Wikipedia

British Fantasy Award

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

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

History

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In 1971, Ramsey Campbell suggested that the British Fantasy Society should present an award in honor of August Derleth, who died the same year. In 1972, Michael Moorcock received the inaugural August Derleth Fantasy Award for his novel The Knight of the Swords. In later years, the number of award categories increased. In 1976, the BFS renamed the awards from the August Derleth Fantasy Awards to the British Fantasy Awards, maintaining that the Best Novel category would retain the August Derleth award title.

In 2012, the awards were reorganized. From this point forward, the awards were chosen from the shortlist by juries, rather than popular vote amount BFS members and convention attendees. The best novel category, then known as the August Derleth Award, was divided. The new awards included the British Fantasy Award for Best Horror Novel, retaining the title of August Derleth Award, and the British Fantasy Award for Best Fantasy Novel, the Robert Holdstock Award.[1]

Categories

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Current categories

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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
Collection Collection of works by a single author
Anthology 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

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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

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

Nominees and winners (other awards)

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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[4][5] 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[6]
  • 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[7][8]
  • 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[9][10] 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[11][12]

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[13]
  • 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
2026[14] Glasgow
  • Writing The Magic: Essays on Crafting Fantasy Fiction, Dan Coxon & Richard V Hirst (Dead Ink Books)
  • Spec Fic and the Politics of Identity: Finding the Self in Other, Eugen Bacon (Strange Horizons)
  • Nigerian Speculative Fiction: Evolution, Chukwunonso Ezeiyoke (Routledge India)
  • The Full Lid, Alasdair Stuart, edited by Marguerite Kenner
  • Britain’s Folklore Year: A seasonal journey through our customs, celebrations and rituals, Mark Norman (National Trust Books)
  • The Ecological Imaginary in Literature and Other Media: The Nature of Fantasy, Kevan Manwaring (Routledge)
  • M H Ayinde, A Song of Legends Lost (Orbit)
  • Annabel Campbell, The Outcast Mage (Orbit)
  • Ana Sun, Futures to Live By (NewCon Press)
  • M K Hardy, The Needfire (Solaris)

Award controversy of 2011

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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.[15][16][17]

References

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  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. ↑ 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.
  5. ↑ Pechanec, Jan (22 August 2007). "CENY: nominace na British Fantasy Awards 2007" (in Czech). Sarden. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
  6. ↑ "British Fantasy Awards 2020 – Shortlists". Archived from the original on 22 March 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  7. ↑ "British Fantasy Awards 2021: Shortlists announced". Archived from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  8. ↑ "British Fantasy Awards 2021: winners announced". Archived from the original on 19 June 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  9. ↑ "British Fantasy Awards Shortlists". Archived from the original on 20 September 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  10. ↑ "British Fantasy Awards 2022: Winners announced".
  11. ↑ "British Fantasy Awards Shortlists".
  12. ↑ "British Fantasy Award Winners 2023". Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  13. ↑ "The British Fantasy Award Winners for 2024!".
  14. ↑ "The British Fantasy Awards 2026 Shortlists!". 22 May 2026. Retrieved 22 May 2026.
  15. ↑ Barnett, David (6 October 2011). "British Fantasy Award winner returns prize". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
  16. ↑ Jones, Stephen (1 November 2011). "Putting The "Con" Into FantasyCon". Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 7 November 2011.
  17. ↑ 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.
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