Longlist announced for main category of the II All-Russian Science Fiction Literary Award

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Thirty-nine literary works published in 2025 have been included in the longlist for "Fiction", the main category of the II All-Russian Science Fiction Literary Award. The announcement was made on 6 October at an event dedicated to the launch of the Award and the signing of a cooperation agreement between the National Centre RUSSIA and the Writers' Union of Russia. The shortlists for all categories and the names of the winners will be announced on 13 November at a ceremony held as part of the III International Symposium "Inventing the Future" at the National Centre RUSSIA.

The longlist for the "Fiction" category includes works by both established authors and writers who are just beginning their journey in science fiction. The entries were selected by the Award jury, comprising professional writers, critics and experts. Works by renowned authors include "A SINISTRA" by Viktor Pelevin, "Side Effect" by Vadim Panov and three works by Vasily Golovachev: "BOG. Ultimatum", "BOG. I Am Wrath!" and "Soul Stealers". Debut authors are represented by "Vastum" by Anna Mezentseva, "Sial" by Yevgenia Ulyanicheva, "Dreamer" by Arseny Kalabukhov and other works.

The notable and compelling works of 2025 also include the novels "The Seventh" and "The Ninth" by science fiction writer Sergei Lukyanenko, Chairman of the Jury of the Russian Science Fiction Literary Award and a member of the Board of the Writers' Union of Russia. They have been included in the longlist outside the contest and will not take part in the subsequent selection process.

The longlist for the "Fiction" category:

1. Boris Batyrshin. "This Great World": series (Eurasian Book Agency)

2. Alisher Beket. "Sekhsvet" (AST)

3. Artyom Bentsler. "Madman" (AST)

4. Yevgeny Berbentsev. "Control" (SDFLK)

5. Eduard Verkin. "Magpie on the Gallows" (Eksmo)

6. Igor Volkov. "Hidden Boundaries" (AST)

7. Vitaly Volny. "Biohacker. 'Hope' Corporation" (AST)

8. Vasily Golovachev. "BOG. Ultimatum" (Eksmo)

9. Vasily Golovachev. "BOG. I Am Wrath!" (Eksmo)

10. Vasily Golovachev. "Soul Stealers" (Eksmo)

11. Alexander Zhuravsky. "Alternative" (RIPOL Classic)

12. Maria Zakruchenko. "Bookship. The Last Bookshop in the Universe" (Alpina)

13. Roman Zlotnikov, Vasily Orekhov. "Star Warriors" (AST)

14. Yulia Zonis. "Atlas and the Demiurge. Church of the Customs Union" (AST)

15. Shamil Idiatullin. "The Fox's Laughter" (AST)

16. K. A. Terina. "All My Birds": short story collection (AST)

17. Arseny Kalabukhov. "Dreamer" (AST)

18. Maya Karavanova. "Someone, Something, Nothing" (SDFLK)

19. Dmitry Korsak. "White Sky. The Trap" (AST)

20. Yelena Kuleshova. "Barents Sea Sonata" (SDFLK)

21. Sergei Lukyanenko. "The Seventh" (AST)

22. Sergei Lukyanenko. "The Ninth" (AST)

23. Maxim Lykov. "I Live in October" (AST)

24. Maxim Makarenkov. "Object 'Fenrir'" (AST)

25. Yury Maximov. "The Black Xenoarchaeologist" (AST)

26. Anna Mezentseva. "Vastum" (AST)

27. Mei. "Immortality Test" (Eksmo; Chernym-belo)

28. Nadezhda Ozhigina. "Beyond the Pass — Cold and Darkness" (SDFLK)

29. Vadim Panov. "Side Effect" (AST)

30. Viktor Pelevin. "A SINISTRA" (Eksmo)

31. Roman Prokofiev. "A Thousand Brothers": series (Snezhny Kom M)

32. Mikhail Savelichev. "Two at the Edge of the World. A Temporal Love Story" (Publishing Solutions)

33. Margarita Simonyan. "In the Beginning Was the Word — in the End Will Be the Digit" (AST)

34. Sergei Tarmashev. "The Ancient One. Vague Misgivings" (AST)

35. Yevgenia Ulyanicheva. "Sial" (AST)

36. Yevgeny Filenko. "Cartographers of Paradise": short story collection (Snezhny Kom M)

37. Islam Khanipayev. "Moon 84": trilogy (MIF)

38. Pavel Shushkanov. "Magritte" (AST)

39. Oleg Yakovlev, Maria Gerasimova. "Route Recalculated" (Eksmo)

Overall, works submitted in five categories are competing for awards as part of the II All-Russian Science Fiction Literary Award: "Fiction", "Translation", the new "Children's and Young Adult Fiction" category, "Visual Image" and the special "International Recognition" category.

Special prize winners will also be selected from among the nominees by the Award's partners: ANO "Expert Institute for Social Research" and the Institute of Social Architecture, a separate division of the Presidential Platform "Russia — Land of Opportunity", as well as the literary partners of the III International Symposium "Inventing the Future" — the Eksmo and AST-Azbuka publishing houses.

The II All-Russian Science Fiction Literary Award was established by the National Centre RUSSIA jointly with the Writers' Union of Russia in 2025 to revive broad public interest in the genre as a driver of scientific and technological progress. The Award aims to bring together, recognise and promote the best works of science fiction, inspire people to study and reflect on tomorrow, and make the genre a tool for progress, discovery and creativity.

The III International Symposium "Inventing the Future" will be held at the National Centre RUSSIA on 12–13 November 2026. Organised on the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, the event will bring together more than 7,000 government officials, scientists and researchers, heads of corporations and business alliances, representatives of creative industries and public organisations, and young professionals from countries around the world. Those wishing to attend the Symposium events can register online.