Authors · NYT Hardcover Fiction

Nicholas Sparks

Charting Oct 27, 1996 → Jan 11, 2026 · 462 weeks with chart power

Peak Power: 9.58%; week of Feb 12, 2017
Career Power: 3,405; share-weeks
Weeks at #1: 34; weeks as the top author

Peak Year: 351; October 1996 – October 1997
Peak Five Years: 826; December 1996 – November 2001
Top-five weeks: 219; weeks ranked 1–5
Longevity: 462; weeks with chart power
Dominance: 14.78%; week of Oct 27, 2024
Comebacks: 6; May 2005, October 2013, November 2015, November 2018, November 2020, October 2024

Comebacks (thresholds from `config/scoring.json`)
Kind	Trough began	Returned	Trough weeks	Longest absence	Prior peak	Return share
After decline	Feb 15, 2004	May 8, 2005	63	62	7.37%	3.00%
After decline	Apr 8, 2012	Oct 20, 2013	80	78	8.48%	3.87%
After decline	Mar 16, 2014	Nov 15, 2015	86	84	8.48%	3.87%
After decline	May 28, 2017	Nov 18, 2018	77	75	9.58%	3.53%
After decline	Apr 21, 2019	Nov 1, 2020	78	76	9.58%	4.05%
After decline	Mar 19, 2023	Oct 27, 2024	84	82	9.58%	4.28%

Ranked by weekly Power Share, part of the ChartReign Power model — not the list's own positions (config version 4, Sep 22, 2026). How it works →

Exponentially smoothed share of the week's total power (the primary metric).

Titles on the NYT Hardcover Fiction

25 books · 3,405 share-weeks of Career Power

Power contributed is what each book earned this author: their weekly Power Share, split across their books (a featured credit takes its reduced share). Book Power is the book's own figure, the same for every author on it. Bar length compares books within this list.

Title	Peak	Weeks	On chart	Power contributedPower	Book Power
The Notebook	#3March 1997	56	October 1996 – November 1997	361.8	361.8
Two by Two	#1October 2016	21	October 2016 – March 2017	215.5	215.1
Message in a Bottle	#4May 1998	29	April 1998 – January 1999	186.3	186.3
The Return	#1October 2020	22	October 2020 – March 2021	186.2	186.2
At First Sight	#1November 2005	18	November 2005 – March 2006	157.9	157.6
True Believer	#1May 2005	17	May 2005 – August 2005	155.9	155.9
See Me	#1November 2015	18	November 2015 – February 2016	145.4	145.4
Counting Miracles	#1October 2024	18	October 2024 – February 2025	145.2	143.6
The Wish	#1October 2021	17	October 2021 – February 2022	143.7	143.7
The Last Song	#1September 2009	22	September 2009 – February 2010	139.2	139.0
Every Breath	#1November 2018	16	November 2018 – February 2019	138.1	137.9
A Walk to Remember	#4October 1999	22	October 1999 – March 2000	132.1	118.4
Dreamland	#1October 2022	16	October 2022 – January 2023	127.9	127.9
The Best of Me	#1October 2011	17	October 2011 – February 2012	122.2	121.9
The Guardian	#2April 2003	14	April 2003 – July 2003	119.2	119.2
The Longest Ride	#1October 2013	16	October 2013 – January 2014	118.8	118.8
The Choice	#2October 2007	17	October 2007 – February 2008	113.6	113.6
A Bend in the Road	#2October 2001	20	October 2001 – March 2002	111.8	111.8
The Lucky One	#1October 2008	15	October 2008 – January 2009	110.1	110.1
Dear John	#1November 2006	11	November 2006 – February 2007	99.3	99.3
The Rescue	#1October 2000	14	October 2000 – January 2001	96.7	96.7
Safe Haven	#1October 2010	15	October 2010 – January 2011	94.0	94.0
Nights in Rodanthe	#1October 2002	11	October 2002 – January 2003	83.9	83.9
The Wedding	#2September 2003	13	September 2003 – January 2004	77.8	77.7
Remainwith M. Night Shyamalan	#1November 2025	7	November 2025 – January 2026	22.9	45.6