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The SFF All-Time Sales List


Werthead

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Kevin J Anderson has twice as many as Timothy Zahn? Aren't both of them primarily getting thier sales from Star Wars EU books (of which Zahn's are far more popular?) Or am I simply not aware or Anderson's doubtless outstanding work in other areas?

Anderson is getting his sales primarily now from the Dune books, which have been - terrifyingly - hugely successful. Zahn gets his from the Star Wars books alone (his other work has sold okay, but probably not in the millions).

That source may be enough to promote Zahn though.

ETA: ARGH! According to Wiki Anderson is up to 20 million. WHY?

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What were 100 m people thinking of, paying for the works of Anne Rice?

If an author has published more than one book, then sales of 100 million do not mean that 100 million different people have bought one of her books, because many of those sales would be to people who have bought all the volumes she has written.

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If an author has published more than one book, then sales of 100 million do not mean that 100 million different people have bought one of her books, because many of those sales would be to people who have bought all the volumes she has written.

Indeed. ASoIaF hasn't been bought by 25 million people, for example, but more likely 4 million people have bought all five books (though the first book of a series usually always sells more, because people buy it, don't like it and don't buy any more).

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Indeed. ASoIaF hasn't been bought by 25 million people, for example, but more likely 4 million people have bought all five books (though the first book of a series usually always sells more, because people buy it, don't like it and don't buy any more).

Presumably, most viewers haven't bought the books, then?

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Presumably, most viewers haven't bought the books, then?

Not even close.

Sadly, ASoIaF book readers have to accept they are now in the minority. The TV viewers outnumber us hugely. Between 2 and 3 times as many people watch the TV show in the United States alone as have read the books worldwide.

This is why there is absolutely no way in hell that HBO are going to slow down, put the show on hold or whatever so GRRM can complete the books before they overtake.

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Interesting. Source Wert?

Here.

I have a hard time believing GRRM is that low on the list with how popular the books are right now.

For comparison's sake, the books had sold maybe 5-7 million copies at absolute best by 2008. ASoIaF has sold 18-20 million copies in that time frame. This is absolutely massive. If that keeps up, Martin will be challenging the likes of Pratchett and Jordan in just a few years.

We should also factor in that's ASoIaF alone. Wild Cards seems to have sold between 1 and 2 million copies and his other books have also sold well.

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Wild Cards seems to have sold between 1 and 2 million copies and his other books have also sold well.

This is pretty much off topic, but I am always amazed whenever I think, "I should go back and re-read the Wild Card series," and then find out that the only ones "in print" are like the first two and the last 4-5.

I think I read the first 5-6 when I was in high school, but haven't read any since. I'd love to go back and revisit this series, but there's no way I am starting knowing that I can only buy the first two. Seems like it would be a no-brainer to release these as (at least) ebooks, considering the popularity right now of both Martin and the whole super hero genre.

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I still don't know why they didn't republish the series in omnibus. Seems a no-brainer. They are never going to catch up by reprinting the series one book per year, one at a time, and Gollancz's reprint plan was even more chaotic (jumping from Book 3 to Book 18 seems particularly silly).

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I still don't know why they didn't republish the series in omnibus. Seems a no-brainer. They are never going to catch up by reprinting the series one book per year, one at a time, and Gollancz's reprint plan was even more chaotic (jumping from Book 3 to Book 18 seems particularly silly).

Is that the current plan? Reprint on book per year? I've wondered if there was some rhyme or reason as to why only the first two books are available from the series' beginning.

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Is that the current plan? Reprint on book per year? I've wondered if there was some rhyme or reason as to why only the first two books are available from the series' beginning.

Three a year in the UK, based on sales, but yeah, one a year in the US so far.

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ETA: ARGH! According to Wiki Anderson is up to 20 million. WHY?

Amazon.com says 23 million.

Kevin J. Anderson has written 50 national bestsellers and has over 23 million books in print worldwide in thirty languages.

I found the numbers for Scott Lynch:

HEALTHY NUMBERS: The Gentleman Bastards series has more than 145,000 in print in the United States alone.

http://edelweiss.abovethetreeline.com/ProductDetailPage.aspx?sku=0553804693

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Amazon.com says 23 million.

HEALTHY NUMBERS: The Gentleman Bastards series has more than 145,000 in print in the United States alone.

That's pretty solid, though I suspect surprising to some people. A lot of the authors discussed a lot online and on SFF forums have relatively low sales, and vice versa.

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