Full details here, but the quick version is as follows:
If an author is not present, that's likely because official sales figures have not been released yet. Brandon Sanderson and Patrick Rothfuss, for example, should definitely be on here but as they have no official figures, I can't place them. That's also true for older authors like Arthur C. Clarke and Philip K. Dick.
1) J.K Rowling (c. 450 million)
2) Stephen King (c. 350 million)
3) JRR Tolkien (c. 300 million)
4) CS Lewis (120 million+)
5) Stephanie Meyer (116 million)
6) Anne Rice (100 million)
7) Robert Jordan (80 million+)
8) Sir Terry Pratchett (75 million+)
9) Richard Adams (50 million+)
10) Suzanne Collins (50 million+)
11) Christopher Paolini (33 million)
12) R.A. Salvatore (30 million+)
13) Kaoru Kurimoto (28 million)
14) George Orwell (25 million+)
15) Terry Goodkind (25 million)
16) George R.R. Martin (25 million+)
17) Cassandra Clare (24 million)
18) Terry Brooks (21 million+)
19) Eoin Colfer (21 million)
20) Isaac Asimov (20 million+)
21) Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman (c. 20 million)
22) Brian Jacquies (c. 20 million)
23) Kazumasa Hirai (c. 20 million)
24) Charlaine Harris (c. 20 million)
25) Frank Herbert (18 million)
26) Hideyuki Kikuchi (18 million)
27) Diana Gabaldon (17 million)
28) Douglas Adams (16 million)
29) Kevin J. Anderson (16 million)
30) Raymond E. Feist (15 million+)
31) Rick Riordan (15 million)
32) Philip Pullman (15 million)
33) Yoshiki Tanaka (15 million)
34) Stephen Donaldson (10 million)
35) Neil Gaiman (10 million + )
36) Alice Sebold (10 million+)
37) Madeline L'Engle (10 million+)
38) Timothy Zahn (8 million)
39) David Weber (7 million)
40) Laurell K. Hamilton (6 million+)
41) Frank L. Baum (5 million+)
42) Guy Gavriel Kay (3 million)
43) John Ringo (3 million)
44) Joe Abercrombie (3 million)
45) Harry Turtledove (2.5 million)
46) Peter F. Hamilton (2 million+)
47) Dan Abnett (1.2 million+)
48) Robin Hobb (1 million+)
49) David Gemmell (1 million+)
50) Steven Erikson (1 million+)
51) Trudi Canavan (1 million+)
52) Chris Wooding (450,000+)
53) R. Scott Bakker (125,000+)
you don't know how sad I am to see Terry Goodkind and George R.R. Martin neck to neck :(
In your blog, could you change "Frank L. Baum" to "L. Frank Baum"?
(I see that you got "Brian Jacques" correct in your blog, though, and I guess it's too late to correct the name in your post here.)
Thanks for the info. That must have been quite some work you put into it.
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There's been a whole stream of updates through the day, so yeah, the inability to update the list after a few minutes was slightly annoying. We seem to be reaching a more final count, which stands thusly:
1) J.K. Rowling (c. 450 million)
2) Stephen King (c. 350 million)
3) JRR Tolkien (c. 300 million)
4) CS Lewis (120 million+)
5) Stephanie Meyer (116 million)
6) Anne Rice (100 million)
7) Robert Jordan (80 million+)
8) Sir Terry Pratchett (75 million+)
9) Richard Adams (50 million+)
10) Suzanne Collins (50 million+)
11) Christopher Paolini (39 million)
12) Stanislaw Lem (30 million+)
13) R.A. Salvatore (30 million+)
14) Kaoru Kurimoto (28 million)
15) Terry Brooks (26.5 million)
16) George Orwell (25 million+)
17) Terry Goodkind (25 million+)
18) George R.R. Martin (25 million+)
19) Cassandra Clare (24 million)
20) Kevin J. Anderson (23 million)
21) Eoin Colfer (21 million)
22) Isaac Asimov (20 million+)
23) Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman (c. 20 million)
24) Brian Jacques (c. 20 million)
25) Kazumasa Hirai (c. 20 million)
26) Charlaine Harris (c. 20 million)
27) Raymond E. Feist (20 million+)
28) Frank Herbert (18 million)
29) Hideyuki Kikuchi (18 million)
30) Diana Gabaldon (17 million)
31) Douglas Adams (16 million)
32) Michael Ende (16 million)
33) Rick Riordan (15 million)
34) Philip Pullman (15 million)
35) Yoshiki Tanaka (15 million)
36) Timothy Zahn (15 million)
37) Stephen Donaldson (10 million)
38) Neil Gaiman (10 million + )
39) Alice Sebold (10 million+)
40) Madeline L'Engle (10 million+)
41) David Weber (7 million)
42) Laurell K. Hamilton (6 million+)
43) Frank L. Baum (5 million+)
44) Guy Gavriel Kay (3 million)
45) John Ringo (3 million)
46) Joe Abercrombie (3 million)
47) Harry Turtledove (2.5 million)
48) Peter F. Hamilton (2 million+)
49) Brent Weeks (2 million)
50) Andrzej Sapkowski (2 million+)
51) Dan Abnett (1.2 million+)
52) Robin Hobb (1 million+)
53) David Gemmell (1 million+)
54) Steven Erikson (1 million+)
55) Alastair Reynolds (1 million+)
56) Trudi Canavan (1 million+)
57) Chris Wooding (750,000+)
58) Hugh Howey (500,000+)
59) Alison Croggon (500,000+)
60) Peter V. Brett (310,000+)
61) Mark Lawrence (250,000+)
62) Michael J. Sullivan (250,000+)
63) Karen Miller (150,000+)
64) Scott Lynch (145,000+)
65) R. Scott Bakker (125,000+)
66) Gail Z. Martin (100,000+)
As for Goodkind/Martin, G*&*ind's figures are five years old, so he is likely somewhere higher (maybe 27-28 million). GRRM, however, is sell far, far faster. He will probably overtake within a year. Martin's sales-per-book are also much higher already. He has more actual readers, but Goodkind has more sales as he has a lot more books in his fantasy series (GRRM's non-ASoIaF books have sold well, but nothing like his main series has).
Is this total income from writing, or is it books sold? Are movies included?
And where is Bujold? Last I heard, her books had been translated into 40+ languages.
Books sold, not income. That would be completely untrackable.
Bujold is going on the next revision, she's sold at least 2 million books.
That is what I thought. But of course, a best-selling book series should increase the chance of getting movie adaptations.
Another author you could take a look at is Astrid Lindgren, who did write a number of books that would qualify as fantasy. Her sales figures were... pretty extreme. According to Wikipedia, 145 million books, 18th most translated author.
you don't know how sad I am to see Terry Goodkind and George R.R. Martin neck to neck :(
Forget THAT.
You don't know how sad I am to see Stephanie Meyer above Robert Jordan and Terry Pratchett.
I suspect at least Pratchett will have a rather longer staying power than Stephanie Meyer (or, actually, most of the others on this list).
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And yes, add my vote for checking Astrid Lindgren's figures. Ronja Rövardotter (Ronia the Robber's Daughter), Mio min Mio (Mio, My Son), and Bröderna Lejonhjärta (The Brothers Lionheart) are all fairly straight fantasy.
In addition, the short-story anthology Sunnanäng could probably qualify as well, as would several of her other short stories, such as Nils Karlsson Pyssling, I Skymningslandet, Peter och Petra, or Allrakäraste Syster.
Let us agree that a few of these authors have already proven quite a bit of staying power, such as Tolkien, Lewis, Adams, Orwell and Asimov.
Even though I have been reading genre fiction since the 60s, there are a lot of authors on this list that have escaped my notice...
you don't know how sad I am to see Terry Goodkind and George R.R. Martin neck to neck :(Forget THAT.
You don't know how sad I am to see Stephanie Meyer above Robert Jordan and Terry Pratchett.
Why? She filled a niche no one else was covering, and gave female readers what they'd been craving.
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Why? She filled a niche no one else was covering, and gave female readers what they'd been craving.
"Empty headed submissive 'romance' fantasy" is a very well filled niche.
"Empty headed submissive 'romance' fantasy" is a very well filled niche.
Why? She filled a niche no one else was covering, and gave female readers what they'd been craving.
So, you read a lot of it then?
So, you read a lot of it then?"Empty headed submissive 'romance' fantasy" is a very well filled niche.
Why? She filled a niche no one else was covering, and gave female readers what they'd been craving.
A bit of it.
At the very least, Laurell K. Hamilton's stories have some hot scenes in them. Makes them superior in some respects at least. =)
Update:
1) J.K. Rowling (c. 450 million)
2) Stephen King (c. 350 million)
[Dean Koontz (c. 350 million)]
3) JRR Tolkien (c. 300 million)
[Michael Crichton (200 million)]
4) CS Lewis (120 million+)
5) Stephanie Meyer (116 million)
6) Sir Arthur C. Clarke (100 million+)
7) Anne Rice (100 million)
8) Robert Jordan (80 million+)
9) Sir Terry Pratchett (75 million+)
10) Richard Adams (50 million+)
11) Suzanne Collins (50 million+)
12) Christopher Paolini (39 million)
13) Michael Ende (35 million)
14) Stanislaw Lem (30 million+)
15) R.A. Salvatore (30 million+)
16) Kaoru Kurimoto (28 million)
17) Terry Brooks (26.5 million)
18) George Orwell (25 million+)
19) Terry Goodkind (25 million+)
20) George R.R. Martin (25 million+)
21) Cassandra Clare (24 million)
22) Kevin J. Anderson (23 million)
23) Eoin Colfer (21 million)
24) Isaac Asimov (20 million+)
25) Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman (c. 20 million)
26) Brian Jacques (c. 20 million)
27) Kazumasa Hirai (c. 20 million)
28) Charlaine Harris (c. 20 million)
29) Raymond E. Feist (20 million+)
30) Michael Moorcock (20 million)
31) Frank Herbert (18 million)
32) Hideyuki Kikuchi (18 million)
33) Diana Gabaldon (17 million)
34) Douglas Adams (16 million)
35) Rick Riordan (15 million)
36) Philip Pullman (15 million)
37) Yoshiki Tanaka (15 million)
38) Timothy Zahn (15 million)
39) Robert Heinlein (11.5 million)
40) Stephen Donaldson (10 million)
41) Neil Gaiman (10 million + )
42) Alice Sebold (10 million+)
43) Madeline L'Engle (10 million+)
44) Ray Bradbury (8 million+)
45) David Weber (7 million)
46) Laurell K. Hamilton (6 million+)
47) Jim Butcher (6 million+)
48) L. Frank Baum (5 million+)
49) Frank Schatzing (4.2 million+)
50) David Drake (4 million)
51) Ursula K. Le Guin (3 million+)
52) Guy Gavriel Kay (3 million)
53) John Ringo (3 million)
54) Joe Abercrombie (3 million)
55) Margaret Atwood (3 million+)
56) Robert Silverberg (3 million+)
57) Eric Flint (3 million)
58) Harry Turtledove (2.5 million)
59) Audrey Niffenegger (2.5 million+)
60) Max Brooks (2.4 million+)
61) Orson Scott Card (2 million+)
62) Sergei Lukyanenko (2 million+)
63) Hans Dominik (2 million+)
64) Peter F. Hamilton (2 million+)
65) Brent Weeks (2 million)
66) Andrzej Sapkowski (2 million+)
67) Lois McMaster Bujold (2 million)
68) Susanna Clarke (1.5 million+)
69) Dan Abnett (1.2 million+)
70) Naomi Novik (1.2 million+)
71) Anne McCaffrey (1 million+)
72) Robin Hobb (1 million+)
73) David Gemmell (1 million+)
74) Steven Erikson (1 million+)
75) Alastair Reynolds (1 million+)
76) Trudi Canavan (1 million+)
77) Chris Wooding (750,000+)
78) Hugh Howey (500,000+)
79) Alison Croggon (500,000+)
80) Gail Carriger (400,000+)
81) Lynn Flewelling (350,000)
82) Peter V. Brett (310,000+)
83) Mark Lawrence (250,000+)
84) Michael J. Sullivan (250,000+)
85) Karen Miller (250,000+)
86) Scott Lynch (145,000+)
87) R. Scott Bakker (125,000+)
88) Elizabeth Moon (100,000+)
89) Gail Z. Martin (100,000+)
So, you read a lot of it then?"Empty headed submissive 'romance' fantasy" is a very well filled niche.
Why? She filled a niche no one else was covering, and gave female readers what they'd been craving.
A bit of it.
At the very least, Laurell K. Hamilton's stories have some hot scenes in them. Makes them superior in some respects at least. =)
That is actually the point. There are many people, and families that don't want explicit or "hot scenes". Twilight got the Paranormal Romance thing going with no out of wedlock sex, or explicit sex. That is really an under-served market.
A;ps as for how "submissive" she is - she set her goal early on in the first book. She was going to marry Edward (and become a vampire) no matter what. Almost everything she did pushed towards that goal, and she got what exactly what she wanted in the end. There is hidden strength there. :D
A;ps as for how "submissive" she is - she set her goal early on in the first book. She was going to marry Edward (and become a vampire) no matter what. Almost everything she did pushed towards that goal, and she got what exactly what she wanted in the end. There is hidden strength there. :D
Which is simultaneously the best argument in favor of Bella having anything resembling actual character & possibly the most damning descriptor I could imagine. Her 'goals' are: become a blood-sucking predatory parasite...
and a wife.People wonder why Feminists decry the series as lowest-common-denominator codswallop.
Which is entirely beside the point that Lois McMaster Bujold still isn't on the list! What is taking so long?
Which is simultaneously the best argument in favor of Bella having anything resembling actual character & possibly the most damning descriptor I could imagine. Her 'goals' are: become a blood-sucking predatory parasite...
and a wife.People wonder why Feminists decry the series as lowest-common-denominator codswallop.
Which is entirely beside the point that Lois McMaster Bujold still isn't on the list! What is taking so long?
I find that incredibly offensive. What exactly is the problem with aspiring to be a wife?
When that is practically the only thing you aspire to be, when the person you aspire to marry is an emotionally abusive, borderline pedophile & when you refuse to do anything that might possibly resemble growing or learning from your life's experiences because it might mean that you decide that you want something more or simply other than being a wife, then that is a problem.
I have yet to meet an adult human being who is the same person they were when they were in their late teens. By the time they are in their mid-twenties even, unless they or the world has forcibly precluded them from experiencing anything, they are virtually completely different people. And yet, it is considered a good & romantic idea for Bella to decide she wants to marry a person with whom she literally has no genuine frame of reference for & won't until she has been a Vampire for a lot longer than the length of the series.
That is the problem with 'aspiring to be a wife'. Granted, that is my problem with someone aspiring to be a wife, but I will argue that of the women I have known in my life, who have guided me & shown me what it is to be a healthy adult woman, the ones who were the 'best' wives, aspired to be something more than simply a wife.
Also, I see that I missed Bujold from the second listing when I first went through.
Seriously, Buffy vs Edward said everything there is to say about Twilight far, far better than anything I could come up with.
"I feel very... PROTECTIVE of you..."
*shudders*
Hey Sissyl, have you gotten a chance to read 'Cryoburn' or 'Captain Vorpatril's Alliance' yet?
I... loved those books up to A Civil Campaign. That and Diplomatic Immunity felt too much like rehashes. Perhaps it's just that I have read quite a few of her books, including Curse of Chalion and Paladin of Souls. I do have Cryoburn in my bookshelf, waiting for the day my reading list reaches it. =/
When that is practically the only thing you aspire to be, when the person you aspire to marry is an emotionally abusive, borderline pedophile...
...aaaand you lost me.
If you, personally, feel that Bella Swan is a poor role model for young women, I get that. I probably agree with you, actually. However, I think you're twisting her aspiration to be a "wife" to make your point. I doubt you and she would define "wife" in the same way.
I have a great deal of respect for many of the wives I have known; some of them I even revere as heroes.
the borderline pedophile comments come about because you have a 100 year or so old vampire going to high school and getting involved with a high school student. Yeah he might look like he is a teenager, but he really really really isn't
the borderline pedophile comments come about because you have a 100 year or so old vampire going to high school and getting involved with a high school student. Yeah he might look like he is a teenager, but he really really really isn't
Pedophiles do not hunt high school teenagers.
the borderline pedophile comments come about because you have a 100 year or so old vampire going to high school and getting involved with a high school student. Yeah he might look like he is a teenager, but he really really really isn'tPedophiles do not hunt high school teenagers.
Tell that to all the teens who get raped by 40-somethings.
Just because she's 17 and not 13 doesn't mean it's not still pedophilia.
It's called "jail bait" for a reason.
Tell that to all the teens who get raped by 40-somethings.
Just because she's 17 and not 13 doesn't mean it's not still pedophilia.
It's called "jail bait" for a reason.
Ephebophilia is the primary or exclusive adult sexual interest in mid-to-late adolescents, generally ages 15 to 19. In case you were wondering.
You'll notice the phrase "primary or exclusive" in all three of those definitions. Edward's attraction to Bella may be ephebophelia, but that's doubtful - especially considering Edward himself is physically a teenager, it probably isn't. Am I being pedantic? Yes, but we are discussing the merits of ancient vampire/teenage relationships.
It's also really not the point. I got the impression that Irnk has a very negative view of marriage and the wife's role therein. They were basically using hyperbolic accusations, incorrectly including pedophelia, to paint the Twilight series, and Bella in particular, in a negative light.
While I don't care to argue the merits of Twilight, I take offense at their attitude toward wives.
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pedophilia or paedophilia is a psychiatric disorder in persons 16 years of age or older typically characterized by a primary or exclusive sexual interest toward prepubescent children (generally age 11 years or younger, though specific diagnostic criteria for the disorder extends the cut-off point for prepubescence to age 13)
Hebephilia is one of several types of chronophilia (sexual preference for a specific physiological appearance related to age), in this case a primary or exclusive sexual interest in pubescent individuals approximately 11–14 years old – approximate because age of onset of puberty varies.
Ephebophilia is the primary or exclusive adult sexual interest in mid-to-late adolescents, generally ages 15 to 19. In case you were wondering.
My bad. I never bothered to learn the difference between the myriad types of underage and illegal sex.
Edward's attraction to Bella may be ephebophelia, but that's doubtful - especially considering Edward himself is physically a teenager, it probably isn't. Am I being pedantic? Yes, but we are discussing the merits of ancient vampire/teenage relationships.
"Physically a teenager" has nothing to do with it. It's the mental that counts.
He's over 100 years old. He's an old man in a teen's body. That doesn't make him an actual teenager, any more than it makes a 90 year old with ludicrous amounts of plastic surgery and a good exercise regimen who LOOKS 17 an actual teenager.
It's also really not the point. I got the impression that Irnk has a very negative view of marriage and the wife's role therein. They were basically using hyperbolic accusations, incorrectly including pedophelia, to paint the Twilight series, and Bella in particular, in a negative light.
While I don't care to argue the merits of Twilight, I take offense at their attitude toward wives.
Perhaps if you only read the beginning portion, but the rest of the post makes it quite clear that Irnk has no problem with marriage, s/he just has a problem with that being somebody's ONLY ASPIRATION.
And to extrapolate, the book/film's glorification of this aspiration, as if it is what every young girl should aspire to. Not anything else, JUST to find "their man", settle down, and have babies and base their entire personalities around their husband and what their husband's life is like, and to have no interests of their own outside of that.
Bella is a blank slate in more ways than one. Yes, she's a self-insert character, so teen girls can pretend they themselves are being whisked off into a magical vampire romance.
But she's TOO blank for it to be a coincidence. She has no personality and no dreams or desires beyond "Vampire. Edward. I want teh former so I can have the latter."
P.S. A pedant is a person who is excessively concerned with formalism and precision, or who makes an ostentatious and arrogant show of learning.
I'm aware. I generally don't do it unless I'm specifically aiming to piss somebody off though, and neither do most people.
I never got an impression he was against marriage or women's aspirations towards it.
It's really only when that is a women's sole aspiration, out of high school, that the warning bells trigger.
My issue with the vampire wish is that I am old school and you really really shouldn't want to be a vampire. I like my vampires as inhuman monstrous predators...if your fiction has people wanting to be one and they are not obviously set up as being deluded or sociopaths, than something is wrong.
My issue with the vampire wish is that I am old school and you really really shouldn't want to be a vampire. I like my vampires as inhuman monstrous predators...if your fiction has people wanting to be one and they are not obviously set up as being deluded or sociopaths, than something is wrong.
So, even though you imagine vampires in a way that is completely different from the fiction we are discussing, you still hold its characters accountable by your definition?
For the record, Bella's aspiration in the Twilight series is to spend the rest of her (un)life with the man she loves. If you find fault with that, I think you have the problem.
There's nothing in there about her life revolving around him, as a wife or otherwise. In fact, I think part of what makes the series appealing to women is the the entire world revolves around her!
For the record, Bella's aspiration in the Twilight series is to spend the rest of her (un)life with the man she loves. If you find fault with that, I think you have the problem.
I find fault with the fact that a 17 year old girl wants nothing more than to marry a 100 year old man she BARELY KNOWS and live with him for all eternity (not just the normal span of a lifetime, no), coming about that length of eternity by undergoing a physical transformation she knows little to nothing about.
And it's not like a normal, poorly thought out marriage, either. No matter what she does, she can never undo becoming a vampire.
Granted, there's little to no downside for BEING a vampire in the series' universe, but still.
There's nothing in there about her life revolving around him, as a wife or otherwise. In fact, I think part of what makes the series appealing to women is the the entire world revolves around her!
There's a fine, but very important distinction here.
EVENTS revolve around her. SHE, herself, however, has no personality or interests beyond her cold, dead, love interest.
Have you actually read the series, Rynjin?
Have you actually read the series, Rynjin?
Only the first 1 and 3/4 books of it ("Oh Jeremy they're so good read them" -.-). I couldn't stomach it any more past that point.
She is pretty much the textbook example of how not to write a female character. Or, really, ANY character.
My issue with the vampire wish is that I am old school and you really really shouldn't want to be a vampire. I like my vampires as inhuman monstrous predators...if your fiction has people wanting to be one and they are not obviously set up as being deluded or sociopaths, than something is wrong.So, even though you imagine vampires in a way that is completely different from the fiction we are discussing, you still hold its characters accountable by your definition?
Nah I hold the author responsible :P
I still hold being obsessed with marrying an emotionally abusive vampire with a ridiculous age gap at an age where most people don't know what they want from there life is a poor decision. although maybe most of the fault should lie with Edward, who should really know better...
How much of Bella's aspirations focusing on becoming a wife is due to Stephenie Meyer being a mormon (IIRC)? I mean, what she wants is a very traditional role, one that was maligned for oh so many years, then recently hyped through primarily Desperate housewives. What I know of mormons, they see family differently, in precisely the way that most would consider "very traditional". And that's without getting into FLDS and similar sects.
I really shouldn't poke the bear...
P.S. A pedant is a person who is excessively concerned with formalism and precision, or who makes an ostentatious and arrogant show...
Define irony...
Given that is way off topic from the intent of this thread, I will spoiler & then I promise I will not post anything else on this particular subject in this thread.
No, that does not mean I feel that Homosexuals, either men or women, should not get married; it means I feel that people should not get married unless they really know what they are saying when the say "til death do us part'. Bella didn't. Bella couldn't. She flat-out didn't have the life experience necessary to know, in her head, in her heart, in her gut, what she was getting into when she said those vows.
& as others have since pointed out, unlike other bad marriages, this is one she can't really come back from the consequences of, although to be honest, having experienced a failed marriage, no-one 'comes-back-from' a failed marriage; what you actually do is, at best, learn what you need to learn about the mistakes made & attempt as best as you are able to live the best life you are able. Sometimes you get lucky & all that has happened is you devoted time to a relationship with another person that ended. Sometimes the consequences are greater & the two of you are now responsible for bringing another life into the world...
& sometimes you do something in or for that relationship, which changes you on a biochemical level, irreversibly.
@Sissyl: Please do not get me started on LDS, please. I am genuinely begging here. I could rant you a rant & screed you a screed.
Renewed list. Big gains for GRRM from his latest sales figures (now up to 28 million) and Diana Gabaldon (up to 25 million). Also a few new entries to the list, including very low-balling figures for Kate Elliott.
1) J.K. Rowling (c. 450 million)
2) Stephen King (c. 350 million)
[Dean Koontz (c. 350 million)]
3) JRR Tolkien (c. 300 million)
[Michael Crichton (200 million)]
4) CS Lewis (120 million+)
5) Stephanie Meyer (116 million)
6) Sir Arthur C. Clarke (100 million+)
7) Anne Rice (100 million)
8) Robert Jordan (80 million+)
9) Sir Terry Pratchett (75 million+)
10) Richard Adams (50 million+)
11) Suzanne Collins (50 million+)
12) Christopher Paolini (39 million)
13) Michael Ende (35 million)
14) Stanislaw Lem (30 million+)
15) R.A. Salvatore (30 million+)
16) George R.R. Martin (28 million+)
17) Kaoru Kurimoto (28 million)
18) Terry Brooks (26.5 million)
19) George Orwell (25 million+)
20) Terry Goodkind (25 million+)
21) Diana Gabaldon (25 million)
22) Cassandra Clare (24 million)
23) Kevin J. Anderson (23 million)
24) Eoin Colfer (21 million)
25) Isaac Asimov (20 million+)
26) Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman (c. 20 million)
27) Brian Jacques (c. 20 million)
28) Kazumasa Hirai (c. 20 million)
29) Charlaine Harris (c. 20 million)
30) Raymond E. Feist (20 million+)
31) Michael Moorcock (20 million)
32) Frank Herbert (18 million)
33) Hideyuki Kikuchi (18 million)
34) Douglas Adams (16 million)
35) Rick Riordan (15 million)
36) Philip Pullman (15 million)
37) Yoshiki Tanaka (15 million)
38) Timothy Zahn (15 million)
39) Robert Heinlein (11.5 million)
40) Stephen Donaldson (10 million)
41) Neil Gaiman (10 million + )
42) Alice Sebold (10 million+)
43) Madeline L'Engle (10 million+)
44) Ray Bradbury (8 million+)
45) David Weber (7 million)
46) Laurell K. Hamilton (6 million+)
47) Jim Butcher (6 million+)
48) L. Frank Baum (5 million+)
49) Garth Nix (5 million)
50) Frank Schatzing (4.2 million+)
51) Lian Hearn (4 million)
52) David Drake (4 million)
53) Ursula K. Le Guin (3 million+)
54) Guy Gavriel Kay (3 million)
55) John Ringo (3 million)
56) Joe Abercrombie (3 million)
57) Margaret Atwood (3 million+)
58) Robert Silverberg (3 million+)
59) Eric Flint (3 million)
60) Harry Turtledove (2.5 million)
61) Audrey Niffenegger (2.5 million+)
62) Max Brooks (2.4 million+)
63) Orson Scott Card (2 million+)
64) Sergei Lukyanenko (2 million+)
65) Hans Dominik (2 million+)
66) Peter F. Hamilton (2 million+)
67) Brent Weeks (2 million)
68) Andrzej Sapkowski (2 million+)
69) Lois McMaster Bujold (2 million)
70) Jennifer Roberson (1.7 million)
71) Susanna Clarke (1.5 million+)
72) Dan Abnett (1.2 million+)
73) Naomi Novik (1.2 million+)
74) L.E. Modesitt, Jr. (1 million+)
75) Connie Willis (1 million)
76) Sara Douglass (1 million)
77) Anne McCaffrey (1 million+)
78) Robin Hobb (1 million+)
79) David Gemmell (1 million+)
80) Steven Erikson (1 million+)
81) Alastair Reynolds (1 million+)
82) Trudi Canavan (1 million+)
83) Chris Wooding (750,000+)
84) Hugh Howey (500,000+)
85) Alison Croggon (500,000+)
86) Gail Carriger (400,000+)
87) Lynn Flewelling (350,000)
88) Peter V. Brett (310,000+)
89) Kate Elliott (300,000+)
90) Ernest Cline (300,000)
91) Mark Lawrence (250,000+)
92) Michael J. Sullivan (250,000+)
93) Karen Miller (250,000+)
94) Scott Lynch (145,000+)
95) R. Scott Bakker (125,000+)
96) Glenda Larke (120,000+)
97) Elizabeth Moon (100,000+)
98) Gail Z. Martin (100,000+)
I really shouldn't poke the bear...
P.S. A pedant is a person who is excessively concerned with formalism and precision, or who makes an ostentatious and arrogant show...Define irony...
Not ironic at all. I referred specifically to myself as pedantic. I included the definition to poke fun at myself; in other words, to signal that I didn't take the particular topic of discussion (vampire/teenage relationships) very seriously.
Update. Some big names coming in on here like Roger Zelazny and Diana Wynne Jones.
1) J.K. Rowling (c. 450 million)
2) Stephen King (c. 350 million)
[Dean Koontz (c. 350 million)]
3) JRR Tolkien (c. 300 million)
[Michael Crichton (200 million)]
4) CS Lewis (120 million+)
5) Stephanie Meyer (116 million)
6) Sir Arthur C. Clarke (100 million+)
7) Anne Rice (100 million)
8 ) Sir Terry Pratchett (85 million+)
9) Robert Jordan (80 million+)
10) James Herbert (54 million+)
11) Richard Adams (50 million+)
12) Suzanne Collins (50 million+)
[Dennis Wheatley (50 million)]
[Morgan Llywelyn (40 million)]
13) Christopher Paolini (39 million)
14) Michael Ende (35 million)
15) Stanislaw Lem (30 million+)
16) R.A. Salvatore (30 million+)
17) Charlaine Harris (30 million+)
18 ) George R.R. Martin (28 million+)
19) Kaoru Kurimoto (28 million)
20) Terry Brooks (26.5 million)
21) George Orwell (25 million+)
22) Terry Goodkind (25 million+)
23) Diana Gabaldon (25 million)
24) Cassandra Clare (24 million)
25) Kevin J. Anderson (23 million)
26) Eoin Colfer (21 million)
27) Isaac Asimov (20 million+)
28 ) Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman (c. 20 million)
29) Brian Jacques (c. 20 million)
30) Kazumasa Hirai (c. 20 million)
31) Raymond E. Feist (20 million+)
32) Michael Moorcock (20 million)
33) Frank Herbert (18 million)
34) Hideyuki Kikuchi (18 million)
35) Tad Williams (17 million)
36) Douglas Adams (16 million)
37) Rick Riordan (15 million)
38 ) Philip Pullman (15 million)
39) Yoshiki Tanaka (15 million)
40) Timothy Zahn (15 million)
41) Robert Heinlein (11.5 million)
42) Diana Wynne Jones (10 million+)
43) Robert E. Howard (10 million+)
44) Stephen Donaldson (10 million)
45) Neil Gaiman (10 million + )
46) Alice Sebold (10 million+)
47) Madeline L'Engle (10 million+)
48 ) Chris Bunch (10 million+)
49) Allan Cole (10 million+)
50) Ray Bradbury (8 million+)
51) David Weber (7 million)
52) Laurell K. Hamilton (6 million+)
53) Jim Butcher (6 million+)
54) L. Frank Baum (5 million+)
55) Garth Nix (5 million)
56) Frank Schatzing (4.2 million+)
57) Lian Hearn (4 million)
58 ) David Drake (4 million)
59) Veronica Roth (4 million)
60) Roger Zelazny (3.5 million+)
61) Ursula K. Le Guin (3 million+)
62) Guy Gavriel Kay (3 million)
63) John Ringo (3 million)
64) Joe Abercrombie (3 million)
65) Margaret Atwood (3 million+)
66) Robert Silverberg (3 million+)
67) Eric Flint (3 million)
68 ) Scott Westerfield (3 million+)
69) Harry Turtledove (2.5 million)
70) Audrey Niffenegger (2.5 million+)
71) Max Brooks (2.4 million+)
72) Susan Cooper (2 million+)
73) Orson Scott Card (2 million+)
74) Sergei Lukyanenko (2 million+)
75) Hans Dominik (2 million+)
76) Peter F. Hamilton (2 million+)
77) Brent Weeks (2 million)
78 ) Andrzej Sapkowski (2 million+)
79) Lois McMaster Bujold (2 million)
80) Katherine Kurtz (2 million)
81) Trudi Canavan (2 million+)
82) Stephen Lawhead (2 million+)
83) Robert Rankin (2 million+)
84) Maggie Stiefvater (2 million+)
85) Melanie Rawn (1.8 million+)
86) Jennifer Roberson (1.7 million)
87) Susanna Clarke (1.5 million+)
88 ) Dan Abnett (1.2 million+)
89) Naomi Novik (1.2 million+)
90) Ed Greenwood (1 million+)
91) L.E. Modesitt, Jr. (1 million+)
92) Connie Willis (1 million)
93) Sara Douglass (1 million)
94) Anne McCaffrey (1 million+)
95) Robin Hobb (1 million+)
96) David Gemmell (1 million+)
97) Steven Erikson (1 million+)
98 ) Alastair Reynolds (1 million+)
99) Ian Irvine (1 million+)
100) Richard A. Knaak (1 million+)
101) Katherine Kerr (1 million+)
102) Dave Duncan (1 million+)
103) Chris Wooding (750,000+)
104) Hugh Howey (500,000+)
105) Alison Croggon (500,000+)
106) Gail Carriger (400,000+)
107) Lynn Flewelling (350,000)
108 ) Peter V. Brett (310,000+)
109) Kate Elliott (300,000+)
110) Ernest Cline (300,000)
111) J.V. Jones (250,000+)
112) Mark Lawrence (250,000+)
113) Michael J. Sullivan (250,000+)
114) Karen Miller (250,000+)
115) Gail Z. Martin (180,000+)
116) Daniel H. Wilson (160,000+)
117) Scott Lynch (145,000+)
118 ) R. Scott Bakker (125,000+)
119) Glenda Larke (120,000+)
120) Elizabeth Moon (100,000+)
Update. Iain Banks's figure are a revelation: half of his novels are SF (sold under the name 'Iain M. Banks') but combined they only sold 1.1 million copies. His non-SF debut, THE WASP FACTORY (a classic, twisted novel), has sold about that by itself. His many other non-SF books sold very well indeed, so his SF output made up only a tiny amount of his total sales despite accounting for about half his work.
1) J.K. Rowling (c. 450 million)
2) Stephen King (c. 350 million)
[Dean Koontz (c. 350 million)]
3) JRR Tolkien (c. 300 million)
[Michael Crichton (200 million)]
4) CS Lewis (120 million+)
5) Stephanie Meyer (116 million)
6) Sir Arthur C. Clarke (100 million+)
7) Anne Rice (100 million)
8) Sir Terry Pratchett (85 million+)
9) Robert Jordan (80 million+)
10) James Herbert (54 million+)
11) Richard Adams (50 million+)
12) Suzanne Collins (50 million+)
[Dennis Wheatley (50 million)]
[Jean M. Auel (45 million)]
[Morgan Llywelyn (40 million)]
13) Christopher Paolini (39 million)
14) Michael Ende (35 million)
15) Stanislaw Lem (30 million+)
16) R.A. Salvatore (30 million+)
17) Charlaine Harris (30 million+)
18) George R.R. Martin (28 million+)
19) Kaoru Kurimoto (28 million)
20) Terry Brooks (26.5 million)
21) George Orwell (25 million+)
22) Terry Goodkind (25 million+)
23) Diana Gabaldon (25 million)
24) Cassandra Clare (24 million)
25) Kevin J. Anderson (23 million)
26) Eoin Colfer (21 million)
27) Isaac Asimov (20 million+)
28) Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman (c. 20 million)
29) Brian Jacques (c. 20 million)
30) Kazumasa Hirai (c. 20 million)
31) Raymond E. Feist (20 million+)
32) Michael Moorcock (20 million)
33) Mercedes Lackey (20 million)
34) Frank Herbert (18 million)
35) Hideyuki Kikuchi (18 million)
36) Tad Williams (17 million)
37) Douglas Adams (16 million)
38) Rick Riordan (15 million)
39) Philip Pullman (15 million)
40) Yoshiki Tanaka (15 million)
41) Timothy Zahn (15 million)
42) Robert Heinlein (11.5 million)
43) Diana Wynne Jones (10 million+)
44) Robert E. Howard (10 million+)
45) Stephen Donaldson (10 million)
46) Neil Gaiman (10 million + )
47) Alice Sebold (10 million+)
48) Madeline L'Engle (10 million+)
49) Chris Bunch (10 million+)
50) Allan Cole (10 million+)
51) Ray Bradbury (8 million+)
52) David Weber (7 million)
53) William Gibson (6.5 million+)
54) Peter S. Beagle (6 million+)
55) Laurell K. Hamilton (6 million+)
56) Jim Butcher (6 million+)
57) L. Frank Baum (5 million+)
58) Robert R. McCammon (5 million+)
59) Garth Nix (5 million)
60) Frank Schatzing (4.2 million+)
61) Vonda N. McIntyre (4 million)
62) Lian Hearn (4 million)
63) David Drake (4 million)
64) Veronica Roth (4 million)
65) Roger Zelazny (3.5 million+)
66) Ursula K. Le Guin (3 million+)
67) Guy Gavriel Kay (3 million)
68) Lloyd Alexander (3 million)
69) John Ringo (3 million)
70) Joe Abercrombie (3 million)
71) Margaret Atwood (3 million+) (SF only)
72) Robert Silverberg (3 million+)
73) Eric Flint (3 million)
74) Scott Westerfield (3 million+)
75) Robert Asprin (3 million)
76) Harry Turtledove (2.5 million)
77) Audrey Niffenegger (2.5 million+)
78) Michelle Paver (2.5 million+)
79) Max Brooks (2.4 million+)
80) James Dashner (2.3 million+)
81) Susan Cooper (2 million+)
82) Orson Scott Card (2 million+)
83) Sergei Lukyanenko (2 million+)
84) Hans Dominik (2 million+)
85) Peter F. Hamilton (2 million+)
86) Brent Weeks (2 million)
87) Andrzej Sapkowski (2 million+)
88) Lois McMaster Bujold (2 million)
89) Katherine Kurtz (2 million)
90) Trudi Canavan (2 million+)
91) Stephen Lawhead (2 million+)
92) Robert Rankin (2 million+)
93) Maggie Stiefvater (2 million+)
94) Gregory Benford (2 million+)
95) Gordon R. Dickson (2 million+)
96) Melanie Rawn (1.8 million+)
97) Jennifer Roberson (1.7 million)
98) Susanna Clarke (1.5 million+)
99) Seth Grahame-Smith (1.4 million+)
100) Dan Abnett (1.2 million+)
101) Naomi Novik (1.2 million+)
102) Iain M. Banks (1.1 million+) (SF only)
103) Samuel R. Delany (1 million+)
104) Ed Greenwood (1 million+)
105) L.E. Modesitt, Jr. (1 million+)
106) Connie Willis (1 million)
107) Sara Douglass (1 million)
108) Anne McCaffrey (1 million+)
109) Robin Hobb (1 million+)
110) David Gemmell (1 million+)
111) Steven Erikson (1 million+)
112) Alastair Reynolds (1 million+)
113) Ian Irvine (1 million+)
114) Richard A. Knaak (1 million+)
115) Katherine Kerr (1 million+)
116) Dave Duncan (1 million+)
117) A.C. Crispin (1 million+)
118) Chris Wooding (750,000+)
119) Hugh Howey (500,000+)
120) Alison Croggon (500,000+)
121) Michael Gerber (500,000+)
122) Gail Carriger (400,000+)
123) Lynn Flewelling (350,000)
124) Peter V. Brett (310,000+)
125) Kate Elliott (300,000+)
126) Ernest Cline (300,000)
127) J.V. Jones (250,000+)
128) Mark Lawrence (250,000+)
129) Michael J. Sullivan (250,000+)
130) Karen Miller (250,000+)
131) Gail Z. Martin (180,000+)
132) Daniel H. Wilson (160,000+)
133) Scott Lynch (145,000+)
134) R. Scott Bakker (125,000+)
135) Glenda Larke (120,000+)
136) Elizabeth Moon (100,000+)
137) Adam Roberts (100,000+)
Major update. I might leave it at this point (rather than spam the thread with these lists) and direct people to the link at the top, where the list is being updated on a constant basis.
1) J.K. Rowling (c. 450 million)
2) Stephen King (c. 350 million)
[Dean Koontz (c. 350 million)]
3) JRR Tolkien (c. 300 million)
[Michael Crichton (200 million)]
4) CS Lewis (120 million+)
5) Stephanie Meyer (116 million)
6) Sir Arthur C. Clarke (100 million+)
7) Anne Rice (100 million)
8) Andre Norton (90 million+)
9) Sir Terry Pratchett (85 million+)
10) Robert Jordan (80 million+)
11) James Herbert (54 million+)
12) Richard Adams (50 million+)
13) Suzanne Collins (50 million+)
[Dennis Wheatley (50 million)]
[Jean M. Auel (45 million)]
[Morgan Llywelyn (40 million)]
14) Christopher Paolini (39 million)
15) Michael Ende (35 million)
16) Stanislaw Lem (30 million+)
17) R.A. Salvatore (30 million+)
18) Charlaine Harris (30 million+)
19) Sherrilyn Kenyon (30 million+)
20) Robert Heinelin (30 million+)
21) George R.R. Martin (28 million+)
22) Kaoru Kurimoto (28 million)
23) Terry Brooks (26.5 million)
24) George Orwell (25 million+)
25) Marion Zimmer Bradley (25 million+)
26) Terry Goodkind (25 million+)
27) Diana Gabaldon (25 million)
28) Cassandra Clare (24 million)
29) Kevin J. Anderson (23 million)
30) Eoin Colfer (21 million)
31) Isaac Asimov (20 million+)
32) Margaret Weis (c. 20 million)
33) Tracy Hickman (c. 20 million)
34) Brian Jacques (c. 20 million)
35) Kazumasa Hirai (c. 20 million)
36) Raymond E. Feist (20 million+)
37) Michael Moorcock (20 million)
38) Mercedes Lackey (20 million)
39) Darren Shan (20 million+)
40) Frank Herbert (18 million)
41) Hideyuki Kikuchi (18 million)
42) Anne McCaffrey (18 million+)
43) Tad Williams (17 million)
44) Douglas Adams (16 million)
45) Rick Riordan (15 million)
46) Philip Pullman (15 million)
47) Yoshiki Tanaka (15 million)
48) Timothy Zahn (15 million)
49) Diana Wynne Jones (10 million+)
50) Robert E. Howard (10 million+)
51) Stephen Donaldson (10 million)
52) Neil Gaiman (10 million + )
53) Alice Sebold (10 million+)
54) Madeline L'Engle (10 million+)
55) Larryn Niven (10 million+)
56) Jerry Pournell (10 million+)
57) Chris Bunch (10 million+)
58) Allan Cole (10 million+)
59) Peter Straub (10 million+)
60) Frederik Pohl (10 million+)
61) Cyril M. Kornbluth (10 million+)
62) David Eddings (8.5 million+)
63) Ray Bradbury (8 million+)
64) Christopher Golden (8 million+)
[Bernard Cornwell (7 million+)]
65) David Weber (7 million)
66) Orson Scott Card (7 million+)
67) William Gibson (6.5 million+)
68) Peter S. Beagle (6 million+)
69) Laurell K. Hamilton (6 million+)
70) Jim Butcher (6 million+)
71) L. Frank Baum (5 million+)
72) Garth Nix (5 million)
73) Robert R. McCammon (5 million+)
74) Frank Schatzing (4.2 million+)
75) Fritz Leiber (4 million+)
76) Vonda N. McIntyre (4 million)
77) Lian Hearn (4 million)
78) David Drake (4 million)
79) Veronica Roth (4 million)
80) Roger Zelazny (3.5 million+)
81) Aaron Allston (3.3. million+)
82) Robert Harris (3 million+) (SF only)
83) Alan Dean Foster (3 million+)
84) Ursula K. Le Guin (3 million+)
85) Guy Gavriel Kay (3 million)
86) Lloyd Alexander (3 million)
87) Dan Abnett (3 million+)
88) John Ringo (3 million)
89) Joe Abercrombie (3 million)
90) Margaret Atwood (3 million+) (SF only)
91) Robert Silverberg (3 million+)
92) Eric Flint (3 million)
93) Scott Westerfield (3 million+)
94) Robert Asprin (3 million)
95) Rick Hautala (3 million+)
96) Brian Lumley (3 million+)
97) Harry Turtledove (2.5 million)
98) Audrey Niffenegger (2.5 million+)
99) Michelle Paver (2.5 million+)
100) Max Brooks (2.4 million+)
101) James Dashner (2.3 million+)
102) Susan Cooper (2 million+)
103) Sergei Lukyanenko (2 million+)
104) Hans Dominik (2 million+)
105) Peter F. Hamilton (2 million+)
106) Brent Weeks (2 million)
107) Andrzej Sapkowski (2 million+)
108) Lois McMaster Bujold (2 million)
109) Katherine Kurtz (2 million)
110) Trudi Canavan (2 million+)
111) Stephen Lawhead (2 million+)
112) Robert Rankin (2 million+)
113) Maggie Stiefvater (2 million+)
114) Gregory Benford (2 million+)
115) Greg Bear (2 million+)
116) Gordon R. Dickson (2 million+)
117) Piers Anthony (2 million+)
118) Melanie Rawn (1.8 million+)
119) Jennifer Roberson (1.7 million)
120) Susanna Clarke (1.5 million+)
121) Markus Heitz (1.5 million+)
122) Seth Grahame-Smith (1.4 million+)
123) Naomi Novik (1.2 million+)
124) Iain M. Banks (1.1 million+) (SF only)
125) Kelley Armstrong (1 million+)
126) Samuel R. Delany (1 million+)
127) Ed Greenwood (1 million+)
128) Paul S. Kemp (1 million+)
129) L.E. Modesitt, Jr. (1 million+)
130) Connie Willis (1 million)
131) Sara Douglass (1 million)
132) Robin Hobb (1 million+)
133) David Gemmell (1 million+)
134) Steven Erikson (1 million+)
135) Alastair Reynolds (1 million+)
136) Ian Irvine (1 million+)
137) Richard A. Knaak (1 million+)
138) Katherine Kerr (1 million+)
139) Dave Duncan (1 million+)
140) A.C. Crispin (1 million+)
141) Hugh Howey (1 million+)
142) Joe Haldeman (1 million+)
143) Elizabeth Moon (1 million+)
144) Dan Simmons (1 million+)
145) Chris Wooding (750,000+)
146) Janny Wurts (500,000+)
147) Kevin Hearne (500,000+)
148) Alison Croggon (500,000+)
149) Michael Gerber (500,000+)
150) Gail Carriger (400,000+)
151) Lynn Flewelling (350,000)
152) Peter V. Brett (310,000+)
153) Kate Elliott (300,000+)
154) Ernest Cline (300,000)
155) J.V. Jones (250,000+)
156) Mark Lawrence (250,000+)
157) Michael J. Sullivan (250,000+)
158) Karen Miller (250,000+)
159) James Barclay (200,000+)
160) Gail Z. Martin (180,000+)
161) Daniel H. Wilson (160,000+)
162) Adam Roberts (150,000+)
163) Glen Duncan (150,000+)
164) Scott Lynch (145,000+)
165) R. Scott Bakker (125,000+)
166) Glenda Larke (120,000+)
Updated (check the link in the first post). Impressive showing by Brandon Sanderson, with 15 million sales in eight years, including 1.5 million of the first MISTBORN book by itself.
That's cool. He's a good author.
|
I have a feeling your Jim Butcher figures are way off your description says the information for him is from a few years ago, and Dresden files seems to be one of those series that is growing by word of mouth, so even the early books are still selling at a high rate. Considering I've seen such a disparity in the Selling numbers for Cold Days it looks like its hard to count... but there are many dresden fans who havn't made it to the most recent books yet.
Also, are these numbers only physical books, or do they include Ebooks? Also.. do we know how PW counts book sets, many of these authors have sets of 3 or more books, do those counts as one sale for each of the books, or just one sale total?