The 10 Best-Selling Fiction Books of All Time, Ranked

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Published Sep 3, 2026, 5:19 PM EDT

Diego Pineda has been a devout storyteller his whole life. He has self-published a fantasy novel and a book of short stories, and is actively working on publishing his second novel.

A lifelong fan of watching movies and talking about them endlessly, he writes reviews and analyses on his Instagram page dedicated to cinema, and occasionally on his blog. His favorite filmmakers are Andrei Tarkovsky and Charlie Chaplin. He loves modern Mexican cinema and thinks it's tragically underappreciated.

Other interests of Diego's include reading, gaming, roller coasters, writing reviews on his Letterboxd account (username: DPP_reviews), and going down rabbit holes of whatever topic he's interested in at any given point.

Throughout history, many fiction books have sold a remarkable number of copies; but only a few have been so commercially popular that they've gone down in history as the best-selling works of literature in history. There is nothing quite like sitting down with a good fictional story to read through and quickly grow addicted to, and the ten highest-selling fiction books of all time have clearly been so popular that millions upon millions of people were dying to get their hands on a copy.

From foundational fantasy masterpieces like The Hobbit to ancient texts like Dream of the Red Chamber, the best-selling fiction books ever published are proof that the joy of reading is a truly timeless thing. Even to this day, they continue selling millions of copies around the world, so that they will very likely never cease to be remembered as essential classics of the art form.

10 'She: A History of Adventure' (1887)

A History of Adventure' by H. Rider Haggard

H. Rider Haggard's Gothic British novel She: A History of Adventure was originally serialized in The Graphic magazine between 1886 and 1887, until finally being published in book form that same year. The book, a massively influential pioneer of the lost world genre, was so immensely popular upon publication that it has never been out of print. A whopping 139 years after its publication in book form, it's still just as enjoyable and admirable today as it was back then.

She has been able to sell around 83 million copies around the world.

Over the course of that nearly one-and-a-half century, She has been able to sell around 83 million copies around the world. It set a wholly new blueprint for fantasy fiction, and its influences can still be felt across adventure classics as foundational as Tarzan or as modern as Indiana Jones. But on top of being so iconic that everyone should read it at least once in their lives, even if only to be able to appreciate how influential it truly has been, it's also just as fast-paced and fun to read today as it surely was back in the 19th century.

9 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' (1865)

Nowadays, Lewis Carroll's Alice is one of the most iconic characters in all of English-language pop culture, and Wonderland is easily one of the best-known fictional worlds in the history of literature. It all had to start somewhere, though, and that "somewhere" was Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. This paragon of Victorian literature and pioneer of the literary nonsense genre helped usher in a new era of children's literature, where books became less didactic and more focused on entertaining kids and helping their imaginations flourish.

It's no wonder why Alice is far and way one of the best-selling fantasy books of all time, with its having sold around 100 million copies worldwide to date. Fum, whimsical, and wonderfully (pun not intended) imaginative, it's such a fresh and creative novel that anyone—regardless of their age—should still be able to thoroughly enjoy it today. Many a fantasy book from the 19th century feels a bit dated by modern standards, but not Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, which is still one of the most important pillars of fantasy pop culture.

8 'The Hobbit' (1937)

The front cover of 'The Hobbit' by J. R. R. Tolkien

It would be a later fantasy novel by J. R. R. Tolkien that would revolutionize the fantasy genre in a way that it had never seen before, but that isn't to discredit the value and importance of the world's introduction to Middle-earth, the magical children's novel The Hobbit. The book was an immediate critical and commercial success, and that's hardly surprising. This is, after all, the sort of book you know will be a masterpiece just from reading the first 10 pages.

The Hobbit has sold around 100 million copies worldwide, and even that still isn't enough considering just how delightfully timeless, entertaining, and influential it has proven to be over the years. Whether as a bedtime story, as a breezy weekend read for a fantasy fan, or as a re-read for anyone who loves Middle-earth, it's an absolutely perfect whose commercial success shouldn't be surprising in the slightest.

7 'Dream of the Red Chamber' (1791)

Cover of 'Dream of the Red Chamber' by Cao Xueqin

Also known as The Story of the Stone, Dream of the Red Chamber is an ancient family saga penned by Cao Xueqin, considered one of the Four Great Classic Novels of Chinese literature—and thus, a must-read for anyone interested in the history of world literature. Surprisingly deep in its psychological scope and wonderfully intricate in its plotting, it follows the rise and tragic fall of a wealthy aristocratic family.

Since its publication over two centuries ago, Dream of the Red Chamber has sold over 100 million copies worldwide, a continued commercial success that's nothing short of impressive for a text so old. Through its depth, thematic layeredness, and profoundly humanist and emotional tone, the novel has transcended cultural and language barriers over the centuries. It offers social commentary on themes like wealth and social decline that's still shockingly timely in 2026.

6 'And Then There Were None' (1939)

And Then There Were None - book cover - 1939

British writer Dame Agatha Christie is one of the most legendary writers in the history of literature not only because she authored several of the most iconic thriller and mystery novels ever, but also because she's the most translated author in history and the best-selling fiction writer of all time. A staggering number of those sales come from what's both her highest-selling book ever and the highest-selling mystery book ever by an admirable margin: And Then There Were None, one of those essential thriller books everyone should read at least once.

To date, And Then There Were None has sold around 100 million copies around the world—over 20 million more than the next best-selling mystery thriller ever, Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. All of that commercial hype is perfectly warranted. And Then There Were None is a brilliant subversion of the whodunnit formula which has aged like fine wine, creating an atmosphere of psychological dread that's still just as effective today as it surely was back in 1939.

5 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' (1997)

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone book cover

Setting J. K. Rowling's condemnable personal views aside is always necessary when talking about the best-selling books in history, because there's no conversation about the topic than can elude the highest-selling book series in history: Harry Potter. The most commercially successful novel of the bunch is the one that started it all, a children's fantasy novel which revolutionized the publishing industry as a whole: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, published as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in the United States.

A landmark in the genre's history whose nearly-unprecedented pop-cultural importance and level of influence simply can't be overstated.

It's one of the best fantasy books of the last 100 years, a landmark in the genre's history whose nearly-unprecedented pop-cultural importance and level of influence simply can't be overstated. Having sold around 120 million copies around the world to date, Sorcerer's Stone continues to further enshrine itself as one of the most timeless pieces of children's literature the world has ever seen.

4 'The Alchemist' (1988)

Cover of 'The Alchemist' by Paulo Coelho

When it comes to world literature, few regions have had an output more historically important than Latin America. Case in point: the great Brazilian author Paulo Coelho, whose The Alchemist sold quite poorly when originally published in Portuguese. It was after finding a larger publisher and landing an English translation that slow-burning word-of-mouth (and even Coelho's embracing of Internet piracy) would eventually transform what was originally a flop into one of the most widely-read novels in history.

This wonderful fantasy adventure has historically received some criticism for presenting ideas and themes that are at times deemed too simplistic, but it's precisely the universal accessibility of its philosophical messages and musings that has allowed it to sell around 150 million copies worldwide. That's without even counting the people who have read The Alchemist through the piracy that Coelho himself supported in an effort to get his book even further out there.

3 'The Lord of the Rings' (1954–1955)

As incredible as The Hobbit is and as massively influential as it was back in the '30s, it wouldn't be until the '50s that Tolkien would publish an epic novel which would completely change the course of fantasy literature's history: The Lord of the Rings, far and away one of the most ambitious books of all time. Published in three volumes, this fantasy epic is widely regarded as the greatest and most foundational of the entire 20th century.

Due to its often being sold in three separate volumes, the book's sales numbers aren't the clearest, but it's generally accepted that it has sold a little over 150 million copies worldwide to date. Indeed, over the years, The Lord of the Rings has never ceased to be a pillar of modern fantasy, Tolkien's writing having completely redefined the way several future generations of fantasy authors would approach the genre going forward.

Collider Exclusive · Middle-earth Quiz Which Lord of the Rings
Character Are You? One Quiz · Ten Questions · Your Fate Revealed

The road goes ever on. From the green hills of the Shire to the fires of Mount Doom, every soul in Middle-earth carries a destiny. Ten questions stand between you and the truth of who you are. Answer honestly — the One Ring has a way of revealing what we most want to hide.

💍Frodo

🌿Samwise

👑Aragorn

🔥Gandalf

🏹Legolas

⚒️Gimli

👁️Sauron

🪨Gollum

BEGIN YOUR QUEST →

You are handed a responsibility that could destroy you. What do you do? The weight of the world falls on unlikely shoulders.

AAccept it. Someone has to, and running changes nothing. BStay by the side of whoever carries it. They shouldn't go alone. CStep forward and lead. This is exactly what I was made for. DIt's mine now. I won't let anyone else have it.

NEXT QUESTION →

Your closest companion is heading into terrible danger. You: True loyalty is revealed not in comfort, but in crisis.

AFollow them without hesitation. I'd rather die beside them than live without them. BRally others and forge a plan to help — strength in numbers. COffer wisdom and guidance. My counsel may save them where swords cannot. DLet them go. Only the strong survive, and sentiment is a weakness.

NEXT QUESTION →

Enormous power is within your reach. Your instinct is: Power corrupts — but only those who reach for it.

ADestroy it. Nothing good comes from power this absolute. BUse it to protect those I love — just this once. CWield it wisely. I have the will and the knowledge to do good with it. DSeize it. I have waited long enough. It belongs to me.

NEXT QUESTION →

What does "home" mean to you? Where we long to return reveals who we truly are.

AA simple, peaceful place — green hills, good food, no adventure required. BWherever the people I love are. Home is a feeling, not a place. CA kingdom I must earn before I can truly claim it as mine. DI lost it long ago. That loss is what drives everything I do.

NEXT QUESTION →

When a battle is upon you, your approach is: War reveals what we are made of — whether we like it or not.

ASurvive by any means. I'm not a fighter — but I'll do what I must. BFight for the person beside me, not for glory or honour. CLead the charge. Nothing inspires an army like a king at the front. DStrike from range, fast and precise — never let them get close.

NEXT QUESTION →

Someone comes to you for advice in their darkest hour. You: Wisdom is not knowing all the answers — it's knowing which questions to ask.

AListen, then offer honest encouragement. Sometimes people just need belief. BGive them practical help — words are fine, but action is better. CSpeak carefully. I have seen much, and I know what counsel can cost. DTell them what they want to hear. Trust is a tool like any other.

NEXT QUESTION →

How do you see yourself, honestly? Self-knowledge is the most dangerous kind.

ASmall and ordinary — but perhaps that's exactly why I was chosen. BDefined entirely by who I serve and love. I am nothing without them. CForged by hardship into something the world has not yet fully seen. DDiminished from what I once was — and consumed by the need to reclaim it.

NEXT QUESTION →

Which of these best describes your relationship with the natural world? Middle-earth speaks to those who know how to listen.

AI find peace in it — forests, rivers, open skies. Nature restores me. BI prefer the earth underfoot — stone, mines, solid and real things. CI have watched the world change for longer than most can comprehend. DNature offers hiding places, cold water, raw fish. That's enough for me.

NEXT QUESTION →

You encounter a wretched, pitiable creature who has done terrible things. You: How we treat the fallen reveals the height of our character.

AShow mercy. Even the most broken souls deserve a chance at redemption. BPity them — but never trust them. They made their choices. CSee them as a tool. Their knowledge or skills may still serve a purpose. DDestroy them before they can cause more harm. Mercy is a luxury we cannot afford.

NEXT QUESTION →

When the quest is over and the songs are sung, what do you hope they say about you? In the end, we are all just stories.

AThat an ordinary person did an extraordinary thing — and came home. BThat I never abandoned the person who needed me most. CThat I was worthy of the crown — and everything it demanded. DNothing. I don't need songs. I needed it, and now it's gone.

REVEAL MY FATE →

The Fellowship Has Spoken Your Place in Middle-earth

The scores below reveal your true character. Your highest number is your match. Even a tie tells a story — the Fellowship was never made of simple people.

💍 Frodo

🌿 Samwise

👑 Aragorn

🔥 Gandalf

🏹 Legolas

⚒️ Gimli

👁️ Sauron

🪨 Gollum

You carry something heavy — and you carry it alone, even when you don't have to. You were not born for greatness, and that is precisely why greatness chose you. Your courage is not the roaring, sword-swinging kind; it is quiet, stubborn, and terrifying in its refusal to quit. The Ring weighs on you more than anyone can see, and still you walk toward the fire. That is not weakness. That is the rarest kind of strength there is.

You are, without question, the best of them. Not the most powerful, not the most celebrated — but the most essential. Your loyalty is not a trait; it is a force of nature. You would carry the person you love up the slopes of Mount Doom if it came to that, and we both know you'd do it without being asked. The world needs more people like you, and the world is lucky it has even one.

You were born to lead, and you have spent years running from it. The crown is yours by right, but you know better than anyone that right means nothing without the will and the worthiness to back it up. You are tempered by loss, shaped by long roads, and defined by a code of honour you hold to even when no one is watching. When you finally step forward, the world shifts. Because it was always waiting for you.

You have seen more than you let on, and you say less than you know — which is exactly as it should be. You are a catalyst: you do not fight the battles yourself, you ignite the people who can. Your wisdom comes not from books but from an age of watching what happens when it is ignored. You arrive precisely when you mean to, and your presence alone changes what is possible. A wizard is never late.

Graceful, perceptive, and almost preternaturally calm under pressure — you see things others miss and act before others react. You do not need to make a scene to be remarkable; your presence speaks for itself. You are loyal to those you choose to stand beside, and that choice is not made lightly. You have lived long enough to know that the most beautiful things in this world are also the most fragile, and that is why you fight to protect them.

You are loud, proud, and absolutely formidable — and beneath all of that is one of the most fiercely loyal hearts in Middle-earth. You don't do anything by half measures. Your friendships are forged like iron, your grudges run as deep as mines, and your courage in battle is the kind that makes legends. You came into this fellowship suspicious of everyone and ended it willing to die for an elf. That is not a small thing. That is everything.

You think in centuries and act in absolutes. Order, dominion, control — not because you are cruel by nature, but because you have decided that the world left to itself always falls apart, and you are the only one with the vision and the will to hold it together. You were not always this. Something was lost, or taken, or betrayed, and the version of you that stands now is the answer to that wound. The tragedy is that you're not entirely wrong — just entirely too far gone to course-correct.

You are a study in contradiction — pitiable and dangerous, cunning and broken, capable of both cruelty and something that once resembled love. You are defined by loss: of innocence, of self, of the one thing that gave your existence meaning. Two voices war inside you constantly, and the tragedy is that the better one sometimes wins, just not often enough, and never at the right moment. You are a warning, yes — but also a mirror. We are all a little Gollum, given the right ring and enough time.

↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ

2 'The Little Prince' (1943)

French author and aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince was written and illustrated by him at the suggestion of a publisher, who said that he should write a children's book to calm himself during his self-imposed exile in New York during World War II. What Saint-Exupéry ended up writing is one of the most important novellas in history, the second most translated literary work ever published, right behind only the Bible.

It's one of the most perfect fantasy books ever published, making the fact that it has sold around 200 million copies worldwide all the less surprising. Saint-Exupéry's deceptively simple and charming prose is a great way to get children to enjoy The Little Prince, but the book hides such beautifully complex and profound truths about the human condition and being an adult that anyone, regardless of their age, should consider it essential reading.

1 'A Tale of Two Cities' (1859)

Cover of 'A Tale of Two Cities' by Charles Dickens

Calling Charles Dickens one of the greatest and most influential authors in the history of the English language could be considered an understatement, seeing as he's almost universally hailed as the most prominent novelist of the Victorian era. For proof of why, one needn't look any further than his best-selling work, the historical novel A Tale of Two Cities.

The book is an absolute masterpiece, but that doesn't make it any less surprising or admirable that it has sold more than 200 million copies around the world since its publication, making it the best-selling fiction book in history. Dickens' writing can feel a bit slow or overly dense at times, but A Tale of Two Cities is nevertheless a pretty-much-perfect must-read. It's a truly timeless story about love, sacrifice, and revolution which will likely only continue to be a commercial juggernaut as the years continue to pass.

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