The BSFA Awards are awarded each year to the best Novel, Short fiction, Artwork and work of Non-Fiction as voted for by the members of the British Science Fiction Association.

The 2018 BSFA Awards have now been awarded. The winners are:

Best Novel: Gareth L Powell for Embers of War
Best Shorter Fiction: Ian McDonald for Time Was
Best Non-Fiction: Aliette de Bodard for _ On motherhood and erasure: people-shaped holes, hollow characters and the illusion of impossible adventures_
Best Artwork: Likhain for In the Vanishers’ Palace: Dragon I and II

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What are the BSFA Awards?

The BSFA awards are presented annually by the British Science Fiction Association, based on a vote of BSFA members and – in recent years – members of the British national science fiction convention Eastercon. They are fan awards that not only seek to honour the most worthy examples in each category, but to promote the genre of science fiction, and get people reading, talking about and enjoying all that contemporary science fiction has to offer.

Who can nominate?

 You may nominate a work if YOU:

• Are a member of the BSFA

AND

• Send or give your nominations to the Awards Administrator to arrive by the 31st December of each year. See here for further details.
  

What are the categories?

The Best Novel award is open to any novel-length work of science fiction or fantasy first published in the year of eligibility. Serialised novels are eligible, provided that the publication date of the concluding part is in the year of eligibility. Where a novel was first published in the UK or Ireland in the year of eligibility, it may also be included in the longlist, at the discretion of the Awards Administrator.

The Best Short Fiction award is open to any shorter work of science fiction or fantasy, up to and including novellas (40,000 words or under), first published in the year of eligibility (in a magazine, in a book, in audio format, or any electronic or web-based format).

The Best Artwork award is open to any single science fictional or fantastic image that first appeared in the year of eligibility.

The Best Non-Fiction award is open to any written work about science fiction and/or fantasy which appeared in its current form in the year of eligibility. Whole collections comprised entirely of unrevised work that has been published elsewhere previous to the year of eligibility are ineligible.

• Nominations are restricted to four per category.
• Nominations shall open in September each year and run to December 31st.
• From January 1st to January 31st of the following year, members may vote on nominations made so far to draw up a shortlist in each category.
• You may not make multiple nominations for a single work.
• Please do not nominate your own work.

Not sure if the work you want to nominate fits the above criteria? Don’t worry, the definitions are kept as open as possible to allow for multifarious multimedia interpretation … if you’re not sure, just ask!

Please do not nominate your own work.

How to nominate.

• From September to December, nominations can be emailed to the Awards Administrator via clareb.sf@gmail.com.
• An electronic form for nominations is also made available on the BSFA website, via this link. We also crowdsource suggestions, which are visible here.

What happens with my nominations?

At the end of December, a longlist gets drawn up for each category, and then BSFA members can vote on these to draw up a shortlist from January 1st to January 31st.

Then BSFA members and members of Eastercon (in 2019, Ytterbiumcon) can vote on the shortlist after it is announced.

The shortlists for these four awards will normally comprise the five works in each category that receive the most individual nominations by the deadline. In the event of a tie for fifth place, the number of shortlisted works may be reduced to four or increased to six, for example, as appropriate. Works published by the BSFA, or in association with the BSFA, are ineligible for a BSFA award.

The shortlist will be displayed after the nominations closing date and advance postal/email votes from BSFA members and Eastercon members who cannot attend the convention must then be received by the Awards Administrator by a date to be specified shortly ahead of the Eastercon convention, to ensure they can be taken there.  Forms for advance voting will go out to the membership and will also be made available on the website. You do not have to use the forms. Attendees of the convention will be able to vote until midday on the day of the ceremony at the ballot boxes. Full names only, please! And no voting twice!

How are the votes counted?

We employ the Alternative Voting System which we believe is the fairest method of counting.

How can I find out who has won?

If you are a member of Eastercon, you are invited to come along to the award ceremony. If you are not able to attend, follow #bsfaawards on Twitter for the live results, and check the BSFA website shortly after.

Previous award winners:

     1969

Novel: Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner

1970

Novel: The Jagged Orbit by John Brunner

1971

Collection: The Moment of Eclipse by Brian W. Aldiss

1972

No award — insufficient votes.

1973

Novel: Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke

Special Award: Billion Year Spree by Brian W. Aldiss

1974

Novel: Inverted World by Christopher Priest

1975

Novel: Orbitsville by Bob Shaw

1976

Novel: Brontomek! by Michael G. Coney

Special Award: A Pictorial History of Science Fiction by David Kyle

1977

Novel: The Jonah Kit by Ian Watson

1978

Novel: A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick

Collection: Deathbird Stories by Harlan Ellison

Media: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (original radio series) – Douglas Adams

1979

Novel: The Unlimited Dream Company by J. G. Ballard

Short: “Palely Loitering” by Christopher Priest (F&SF)

Media: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy record

Artist: Jim Burns

1980

Novel: Timescape by Gregory Benford

Short: “The Brave Little Toaster” by Thomas M. Disch (F&SF)

Media: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy second radio series – Douglas Adams

Artist: Peter Jones

1981

Novel: The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe

Short: “Mythago Wood” by Robert Holdstock (F&SF)

Media: Time Bandits

Artist: Bruce Pennington

1982

Novel: Helliconia Spring by Brian W. Aldiss

Short: “Kitemaster” by Keith Roberts (Interzone)

Media: Blade Runner

Artist: Tim White

1983

Novel: Tik-Tok by John Sladek

Short: “After-Images” by Malcolm Edwards (Interzone)

Media: Android

Artist: Bruce Pennington

1984

Novel: Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock

Short: “The Unconquered Country” by Geoff Ryman (Interzone)

Media: The Company of Wolves

Artist: Jim Burns

1985

Novel: Helliconia Winter by Brian W. Aldiss

Short: “Cube Root” by David Langford (Interzone)

Media: Brazil

Artist: Jim Burns

1986

Novel: The Ragged Astronauts by Bob Shaw

Short: “Kaeti and the Hangman” by Keith Roberts (in collection Kaeti & Company)

Media: Aliens

Artist: Keith Roberts

1987

Novel: Grainne by Keith Roberts

Short: “Love Sickness” by Geoff Ryman (Interzone)

Media: Star Cops

Artist: Jim Burns

1988

Novel: Lavondyss by Robert Holdstock

Short: “Dark Night in Toyland” by Bob Shaw (Interzone)

Media: Who Framed Roger Rabbit

Artist: Alan Lee

1989

Novel: Pyramids by Terry Pratchett

Short: “In Translation” by Lisa Tuttle (Zenith)

Media: Red Dwarf

Artist: Jim Burns

1990

Novel: Take Back Plenty by Colin Greenland

Short: “The Original Doctor Shade” by Kim Newman (Interzone)

Media: Twin Peaks

Artist: Ian Miller

1991

Novel: The Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons

Short: “Bad Timing” by Molly Brown (Interzone)

Media: Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Artwork: Mark Harrison

1992

Novel: Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson

Short: “Innocent” by Ian McDonald (New Worlds 2)

Artwork: Jim Burns

1993

Novel: Aztec Century by Christopher Evans

Short: “The Ragthorn” by Robert Holdstock and Garry Kilworth (Interzone)

Artwork: Jim Burns

Special Award: The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction ed. John Clute and Peter Nicholls

1994

Novel: Feersum Endjinn by Iain M. Banks

Short: “The Double Felix” by Paul di Filippo (Interzone)

Artwork: Jim Burns

1995

Novel: The Time Ships by Stephen Baxter

Short: “The Hunger and Ecstasy of Vampires” by Brian Stableford (shorter version, Interzone 91/92)

Artwork: Jim Burns (cover for Seasons of Plenty)

1996

Novel: Excession by Iain M. Banks

Short: “A Crab Must Try” by Barrington J. Bayley (Interzone 103)

Artwork: Jim Burns (cover for Ancient Shores)

1997

Novel: The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

Short: “War Birds” by Stephen Baxter (Interzone 126)

Artwork: SMS (‘The Black Blood of the Dead’ cover Interzone 116)

1998

Novel: The Extremes, by Christopher Priest

Short: “La Cenerentola” by Gwyneth Jones (Interzone 136)

Artwork: Jim Burns, ‘Lord Prestimion’ (cover, Interzone 138)

1999

Novel: The Sky Road by Ken MacLeod

Short: “Hunting the Slarque” by Eric Brown (Interzone 141)

Artwork: Jim Burns, Darwinia (cover of Darwinia, Robert Charles Wilson)

2000

Novel: Ash: A Secret History by Mary Gentle

Short: “The Suspect Genome” by Peter F. Hamilton (Interzone 156)

Artwork: Hideaway – Dominic Harman (Cover, Interzone 157)

2001

Novel: Chasm City by Alastair Reynolds

Short Story: “Children of Winter” by Eric Brown (Interzone 163)

Artwork: cover of Omegatropic by Colin Odell

Non-fiction: Omegatropic by Stephen Baxter

2002

Novel: The Separation by Christopher Priest

Short Fiction: Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Artwork: cover, Interzone 179 by Dominic Harman

Related Publication: Introduction to Maps: The Uncollected John Sladek by David Langford

2003

Novel: Felaheen by Jon Courtenay Grimwood

Short Fiction: The Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaiman & Dave McKean

Artwork: cover, The True Knowledge of Ken MacLeod by Colin Odell

Non-fiction: Reading Science Fiction by Farah Mendlesohn

2004

Novel: River of Gods by Ian McDonald

Short Fiction: Mayflower II by Stephen Baxter

Artwork: cover, Newton’s Wake by Stephan Martinière (US Edition)

2005

Novel: Air by Geoff Ryman

Short Fiction: Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link

Artwork: cover, Interzone #200 by Pawel Lewandowski

Non-fiction Award: Soundings: Reviews 1992-1996 by Gary K. Wolfe

2006

Novel: End of the World Blues by Jon Courtenay Grimwood

Short Fiction: The Djinn’s Wife by Ian McDonald

Artwork: cover, Time Pieces Angelbot by Christopher “Fangorn” Baker

2007

Novel: Brasyl by Ian McDonald

Short Fiction: Lighting Out by Ken MacLeod

Artwork: Cracked World, cover of disLocations, by Andy Bigwood

2008

Novel: The Night Sessions by Ken MacLeod

Short Fiction: Exhalation by Ted Chiang

Artwork: cover of Subterfuge by Andy Bigwood

Non-fiction: Rhetorics of Fantasy by Farah Mendlesohn

2009

Novel: The City & the City by China Miéville

Short Fiction: The Beloved Time of Their Lives by Ian Watson and Roberto Quaglia

Artwork: cover of Desolation Road by Stephan Martinière

Non-fiction: Mutant Popcorn by Nick Lowe

2010

Novel: The Dervish House by Ian McDonald

Short Fiction: The Ship Maker by Aliette de Bodard

Artwork: cover of Zoo City, by Joey Hi-Fi

Non-Fiction: Blogging the Hugos: Decline by Paul Kincaid

2011

Best Novel The Islanders by Christopher Priest (Gollancz)

Best Short Fiction The Copenhagen Interpretation by Paul Cornell (Asimov’s, July)

Best Non-Fiction The SF Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition ed. John Clute, Peter Nicholls, David Langford and Graham Sleight (Gollancz website)

Best Art Cover of Ian Whates’s The Noise Revealed by Dominic Harman (Solaris)

Specially Commended This British Library’s Out of This World exhibition

2012

Best Novel Jack Glass by Adam Roberts (Gollancz)

Best Short Fiction Adrift on the Sea of Rains by Ian Sales (Whippleshield Books)

Best Non-Fiction The World SF Blog, Chief Editor Lavie Tidhar

Best Art Blacksheep for the cover of Adam Roberts’s Jack Glass (Gollancz)

2013

Best Novel Ack-Ack Macaque by Gareth L. Powell

and

Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie

Best Short Fiction Spin by Nina Allan

Best Non-Fiction Wonderbook by Jeff Vandermeer.

Best Art cover of Tony Ballantyne’s Dream London by Joey Hi-Fi.

2014

Best Novel Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie (Orbit)

Best Short Fiction “The Honey Trap” by Ruth E. J. Booth, La Femme (Newcon Press)

Best Non-Fiction Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers and the First World War by Edward James

Best Art “The Wasp Factory” after Iain Banks by Tessa Farmer

2015

Best Novel Award

The House of Shattered Wings by Aliette de Bodard

Best Short Fiction Award

“Three Cups of Grief, by Starlight” by Aliette de Bodard (Clarkesworld 100)

Best Artwork Award

Jim Burns for the cover to Pelquin’s Comet by Ian Whates.

Best Non-Fiction Award

Rave and Let Die: The SF and Fantasy of 2014 by Adam Roberts.

2016

Best Novel Award

Dave Hutchinson – Europe in Winter (Solaris)

Best Short Fiction Award

Jaine Fenn – Liberty Bird (Now We Are Ten, NewCon Press)

Best Artwork Award

Sarah Anne Langton – Cover for Central Station by Lavie Tidhar (Tachyon Publications)

Best Non-Fiction Award

Geoff Ryman – 100 African Writers of SFF (Tor.com)

2017

Best Novel Award

The Rift, Nina Allan (Titan US; Titan UK)

Best Short Fiction Award

The Enclave, Anne Charnock (NewCon)

Best Artwork Award

Joint winners: Cover for The Ion Raider by Ian Whates, Jim Burns (NewCon)
Illustration for ‘‘Waiting on a Bright Moon’’ by JY Yang, Victo Ngai (Tor.com 7/12/17)

Best Non-Fiction Award

Iain M. Banks, Paul Kincaid (University of Illinois Press)

2018

Best Novel Award

Embers of War, Gareth L. Powell (Titan)

Best Short Fiction Award

Ian McDonald, Time Was (Tor.com)

Best Artwork Award

Likhain, In the Vanishers’ Palace: Dragon I and II (Inprnt)

Best Non-Fiction Award

Aliette de Bodard, On motherhood and erasure: people-shaped holes, hollow characters and the illusion of impossible adventures (Intellectus Speculativus blog)