About the Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel
The Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel is one of the most widely participated-in awards in speculative fiction, presented annually by Locus Magazine through a reader poll. The fantasy novel category has been awarded since 1978 (initially running alongside a general Best Novel category before being formalized as a standalone category from 1980). Like all Locus Awards, it is determined by popular vote from Locus subscribers and online participants, drawing more voters than the Hugo and Nebula awards combined in most years. The award recognizes the best fantasy novel published in the prior calendar year and has honored an extraordinary range of approaches to the genre, from epic secondary-world fantasy to urban fantasy, mythpunk, and literary fantasy. Past winners include George R.R. Martin, N.K. Jemisin, Neil Gaiman, Naomi Novik, China Miéville, Martha Wells, Fonda Lee, and R.F. Kuang. The diversity of winners reflects the breadth of contemporary fantasy fiction and the range of Locus's readership.
