Living Canon

Locus Awards 2020: Complete list of winners

The 2020 Locus Awards ceremony celebrated a particularly vibrant moment in speculative fiction, with this year’s winners spanning everything from intricate urban fantasy to gothic lesbian necromancy. The Locus Awards, long considered the fan-voted gold standard for science fiction and fantasy literature, showcased an eclectic mix of established voices and explosive debuts. Seanan McGuire claimed the fantasy trophy for Middlegame, a time-spanning tale of mathematical magic and dangerous partnerships, while Tamsyn Muir’s debut Gideon the Ninth captured Best First Novel with its darkly comedic energy and genre-defying premise that immediately launched it into cult status among voracious readers.

What made this particular Locus Awards year especially notable was how the winners reflected the genre’s growing appetite for innovation and representation. Charlie Jane Anders’ The City in the Middle of the Night brought a climate-conscious lens to her Best Science Fiction Novel win, building a world where Earth’s rotation has stalled and human survival depends on an uneasy alliance between radically different civilizations. Meanwhile, Yoon Ha Lee’s Dragon Pearl reminded us that young adult speculative fiction continues to punch well above its weight, delivering a rich space opera adventure rooted in Korean mythology that enchanted both teen readers and adults who refuse to abandon YA entirely.

Below, explore the full list of 2020 Locus Awards winners across all categories and get a deeper sense of what made these books capture the hearts of the science fiction and fantasy community that year.

Best Fantasy Novel

Best First Novel

Best Science Fiction Novel

Best Young Adult Book