bear
  • - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J. K. Rowling
• 1999 - To Say Nothing of the Dog -  Connie Willis
  • - Children of God - Mary Doria Russell
  • - Darwinia - Robert Charles Wilson
  • - Distraction - Bruce Sterling
  • - Factoring Humanity - Robert J. Sawyer
• 1998 - Forever Peace Joe Haldeman
  • - City on Fire - Walter Jon Williams
  • - The Rise of Endymion - Dan Simmons
  • - Frameshift - Robert J. Sawyer
  • - Jack Faust - Michael Swanwick
• 1997 - Blue Mars Kim - Stanley Robinson
  • - Memory - Lois McMaster Bujold
  • - Remnant Population - Elizabeth Moon
  • - Starplex - Robert J. Sawyer
  • - Holy Fire - Bruce Sterling
• 1996 - The Diamond Age - Neal Stephenson
  • - The Time Ships - Stephen Baxter
  • - Brightness Reef - David Brin
  • - The Terminal Experiment - Robert J. Sawyer
  • - Remake - Connie Willis
• 1995 - Mirror Dance - Lois McMaster Bujold
  • - Mother of Storms - John Barnes
  • - Beggars and Choosers - Nancy Kress
  • - Brittle Innings - Michael Bishop
  • - Towing Jehovah - James Morrow
• 1994 - Green Mars Kim Stanley Robinson
  • - Moving Mars - Greg Bear
  • - Beggars in Spain - Nancy Kress
  • - Glory Season - David Brin
  • - Virtual Light - William Gibson
• 1993 - A Fire Upon the Deep - Vernon Vinge
• 1993 - Doomsday Book - Connie Willis
  • - Red Mars - Kim Stanley Robinson
  • - China Mountain Zhang - Maureen F. McHugh
  • - Steel Beach - John Varley
• 1992 - Barrayar - Lois McMaster Bujold
  • - Bone Dance - Emma Bull
  • - All the Weyrs of Pern - Anne McCaffrey
  • - The Summer Queen - Joan D. Vinge
  • - Xenocide - Orson Scott Card
  • - Stations of the Tide - Michael Swanwick
• 1991 - The Vor Game - Lois McMaster Bujold
  • - Earth - David Brin
  • - The Fall of Hyperion - Dan Simmons
  • - The Quiet Pools - Michael P. Kube-McDowell
  • - Queen of Angels - Greg Bear
• 1990 - Hyperion - Dan Simmons
  • - A Fire in the Sun - George Alec Effinger
  • - Prentice Alvin - Orson Scott Card
  • - The Boat of a Million Years - Poul Anderson
  • - Grass - Sheri S. Tepper
• 1989 - Cyteen - C. J. Cherryh
  • - Red Prophet - Orson Scott Card
  • - Falling Free - Lois McMaster Bujold
  • - Islands in the Net - Bruce Sterling
  • - Mona Lisa Overdrive - William Gibson
• 1988 - The Uplift War - David Brin
  • - When Gravity Fails - George Alec Effinger
  • - Seventh Son - Orson Scott Card
  • - The Forge of God - Greg Bear
  • - The Urth of the New Sun - Gene Wolfe
• 1987 - Speaker for the Dead - Orson Scott Card
  • - The Ragged Astronauts - Bob Shaw
  • - Count Zero - William Gibson
  • - Marooned in Realtime - Vernor Vinge
  • - Black Genesis - L. Ron Hubbard
• 1986 - Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card
  • - Cuckoo's Egg - C. J. Cherryh
  • - The Postman - David Brin
  • - Footfall - Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
  • - Blood Music - Greg Bear
• 1985 - Neuromancer - William Gibson
  • - Emergence - David R. Palmer
  • - The Peace War - Vernor Vinge
  • - Job: A Comedy of Justice - Robert A. Heinlein
  • - The Integral Trees - Larry Niven
• 1984 - Startide Rising - David Brin
  • - Tea with the Black Dragon - R. A. MacAvoy
  • - Millennium - John Varley
  • - Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern - Anne McCaffrey
  • - The Robots of Dawn - Isaac Asimov
• 1983 - Foundation's Edge - Isaac Asimov
  • - The Pride of Chanur - C. J. Cherryh
  • - 2010: Odyssey Two - Arthur C. Clarke
  • - Friday - Robert A. Heinlein
  • - Courtship Rite - Donald Kingsbury
  • - The Sword of the Lictor - Gene Wolfe
• 1982 - Downbelow Station - C. J. Cherryh
  • - The Claw of the Conciliator - Gene Wolfe
  • - The Many Colored Land - Julian May
  • - Project Pope - Clifford D. Simak
  • - Little, Big - John Crowley
• 1981 - The Snow Queen - Joan D. Vinge
  • - Lord Valentine's Castle - Robert Silverberg
  • - The Ringworld Engineers - Larry Niven
  • - Beyond the Blue Event Horizon - Frederik Pohl
  • - Wizard - John Varley
• 1980 - The Fountains of Paradise - Arthur C. Clarke
  • - Titan - John Varley
  • - Jem - Frederik Pohl
  • - Harpist in the Wind - Patricia A. McKillip
  • - On Wings of Song - Thomas Disch
• 1979 - Dreamsnake - Vonda McIntyre
  • - The White Dragon - Anne McCaffrey
  • - The Faded Sun: Kesrith - C. J. Cherryh
  • - Blind Voices - Tom Reamy
• 1978 - Gateway - Frederik Pohl
  • - The Forbidden Tower - Marion Zimmer Bradley
  • - Lucifer's Hammer - Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
  • - Time Storm - Gordon R. Dickson
  • - Dying of the Light - George R. R. Martin
• 1977 - Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang - Kate Wilhelm
  • - Mindbridge - Joe Haldeman
  • - Children of Dune - Frank Herbert
  • - Man Plus - Frederik Pohl
  • - Shadrach in the Furnace - Robert Silverberg
• 1976 - The Forever War - Joe Haldeman
  • - Doorways in the Sand - Roger Zelazny
  • - Inferno - Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
  • - The Computer Connection - Alfred Bester
  • - The Stochastic Man - Robert Silverberg
• 1975 - The Dispossessed - Ursula K. Le Guin
  • - Fire Time - Poul Anderson
  • - Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said - Philip K. Dick
  • - The Mote in God's Eye - Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
  • - The Inverted World - Christopher Priest
• 1974 - Rendezvous with Rama - Arthur C. Clarke
  • - Time Enough for Love - Robert A. Heinlein
  • - Protector - Larry Niven
  • - The People of the Wind - Poul Anderson
  • - The Man Who Folded Himself - David Gerrold
• 1973 - The Gods Themselves - Isaac Asimov
  • - When Harlie Was One - David Gerrold
  • - There Will Be Time - Poul Anderson
  • - The Book of Skulls - Robert Silverberg
  • - Dying Inside - Robert Silverberg
  • - A Choice of Gods - Clifford D. Simak
• 1972 - To Your Scattered Bodies Go - Philip José Farmer
  • - The Lathe of Heaven - Ursula K. Le Guin
  • - Dragonquest - Anne McCaffrey
  • - Jack of Shadows - Roger Zelazny
  • - A Time of Changes - Robert Silverberg
• 1971 - Ringworld - Larry Niven
  • - Tau Zero - Poul Anderson
  • - Tower of Glass - Robert Silverberg
  • - The Year of the Quiet Sun - Wilson Tucker
  • - Star Light - Hal Clement
• 1970 - The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. Le Guin
  • - Up the Line - Robert Silverberg
  • - Macroscope - Piers Anthony
  • - Slaughterhouse-Five - Kurt Vonnegut
  • - Bug Jack Barron - Norman Spinrad
• 1969 - Stand on Zanzibar - John Brunner
  • - Rite of Passage - Alexei Panshin
  • - Nova - Samuel R. Delany
  • - Past Master - R. A. Lafferty
  • - The Goblin Reservation - Clifford D. Simak
• 1968 - Lord of Light - Roger Zelazny
  • - The Einstein Intersection - Samuel R. Delany
  • - Chthon - Piers Anthony
  • - The Butterfly Kid - Chester Anderson
  • - Thorns - Robert Silverberg
• 1967 - The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress - Robert A. Heinlein
  • - Babel-17 - Samuel R. Delany
  • - Too Many Magicians - Randall Garrett
  • - Flowers for Algernon - Daniel Keyes
  • - The Witches of Karres - James H. Schmitz
  • - Day of the Minotaur - Thomas Burnett Swann
• 1966 - ... And Call Me Conrad -  Roger Zelazny
• 1966 - Dune - Frank Herbert
  • - The Squares of the City - John Brunner
  • - The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress - Robert A. Heinlein
  • - Skylark DuQuesne - Edward E. Smith
• 1965 - The Wanderer - Fritz Leiber
  • - The Whole Man - John Brunner
  • - Davy - Edgar Pangborn
  • - The Planet Buyer - Cordwainer Smith
• 1964 - Way Station -  Clifford D. Simak
  • - Glory Road - Robert A. Heinlein
  • - Witch World - Andre Norton
  • - Dune World - Frank Herbert
  • - Cat's Cradle - Kurt Vonnegut
• 1963 - The Man in the High Castle - Philip K. Dick
  • - The Sword of Aldones - Marion Zimmer Bradley
  • - A Fall of Moondust - Arthur C. Clarke
  • - Little Fuzzy - H. Beam Piper
  • - Sylva - Jean Bruller
• 1962 - Stranger in a Strange Land - Robert A. Heinlein
  • - Dark Universe - Daniel F. Galouye
  • - Sense of Obligation - Harry Harrison
  • - The Fisherman - Clifford D. Simak
  • - Second Ending - James White
• 1961 - A Canticle for Leibowitz - Walter M. Miller, Jr.
  • - The High Crusade - Poul Anderson
  • - Rogue Moon - Algis Budrys
  • - Deathworld - Harry Harrison
  • - Venus Plus X - Theodore Sturgeon
• 1960 - Starship Troopers - Robert A. Heinlein
  • - Dorsai! - Gordon R. Dickson
  • - The Pirates of Ersatz - Murray Leinster
  • - That Sweet Little Old Lady - Mark Phillips
  • - The Sirens of Titan - Kurt Vonnegut
• 1959 - A Case of Conscience - James Blish
  • - We Have Fed Our Sea - Poul Anderson
  • - Who? - Algis Budrys
  • - Have Space Suit — Will Travel - Robert A. Heinlein
  • - Time Killer - Robert Sheckley
• 1958 - The Big Time - Fritz Leiber
• 1956 - Double Star - Robert A. Heinlein
• 1955 - They'd Rather Be Right - Mark Clifton and Frank Riley
• 1954 - Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
• 1953 - The Demolished Man - Alfred Bester
• 1951 - Farmer in the Sky - Robert A. Heinlein
• 1946 - The Mule - Isaac Asimov