EL James’ new Fifty Shades Of Grey novel has already topped book charts – despite not being released for weeks.

The follow-up to the best-selling trilogy, which will tell the story from Christian Grey’s point of view, is already number one on US sellers Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com.

EL James
EL James wrote the Fifty Shades Of Grey books (Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

The book, titled Grey, is a reworking of the original book which was a worldwide best-seller and inspired a hit film and a surge of erotic novels.

Jamie Dornan played Christian Grey and Dakota Johnson was his lover Anastasia Steele in the film version of the story of a sadomasochistic affair between a entrepreneurial billionaire and a young graduate.

Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson
Jamie with Fifty Shades Of Grey co-star Dakota Johnson (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

James said: “Christian is a complex character and readers have always been fascinated by his desires and motivations, and his troubled past. Also, as anyone who has ever been in a relationship knows, there are two sides to every story.

“It’s been a great pleasure to return to my happy place – writing, being with Christian and Ana in their universe, and working with the fantastic publishing teams in the US and the UK.”

The book will come out on June 18, the fictional Christian’s birthday.

James said she wrote the book after huge demand from fans. On the opening page, she says it is “dedicated to those readers who asked… and asked… and asked… and asked for this.”

The Fifty Shades trilogy – Fifty Shades Of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed – has sold more than 125 million copies around the world, and made the author a millionaire many times over.