The
World Fantasy Awards are given each year by the
World Fantasy Convention for the best
fantasy fiction published in English during the previous calendar year. The awards have been described by book critics such as
The Guardian as a "prestigious fantasy prize", and one of the three most prestigious
speculative fiction awards, along with the
Hugo and
Nebula Awards (which cover both fantasy and
science fiction). The
World Fantasy Award for Best Novel is given each year for fantasy
novels published in English or translated into English. A work of fiction is defined by the organization as a novel if it is 40,000 words or longer; awards are also given out for pieces of shorter lengths in the
short story and
novella categories. The World Fantasy Award for Best Novel has been awarded annually since 1975.