Top Ten Greatest Novelists of All Time

These people have proven that the pen is truly mightier than the sword. Who among them is worthy to be called the greatest novelist?

Arthur Conan Doyle

Most known for: Sherlock Holmes

Detective stories are mong the hottest items not only in print medium, but in TV serials and movies as well. In case you’re wondering who’s the person responsible for such a super-hot trend today, we really should look up to Sir Doyle as someone to blame for that. Aside from a glorified writer, he was also a doctor, and an occasional athlete. But of all his achievements, being the author of Sherlock Holmes is his most prized creation, one that has brought him immense fame and wealth, even after almost a century of his death. If you are an aspiring novelist, ignoring this guy as an inspiration would be a very foolish act on your part.

Tom Clancy

Most known for: The Hunt for Red October

While most novelists simply spend all their days making books, this guy did another compelling thing: designing video games. He also designed board games to further supplement his work and passion. Apart from his endeavors in fiction, he also wrote nonfictional books for the US military. Seventeen of his novels were bestsellers, with more than 100 million copies in circulation, most of which are rich with espionage and military-science themes. His writings entered the halls of Hollywood which made him 4 movies. This enabled him to rake in millions of dollars before which his family still enjoy after his demise.

Stephen King

Most known for: The Shining

His formula for success is his great work ethic. He sets out reading and writing 4 to 6 hours each day and will not stop writing until his daily quota is met. As a child, his friends and family claimed that Stephen witnessed one of his friends being struck and killed by a train. He returned home, speechless and seemingly in shock. Only later did the family learn of the friend’s death. Some commentators have suggested that this event may have triggered him psychologically and inspired him to write stories with dark undertones. He honed his craft in such a genre and eventually became the master novelist in the category of horror.

Mary Shelley

Most known for: Frankenstein

Though she only received little formal education, her father tutored her in a broad range of subjects. He often took her on educational trips which gave her access to big libraries and to the many intellectuals behind them. Upon writing Frankenstein, she recalled: "I wrote then—but in a most common-place style. It was beneath the trees of the grounds belonging to our house, or on the bleak sides of the woodless mountains near, that my true compositions, the airy flights of my imagination, were born and fostered” Such a simple setting would prove to be truly fantastic later in life for her, for such a masterpiece has inspired many theatrical and film adaptations that will be relived for the centuries to come.

Robert Ludlum

Most known for: The Bourne Identity

Upon reading his novels, one can easily say that he held great interests in terrorism and heroism. His depictions of terrorism reflected the theory that terrorists, rather than being ideologically motivated extremists, are actually pawns of governments or private organizations who are using them for their hunger for power and authority. As a solution, at least in his writings, he chronicles the exploits of one heroic man, in a struggle against powerful adversaries who are capable of using political and economic mechanisms in frightening ways. He was truly heroic at heart, and has been considered a hero by many young writers today.

JRR Tolkein

Most known for: Lord of the Rings

He is one of the greatest English men in history and he has every right to claim such a statement for himself. Before he became an outstanding novelist, he served in the 2 World Wars: as a soldier on the 1st and as a cryptographer on the 2nd. It can also be noted that he was an educator too. He truly was a man of many talents. Today however, we know him as the author of The Hobbit and the LOTR sagas, both of which are massive game-changers in the realm of pop culture.

George RR Martin

Most known for: A Song Of Ice and Fire

Critics treat his works with high regard as having “complex storylines, fascinating characters, great dialogue, and perfect pacing” Others see it as “fantasy for mature readers.” His fascinating style may have stemmed from his teaching career, which was his profession before he became a writer. When he decided to become full time at it, he was able to come up with definitive novels that range from fantasy to science fiction. With the TV adaptation of his greatest work which we now know as Game of Thrones, Time Magazine declares him as one of the most influential people in the world these days.

Charles Dickens

Most known for: A Tale of Two Cities

Throughout his career which started in the 1830s, his achievements in the field of literature were compared to those of William Shakespeare’s – such was his reputation as an English writer and a social critic. He is responsible for the creation of some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is declared by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. During his tenure, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, 5 mini-novels, and dozens of short stories. He did such things so religiously despite his lack of formal education. He also lectured and performed readings extensively. Whenever you hear the term Dickensian, it is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Charles Dickens and his writings.

Alan Moore

Most known for: Watchmen

Of all the brilliant individuals in this list, he is perhaps the offbeat one because he is more a comicbook creator, rather than a novelist. However, he paved the way for the existence of graphic-novels – books that are told in drawings very similar to comics, but in a much deeper sense. He told the story in a language that only drawings can deliver, he believes that superhero stories are really about the telling than the tale itself. He wrote the comic story that changed the way comics are treated forever and because of this, Alan Moore has greatly earned the respect of the people behind the comics industry, and even the literary universe outside of it.

Suzanne Collins

Most known for: The Hunger Games

Her kick-starter career was writing for kiddie TV shows. She garnered high critical acclaim with her works therein, but then something in her ignited and allowed her to undertake a different endeavor. Inspired by a few bits of Greek Mythology, and with the stories learned from her father’s career in the Air Force, which gave her insight into poverty, starvation, and the effects of war, she wrote her first novel which became a huge Hollywood blockbuster. She is a multi-awarded novelist and will most likely continue as such, due to her unwavering desire for writing.

Who do you think among them should be declared as number 1?