Adam Roberts took home the British Science Fiction Association Prize for the Best Novel for his crime novel "Jack Glass".

According to novelist Kim Stanley Robinson, author Adam Roberts should have won the Man Booker Prize. However, Roberts bagged his first big award Tuesday when he was announced this year's recipient of the British Science Fiction Association's Best Novel Award for his book "Jack Glass".

On receiving the award, Roberts said he has had a fairly long writing career but has never won any award, and expressed his happiness that his first one was a BSFA.

BSFA awards administrator Donna Scott called Jack Glass "an amazing book, which successfully blends crime and science fiction into a triptych of appealing narratives concerning - of all things - a sociopathic protagonist."

"It's highly intelligent and skilful storytelling. I wouldn't be surprised if this book goes on to win more awards," said Scott. "Adam Roberts must surely soon be recognized by the literary establishment as one of the finest writers we currently have working in the English language."

Other novelists contending for the prize included Ken MacLeod and Kim Stanley Robinson. Authors that have won the award previously are Arthur C Clarke, Philip K Dick, Terry Pratchett and, last year, Christopher Priest.

This year, the best short story award went to Ian Sales for "Adrift on the Sea of Rains", which sees a group of astronauts stranded on the moon when nuclear war breaks out on Earth. World Fantasy award-winning novelist Lavie Tidhar won the best non-fiction prize for his work on the World SF Blog, while Blacksheep took the best artwork award for the cover of "Jack Glass".

"We started the World SF Blog four years ago, in order to have a conversation: a conversation about science fiction and about diversity, a conversation we felt it was important to have," said Tidhar in his speech. "I have seen a lot of changes in genre fiction in the past four years, a greater awareness to do with representation, and a strong and vigorous discussion of assumptions only a few years ago no one thought to question. I am delighted I've been able to contribute to that discussion, in whatever minor capacity, and very grateful to the members of this convention for recognising us in this way."