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Genre award · United States · since 1978

Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel

The Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel is a literary award by the science fiction and fantasy magazine Locus, first presented in 1978. We have reviewed 18 books connected to it, including 2 winners.

18Books reviewed
2Winners
9Honoured authors with pages
Official site ↗Wikipedia ↗

Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel 2026

Nominated

Hemlock & Silver cover
NominatedHemlock & SilverT. Kingfisher · ★ 4.0
The Raven Scholar cover
NominatedThe Raven ScholarAntonia Hodgson · ★ 4.0
Katabasis cover
NominatedKatabasisR.F. Kuang · ★ 5.0
The Incandescent cover
NominatedThe IncandescentEmily Tesh · ★ 4.0
The Devils cover
NominatedThe DevilsJoe Abercrombie · ★ 4.0
A Drop of Corruption cover
NominatedA Drop of CorruptionRobert Jackson Bennett · ★ 4.0

Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel winners we’ve reviewed

Newest first
2026
The Everlasting cover
WinnerThe EverlastingAlix E. Harrow · ★ 4.0
2023
Babel cover
WinnerBabelR.F. Kuang · ★ 4.5

Shortlisted, longlisted & nominated in earlier years

2025
The Tainted Cup cover
NominatedThe Tainted CupRobert Jackson Bennett · ★ 4.0
2025
The City in Glass cover
NominatedThe City in GlassNghi Vo · ★ 4.0
2025
Somewhere Beyond the Sea cover
NominatedSomewhere Beyond the SeaT.J. Klune · ★ 4.5
2024
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries cover
NominatedEmily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of FaeriesHeather Fawcett · ★ 4.0
2021
Piranesi cover
NominatedPiranesiSusanna Clarke · ★ 4.5
2021
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue cover
NominatedThe Invisible Life of Addie LaRueV.E. Schwab · ★ 4.5
2021
The House in the Cerulean Sea cover
NominatedThe House in the Cerulean SeaT.J. Klune · ★ 4.5
2020
Ninth House cover
NominatedNinth HouseLeigh Bardugo · ★ 4.0
2020
The Starless Sea cover
NominatedThe Starless SeaErin Morgenstern · ★ 4.0
1978
The Shining cover
NominatedThe ShiningStephen King · ★ 4.5

Authors honoured

Each links to their author page
AAlix E. Harrow2026T. Kingfisher2025R.F. Kuang2023Fonda Lee2022Mira Grant2020Naomi Novik2016, 2019China Miéville2003, 2005, 2010, 2011J K Rowling2000Ursula K. Le Guin1991, 2009

Frequently asked questions

Which Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel winners has The Bookish Elf reviewed?

The Everlasting (2026), Babel (2023).

Which 2026 Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel books have you reviewed?

Hemlock & Silver (nominated), The Raven Scholar (nominated), Katabasis (nominated), The Incandescent (nominated), The Devils (nominated), A Drop of Corruption (nominated).

How many Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel books have you reviewed?

18 so far, 2 of them winners.

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