Best seller lists

[ChrisW]

Does anyone know when Fantasy books first started making the New York Times etc best selling lists? Did Brooks, Eddings and Feist make those lists in the 80's and if so did any of them make it to #1? Who was the first to get #1? Did Tolkien? Was Sci-fi making those lists before fantasy was?

 

[allanon]

"The Sword of Shannara" by Terry Brooks is the first ever fantasy or sci-fi book to appear in the list; it was then for five months. All of the "Shannara"-books are New York Times Bestsellers.
David Eddings also broke the list with the "Belgariad" and the "Malloreon", "The Seeress of Kell" was #1 Bestseller, not sure about the others.
Raymond E. Feist also was in the list, but I'm not sure if he was leader.

 

[milamber_reborn]

Magician should have made a hefty dent eventually.

 

[LegolasJon]

All books are New York Times Best Sellers. I'm serious. Name one that isn't.

 

[Elan Morin Tedronai]

I am sure that all books of Jordan's WoT are NY Times Best Sellers... And I am sure that last too books was #1 bestsellers, but for the first books... I can't tell you...

 

[milamber_reborn]

Just remembered what Feist told me at a Talon book launch. He said that he was surprised one day when his agent called and told him Magician had topped the list. He thought she meant Locus or something, but she meant the NY Times Best Sellers.

As for Talon, he said it was at No. 6, and that was a month ago.

 

[allanon]

To be on top of the list is dream for every author, I believe.

 

[jbcohen]

For a best sellers list entierly devloted to fantasy novels try www.locusmag.com

 

[allanon]

I know the Locus list, but I find the NYT more fascinating... fantasy beats mainstream literature

 

[jbcohen]

To each his own Allanon - perhaps others would like this list better.

 

[allanon]

jbcohen, what "International Bestseller" means? I want to say, how it is bazed?

 

[Gary Wassner]

In order to make the list, is it strictly based upon the number of books sold that week? Is it books sold to the public or books purchased by the stores? You know, of course, that all books purchased by Barnes and Noble (and many, many others) are done so on consignment. Is there also a negative best sellers list that you make if they return the largest percentage of unsold books?