W.Y. Boyd Literary Novel Award for Excellence in Military Fiction
About
The W.Y. Boyd Literary Award honors the best American Military Fiction set in a period when the United States was at war.
The $5,000 award and citation, donated by author W.Y. Boyd II recognizes the service of veterans, and encourages the writing and publishing of outstanding works related fiction.
Winners may purchasebook seals on the ALA webstore.
Administered by:
Categories:
Details
Frequency: Annual
Award Information
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
 | Rebel Falls: A Novel 2025 - Winner(s) With Rebel Falls, Tim Wendel takes us to late summer of 1864. The Civil War rages on. Sherman is marching on Atlanta, while the armies... | 2025 - Winner(s) |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
 | IWO, 26 Charlie 2024 - Winner(s) "Iwo, 26 Charlie" by P.T. Deutermann, published by St. Martin’s Press is the winner of the 2024 W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military... | 2024 - Winner(s) |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
 | The Last Paladin 2023 - Winner(s) P.T. Deutermann’s novel is based on a true story. The Last Paladin’s story follows the USS Holland, a ship summoned from hunting German U-Boats in... | 2023 - Winner(s) |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
 | The Eagles Claw 2022 - Winner(s) The Eagles Claw A novel of the Battle of Midway by Jeff Shaara, published by Ballantine Books is the winner of the 2022 W. Y... | 2022 - Winner(s) |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
 | A Quiet Cadence 2021 - Winner(s) Mark Treanor’s novel is a first person account of what our service men and women face when asked to fight for this country in conflicts... | 2021 - Winner(s) |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
 | Ralph Peters wins 2020 W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for excellence in military fiction 2020 - Winner(s) "Darkness at Chancellorsville" details the military action that took place at the Battle of Chancellorsville during April 30 to May 6, 1863, when the... | 2020 - Winner(s) |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
 | And The Whole Mountain Burned 2019 - Winner(s) McPadden has written a firsthand account of the trials and tribulations of US Army Rangers, especially Sergeant Nick Burch and Private Danny Shane, fighting in... | 2019 - Winner(s) |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
 | Frozen Hours 2018 - Winner(s) Jeff Shaara takes us back in history to the Korean War and especially the winter of 1950 when the American, UN and Republic of Korea... | 2018 - Winner(s) |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
 | Arizona Moon 2017 - Winner(s) J. M. Graham has written a firsthand account of the trials and tribulations of three individuals, two Marines, Cpl. Raymond Strader, Squad Leader who is... | 2017 - Winner(s) |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
 | Valley of the Shadow 2016 - Winner(s) "Valley of the Shadow" details the military action that took place in the Shenandoah Valley during the critical year of 1864, when the armies of... | 2016 - Winner(s) |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
 | Redeployment 2015 - Winner(s) Phil Klay, a Marine veteran, has written a very compelling collection of short stories about the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. The author’s writing takes... | 2015 - Winner(s) |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
 | Hell or Richmond 2014 - Winner(s) "Hell or Richmond" finely portrays the human side of war, along with the horrific carnage, the influence of politics, inspiring courage, glory and defeat. Drawn... | 2014 - Winner(s) |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Cain at Gettysburg 2013 - Winner(s) "Cain at Gettysburg" is a detailed account of the events leading up to and including the three days of the Battle of Gettysburg. The author, a... | 2013 - Winner(s) |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
 | Pacific Glory 2012 - Winner(s) Savo Island, Midway, and the Battle of Samar, three of the defining naval battles of WWII in the Pacific, will draw history buffs to this... | 2012 - Winner(s) |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
 | Matterhorn 2011 - Winner(s) Karl Marlantes has written a firsthand account of the trials and tribulations of Marine Second Lieutenant Waino Mellas and his comrades of Bravo Company, who... | 2011 - Winner(s) |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
 | Seen the Glory 2010 - Winner(s) | 2010 - Winner(s) |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
 | Peace 2009 - Winner(s) It’s an excellent work that chronicles the lives of an Army patrol in Italy during the bleak winter of 1944 and details their adventures and... | 2009 - Winner(s) |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| A Different Kind of Honor 2008 - Winner(s) It’s an excellent work about the assignment of Lt. Cmdr. Peter Wake during a conflict that is little known to history, the War of the... | 2008 - Winner(s) |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
 | The Deadly Embrace 2007 - Winner(s) It’s an excellent work on a critical period in the Second World War. The intrigue, the tension, and the secrecy surrounding those critical days before... | 2007 - Winner(s) |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
 | Articles of War 2006 - Winner(s) An addition to the chronicles of individuals who served in the Second World War. It is a very compelling tale that enables the reader to... | 2006 - Winner(s) |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
 | To The Last Man: A Novel of The First World War 2005 - Winner(s) An epic account of modern warfare. Recent history has often overlooked the First World War and the men who fought in it. Jeff Shaara’s novel,... | 2005 - Winner(s) |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
 | Glory In The Name: A Novel of the Confederate Navy 2004 - Winner(s) A triumph of imagination and good, taut writing. “Like the American Revolution, the naval action of the Civil War largely is overshadowed by the fighting... | 2004 - Winner(s) |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
 | Warning of War 2003 - Winner(s) An action-filed novel with stunning breadth and depth. His excellent writing has captured the historical depiction of the vivid portrayal of wartime China during 1941... | 2003 - Winner(s) |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
 | Sharkman Six 2002 - Winner(s) Truly a war novel for the New World Order. The book is set in Somalia during the U.S. involvement in Operation Restore Hope in 1991–1992... | 2002 - Winner(s) |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
 | Dog Company Six 2001 - Winner(s) The author captures the reality of this brutal war and portrays the depths that men in combat can rise to or fall as they faced... | 2001 - Winner(s) |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
 | Soldier in Paradise 2000 - Winner(s) With a refreshing lack of bombast or melodrama, first novelist Mort offers an insightful, affecting look at the complex personal consequences of war specifically Vietnam... | 2000 - Winner(s) |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
 | Jacob’s Ladder: A Story of Virginia During the War 1999 - Winner(s) Reminiscent of Cold Mountain and Gone with the Wind, a civil war saga of a Virginia plantation family fulfilling its unforgettable destiny. Widely acclaimed, with... | 1999 - Winner(s) |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| The Black Flower: A Novel of the Civil War 1998 - Winner(s) The Black Flower is written with reverent attention to historical accuracy. The book vividly documents the fear, suffering, and intense friendships that are all present... | 1998 - Winner(s) |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
 | Gods and Generals 1997 - Winner(s) This Shaara is the son of Michael Shaara, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning, best-selling novel about the Battle of Gettysburg, The Killer Angels (1974). This... | 1997 - Winner(s) |
Eligibility:Eligible books must be submitted by December 31 of the publication year. For example: the 2025 committee will only consider books with a copyright year of 2024.
Instructions:
- Complete theonline application
- Please contact theALA Governance Office to receive the W.Y. Boyd Award Jury addresses to send copies of the
eligible book.
American Library Association
ALA Governance Office
225 N. Michigan Avenue
Suite 1300
Chicago, IL 60601
312-280-3247
