Kirkus Best Books of the Year Winners Science Fiction and Fantasy

Awards List

2023

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi (*)
S.A. Chakraborty

Mar-2023
/ Fantasy

A Day of Fallen Night

A Day of Fallen Night (*)
Samantha Shannon

Mar-2023
/ Fantasy

Infinity Gate

Infinity Gate (*)
M.R. Carey

Apr-2023
/ Science Fiction

Translation State

Translation State (*)
Ann Leckie

Jun-2023
/ Science Fiction

Blade of Dream

Blade of Dream (*)
Daniel Abraham

Jul-2023
/ Fantasy

The Deep Sky

The Deep Sky (*)
Yume Kitasei

Jul-2023
/ Science Fiction

Immortal Longings

Immortal Longings (*)
Chloe Gong

Jul-2023
/ Fantasy

These Burning Stars

These Burning Stars (*)
Bethany Jacobs

Oct-2023
/ Science Fiction

We Are the Crisis

We Are the Crisis (*)
Cadwell Turnbull

Nov-2023
/ Fantasy

2022

The Paradox Hotel

The Paradox Hotel (*)
Rob Hart

Feb-2022
/ Thriller

Moon Witch, Spider King

Moon Witch, Spider King (*)
Marlon James

Mar-2022
/ Historical

Saint Death's Daughter

Saint Death's Daughter (*)
C.S.E. Cooney

Apr-2022
/ Dark Fantasy

When Women Were Dragons

When Women Were Dragons (*)
Kelly Barnhill

May-2022
/ Fantasy

The Art of Prophecy

The Art of Prophecy (*)
Wesley Chu

Aug-2022
/ Fantasy

Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence

Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence (*)
R.F. Kuang

Aug-2022
/ Fantasy

Nona the Ninth

Nona the Ninth (*)
Tamsyn Muir

Sep-2022
/ Science Fiction

The Spear Cuts Through Water

The Spear Cuts Through Water (*)
Simon Jimenez

Sep-2022
/ Fantasy

A Taste of Gold and Iron

A Taste of Gold and Iron (*)
Alexandra Rowland

Sep-2022
/ Fantasy

The World We Make

The World We Make (*)
N.K. Jemisin

Nov-2022
/ Fantasy

2021

Klara and the Sun

Klara and the Sun (*)
Kazuo Ishiguro

Mar-2021
/ Literary

Machinehood

Machinehood (*)
S.B. Divya

Mar-2021
/ Science Fiction

Project Hail Mary

Project Hail Mary (*)
Andy Weir

May-2021
/ Science Fiction

A Radical Act of Free Magic

A Radical Act of Free Magic (*)
H.G. Parry

Jul-2021
/ Fantasy

No Gods, No Monsters

No Gods, No Monsters (*)
Cadwell Turnbull

Sep-2021
/ Fantasy

Destroyer of Light

Destroyer of Light (*)
Jennifer Marie Brissett

Oct-2021
/ Science Fiction

The Free Bastards

The Free Bastards (*)
Jonathan French

Oct-2021
/ Fantasy

Light From Uncommon Stars

Light From Uncommon Stars (*)
Ryka Aoki

Oct-2021
/ Science Fiction

2020

The Vanished Birds

The Vanished Birds (*)
Simon Jimenez

Jan-2020
/ Science Fiction

The City We Became

The City We Became (*)
N.K. Jemisin

Mar-2020
/ Fantasy

The Poet King

The Poet King (*)
Ilana C. Myer

Mar-2020
/ Fantasy

Goldilocks

Goldilocks (*)
Laura Lam

May-2020
/ Science Fiction

Trouble the Saints

Trouble the Saints (*)
Alaya Dawn Johnson

Jul-2020
/ Fantasy

Driftwood

Driftwood (*)
Marie Brennan

Aug-2020
/ Fantasy

Master of Poisons

Master of Poisons (*)
Andrea Hairston

Sep-2020
/ Fantasy

Piranesi

Piranesi (*)
Susanna Clarke

Sep-2020
/ Fantasy

The Seventh Perfection

The Seventh Perfection (*)
Daniel Polansky

Sep-2020
/ Fantasy

Black Sun

Black Sun (*)
Rebecca Roanhorse

Oct-2020
/ Fantasy

Award Categories

Affirming Picture Books

Beginning Readers

Book Club Fiction

Books for Beginning Readers

Empowering Picture Books

Environmental Fiction

Fiction in Translation

Fictional Families

Fictional Voices

Funniest Picture Books

Historical Fiction

Informational Picture Books

Joyous Picture Books

Middle-Grade About Speaking Up

Middle-Grade Activist

Middle-Grade Adventures

Middle-Grade Family Stories

Middle-Grade Fantasy and SF

Middle-Grade Fiction

Middle-Grade Friendship Stories

Middle-Grade Graphic Fiction

Award Years