My favourite books published in each of the last 50 calendar years (1976-2026)
This just started out as an idle curiosity for me, but as I began compiling it I started noticing some trends that I found really interesting and thought would be cool to share.
#2020s
2026 (n=1) - The Suffering by David Sodergren
2025 (n-11) - Golden Blood by SJ Patrick
2024 (n=13) - Exhumed by SJ Patrick
2023 (n=5) - Double Threat by F Paul Wilson
2022 (n=15) - The Haar by David Sodergren
2021 (n=14) - Colony by Benjamin Cross
2020 (n=13) - Maggie's Grave by David Sodergren
#2010s
2019 (n=16) - Intercepts by TJ Payne
2018 (n=9) - The God Gene by F Paul Wilson
2017 (n=10) - Into The Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
2016 (n=18) - Lost Gods by Brom
2015 (n=11) - The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins
2014 (n=15) - Adrift by KR Griffiths
2013 (n=13) - Doctor Sleep by Stephen King
2012 (n=15) - Exoskeleton by Shane Stadler
2011 (n=19) - A Short Stay In Hell by Stephen Peck
2010 (n=14) - Draculas by F Paul Wilson et al
###2000s
2009 (n=15) - Horns by Joe Hill
2008 (n=15) - Infected by Scott Sigler
2007 (n=13) - Ancestor by Scott Sigler
2006 (n=9) - World War Z by Max Brooks
2005 (n=11) - Prodigal Son by Dean Koontz
2004 (n=10) - The Taking by Dean Koontz
2003 (n=11) - Sims by F Paul Wilson
2002 (n=5) - Prey by Michael Crichton
2001 (n=9) - Earthcore by Scott Sigler
2000 (n=9) - Defilers by Brian Lumley
###1990s
1999 (n=7) - Battle Royale by Koushun Takami
1998 (n=9) - Legacies by F Paul Wilson
1997 (n=5) - After Midnight by Richard Laymon
1996 (n=12) - Contest by Matthew Reilly
1995 (n=6) - Relic by Preston and Child
1994 (n=6) - Bloodwars by Brian Lumley
1993 (n=5) - The Last Aerie by Brian Lumley
1992 (n=5) - Blood Brothers by Brian Lumley
1991 (n=7) - Deadspawn by Brian Lumley
1990 (n=6) - Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
###1980s
1989 (n=5) - The Source by Brian Lumley
1988 (n=6) - Wamphyri by Brian Lumley
1987 (n=11) - Swan Song by Robert McCammon
1986 (n=3) - Necroscope by Brian Lumley
1985 (n=3) - Psychamok by Brian Lumley
1984 (n=7) - The Tomb by F Paul Wilson
1983 (n=4) - Phantoms by Dean Koontz
1982 (n=4) - The Running Man by Stephen King
1981 (n=5) - The Keep by F Paul Wilson
1980 (n=6) - Firestarter by Stephen King
###1970s
1979 (n=2) - Web by John Wyndham
1978 (n=5) - The Long Walk by Stephen King
1977 (n=3) - The Shining by Stephen King
1976 (n=1) - Night Chills by Dean Koontz
Some of the trends I noticed include:
6 of the books from the 2020s have been indies which really cements my tastes in modern horror. I'm not really a fan of much that's coming through the traditionally published pipeline at the moment.
You can really spot the Necroscope era by Brian Lumley in the 80s and 90s. It's my favourite fiction of all time and unfortunately for diversity, it really dominates that section of the data. There were a lot of great books that got left behind simply because I couldn't put them ahead of my personal favourites. Notably some of King's greatest hits too.
24 authors soak up the 50 spots (29 if we're counting co-authored books). So even though I've read many hundred in this time and 120+ unique authors, I very clearly found my favourits.
I'd be super interesting if other people made variations of this post either just in the comments or as their own posts. I think it'd be cool to see and analyse trends in others' data!