Reading Every Hugo Award-Winning Novel

I've set myself an ambitious reading goal: to read every novel that has won the Hugo Award for Best Novel. The Hugo Awards, presented annually by the World Science Fiction Society since 1953, represent some of the finest works in science fiction and fantasy literature.

This list includes all Hugo Award winners from 1953 to 2025, plus the Retro-Hugo winners (awarded retroactively for years when no Hugos were originally given). For series entries, I've also included prerequisite books that should be read first to fully appreciate the story.

I'll check off each book as I complete it. Let the reading begin!

The Complete List

1950s

1953

• [ ] The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester.

1955

• [ ] They'd Rather Be Right (also known as The Forever Machine) by Mark Clifton & Frank Riley.

1956

• [ ] Double Star by Robert A. Heinlein.

1958

• [ ] The Big Time by Fritz Leiber.

1959

• [ ] A Case of Conscience by James Blish.

1960s

1960

• [X] Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein.

1961

• [ ] A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr.

1962

• [X] Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein.

1963

• [X] The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick.

1964

• [ ] Here Gather the Stars (also known as Way Station) by Clifford D. Simak.

1965

• [ ] The Wanderer by Fritz Leiber.

1966 (Tie)

• [X] Dune by Frank Herbert.
• [ ] ...And Call Me Conrad (also known as This Immortal) by Roger Zelazny.

1967

• [ ] The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein.

1968

• [ ] Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny.

1969

• [ ] Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner.

1970s

1970

• [ ] The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin.

1971

• [ ] Ringworld by Larry Niven.

1972

Riverworld Series:

• [ ] To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip José Farmer (Hugo Winner).

1973

• [ ] The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov.

1974

• [X] Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke.

1975

Hainish Cycle:

• [ ] The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin (Hugo Winner).

1976

• [X] The Forever War by Joe Haldeman.

1977

• [ ] Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang by Kate Wilhelm.

1978

Heechee Saga:

• [ ] Gateway by Frederik Pohl (Hugo Winner).

1979

• [ ] Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre.

1980s

1980

• [ ] The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke.

1981

• [ ] The Snow Queen by Joan D. Vinge.

1982

The Book of the New Sun:

• [ ] The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe (prerequisite).
• [ ] The Claw of the Conciliator by Gene Wolfe (Hugo Winner).

1982 (Alternate Winner)

• [ ] Downbelow Station by C. J. Cherryh.

1983

Foundation Series:

• [X] Foundation by Isaac Asimov (prerequisite).
• [X] Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov (prerequisite).
• [X] Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov (prerequisite).
• [ ] Foundation's Edge by Isaac Asimov (Hugo Winner).

1984

Uplift Saga:

• [ ] Sundiver by David Brin (prerequisite).
• [ ] Startide Rising by David Brin (Hugo Winner).

1985

• [X] Neuromancer by William Gibson.

1986

• [X] Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.

1987

Ender's Saga:

• [ ] Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card (Hugo Winner).

1988

Uplift Saga:

• [ ] The Uplift War by David Brin (Hugo Winner).

1989

• [ ] Cyteen by C. J. Cherryh.

1990s

1990

Hyperion Cantos:

• [ ] Hyperion by Dan Simmons (Hugo Winner).

1991

Vorkosigan Saga:

• [ ] The Warrior's Apprentice by Lois McMaster Bujold (prerequisite).
• [ ] The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold (Hugo Winner).

1992

Vorkosigan Saga:

• [ ] Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold (Hugo Winner).

1993 (Tie)

• [ ] A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge.
• [ ] Doomsday Book by Connie Willis.

1994

Mars Trilogy:

• [ ] Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson (prerequisite).
• [ ] Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson (Hugo Winner).

1995

Vorkosigan Saga:

• [ ] Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold (Hugo Winner).

1996

• [X] The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson.

1997

Mars Trilogy:

• [ ] Blue Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson (Hugo Winner).

1998

• [ ] Forever Peace by Joe Haldeman.

1999

• [ ] To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis.

2000s

2000

Zones of Thought:

• [ ] A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge (prerequisite).
• [ ] A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge (Hugo Winner).

2001

Harry Potter:

• [X] Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J. K. Rowling (prerequisite).
• [X] Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling (prerequisite).
• [X] Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling (prerequisite).
• [X] Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling (Hugo Winner).

2002

• [X] American Gods by Neil Gaiman.

2003

Neanderthal Parallax:

• [ ] Hominids by Robert J. Sawyer (Hugo Winner).

2004

World of the Five Gods:

• [ ] The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold (prerequisite).
• [ ] Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold (Hugo Winner).

2005

• [ ] Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke.

2006

• [ ] Spin by Robert Charles Wilson.

2007

• [ ] Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge.

2008

• [ ] The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon.

2009

• [ ] The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.

2010s

2010 (Tie)

• [ ] The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi.
• [ ] The City & the City by China Miéville.

2011

• [ ] Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis.

2012

• [ ] Among Others by Jo Walton.

2013

• [X] Redshirts by John Scalzi.

2014

• [ ] Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie.

2014 (Special)

The Wheel of Time:

• [ ] The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan (prerequisite - Book 1).
• [ ] The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan (prerequisite - Book 2).
• [ ] The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan (prerequisite - Book 3).
• [ ] The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan (prerequisite - Book 4).
• [ ] The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan (prerequisite - Book 5).
• [ ] Lord of Chaos by Robert Jordan (prerequisite - Book 6).
• [ ] A Crown of Swords by Robert Jordan (prerequisite - Book 7).
• [ ] The Path of Daggers by Robert Jordan (prerequisite - Book 8).
• [ ] Winter's Heart by Robert Jordan (prerequisite - Book 9).
• [ ] Crossroads of Twilight by Robert Jordan (prerequisite - Book 10).
• [ ] Knife of Dreams by Robert Jordan (prerequisite - Book 11).
• [ ] The Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson (prerequisite - Book 12).
• [ ] Towers of Midnight by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson (prerequisite - Book 13).
• [ ] A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson (Hugo Winner - Book 14).

2015

Remembrance of Earth's Past:

• [X] The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu (translated by Ken Liu) (Hugo Winner).

2016

The Broken Earth:

• [ ] The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin (Hugo Winner).

2017

The Broken Earth:

• [ ] The Obelisk Gate by N. K. Jemisin (Hugo Winner).

2018

The Broken Earth:

• [ ] The Stone Sky by N. K. Jemisin (Hugo Winner).

2019

Lady Astronaut:

• [ ] The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal (Hugo Winner).

2020s

2020

Teixcalaan:

• [ ] A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine (Hugo Winner).

2021

The Murderbot Diaries:

• [X] All Systems Red by Martha Wells (prerequisite - Murderbot Diaries #1).
• [X] Artificial Condition by Martha Wells (prerequisite - Murderbot Diaries #2).
• [X] Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells (prerequisite - Murderbot Diaries #3).
• [X] Exit Strategy by Martha Wells (prerequisite - Murderbot Diaries #4).
• [X] Network Effect by Martha Wells (Hugo Winner - Murderbot Diaries #5).

2022

Teixcalaan:

• [ ] A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine (Hugo Winner).

2023

• [ ] Nettle & Bone by Ursula Vernon (as T. Kingfisher).

2024

• [ ] Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh.

2025

• [ ] The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett.

Retro-Hugo Winners

These awards were given retroactively for years when no Hugos were originally presented.

1939 (Awarded 2014)

• [ ] The Sword in the Stone by T. H. White.

1941 (Awarded 2016)

• [ ] Slan by A. E. van Vogt.

1943 (Awarded 2018)

• [ ] Beyond This Horizon by Robert A. Heinlein (as Anson MacDonald).

1944 (Awarded 2019)

• [ ] Conjure Wife by Fritz Leiber.

1945 (Awarded 2020)

• [ ] Shadow Over Mars (also known as The Nemesis from Terra) by Leigh Brackett.

1946 (Awarded 1996)

Foundation Series:

• [X] The Mule by Isaac Asimov (Hugo Winner - part of Foundation series).

1951 (Awarded 2001)

• [ ] Farmer in the Sky by Robert A. Heinlein.

1954 (Awarded 2004)

• [X] Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.

Reading Stats

• Total Hugo Winners: 73 individual wins.
• Total Books to Read (including prerequisites): 140+.
• Books Completed: 24.
• Current Reading: Hyperion by Dan Simmons.
• Started: December 1, 2025.

This is a living document that I'll update as I read through the list. The Hugo Awards represent decades of exceptional science fiction and fantasy writing, and I'm excited to experience these genre-defining works!

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