Locus Awards 2021: Complete list of winners

The 2021 Locus Awards celebrated a year of remarkable diversity in speculative fiction, with N. K. Jemisin’s The City We Became taking home the Best Fantasy Novel prize for its audacious urban fantasy reimagining of New York City itself as a character awakening to consciousness. Martha Wells continued her winning streak with Network Effect, her latest Murderbot adventure claiming the Best Science Fiction Novel award, while the inaugural Best First Novel category went to Darcie Little Badger’s Elatsoe, a paranormal mystery that weaves Indigenous perspectives into contemporary supernatural storytelling. T. Kingfisher rounded out the major winners with A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking capturing the Best Young Adult Book award, proving that even in uncertain times, the genre was producing work that pushed boundaries and expanded whose stories belonged in speculative fiction.

The 2021 Locus Awards, one of science fiction and fantasy’s most prestigious reader-voted honors, reflected a significant shift toward inclusivity and fresh voices across the board. The recognition of Badger’s debut novel alongside established titans like Jemisin and Wells signaled that the Locus voting body—made up of passionate fans rather than industry gatekeepers—was eager to champion emerging writers bringing new perspectives to beloved genres. These winners represent the full spectrum of what speculative fiction accomplished that year, from intimate character studies to world-altering narratives that asked us to reconsider what fantasy and science fiction could be.

Scroll down to explore the complete list of 2021 Locus Award winners across all categories, from novellas and short fiction to the fan-voted Hall of Fame selections.

Best Fantasy Novel

• The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin

Best First Novel

• Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger

Best Science Fiction Novel

• Network Effect by Martha Wells

Best Young Adult Book

• A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher