Fyodor Dostoyevsky has overtaken Stephen King in the ranking of the most published fiction authors in Russia, a shift noted by the Russian Book Room and reported by RBC. The update places Dostoyevsky at the top of the list in a publishing landscape that continues to evolve as tastes shift and markets change.
The article highlights that the American author who led the chart since 2019 has dropped to sixth place. In the first half of 2022, King’s works sold well over a million copies, but current figures show a significant decline to about 241 thousand copies. In contrast, Dostoyevsky’s novels reached roughly 463 thousand copies in the same period. The list also features Russian author Anna Karenina—recorded as a contemporary favorite with around 294 thousand copies sold—illustrating how domestic readers respond to locally grounded fiction even when international authors remain prominent globally.
According to Book Room statistics cited by RBC, J.K. Rowling does not appear among the top 20 best-selling children’s authors in Russia. The current leaders in children’s literature are Korney Chukovsky, Alexander Pushkin, and Elena Ul’eva, reflecting a domestic preference for classic and modern Russian voices in youth fiction.
RBC notes that the waning popularity of some foreign writers is linked to their reduced presence in the Russian market. Stephen King’s contract with Russian publishers has not been renewed, and copies from the Harry Potter series have largely disappeared from popular online catalogs. These changes illustrate how shifts in publishing partnerships and access influence reader exposure and sales in Russia and neighboring markets.
Eksmo-AST points out that readers under 25 play a pivotal role in driving the enduring appeal of Russian classics, underscoring a generational dynamic where young readers discover and champion national literary heritage alongside emerging voices.
In related cultural policy developments, discussions have continued about film ratings and school accessibility, with authorities evaluating the potential removal of certain adult classifications from films considered for educational contexts. This ongoing conversation mirrors broader concerns about media exposure and the alignment of content with classroom settings.