Fiction as a genre is completely useful sometimes, and it’s more useful than non-fiction if you think properly. Many people fail to realize that fiction is not imagination at all. Fiction is as real as you and me. You don’t realize this because you are more relaxed when reading fiction.
Fiction has too many layers beneath it that you have to absorb, and only one will absorb the whole meaning of fiction. That’s when you start enjoying fiction and realize that fiction is more useful than anything else.
Fiction books show how to live the right way of living. If you’re reading fiction books, you learn about the currencies of different countries, people in different countries, festivals, and historical backgrounds. Also, there is so much knowledge about what a fiction book gives you. If you want to read best selling fiction books, follow me.
15 Best Selling Fiction Books All Time
When reading these novels, you must remember that they were written in different eras by different authors living in different societies, bound under different circumstances. So if any book doesn’t resonate with your way of seeing things, observe it and maybe absorb a lesson. I will discuss 15 best selling fiction books for you. Let’s go.
1. Les Miserables
We’ll start this list with Hugo’s beautiful tale of injustice, heroism, and love. During the French Revolution, Les Miserables follows the fortunes of several characters, who are driven to destinies by the despondent French society of that era. The main themes of this classic capture both the intellect and the emotions of the reader crime and punishment, relentless persecution, desperation, and the universal desire to escape the prisons of our minds.
The main character of the book is John Valjean. He is in jail for 19 years because he stole bread. Once he escapes, he discovers that he should become a good and pure person to help himself and others around him because he doesn’t want to make that mistake again.
So that’s exactly what he does. He comes across a prostitute named Fountain, who recently lost her job. This was a very sad period. I recommend it if you have the patience and time to read this. This incredible novel will enchant you with every page that you move forward. You can’t put the book down until discovering what’s happening next. Also, it is the best-selling fiction book of all time.
Author: Victor Hugo
Number Of Pages: 1488
Category: World Literature & Fiction
2. The Secret Garden
The Secret Garden centers around an orphan, Mary Lennox, who’s taken into the care of a rich uncle she’s never met. She lives on the other side of the planet. Mary Lennox was living in India. She’s unloved, completely ignored. Nobody wants her. Servants raise her, and she can become selfish, stubborn, rude, and lazy. The central theme in the story is the idea of awakening someone to something back to life.
This wonderful tale contains mystery, spirituality, and charming characters that’ll kindle your imagination in many ways. A fine classic you can read as a break from any heavy reading like business books or biographies. This book was published in 1911 and was serialized in 1910 for an American audience in a magazine. It’s best-selling classic children’s literature. But it read so well to adults as well.
Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett
Number Of Pages: 331
Category: Literature & Fiction, Children’s Classics
3. The Age of Innocence
The Age of Innocence is incredible how many novels focus on a love story that’s either unable to come true or finally fulfilled after many grueling struggles. This one is no different set. About 100 years ago, in the golden age of New York, when society was afraid more of scandals than diseases. The Age of Innocence presents a struggle of a young, aristocratic lawyer between love and duty.
The story was published in 1920 and was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in nineteen twenty-one. This book was on the best-selling fiction list for 5 years at this time frame. The story takes place in New York City in the 70s. You follow this character called Newland Archer, and he is about to propose to his girlfriend. Her name is Mae Wieland. They’re about to get engaged. Then he finds out that her cousin Ellen is back in town.
He’s trapped in a love triangle that becomes increasingly difficult to solve when adding the pressures of family, society, and his sense of honor. What ends up happening is a love triangle situation where Newland develops feelings for Ellen. They have some history together from when they were a lot younger. No reader will be disappointed by picking up this book.
Author: Edith Wharton
Number Of Pages: 293
Category: Romantic Literature & Fiction
4. Anna Karenina
Here we have the best-selling fiction winner, critically acclaimed as one of the best novels ever written. In a vast and vivid canvas of nineteenth-century Russia, Anna Karenina lacks emotional moments, from love to despair, when the protagonist rejects her passionless marriage. All the hypocrisy of society clashes with every aspect of her life. All the main characters in this complex masterpiece create a dynamic and balance on all levels, death, relationships, and the difficult contradictions of human existence.
Anna Karenina is a tale of love and adultery set against the backdrop of high society in Moscow and St. Petersburg. This is a love affair between Anna, a wonderful married woman, and Count Vronsky, a wealthy Army officer. Anna and Vronsky begin at the first moment of meeting the heroes at the railway station at night. The same ominous vision arises in the end in the fading consciousness of the main character.
Contrasting with this storyline is the plot of Leron, a man striving to find contentment and meaning in his life, and also some sense that it is a self-portrait of Tolstoy himself. The noble details live difficulties managing his estate, eventual marriage, and his struggle to accept the Christian faith until the birth of his first child.
The work covers vast philosophical, religious, and moral problems. It explores the themes of hypocrisy, jealousy, faith, family, marriage, social progress, and the rural connection to the land. In contrast to the lifestyle of the city, no well-depicted, most accurate, most painful problems of Russian life.
Author: Leo Tolstoy
Number Of Pages: 964
Category: World Literature & Fiction
5. Anne of Green Gables
This book will give you some excellent lessons on life and love growing up. Probably the most important of all, when the world disappoints, you compensate with your imagination, armed with boundless imagination, and charms her way into the hearts of everyone.
Anne of Green Gables follows the story of Shirley. She is an orphan mistakenly sent to a family of two siblings, a brother and a sister called Maryla and Matthew Cuthbert. Now they live in this village or town in Canada, and they have sent for a boy to come and live with them so that he could help Matthew and Maralal with all the farm errands. But instead and Shirley gets sent to them, much to their surprise. They don’t know what to do with her, but she’s not like a shy, timid little orphan.
In fact, she has a problem controlling her self-expression. Nature is abundant in the book. When you read it, you will instantly feel like you know what you want to reach out to and touch that tree branch. The writing is funny and quirky, and it’s so adorable. Also, it earned the best-seller tag in classic fiction.
Author: L. M. Montgomery
Number Of Pages: 320 (Paperback)
Category: Classics Series & Fiction
6. The Giver
The Giver sets the scene in a dystopian future where the sheltered community has everything they need. But everyone here sees the world in shades of grey except a single twelve-year-old boy. Everyone is manufactured to be the same in this seemingly perfect world of conformity. Thus creating a shallow and fragile community or even a ripple can make it all fall apart.
The main hero of the book is Jonas. He lives in a world of sameness and security. There are no lies, no strife, and the people are content. But when he is assigned to train to become the new receiver, a job he didn’t even know existed, Jonas leaves the world of sameness behind. He discovers how the world used to be and yearns for it to be that way.
Once more and harder still, Jonas begins to see the massive flaws in the community surrounding him his entire life. With the help of the Giver, Jonas will do everything he can to try and fix it. The writing in the short novel is tremendous.
Lowry attempts to answer some questions that most of us ask ourselves. Can there be a future with no violence, discord, or war at one point in our life? What happens if we are all the same? Can you enjoy the good without the bad, or most important of all, do the ends justify the means? One of my favorite things about this novel is how Jonas’s main character grows throughout the book.
I know that every good main character should undergo major developments in a novel, but Jonas’s growth is especially wonderful. He begins the novel trying to find the right words to describe his feelings. But by the end of the book, you realize how childish and shallow those feelings were.
Jonas begins to feel intense love and torment to make his preconceived feelings. We can probably learn a lot from it, and people fear that. How silly to be scared of learning? The Giver is simple and quick, and the meaning behind the words is incredible. I think this is a book that everyone should read.
Author: Lois Lowry
Number Of Pages: 208
Category: Literature & Fiction
Best Seller in Teen & Young Adult Dystopian
7. 1984 (Nineteen Eighty-Four)
Speaking of dystopian worlds, let’s move on to another famous mind-bending book that takes the reader into Orwell’s grim vision of a totalitarian bureaucratic world. One average guy attempts to find individuality. The author’s ghastly approach to the relationship between individuals and institutions can help you better understand your limits and attitude toward specific scenarios.
Also, 1984 is a fascinating example. That presents things in a light that makes us who we are, our characters, personalities, strengths, and weaknesses. It focuses more on the world than the characters and what’s happening to them. It was always talking about how the rules of society impact their lives. Moreover, it is one of best selling fiction books I have ever read.
Author: George Orwell
Number Of Pages: 368
Category: Literature & Fiction
Position 2 in Political Fiction
Position 2 in Dystopian Fiction
Position 4 in Classic American Literature
8. Lord of the Flies
Lord of the Flies presents a stark story that tests the depths of human nature and what happens when societal rules are thrown out the window. When a group of boys finds themselves stranded on an island, they celebrate their freedom from adults and responsibilities. But as the days go by, reality sets in the central conflict. Here is the raging competition between the impulse to live by the rules, act peacefully, and value the good of everyone against the instinct to surrender to one’s desires.
This book is about an English boy who gets deserted on an island. The adults are all dead and must learn to survive, so they’re confused about the island. They’ve got some young ones called the little ones who need protection. So they build their little society on the island. If you like adventure and thrill, then this book is for you.
Author: William Golding
Number Of Pages: 182
Category: Politics & Social Sciences, Literature & Fiction
9. The Alchemist
The Alchemist was first published in 1988 in Portuguese, and then it was translated into English. This best-selling phenomenon follows the mystical story of a young shepherd boy who decided early in life to pursue his dream of finding a worldly treasure on his journey. He learns many timeless lessons that are incredibly valuable for anyone who understands them.
The Alchemist is about a young Spanish boy named Santiago, he is traveling from Spain to the pyramids in Egypt. He feels like there is treasure there. So everything within his heart tells him to go and find the treasure. The only problem is that he’s a young shepherd boy and has no means of getting from point A to point B, where the story begins.
We follow along as Santiago makes his journey. It’s much more than a journey of location. It’s one of exploration and self-discovery. Along the way, he meets an eclectic cast of characters. He meets people like kings and alchemists, and many others stay with them for different lengths of time. But from each, learn something about yourself and the art of pursuing your heart’s desire.
Author: Paulo Coelho
Number Of Pages: 182
Category: Best Seller in Metaphysical & Visionary Fiction
10. The Book Thief
An enduring story set in mid-20th century Germany, when the Nazis were taking over the world by storm-stricken with a cruel world. The central figure of the six-story finds that with the help of books. She can escape her reality, thus leading her to want to read more, leading her to steal books whenever she can. What’s fascinating is that readers are learning the story through the eyes of an omnipotent being who is supernatural through this inside of death.
The Book Thief is based in Nazi Germany, and we all have read enough history to know that Adolf Hitler headed Nazi Germany. His body was used to spread propaganda that encouraged hating Jews. This story concerns compassion, friendship, love for books, and tragedy.
This best-selling book gives a different view to the story that introduces Liza Mongar’s character, who loves reading. This book seemingly starts with Diesel, and Diesel is the protagonist. All these characters have their own background stories that this book tells you about, so you feel even more connected to them.
All this talk about death made us think about what most people regret when they reach old age. It is a story that is going to make you cry. Some readers might find the length of this book a little bit of an issue because it’s around 600 pages long. It is a very gripping, engaging, and captivating story. So can you pick it up?
Author: Markus Zusak
Number Of Pages: 552
Category: Growing Up & Facts of Life
Best Seller in Children’s Holocaust Fiction Books
11. Wuthering Heights
Wuthering Heights is probably one of the most soul-stirring and tormenting love stories ever written. This disturbing masterpiece describes the life of Heathcliff, a troubled orphan. His ill-fated love for a woman who betrays him seething with a bitter vengeance mixed with passion.
The story begins in 1891 when Mr. Lockwood moves into plush cross-grained. He meets his landlord, Mr. Heathcliff, at Wuthering Heights and finds an odd domestic arrangement. Due to snow, he is trapped there overnight and is put up in a bed chamber belonging to Catherine. It was about many adaptations that concentrated solely on the relationship between Heathcliff and Cathy. The relationship between Heathcliff and Cathy is central to the book. There’s a lot of violence, jealousy, rage, and hatred.
Author: Emily Bronte
Number Of Pages: 464
Category: Teen & Young Adult Classic Literature, Fiction
12. Crime and Punishment
Crime and Punishment is a deep psychological study that there’s no possible way even to scratch the surface of this novel in two paragraphs. Many of the names in this book are very long and have a lot of consonants. Nihilism is a philosophy, and it’s the idea that life is meaningless, life has no purpose. We don’t live for any other reason other than to exist. Therefore, we are not subject to any moral code or laws or anything like that. During the time in which this novel was written, nihilism made a sweep of Russia enter Raskolnikov.
Raskolnikov is the protagonist of this novel. He is deeply in debt and talks to himself quite a lot. This entire book is an exploration and an analysis of his character. We learn something new about him with pretty much every section. Even the epilogue introduces new facets of his character that we had not previously seen.
The rest of the book sees Raskolnikov accepting that he has taken a human life. About halfway through the novel, it’s revealed that Raskolnikov. While a student, he wrote an article published in an academic journal that presented this theory about crime and punishment.
This story is told in two distinctly different styles. There’s the crime style and the punishment style. The crime style is highly analytical. It almost reads like a police report, the exact objective actions of whoever happens to be involved in the scene.
The punishment style is where we explore the psychology of Raskolnikov and some of the other characters. So it’s full of emotion and philosophy and usually told through a character, monologue, and pages and pages of nothing but speech.
Author: Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Number Of Pages: 671
Category: History & Criticism, Fiction
13. Gone with the Wind
Gone with the Wind is an unforgettable tale of love and loss during a time when traditions, ways of life, patterns of thinking, and kindness are gone within a fleeting moment. We can not do justice to this immortal story that will forever live in the hearts of all who read it. It’s not the world’s overwhelmingly favorite novel for nothing.
The main protagonist, Scarlett O’Hara, is strong and progressive in an era where women were not expected to be progressive. It was quite the opposite. They were supposed to be inside the doors. They were not allowed to work. But Scarlett is a character who goes out not to work in a man’s world, but she was it a word that takes away everything from her. She struggles and does her best not to win the land that she’s lost. Dora has a room torn entirely and is about to go, but she wants everything back at the end and falls in love.
Then Rhett Butler, the main hero of the story. The character is so relatable today because this girl follows the name itself. It talks about this girl’s journey. This is based on the American Civil War, which was fought between 1861 to 1865 by President Abraham Lincoln.
Author: Margaret Mitchell
Number Of Pages: 1037
Category: Historical Fiction (Best Seller)
14. Sense and Sensibility
Sense and Sensibility is the story of two sisters: Eleanor and Marianne Dashwood. The title refers to their respective temperaments. Eleanor Essense is very practical and grounded, and responsible. Marianne is Sensibility. She’s very flighty and passionate and quick to judge. That makes them both sound terrible. But they’re very good-hearted characters, both of them.
The plot of the novel kicks off when their father dies. Due to old-timey inheritance law shenanigans, everything, and money, the entire estate goes to his son from his first marriage, their half-brother. The two plots are carefully interwoven and follow the lives of two strikingly different sisters. They move into a new home where they experience love, romance, and heartbreak. Sensibility is the necessity of finding common ground between passion and reason.
It’s ultimately about Elinor and Marianne’s nearly opposite personalities and whether it’s better to be guided by your head or heart. Austen allows us to see Eleanor’s inner monologue to watch her talk herself out of acting.
Author: Jane Austen
Number Of Pages: 409
Category: Classic Literature & Fiction
15. The Kite Runner
The author wrote a memorable novel about the unlikely friendship between two boys, one of wealthy descent and the other born of servitude, caught in this tragic backdrop of history. If you go ahead and read this best-selling book, you’ll notice how betrayal, considered a sin, is long-lasting and ends up being cyclical.
The Kite Runner surprisingly turns out to be a debut novel by Hosseini. Hosseini hits the right mark on his first with intense and gripping writing. The story is about a young Alconbury Ahmed. He struggles to find his place in the world because of the after-effects of his traumatic childhood events.
The story revolves around the family and friendship of young Amir and Hassan, who fall into a small minority of Hazara. If anyone is willing to go through a profound emotional ride, The Kite Runner is a perfect choice.
Author: Khaled Hosseini
Number Of Pages: 371
Category: Cultural Heritage Fiction
Best-selling fiction series of all time
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling: This series of seven books follows the magical adventures of young wizard Harry Potter and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. The story is set at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This coming-of-age story tackles themes of friendship, love, and the struggle between good and evil. The imaginative world-building and engaging characters make this series beloved by readers of all ages.
Goosebumps by R.L. Stine: A collection of horror fiction novellas for children. Goosebumps features suspenseful and spooky stories that have captivated young readers for decades. Each standalone story explores a unique premise with unexpected twists and turns.
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien: An epic high-fantasy series set in the fictional world of Middle-earth. The series follows the journey of a small group of diverse characters. They strive to destroy the One Ring and save their world from the dark power of Sauron. The intricate narrative and Tolkien’s detailed world-building have made this series a classic in the fantasy genre.
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis: This seven-book series is a classic children’s fantasy that combines elements of magic, adventure, and Christian allegory. In the fictional world of Narnia, the series follows the adventures of various children who are transported there from our world. The series has charmed readers for generations with engaging characters and imaginative storytelling.
The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer: This romantic fantasy series revolves around the love triangle between the human Bella Swan, the vampire Edward Cullen, and the werewolf Jacob Black. The series has attracted a large fanbase, particularly among young adults, for its blend of romance, supernatural elements, and emotional intensity.
A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin: This epic fantasy series is known for its sprawling narrative, complex characters, and intricate web of political intrigue. In the fictional world of Westeros, the books chronicle the power struggles among noble families vying for the Iron Throne.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: This dystopian trilogy is set in the nation of Panem, where young people are forced to compete in a brutal televised event called the Hunger Games. The series follows the story of Katniss Everdeen, a skilled archer who becomes a symbol of resistance against the oppressive government. This series explores survival, oppression, and the human capacity for cruelty and compassion.
Amazon best-selling fiction books of all time
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens: A compelling coming-of-age story set in the marshes of North Carolina. This novel follows the life of Kya Clark, an abandoned girl who must learn to survive on her own. The book combines mystery, romance, and a deep connection to nature.
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah: A historical fiction novel set during World War II. It tells the story of two sisters living in Nazi-occupied France. The book explores themes of love, war, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides: A psychological thriller tells the story of a famous painter, Alicia Berenson. She is accused of murdering her husband and then stops speaking. The novel follows the journey of a psychotherapist determined to uncover the truth behind Alicia’s silence.
Educated by Tara Westover: This is a memoir rather than fiction, a consistent best-seller on Amazon. The book tells the story of Westover’s journey from a childhood in a strict and abusive household in rural Idaho to pursuing higher education and a Ph.D. from Cambridge University.
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt: This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel follows the life of Theo Decker. He survives a terrorist attack in an art museum and subsequently becomes involved in art forgery.
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng: This novel follows the lives of two families whose lives become intertwined through their children. The book sets in the seemingly perfect suburban town of Shaker Heights and explores themes of race, class, and the secrets that can lie beneath a polished exterior.
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn: A historical fiction novel set during World War I and II. It tells the story of two women – a female spy and an American socialite – whose paths cross as they search for the truth about a missing person. The book is inspired by the real-life network of female spies who operated during World War I.
Remember that the best-selling fiction books on Amazon may change over time, and newer bestsellers may not be included in this list. Always check the current rankings on Amazon for the most up-to-date information.
Frequently Ask Questions
What is the most sold fiction book?
The best-selling fiction book of all time is “Don Quixote” by Miguel de Cervantes, with over 500 million copies sold. However, since book sales are constantly changing, these numbers may have shifted since then. Please consult the latest data or sources to get the most accurate and up-to-date information on book sales.
What is the No 1 best-selling book of all time?
The Bible is considered the best-selling book of all time, with an estimated 5 billion copies sold and distributed. However, it’s important to note that sales and distribution figures for religious texts like the Bible can be challenging to quantify accurately.
What is the number 1 most-read book?
The Bible is widely considered the most-read book in the world. Due to its religious significance for Christians and its influence on literature, art, and culture, the Bible has been read, studied, and translated into numerous languages throughout history. Remember that data on the most-read books can change over time, and it might be helpful to consult the latest data or sources to get up-to-date information.
Which author has the most bestsellers?
British author Agatha Christie is considered one of the best-selling authors of all time, with an estimated 2 billion copies of her books sold worldwide. She wrote over 65 detective novels, most notably featuring Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. However, other authors like William Shakespeare and J.K. Rowling have also achieved significant success with their works. Keep in mind that the rankings of best-selling authors may change over time.
Which book of fiction has sold the fastest in the first 24 hours?
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” by J.K. Rowling holds the record for the fastest-selling fiction book in the first 24 hours of release. The seventh and final installment in the Harry Potter series was released on July 21, 2007. It sold approximately 8.3 million copies in the United States and around 2.65 million copies in the United Kingdom within 24 hours.
What are the top 10 books on the New York Times bestseller list of all time?
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger.
1984 by George Orwell.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling.
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown.
The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins.
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.
The Help by Kathryn Stockett.
The Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. Tolkien.
This list includes a mix of classic literature, contemporary fiction, and popular series that have been widely read and discussed. However, it’s essential to remember that “top 10 books” is subjective, and preferences may vary from person to person.
Fiction allows you to immerse yourself in different worlds, stories, and characters. By reading about different perspectives, cultures, and backgrounds, you can develop deeper empathy and understanding for others. Many works of fiction are set in specific periods or cultural contexts. Choose books that align with your interests and explore genres to discover what resonates with you.
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