About the British Fantasy Award for Best Novel
The British Fantasy Award for Best Novel encompasses two distinct prizes: the Robert Holdstock Award for Best Fantasy Novel and the August Derleth Award for Best Horror Novel (previously a unified 'Best Novel' category until the split into separate fantasy and horror awards in recent years). Presented by the British Fantasy Society (BFS) since 1971, these awards are voted on by BFS members and attendees of the FantasyCon convention. The Robert Holdstock Award for Best Fantasy Novel is named in honor of the late British author Robert Holdstock, best known for the Mythago Wood sequence. The August Derleth Award for Best Horror Novel is named for August Derleth, a pioneering horror author and editor. Until the split, the unified award was simply called the Best Novel or August Derleth Fantasy Award. Winners are selected by popular ballot among BFS members. Past winners include Jen Williams, Alix E. Harrow, Shelley Parker-Chan (for She Who Became the Sun), Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Mexican Gothic), Sofia Samatar, Adam Nevill, Jo Walton, Graham Joyce, and China Miéville, reflecting the award's British-centric perspective on global genre fiction.
