The New Best Selling Book

Can word-of-mouth alone create a worldwide bestseller novel? Powered by viral marketing, apparently it can. Fifty Shades of Grey by first-time author E. L. James, debuted obscurely as an e-book in May 2011, followed by two sequels, Fifty Shades Darker in September 2011 and Fifty Shades Freed in January 2012. By the time the third book was published, the books had acquired cult status among women worldwide. A revised version of the Fifty Shades trilogy was published in 2012. Publishing history was made when sales figures outstripped the Harry Potter series in a few months.

E. L. James originally developed Fifty Shades as episodes that she published on the vampire romance series Twilight's fan-fiction websites, writing under the name "Snowqueen's Icedragon". When readers commented on her overtly sexual content, she removed the stories and later redeveloped them into a trilogy.

50 Shades of Grey

The story revolves around 22-year old collegian Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey, a wealthy and attractive entrepreneur. While their instant attraction and initial encounters are the stuff of standard romantic fare (watch out for hints that indicate otherwise!) the plot veers into forbidden territory when we discover that Christian leads a double life. Beneath his dashing exterior lurk dark and weird sexual urges; in fact, he's incapable of a normal, romantic relationship. Ana finds him irresistible and signs a contract agreeing to a dominance-and-submission relationship with no emotional ties whatsoever. Many bizarrely erotic, but electrifying, chapters later, Ana is repelled by Christian's physical abuse and ends their affair. Buy the book here!

50 Shades Darker

The second novel sees Ana beginning a new career, but still aching for her gorgeous, driven ex-lover. When Christian puts forth an alternative arrangement, she cannot refuse. Their fiery, tortuous affair resumes; Ana also learns more about Christian's tormented past. She must also deal with the jealousy and anger of his former women and take an important decision. Buy the book here!

50 Shades Freed

Christian agrees to Ana's insistence on a more committed relationship. It seems they have everything a couple could want, love, great sex, money and more. But the road ahead still is not easy. For Ana, it is a struggle not to lose her identity while enjoying an extremely luxurious lifestyle. Christian must fight the demons within him. Is there a life ahead for this odd couple? Buy the book here!

E. L. James's literary style has uniformly invited scathing criticism. Nobody however, denies that as a guilty pleasure, the Fifty Shades trilogy scores extremely high, perhaps the reason why thousands of curious readers'have explored its spicy contents in the privacy of their e-readers! Rumouredly, it has also reignited dying passions, good enough reason to buy the trilogy, wouldn't you say?