The Locus Awards, voted on by readers in an open online poll, have been presented every year since 1971. (A quarter century before there was such a thing as an online poll. Back in the day, we used to send ballots through the mail. Ask your parents what that means.) The final ballot lists ten finalists in each category, including Science Fiction Novel, Fantasy Novel, Horror Novel, Young Adult Book, First Novel, Novella, Novelette, Short Story, Anthology, Collection, Magazine, Publisher, Editor, Artist, Non-Fiction,Art Book, plus a Special Award given by committee. The winners were announced at the Locus Awards Weekend in Seattle, Washington, June 29, 2019.

Even if you didn’t vote in the awards, the list of Finalists makes a terrific Recommended Reading list. Two years ago Jonathan Strahan posted the following on his Facebook feed, and it still makes a lot of sense.

Here’s a thought, fellow SF readers. Locus has just announced its long list for the Locus Awards. Forget that it’s an awards list for a moment, though. It’s a reading list.

So why not look down the list below for Best First Novel. and try something new? Pick a book from the list below. Buy a copy, borrow a copy, go to the library and grab a copy. Track one down, and try something new…. I can recommend the Lee, Shawl and Slatter books very highly. Some of the others look really interesting.

Here’s the complete list of winners.

[Click the images for Locus-sized versions.]

SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL

The Calculating Stars, Mary Robinette Kowal (Tor)

FANTASY NOVEL

Spinning Silver, Naomi Novik (Del Rey)

HORROR NOVEL

The Cabin at the End of the World, Paul Tremblay (Morrow)

YOUNG ADULT NOVEL

Dread Nation, Justina Ireland (Balzer + Bray)

FIRST NOVEL

Trail of Lightning, Rebecca Roanhorse (Saga)

NOVELLA

Artificial Condition, Martha Wells (Tor.com)

NOVELETTE

The Only Harmless Great Thing, Brooke Bolander (Tor.com)

SHORT STORY

“The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington,“ Phenderson Djèlí Clark (Fireside 2/18)

ANTHOLOGY

The Book of Magic, edited by Gardner Dozois (Bantam)

COLLECTION

How Long ’til Black Future Month?, N.K. Jemisin (Orbit)

MAGAZINE

Tor.com

PUBLISHER

Tor

EDITOR

Gardner Dozois

ARTIST

Charles Vess

NON-FICTION

Ursula K. Le Guin: Conversations on Writing, Ursula K. Le Guin & David Naimon (Tin House)

ART BOOK

Charles Vess, The Books of Earthsea: The Complete Illustrated Edition, Ursula K. Le Guin (Saga)

SPECIAL AWARD 2019: COMMUNITY OUTREACH & DEVELOPMENT

Mary Anne Mohanraj

You can find the complete list of finalists at Locus Online, and last year’s winners here.