A new literary prize will place books set in Greece in the spotlight. The inaugural Homer Awards will recognise both contemporary thrillers and English-language fiction in which Greece plays a central role.
The first winners will be announced during a gala ceremony at the John & George Hotel in Tolo, Argolida, on 22 October 2027. The ceremony forms part of Imagine BOOKfest Greece and a week-long reading retreat taking place in Tolo and the nearby historic town of Nafplio.
A celebration of books set in Greece
The Homer Awards comprise nine different prizes. Four are devoted to thriller writing (the Odyssey Award, the Circe Award, the Athena Award, and the Hermes Award). The Penelope Award will offer the author of an unpublished thriller manuscript a publishing contract with Imagine Press.
A separate honorary award, named after the Greek author Markos Synodinos, will recognise services to Greek literature and culture.
Of particular interest to readers of Bookmarked Places are the three Greece Fiction Awards. These awards are intended for English-language novels in which Greece is more than a picturesque background and instead forms a meaningful part of the story.
The three categories for Greek Fiction are:
- The Aristophanes Award for the best comedy set in Greece. This category includes comic novels, romantic comedies, cosy mysteries, satire and light-hearted stories in which Greek places, culture and people contribute to the humour.
- The Herodotus Award for the best historical fiction set in Greece. Eligible novels may take place in ancient, Byzantine or more recent historical Greece, provided that the historical period is central to the story.
- The Aphrodite Award for the best romance set in Greece. The category encompasses different forms of romantic fiction, from contemporary and slow-burn romance to romantic suspense and darker love stories.
This focus on place is what makes the new Greek awards particularly interesting. Many novels transport their readers to the streets of Athens, a Greek island or a particular period in the country’s long history. The Greece Fiction Awards expressly recognise books in which that setting helps shape the characters, atmosphere and events rather than serving merely as an attractive backdrop.
Publishers can submit eligible titles directly. Readers who belong to either the Thriller Book Retreat or Solo Travel to Greece communities can also nominate books by independent authors, provided that they have written a qualifying review on Amazon or Goodreads. The eligible books must have been published in English between 1 October 2025 and 1 October 2026. This includes Greek novels published in an English translation.
Submissions and reader nominations open on 1 September 2026 and close on 31 December 2026. Community voting will help determine the longlists, after which a specialist jury will read and assess the selected books. The longlists are expected on 15 February 2027 and the shortlists on 1 May 2027.
The Greece Fiction jury brings together writers, editors, translators, journalists and teachers with close connections to Greece and literature. Its members are Rania Stone, Maria A. Karamitsos, Wendy H. Jones, Lina Varotsi and Eleni Chelioti.
The Homer Award Ceremony 2027
The award ceremony will be held during a six-night reading retreat in Tolo, from 17 to 23 October 2027. Alongside author discussions, book signings and the gala itself, the programme includes visits to Nafplio, Mycenae and the ancient theatre of Epidaurus.
Bookmarked Places is proud to be an official communication partner of the Homer Awards. As a website devoted to books with a strong sense of place, we are pleased to support new awards that recognise the important role Greece can play in fiction.
Discover how Greece is portrayed in books.
Explore the best books set in Athens
Explore the best books set on the Greek islands.
Author: Bart Van Besien