The 2026 Hugo Awards winners have officially been announced, giving science-fiction and fantasy readers a new collection of acclaimed books, stories, series, and adaptations to add to their reading lists.
This is always one of my favorite award lists to follow because I love science fiction, and the Hugo Awards have a long history of highlighting books that end up becoming essential reads in the genre. Looking through this year’s winners, I already know my TBR is going to get a little longer. There are several books here that I can’t wait to read.
The 2026 Hugo Awards were presented on August 30, 2026, at LAcon V, the 84th World Science Fiction Convention in Anaheim, California. Alix E. Harrow took home one of the night’s biggest prizes, winning Best Novel for The Everlasting, while Amal El-Mohtar, John Scalzi, Ursula K. Le Guin and Fred Fordham were among the other major literary winners.
And one winner in particular immediately caught my attention: A Wizard of Earthsea: A Graphic Novel.
I love Ursula K. Le Guin’s original A Wizard of Earthsea, and seeing Fred Fordham’s graphic adaptation win a Hugo feels like a great way to introduce another generation of readers to one of fantasy’s most important novels.
Here are the 2026 Hugo Award winners, including the books and stories that should be on every science-fiction and fantasy reader’s radar.
The 2026 Hugo Award Winners
Best Novel: The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow
The biggest literary award of the night went to Alix E. Harrow for The Everlasting.
Harrow beat out a strong group of finalists that included Robert Jackson Bennett’s A Drop of Corruption, Nnedi Okorafor’s Death of the Author, Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Shroud, Emily Tesh’s The Incandescent, and Antonia Hodgson’s The Raven Scholar.
That alone should tell you how competitive this category was.
The Everlasting is exactly the sort of book that makes the Hugo Awards so useful for readers. Even if you haven’t gotten around to every finalist, the awards can point you toward ambitious science fiction and fantasy that deserves a closer look.
As someone who loves sci-fi and fantasy, this is now near the top of the books from the 2026 Hugos that I want to read.
Winner: The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow
Best Novella: The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar
Amal El-Mohtar won Best Novella for The River Has Roots.
The category included several authors who should already be familiar to fantasy readers, including Naomi Novik, T. Kingfisher, Freya Marske, Annalee Newitz, and Olivia Waite.
El-Mohtar has become one of the most recognizable names in contemporary speculative fiction, particularly after co-writing This Is How You Lose the Time War with Max Gladstone.
With another major award now attached to The River Has Roots, this is another book I’m excited to check out.
Winner: The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar
Best Novelette: “Never Eaten Vegetables” by H.H. Pak
The Hugo for Best Novelette went to H.H. Pak for “Never Eaten Vegetables,” originally published in Clarkesworld.
One reason I enjoy looking through the Hugo winners is that the awards aren’t limited to novels. They also highlight shorter fiction that can easily fly under the radar when everyone is discussing the year’s biggest book releases.
For readers hoping to explore more contemporary speculative short fiction, the novelette and short-story categories are always worth paying attention to.
Winner: “Never Eaten Vegetables” by H.H. Pak
Best Short Story: “In My Country” by Thomas Ha
Thomas Ha won Best Short Story for “In My Country,” which was also published in Clarkesworld.
Having both the winning novelette and short story come from Clarkesworld is another reminder of how influential speculative-fiction magazines remain when it comes to discovering new voices and original ideas.
Winner: “In My Country” by Thomas Ha
Best Series: Old Man’s War by John Scalzi
One of the most recognizable winners of the night was John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War, which won the Hugo Award for Best Series.
That’s a major win for one of modern science fiction’s best-known series.
The category was stacked with acclaimed series including Heather Fawcett’s Emily Wilde, Seanan McGuire’s October Daye, Katherine Addison’s The Chronicles of Osreth, Max Gladstone’s The Craft Wars, and Elizabeth Bear’s White Space.
For anyone who has somehow avoided Scalzi’s series until now, a Hugo win makes a pretty convincing argument that this might be the time to finally start it.
As someone who is always looking for another science-fiction series to dive into, Old Man’s War is definitely one I want to spend more time with.
Winner: Old Man’s War by John Scalzi
A Wizard of Earthsea Wins Best Graphic Story or Comic
This may be my favorite result of the entire 2026 Hugo Awards.
A Wizard of Earthsea: A Graphic Novel, written by Ursula K. Le Guin and adapted and illustrated by Fred Fordham, won Best Graphic Story or Comic.
I love A Wizard of Earthsea.
Le Guin’s novel is one of those fantasy books that helped shape the genre long before many of today’s most popular fantasy series existed. Ged’s journey remains powerful decades after the book was originally published, and Earthsea is still one of fantasy literature’s most memorable worlds.
That’s why I’m especially happy to see the graphic novel receiving this level of recognition.
Fred Fordham’s adaptation gives readers another way to experience Le Guin’s story, but more importantly, its Hugo win puts A Wizard of Earthsea back into the conversation.
And that matters.
There are constantly new fantasy novels competing for readers’ attention, and it is easy for older classics to become books people have heard about without actually reading. A successful adaptation can introduce that story to readers who might never have picked up the original.
If this graphic novel sends even more readers back to Le Guin’s Earthsea books, that’s a win in itself.
Fordham’s adaptation defeated a competitive group that included Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Last Amazon, Leigh Bardugo and John Picacio’s The Invisible Parade, The Power Fantasy, Nnedi Okorafor and Tana Ford’s The Space Cat, and A Girl and Her Fed.
Best Related Work: Inventing the Renaissance by Ada Palmer
Ada Palmer’s Inventing the Renaissance won Best Related Work.
This is an interesting category because the Hugos aren’t exclusively about fictional narratives. The award can recognize criticism, essays, scholarship, podcasts, and other work connected to science fiction, fantasy, fandom, and related ideas.
Palmer’s victory gives readers another title worth exploring beyond traditional novels.
Winner: Inventing the Renaissance by Ada Palmer
Lodestar Award: Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe by C.B. Lee
The Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book went to Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe by C.B. Lee.
It faced a particularly recognizable group of finalists, including Suzanne Collins’ Sunrise on the Reaping, Tracy Deonn’s Oathbound, Margaret Owen’s Holy Terrors, Rachel Hartman’s Among Ghosts, and Trang Thanh Tran’s They Bloom at Night.
For YA fantasy and science-fiction readers looking for something new, this may be one of the biggest titles to take away from the 2026 awards.
Winner: Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe by C.B. Lee
Antonia Hodgson Wins the Astounding Award for Best New Writer
Antonia Hodgson received the Astounding Award for Best New Writer.
It’s another name worth remembering, especially since Hodgson was also a Hugo finalist for Best Novel with The Raven Scholar.
Seeing an author appear in both places makes me particularly curious to see where her career goes from here.
Winner: Antonia Hodgson
The 2026 Hugo Winners Go Beyond Books
Book lovers will understandably focus on the novel and fiction categories, but several of this year’s screen and gaming winners are also worth mentioning.
Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form: Sinners
Ryan Coogler’s Sinners won Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form.
It beat a formidable slate that included Andor Season 2, Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, KPop Demon Hunters, Mickey 17, and Superman.
Winner: Sinners, written and directed by Ryan Coogler
Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form: Murderbot — “All Systems Red”
This is another winner I was thrilled to see.
The Murderbot episode “All Systems Red” won Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form. The episode is based on Martha Wells’ All Systems Red, the novella that introduced readers to Murderbot.
It’s always interesting watching a beloved science-fiction book make the jump to television, particularly when the adaptation receives recognition from the same speculative-fiction community that helped celebrate the original work.
Winner: Murderbot: “All Systems Red”
Best Game or Interactive Work: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
The Hugo for Best Game or Interactive Work went to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, developed by Sandfall Interactive and published by Kepler Interactive.
Winner: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Complete Major 2026 Hugo Awards Winners List
Here are the major winners announced at LAcon V:
- Best Novel: The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow
- Best Novella: The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar
- Best Novelette: “Never Eaten Vegetables” by H.H. Pak
- Best Short Story: “In My Country” by Thomas Ha
- Best Series: Old Man’s War by John Scalzi
- Best Graphic Story or Comic: A Wizard of Earthsea: A Graphic Novel by Ursula K. Le Guin, adapted and illustrated by Fred Fordham
- Best Related Work: Inventing the Renaissance by Ada Palmer
- Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form: Sinners
- Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form: Murderbot: “All Systems Red”
- Best Game or Interactive Work: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Editor, Short Form: Neil Clarke
- Best Editor, Long Form: Diana M. Pho
- Best Professional Artist: John Picacio
- Best Semiprozine: Uncanny Magazine
- Best Fanzine: nerds of a feather, flock together
- Best Fancast: Hugo, Girl!
- Best Fan Writer: Jason Sanford
- Best Fan Artist: Yuumei
- Best Poem: “Hex Supply Customer Support Log” by Elis Montgomery
- Lodestar Award for Best YA Book: Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe by C.B. Lee
- Astounding Award for Best New Writer: Antonia Hodgson
Which 2026 Hugo Award Winners Should You Read?
If you’re mainly interested in books, I would start with four winners:
The Everlasting is the obvious first choice because it won Best Novel.
The River Has Roots is perfect for readers looking for a shorter fantasy read from an acclaimed author.
Old Man’s War gives you an entire science-fiction series to explore rather than just a single book.
And A Wizard of Earthsea: A Graphic Novel is the book I’m probably happiest to see on this list.
I already love Le Guin’s original novel, and anything that gets new readers interested in Earthsea is something I can get behind. There’s a reason A Wizard of Earthsea continues to be discussed more than half a century after its original publication.
Final Thoughts on the 2026 Hugo Awards
Award lists aren’t the final word on what makes a great book, but I always enjoy the Hugo Awards because they give science-fiction and fantasy fans a snapshot of what writers, stories, and ideas are making an impact on the genre.
And this year’s winners have given me plenty to read.
I love science fiction, and there are multiple books on this list that I can’t wait to get my hands on. Whether The Everlasting becomes a new favorite or Old Man’s War sends me down another long sci-fi series rabbit hole remains to be seen.
But the winner that makes me happiest might still be A Wizard of Earthsea: A Graphic Novel.
Ursula K. Le Guin’s original is a fantasy classic that I love, and seeing a new interpretation win one of speculative fiction’s biggest awards is fantastic. Hopefully the Hugo victory doesn’t just bring attention to Fordham’s excellent-looking adaptation—it also inspires a whole new group of readers to discover Ged, Earthsea, and Le Guin’s original novels.
And if that happens, this might end up being one of the most meaningful wins of the 2026 Hugo Awards.
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