Top 10 Popular Authors

In the modern world there seems to exist but two groups of people; those who read “Game of Thrones” before watching the TV series and those who tuned into the show before getting their hands on the original inspiration! Either way, a lot of us have read George R. R. Martin! Writer of “A Song of Ice and Fire,” the fantasy novel series that inspired the show, Martin’s seen his fictional imaginings translated to the screen quite successfully! So successfully, in fact, he’s been labeled “the American Tolkien”! It’s sex. It’s violence. It’s a very good read!

To be a popular writer you naturally have to please a lot of people... And there are few with a demographic as wide-reaching as Philip Pullman’s! The British wordsmith employs his own self-explained brand of “stark realism,” most famously in the “His Dark Materials” trilogy. This trio of titles is aimed predominantly at the young adult market, but it’s invariably picked up by kids and grownups as well. His reimagining of reality with generous helpings of unreality has many hooked, and hankering for a demon of their very own!

An author first, and a political critic second, Tom Clancy saw his public profile rise in parallel to thepopularity of his books. His more than 100 million books sold attest to how strong that popularity is. Closely associated with novels and stories tackling military life, the Cold War, the post-Cold War era and espionage, Clancy appeals strongly to a male audience. The author passed away in 2013, but his books remain strong sellers – as do his video games! That, in addition to the film versions featuring his Jack Ryan character, promise to keep that popularity alive for years to come!

One of the 21st century’s greatest literary success stories, Dan Brown has had readers waiting on his every word ever since “Digital Fortress” was published in 1998. Brown’s books about Harvard professor of religious iconology and symbology Robert Langdon, including 2000’s “Angels and Demons” and 2003’s “The Da Vinci Code,” have propelled him to massive success. Readers have been second (and third!) guessing the author and his creation as they’ve followed the intricate clues that form the treasure hunts in these novels. Brown has brought high-brow topics to the masses with healthy doses of conspiracy theories and thrills, and he’s built an impressive and loyal fan-base as a result.

All four of our writers leading up to this point have seen their works adapted for film and TV, but few books have been bought to the screen as successfully as those of Robert Ludlum. “The Bourne Identity,” “The Bourne Supremacy” and “The Bourne Ultimatum” have all been brought to life with Matt Damon as the main man. The films did awesomely well, but there’s no smoke without fire, and there’s no box office hit without high-quality writing. Ludlum unfortunately passed before the first film was made, but his legacy lives on! With an estimated 290 to 500 million books in print, that’s quite a legacy.

Another author who’s sadly no longer with us, Michael Crichton’s crowning glory in terms of his career as a writer was surely “Jurassic Park.” The 1990 novel became a ‘93 Steven Spielberg super-film, and Crichton’s ‘95 follow up heaped more Hollywood royalties at the author’s door. With an impressive educational background in medicine, which allowed him create the massively popular TV hospital drama “ER,” Crichton’s works would often carry a scientific and technological theme running alongside mankind’s struggle to advance further. He was brilliant at “outside of the box” thinking.

An old adage says that you should write about what you know, and John Grisham knows a lot about law. For 10 years before becoming an author he worked within the courtroom. Ever since his authorial debut in 1989 with “A Time To Kill” he has been relaying his experiences back to us in books like “The Firm,” “The Pelican Brief,” “The Client” and “The Rainmaker.” We’ve responded by buying 275 million copies of his books. Grisham is one of only three authors to sell 2 million copies on a first printing. The other two? Tom Clancy and our next lady of modern literature...

If you’ve never heard of Harry Potter, then you’ve had your head in some seriously dense sand! The boy wizard is world famous, and his creator is heralded by many as one of the great authors of the 21st century. J. K. Rowling has seen her seven-strong book series translate into 8 box office smashing blockbuster movies, wielding its magic all over the globe! From Transfiguration class to Professor Trelawny, from Bertie Bott to Bathilda Bagshot, Rowling’s magical world has become as familiar as our own. As a result, she’s had muggles of all ages transfixed for years!

While Harry Potter is an undoubted hero within the fantasy genre, his story is but one in long list of fantastical epics - a list topped and trail-blazed by Tolkien. “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit,” the two most well-known adventures set within the English writer’s magical realm of Middle Earth, set the standard for all fantasy-based novels which have followed. What has most captured the imagination for generations is the phenomenal attention to detail. Tolkien leaves no stone unturned, no hobbit hole unexplored, and no reader unimpressed. The immensely popular films serie based on his work have only added to Tolkien’s popularity in recent years.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
- James Patterson
- Clive Cussler
- Ayn Rand
- Danielle Steel
- Anne Rice

Thrilling his way into first place, Stephen King is about as prolific a writer as the world has ever seen, and he’s maintained his popularity throughout his lengthy published career! Opening his authorial account with “Carrie” in 1974 before following up with “‘Salem’s Lot” and “The Shining,” King very much started as he meant to go on! Continually reinventing the contemporary horror genre, his books have often been made into movies, helping to keep his name constantly before the public. The result? An estimated 300-350 million books sold, in a variety of genres. King is king today!

Do you agree with our list? Which author do you like to read? For more fashionably fictional top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.