Every year, the Spectrum Awards pick the most amazing art in science fiction and fantasy, from a number of categories including book covers, advertising, and concept art. This year’s nominees are absolutely stunning. Here are some of our absolute favorites.


The Spectrum 23 nominations were announced by Santa Cruz-based Flesk Publications yesterday, and they include five finalists in each of eight categories. The winners in each category will be named at the Spectrum 23 Awards Ceremony on May 7, which is held at the Society of Illustrators. But here are some of the images that blew us away from among the finalists. [via File770]

Discworld by Bartosz Kosowski


King Under the Mountain by Jaemin Kim

Natural Connection by Wesley Burt

Behind the Veil by Julie Bell

The Language of Knives by Sam Weber


Finnegan’s Field by Greg Ruth

Traveling To a Distant Day by Tran Nguyen


Empathy by Donato Giancola

Renard and the Strawberries by Annie Stegg Gerard


Sorcerer of the Wildeeps by Karla Ortiz

Vesuvius by Donato Giancola


Tom, Thom by Rovina Cai

Glitch by Andrew Thompson


Dragon Island by Dejian Wu

Munchasaurus Rex by Chris Ayers


Tribes of Kai, page 41 by Daren Bader

Family Portraithausen: A Tribute to Ray Harryhausen by Chris Seaman


See the rest over at the Spectrum 23 site.

Charlie Jane Anders is the author of All The Birds in the Sky , which is available now. Here’s what people have been saying about it. Follow her on Twitter , and email her .