Science fiction awards by the numbers: 74 years of Hugo, Nebula, Locus and Clarke winners

How often do the Hugo and Nebula agree?

The Hugo is voted on by fans at the World Science Fiction Convention; the Nebula by professional writers. Since the Nebula began, both have named a Best Novel in 61 years, and they picked the same book in 23 of them (38%). This count includes fantasy winners, so every year is compared.

Share of years in each decade with the same Best Novel winner.

Are winning novels getting longer?

The median length of award-winning science fiction novels, grouped by the decade they first won. The shortest winner in our library is The Big Time at 128 pages; the longest is Anathem at 937.

Page counts come from English print editions and vary by edition.

Do winners rate higher than finalists?

Among books with at least 100 ratings, award winners average ★ 3.94 and books that were only finalists average ★ 3.91. 45% of winners are rated 4.0 or higher, against 36% of finalists. The awards and readers are closer than you might expect: a finalist is often just as well loved as the winner.

Based on 118 winners and 214 finalists with web-aggregated ratings.

The most decorated books

21 science fiction books have won at least three of the four awards. 8 books were recognized by all four.

• Ringworld by Larry Niven: Hugo, Locus and Nebula
• The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov: Hugo, Locus and Nebula
• Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke: Hugo, Locus and Nebula
• The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin: Hugo, Locus and Nebula
• The Forever War by Joe Haldeman: Hugo, Locus and Nebula
• Gateway by Frederik Pohl: Hugo, Locus and Nebula
• Stardance by Jeanne Robinson & Spider Robinson: Hugo, Locus and Nebula
• Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre: Hugo, Locus and Nebula
• The Persistence of Vision by John Varley: Hugo, Locus and Nebula
• Enemy Mine by Barry B. Longyear: Hugo, Locus and Nebula
• Startide Rising by David Brin: Hugo, Locus and Nebula
• PRESS ENTER[] by John Varley: Hugo, Locus and Nebula
• Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card: Hugo, Locus and Nebula
• Doomsday Book by Connie Willis: Hugo, Locus and Nebula
• The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon: Hugo, Locus and Nebula
• Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis: Hugo, Locus and Nebula
• Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie: Arthur C. Clarke, Hugo and Nebula
• All Systems Red by Martha Wells: Hugo, Locus and Nebula
• The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal: Hugo, Locus and Nebula
• This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone: Hugo, Locus and Nebula
• Network Effect by Martha Wells: Hugo, Locus and Nebula

The most awarded authors

Authors with the most wins for science fiction novels and novellas across the four awards.