El Sayed wins Future Worlds Prize for Fantasy and Science Fiction Writers of Colour

Mahmud El Sayed has been crowned winner of the 2023 Future Worlds Prize for Fantasy and Science Fiction Writers of Colour for his “powerful and unusual” novel, What the Crew Wants.

El Sayed was announced as the winner at an awards ceremony in London on 22nd May, taking home £4,000. Ali Mahdi was named runner-up, winning £2,000 with his novel Light at Midnight. The winner and runner-up were chosen from a shortlist of eight by judges Aliette de Bodard, Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson, Nikita Gill and Syima Aslam.

What the Crew Wants is set on the city-ship "Safina", 200 years into its journey to establish a new home for humanity. When the generation ship unexpectedly crashes out of warp, the crew faces their biggest test yet.

In a joint statement the judges said: "What the Crew Wants is a very new and fresh take on the Generation Ship, taking the concept and going to some brilliant places with it. The protagonist was well developed, and the world building was excellent, with high stakes. It’s a powerful and unusual story. We felt like we were walking inside the spaceship, seeing all the different people living their lives."

Of Mahdi’s novel they said: "We found Light at Midnight compelling, with a relatable protagonist. There was something incredibly dark and powerful about this story, and it’s stayed with us since we read it. It has some very sharp lines, and in just a few details evokes a situation that doesn’t feel that far off our present."

The six runners-up of the prize each receive £800. They are: Dawn in Arborellum by Ama Josephine Budge; The Archer and the Oracle by Anne Elicaño-Shields; The Taste of a Planet by Arianne Maki; Firstborn of the Sun by Marvellous Michael Anson; The Breath of Silence by Melanie Reynard; and Wisteria Chumleigh by Calah Singleton.

All shortlisted writers, the runner-up and the winner will also receive mentoring from one of the prize’s publishing partners: Gollancz, Orbit, Hodderscape, Tor and Bloomsbury. The Future Worlds Prize was founded by bestselling author Ben Aaronovitch in 2020, and was previously named the Gollancz and Rivers of London BAME SFF Award. The prize is financially supported by Aaronovitch and Bridgerton actor Adjoa Andoh. It is administered by Future Worlds Prize CIC, a not-for-profit organisation.

Last year’s prize was won by M H Ayinde, who has since secured an agent for her novel A Shadow In Chains. The 2020 prize was won by Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson for The Principle of Moments, a space-based adventure story. Jikiemi-Pearson has since secured a publishing deal with Gollancz, and her debut novel will be released in 2024.