We’ll be announcing the inaugural winner of The Aldiss Award for world-building in speculative fiction on Saturday 1st November, and we look forward to seeing you all for the announcement!
BOOK YOUR TICKET FOR FANTASYCON 2025
We have the prime billing of 7.30pm on the Saturday night!
Read the 2025 Shortlist
With two weeks to go until the big reveal, there’s still just time to read all of this year’s shortlist (or at least buy it to add to your TBR pile) and to that end, to save you looking it up, here it is again in all its glory.
And congratulations once again to all our shortlisted authors!
- Dreadful by Caitlin Rozakis
- Kavithri by Aman J. Bedi
- Saints Of Storm and Sorrow by Gabriella Buba
- Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon by Wole Talabi
- The Dance of Shadows by Rogba Payne
- When Among Crows by Veronica Roth
The literary estate, the award partners, and this year’s judges are all very excited with the prospect of the award ceremony for the 2025 inaugural Aldiss Award for world building in speculative fiction, being moved to the prime billing slot of 7:30pm at the World Fantasy Convention in Brighton on Saturday November the 1st.
It’s been a great honour to read through such an excellent set of written submissions and we look forward very much to unveiling our winner in front of what is looking like record numbers in the audience.
Honouring the Legacy of Brian Aldiss, Celebrating Extraordinary Realms in Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Bridges literature and gaming
- Inaugurated at Worldcon 25, Glasgow
- Celebrates Brian Aldiss’s centenary year of 2025
- Submissions open on what would have been Brian’s 99th birthday
- First award honoured on Brian’s 100th birthday on the 18th August 2025
The Aldiss Award, dedicated to celebrating exceptional world-building in science fiction and fantasy across literature and gaming, is excited to announce its launch. This distinguished annual award honours the rich legacy of Brian Aldiss, a Grand Master of science fiction, by spotlighting visionary creators who transport audiences to extraordinary realms.
The Aldiss Award seeks to carve out a prestigious place within the science fiction, fantasy and gaming communities, celebrating the profound impact of world-building on culture and storytelling. By recognising and supporting those who excel in the art of world-building, the award aims to inspire future generations of authors, game developers, and story tellers. The not-for-profit initiative is to recognise excellence in a vibrant community both in the UK and globally, united by a shared passion for speculative fiction.
“We are thrilled to present the Aldiss Award, which acknowledges the incredible contributions of world-building in speculative fiction,” said Allen Stroud, Chair of the Aldiss Award Committee. “Our mission is to celebrate the intricate and immersive worlds created by authors and game developers, ensuring that the legacy of Brian Aldiss continues to inspire and uplift the genre.”