O.O. Sangoyomi's Masquerade won the Robert Holdstock Award for Best Fantasy Novel for its assured debut voice, its Yoruba-mythology world-building, and its significant contribution to African-inspired fantasy.
The British Fantasy Award for Best Novel encompasses two distinct prizes: the Robert Holdstock Award for Best Fantasy Novel and the August Derleth Award for Best Horror Novel (previously a unified 'Best Novel' category until the split into separate fantasy and horror awards in recent years). Presented by the British Fantasy Society (BFS) since 1971, these awards are voted on by BFS members and attendees of the FantasyCon convention. The Robert Holdstock Award for Best Fantasy Novel is named in honor of the late British author Robert Holdstock, best known for the Mythago Wood sequence. The August Derleth Award for Best Horror Novel is named for August Derleth, a pioneering horror author and editor. Until the split, the unified award was simply called the Best Novel or August Derleth Fantasy Award. Winners are selected by popular ballot among BFS members. Past winners include Jen Williams, Alix E. Harrow, Shelley Parker-Chan (for She Who Became the Sun), Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Mexican Gothic), Sofia Samatar, Adam Nevill, Jo Walton, Graham Joyce, and China Miéville, reflecting the award's British-centric perspective on global genre fiction.
Frequently Asked Questions
The British Fantasy Award for Best Novel (now split into the Robert Holdstock Award for Best Fantasy Novel and the August Derleth Award for Best Horror Novel) is a member-voted award presented by the British Fantasy Society at FantasyCon.
The Robert Holdstock Award recognizes the best fantasy novel of the year, while the August Derleth Award recognizes the best horror novel. The two categories were once a single Best Novel award.
Robert Holdstock (1948–2009) was a British author best known for Mythago Wood and its sequels, a landmark series exploring Celtic and Norse mythology. The fantasy novel award was renamed in his honor after his death.
Winners are selected by popular ballot among members of the British Fantasy Society and attendees of the FantasyCon convention.
No. The award is open to works published in English worldwide, though the British Fantasy Society's membership gives it a distinctly British perspective. Many American, Australian, and international authors have won.
Awards are presented at FantasyCon, the British Fantasy Society's annual convention, typically held in the autumn in the UK.
The award carries no monetary prize. Winners receive a trophy.
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