Palfrey Awards for novels/novellas

These are my personal awards to my favourite novels or novellas of each year. Most books that I rate 3 or less don’t appear; any that you see rated 3 are really 3+. Because this is only an award of esteem, and nothing more tangible, these awards are not permanent and can be changed at any time.

I’ve decided to include novellas as well as novels here, because the two categories overlap: some books sold as novellas are longer than some books sold as novels.

I measure story length in Kindle locations, omitting text at beginning and end that is not part of the story (but including footnotes, if any). One Kindle location contains about 20 words, but this is not an accurate way to calculate word count.

Hugo Award winner Hugo Award nominee
Year Award My
rating
Length Title Series Author Comments
2024 Candidate 5 1918 Demon Daughter World of the Five Gods Lois McMaster Bujold Fantasy
Candidate 4 5524 Red Side Story Shades of Grey Jasper Fforde Bizarre sf
2023 Winner 3 6496 Witch King Martha Wells Fantasy
Also ran 3 3017 System Collapse Murderbot Martha Wells Far-future sf
2022 Winner 4 4608 Amongst Our Weapons Peter Grant Ben Aaronovitch Fantasy, crime
2021 Winner 5 4428 The Galaxy, and the Ground Within Wayfarers Becky Chambers Gentle far-future sf, no violence
Also ran 4 4030 The Assassins of Thasalon World of the Five Gods Lois McMaster Bujold Fantasy, crime
Also ran 4 6991 A Desolation Called Peace Teixcalaan Arkady Martine Far-future sf
Also ran 4 6165 A Master of Djinn Dead Djinn P. Djèlí Clark Alternative past history, fantasy
2020 Winner 5 5400 Network Effect Murderbot Martha Wells Far-future sf
Also ran 5 1575 Masquerade in Lodi World of the Five Gods Lois McMaster Bujold Fantasy
2019 Winner 4 6129 A Memory Called Empire Teixcalaan Arkady Martine Far-future sf
2018 Winner 4 1704 Exit Strategy Murderbot Martha Wells Far-future sf
2017 Joint winner 5 2125 The Prisoner of Limnos World of the Five Gods Lois McMaster Bujold Fantasy
Joint winner 5 1410 All Systems Red Murderbot Martha Wells Far-future sf
2016 Winner 5 4722 The Hanging Tree Peter Grant Ben Aaronovitch Fantasy, crime
Also ran 5 2140 Penric’s Mission World of the Five Gods Lois McMaster Bujold Fantasy
2015 Winner 5 1612 Penric’s Demon World of the Five Gods Lois McMaster Bujold Fantasy
2014 Joint winner 4 4498 Foxglove Summer Peter Grant Ben Aaronovitch Fantasy, crime
Joint winner 4 6256 The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet Wayfarers Becky Chambers Far-future sf
2013 No award            
2012 Winner 5 4804 Whispers Under Ground Peter Grant Ben Aaronovitch Fantasy, crime
Also ran 4 7710 Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance Vorkosigan Lois McMaster Bujold Far-future sf
2011 Winner 4 4810 Rivers of London Peter Grant Ben Aaronovitch Fantasy, crime
2010 No award            
2009 Winner 4 6182 Shades of Grey: The Road to High Saffron Shades of Grey Jasper Fforde Bizarre sf
2008 Winner 4 6170 In the Courts of the Crimson Kings Lords of Creation S. M. Stirling Alternative history, sf
Also ran 4 6355 When the Tide Rises RCN David Drake Far-future military sf
2007 No award            
2006 Winner 3 6113 Rainbows End Vernor Vinge Near-future sf
2005 Winner 5 8177 The Hallowed Hunt World of the Five Gods Lois McMaster Bujold Fantasy
2004 Winner 5 5831 Going Postal Discworld Terry Pratchett Fantasy, postal service
Also ran 4 9037 Weapons of Choice Axis of Time John Birmingham Time-travel military sf, Second World War
2003 Winner 5 7245 Paladin of Souls World of the Five Gods Lois McMaster Bujold Fantasy
Also ran 4 11077 Conquistador S. M. Stirling Parallel-worlds sf
2002 Winner 5 8537 The Peshawar Lancers S. M. Stirling Alternative history, sf
Also ran 4 5508 Night Watch Discworld Terry Pratchett Fantasy, time travel, crime, politics
2001 Joint winner 4 5360 The Eyre Affair Thursday Next Jasper Fforde Bizarre fantasy, alternative history, crime
Joint winner 4 7639 The Curse of Chalion World of the Five Gods Lois McMaster Bujold Fantasy
2000 Winner 4 11955 On the Oceans of Eternity Nantucket S. M. Stirling Time-travel sf
1999 Joint winner 5 9259 A Civil Campaign Vorkosigan Lois McMaster Bujold Far-future sf, romantic comedy
Joint winner 5 9944 Against the Tide of Years Nantucket S. M. Stirling Time-travel sf
Also ran 4   Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Harry Potter J. K. Rowling Schoolboy fantasy
Also ran 3 11839 A Deepness in the Sky Zones of Thought Vernor Vinge Far-future sf
1998 Joint winner 5 5726 Komarr Vorkosigan Lois McMaster Bujold Far-future sf, crime, romance
Joint winner 5 10820 Island in the Sea of Time Nantucket S. M. Stirling Time-travel sf
Also ran 4 5974 With the Lightnings RCN David Drake Far-future military sf
1997 Winner 4   Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone Harry Potter J. K. Rowling Schoolboy fantasy
1996 Winner 4 6660 Memory Vorkosigan Lois McMaster Bujold Far-future sf, crime
Also ran 3 5157 Hogfather Discworld Terry Pratchett Fantasy
1995 No award            
1994 No award            
1993 Winner 4 5124 Men at Arms Discworld Terry Pratchett Fantasy, crime
1992 Winner 3 9246 A Fire Upon the Deep Zones of Thought Vernor Vinge Far-future sf
Also ran 3 9985 The Guns of the South Harry Turtledove Time-travel military sf, American Civil War
1991 Winner 4 6812 ME ME Thomas T. Thomas Near-future sf
Also ran 3   The Wizardry Cursed Wizardry Rick Cook Parallel-worlds fantasy
1990 Winner 4 2625 Wings Nomes Terry Pratchett Humorous sf
Also ran 4 5093 Good Omens Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett Fantasy
Also ran 3 4363 The Wizardry Compiled Wizardry Rick Cook Parallel-worlds fantasy
1989 Joint winner 4 2670 Truckers Nomes Terry Pratchett Humorous sf
Joint winner 4 3038 A Study in Sorcery Lord Darcy Michael Kurland Alternative history, fantasy, crime
Also ran 3 4469 Wizard’s Bane Wizardry Rick Cook Parallel-worlds fantasy
Also ran 3 3774 The Silver Pigs Marcus Didius Falco Lindsey Davis Historical, Roman Empire, crime
1988 Joint winner 4 4644 Wyrd Sisters Discworld Terry Pratchett Humorous fantasy
Joint winner 4 4183 Ten Little Wizards Lord Darcy Michael Kurland Alternative history, fantasy, crime
Joint winner 4 4576 Perchance: A Tale of the Paraverse Michael Kurland Parallel-worlds sf
Also ran 4 1091 The Blabber Zones of Thought Vernor Vinge Far-future sf
1987 Winner 5 3672 Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency Dirk Gently Douglas Adams Sf and fantasy, time travel
Also ran 4 2226 The Forest of Time Michael F. Flynn Parallel-worlds sf
1986 Winner 5 4385 Marooned in Realtime Bobble Vernor Vinge Far-future sf
Also ran 4 3064 Ethan of Athos Vorkosigan Lois McMaster Bujold Far-future sf
1985 Joint winner 4   The Proteus Operation James P. Hogan Time-travel sf, Second World War
Joint winner 4 3348 The Zenda Vendetta Time Wars Simon Hawke Time-travel to a fictional past
1984 Winner 5 4672 The Peace War Bobble Vernor Vinge Near-future sf
Also ran 4 3783 The Ivanhoe Gambit Time Wars Simon Hawke Time-travel to a fictional past
Also ran 4 3219 The Timekeeper Conspiracy Time Wars Simon Hawke Time-travel to a fictional past
Also ran 4 4706 The Practice Effect David Brin Sf/fantasy
1983 Winner 4 6718 The Anubis Gates Tim Powers Time-travel fantasy
1982 Winner 3   Coils Roger Zelazny and Fred Saberhagen Near-future sf/fantasy
1981 Winner 3 3895 The Ceres Solution Bob Shaw Near-future sf
1980 Winner 3 5557 Thrice Upon a Time James P. Hogan Near-future sf
1979 Winner 4 3528 Roadmarks Roger Zelazny Time-travel sf
Also ran 3 2285 The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Hitchhiker’s Guide Douglas Adams Near-future sf
1978 No award            
1977 Winner 4 5098 The Dosadi Experiment ConSentiency Frank Herbert Far-future sf
1976 Winner 4 3155 Doorways in the Sand Roger Zelazny Near-future sf
Also ran 3 2342 The Witling Vernor Vinge Far-future sf, teleportation
1975 Winner 4 3910 Crocodile on the Sandbank Amelia Peabody Elizabeth Peters Historical, 19th century Egypt, crime, humorous
Also ran 3   The Shockwave Rider John Brunner Near-future sf
Also ran 3   Showboat World Big Planet Jack Vance Far-future sf, humorous adventure
1974 Winner 5 8613 The Mote in God’s Eye Moties Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle Far-future sf, first contact
Also ran 4 2704 Worlds Apart Richard Cowper Parallel-worlds fantasy
Also ran 3   Ice and Iron Wilson Tucker Near-future sf
1973 Winner 4   Protector Known Space Larry Niven Far-future sf, first contact
Also ran 3 2920 Today We Choose Faces Roger Zelazny Far-future sf
1972 Winner 4 3185 The Patterns of Chaos Colin Kapp Far-future sf, first contact
Also ran 4   Arigato Richard Condon Historical, 20th century, crime
1971 No award            
1970 Joint winner 4 5021 Ringworld Known Space Larry Niven Far-future sf
Joint winner 4 5114 The Flying Sorcerers David Gerrold and Larry Niven Humorous far-future sf
Also ran 3   The Year of the Quiet Sun Wilson Tucker Near-future sf, time travel
1969 Joint winner 4 1646 Masque World Anthony Villiers Alexei Panshin Light-hearted far-future sf
Joint winner 4 3943 The Unicorn Girl Michael Kurland Light-hearted parallel-worlds sf
Also ran 3   The Left Hand of Darkness Ursula K. Le Guin Far-future sf
1968 Joint winner 5 1912 Star Well Anthony Villiers Alexei Panshin Light-hearted far-future sf
Joint winner 5 1677 The Thurb Revolution Anthony Villiers Alexei Panshin Light-hearted far-future sf
Also ran 4 3784 A Gift from Earth Known Space Larry Niven Far-future sf
Also ran 3 9741 Stand on Zanzibar John Brunner Near-future sf
1967 Winner 4 5845 Lord of Light Roger Zelazny Far-future sf/fantasy
1966 Joint winner 5 3515 Babel-17 Samuel R. Delany Far-future sf
Joint winner 5 3729 Too Many Magicians Lord Darcy Randall Garrett Alternative history, fantasy, crime
Joint winner 5 2728 World of Ptavvs Known Space Larry Niven Future sf, first contact
Also ran 3 5860 The Moon is a Harsh Mistress Robert Heinlein Future sf
Also ran 3 5566 The Witches of Karres James H. Schmitz Light-hearted far-future sf/fantasy
1965 Winner 5 4017 The Mind Readers Albert Campion Margery Allingham Near-future sf, telepathy, crime
Also ran 4 2893 Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen Paratime H. Beam Piper Parallel-worlds military sf
1964 No award            
1963 Winner 4 3094 Way Station Clifford Simak Far-future sf
1962 No award            
1961 Winner 5 4011 Time is the Simplest Thing Clifford Simak Future sf/fantasy
Also ran 4 9194 Stranger in a Strange Land Robert Heinlein Near-future sf/fantasy
Also ran 4 3531 Down the Hatch Artful Bodger John Winton Historical, 20th century, military comedy
Also ran 3 7576 Catch-22 Joseph Heller Historical, 20th century, military tragicomedy
1960 No award            
1959 Winner 3 3672 The Sirens of Titan Kurt Vonnegut Far-future sf
1958 No award            
1957 No award            
1956 Winner 5 3805 Tiger! Tiger! / The Stars My Destination Alfred Bester Far-future sf, teleportation
1955 Winner 5 2642 The Mouse That Roared Grand Fenwick Leonard Wibberley Near-future sf, satirical comedy
Also ran 4 5258 The Return of the King Middle Earth J. R. R. Tolkien Fantasy
1954 Joint winner 4 7221 The Fellowship of the Ring Middle Earth J. R. R. Tolkien Fantasy
Joint winner 4 6092 The Two Towers Middle Earth J. R. R. Tolkien Fantasy
Joint winner 4 3118 Mission of Gravity Mesklin Hal Clement Far-future sf, first contact
1953 Joint winner 4 3719 More Than Human Theodore Sturgeon Sf/fantasy, powers of the mind
Joint winner 4 3432 The Caves of Steel Robots Isaac Asimov Far-future sf, robots
Also ran 3 3203 Bring the Jubilee Ward Moore Time-travel sf, alternative history
Also ran 3 3520 Second Foundation Foundation Isaac Asimov Far-future sf, psychohistory
Also ran 3 4515 Hornblower and the Atropos Hornblower C. S. Forester Historical, Napoleonic Wars, military
1952 Joint winner 3 3631 Foundation and Empire Foundation Isaac Asimov Far-future sf, psychohistory
Joint winner 3 4153 Lieutenant Hornblower Hornblower C. S. Forester Historical, Napoleonic Wars, military
1951 Joint winner 4 3247 Foundation Foundation Isaac Asimov Far-future sf, psychohistory
Joint winner 4 4199 Time and Again Clifford Simak Far-future sf, time-travel, androids
1950 Winner 4 3775 Mr Midshipman Hornblower Hornblower C. S. Forester Historical, Napoleonic Wars, military
1946 Winner 3 3026 Mistress Masham’s Repose T. H. White Non-magical fantasy, Lilliputians
1945 Winner 5 4401 The Commodore Hornblower C. S. Forester Historical, Napoleonic Wars, military
1943 Winner 5 4635 The Picts and the Martyrs Swallows and Amazons Arthur Ransome Historical, 20th century, children’s adventures
1941 Winner 3   No Bed for Bacon Caryl Brahms and S. J. Simon Historical, circa 1600 AD, comedy
1939 Winner 3 4581 Secret Water Swallows and Amazons Arthur Ransome Historical, 20th century, children’s adventures
1937 Winner 4 5046 We Didn’t Mean To Go To Sea Swallows and Amazons Arthur Ransome Historical, 20th century, children’s adventures
1936 Winner 3 5176 Pigeon Post Swallows and Amazons Arthur Ransome Historical, 20th century, children’s adventures
1933 Winner 5 3542 Sweet Danger Albert Campion Margery Allingham Historical, 20th century, crime, adventure
Also ran 5 5084 Winter Holiday Swallows and Amazons Arthur Ransome Historical, 20th century, children’s adventures
1931 Winner 3 5573 Swallowdale Swallows and Amazons Arthur Ransome Historical, 20th century, children’s adventures
1930 Winner 3 5242 Swallows and Amazons Swallows and Amazons Arthur Ransome Historical, 20th century, children’s adventures
1926 Winner 3 4566 The Jovial Ghosts / Topper Topper Thorne Smith Fantasy, ghosts
1923 Winner 4 4635 Leave It to Psmith Psmith P. G. Wodehouse Historical, comedy