EJ Swift has been named the winner of the 2026 Arthur C Clarke Award for Science Fiction for her novel, "When There Are Wolves Again." The book, a speculative work of eco-fiction, explores themes of rewilding and climate activism in a near-future Britain.
Tom Hunter, the award's director, described Swift's winning novel as an "ambitious study in the power of long-term hope in the face of climate breakdown." The story follows two women, Lucy and Hester, whose separate journeys converge in 2070, with Lucy involved in climate activism and Hester a documentary-maker.
Swift will receive £2,026 in prize money, continuing the award's tradition of incrementally increasing the sum each year since 2001. This year, judges considered a record 132 books submitted by 52 UK publishing imprints and independent authors for the award, which is now in its 40th year.