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Twilight franchise conquers Harry Potter with 2008's bestselling books
Stephenie Meyer, whose novel Twilight launched a vampiric franchise that led to November's hit movie of the same name, was the biggest selling writer in the U.S. last year. She moved 15 million books as of Dec. 28, according to figures released by Nielsen BookScan USA.
Meyer's novels accounted for a remarkable four of 2008's top 10 titles, and nine of the top 50.
Her most recent novel, Breaking Dawn, was the No. 1 book of the year, selling 3,310,000 copies, followed closely by her debut novel, Twilight, with 3,175,000 copies. It's rare for sales of older titles to return to the bestseller lists, but her 2006 novel was boosted by the release of the film, which proved so successful that a cinematic sequel was immediately put into the works.
Harry Potter creator J. K. Rowling came in at No. 8 with The Tales of Beedle the Bard, followed closely by Christopher Paolini's Brisinger at No. 9.
By Huh at 1:15 PM ON 01/12/09
The headline says Twilight was the year's bestselling book, but in the third paragraph, it says Breaking Dawn was the bestselling book. One star.
By Scott Edelman at 2:10 PM ON 01/12/09
Thanks for pointing that out, Huh—we fixed it.
By Green at 3:01 PM ON 01/12/09
Geeks are pretty unforgiving, aren't they? For an otherwise informative article about a book series I hadn't heard about before, I thought that detail rather mundane.
Thanks for the article, btw.
By varrior at 3:50 PM ON 01/12/09
too bad the book series is mediocre in both writing and plot by comparison to Harry Potter
By Mandy at 7:37 PM ON 01/12/09
I don't like Twilight. When I was a teenage girl I read Anne Rice. I was reading The Vampire Lestat and falling in love with her world before I was fifteen. Of course that was before Anne Rice's writing went on the decline. That was back when vampires were more than just kids who seem to enjoy being in the same grade for decades at a time and 'sparkle' in the sunlight...
At least it's getting kids to read. That's always a good thing even if I don't like the content. Better young adult fiction (if you enjoy gothic romances are) the first four Vampire Chronicles of Anne Rice. Interview with the vampire, The Vampire Lestat, The queen of the damned (not to be confused with the film of the same name) and Tale of the body thief. There's also The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde and also by him The Picture of Dorian Gray.
A lot of people think there isn't a lot of Gothic literature for the teenage audience but when you go to the classics, Victor Frankenstien was only seventeen when he first set into motion his adventure that would lead to his dreaded creation. Mary Shelley was only seventeen when she wrote it. The protagonist in Olscar Wilde's The Canterville Ghost is a fifteen-year-old girl. And let's not forget the likes of Charles Dickens and Victor Hugo.
Yes, kids, read. If you only want to read Twilight sure but it IS depthless and vapid. There are far better books out there.
The Twilight crowd would probably love Dark Shadows. That was fun, despite it's camp. I am very glad Tim Burton is doing a new movie of that. I just wish the Scifi Channel would air the classic series again the way it used to back when the channel was new.
By MHC at 12:23 AM ON 01/13/09
Twilight: The first vampire story about abstinence. Yeah exactly what our nation's teenagers should be reading.
By twilighter at 3:49 PM ON 01/14/09
I just wish that the people who don't like twilight would stop insulting it, and for the people who do like twilight, good for you.
By Huh at 11:03 PM ON 01/14/09
I'll never forgive you for that remark, Green.
You've never heard of the Twilight series before?
By Mandy at 2:21 PM ON 01/31/09
Twilighter, I wish kids like you would open a book that has actual substance...
By jb at 12:08 PM ON 02/18/09
when S. Meyers novels *combined* outsell Harry Potter, then that would be an accomplishment. However, that will never happen.
Harry Potter still reigns supreme in book sales. Get your facts straight. The way your header reads it makes it sound like Twilight has outsold all the Harry Potter novels.
By din at 4:35 AM ON 06/11/09
I firstly read the book ( http://www.ebook-search-queen.com/ebook/twil/twilight.all.html ) and then in several months watched the movie. To tell the truth, I liked both, which happens rather rarely ;)
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din:
I firstly read the book ( http://www.ebook...More »