An example of this is Amazon's top 10 list. The website's list is created solely on what books it has sold in that genre to date. Many of these informational venues are not based on any sort of research, but only book sales and fan votes to that specific site. Example two, Goodreads.com has a list which is complied only of the votes of that sites viewers; again, no research.
Luckily, I have done my research and based on overall popularity and book sales, and have thus found what I feel is the best and most well-rounded "top 10" list available, thus far in the century.
"1. Twilight: Certainly you’ve been unable to escape hearing about this vampire love series. Although some fans are casual readers, others have embraced the series into obsession, becoming 'Twifans' or 'Fanpires.' As a whole, the Twilight series has sold more than 100 million copies around the world, and Twilight was the best selling book of the year in 2008. In its first day of release, the Twilight DVD sold more than 3 million copies, with huge crowds at midnight release parties. Twilight has been a large presence at many conventions, including ComicCon, and one completely devoted to Twilight, TwiCon.
2. Harry Potter: Before there was Twilight, there was Harry Potter, the young adult series written by J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter and his friends learn to become expert wizards, and fans young and old have strongly embraced its culture. In fact, it’s even been considered that Harry Potter has spawned a lifelong love of books for readers young and old, converting nonreaders into those who will clear their schedules in order to sit down with the newest release. The series has met incredible success, with more than 400 million copies sold and every one of its six movies so far nearing a worldwide gross of $1 billion each. Rabid fans of the series have even created their own works, with almost 500,000 different pieces of fan fiction available online.
3. The Secret: If you believe this book will improve your life, it just might. At least, that’s what author Rhonda Byrne wants you to think. After being featured on Oprah, this self-help book that insists positive thinking can bring on incredible life changing results hit the New York Times bestseller list and went on the make a movie that was for a time the #1 DVD on Amazon. The book had many readers frenzied into a spiritual cult, insisting that through the Law of Attraction, they could achieve almost anything, including extreme weight loss and even beating cancer. Overall, The Secret has sold more than 19 million copies since 2006.
4. Lord of the Rings: Although published between 1954-1955, The Lord of the Rings has enjoyed an enduring fan following, as well as a new revival in fans due to The Lord of the Rings trilogy of movies directed by Peter Jackson. These books have had many influences on popular culture, including the language of Elvish, an expansion in the genre of fantasy fiction and the inspiration of filmmakers such as George Lucas. 'LOTR' fans have been known to get tattoos inspired by the series as well as create fan art. Over the years, sales of these books have topped 150 million. The Lord of the Rings trilogy of movies reached a box office revenue close to $3 billion.
5. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: This franchise has enjoyed success in many different forms, including books, radio broadcast, TV, computer games, comic book adaptations, and even a large production movie. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy inspired 'Hitch-Hikeriana,' a variety of merchandising and spinoff items related to the series, especially towels. It has been an international phenomenon, enjoyed in the UK, US, Canada, Germany, Israel, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland. Every year on May 25th, fans of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy celebrate Towel Day to honor the late author Douglas Adams.
6. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of fantasy novels written for children. It’s been adapted to the radio, stage, TV, and even movies. The classic works sold more than 120 million copies, and have been printed in 41 languages. Authors including Neil Gaiman and Katherine Paterson have been influenced by the works, as well as the graphic novel The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and popular TV shows like LOST and Family Guy. There is also a Saturday Night Live digital short, Lazy Sunday, that focuses on going to see Chronicles of Narnia in the movie theaters. Two movies have been released so far, and their worldwide box office gross has topped $1 billion.
7. Percy Jackson & the Olympians: In this series, a young boy learns that he is the son of Poseidon, and discovers the world of Greek mythology. The series began in 2005, and has recently released a movie of the first book, The Lightning Thief, which opened with more than $31 million in the box office its first weekend, the highest for a fantasy film outside of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Narnia. This same book has sold more than $1.2 million copies in hardcover and paperback. Percy Jackson has found fans young and old, with these fans going on to purchase the video game based on The Lightning Thief as well as a DVD that released to almost $14 million in revenue its first week.
8. The Da Vinci Code: Written by bestselling author Dan Brown, the Da Vinci Code offers a thrilling look into the legend of the Holy Grail as well as Mary Magdalene in Christianity. Although critics have not received the book well, fans certainly have. Fans in the UK have gone on their own Da Vinci Code-style treasure hunts, with one pair causing damage to the stonework of a 14th century church in search of the Holy Grail. The book has sold over 80 million copies and been translated into 44 different languages, the bestselling English language novel of the 21st century. The Da Vinci Code film in 2006 earned more than $230 million worldwide in its opening weekend, at the time the third most profitable opening weekend in film history.
9. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Late author Stieg Larsson’s novel has become a posthumous bestseller with an large fan base. It was released to great popularity in Larsson’s native Sweden, and soon took over many European countries, eventually reaching a frenzy in the United States as well. The trilogy has topped more than 27 million copies worldwide, and its small-release film has reached a box office payday of nearly $10 million just in the US. Fans love The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo so much that a tour has been spawned in Stockholm, taking fans to important locations in Stieg Larsson’s book.
10. Sookie Stackhouse: Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse novels haven’t quite reached a Twilight frenzy, but the books that started True Blood have a rabid collection of fans, commonly referred to as 'Fangbangers.' The Fangbangers often descend upon the towns of Shreveport and Monroe, Louisiana in search of the fictional Bon Temps, Louisiana that True Blood is set in. These novels went on to create the True Blood drama series that has enjoyed fandom and critical acclaim, including a Golden Globe and Emmy. In its third season, True Blood is now HBO’s most watched series since The Sopranos."
This information is courtesy of Online Colleges.
Pictures via Google Search.
No comments:
Post a Comment