The award originally included only a category for novels. Categories for short works and artists were added in 1980. The artists category became artwork in 1995 and a category for related non-fiction was added in 2002. A media category was awarded from 1979 to 1992. The current standard award categories are:
BSFA Award for Best Novel
BSFA Award for Best Short Fiction
BSFA Award for Best Non-Fiction
BSFA Award for Best Artwork
Previous categories:
BSFA Award for Best Media
1969
Novel:
Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner
1970
Novel:
The Jagged Orbit by John Brunner
1971
Collection:
The Moment of Eclipse by Brian W. Aldiss
1972
No award — insufficient votes.
1973
Novel:
Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
Special Award:
Billion Year Spree by Brian W. Aldiss
1974
Novel:
Inverted World by Christopher Priest
1975
Novel:
Orbitsville by Bob Shaw
1976
Novel:
Brontomek! by Michael G. Coney
Special Award:
A Pictorial History of Science Fiction by David Kyle
1977
Novel:
The Jonah Kit by Ian Watson
1978
Novel:
A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick
Collection:
Deathbird Stories by Harlan Ellison
Media:
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (original radio series) - Douglas Adams
1979
Novel:
The Unlimited Dream Company by J. G. Ballard
Short: "Palely Loitering" by Christopher Priest (
F&SF)
Media:
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy record
Artist: Jim Burns
1980
Novel:
Timescape by Gregory Benford
Short: "The Brave Little Toaster" by Thomas M. Disch (
F&SF)
Media:
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy second radio series - Douglas Adams
Artist: Peter Jones
1981
Novel:
The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe
Short: "Mythago Wood" by Robert Holdstock (
F&SF)
Media:
Time Bandits
Artist: Bruce Pennington
1982
Novel:
Helliconia Spring by Brian W. Aldiss
Short: "Kitemaster" by Keith Roberts (
Interzone)
Media:
Blade Runner
Artist: Tim White
1983
Novel:
Tik-Tok by John Sladek
Short: "After-Images" by Malcolm Edwards (
Interzone)
Media:
Android
Artist: Bruce Pennington
1984
Novel:
Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock
Short: "The Unconquered Country" by Geoff Ryman (
Interzone)
Media:
The Company of Wolves
Artist: Jim Burns
1985
Novel:
Helliconia Winter by Brian W. Aldiss
Short: "Cube Root" by David Langford (
Interzone)
Media:
Brazil
Artist: Jim Burns
1986
Novel:
The Ragged Astronauts by Bob Shaw
Short: "Kaeti and the Hangman" by Keith Roberts (in collection
Kaeti & Company)
Media:
Aliens
Artist: Keith Roberts
1987
Novel:
Grainne by Keith Roberts
Short: "Love Sickness" by Geoff Ryman (
Interzone)
Media:
Star Cops
Artist: Jim Burns
1988
Novel:
Lavondyss by Robert Holdstock
Short: "Dark Night in Toyland" by Bob Shaw (
Interzone)
Media:
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Artist: Alan Lee
1989
Novel:
Pyramids by Terry Pratchett
Short: "In Translation" by Lisa Tuttle (Zenith)
Media:
Red Dwarf
Artist: Jim Burns
1990
Novel:
Take Back Plenty by Colin Greenland
Short: "The Original Doctor Shade" by Kim Newman (
Interzone)
Media:
Twin Peaks
Artist: Ian Miller
1991
Novel:
The Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons
Short: "Bad Timing" by Molly Brown (
Interzone)
Media:
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Artwork: Mark Harrison
1992
Novel:
Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
Short: "Innocent" by Ian McDonald (
New Worlds 2)
Artwork: Jim Burns
1993
Novel:
Aztec Century by Christopher Evans
Short: "The Ragthorn" by Robert Holdstock and Garry Kilworth (
Interzone)
Artwork: Jim Burns
Special Award:
The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction ed. John Clute and Peter Nicholls
1994
Novel:
Feersum Endjinn by Iain M. Banks
Short: "The Double Felix" by Paul di Filippo (
Interzone)
Artwork: Jim Burns
1995
Novel:
The Time Ships by Stephen Baxter
Short: "The Hunger and Ecstasy of Vampires" by Brian Stableford (shorter version,
Interzone 91/92)
Artwork: Jim Burns (cover for
Seasons of Plenty)
1996
Novel:
Excession by Iain M. Banks
Short: "A Crab Must Try" by Barrington J. Bayley (
Interzone 103)
Artwork: Jim Burns (cover for
Ancient Shores)
1997
Novel:
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
Short: "War Birds" by Stephen Baxter (
Interzone 126)
Artwork: SMS ('The Black Blood of the Dead' cover
Interzone 116)
1998
Novel:
The Extremes, by Christopher Priest
Short: "La Cenerentola" by Gwyneth Jones (
Interzone 136)
Artwork: Jim Burns, 'Lord Prestimion' (cover,
Interzone 138)
1999
Novel:
The Sky Road by Ken MacLeod
Short: "Hunting the Slarque" by Eric Brown (
Interzone 141)
Artwork: Jim Burns, Darwinia (cover of
Darwinia, Robert Charles Wilson)
2000
Novel:
Ash: A Secret History by Mary Gentle
Short: "The Suspect Genome" by Peter F. Hamilton (
Interzone 156)
Artwork: Hideaway - Dominic Harman (Cover,
Interzone 157)
2001
Novel:
Chasm City by Alastair Reynolds
Short Story: "Children of Winter" by Eric Brown (
Interzone 163)
Artwork: cover of
Omegatropic by Colin Odell
Non-fiction:
Omegatropic by Stephen Baxter
2002
Novel:
The Separation by Christopher Priest
Short Fiction:
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Artwork: cover,
Interzone 179 by Dominic Harman
Related Publication: Introduction to
Maps: The Uncollected John Sladek by David Langford
2003
Novel:
Felaheen by Jon Courtenay Grimwood
Short Fiction:
The Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaiman & Dave McKean
Artwork: cover,
The True Knowledge of Ken MacLeod by Colin Odell
Non-fiction:
Reading Science Fiction by Farah Mendlesohn
2004
Novel:
River of Gods by Ian McDonald
Short Fiction:
Mayflower II by Stephen Baxter
Artwork: cover,
Newton's Wake by Stephan Martinière (US Edition)
2005
Novel:
Air by Geoff Ryman
Short Fiction:
Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link
Artwork: cover,
Interzone #200 by Pawel Lewandowski
Non-fiction Award:
Soundings: Reviews 1992-1996 by Gary K. Wolfe
2006
Novel:
End of the World Blues by Jon Courtenay Grimwood
Short Fiction:
The Djinn's Wife by Ian McDonald
Artwork: cover,
Time Pieces Angelbot by Christopher "Fangorn" Baker
2007
Novel:
Brasyl by Ian McDonald
Short Fiction:
Lighting Out by Ken MacLeod
Artwork:
Cracked World, cover of
disLocations, by Andy Bigwood
2008
Novel:
The Night Sessions by Ken MacLeod
Short Fiction:
Exhalation by Ted Chiang
Artwork: cover of
Subterfuge by Andy Bigwood
Non-fiction:
Rhetorics of Fantasy by Farah Mendlesohn
2009
Novel:
The City & the City by China Miéville
Short Fiction:
The Beloved Time of Their Lives by Ian Watson and Roberto Quaglia
Artwork: cover of
Desolation Road by Stephan Martinière
Non-fiction:
Mutant Popcorn by Nick Lowe
2010
Novel:
The Dervish House by Ian McDonald
Short Fiction:
The Ship Maker by Aliette de Bodard
Artwork: cover of
Zoo City, by Joey Hi-Fi
Non-Fiction:
Blogging the Hugos: Decline by Paul Kincaid
2011
Novel:
The Islanders by Christopher Priest
Short Fiction:
The Copenhagen Interpretation by Paul Cornell
Artwork: cover of
The Noise Revealed, by Dominic Harman
Non-Fiction:
The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction 3rd edition by John Clute, Peter Nicholls, David Langford and Graham Sleight
2012
Novel:
Jack Glass by Adam Roberts
Short Fiction:
Adrift on the Sea of Rains by Ian Sales
Artwork: cover of
Jack Glass by Blacksheep
Non-Fiction:
The World SF Blog, chief editor Lavie Tidhar
2013
Novel:
Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie and
Ack-Ack Macaque by Gareth L. Powell (tie)
Short Fiction:
Spin by Nina Allan
Artwork: cover of
Dream London by Joey Hi-Fi
Non-Fiction:
Wonderbook by Jeff VanderMeer
2014
Novel:
Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie
Short Fiction:
The Honey Trap by Ruth E. J. Booth, La Femme
Artwork:
The Wasp Factory after Iain Banks by Tessa Farmer
Non-Fiction:
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers and the First World War by Edward James (historian)
2015
Novel:
House of Shattered Wings by Aliette de Bodard
Short Fiction:
Thirty Cups of Grief by Starlight by Aliette de Bodard
Artwork: cover of
Pelquin's Comet by Jim Burns
Non-Fiction:
Rave and Let Die: the SF and Fantasy of 2014 by Adam Roberts
