Locus Online reports that the very talented new British fantasy writer Steph Swainston has won the William L Crawford award for her powerful and unusual debut novel The Year of Our War. It’s a very well-deserved piece of recognition for a very promising new author.

In fact we’ve picked both the Year of our War and the sequel No Present Like Time (both due later in April) as two of our best fantasy novel picks of the season. Year of Our War has been garnering praise from reviewers since the hardback edition came out – I thought it was one of the freshest and most unusual fantasies I’ve come across in recent years. If you love fantasy but hanker for something more vibrant and unique then you should check them out – she’s an author you’re going to hear more of.