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  "description": "Some of the best works from 2025!",
  "path": "/hugo-awards-finalists-2026-science-fiction-fantasy-books/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-04-23T14:57:39.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.andrewliptak.com",
  "tags": [
    "Review",
    "Kaiju Agonistes",
    "Never Eaten Vegetables",
    "Rapport: Friendship, Solidarity, Communion, Empathy",
    "The Girl That My Mother Is Leaving Me For",
    "The Millay Illusion",
    "When He Calls Your Name",
    "10 Visions of the Future; or, Self-Care for the End of Days",
    "In My Country",
    "Laser Eyes Ain’t Everything",
    "Missing Helen",
    "Six People to Revise You",
    "Wire Mother",
    "Feature",
    "A Girl and Her Fed",
    "Ragnarök vs the Long Night",
    "The Hugo Spreadsheet of Doom",
    "Escape Pod",
    "khōréō magazine",
    "On Spec: The Canadian Magazine of the Fantastic",
    "Strange Horizons",
    "The Deadlands",
    "Uncanny Magazine",
    "Ancillary Review of Books",
    "An Unofficial Hugo Book Club Blog",
    "Galactic Journey",
    "Intergalactic Mixtape",
    "Journey Planet",
    "nerds of a feather, flock together",
    "A Meal of Thorns",
    "Eating the Fantastic",
    "Hugo, Girl!",
    "Octothorpe",
    "The Coode Street Podcast",
    "Worldbuilding for Masochists",
    "Care for Lightning",
    "Hex Supply Customer Support Log",
    "How to Become a Sea Witch",
    "The Mourning Robot",
    "The World to Come",
    "LAcon V"
  ],
  "textContent": "Earlier this week, the Los Angeles World Science Fiction Convention (LAcon V) announced the finalists for this year's Hugo Awards! These awards are held up as the pinnacle of achievement within SF/F circles, and are a good representation for what the genre community is enjoying.\n\nMy initial impression is that it's an interesting list: there's the usual handful of books that I enjoyed that didn't make the cut, but the ones that have made it on there are ones that I've heard lots of good things about – particularly Antonia Hodgson's _The Raven Scholar_ and Emily Tesh's _The Incandescent._ I'm also currently reading Robert Jackson Bennett's _The Tainted Cup_(which earned last year's Best Novel), and if that's anything like this one, I think it'll be a strong contender.\n\nHere are the nominees. I've added links to reviews or related articles that I've published for additional context.\n\n### Best Novel\n\n  *  _A Drop of Corruption_ by Robert Jackson Bennett\n  *  _Death of the Author_ by Nnedi Okorafor (Review)\n  * _Shroud_ by Adrian Tchaikovsky\n  *  _The Everlasting_ by Alix E. Harrow (Review)\n  * _The Incandescent_ by Emily Tesh\n  * _The Raven Scholar_ by Antonia Hodgson\n\n\n\n### Best Novella\n\n  *  _Automatic Noodle_ by Annalee Newitz (Review)\n  * _Cinder House_ by Freya Marske\n  *  _Murder by Memory_ by Olivia Waite\n  * _The River Has Roots_ by Amal El-Mohtar\n  *  _The Summer War_ by Naomi Novik\n  * _What Stalks the Deep_ by T. Kingfisher\n\n\n\n### Best Novelette\n\n  * “Kaiju Agonistes” by Scott Lynch (_Uncanny Magazine_ , Issue 62)\n  * “Never Eaten Vegetables” by H.H. Pak (_Clarkesworld_ , Issue 220)\n  * “Rapport: Friendship, Solidarity, Communion, Empathy” by Martha Wells (_Reactor_ , July 10, 2025)\n  * “The Girl That My Mother Is Leaving Me For” by Cameron Reed (_Reactor_ , April 2, 2025)\n  * “The Millay Illusion” by Sarah Pinsker (_Uncanny Magazine_ , Issue 67)\n  * “When He Calls Your Name” by Catherynne M. Valente (_Uncanny Magazine_ , Issue 65)\n\n\n\n### Best Short Story\n\n  * “10 Visions of the Future; or, Self-Care for the End of Days” by Samantha Mills (_Uncanny Magazine_ , Issue 63)\n  * “In My Country” by Thomas Ha (_Clarkesworld_ , Issue 223)\n  * “Laser Eyes Ain’t Everything” by Effie Seiberg (_Diabolical Plots_ , May 16, 2025)\n  * “Missing Helen” by Tia Tashiro (_Clarkesworld_ , Issue 226)\n  * “Six People to Revise You” by J.R. Dawson (_Uncanny Magazine_ , Issue 62)\n  * “Wire Mother” by Isabel J. Kim (_Clarkesworld_ , Issue 229)\n\n\n\n### Best Series\n\n  *  _Emily Wilde_ by Heather Fawcett\n  * _October Daye_ by Seanan McGuire\n  * _Old Man’s War_ by John Scalzi (Feature)\n  * _The Chronicles of Osreth_ by Katherine Addison\n  *  _The Craft Wars_ by Max Gladstone\n  * _White Space_ by Elizabeth Bear\n\n\n\n### Best Graphic Story or Comic\n\n  *  _Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Last Amazon_ , written by Kelly Thompson, art by Hayden Sherman and Mattia de Iulis, coloring by Jordie Bellaire, lettering by Becca Carey\n  * A Girl and Her Fed, written by KB Spangler, art by Ale Presser\n  * _A Wizard of Earthsea: A Graphic Novel_ , written by Ursula K. Le Guin, adapted and art by Fred Fordham\n  * _The Invisible Parade_ by Leigh Bardugo and John Picacio\n  *  _The Power Fantasy Volume 1_ : The Superpowers, written by Kieron Gillen, art by Caspar Wijngaard, lettering by Clayton Cowles\n  * _The Space Cat_ , written by Nnedi Okorafor, art by Tana Ford\n\n\n\n### Best Related Work\n\n  *  _Colourfields: Writing About Writing About Science Fiction_ by Paul Kincaid\n  *  _Inventing the Renaissance_ by Ada Palmer\n  *  _Last War in Albion_ : “The Cuddled Little Vice (Sandman)” by Elizabeth Sandifer\n  *  _Positive Obsession: The Life and Times of Octavia E. Butle_ r by Susana M. Morris (Review)\n  * “Ragnarök vs the Long Night” by Ashaya and Aziz\n  * The Hugo Spreadsheet of Doom, maintained by Renay\n\n\n\n### Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form\n\n  *  _Andor (Season 2)_ , written by Tom Bissell, Dan Gilroy, Tony Gilroy, and Beau Willimon, directed by Ariel Kleiman, Janus Metz, Alonso Ruizpalacios,\n  * _Frankenstein_ , screenplay by Guillermo del Toro, directed by Guillermo del Toro\n  * _KPop Demon Hunters_ , screenplay by Danya Jimenez & Hannah McMechan, Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans; directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans\n  * _Mickey 17_ , screenplay by Bong Joon Ho, directed by Bong Joon Ho\n  * _Sinners_ , screenplay by Ryan Coogler, directed by Ryan Coogler\n  * _Superman_ , screenplay by James Gunn, directed by James Gunn\n\n\n\n### Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form\n\n  *  _Doctor Who_ : “The Story & the Engine”, written by Inua Ellams, directed by Makalla McPherson\n  * _Murderbot_ : “All Systems Red”, written by Paul Weitz & Chris Weitz, directed by Roseanne Liang, based on the book All Systems Red by Martha Wells\n  * _Murderbot_ : “The Perimeter”, written Chris Weitz & Paul Weitz, directed by Paul Weitz, based on the book All Systems Red by Martha Wells\n  * _Pluribus_ : “We Is Us”, written and directed by Vince Gilligan, directed by Vince Gilligan\n  *  _Severance_ : “Cold Harbor”, written by Dan Erickson, directed by Ben Stiller\n  * _The Wheel of Time_ : “The Road to the Spear”, written by Rafe Lee Judkins, directed by Thomas Napper, based on the book The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan\n\n\n\n### Best Game or Interactive Work\n\n  *  _Blue Prince_ , developed by Dogubomb, published by Raw Fury\n  *  _Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector_ , developed by Jump Over the Age, published by Fellow Traveller\n  *  _Clair Obscur: Expedition 33_ , developed by Sandfall Interactive, published by Kepler Interactive\n  *  _Dispatch_ , developed and published AdHoc Studio\n  *  _Hades II_ , developed and published by Supergiant Games\n  *  _Hollow Knight: Silksong_ , developed and published by Team Cherry\n\n\n\n### Best Editor Short Form\n\n  * Scott H. Andrews\n  * Jennifer Brozek\n  * Neil Clarke\n  * Lee Harris\n  * Michael Damian Thomas\n  * Sheila Williams\n\n\n\n### Best Editor Long Form\n\n  * Carl Engle-Laird\n  * Jaymee Goh\n  * Lee Harris\n  * Jenni Hill\n  * Joe Monti\n  * Diana M. Pho\n\n\n\n### Best Professional Artist\n\n  * Lulu Chen\n  * Kelly Chong\n  * Dave Kellett\n  * Tran Nguyen\n  * John Picacio\n  * Tom Roberts\n\n\n\n### Best Semiprozine\n\n  * Escape Pod, editors Mur Lafferty and Valerie Valdes, assistant editors Kevin Wabaunsee and Phoebe Barton, hosts Tina Connolly and Alasdair Stuart, producers Summer Brooks and Adam Pracht, and the entire Escape Pod team\n  * khōréō magazine, by team khōréō (publisher Aleksandra Hill; editor-in-chief Zhui Ning Chang; editors Kanika Agrawal, Isabella Kestermann, Danai Christopoulou; audio Lian Xia Rose, Jenelle DeCosta, Grayson Norman, Aaron Kling, E.B.; marketing M.L. Krishnan, Ashley Thompson; art Ambi Sun; copyeditors Jeané Ridges, Eleanor Glewwe, Derek Yen, Ariya Bandy; proofreader Cyrus Chin; first readers Adialyz Del Valle Berríos, Sanjna Bhartiya, Kelsey Costa, Merulai Femi, A.R. Frederiksen, Yuvashri Harish, Zohar Jacobs, Lynn D. Jung, Phoebe Low, Katie McIvor, Adil Mian, Katarzyna Nowacka, A.W. Prihandita, Helena Ramsaroop, Jin Hui Saw, Aditya Sundararajan, Sophia Uy, Madeleine Vigneron, Aaron Voigt, K.S. Walker, Akilah White, MJ Woods, Kelsea Yu, Lilia Zhang, Tina Zhu)\n  * On Spec: The Canadian Magazine of the Fantastic, published by the Copper Pig Writers’ Society; managing editor/art director Diane L. Walton; poetry editors Colleen Anderson and Bob Stallworthy; fiction editors Barb Galler-Smith, Ann Marston, Virginia O’Dine, Constantine Kaoukakis, Susan MacGregor, Alyssa Kulchisky, Amanda Wells, Ashley Alton, Lorina Stephens, Lareina Abbott, Matthew Stobie Jackman, Cheryl Merkel, Dan Gyoba, Ethan Zou, Jade Mah-Vierling, Jessica Zdril, Kathleen Phul, Krystle McGrath, Thomas Schwarz, and William Thompson; interviewers Roberta Laurie and Cat McDonald; proofreaders Ashlin McCartney, Isaac Calon, and Mya Colwell\n  * Strange Horizons, by the Strange Horizons Editorial Collective\n  * The Deadlands, publisher Sean Markey, editor in chief E. Catherine Tobler, poetry editor Nicasio Andres Reed, nonfiction editor David Gilmore, necromancer Amanda Downum, art director Cory Skerry, copy editors Laura Blackwell and Annika Barranti Klein, proofreader Josephine Stewart, designer Christine M. Scott, and social media skeleton Felicia Martínez\n  * Uncanny Magazine, publisher and editor-in-chief: Michael Damian Thomas; managing editor Monte Lin; poetry editor Betsy Aoki, podcast producers Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky\n\n\n\n### Best Fanzine\n\n  * Ancillary Review of Books, editors Jake Casella Brookins, Misha Grifka Wander, Bianca Skrinyár, Zachary Gillan, Cynthia Zhang, Lyz Bush-Peel\n  * An Unofficial Hugo Book Club Blog, editors Olav Rokne and Amanda Wakaruk\n  * Galactic Journey, founder Gideon Marcus, editor Janice L. Newman, staff David Levinson, Jessica Dickinson Goodman, Tam Phan, Andi Dukleth\n  * Intergalactic Mixtape, edited by Renay\n  * Journey Planet, edited by Allison Hartman Adams, Jean Martin, Steven H Silver, Christopher J. Garcia, James Bacon\n  * nerds of a feather, flock together, editors Roseanna Pendlebury, Arturo Serrano, Paul Weimer; senior editors Joe Sherry, G. Brown, Vance Kotrla\n\n\n\n### Best Fancast\n\n  * A Meal of Thorns, presented by Jake Casella Brookins\n  * Eating the Fantastic, hosted by Scott Edelman\n  * Hugo, Girl!, presented by Haley Zapal, Amy Salley, Lori Anderson, and Kevin Anderson\n  * Octothorpe, presented by John Coxon, Alison Scott, and Liz Batty\n  * The Coode Street Podcast, presented by Jonathan Strahan and Gary K. Wolfe\n  * Worldbuilding for Masochists, presented by Marshall Ryan Maresca, Cass Morris, and Natania Barron\n\n\n\n### Best Fan Writer\n\n  * Jay Brantner for “Tar Vol”\n  * Alex Brown\n  * James Davis Nicoll\n  * Roseanna Pendlebury\n  * Jason Sanford\n  * Örjan Westin\n\n\n\n### Best Fan Artist\n\n  * Terri Ash\n  * Geneva Bowers\n  * Sara Felix\n  * Richard Man\n  * España Sheriff\n  * Yuumei\n\n\n\n### Best Poem\n\n  * “Care for Lightning” by Mari Ness (_Uncanny Magazine_ , Issue 62)\n  * “Hex Supply Customer Support Log” by Elis Montgomery (_Strange Horizons_ , Issue 25 August 2025)\n  * “How to Become a Sea Witch” by Theodora Goss (_The Orange & Bee_, Issue 5)\n  * “Landing: Seattle” by Brandon O’Brien (Seattle Worldcon 2025 Opening Ceremony)\n  * “The Mourning Robot” by Angela Liu (_Uncanny Magazine_ , Issue 66)\n  * “The World to Come” by Jennifer Hudak (_Strange Horizons_ , Issue 22 December 2025)\n\n\n\n### Lodestar Award for Best YA Book\n\n  *  _Among Ghosts_ by Rachel Hartman\n  *  _Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe_ by C.B. Lee\n  * _Holy Terrors_ by Margaret Owen\n  * _Oathbound_ by Tracy Deonn\n  *  _Sunrise on the Reaping_ by Suzanne Collins\n  * They Bloom at Night by Trang Thanh Tran\n\n\n\n###  _Astounding_ Award for Best New Writer (sponsored by Dell Magazines)\n\n  * Sophie Burnham (2nd year of eligibility)\n  * Kamilah Cole (2nd year of eligibility)\n  * Antonia Hodgson (1st year of eligibility)\n  * Molly O’Neill (1st year of eligibility)\n  * H.H. Pak (2nd year of eligibility)\n  * Jared Pechaček (2nd year of eligibility)\n\n\n\n### Disqualifications and Withdrawals\n\nThe following nominees received enough votes to qualify for the final ballot, but were found to be ineligible:\n\n**Best Series:**\n\n  * _Lady Astronaut_ , by Mary Robinette Kowal (fewer than 240,000 new words since last appearance on the ballot)\n  * _The Singing Hills Cycle_ , by Nghi Vo (fewer than 240,000 words in total)\n\n\n\n**Astounding Award:**\n\n  * Silvia Park (had qualifying publication prior to 2024)\n  * Barbara Truelove (had qualifying publication prior to 2024)\n\n\n\nThe following nominees received enough votes to qualify for the final ballot, but declined nominations:\n\n  * Best Editor, Long Form: Lindsey Hall\n  * Best Semiprozine: Beneath Ceaseless Skies\n\n\n\nThe following nominee received enough votes to qualify for the final ballot, but was withdrawn by the showrunners to abide by the limitation on number of episodes of the same show allowed in the category.\n\n  * Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form:  _Murderbot_ : “Free Commerce”\n\n\n\n* * *\n\nThe awards will be presented at this year’s LAcon V, Anaheim, California, USA, August 30, 2026 What catches your eye and what are you rooting for?",
  "title": "Here are the finalists for the 2026 Hugo Awards",
  "updatedAt": "2026-04-23T14:57:40.205Z"
}