The Hugo-Winning Novel You Have to Read This Year

Published Nov 12, 2026, 4:00 PM EST Tony Cooper is a contributing writer for ScreenRant. With a Master's degree in English and a book collection that simply refuses to stop growing, Tony is no stranger to the literary arts. During his studies he worked as a poetry & fiction editor for a literary journal in Montreal, which he now calls home. Tony is always on the look-out for the next book that piques the mind or simply sends him on an exciting journey. Sign in to your ScreenRant account The sci-fi and fantasy genres continue to evolve, and the Hugo awards are sometimes the best place to go to find the pulse of the genres in the current day. Plus, it could just give a hint regarding what new movies or television series could be on the horizon. The 2026 Hugo awards ceremony has recently come and gone, and among the most celebrated works to win an award is Alix E. Harrow's time-twisting book, The Everlasting. Published in 2025, this fantasy book will instantly get you hooked. The theme is simple: How are legends created? And this allows Alix Harrow an opportunity to tell a very different kind of story, one that rewrites classic myths and legends. The Everlasting Is A New Spin On Classic Setting Custom Image by Hannah Diffey Groundhog Day, but make it Arthurian. There's no confirmation whether Harrow used this exact elevator pitch, but it would certainly be an accurate one. The narrative follows the young scholar Owen Mallory, a historian studying the exploits of a legendary knight by the name of Sir Una Everlasting. Study quickly turns into a kind of parasocial affection rather quickly, but things really take a turn when Mallory is thrust back into the events of the history he had until then only studied on the page. Mallory finds himself face to face with the legendary Una Everlasting in the midst of the events that would shape her as a figure of equal parts history and myth, emblematic of the best qualities of her nation, and one that has become a convenient face to conceal some of its worst elements. But there's one extra twist on top of all this. In order to escape the time loop in which Mallory and Sir Una now find themselves, they must alter the very course of events that are the foundation for Mallory's contemporary day. Enjoy Reading "The Everlasting," And Enjoy Watching It Soon Too Yes, The Everlasting is an exceptional tale about how real history becomes altered over time. Yes, it's an expertly-written novel and is well-deserving of its Hugo award. And yes, it's a fresh piece of contemporary literature. But even if all that wasn't enough to tempt someone into picking up a copy of Harrow's book, The Everlasting is also set for a small-screen adaptation next year. Hot off the heels of its successful release, the television rights to The Everlasting were picked up by Netflix. The streaming giant obtained these rights in the summer of 2026, not even a full year after the novel's release. Things are pretty hush-hush around the production of The Everlasting as things currently stand, which of course has not stopped fans from making their dream casting decisions for the likes of Una and Owen. While there is no official premier date for Netflix's The Everlasting, it wouldn't be surprising to see the company eager to follow the coattails of the book's accolades with a release date in the relatively-near future. And with Harrow taking up an executive role in the production of the show, The Everlasting has all the makings of a contemporary fantasy success.