World Fantasy Awards 1979: Complete list of winners

The 1979 World Fantasy Awards celebrated a year of imaginative storytelling that proved fantasy literature could achieve both critical acclaim and literary sophistication. Michael Moorcock’s Gloriana claimed the top prize for Best Novel, a sprawling, sensual alternate history that showcased the author’s mastery of intricate world-building and philosophical depth. Published as the fifth book in his Eternal Champion cycle, Gloriana represented Moorcock at his most ambitious—a work that blended explicit sexuality, political intrigue, and fantastical concepts in ways that challenged conventional genre boundaries.

The award for Best Short Fiction went to Avram Davidson for “Naples,” a story that exemplified the kind of precise, imaginative craftsmanship the World Fantasy Awards have long championed. Davidson, an accomplished and often underrated figure in speculative fiction, brought his characteristic wit and unusual narrative voice to what would be remembered as one of the year’s most distinctive shorter works. Together, these winners highlighted the breadth of fantasy’s possibilities in 1979—from Moorcock’s grandly conceived alternate realm to Davidson’s more intimate, densely layered storytelling.

The 1979 World Fantasy Awards stood as a reminder that the fantasy genre, still finding its footing as a serious literary category, could produce works of genuine imaginative power and aesthetic ambition. Here’s a complete look at who took home honors that year:

Best Novel

• Gloriana by Michael Moorcock

Best Short Fiction

• “Naples” by Avram Davidson