Action and Adventure Books Online for the Ultimate Adrenaline Rush
Action and adventure books are unputdownable for their fast-paced stories that leave us gripping our seats as we go on a thrill-ride to lost worlds, deep sea journeys and explore faraway jungles. Whether it’s historical adventure with questing medieval knights or war and combat tales where you’re in the trenches, a good action novel is sure to keep your eyes glued to the pages as you speed read your way through it.
Let’s have a closer look at action and adventure fiction books on Bookscape.com that you can binge read to get your blood pumping.
What is Action and Adventure Fiction
Ideally, the action and adventure genre are different things. Action fiction often relates to violent scenes and spectacles, often involving crime fiction, conflicts and wars, mafia, espionage and the like. By contrast, adventure fiction is often portrayed as a dangerous task or trial undertaken by the protagonist, usually in a fantasy or exotic setting, with positive and peaceful outcomes.
However, the lines between action and adventure are blurry, and tend to mix well to the point that they are sometimes hard to tell apart. Let’s look at action-adventure titles like those available on Bookscape that are exciting and will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Basic Types of Action and Adventure Books
Going on an adventure by reading action adventure novels is the easiest (and safest) way to go on adventures! Whatever be your fantasy adventure, great writing can make it come to life in your head for you to experience it vicariously. Some of the best action and adventure authors like Jules Verne and Michael Crichton have crafted fiction filled with buried treasure and pirate ships to finding prehistoric creatures that want to rule the Earth. Let’s explore a few timeless tales and tropes that have shaped the action and adventure genre:
Crime and detective fiction
A fiction book that is also called detective story, murder mystery or police novel. For example, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson.
Lost world
A type of fantasy or historical fiction (though it can also be science fiction) where the storyline revolves around exploring unknown civilizations, strange worlds and mythical kingdoms. For example, King Solomon's Mines H. Rider Haggard.
Men's adventure
Men's adventure fiction books are a thrilling genre that typically feature a rugged hero who ventures into dangerous missions like spy thrillers and military fiction. These stories also have strong female characters and inspire loyalty, honour and bravery in the male protagonist (s). For example, War Against the Mafia by Don Pendleton.
Nautical fiction
Sea adventure fiction books, as they are also popularly called, are for those who love to dive deep into treacherous waters with sea monsters, pirates, submarines and more. For example, Moby-Dick by Herman Melville.
Picaresque novel
Similar to men's adventure fiction books, picaresque novels feature a male protagonist usually of a low social class who drifts around and navigates the world using his wits. Not only is the protagonist highly relatable, but the story also has a sprinkling of comedic and satirical elements for interest. For example, Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes.
Robinsonade
Classic castaway narratives dominate Robinsonade novels that take their name from the 1719 novel Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. For example, Lord of the Flies by William Golding.
Subterranean fiction
A type of adventure fiction which focuses on underground settings, sometimes at the centre of the Earth. For example, Tunnels by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams.
Spy fiction
The best spy novels are thrilling, dangerous, and often a little racy. With the power to topple governments, speak multiple language and travel anywhere across the globe, spies and covert investigators attempt to change the course of politics and history. For example, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John le Carré.
Swashbuckler
Swashbucker fiction books feature a protagonist that lives and dies by the sword. You’ll see a lot of good vs evil, the hero’s journey, coming of age and an outlaw or pirate who loves to slash with a swagger. For example, The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas.
Thriller
Thriller fiction books are perfect for those who prefer dark stories fuelled by page-turner tension, high stakes and suspenseful plot twists. For example, Quest by Richard Sapir.
War novel
War, combat and military adventure fiction books are, just as the name suggests, based primarily on the battlefield or during times of war in a conflict zone. For example, War by Sebastian Faulks.
Western
Westerns are based in the American Old West typically in the late eighteenth to the late nineteenth century. Storylines revolved around characters like mountain men, outlaws, settlers, and lawmen. Some were based on actual people, such as Billy the Kid, Buffalo Bill, Wyatt Earp, Wild Bill Hickok and Jesse James. For example, The Gunslinger by Stephen King.
FAQs about Action and Adventure Fiction Titles
If you have questions about great action and adventure fiction, Bookscape has you covered. With over a million titles from 700+ publishers and an ever-growing catalogue, you’re sure to find your next favourite action and adventure fiction novel here. Bookscape is home to the greatest fiction books ever written and it should be your one-stop shop for buying books online at best prices. We can help you navigate through the wide world of fiction, be it war novels, crime novels, detective novels, sea stories, Robinsonades or spy stories. Let us answer some popular questions in choosing the best action and adventure fiction:
What is action adventure fiction?
Danger is the centre point of this genre of books that feature a fast-paced, action-packed plot. A classic tale of the hero’s journey, coming of age and undertaking a quest or moral mission forms the backbone of every story. The hero (protagonist) can be a superhero, a spy, a detective or even an antihero. They might experience adventure in a fantasy world that is subterranean or underwater, in hostile distant lands, and even in a different time period. Finally, the long and arduous journey of the protagonist reaches a thrilling climax.
Other common elements in action and adventure fiction books are the presence of dark, foreboding themes where the protagonist (male or female) undergoes life-threatening situations; sacrifice and tenacity; sense of urgency as they are embroiled in a tightly woven mesh of peril and intrigue.
Usually, sub-genres of action adventure fiction include overlaps with other genres like crime novels, thrillers, science fiction and fantasy. Some of the best action and adventure authors are James Patterson, Dan Brown, Robert Louis Stevenson, Alexandre Dumas, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Michael Crichton and more.
What are the characteristics of adventure fiction?
Beginning with the classics like Homer’s Odessey written around 700 BCE where the hero Odysseus embarks upon a dangerous quest to find his wife that lasts a decade. Here’s highlighting a few elements of this tale that have become the mainstay of heroic adventures and adventure fiction:
• Heroic protagonist: Adventure stories feature heroes who are clever and brave, qualities that save him from dangerous situations. They are also extremely relatable as they are imbued with human flaws that endear them to the reader. Classic example of adventure protagonists are Tom Sawyer, Don Quixote and Huckleberry Finn. Adventure can also take place in fantasy realms like the magical places in Harry Potter and Alice in Wonderland.
• Journey or Quest: Going on a journey is one of the most important parts of adventure fiction, which leads the hero on a path to maturity and higher understanding. At the end of the adventure, the obstacles that the hero has had to face and endure circumstances that cause his perspective to evolve. For example, the trauma of Frodo’s journey in Lord of the Rings transforms him completely, with some of his darkest moments foiled by his optimism and dedication.
• Unusual Locations: The backdrop for characters may be a variation of time and place like a familiar place in another time or a faraway land in contemporary times.
• Action and Danger: The extreme perilous and violent action that the hero encounters on his journey is the hallmark of this genre.
What is the difference between action and adventure books?
Action fiction and adventure fiction are closely related genres, but they do have some contrasts. They key difference would be that the focus of the storyline is different for each.
In action fiction books, events that are high-stake, high-energy and fast-paced are the star of the show. Explosions, car chases, close combat and other physical action that get tons of adrenalin pumping and generate excite is the central focus.
Adventure fiction, on the contrary, tells the story of the protagonist’s journey. It may take the protagonist to exotic locales and dangerous destinations, with a slew of obstacles along the way.
While adventure fiction can surely have action scenes, it primarily focuses on exploring new places and triumphing over challenges.
Top Action and Adventure Books of All Time
These timeless masterpieces have captured the hearts and imaginations of readers worldwide, leaving an indelible mark on the literary landscape.
• Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
• Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne
• Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
• Tarzan and the Golden Lion by Edgar Rice Burroughs
• Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
• Life of Pi by Yann Martel
• The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
• Gulliver’s Travels by Dr Jonathan Swift
• The Martian by Andy Weir
• The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
You can find these books and more here
Popular Action and Adventure Fiction Authors
Here are some of the best action and adventure authors whose high-octane books have climbed their way to the top of bestseller lists and their legacy lives on:
• Homer
• Robert Louis Stevenson
• Alexandre Dumas
• Jules Verne
• Ernest Hemingway
• Herman Melville
• Joseph Conrad
• Mark Twain
• J. R. R. Tolkien
• Yann Martel
• Arthur Conan Doyle
• Daniel Defoe
• H. G. Wells
Best Action and Adventure Fiction Books by Indian Authors
From international award winners to classic favourites, explore some of the most remarkable works by talented Indian action and adventure authors:
• When the Road Beckons by Ravi Manoram
• Born Again on the Mountain by Arunima Sinha
• Bucket List of a Traveloholic by Sarika Pandit
• Worth Every Gasp by Anamika Mukherjee
• Andaman Adventure: Barren Island by Deepak Dalal
• Andaman Adventure: The Jarawa by Deepak Dalal
• The Complete Adventures of Feluda by Satyajit Ray
You can also check out Bookscape’s action and adventure fiction bestsellers here
What are some of the new books in the action and adventure fiction category?
You can find the latest books in our New Arrivals section. Click here to find out.