Alix E. Harrow and a mix of established and emerging creators won this year’s Hugo Awards at the 84th World Science Fiction Convention in Los Angeles, a popular vote decided by eligible WorldCon members.
The top literary prizes went to The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow, which took Best Novel and is published by Tor Books. Amal El-Mohtar won Best Novella for The River Has Roots, published by Tordotcom. H.H. Pak’s “Never Eaten Vegetables,” which appeared in Clarkesworld in January 2025, received Best Novelette. Best Short Story went to Thomas Ha for “In My Country,” published in Clarkesworld in April 2025.
The awards recognized breadth as well as individual works. Best Series was awarded to Old Man’s War by John Scalzi, also from Tor Books. The Hugo for Best Graphic Story or Comic went to A Wizard of Earthsea: A Graphic Novel, the Ursula K. Le Guin volume adapted and illustrated by Fred Fordham and released by Clarion. Ada Palmer’s scholarly volume Inventing the Renaissance, from the University of Chicago Press, won Best Related Work.
Youth and new voices also featured in the results. The Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book went to Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe by C.B. Lee, published by Feiwel & Friends. The Astounding Award for Best New Writer was given to Antonia Hodgson. The list of winners includes one of Lit Hub’s favorite books of 2025.
The outcomes highlight the Hugos’ range, honoring long-running series, standalone novels, shorter fiction, graphic adaptations and early-career writers. For readers and industry observers, the results will refocus attention and sales toward the winning titles, while reinforcing the Hugos as a fan-driven measure of current taste within science fiction and fantasy.
