2019 Hugo Awards

2019 Hugo Award TrophyPresented at: Dublin 2019: An Irish Worldcon, Dublin, Ireland, August 18, 2019

Hosts: Afua Richardson and Michael Scott

Base design: Jim Fitzpatrick

Awards Administration: Nicholas Whyte, Sanna Lopperi-Vihinen


Dublin 2019 received and counted 1,800 valid nominating ballots (1,797 electronic and 3 paper) from the members of Worldcon 76 and Dublin 2019. Because of a change to WSFS rules ratified in 2018 that took effect in 2019, only members of the current and previous Worldcons (not including members of the following year’s Worldcon) were eligible to nominate for the 2019 Hugo Awards. Members nominated up to five works/people in each category, and the top six works/people in each category were shortlisted as finalists. 3,097 final ballots (3,089 online and 8 paper) were received from the members of Dublin 2019.

Full Nominating and Final Ballot Voting Details (PDF)

Video of the 2019 Hugo Awards Ceremony

Video of the announcement of the 2019 Hugo Award and 1944 Retrospective Hugo Award Finalists

Best Novel

  • The Calculating Stars, by Mary Robinette Kowal (Tor)
  • Spinning Silver, by Naomi Novik (Del Rey / Macmillan)
  • Record of a Spaceborn Few, by Becky Chambers (Hodder & Stoughton / Harper Voyager)
  • Trail of Lightning, by Rebecca Roanhorse (Saga)
  • Revenant Gun, by Yoon Ha Lee (Solaris)
  • Space Opera, by Catherynne M. Valente (Saga/Corsair)

Best Novella

  • Artificial Condition, by Martha Wells (Tor.com publishing)
  • The Tea Master and the Detective, by Aliette de Bodard (Subterranean Press / JABberwocky Literary Agency)
  • Beneath the Sugar Sky, by Seanan McGuire (Tor.com publishing)
  • The Black God’s Drums, by P. Djèlí Clark (Tor.com publishing)
  • Binti: The Night Masquerade, by Nnedi Okorafor (Tor.com publishing)
  • Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach, by Kelly Robson (Tor.com publishing)

Best Novelette

  • “If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again,” by Zen Cho (B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog, 29 November 2018)
  • “The Last Banquet of Temporal Confections,” by Tina Connolly (Tor.com, 11 July 2018)
  • “The Thing About Ghost Stories,” by Naomi Kritzer (Uncanny Magazine 25, November-December 2018)
  • “Nine Last Days on Planet Earth,” by Daryl Gregory (Tor.com, 19 September 2018)
  • The Only Harmless Great Thing, by Brooke Bolander (Tor.com publishing)
  • “When We Were Starless,” by Simone Heller (Clarkesworld 145, October 2018)

Best Short Story

  • “A Witch’s Guide to Escape: A Practical Compendium of Portal Fantasies,” by Alix E. Harrow (Apex Magazine, February 2018)
  • “The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington,” by P. Djèlí Clark (Fireside Magazine, February 2018)
  • “The Rose MacGregor Drinking and Admiration Society,” by T. Kingfisher (Uncanny Magazine 25, November-December 2018)
  • “STET,” by Sarah Gailey (Fireside Magazine, October 2018)
  • “The Court Magician,” by Sarah Pinsker (Lightspeed, January 2018)
  • “The Tale of the Three Beautiful Raptor Sisters, and the Prince Who Was Made of Meat,” by Brooke Bolander (Uncanny Magazine 23, July-August 2018)

Best Series

  • Wayfarers, by Becky Chambers (Hodder & Stoughton / Harper Voyager)
  • The Laundry Files, by Charles Stross (most recently Orbit/Tor and Tor.com publishing)
  • Machineries of Empire, by Yoon Ha Lee (Solaris)
  • The October Daye Series, by Seanan McGuire (most recently DAW)
  • The Universe of Xuya, by Aliette de Bodard (most recently Subterranean Press)
  • The Centenal Cycle, by Malka Older (Tor.com publishing)

Best Related Work

  • Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works [see clarification]
  • Ursula K. Le Guin: Conversations on Writing, by Ursula K. Le Guin with David Naimon (Tin House Books)
  • An Informal History of the Hugos: A Personal Look Back at the Hugo Awards, 1953-2000, by Jo Walton (Tor)
  • www.mexicanxinitiative.com: The Mexicanx Initiative Experience at Worldcon 76 (Julia Rios, Libia Brenda, Pablo Defendini, John Picacio)
  • The Hobbit Duology (documentary in three parts), written and edited by Lindsay Ellis and Angelina Meehan (YouTube)
  • Astounding: John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, L. Ron Hubbard, and the Golden Age of Science Fiction, by Alec Nevala-Lee (Dey Street Books)

Best Graphic Story

  • Monstress, Volume 3: Haven, written by Marjorie Liu, art by Sana Takeda (Image Comics)
  • Black Panther: Long Live the King, written by Nnedi Okorafor and Aaron Covington, art by André Lima Araújo, Mario Del Pennino and Tana Ford (Marvel)
  • Abbott, written by Saladin Ahmed, art by Sami Kivelä, colours by Jason Wordie, letters by Jim Campbell (BOOM! Studios)
  • Saga, Volume 9, written by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Fiona Staples (Image Comics)
  • Paper Girls, Volume 4, written by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Cliff Chiang, colours by Matt Wilson, letters by Jared K. Fletcher (Image Comics)
  • On a Sunbeam, by Tillie Walden (First Second)

Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form

  • Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, screenplay by Phil Lord and Rodney Rothman, directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey and Rodney Rothman (Sony)
  • Black Panther, written by Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole, directed by Ryan Coogler (Marvel Studios)
  • Avengers: Infinity War, screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo (Marvel Studios)
  • Annihilation, directed and written for the screen by Alex Garland, based on the novel by Jeff VanderMeer (Paramount Pictures / Skydance)
  • A Quiet Place, screenplay by Scott Beck, John Krasinski and Bryan Woods, directed by John Krasinski (Platinum Dunes / Sunday Night)
  • Sorry to Bother You, written and directed by Boots Riley (Annapurna Pictures)

Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form

  • The Good Place: “Janet(s),” written by Josh Siegal & Dylan Morgan, directed by Morgan Sackett (NBC)
  • The Expanse: “Abaddon’s Gate,” written by Daniel Abraham, Ty Franck and Naren Shankar, directed by Simon Cellan Jones (Penguin in a Parka / Alcon Entertainment)
  • Doctor Who: “Demons of the Punjab,” written by Vinay Patel, directed by Jamie Childs (BBC)
  • Doctor Who: “Rosa,” written by Malorie Blackman and Chris Chibnall, directed by Mark Tonderai (BBC)
  • The Good Place: “Jeremy Bearimy,” written by Megan Amram, directed by Trent O’Donnell (NBC)
  • Dirty Computer, written by Janelle Monáe and Chuck Lightning, directed by Andrew Donoho and Chuck Lightning (Wondaland Arts Society / Bad Boy Records / Atlantic Records)

Best Editor, Short Form

  • Gardner Dozois
  • Neil Clarke
  • Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas
  • Julia Rios
  • Lee Harris
  • E. Catherine Tobler

Best Editor, Long Form

  • Navah Wolfe
  • Sheila E. Gilbert
  • Beth Meacham
  • Diana Pho
  • Gillian Redfearn
  • Anne Lesley Groell

Best Professional Artist

  • Charles Vess
  • Galen Dara
  • Yuko Shimizu
  • Victo Ngai
  • John Picacio
  • Jaime Jones

Best Semiprozine

  • Uncanny Magazine, publishers/editors-in-chief Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas, managing editor Michi Trota, podcast producers Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky, Disabled People Destroy Science Fiction Special Issue editors-in-chief Elsa Sjunneson-Henry and Dominik Parisien
  • Strange Horizons, edited by Jane Crowley, Kate Dollarhyde, Vanessa Rose Phin, Vajra Chandrasekera, Romie Stott, Maureen Kincaid Speller, and the Strange Horizons Staff
  • Fireside Magazine, edited by Julia Rios, managing editor Elsa Sjunneson-Henry, copyeditor Chelle Parker, social coordinator Meg Frank, special features editor Tanya DePass, founding editor Brian White, publisher and art director Pablo Defendini
  • Beneath Ceaseless Skies, editor-in-chief and publisher Scott H. Andrews
  • FIYAH Magazine of Black Speculative Fiction, executive editors Troy L. Wiggins and DaVaun Sanders, editors L.D. Lewis, Brandon O’Brien, Kaleb Russell, Danny Lore, and Brent Lambert
  • Shimmer, publisher Beth Wodzinski, senior editor E. Catherine Tobler

Best Fanzine

  • Lady Business, editors Ira, Jodie, KJ, Renay & Susan
  • nerds of a feather, flock together, editors Joe Sherry, Vance Kotrla and The G
  • Journey Planet, edited by Team Journey Planet
  • Galactic Journey, founder Gideon Marcus, editor Janice Marcus
  • Quick Sip Reviews, editor Charles Payseur
  • Rocket Stack Rank, editors Greg Hullender and Eric Wong

Best Fancast

  • Our Opinions Are Correct, hosted by Annalee Newitz and Charlie Jane Anders
  • Fangirl Happy Hour, hosted by Ana Grilo and Renay Williams
  • Be the Serpent, presented by Alexandra Rowland, Freya Marske and Jennifer Mace
  • Galactic Suburbia, hosted by Alisa Krasnostein, Alexandra Pierce, and Tansy Rayner Roberts, produced by Andrew Finch
  • The Skiffy and Fanty Show, produced by Jen Zink and Shaun Duke, hosted by Jen Zink, Shaun Duke, Paul Weimer, Alex Acks, Elizabeth Fitzgerald, Trish Matson, and team
  • The Coode Street Podcast, presented by Jonathan Strahan and Gary K. Wolfe

Best Fan Writer

  • Foz Meadows
  • Bogi Takács
  • Elsa Sjunneson-Henry
  • James Davis Nicoll
  • Alasdair Stuart
  • Charles Payseur

Best Fan Artist

  • Likhain (Mia Sereno)
  • Grace P. Fong
  • Sara Felix
  • Meg Frank
  • Spring Schoenhuth
  • Ariela Housman

Best Art Book
Under the WSFS Constitution every Worldcon has the right to add one category to the Hugo Awards for that year only. Dublin 2019 has chosen to use this right to create an award for an art book.

  • The Books of Earthsea: The Complete Illustrated Edition, illustrated by Charles Vess, written by Ursula K. Le Guin (Saga Press /Gollancz)
  • Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse – The Art of the Movie, by Ramin Zahed (Titan Books)
  • Dungeons & Dragons Art & Arcana: A Visual History, by Michael Witwer, Kyle Newman, Jon Peterson, Sam Witwer (Ten Speed Press)
  • Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth, ed. Catherine McIlwaine (Bodleian Library)
  • Daydreamer’s Journey: The Art of Julie Dillon, by Julie Dillon (self-published)
  • Spectrum 25: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art, ed. John Fleskes (Flesk Publications)

There are two other Awards administered by Worldcon 76 that are not Hugo Awards:

Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book
Trophy Design: Sara Felix

  • Children of Blood and Bone, by Tomi Adeyemi (Henry Holt / Macmillan Children’s Books)
  • Dread Nation, by Justina Ireland (Balzer + Bray)
  • Tess of the Road, by Rachel Hartman (Random House / Penguin Teen)
  • The Cruel Prince, by Holly Black (Little, Brown / Hot Key Books)
  • The Invasion, by Peadar O’Guilin (David Fickling Books / Scholastic)
  • The Belles, by Dhonielle Clayton (Freeform / Gollancz)

John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer

  • Jeannette Ng*
  • Rivers Solomon*
  • S.A. Chakraborty*
  • Katherine Arden*
  • R.F. Kuang
  • Vina Jie-Min Prasad*

*Finalist in their 2nd year of eligibility

The 2019 Hugo Awards are generally for work first published or appearing in 2018, or first published in the USA in 2018 (if previously published elsewhere), or first published in English in 2018 (if previously published in another language). The detailed rules are in Article 3 of the WSFS Constitution.