Best Books of the Year
Menu

Locus Science Fiction Foundation · award year

Locus Awards 2022

The 2022 Locus Awards went to We're Here: The Best Queer Speculative Fiction 2020 by C. L. Clark and Charles Payseur (Anthology), Even Greater Mistakes by Charlie Jane Anders (Collection) and Jade Legacy by Fonda Lee (Fantasy Novel), with winners in 4 more categories. 70 books were finalists across 7 categories.

Winners

Anthology

  1. 1We're Here: The Best Queer Speculative Fiction 2020 by C. L. Clark and Charles Payseursource (opens in a new tab)

Collection

  1. 1Even Greater Mistakes by Charlie Jane Anderssource (opens in a new tab)

Fantasy Novel

  1. 1Jade Legacy by Fonda Leesource (opens in a new tab)

First Novel

  1. 1A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clarksource (opens in a new tab)

Horror Novel

  1. 1My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jonessource (opens in a new tab)

SF Novel

  1. 1A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martinesource (opens in a new tab)

Young Adult Book

  1. 1Victories Greater Than Death by Charlie Jane Anderssource (opens in a new tab)

Finalists

Anthology

  1. 2The Year's Best African Speculative Fiction (2021) by Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpekisource (opens in a new tab)
  2. 3The Year's Best Science Fiction Volume 2 by Jonathan Strahansource (opens in a new tab)
  3. 4When Things Get Dark: Stories Inspired by Shirley Jackson by Ellen Datlowsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. 5Unfettered Hexes: Queer Tales of Insatiable Darkness by dave ringsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. 6The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2021 by Veronica Roth and John Joseph Adamssource (opens in a new tab)
  6. 7The Best of World SF: Volume 1 by Lavie Tidharsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. 8The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Thirteen by Ellen Datlowsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. 9Speculative Fiction for Dreamers: A Latinx Anthology by Alex Hernandez, Matthew David Goodwin and Sarah Rafael Garcíasource (opens in a new tab)
  9. 10Sword Stone Table: Old Legends, New Voices by Swapna Krishna and Jenn Northingtonsource (opens in a new tab)

Collection

  1. 2Spirits Abroad by Zen Chosource (opens in a new tab)
  2. 3Never Have I Ever by Isabel Yapsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. 4Midnight Doorways: Fables from Pakistan by Usman T. Maliksource (opens in a new tab)
  4. 5The Ghost Sequences by A. C. Wisesource (opens in a new tab)
  5. 6Belladonna Nights and Other Stories by Alastair Reynoldssource (opens in a new tab)
  6. 7The Best of Elizabeth Hand by Elizabeth Handsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. 8Shoggoths in Traffic and Other Stories by Tobias S. Buckellsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. 9Alias Space and Other Stories by Kelly Robsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. 9Big Dark Hole by Jeffrey Fordsource (opens in a new tab)

Fantasy Novel

  1. 2Black Water Sister by Zen Chosource (opens in a new tab)
  2. 3The Last Graduate by Naomi Noviksource (opens in a new tab)
  3. 4The Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addisonsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. 5Paladin's Strength by T. Kingfishersource (opens in a new tab)
  5. 6Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aokisource (opens in a new tab)
  6. 7The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Surisource (opens in a new tab)
  7. 8Soulstar by C. L. Polksource (opens in a new tab)
  8. 9No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbullsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. 10Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klunesource (opens in a new tab)

First Novel

  1. 2She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chansource (opens in a new tab)
  2. 3The Unbroken by C. L. Clarksource (opens in a new tab)
  3. 4The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vosource (opens in a new tab)
  4. 5Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhoasource (opens in a new tab)
  5. 6Machinehood by S. B. Divyasource (opens in a new tab)
  6. 7Wendy, Darling by A. C. Wisesource (opens in a new tab)
  7. 8A Marvellous Light by Freya Marskesource (opens in a new tab)
  8. 9Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwellsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. 10The All-Consuming World by Cassandra Khawsource (opens in a new tab)

Horror Novel

  1. 2Sorrowland by Rivers Solomonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. 3The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendigsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. 4The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrixsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. 5The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starlingsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. 6A Broken Darkness by Premee Mohamedsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. 7Revelator by Daryl Gregorysource (opens in a new tab)
  7. 8Later by Stephen Kingsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. 9Billy Summers by Stephen Kingsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. 10Moon Lake by Joe R. Lansdalesource (opens in a new tab)

SF Novel

  1. 2The Galaxy, and the Ground Within by Becky Chamberssource (opens in a new tab)
  2. 3Leviathan Falls by James S. A. Coreysource (opens in a new tab)
  3. 4The Echo Wife by Sarah Gaileysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. 5Noor by Nnedi Okoraforsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. 6Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishigurosource (opens in a new tab)
  6. 7We Are Satellites by Sarah Pinskersource (opens in a new tab)
  7. 8Hummingbird Salamander by Jeff VanderMeersource (opens in a new tab)
  8. 9Shards of Earth by Adrian Tchaikovskysource (opens in a new tab)
  9. 10You Sexy Thing by Cat Rambosource (opens in a new tab)

Young Adult Book

  1. 2Chaos on CatNet by Naomi Kritzersource (opens in a new tab)
  2. 3Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhaosource (opens in a new tab)
  3. 4A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badgersource (opens in a new tab)
  4. 5Redemptor by Jordan Ifuekosource (opens in a new tab)
  5. 6Terciel & Elinor by Garth Nixsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. 7The Gilded Ones by Namina Fornasource (opens in a new tab)
  7. 8This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayronsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. 9A Dark and Starless Forest by Sarah Hollowellsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. 10The Infinity Courts by Akemi Dawn Bowmansource (opens in a new tab)

About the Locus Awards

Book categories: SF Novel, Fantasy Novel, Horror Novel (awarded in this range from 2017), Young Adult Book, First Novel, Collection, and Anthology. Collection and Anthology are kept because each is a book with a named author or editors; for anthologies the author field holds the editors. Non-fiction and art-book categories are out of scope. Finalists are the announced top five per category through 2016 and top ten from 2017, plus ties at the cutoff (2023 Collection has eleven). rank is the final poll placing. Source is sfadb.com, the Locus Science Fiction Foundation's own awards database; its 2006-2016 pages list the full poll, so rows below the finalist cutoff are excluded.

Organization: Locus Science Fiction Foundation. Years are award years, which can differ from publication years. Official site (opens in a new tab)

The most recommended books of 2022

Shares the most books with