Locus Awards 2023: Complete list of winners

The 2023 Locus Awards celebrated another stellar year in speculative fiction, with victories that span from intricate fantasy worldbuilding to boundary-pushing science fiction. R. F. Kuang’s Babel, or the Necessity of Violence claimed the Best Fantasy Novel honor, a win that underscored the award’s appetite for ambitious, philosophically complex narratives. The 2023 ceremony also crowned Ray Nayler’s debut The Mountain in the Sea as Best First Novel, marking the emergence of a genuinely fresh voice in the genre—a particularly meaningful recognition given the Locus Awards’ reputation as one of the field’s most reader-oriented accolades.

Beyond the major categories, the 2023 Locus Awards winners painted a picture of a genre in excellent health. John Scalzi took Best Science Fiction Novel for The Kaiju Preservation Society, while Charlie Jane Anders secured Best Young Adult Book with Dreams Bigger Than Heartbreak. These selections highlight the breadth that the Locus Awards, often called simply the “Locus” in fan circles, have come to represent—a recognition that spans established powerhouses and promising newcomers across every age category. The annual Locus Awards voting, conducted by the magazine’s devoted readership, continues to offer a genuine window into what resonates most deeply with fantasy and science fiction readers themselves.

The complete list of 2023 Locus Award winners and honorees awaits below.

Best Fantasy Novel

• Babel, or the Necessity of Violence by R. F. Kuang

Best First Novel

• The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler

Best Science Fiction Novel

• The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi

Best Young Adult Book

• Dreams Bigger Than Heartbreak by Charlie Jane Anders