List of best-selling fiction authors


This is a list of best-selling fiction authors to date, in any language. While finding precise sales numbers for any given author is nearly impossible, the list is based on approximate numbers provided or repeated by reliable sources. "Best selling" refers to the estimated number of copies sold of all fiction books written or co-written by an author. To keep the list manageable, only authors with estimated sales of at least 100 million are included. Authors of comic books are not included unless they have been published in book format.
Authors such as Miguel de Cervantes, Alexandre Dumas, Jane Austen, Arthur Conan Doyle, Victor Hugo, Jules Verne, Rick Riordan, Jack Higgins and Leon Uris have not been included in the table because no exact figures could be found—although there are indications that they too have more than 100 million copies of their work in print.
AuthorMin. estimated salesMax. estimated salesOriginal languageGenre or major worksNumber of booksNationality
2 billion4 billionEnglishPlays and poetry42English
2 billion4 billionEnglishWhodunits including the Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot series85English
500 million1 billionEnglishRomance723English
500 million800 millionEnglishRomance179American
750 million750 millionEnglishAdventure23American
500 million700 millionFrenchDetectives, Maigret, romans dur570Belgian
600 millionEnglishChildren's literature, Noddy, The Famous Five, The Secret Seven800English
370 million600 millionEnglishSuspense21American
500 millionEnglishHarry Potter, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them15British
125 million500 millionEnglishAdolescent adventures209American
100 million500 millionEnglishChildren's literature44American
470 millionJapaneseManga, One Piece96Japanese
413 millionRussianWar and Peace, Anna Karenina48Russian
400 million400 millionSpanishRomance4,000Spanish
250 million400 millionEnglishRomance25English
200 million400 millionEnglishDime novels135American
100 million400 millionEnglishGoosebumps series, Fear Street series, horror, comedy430+American
325 million400 millionEnglishHorror, thriller, science fiction, fantasy91American
145 million400 millionEnglishRomance200+American
357 millionRussianPlays, poetry, prose, Eugene Onegin17Russian
300 million350 millionEnglishHorror, science fiction, fantasy, It, The Shining, The Stand, Pet Sematary, Salem's Lot, The Green Mile70American
225 million350 millionPortugueseThe Alchemist28Brazilian
250 million330 millionEnglishSaga, thriller, short stories, Kane and Abel, The Clifton Chronicles33English
230 million330 millionEnglishWestern101American
300 million330 millionJapaneseMystery500+Japanese
325millionFrenchFranco-Belgian comics, Asterix, Lucky Luke, Iznogoud108French
100 million325 millionEnglishMystery, Perry Mason140American
300 millionEnglishDetective175English
Jin Yong100 million300 millionChineseWuxia15Chinese
300 million300 millionEnglishRomance93American
110 million290 millionEnglishEspionage, Jason Bourne40American
287millionJapaneseManga, Dr. Slump, Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Super66Japanese
276millionJapaneseManga, Astro Boy, Black Jack, BuddhaJapanese
150 million275 millionEnglishThriller, Alex Cross98American
200 million270 millionFrenchDetective, San Antonio300Swiss
200 million260 millionEnglishBerenstain Bears300+American
200 million250 millionEnglishChildren's literature50British
100 million250 millionEnglishLegal thriller22American
250 millionEnglishWesternAmerican
250 millionEnglishSuspenseAmerican
200 million250 millionEnglishThe Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, classical fantasy36English
235millionJapaneseManga, Naruto72Japanese
100 million200 millionGermanWestern, adventure80German
100 million120 millionEnglishDetectiveAustralian
100 million200 millionEnglishDetective, Mike HammerAmerican
100 million200 millionEnglishThe Chronicles of Narnia, fantasy, popular theology38British
200 millionJapaneseMystery400+Japanese
200 millionJapaneseManga, Touch, H2, Slow Step, Miyuki,Cross GameJapanese
200 millionJapaneseManga Urusei Yatsura, Ranma ½, Inuyasha, Maison Ikkoku, Rin-neJapanese
200 millionJapaneseManga, Detective Conan , Yaiba, Magic KaitoJapanese
200 million200 millionEnglishThriller, Robert Langdon7American
172 million180 millionEnglishThe Baby-sitters Club335American
180 millionJapaneseHistorical350Japanese
150 million170 millionEnglishThriller11British/Canadian
150 millionFrenchDetectives, SAS170French
100 million150 millionEnglishPeter Rabbit23English
150 million150 millionEnglishTechno thriller25American
100 million150 millionEnglishIllustrated children's books250American
40 million150 millionEnglishAdventure, Dirk Pitt37American
150 million200 millionEnglishAdventure, thriller, war stories32British
90 million150 millionEnglishSpy thriller, historical thriller30British
100 million165 millionSwedishChildren's literature100Swedish
60 million140 millionEnglishRomanceAmerican
EL James100 million125 millionEnglishFifty Shades of Grey3British
Tite Kubo120 millionJapaneseManga, Bleach74Japanese
120 millionJapaneseMusashi7Japanese
100 million120 millionEnglishRomance103British
100 million116 millionEnglishThe Twilight Saga, The Host, romance6American
100 million110 millionEnglishClifford the Big Red Dog80American
110 millionEnglishThriller25American
Nicholas Sparks90 million105 millionEnglishRomance22American
100 millionJapaneseManga, Jojo's Bizarre AdventureJapanese
100 million100 millionEnglishDetective 94American
100 million100 millionEnglishV. C. Andrews, The Devil's Advocate60American
100 million100 millionEnglishChildren's literature, Mr. MenBritish
75 million100 millionEnglishGothic fiction, vampires, Interview with the Vampire 27American
100 million100 millionEnglishMedical thriller Coma27American
80 million100 millionEnglishAfrican adventure32South African/British
80 million100 millionEnglishLiterature25American
Judith Krantz80 million100 millionEnglishRomance12American
100 million100 millionEnglishRomance, historical, suspense200British
100 millionEnglishAlice's Adventures in Wonderland, absurdist literature5British
100 millionEnglishRomance200British
100 millionChineseDream of the Red ChamberChinese
100 million100 millionEnglishJames Bond14British
100 million100 millionGermanSteppenwolf, Siddhartha, The Glass Bead Game45German-Swiss
100 million100 millionEnglishNero Wolfe50American
100 million100 millionFrenchAngélique14French
100 millionEnglishMedical62American
100 million100 millionEnglishTarzan, Barsoom and Pellucidar'' series, science fantasyAmerican
100 millionEnglishCrime thriller600British
100 millionEnglishHistorical47American
100 millionJapaneseMystery130+Japanese
100 millionJapaneseMystery350+Japanese
100 million100 millionEnglishThrillerAmerican
90 million100 millionEnglishRomance200+British
100 millionEnglishThriller34+American