The finalists of the 2018 Aurealis Awards have been announced. These awards recognise the achievements of Australian science fiction, fantasy and horror writers.

Here are some of the 2018 finalists for the different categories…

Best Children’s Fiction

• The Relic of the Blue Dragon by Rebecca Lim
• The Slightly Alarming Tales of the Whispering Wars by Jaclyn Moriarty
• The Endsister by Penni Russon
• Secret Guardians by Lian Tanner
• Ting Ting the Ghosthunter by Gabrielle Wang
• Ottilie Colter and the Narroway Hunt by Rhiannon Williams

Best Graphic Novel / Illustrated Work

• Deathship Jenny by Rob O’Connor
• Cicada by Shaun Tan
• Tales from the Inner City by Shaun Tan

Best Collection

• Not Quite the End of the World Just Yet by Peter M Ball
• Phantom Limbs by Margo Lanagan
• Tales from the Inner City by Shaun Tan
• Exploring Dark Short Fiction #2: A Primer to Kaaron Warren edited by Eric J Guignard, commentary by Michael Arnzen

Best Young Adult Novel

• Small Spaces by Sarah Epstein
• Lifel1k3 by Jay Kristoff
• Catching Teller Crow by Ambelin Kwaymullina & Ezekiel Kwaymullina
• His Name was Walter by Emily Rodda
• A Curse of Ash and Embers by Jo Spurrier
• Impostors by Scott Westerfeld

Best Horror Novel

• The Bus on Thursday by Shirley Barrett
• Years of the Wolf by Craig Cormick
• Tide of Stone by Kaaron Warren

Best Fantasy Novel

• Devouring Dark by Alan Baxter
• Lady Helen and the Dark Days Deceit by Alison Goodman
• City of Lies by Sam Hawke
• Lightning Tracks by Alethea Kinsela
• The Witch Who Courted Death by Maria Lewis
• We Ride the Storm by Devin Madson

Best Science Fiction Novel

• Scales of Empire by Kylie Chan
• Obsidio by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
• Lifel1k3 by Jay Kristoff
• Dyschronia by Jennifer Mills
• A Superior Spectre by Angela Meyer
• The Second Cure by Margaret Morgan

Find the full list of finalists as well as more about the 2018 Aurealis Awards here. This year’s winners will be announced at the Aurealis Awards, held in Melbourne on Saturday, 4 May.