British Fantasy Award

British Fantasy Award
Logo of the British Fantasy Society
Awarded forBest fantasy works of the previous year
CountryUnited Kingdom
Presented byBritish Fantasy Society
First award1972; 54 years ago (1972)
Websitebritishfantasysociety.org

The British Fantasy Awards (BFA) are awarded annually by the British Fantasy Society (BFS).

History

The awards were first presented in 1972 as the August Derleth Award; the only category was best novel. In later years, the number of award categories increased. In 1976, the BFS renamed the awards collectively to the British Fantasy Awards.[1]

Categories

Current categories

BFA categories as of 2026
Category Description and notes[2]
Fantasy Novel
Robert Holdstock Award
Fiction over 40,000 words
Horror Novel
August Derleth Award
Fiction over 40,000 words
Novella Fiction between 15,000 and 40,000 words
Short Fiction Fiction under 15,000 words
Anthology Collection of works by a single author
Collection Collection of works by various authors
Magazine/Periodical Non-fiction and fiction, print and online magazine or periodical
Audio Spoken word audio work (e.g. audiobook, radio drama, podcast) performed by one or more participants
Independent Press An independent press active during the previous year
Artist An artist working in any media format within the genre
Nonfiction Items eligible for this Award include non-fiction books, chapbooks, magazine or online columns or single magazine or online articles.
Special Award
Karl Edward Wagner Award
May be presented to individuals or organizations. May be presented for work completed in the previous year, or throughout their lifetime.
Newcomer
Sydney Bounds Award
New fiction writer

Previous categories

Category Description and notes
Novel Awarded 1972-2010. Beginning in 2012, this was split into Fantasy and Horror categories.
Comic/Graphic Novel Awarded 1973–1980 as "Best Comic". Awarded 2009-2022 as "Best Comic / Graphic Novel".
Television/Film Production Awarded intermittently from 1973-2022.

Process

The membership of the BFS vote to determine the shortlists of the awards, the winners being decided by juries.[3]

Conventional Fiction Writing

1Was originally presented as a single award known as "Best Novel", the August Derleth Fantasy Award, until split in 2012.[4][5]

Year Best Fantasy Novel1

(the Robert Holdstock Award)

Best Horror Novel1

(the August Derleth Award)

1972 The Knight of the Swords, Michael Moorcock
1973 The King of the Swords, Michael Moorcock
1974 Hrolf Kraki's Saga, Poul Anderson
1975 The Sword and the Stallion, Michael Moorcock
1976 The Hollow Lands, Michael Moorcock
1977 The Dragon and the George, Gordon Dickson
1978 A Spell for Chameleon, Piers Anthony
1979 The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, Stephen R. Donaldson
1980 Death's Master, Tanith Lee
1981 To Wake The Dead, Ramsey Campbell
1982 Cujo, Stephen King
1983 Sword of the Lictor, Gene Wolfe
1984 Floating Dragon, Peter Straub
1985 Incarnate, Ramsey Campbell
1986 The Ceremonies, T. E. D. Klein
1987 It, Stephen King
1988 The Hungry Moon, Ramsey Campbell
1989 The Influence, Ramsey Campbell
1990 Carrion Comfort, Dan Simmons
1991 Midnight Sun, Ramsey Campbell
1992 Outside the Dog Museum, Jonathan Carroll
1993 Dark Sister, Graham Joyce
1994 The Long Lost, Ramsey Campbell
1995 Only Forward, Michael Marshall Smith
1996 Requiem, Graham Joyce
1997 The Tooth Fairy, Graham Joyce
1998 Tower of the King's Daughter, Chaz Brenchley
1999 Bag of Bones, Stephen King
2000 Indigo, Graham Joyce
2001 Perdido Street Station, China Miéville
2002 The Night of the Triffids, Simon Clark
2003 The Scar, China Miéville
2004 Full Dark House, Christopher Fowler
2005 The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower, Stephen King
2006 Anansi Boys, Neil Gaiman
2007 Dusk, Tim Lebbon
2008 The Grin of the Dark, Ramsey Campbell
2009 Memoirs of a Master Forger, William Heaney
2010 One, Conrad Williams
2011 N/A
2012 Among Others, Jo Walton The Ritual, Adam Nevill
2013 Some Kind of Fairy Tale, Graham Joyce Last Days, Adam Nevill
2014 A Stranger in Olondria, Sofia Samatar The Shining Girls, Lauren Beukes
2015 Cuckoo Song, Frances Hardinge No One Gets Out Alive, Adam Nevill
2016 Uprooted, Naomi Novik Rawblood, Catriona Ward
2017 The Tiger and the Wolf, Adrian Tchaikovsky Disappearance at Devil's Rock, Paul G. Tremblay
2018 The Ninth Rain, Jen Williams The Changeling, Victor LaValle
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025[6]

Anthology, Collection, Magazine, and Press

1Provided as "Small Press" until 2015, when that was ended and replace with "Independent"[5]

Year Location Best Collection Best Anthology Magazine/Periodical Small/Independent Press1
1977 Anduril
1978 Fantasy Tales 1
1979 Fantasy Tales 2
1980 Fantasy Tales 3
1981 Airgedlamh
1982 Fantasy Tales
1983 Fantasy Tales
1984 Ghosts & Scholars
1985 Whispers
1986 Fantasy Tales
1987 Fantasy Tales
1988 Dagon
1989 Dagon
1990 Dagon
1991 Best New Horror, Stephen Jones and Ramsey Campbell Dagon
1992 Darklands, Nicholas Royle Peeping Tom
1993 Darklands 2, Nicholas Royle Peeping Tom
1994 Dark Voices 5, ed. David Sutton and Stephen Jones Dementia 13
1995 The Earthwire, Joel Lane Necrofile
1996 Last Rites and Resurrections: Stories from The Third Alternative, ed. Andy Cox The Third Alternative
1997 The Nightmare Factory, Thomas Ligotti H. P. Lovecraft: a Life
1998 Dark Terrors 3: the Gollancz Book of Horror, Stephen Jones and David Sutton Interzone
1999 Ghosts and Grisly Things, Ramsey Campbell Dark Terrors 4: the Gollancz Book of Horror, ed. Stephen Jones and David Sutton The Third Alternative
2000 Lonesome Roads, Peter Crowther The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 10, ed. Stephen Jones Razorblade Press
2001 Where the Bodies Are Buried, Kim Newman Hideous Progeny: a Frankenstein Anthology, ed. Brian Willis Peter Crowther
2002 Aftershocks, Paul Finch The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 12, ed. Stephen Jones Peter Crowther
2003 Ramsey Campbell, Probably: On Horror and Sundry Fantasies, Ramsey Campbell Keep Out the Night, ed. Stephen Jones Peter Crowther
2004 Walsall Told by the Dead, Ramsey Campbell The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 14, ed. Stephen Jones Peter Crowther
2005 Walsall Out of His Mind, Stephen Gallagher The Alsiso Project, ed. Andrew Hook Elastic Press
2006 Nottingham 20th Century Ghosts, Joe Hill The Elastic Book of Numbers, ed. Allen Ashley Peter Crowther
2007 Nottingham Fragile Things, Neil Gaiman Extended Play: The Elastic Book of Music, ed. Gary Couzens Peter Crowther
2008 Nottingham Old Devil Moon, Christopher Fowler The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 18, ed. Stephen Jones Peter Crowther
2009 Nottingham Bull Running for Girls, Allyson Bird The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 19, ed. Stephen Jones Postscripts, ed. Peter Crowther and Nick Gevers Elastic Press
2010 Nottingham Love Songs for the Shy And Cynical, Robert Shearman The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 20, ed. Stephen Jones Murky Depths, ed. Terry Martin Telos Publishing
2011 Brighton Full Dark, No Stars, Stephen King Back from the Dead: The Legacy of the Pan Book of Horror Stories, ed. Johnny Mains Black Static, ed. Andy Cox Telos Publishing
2012 Brighton Everyone's Just So So Special, Robert Shearman The Weird, ed. Jeff VanderMeer and Ann VanderMeer Black Static, ed. Andy Cox Chômu Press
2013 Brighton Remember Why You Fear Me, Robert Shearman Magic: an Anthology of the Esoteric and Arcane, ed. Jonathan Oliver Interzone, ed. Andy Cox ChiZine Publications
2014 York Monsters in the Heart, Stephen Volk End of the Road, ed. Jonathan Oliver Clarkesworld, ed. Neil Clarke, Sean Wallace and Kate Baker The Alchemy Press
2015 Nottingham Nick Nightmare Investigates, Adrian Cole Lightspeed: Women Destroy Science Fiction Special Issue, ed. Christie Yant Holdfast Magazine, ed. Laurel Sills and Lucy Smee Fox Spirit Books
2016 Scarborough Ghost Summer: Stories, Tananarive Due The Doll Collection, ed. Ellen Datlow Beneath Ceaseless Skies, ed. Scott H. Andrews Angry Robot
2017 Peterborough Some Will Not Sleep, Adam Nevill People of Colour Destroy Science Fiction, ed. Nalo Hopkinson & Kristine Ong Tor.com Grimbold Books
2018 Chester
  • 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, ed. Andy Cox
2019 Glasgow
  • 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
  • Unsung Stories
  • Fox Spirit Books
  • Luna Press
  • NewCon Press
2020 Online
  • 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
2021 Birmingham
  • 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
  • Luna Press
  • Black Shuck Books
  • Flame Tree Press
  • Unsung Stories
2022 Heathrow
  • 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
  • Luna Press Publishing
  • Black Shuck Books
  • Unsung Stories
  • Wizard's Tower Press
2023 Birmingham
  • 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
2024 Chester
  • Jackal, Jackal: Tales of the Dark and Fantastic, Tobi Ogundiran, (Undertow Publications)
  • A Curious Cartography, Alison Littlewood, (Black Shuck Books)
  • No Happily Ever After, Phil Sloman
  • No One Will Come Back for Us, Premee Mohamed, (Undertow Publications)
  • The House on the Moon, Georgina Bruce, (Black Shuck Books)
  • Under my Skin, K.J. Parker, (Subterranean Press)
  • Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror, ed. Jordan Peele, (Picador)
  • At the Lighthouse, ed. Sophie Essex, (Eibonvale Press)
  • Mothersound: The Sauútiverse Anthology, ed. Wole Talabi, (Android Press)
  • Never Whistle at Night, ed. Shane Hawk, (Vintage)
  • Something Peculiar: Great British Horror 8, ed. Steve J. Shaw, (Black Shuck Books)
  • The Other Side of Never: Dark Tales from the World of Peter & Wendy, eds. Marie O’Regan & Paul Kane, (Titan)
  • Flame Tree Press
  • Angry Robot
  • Black Shuck Books
  • Eibonvale Press
  • Luna Press Publishing
  • Newcon Press
2025 Brighton
  • 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 (2023), Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki and Chinaza Eziaghighala, Caezik SF & Fantasy
  • 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".[5] The category was removed at the 2022 AGM[7]

2Awarded only to films from 1973 to 1990, this honor was renewed 2009–2011, (though split into two separate categories), 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 (2012) and co-writers Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon for Cabin in the Woods (2013).[5] The category was again removed following the 2022 AGM.

Location Best Comic / Graphic Novel1 Best Artist Best Television / Film Production2 Best Audio (Podcasts, Audiobooks, etc.)
1973 Conan Tales from the Crypt
1974 Conan Legend of Hell House
1975 Savage Sword of Conan The Exorcist
1976 Savage Sword of Conan Monty Python and the Holy Grail
1977 Howard the Duck #3 Michael Kaluta The Omen
1978 Marvel Premiere 38: Weirdworld Steve Fabian Carrie
1979 Savage Sword of Conan #30: The Scarlet Citadel, Roy Thomas and Frank Brunner Boris Vallejo Close Encounters of the Third Kind
1980 Heavy Metal Steve Fabian Alien
1981 Dave Carson The Empire Strikes Back
1982 Dave Carson Raiders of the Lost Ark
1983 Dave Carson Blade Runner
1984 Rowena Morrill Videodrome
1985 Steve Fabian Ghostbusters
1986 JK Potter A Nightmare on Elm Street
1987 JK Potter Aliens
1988 JK Potter Hellraiser
1989 Dave Carson Beetlejuice
1990 Dave Carson Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
1991 Les Edwards
1992 Jim Pitts
1993 Jim Pitts
1994 Les Edwards
1995 Martin McKenna
1996 Josh Kirby
1997 Jim Burns
1998 Jim Burns
1999 Bob Covington
2000 Les Edwards
2001 Jim Burns
2002 Jim Burns
2003 Les Edwards
2004 Walsall Les Edwards
2005 Walsall Les Edwards
2006 Nottingham Les Edwards
2007 Nottingham Vincent Chong
2008 Nottingham Vincent Chong
2009 Nottingham Locke and Key, Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez Vincent Chong Film: The Dark Knight

Television: Doctor Who

2010 Nottingham Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?, Neil Gaiman and Andy Kubert Vincent Chong Film: Let The Right One In

Television: Doctor Who

2011 Brighton At the Mountains of Madness: a Graphic Novel, Ian Culbard Vincent Chong Film: Inception

Television: Sherlock

2012 Brighton Locke and Key, Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez Daniele Serra Screenplay: Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen
2013 Brighton Saga, Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples Sean Phillips Screenplay: The Cabin in the Woods, Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard
2014 York Demeter, Becky Cloonan Joey Hi-Fi "The Rains of Castamere", David Benioff and D.B. Weiss
2015 Nottingham Through the Woods, Emily Carroll Karla Ortiz Guardians of the Galaxy
2016 Scarborough Bitch Planet, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Valentine De Landro, Robert Wilson IV and Cris Peter Julie Dillon Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, Peter Harness
2017 Peterborough Monstress, Vol 1: Awakening, Marjorie Liu & Sana Takeda Daniele Serra Arrival
2018 Chester Monstress, Vol 2: The Blood, Marjorie Liu & Sana Takeda Jeffrey Alan Love Get Out Anansi Boys
2019 Glasgow
  • Vince Haig
  • David Rix
  • Daniele Serra
  • Sophie E Tallis
  • Breaking the Glass Slipper Podcast, Lucy Hounsom, Charlotte Bond, & Meghan Leigh
  • Bedtime Stories for the End of the World (endoftheworldpodcast.com)
  • Blood on Satan's Claw, by Mark Morris (Bafflegab)
  • PodCastle (podcastle.org)
  • PseudoPod (pseudopod.org)
2020 Online
  • PodCastle
  • Breaking the Glass Slipper
  • PseudoPod
  • Speculative Spaces
2021 Birmingham
  • Daniele Serra
  • Warwick Fraser-Coombe
  • David Rix
  • Vincent Sammy
2022 Heathrow
  • Jenni Coutts
  • Olga Beliaeva
  • Randy Broecker
  • Alison Buck
  • Vincent Sammy
  • Daniele Serra
  • 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
2023 Birmingham

Category 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
2024 Chester
  • Asya Yordonova
  • Jenni Coutts
  • Vince Haig
  • David Rix
  • The Tiny Bookcase, Nico Rogers & Ben Holroyd-Dell
  • Cast of Wonders (Escape Artists)
  • The Penumbra Podcast, Harley Takagi Kaner, Kevin Vibert, Ginny D’Angelo, Alice C. LeBeau, Noah Simes
  • PodCastle (Escape Artists)
  • PseudoPod (Escape Artists)
  • Simultaneous Times Podcast (Space Cowboy Books)
2025 Brighton
  • Kelly Chong
  • Jenni Coutts
  • Greg Chapman
  • L.N. Bayen

Nominees and winners (other awards)

Year Location Best Non-Fiction Best Newcomer

(Sydney J. Bounds Award)

Special Award

(Karl Edward Wagner Award)

1972
1973 Robert E. Howard
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981 Stephen King
1982
1983 Karl Edward Wagner
1984
1985 Manly Wade Wellman
1986 Les Flood
1987 Charles L Grant
1988
1989 Ronald Chetwynd-Hayes
1990 Nancy A. Collins Peter Coleborn
1991 Dorothy Lumley
1992 Melanie Tem Andrew I. Porter
1993 Conrad Williams Michael Moorcock
1994 Poppy Z. Brite Dave Sutton
1995 Maggie Furey John Jarrold
1996 Mike O’Driscoll and Steve Lockley
1997 Jo Fletcher
1998 D. F. Lewis
1999 Diana Wynne Jones
2000 Anne McCaffrey
2001 Peter Haining
2002
2003 Alan Garner
2004 Walsall Peter Jackson
2005 Walsall Nigel Kneale
2006 Nottingham Stephen Jones
2007 Nottingham[8][9] Cinema Macabre, Mark Morris (PS Publishing) Joe Hill Ellen Datlow
2008 Nottingham Whispers of Wickedness Reviews (website), ed. Peter Tennant Scott Lynch Ray Harryhausen
2009 Nottingham Basil Copper: A Life in Books, Basil Copper, ed. Stephen Jones Joseph D'Lacey Hayao Miyazaki
2010 Nottingham Ansible, David Langford Kari Sperring Robert Holdstock
2011 Brighton Altered Visions: The Art of Vincent Chong Robert Jackson Bennet Terry Pratchett
2012 Brighton Supergods: Our World in the Age of the Super Hero, Grant Morrison, ed. Jonathan Cape Kameron Hurley Peter Crowther and Nicky Crowther
2013 Brighton Pornokitsch, Anne C. Perry and Jared Shurin Helen Marshall Iain M. Banks
2014 York Speculative Fiction 2012, ed. Justin Landon and Jared Shurin Ann Leckie Farah Mendlesohn
2015 Nottingham Letters to Arkham: The Letters of Ramsey Campbell and August Derleth, 1961-1971, ed. S. T. Joshi Sarah Lotz Juliet E. McKenna
2016 Scarborough Letters to Tiptree, ed. Alexandra Pierce and Alisa Krasnostein Zen Cho The FantasyCon Redcloaks, Past and Present
2017 Peterborough The Geek Feminist Revolution, Kameron Hurley Erica L. Satifka Jan Edwards
2018 Chester
  • Gender Identity and Sexuality in Science Fiction and Fantasy, ed. FT Barbini
  • Gingernuts of Horror, ed. Jim Mcleod
  • Luminescent Threads, ed. Alexandra Pierce & Mimi Mondal
  • No Time to Spare: Thinking About What Matters, by Ursula K Le Guin
  • Paperbacks from Hell: The Twisted History of 70s and 80s Horror Fiction, by Grady Hendrix
  • Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, by Maura McHugh
N.K. Jemisin
2019 Glasgow
  • Noise and Sparks, by Ruth EJ Booth (Shoreline of Infinity)
  • The Evolution of African Fantasy and Science Fiction, ed. Francesca T Barbini (Luna Press Publishing)
  • The Full Lid, by Alasdair Stuart (alasdairstuart.com/the-full-lid)
  • Ginger Nuts of Horror (www.gingernutsofhorror.com)
  • Les Vampires, by Tim Major (PS Publishing)
  • Tasha Suri, for Empire of Sand (Orbit)
  • Tomi Adeyemi, for The Children of Blood and Bone (Macmillan Children's Books)
  • Cameron Johnston, for The Traitor God (Angry Robot)
  • RF Kuang, for The Poppy War (HarperVoyager)
  • Marian Womack, for Lost Objects (Luna Press Publishing)
  • Micah Yongo, for Lost Gods (Angry Robot)
Ian Whates
2020 Online[10]
  • The Dark Fantastic: Race and the Imagination from Harry Potter to the Hunger Games, by Ebony Elizabeth Thomas (New York University Press)
  • Coffinmaker's Blues: Collected Writings on Terror, by Stephen Volk (PS Publishing)
  • The Full Lid, by Alasdair Stuart
  • Joanna Russ (Modern Masters of SF), by Gwyneth Jones (University of Illinois Press)
  • Notes from the Borderland, by Lynda E Rucker, for Black Static (TTA Press)
  • The Pleasant Profession of Robert E Heinlein, by Farah Mendlesohn (Unbound)
Craig Lockley
2021 Birmingham[11][12]
  • Women Make Horror: Filmmaking, Feminism, Genre, ed. Alison Peirse (Rutgers University Press)
  • The Full Lid, Alasdair Stuart, ed. Marguerite Kenner
  • It's the End of the World: But What Are We Really Afraid Of?, Adam Roberts (Elliot & Thompson)
  • Notes from the Borderland, Lynda E. Rucker (in "Black Static", TTA Press)
  • Ties that Bind: Love in Fantasy and Science Fiction, ed. Francesca T Barbini (Luna Press Publishing)
  • The Unstable Realities of Christopher Priest, Paul Kincaid (Gylphi Limited)
  • Kathleen Jennings, for Flyaway (Tordotcom)
  • Tiffani Angus, for Threading the Labyrinth (Unsung Stories)
  • Dan Coxon, for Green Fingers & Only the Broken Remain (Black Shuck Books)
  • Sean Hogan, for England's Screaming (PS Publishing) & Three Mothers, One Father (Black Shuck Books)
  • Simon Jimenez, for The Vanished Birds (Titan)
  • Rym Kechacha, for Dark River (Unsung Stories)
*Alasdair Stuart
2022[13][14] Heathrow
  • Writing the Uncanny, ed. Dan Coxon & Richard V. Hirst
  • After Human: A Critical History of the Human in Science Fiction from Shelley to Le Guin, Thomas Connolly
  • Dangerous Visions and New Worlds: Radical Science Fiction, 1950-1985, ed. Andrew Nette & Iain McIntyre
  • The Full Lid, Alasdair Stuart, ed. Marguerite Kenner
  • Ginger Nuts of Horror, Jim Mcleod
  • Worlds Apart: Worldbuilding in Fantasy and Science Fiction, ed. Francesca T. Barbini
  • Shelley Parker-Chan, for She Who Became the Sun
  • J.T. Greathouse, for The Hand of the Sun King
  • Ian Green, for The Gauntlet and the Fist Beneath
  • Lorraine Wilson, for This is Our Undoing
  • C.A. Yates, for We All Have Teeth
  • Xiran Jay Zhao, for Iron Widow
  • Maureen K. Speller
2023[15][16]

Birmingham

*An Earnest Blackness, Eugen Bacon*

  • Fantasy: How it Works, Brian Attebery
  • The Full Lid, Alasdair Stuart, ed. Marguerite Kenner
  • My Life in Horror, Vol. 2, Kit Power
  • Outlander and the Real Jacobites, Shona Kinsella
  • Terry Pratchett: A Life with Footnotes, Rob Wilkins
  • Hiron Ennes, for Leech
  • Sunyi Dean, for The Book Eaters
  • Somto Ihezue, for a collection of short stories: Whole; Like Stars Daring to Shine; A Girl is Blood, Spirit and Fire; The Carving of War
  • Shauna Lawless, for The Children of Gods and Fighting Men
  • Elijah Kinch Spector, for Kalyna the Soothsayer
  • Susan York, for Starless and Bible Black
  • Ann Landmann
2024 Chester[17]
  • Writing the Future, eds. Dan Coxon & Richard V. Hirst (Dead Ink)
  • Spec Fic for Newbies: A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Subgenres of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror, Tiffani Angus & Val Nolan (Luna Press Publishing)
  • The Folklore of Wales: Ghosts, Delyth Badder & Mark Norman (Calon)
  • The Full Lid, Alasdair Stuart, ed. Marguerite Kenner
  • Teika Marija Smits, for "Umbilical" (Newcon Press) & "Waterlore" (Black Shuck Books)
  • Moniquill Blackgoose, for "To Shape a Dragon’s Breath" (Del Ray)
  • Vajra Chandrasekera, for "The Saint of Bright Doors" (Tordotcom)
  • Hannah Kaner, for "Godkiller" (HarperVoyager)
  • Charlotte Langtree, for "Fractured: Tales of Flame and Fury" (Clarendon House Publications)
  • Em X. Liu, for "The Death I Gave Him" (Solaris)
2025 Brighton
  • Queer as Folklore: The Hidden Queer History of Myths and Monsters, Sacha Coward, Unbound
  • Spec Fic for Newbies Vol 2: A Beginner's Guide to Writing More Subgenres of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror, Tiffani Angus and Val Nolan, Luna Press
  • Autism and Writing, David Green, BFS Blog
  • The Full Lid, Alasdair Stuart, edited by Marguerite Kenner
  • Track Changes, Abigail Nussbaum, Briardene Books
  • Translating, Interpreting, and Decolonizing Chinese Fairy Tales: A Case Study and Ideological Approach (Studies in Folklore and Ethnology: Traditions, Practices, and Identities), Juwen Zhang, Lexington Books
  • Frances White, Voyage of the Damned, Penguin Michael Joseph
  • Eliza Chan, Fathomfolk, Orbit
  • Lyndsey Croal, Limelight and Other Stories, Shortwave Publishing
  • L N Bayen, Wingspan of Treason, Bregma Publishing
  • J.L. Odom, By Blood, By Salt, Azimuth
  • Adrian M Gibson, Mushroom Blues
  • Rosemary Pardoe

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 (and many of the shortlisted works) 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.[18][19][20]

References

  1. ^ Edwards, Jan; Sutton, David. "History of the British Fantasy Awards". British Fantasy Society. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  2. ^ "The BFS Constitution". British Fantasy Society. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  3. ^ "British Fantasy Awards FAQ". British Fantasy Society. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  4. ^ "British Fantasy Award Nominee | Book awards | LibraryThing". librarything.com. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d "The British Fantasy Awards Winners". britishfantasysociety.org. Archived from the original on 3 March 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  6. ^ "British Fantasy Awards 2025". 1 November 2025. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
  7. ^ "ShonaK comment on removed categories".
  8. ^ Edwards, Jan. "The British Fantasy Awards: a Short History". (with additions from) David Sutton. Archived from the original on 10 November 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
  9. ^ Pechanec, Jan (22 August 2007). "CENY: nominace na British Fantasy Awards 2007" (in Czech). Sarden. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
  10. ^ "British Fantasy Awards 2020 – Shortlists". Archived from the original on 22 March 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  11. ^ "British Fantasy Awards 2021: Shortlists announced". Archived from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  12. ^ "British Fantasy Awards 2021: winners announced". Archived from the original on 19 June 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  13. ^ "British Fantasy Awards Shortlists". Archived from the original on 20 September 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  14. ^ "British Fantasy Awards 2022: Winners announced".
  15. ^ "British Fantasy Awards Shortlists".
  16. ^ "British Fantasy Award Winners 2023". Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  17. ^ "The British Fantasy Award Winners for 2024!".
  18. ^ Barnett, David (6 October 2011). "British Fantasy Award winner returns prize". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
  19. ^ Jones, Stephen (1 November 2011). "Putting The "Con" Into FantasyCon". Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 7 November 2011.
  20. ^ Paul, David (9 October 2011). "A literary spat turns ugly as the winner of award is... organiser's live-in lover". Daily Express. Retrieved 9 October 2011.