Top 20 Adventure Books
Adventure is a fascinating genre that distinguishes a rapidly developing unpredictable storyline containing notes of romanticism and adventure. Without further ado, we offer to plunge into the world of the 20 best adventure books of world authors of past years and our contemporaries.
Top adventure books rating
Nomination | a place | title of the piece | rating |
Top adventure books rating | 1 | Mysterious Island, Jules Verne | 4.9 |
2 | Count Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas | 4.9 | |
3 | Hearts of Three, Jack London | 4.8 | |
4 | Treasure Island, Robert Stevenson | 4.8 | |
5 | Around the World in 80 Days, Jules Verne | 4.8 | |
6 | North and South, John Jakes | 4.7 | |
7 | Diamond Thieves, Louis Bussenar | 4.7 | |
8 | Ivanhoe, Walter Scott | 4.7 | |
9 | Moth, Henri Sharrier | 4.7 | |
10 | Shantaram, Gregory David Roberts | 4.7 | |
11 | Odyssey of Captain Blood, Raphael Sabatini | 4.6 | |
12 | Another of the Boleyn family, Philip Gregory | 4.6 | |
13 | The Shogun, James Clavell | 4.5 | |
14 | Road, Jack London | 4.5 | |
15 | White Chief, Thomas Mine Reed | 4.5 | |
16 | Healer. Pupil Avicenna. Noah Gordon | 4.5 | |
17 | Cloud Atlas, David Mitchell | 4.4 | |
18 | Headless Horseman, Mine Reed | 4.4 | |
19 | Camo Ridges, Henryk Sienkiewicz | 4.4 | |
20 | Two Captains, Veniamin Kaverin | 4.4 |
Mysterious Island, Jules Verne
Genre: Adventure
Book rating: 4.9
The world-famous novel by science fiction writer Jules Verne partially repeats the plot of the famous work about Robinson Crusoe, only we are talking about the five comrades who found themselves on an uninhabited island. They decide to colonize the land and equip it with a familiar world - they make a palace out of rock, develop and sow the land, tame animals, farm, fully supplying themselves with food. The case helped them to find a chest with weapons, clothes, kitchen utensils - objects necessary in the life of a person of the XIX century. Here the plot is intertwined with the novel “Children of Captain Grant” - Tom Ayrton was the master of things.
The quiet life of men ends when a pirate ship approaches the shore. Passions begin to boil: the heroes decide to attract guests to a peaceful life, but everything goes according to plan ... The book contains adventures, murders, miraculous healings, a meeting with Captain Nemo and many other interesting events.
Count Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas
Genre: Adventure
Book rating: 4.9
Not once the screened work of the classic of world literature by Alexander Dumas about the Count Monte Cristo occupies the second line of the rating. The story of the life of Edmond Dantes is presented by a talented writer in the best traditions of the adventure genre. Once in captivity in the castle of If, because of a large conspiracy, the main character finds a way to free himself and runs to the uninhabited island of Monte Cristo, where he finds treasure, and becomes fabulously rich. However, in the meantime, he does not forget about his offenders, who hid him in prison. He takes up his own investigation of what happened years ago a fatal event.
The book by Alexander Dumas "The Count of Monte Cristo" is a voluminous, but rather fascinating written, it will not let the reader go to the last pages - checked by literature lovers around the world.
Hearts of Three, Jack London
Genre: Adventure
Book rating: 4.8
Jack London's novel "The Hearts of Three" united in itself both amazing adventures in the search for treasure, and tender love. The book is the story of Francis and Henry Morgan, the distant heirs of the famous pirate captain. As happens in life, the heroes fall in love with one girl - the beautiful Leession.
The uniqueness of the novel “Hearts of Three” is a new and not typical for the author style of presentation; nevertheless, it has come to taste to readers all over the world. The work is not once filmed.
Treasure Island, Robert Stevenson
Genre: Adventure
Book rating: 4.8
Who has not heard of the treasure hidden on a desert island by Captain Flint? Robert Stevenson takes the reader to the middle of the XVIII century, the action takes place in southwestern England. Young Jim Hawkins finds in the chest of one pirate the very map for which the hunt has already begun. Now the task of the hero is not just to save the relic, but also to be first in the place of "X". Enlisting the support of Dr. Livesey and Squire Trelawney, Jim on the schooner Hispaniola goes to Treasure Island. As it later turns out, the team assembled for the expedition included people who once worked with Flint.
Who will be the first to achieve the cherished goal - pirates who decided to deceive "honest people" and assign the treasure, or Jim? “Treasure Island” is an incredibly fascinating novel, full of adventures, unexpected plot reversals and diverse characters.
Around the World in 80 Days, Jules Verne
Genre: Adventure
Book rating: 4.8
The eighty-day world tour is the bet of Phileas Fogg. His journey begins in England, followed by France, Italy, he will visit Egypt, then he goes to India, neighboring China, from there to Japan, and then across the ocean to America. Of course, it didn’t go without incident on the way - in India Fogg and Paspartu, his faithful servant, save due to be burned in a terrible ritual to Auda, who later becomes the wife of the main character. Everything is good, but the journey is clouded by the suspicions of Detective Fix about the possible participation of Phileas in the robbery of the Bank of England. Does Fogg win a bet if he returns home only one day late?
The novel is interesting with detailed descriptions of vehicles used by heroes for traveling in the middle of the XIX century. In different countries, these were elephants, sleds, sails, schooners, locomotives and much more.
North and South, John Jakes
Genre: Adventure
Book rating: 4.7
The next in the ranking of the novel by John Jakes "North and South." This is a world bestseller, carrying the reader in the 1840s, when tension in the United States of America from the upcoming civil war between North and South hung. Just in these polar parts of the same state lived the Maines and the Khazards. Orri and George made friends while studying at West Point, but when it was time to return home, they faced difficulties because of the political situation in the country. It would seem, why "North and South" refers to the genre of adventure? The book is really a lot of unexpected plot twists outfit with a love line, passion and jealousy.
The reader is not completely clear whether the main characters will be able to overcome obstacles, will they preserve friendship, honor and love?
Diamond Thieves, Louis Bussenar
Genre: Adventure
Book rating: 4.7
French writer Louis Bussenar wrote a book about the eternal desire of people to find treasure. This time it will be about three comrades, Albert, Alexander and Joseph, who went to South Africa for hidden diamonds, a country full of dangers at every turn - full of poisonous plants, insects, predatory animals and robbers led by Sam Smith, who also know about the treasure and do not want to share the upcoming prey. However, even in such conditions, friends manage to find friends in the tribe of local residents, who will help the heroes safely complete their journey.
The work will be interesting to lovers of natural landscapes - Bousenenar in colors described the wild nature of the African continent, and the colorful descriptions of the life of the natives are impressive.
Ivanhoe, Walter Scott
Genre: Adventure
Book rating: 4.7
One of the oldest adventure novels in our rating of Ivanhoe by Walter Scott was published in 1819. At the same time, it is easy to read it today.
The plot of the book unfolds in England when the Anglo-Saxons and the Normans were at enmity under Richard I. Prince John sows discord between the tribes while the ruler is in captivity in Austria, seeking to take his place on the throne. At this time, the young knight Ivanhoe returns home from a crusade in the hope of marrying the beloved, beautiful Rovin, the heiress of Alfred the Great, on whom one of the criminals of the royal conspiracy, Cedric, already hopes to marry Athelstan.
In the plot there are many heroes of different ranks, knightly color, conspiracies and intrigues in the traditions of the beginning of the XIX century. Defending honor, duty, love and other eternal values - all of them are collected in the great novel “Ivanhoe” by the outstanding Walter Scott.
Moth, Henri Sharrier
Genre: Adventure
Book rating: 4.7
The novel "Moth" is the autobiography of Henri Sharera, which became a bestseller adventure genre. She saw the light in the middle of the 20th century.
The protagonist, nicknamed Papillon at the age of 15, is accused of killing a man and sent to serve his sentence - life imprisonment. Miraculously, he manages to escape from prison, having passed various tests. This is the main adventure of the book, based on the author's real life, albeit with a shift in time - Sharyer was indeed sentenced to a life sentence, but at an older age.
Shantaram, Gregory David Roberts
Genre: Adventure
Book rating: 4.7
Once a robber and at the same time a writer who escaped from prison in Australia, after some time, with a false passport, he leaves for Bombay, where he makes friends. The mother of one of the new friends names the hero Shantaram (translated as “peaceful man”), and now he earns his living by petty illegal transactions, acting as an intermediary in the sale of jewelry and weapons. At the same time, he does not lose his “good” face - he treats local residents in slums.
Because of criminal acts, Shantaram is reported to law enforcement officers, who detain the hero and imprison him for only 4 months, after which he ends up in the mafia and starts working on it, trading precious metals and lime documents. After the death of friends, he seeks reassurance in heroin, in a brothel meets Kader Khan, who will help to cope with addictive addiction. Then followed the journey to the war in Afghanistan and again the return to India.
The novel is full of experiences and philosophical reflections of the protagonist, as well as vivid descriptions of Indian landscapes. However, the story, characters and places are predominantly fictional. And yet in Bombay, you can use the services of Prabaker's tour desk, and find yourself in the slums where Shantara lived, and see the woman who nicknamed him.
Odyssey of Captain Blood, Raphael Sabatini
Genre: Adventure
Book rating: 4.6
Peter Blad, Bachelor of Medicine, helps the wounded rebel Lord Gildoy, after which both of them are arrested by government forces. The court sentenced him to execution, but avoids her and turns out to be among the slaves, where he is later sold to Colonel Bishop. But the art of the healer allows you to escape from the servants' entourage and get closer to the colonel's family.
Once Blad with a company manages to capture a marque with Cinco Llagas cannons, he goes to the pirate island of Tortugo, where he joins the coastal fraternity. Participation in battles, robberies, fighting rival pirates - Blood leads a criminal lifestyle, but for a relatively short time - a crisis sets in and the hero drowns his experiences in drinking.After that, he goes to the service of Admiral de Rivarole, but he still cannot get rid of piracy ...
In the history of odyssey there is a place of love, protection of honor and dignity, the search for landmarks in life, eternal human values. At the same time, the author interestingly and vividly describes the pirate showdowns, reveals the many diverse personalities of the characters.
Another of the Boleyn family, Philip Gregory
Genre: Adventure
Book rating: 4.6
Philip Gregory's Love Historical Adventure Romance “Another Boleyn from the Kind” was in our rating. The action takes place in the palace surroundings: the Boleyn sisters, Anna and Maria, forget their sisterly feelings and are desperately fighting for the location of King Henry VIII. In the novel there are a lot of betrayals, intrigues, difficulties, obviously overshadowing warm family relationships. The rivalry of the sisters will end sooner or later, the reader has to learn what.
Despite the overall atmosphere, the novel is pleasant to read, it will make you look at your own relationships with family and loved ones from a new angle, the book is perfect for spending a warm home evening by the fireplace under a blanket.
The Shogun, James Clavell
Genre: Adventure
Book rating: 4.5
The novel “The Shogun” is a story about the ruling commander of Japan at the beginning of the seventeenth century. A Dutch ship wrecked off the islands of the state, but local rulers declared the survivors of the wreck of the sailors pirates and captured. Among those captured was John Blackthorn, an eminent geographer, mathematician and captain, rumors of which reach as far as Toranag-no-Minovar, a military feudal lord and local shogun, he decides to defend the hero in order to use his knowledge of an eminent captain for criminal purposes - to seize power . To adapt and survive in Japan, John Blackthorn plunges into her culture, language and becomes a samurai. But does not leave his dream of returning home.
Interestingly, the main character has a real prototype - the Englishman sailor William Adams, who really crashed off the islands of Japan on an expedition through the Strait of Magellan.
Road, Jack London
Genre: Adventure
Book rating: 4.5
The classic literary collection "The Road" includes several adventure stories based on the real life of Jack London. Few people know, but in the biography of the author there was a stage of vagrancy in his youth, and the stories of the book are devoted to him. The wanderings were not from hard, but from everyday life - the boy wanted adventures and changes. He goes on the road. Whoever he was not fortunate enough to work: the seller of newspapers, a sailor on a fishing vessel and a cannery. He will meet many kind and caring people like him.
Traveling became a beacon of becoming the personality of a young guy, he met with romance, and with trials and adventures, he learned various tricks. In 9 stories there is a truth and a share of fiction, but it’s impossible to determine them to the reader - the stories are written so easily and harmoniously.
White Chief, Thomas Mine Reed
Genre: Adventure
Book rating: 4.5
Adventure Master Mine Reed tells the story of the white buffalo hunter Carlos. His life is full of unusual wanderings in the wild West. Already on the first pages of the novel, the hero conquers the heart of the beautiful Catalina, a rich bride, to the marriage with which Captain Roblado claims. The rival fights for the girl’s hand in all ways: he builds traps, ambushes, intrigues - Carlos has to face all these obstacles. Can he come out the winner in this story? From the first pages of the novel captures the reader and does not let go at the very end!
Healer. Pupil Avicenna. Noah Gordon
Genre: Adventure
Book rating: 4.5
Adventure book about the doctors of our contemporary Noah Gordon “Doctor. Avicenna's pupil "was released in 2013. However, the action takes place in the distant XI century in England.
11-year-old boy Robert Cole after the death of his mother is trained by medicine man Barber to practice medicine. However, this knowledge and skills are not enough for him, and he goes to distant Egypt to talented Avicen. Here his adventures begin. Robert has to impersonate people of different nationalities, to get acquainted with their traditions, and the path ahead is not easy. Having reached the cherished goal, Rob does not manage to get to Avicenna, but the chance did his job. The master and his students manage to survive the plague epidemic thanks to the gift of medicine. Now Robert Cole heals people himself, and once Rebecca, who fell in love with the hero while traveling to Egypt, falls into his hands for help. Rob and Avicenna conduct the first autopsy to study the mechanism of death in the disease, conduct operations to remove the appendix.
How far will the gift of the protagonist lead when passions are running high and war is going on?
Cloud Atlas, David Mitchell
Genre: Adventure
Book rating: 4.4
Lovers of time travel novel in six parts of “Cloud Atlas” by David Mitchell will definitely have to taste. The story begins in the middle of the XIX century, and ends in the distant future. All parts are connected with the previous blocks by interlacing the fate of the main characters.
In the first part, the reader is introduced to a notary who lived during the California gold rush. He travels the world, meets with the indigenous people of the Pacific Islands. The story of healing and true friendship. The second part sends the reader to the next, XX century. A talented but unrecognized musician Frobisher is running to Belgium, getting a private secretary for an elderly composer. He becomes the lover of the composer's wife, and also reads with interest the doctor’s journal from the first part of the novel.
In the third chapter, the reader is brought in the second half of the same twentieth century and becomes a witness to a detective story that occurred in the fictional city of Buenas Yerbas. A young journalist gets acquainted with the ideological builder of a nuclear power plant, which is soon killed. Then they commit an attempt on Louise herself. The fourth part is full of irony and modern English humor, it is dedicated to the publisher, from which the "patrons" will demand money for the publication of the book. The next part, Orizon Sonmi-451, is science fiction-dystopia, in which the action takes place in the future. Robotization, the discovery of a new future is the main plot line. At the end of the book, the reader is transferred to the post-apocalyptic future, when the now living civilization perished, and humanity is trying to be reborn again.
Headless Horseman, Mine Reed
Genre: Adventure
Book rating: 4.4
The novel “The Headless Horseman” is a dizzying story in which the fates of several diverse heroes in the state of Texas are intertwined. Woodley Poindexter with his family loses the road when they move, and Mustanger Maurice Gerald comes to help them - his daughter Woody Louise, who is already claimed by Captain Cassius, falls in love with him. Here begins a series of conspiracies to eliminate the young rival, despite the fact that he saves the life of the captain.
Once for breakfast, Louise Henry's brother did not come to the table, at this time his bloody horse was found. It was part of a conspiracy against Maurice - he was framed, passing off as a murderer. And then a strange headless horseman appears in the plot ... Who is he? How will the story end? Is everything as obvious as it seems? The world bestseller Main Reed can be re-read forever!
Camo Ridges, Henryk Sienkiewicz
Genre: Adventure
Book rating: 4.4
“Kamo ridges” from the Polish language is translated as “wherever you are going”; under this title you can also find this novel by Henryk Sienkiewicz. The story originates in the I century of our era in the ancient Roman Empire. Young patrician Mark Vinicius from the Roman community imbued with a tender feeling for the barbarian Lygia. This almost forbidden connection for those times gives the hero a lot of trouble on the way to his happiness.Istria is set against the background of the descriptions of the first Roman communities, the formation of a still illegal religion with the persecutions of Christians, the times of the reign of Emperor Nero. In the plot there are apostles Peter and Paul, and the writer Petronius Arbit, political figures, and the mistress of the emperor. The tragic fate of people and eternal values - the basis of the most famous works of the Polish writer.
The author contrasts 2 worlds - a nascent spiritual and powerful political. The picture recreates the era of the beginning of our era with surprising authenticity, in this Senkevich helped the literature of chroniclers and ancient creators of literature.
Two Captains, Veniamin Kaverin
Genre: Adventure
Book rating: 4.4
On the twentieth line, we placed the famous novel “Two Captains” by Benjamin Karelin, telling about the life of Alexander Grigoriev from a provincial town that grew up without parents, whose heart was conquered by letters about polar expeditions. Orphaned Sanya, in order not to get to the orphanage after the death of his parents, goes to Turkestan with his friend Petka, but in Moscow they are lost. Later, the main character becomes a frequent visitor to the Tatarinov family, whose father is a glorious sea captain, disappeared with an expedition along the Northern Sea Route as early as 1912. Sanya undertakes to find out everything about the participants of that sea voyage and to reveal the secret of the captain’s death, while at the same time developing a love relationship with his daughter. During the war, the pilot Alexander Grigoriev landed in the Arctic in the place where the expedition allegedly disappeared.
Attention! This rating is subjective, is not advertising and does not serve as a guide to the purchase. Before buying, you should consult with a specialist.