Fantasy

Lavie Tidhar has won the 2012 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel for his speculative fiction novel Osama.
Tidhar trumped an impressive shortlist including authors such as Stephen King and George RR Martin and was awarded the prize at a gala event held in Toronto last weekend.

Set in a world without global terrorism, OSAMA follows a private detective hired to locate the obscure author of a series of pulp fiction novels. These feature one 'Osama Bin Laden: Vigilante'. Tidhar explores the post-9/11 global subconscious, mixing together elements of film noir, non-fiction, alternative history and international thriller. The book was inspired by a number of close calls the author has had with terrorist attacks.

The other titles on the shortlist:

• Those Across the River, Christopher Buehlman
• 11/22/63, Stephen King
• A Dance with Dragons, George R.R. Martin
• Among Others, Jo Walton

World Fantasy Award for Best Collection: Tim Powers - Bible Repairman and Other Stories
World Fantasy Award for Best Antholgy: Vandermeer (Ed.) - Weird: A Compendium of Strange and Dark Stories

• Those Across the River, Christopher Buehlman
• 11/22/63, Stephen King 
• A Dance with Dragons, George R.R. Martin 
• Osama, Lavie Tidhar
• Among Others, Jo Walton

More about the World Fantasy Award nominees