4.48 avg rating — 57,684 ratings

"Shakespeare's body of work is considered the greatest achievement in the English language. In his complex characters, timeless themes of love and betrayal, and works covering an impressively wide range of genres, Shakespeare is no doubt one of the most influential people in literature and entertainment."

3.75 avg rating — 119,238 ratings

"The oldest, most historically significant work of entertainment with themes of searching for meaning in life, the fear of death, the nature of friendship, and the consequences of human actions still resonate."

4.07 avg rating — 83,975 ratings

"This epic's impact on the fantasy genre is undeniable. Destiny, deities, and perseverance against all odds."

3.91 avg rating — 1,894,175 ratings

"A pioneer of Science Fiction, Shelley raises questions about the ethics of taking science too far."

4.54 avg rating — 731,518 ratings

"Tolkien's innovative and extensive world building is unparalleled. Middle Earth's races, places, and history paint a world that's alive and vast. Its contemporary, C.S. Lewis's Narnia, looks like an incoherent hodgepodge of random elements by comparison. An expert of language, Tolkien lays the groundwork for basically every work of fantasy out there."

4.02 avg rating — 1,478,876 ratings

"Nearly synonymous with the vampire genre, Dracula is suspenseful, sexy, and dreamlike. Stoker established many elements to the vampire lore that are staples today."