Living Canon

Locus Awards 2013: Complete list of winners

The 2013 Locus Awards cemented what many science fiction and fantasy readers already knew: the genre was experiencing a remarkable creative renaissance. These prestigious awards, voted on by the magazine’s subscribers and considered one of fandom’s most authentic honors, recognized an impressive mix of established masters and dazzling newcomers. John Scalzi’s witty metafictional romp Redshirts took Best Science Fiction Novel, while Charles Stross claimed Best Fantasy Novel for The Apocalypse Codex, the latest adventure in his Laundry Files universe. The year also marked a significant moment for emerging talent, with debut author Saladin Ahmed’s Throne of the Crescent Moon earning Best First Novel—a validation that often launches careers into the stratosphere.

Perhaps equally exciting was China Miéville’s Railsea winning Best Young Adult Book, a recognition that reflected the increasing literary ambition of YA science fiction and fantasy. The 2013 Locus Awards winners demonstrated that the field was anything but monolithic: readers and voters valued everything from Scalzi’s playful deconstruction of science fiction tropes to Ahmed’s fresh take on epic fantasy, from Stross’s darkly comedic blend of urban fantasy and office politics to Miéville’s imaginative world-building for younger audiences. It was a year that proved there was room for multiple visions of what speculative fiction could be.

Below, you’ll find the complete list of 2013 Locus Awards categories and winners that shaped the conversation around fantastic literature that year.

Best Fantasy Novel

Best First Novel

Best Science Fiction Novel

Best Young Adult Book

  • Railsea by China Miéville