Harry Potter author JK Rowling has been named the greatest living British writer in a survey by British publication The Book Magazine.
She held off competition from the likes of Ian McEwan and Salman Rushdie to scoop the top accolade.
Rowling received three times as many votes as second place fantasy writer Terry Pratchett.
McEwan finished in third place, followed by Rushdie in fourth and Kazuo Ishiguro in fifth.
"Our survey provides a fascinating insight into what the British public thinks makes a 'great' writer," said Christine Kidney, editor of The Book Magazine.
She added: "It shows how a writer can connect with us, as if we were the only reader in the world, and it's why books prove to be such enduringly popular objects."
Christine Kidney, The Book Magazine: "Our survey provides a fascinating insight into what the British public thinks makes a 'great' writer."
Philip Pullman, Harold Pinter, Nick Hornby, As Byatt and Jonathan Coe and John Le Care made up the top ten.
Orange Prize winner Zadie Smith ranked 33rd.
Six Harry Potter books have been published with one more in the series promised by Rowling.
The books, which have been translated into 63 languages, follow the story of a boy wizard and his two school friends as they investigate magical mysteries.
Rowling's magic has touched a huge audience of all ages all over the world.
In the US, there are about 100 million Harry Potter books in print, and each title has been on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists.
Rowling has won the Hugo Award, the Bram Stoker Award, as well as many other honors, and she has been named an Officer of the British Empire.
The top ten is as follows:
1. JK Rowling
2. Terry Pratchett
3. Ian Mcewan
4. Salman Rushdie
5. Kazuo Ishiguro
6. Philip Pullman
7. Harold Pinter
8. Nick Hornby
9. As Byatt
10. Jonathan Coe And John Le Care.




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