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This is a list of Locus Award winners for best first novel, including ratings for those books that I've read and links to reviews where I've written one. This award is voted on by the readers of Locus and was originally intended to provide recommendations and suggestions for Hugo voting, but now often draws a larger total number of voters.
Locus's policy appears to be (I haven't been able to find official confirmation) that a first novel is only eligible for this award, not for the science fiction or fantasy awards.
Prior to 1981, books that would be eligible for this award were instead part of the slate for the science fiction and fantasy awards.
| 2023 | Ray Nayler | The Mountain in the Sea | |
| 2022 | P. Djèlí Clark | A Master of Djinn | 7 out of 10 |
| 2021 | Darcie Little Badger | Elatsoe | |
| 2020 | Tamsyn Muir | Gideon the Ninth | 8 out of 10 |
| 2019 | Rebecca Roanhorse | Trail of Lightning | 4 out of 10 |
| 2018 | Theodora Goss | The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter | |
| 2017 | Yoon Ha Lee | Ninefox Gambit | 7 out of 10 |
| 2016 | Ken Liu | The Grace of Kings | |
| 2015 | M. Rickert | The Memory Garden | |
| 2014 | Ann Leckie | Ancillary Justice | 10 out of 10 |
| 2013 | Saladin Ahmed | Throne of the Crescent Moon | 7 out of 10 |
| 2012 | Erin Morgenstern | The Night Circus | |
| 2011 | N.K. Jemisin | The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms | 7 out of 10 |
| 2010 | Paolo Bacigalupi | The Windup Girl | 7 out of 10 |
| 2009 | Paul Melko | Singularity's Ring | |
| 2008 | Joe Hill | Heart-Shaped Box | |
| 2007 | Naomi Novik | His Majesty's Dragon | 7 out of 10 |
| 2007 | Naomi Novik | Throne of Jade | 6 out of 10 |
| 2007 | Naomi Novik | Black Powder War | 7 out of 10 |
| 2006 | Elizabeth Bear | Hammered | 8 out of 10 |
| 2006 | Elizabeth Bear | Scardown | 8 out of 10 |
| 2006 | Elizabeth Bear | Worldwired | 8 out of 10 |
| 2005 | Susanna Clarke | Jonathan Strange & Mr Norell | 8 out of 10 |
| 2004 | Cory Doctorow | Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom | |
| 2003 | Alexander C. Irvine | A Scattering of Jades | |
| 2002 | Jacqueline Carey | Kushiel's Dart | 9 out of 10 |
| 2001 | Geoffrey A. Landis | Mars Crossing | |
| 2000 | Paul Levinson | The Silk Code | |
| 1999 | Nalo Hopkinson | Brown Girl in the Ring | |
| 1998 | Ian R. MacLeod | The Great Wheel | |
| 1997 | Sage Walker | Whiteout | |
| 1997 | Sarah Zettel | Reclamation | |
| 1996 | Linda Nagata | The Bohr Maker | |
| 1995 | Jonathan Lethem | Gun, with Occasional Music | 6 out of 10 |
| 1994 | Patricia Anthony | Cold Allies | |
| 1993 | Maureen F. McHugh | China Mountain Zhang | 8 out of 10 |
| 1992 | Kathe Koja | The Cipher | |
| 1991 | Michael F. Flynn | In the Country of the Blind | |
| 1990 | Allen Steele | Orbital Decay | |
| 1989 | Ian McDonald | Desolation Road | |
| 1988 | Emma Bull | War for the Oaks | |
| 1987 | Jack McDevitt | The Hercules Text | |
| 1986 | Carl Sagan | Contact | 6 out of 10 |
| 1985 | Kim Stanley Robinson | The Wild Shore | |
| 1984 | R.A. MacAvoy | Tea with the Black Dragon | |
| 1983 | Clare Bell | Ratha's Creature | |
| 1982 | Somtow Sucharitkul | Starship & Haiku | |
| 1981 | Robert Forward | Dragon's Egg |
Ratings for books that don't have a review are based on my memory of the book. The rating may well change if I get a chance to read the book again.
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