The finalists for the 2023 SERAPH, a German fantasy award, have been announced by the Phantastische Akademie [Fantasy Academy]

The award has three categories. The Best Debut winner will receive the higher-than-usual amount of 4,000 euros this year due to individual donations. The Best Book winner will receive 1,000 euros, and Best Indie winner will get 1,750 euros.

The SERAPH prizewinners will be announced April 27 in cooperation with the Leipzig Book Fair. 

SERAPH 2023 FINALISTS

(Thanks to Cora Buhlert for translating the titles into English.)

BEST DEBUT BOOK

• Lucia Herbst, Medusa: Verdammt lebendig [Medusa: Damned Much Alive], (Piper Wundervoll)
• June Is, Gefangen zwischen den Zeilen: Simas Fluch [Trapped Between the Lines: Sima’s Curse], (ohneohren)
• Beril Kehribar, Schattenthron [Shadow Throne], (Carlsen Impress)
• Izzy Kramer, Nephilim: Der Schwur [Nephilim: The Oath], Wortschatten
• Lisa Maria Olszakiewiecz, Der Tod, der mal vom Leben träumte [The Death Who Dreamed of Life], (Weltenbaum) 
• Lara Roner, Ludentes: Die Spielenden [The Players], (Dunkelstern)

BEST INDEPENDENT BOOK

• Christopher Abendroth, Der salzige Geschmack unserer Freiheit [The Salty Taste of Our Freedom]
• Mathias Dambacher, Der weiße Planet: Das Erbe der Aedifizier [The White Planet: The Legacy of the Aedificians]
• Sameena Jehanzeb, Frozen, Ghosted, Dead
• Timo Leibig, Reaktor [Reactor]
• müller, Musa-Chroniken: Die Weiße Bruderschaft [Musa Chronicles: The White Brotherhood]
• Madeleine Puljic, Schwingen im Mondlicht [Wings in the Moonlight]
• E. V. Ring, Maschinenmacht: Cyan Zane Veil [Machine Power: Cyan Zane Veil]
• Ryan Rockwell, Kallistos Erbe [Callisto’s Legacy]
• Joshua Tree, Das Objekt [The Object]

BEST BOOK

• Anna Benning, Dark Sigils – Was die Magie verlangt [Dark Sigils – What Magic Demands], (Fischer KJB)
• Nina Blazon, Banshee Blues – Der Fluch der Todesfeen [Banshee Blues – Curse of the Banshees], (cbj)
• Veronika Carver, V-Sights: Die Realität ist nicht genug [V-Sights: Reality Is Not Enough], (Tagträumer )
• Lea Diamandis, Kupferblut [Copper Blood], (Dunkelstern)
• Christian Handel, Das verborgene Zimmer von Thornhill Hall [The Hidden Room of Thornhill Hall], (Ueberreuter)
• Theresa Hannig, Pantopia, (Fischer Tor)
• Faye Hell, Der letzte Traum [The Last Dream], (ohneohren)
• Michael Marrak, Lex Talionis, (Memoranda)
• Michael Peinkofer, Myrk: Die Dunkelwald-Saga [Myrk: The Dark Wood Saga], (Piper)
• Selina Schuster, Das Gemälde von Ashton Manor [The Painting of Ashton Manor], (Dryas)
• Andreas Suchanek, Interspace One, (Piper)
• Mira Valentin, Druidendämmerung [Druid Twilight], (Fischer Tor)
• Nils Westerboer, Athos 2643, (Klett-Cotta)