News Hugo Awards Here Are the Finalists for the 2026 Hugo Awards Congratulations to all! By Molly Templeton | Published on April 21, 2026 Comment 0 Share New Share LAcon V, the 84th World Science Fiction Convention (WorldCon), has announced the finalists for this year’s Hugo Awards. Members of the 2025 and 2026 WorldCons cast 1,488 nominating ballots for this year’s awards; organizers note that in total, “nominators made 23,543 nominations for 4,299 works and individuals across 21 categories.” Members of LAcon V will be able to vote for the winners when the final ballot opens in May. The awards will be presented in Anaheim, California, on August 30, 2026. Congratulations to the finalists! Best Novel A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett (Del Rey; Hodderscape) Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor (William Morrow; Gollancz) Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Tor UK; Orbit US) The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow (Tor US; Tor UK) The Incandescent by Emily Tesh (Tor US; Orbit UK) The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson (Orbit US; Hodderscape) 1,153 ballots cast for 555 nominees. Finalists range 126-210. Best Novella Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz (Tordotcom) Cinder House by Freya Marske (Tordotcom; Tor UK) Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite (Tordotcom) The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar (Tordotcom; Arcadia UK) The Summer War by Naomi Novik (Del Rey US; Del Rey UK) What Stalks the Deep by T. Kingfisher (Nightfire; Titan UK) 807 ballots cast for 172 nominees. Finalists range 90-241. Best Novelette “Kaiju Agonistes” by Scott Lynch (Uncanny Magazine, Issue 62) “Never Eaten Vegetables” by H.H. Pak (Clarkesworld, Issue 220) “Rapport: Friendship, Solidarity, Communion, Empathy” by Martha Wells (Reactor, July 10, 2025) “The Girl That My Mother Is Leaving Me For” by Cameron Reed (Reactor, April 2, 2025) “The Millay Illusion” by Sarah Pinsker (Uncanny Magazine, Issue 67) “When He Calls Your Name” by Catherynne M. Valente (Uncanny Magazine, Issue 65) 414 ballots cast for 144 nominees. Finalists range 36-64.  Best Short Story “10 Visions of the Future; or, Self-Care for the End of Days” by Samantha Mills (Uncanny Magazine, Issue 63) “In My Country” by Thomas Ha (Clarkesworld, Issue 223) “Laser Eyes Ain’t Everything” by Effie Seiberg (Diabolical Plots, May 16, 2025) “Missing Helen” by Tia Tashiro (Clarkesworld, Issue 226) “Six People to Revise You” by J.R. Dawson (Uncanny Magazine, Issue 62) “Wire Mother” by Isabel J. Kim (Clarkesworld, Issue 229) 507 ballots cast for 549 nominees. Finalists range 26-60. Best Series Emily Wilde by Heather Fawcett (Del Rey US; Orbit UK) October Daye by Seanan McGuire (Tor US; DAW) Old Man’s War by John Scalzi (Tor US; Tor UK) The Chronicles of Osreth by Katherine Addison (Tor US; Solaris UK; Subterranean) The Craft Wars by Max Gladstone (Tor; Tordotcom) White Space by Elizabeth Bear (Saga Press; Gollancz) 687 ballots cast for 185 nominees. Finalists range 52-136.  Best Graphic Story or Comic Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Last Amazon, written by Kelly Thompson, art by Hayden Sherman and Mattia de Iulis, coloring by Jordie Bellaire, lettering by Becca Carey (DC Comics) A Girl and Her Fed, written by KB Spangler, art by Ale Presser (www.agirlandherfed.com) A Wizard of Earthsea: A Graphic Novel, written by Ursula K. Le Guin, adapted and illustrated by Fred Fordham (Clarion Books; Walker UK) The Invisible Parade by Leigh Bardugo and John Picacio (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Orion UK) The Power Fantasy Volume 1: The Superpowers, written by Kieron Gillen, art by Caspar Wijngaard, lettering by Clayton Cowles (Image Comics) The Space Cat, written by Nnedi Okorafor, art by Tana Ford (First Second) 362 ballots cast for 243 nominees. Finalists range 19-42. Best Related Work Colourfields: Writing About Writing About Science Fiction by Paul Kincaid (Briardene Books) Inventing the Renaissance by Ada Palmer (University of Chicago Press US, Head of Zeus UK) Last War in Albion: “The Cuddled Little Vice (Sandman)” by Elizabeth Sandifer (Eruditorum Press) Positive Obsession: The Life and Times of Octavia E. Butler by Susana M. Morris (Amistad) “Ragnarök vs the Long Night” by Ashaya and Aziz (History of Westeros Podcast, August 10, 2025)  The Hugo Spreadsheet of Doom, maintained by Renay (Google Spreadsheet) 479 ballots cast for 250 nominees. Finalists range 31-70. Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form Andor (Season 2), written by Tom Bissell, Dan Gilroy, Tony Gilroy, and Beau Willimon, directed by Ariel Kleiman, Janus Metz, Alonso Ruizpalacios (Disney+) Frankenstein, screenplay by Guillermo del Toro, directed by Guillermo del Toro (Netflix) KPop Demon Hunters, screenplay by Danya Jimenez & Hannah McMechan, Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans; directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans (Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix) Mickey 17, screenplay by Bong Joon Ho, directed by Bong Joon Ho (Warner Bros. Pictures) Sinners, screenplay by Ryan Coogler, directed by Ryan Coogler (Proximity Media, Warner Bros. Pictures) Superman, screenplay by James Gunn, directed by James Gunn (DC Studios) 650 ballots cast for 149 nominees. Finalists range 85-313. Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form Doctor Who: “The Story & the Engine,” written by Inua Ellams, directed by Makalla McPherson (BBC One, Disney +) Murderbot: “All Systems Red,” written by Paul Weitz & Chris Weitz, directed by Roseanne Liang, based on the book All Systems Red by Martha Wells (Apple TV) Murderbot: “The Perimeter,” written by Chris Weitz & Paul Weitz, directed by Paul Weitz, based on the book All Systems Red by Martha Wells (Apple TV) Pluribus: “We Is Us,” written and directed by Vince Gilligan (Apple TV) Severance: “Cold Harbor,” written by Dan Erickson, directed by Ben Stiller (Apple TV) The Wheel of Time: “The Road to the Spear,” written by Rafe Lee Judkins, directed by Thomas Napper, based on the series The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan (Amazon Prime Video) 471 ballots cast for 249 nominees. Finalists range 40-98. Best Game or Interactive Work Blue Prince, developed by Dogubomb, published by Raw Fury Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector, developed by Jump Over the Age, published by Fellow Traveller Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, developed by Sandfall Interactive, published by Kepler Interactive Dispatch, developed and published by AdHoc Studio Hades II, developed and published by Supergiant Games Hollow Knight: Silksong, developed and published by Team Cherry 357 ballots cast for 159 nominees. Finalists range 29-110. (924 raw noms) Best Editor, Short Form Scott H. Andrews Jennifer Brozek Neil Clarke Lee Harris Michael Damian Thomas Sheila Williams 305 ballots cast for 128 nominees. Finalists range 30-84.  Best Editor, Long Form Carl Engle-Laird Jaymee Goh Lee Harris Jenni Hill Joe Monti Diana M. Pho 234 ballots cast for 95 nominees. Finalists range 27-74. Best Professional Artist Lulu Chen Kelly Chong Dave Kellett Tran Nguyen John Picacio Tom Roberts  228 ballots cast for 220 nominees. Finalists range 10-28. Best Semiprozine Escape Pod, editors Mur Lafferty and Valerie Valdes, assistant editors Kevin Wabaunsee and Phoebe Barton, hosts Tina Connolly and Alasdair Stuart, producers Summer Brooks and Adam Pracht, and the entire Escape Pod team khōréō magazine, by team khōréō (publisher Aleksandra Hill; editor-in-chief Zhui Ning Chang; editors Kanika Agrawal, Isabella Kestermann, Danai Christopoulou; audio Lian Xia Rose, Jenelle DeCosta, Grayson Norman, Aaron Kling, E.B.; marketing M.L. Krishnan, Ashley Thompson; art Ambi Sun; copyeditors Jeané Ridges, Eleanor Glewwe, Derek Yen, Ariya Bandy; proofreader Cyrus Chin; first readers Adialyz Del Valle Berríos, Sanjna Bhartiya, Kelsey Costa, Merulai Femi, A.R. Frederiksen, Yuvashri Harish, Zohar Jacobs, Lynn D. Jung, Phoebe Low, Katie McIvor, Adil Mian, Katarzyna Nowacka, A.W. Prihandita, Helena Ramsaroop, Jin Hui Saw, Aditya Sundararajan, Sophia Uy, Madeleine Vigneron, Aaron Voigt, K.S. Walker, Akilah White, MJ Woods, Kelsea Yu, Lilia Zhang, Tina Zhu) On Spec: The Canadian Magazine of the Fantastic, published by the Copper Pig Writers’ Society; managing editor/art director Diane L. Walton; poetry editors Colleen Anderson and Bob Stallworthy; fiction editors Barb Galler-Smith, Ann Marston, Virginia O’Dine, Constantine Kaoukakis, Susan MacGregor, Alyssa Kulchisky, Amanda Wells, Ashley Alton, Lorina Stephens, Lareina Abbott, Matthew Stobie Jackman, Cheryl Merkel, Dan Gyoba, Ethan Zou, Jade Mah-Vierling, Jessica Zdril, Kathleen Phul, Krystle McGrath, Thomas Schwarz, and William Thompson; interviewers Roberta Laurie and Cat McDonald; proofreaders Ashlin McCartney, Isaac Calon, and Mya Colwell Strange Horizons, by the Strange Horizons Editorial Collective The Deadlands, publisher Sean Markey, editor-in-chief E. Catherine Tobler, poetry editor Nicasio Andres Reed, nonfiction editor David Gilmore, necromancer Amanda Downum, art director Cory Skerry, copy editors Laura Blackwell and Annika Barranti Klein, proofreader Josephine Stewart, designer Christine M. Scott, and social media skeleton Felicia Martínez Uncanny Magazine, publisher and editor-in-chief: Michael Damian Thomas; managing editor Monte Lin; poetry editor Betsy Aoki, podcast producers Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky 324 ballots cast for 93 nominees. Finalists range 34-100. Best Fanzine Ancillary Review of Books, editors Jake Casella Brookins, Misha Grifka Wander, Bianca Skrinyár, Zachary Gillan, Cynthia Zhang, Lyz Bush-Peel An Unofficial Hugo Book Club Blog, editors Olav Rokne and Amanda Wakaruk Galactic Journey, founder Gideon Marcus, editor Janice L. Newman, staff David Levinson, Jessica Dickinson Goodman, Tam Phan, Andi Dukleth Intergalactic Mixtape, edited by Renay Journey Planet, edited by Allison Hartman Adams, Jean Martin, Steven H Silver, Christopher J. Garcia, James Bacon nerds of a feather, flock together, editors Roseanna Pendlebury, Arturo Serrano, Paul Weimer; senior editors Joe Sherry, G. Brown, Vance Kotrla 224 ballots cast for 61 nominees. Finalists range 33-66.  Best Fancast A Meal of Thorns, presented by Jake Casella Brookins Eating the Fantastic, hosted by Scott Edelman Hugo, Girl!, presented by Haley Zapal, Amy Salley, Lori Anderson, and Kevin Anderson Octothorpe, presented by John Coxon, Alison Scott, and Liz Batty The Coode Street Podcast, presented by Jonathan Strahan and Gary K. Wolfe Worldbuilding for Masochists, presented by Marshall Ryan Maresca, Cass Morris, and Natania Barron 370 ballots cast for 198 nominees. Finalists range 31-69. Best Fan Writer Jay Brantner for “Tar Vol” Alex Brown James Davis Nicoll Roseanna Pendlebury Jason Sanford  Örjan Westin 308 ballots cast for 158 nominees. Finalists range 22-54.  Best Fan Artist Terri Ash Geneva Bowers Sara Felix Richard Man España Sheriff Yuumei 176 ballots cast for 137 nominees. Finalists range 12-22. Best Poem  “Care for Lightning” by Mari Ness (Uncanny Magazine, Issue 62) “Hex Supply Customer Support Log” by Elis Montgomery (Strange Horizons, Issue 25 August 2025) “How to Become a Sea Witch” by Theodora Goss (The Orange & Bee, Issue 5) “Landing: Seattle” by Brandon O’Brien (Seattle Worldcon 2025 Opening Ceremony) “The Mourning Robot” by Angela Liu (Uncanny Magazine, Issue 66)  “The World to Come” by Jennifer Hudak (Strange Horizons, Issue 22 December 2025) 202 ballots cast for 229 nominees. Finalists range 12-35. Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book Among Ghosts by Rachel Hartman (Random House Books for Young Readers) Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe by C.B. Lee (Feiwel & Friends) Holy Terrors by Margaret Owen (Henry Holt; Hodderscape UK) Oathbound by Tracy Deonn (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers) Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic Press) They Bloom at Night by Trang Thanh Tran (Bloomsbury US; Bloomsbury UK) 244 ballots cast for 169 nominees. Finalists range 12-48. Astounding Award for Best New Writer (sponsored by Dell Magazines) Sophie Burnham (2nd year of eligibility) Kamilah Cole (2nd year of eligibility) Antonia Hodgson (1st year of eligibility) Molly O’Neill (1st year of eligibility) H.H. Pak (2nd year of eligibility) Jared Pechaček (2nd year of eligibility) 290 ballots cast for 156 nominees. Finalists range 17-76. Disqualifications and Withdrawals The following nominees received enough votes to qualify for the final ballot, but were found to be ineligible: Best Series:  Lady Astronaut, by Mary Robinette Kowal (fewer than 240,000 new words since last appearance on the ballot) The Singing Hills Cycle, by Nghi Vo (fewer than 240,000 words in total) Astounding Award: Silvia Park (had qualifying publication prior to 2024) Barbara Truelove (had qualifying publication prior to 2024) The following nominees received enough votes to qualify for the final ballot, but declined nominations: Best Editor, Long Form: Lindsey Hall Best Semiprozine: Beneath Ceaseless Skies The following nominee received enough votes to qualify for the final ballot, but was withdrawn by the showrunners to abide by the limitation on number of episodes of the same show allowed in the category. Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form: Murderbot: “Free Commerce” [end-mark] The post Here Are the Finalists for the 2026 Hugo Awards appeared first on Reactor.