What do you think?
Rate this book
The Adventurers
From the author of The New York Times #1 best-selling novel The Carpetbaggers comes a tale of violence, sex, betrayal, revenge and intrigue. The Adventurers is a story of revolution and danger in the sultry jungles of South America.
As a young boy, Diogenes Alejandro Xenos (“Dax”) witnesses the brutal rape and murder of his mother and sister by government troops—experiencing the drama of revolution, loss, and tragedy firsthand. He is sent to Europe by the victorious rebel leader to rebuild his country’s diplomatic and financial status post-revolution, and is immediately thrown into the elite environment of Europe’s jet set society of international bankers and diplomats.
Outwardly, Dax lives a life of privilege as one of the continent’s most sought-after, hedonistic playboys—wanted by men and women alike, but for very different reasons. Inside, however, he channels his fear, anger and hatred for the new regime, which he realizes is as corrupt as the old, into a desire to disrupt the status quo. Once a favorite of the general-turned-dictator, Dax quickly becomes an outlaw in his own country, living on the fringes of society as a rebel hell-bent on a new revolution.
This epic tale of escape from the horrors of a third world regime is one of Harold Robbins' most ambitious novels ever, combining his trademark sensuality with political intrigue, a globe-spanning variety of exotic locales, and themes that never seem to change—political intrigue, greed, power, money, violence, sex and betrayal.
With Dax Xenos, Robbins thrills and excites us with one of his most memorable and intriguing characters—a flawed and complicated hero.
As a young boy, Diogenes Alejandro Xenos (“Dax”) witnesses the brutal rape and murder of his mother and sister by government troops—experiencing the drama of revolution, loss, and tragedy firsthand. He is sent to Europe by the victorious rebel leader to rebuild his country’s diplomatic and financial status post-revolution, and is immediately thrown into the elite environment of Europe’s jet set society of international bankers and diplomats.
Outwardly, Dax lives a life of privilege as one of the continent’s most sought-after, hedonistic playboys—wanted by men and women alike, but for very different reasons. Inside, however, he channels his fear, anger and hatred for the new regime, which he realizes is as corrupt as the old, into a desire to disrupt the status quo. Once a favorite of the general-turned-dictator, Dax quickly becomes an outlaw in his own country, living on the fringes of society as a rebel hell-bent on a new revolution.
This epic tale of escape from the horrors of a third world regime is one of Harold Robbins' most ambitious novels ever, combining his trademark sensuality with political intrigue, a globe-spanning variety of exotic locales, and themes that never seem to change—political intrigue, greed, power, money, violence, sex and betrayal.
With Dax Xenos, Robbins thrills and excites us with one of his most memorable and intriguing characters—a flawed and complicated hero.
712 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1966
264 people are currently reading
1337 people want to read
About the author
Harold Robbins
314 books437 followersBorn as Harold Rubin in New York City, he later claimed to be a Jewish orphan who had been raised in a Catholic boys home. In reality he was the son of well-educated Russian and Polish immigrants. He was reared by his pharmacist father and stepmother in Brooklyn.
His first book, Never Love a Stranger (1948), caused controversy with its graphic sexuality. Publisher Pat Knopf reportedly bought Never Love a Stranger because "it was the first time he had ever read a book where on one page you'd have tears and on the next page you'd have a hard-on".
His 1952 novel, A Stone for Danny Fisher, was adapted into a 1958 motion picture King Creole, which starred Elvis Presley.
He would become arguably the world's bestselling author, publishing over 20 books which were translated into 32 languages and sold over 750 million copies. Among his best-known books is The Carpetbaggers, loosely based on the life of Howard Hughes, taking the reader from New York to California, from the prosperity of the aeronautical industry to the glamour of Hollywood.
His first book, Never Love a Stranger (1948), caused controversy with its graphic sexuality. Publisher Pat Knopf reportedly bought Never Love a Stranger because "it was the first time he had ever read a book where on one page you'd have tears and on the next page you'd have a hard-on".
His 1952 novel, A Stone for Danny Fisher, was adapted into a 1958 motion picture King Creole, which starred Elvis Presley.
He would become arguably the world's bestselling author, publishing over 20 books which were translated into 32 languages and sold over 750 million copies. Among his best-known books is The Carpetbaggers, loosely based on the life of Howard Hughes, taking the reader from New York to California, from the prosperity of the aeronautical industry to the glamour of Hollywood.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
October 12, 2012
Three words.
Diogenes. Alejandro. Xenos.
Growing up, my bedroom was the repository for all my mother's books - encyclopedias, Reader's Digest hardcover reference books, Grimm's Fairy Tales, and more. And on the top-most shelf was this beat up thick paperback missing its cover. At 12 years old, I climbed up to get this book, dusted it off and started reading.
The prologue starts with a rape and a murder. And I was hooked.
Way to start one's reading list, eh?
Diogenes. Alejandro. Xenos.
Growing up, my bedroom was the repository for all my mother's books - encyclopedias, Reader's Digest hardcover reference books, Grimm's Fairy Tales, and more. And on the top-most shelf was this beat up thick paperback missing its cover. At 12 years old, I climbed up to get this book, dusted it off and started reading.
The prologue starts with a rape and a murder. And I was hooked.
Way to start one's reading list, eh?
July 22, 2017
I read this as a young teenager and was totally absorbed, read it from cover to cover inside one week. The story seemed reminiscent of Che Guevara, all the rage in the 60's, for some reason communism was cool as was Castro. Don't think we had any idea about politics, communism or otherwise, it was just imagery! In any case this book was gripping, DAX the main character was the ultimate hard case, the ultimate sex God, an unwitting leader of men. As a teenager, the sex, the violence, the rich, the poor all intermingling into one fascinating glimpse that the imagery of the period had us convinced was real. The book/story had us leaping from one piece of excitement to another, the hero was invincible, I believed he was a just cause, I believed in the story, I was gripped. I read it twice in succession. Not so sure I would like it now as a mature 60 something, not blinded by imagery any longer - but then, oh then, oh what a book!
May 7, 2019
I read this book back when my taste was not so discriminatory, but remember liking it very much. I will need to read it again to see if I still like it as much. A few things stood out for me. One was DAX is such a unique character. You get to know him as he grows up into a very smooth international and sometimes dangerous man. You get to know his personality, like how quiet and thoughtful he is. You see the goodness in him despite his very difficult upbringing. And his loyalty to the general says a lot about him also. Another thing that stands out is his life-long buddy Fat-Cat. Mr. Robbins did a wonderful job bringing this secondary character to life. I think his earlier life stands out more because you get to see the life that shaped him. It is intriguing because it is so different from the world I know. Mr. Robbins definitely brings you along with him to the jungles of South America. I remember being so wrapped up in this book. I really must move this up on my "To Read Again" List....
December 3, 2016
A Robbins book came up in my feed. I recall this one only and enjoying it. Read 40 years back!!!!!!!
July 12, 2016
Evidently this is some type of classic? While I would have loved to have finished and seen what happened, I could not stand all the rape. Not just rape, but the casual and almost constant character it was in itself. I'm not squeamish and I read a lot of hard core stuff, but I just could NOT.
3 hrs into the 24 hr audio book and I had already lost count of the assaults.
3 hrs into the 24 hr audio book and I had already lost count of the assaults.
September 21, 2015
Diogenes Alejandro Xenos (DAX) the main character is a mean sexy playboy machine. And he has it all; power, South America looks, authority, money, French Riviera, cars, all continents, well he has it all. He has brunettes, black, blondes, gingers, white, dark, tanned, milky skinned...
I would recommend this book because it is fairly well written. It is sincere and brutal, bit emphasised, but home heroes and playboys were like that (that kind are extinct species by now), especially if you come from a little fictional Latin country where things fall apart.
You just want to have one DAX in your life. If not IN your life, maybe somewhere else IN. Not to get it wrong, this is not an erotic book. It has many elements of sexual chemistry but that’s irrelevant when you get into the plot. Ok, so so irrelevant.
Men want to be him, women, well we want to... nurture him at least.
Passionate book, but everybody who knows Robbins’ work, will know that it’s not award prize literature, but... who cares. I have to accent that this was my favorite book growing up. I have read it numerous time age 12-16, and I have never re-read it after so it stays in my mind as one of the first literature contacts and I don't want to spoil this book with adult reading. I have screwed up most of my Sidney Sheldon memories and I can't allow myself to make that mistake twice.
The book was inspired by the life of Dominican diplomat Porfirio Rubirosa.
And I've found my 6 degrees of separation with Porfirio. His 5th wife (of 6) was Barbara Hutton (1912-1978), an American socialite whose grandfather was the owner of Woolworth company, which is Foot Locker today. And I bought my sneakers there. Ok, not maybe 6 degrees, but connection if evident.
I would recommend this book because it is fairly well written. It is sincere and brutal, bit emphasised, but home heroes and playboys were like that (that kind are extinct species by now), especially if you come from a little fictional Latin country where things fall apart.
You just want to have one DAX in your life. If not IN your life, maybe somewhere else IN. Not to get it wrong, this is not an erotic book. It has many elements of sexual chemistry but that’s irrelevant when you get into the plot. Ok, so so irrelevant.
Men want to be him, women, well we want to... nurture him at least.
Passionate book, but everybody who knows Robbins’ work, will know that it’s not award prize literature, but... who cares. I have to accent that this was my favorite book growing up. I have read it numerous time age 12-16, and I have never re-read it after so it stays in my mind as one of the first literature contacts and I don't want to spoil this book with adult reading. I have screwed up most of my Sidney Sheldon memories and I can't allow myself to make that mistake twice.
The book was inspired by the life of Dominican diplomat Porfirio Rubirosa.
And I've found my 6 degrees of separation with Porfirio. His 5th wife (of 6) was Barbara Hutton (1912-1978), an American socialite whose grandfather was the owner of Woolworth company, which is Foot Locker today. And I bought my sneakers there. Ok, not maybe 6 degrees, but connection if evident.
August 6, 2012
Robbins must have been in somewhat of a reflective mood when he wrote this book. The 'Epilogue as a Prologue' chapter sets a kind of tone for the rest of the story: all Dax's jet-setting, sexual adventures, polo playing and mixing with the rich and famous is, ultimately, worthless. The folk that tend to just focus on the sex in Harold Robbins's stories are more shallow than the characters they accuse him of portraying. The characters in The Adventurers are complex human beings. Sue Ann, especially, is well-drawn with an explanation of the guilt she feels about having a handicapped child. As usual with Robbins's books The Adventurers is a rattling good read but with a shadow of doom and futility hanging over every scene.
February 27, 2013
I don't often re-read books, but this is one I felt compelled to after finding it as an ebook for about $2. I loved this book, as well as most of Robbin's books; I've read most all of them probably beginning when each one came out. Many reviewers mentioned sex which I generally found a bit unrealistic... but then again.
This is a terrific story, which was always Harold's real strength. Sometimes predictable, but often not. Much edge of seat drama, Very difficult to put down, even reading again after 20 or so years. Almost no boring parts (that I usually can't wait to get through) that I find in many other novels.
Relating novels to real characters and events is also a very strong point. I have not yet found a novelist like Robbins, still looking though.
This is a terrific story, which was always Harold's real strength. Sometimes predictable, but often not. Much edge of seat drama, Very difficult to put down, even reading again after 20 or so years. Almost no boring parts (that I usually can't wait to get through) that I find in many other novels.
Relating novels to real characters and events is also a very strong point. I have not yet found a novelist like Robbins, still looking though.
May 14, 2009
I read this back in the early 70s. It was a great read then and I'm sure it would be a great read now.
December 3, 2013
It took me 2 months to finish the book not because it's boring or it's not good. It took me that long because I didn't want to finish the book so soon. And it's not even legit to say I finished it in 2 months because the last 2 pages were tear off and lost and it took me another 6 years to read the last two pages and read the ending. It was worth the wait. Very heartbreaking story.
August 16, 2012
hard core. i have to put it down to take a cold shower. :o) far too many times. Intelligent writing.
August 10, 2011
My all time favorite book!
December 10, 2023
Back to 1966 I go. (That is the year I am reading for My Big Fat Reading Project.*) The Adventurers was the #2 bestseller of the year and I had been putting it off because it is so long. But 2023 is my year of reading long books so it was time.
I first met Harold Robbins ten years ago when I read The Carpetbaggers. That was the #4 bestseller in 1961. I actually, secretly love such big trashy novels and used to read lots of them. They have made the bestseller lists for years but one can learn some American history from them. Also, I must say that the Presidential biographies I have read from the 20th century years are almost as lurid in some ways.
The Adventurers, set in a fictional South American country, features Dax, the son and grandson of revolutionaries, who grows up to understand that the new leader of his country is as much of a dictator as the one he replaced. Such is the way of revolutions around the world. But this book was timely due to events in Cuba and due to the way the American government used its power and money in Central and South America to fight communism: the perceived big enemy to democracy.
Robbins created a complicated hero in Dax and once I got to the half-way point, I suspected he might be doomed but I hoped he would prevail. Violence, sex, money, politics, and a few outright insane characters propelled me along for seven days and I had a good time.
*My Big Fat Reading Project is my plan to read the top 10 bestsellers, the award winners and a select list of other authors from all the years that I have lived.
I first met Harold Robbins ten years ago when I read The Carpetbaggers. That was the #4 bestseller in 1961. I actually, secretly love such big trashy novels and used to read lots of them. They have made the bestseller lists for years but one can learn some American history from them. Also, I must say that the Presidential biographies I have read from the 20th century years are almost as lurid in some ways.
The Adventurers, set in a fictional South American country, features Dax, the son and grandson of revolutionaries, who grows up to understand that the new leader of his country is as much of a dictator as the one he replaced. Such is the way of revolutions around the world. But this book was timely due to events in Cuba and due to the way the American government used its power and money in Central and South America to fight communism: the perceived big enemy to democracy.
Robbins created a complicated hero in Dax and once I got to the half-way point, I suspected he might be doomed but I hoped he would prevail. Violence, sex, money, politics, and a few outright insane characters propelled me along for seven days and I had a good time.
*My Big Fat Reading Project is my plan to read the top 10 bestsellers, the award winners and a select list of other authors from all the years that I have lived.
February 21, 2015
This tale of South American corruption is confronting in its graphic violence and sex. It captures the sense of futility of war and struggle against oppression. Starting at the end and then recalling the events that led to it, you find yourself trying to work out ways the main character can avoid his fate echoing the futility of his own struggle. I found this Harold Robbins novel much more compelling than his novel on prostitution. The world he writes about is not pretty and at first seem gratuitous until you realise this is the nature of that world. If your looking for hope, this novel will not give it to you. But you cannot help but admire the characters who continue to fight for what's right without hope.
February 24, 2015
I read this probably 40 years ago and have always thought it was one of my favorite books. I just reread it and I did like it...did not remember any of it except Dax who I remembered as this hunky guy...I liked it very much.
June 6, 2015
I've read this book before and all I can say is that it's a very involved book , compelling, moving, gripping a real page turner. When I read, I somehow become the characters: like I'm in their fantasy, I become a different person with each new book I'm reading.
May 17, 2013
I found The Adventurers to be spellbinding when I was 20 years old. Will give it another read 38 years later to see if it still has the same impact.
June 5, 2013
And for a while I wanted to visit South America - but never did!
June 7, 2016
Every once in a while you need a good old-fashioned trashy sex and violence novel to counterbalance the really classy stuff you normally read. Robbins fills the bill quite adequately.
July 19, 2016
I was young, it had sex and violence. I was captivated. The story was also excellent as best I can recall or else I may just have skipped over much of it.
Currently reading
March 19, 2015On my To Re-Read Pile:
I read this book in 9th grade. A the time, I had to read it when I could not get caught with it. Even though I had read other books by HR, THIS one was forbidden and vanished. When I found a copy in a used book store, I bought it and sneaked it home. So, I had to read it in 10 - 20 page installments.
It was brutal and bloody. As we were involved in Vietnam at the time, this book made it clear that war was NOT the sterile thing that the war movies and TV shows I had watched made it out to be.
In those Pre-Sex Education days, I learned about sex the old fashioned way; listening to the guys who were "worldly wise" discussing it in locker rooms or behind someone's garage while they smoked. This book made it plain that they didn't know ANYTHING at all.
Now, I have been going back through some of the books that I read during that era to see how well they hold up. I hadn't planned to re-visit Robbins but several things lead me back to him.
In retrospect, this book seems to be at the peak of Robbin's career. I've seen several reviews stating that his first three books are classic and it was downhill from there. Without knowing for certain, I would suspect this is true for several reasons. They were written about the place and time where he grew up (NYC) and populated by people probably much like people he knew. They had the feel of their time. Later books were thinly veiled biographies of well known personalities. Secondly, as a budding author, he likely had a good editor. Authors had a hate-hate relationship with editors. Once they start hitting the best seller list, they have enough clout to say, "Editors. I don't need no steenking editor." And their publishers seem to go along. (If you saw how this review originally went, you would see that I edited about 90% of it out.)
From what I am seeing, The Adventurers is an awesome 400 - 500 page book, but it is unfortunately approaching 800 pages. This seems to be a major trend in publishing. Put together with a talent writer, an editor can turn good books into great ones.
So time to dig in to see how the book holds up.
I read this book in 9th grade. A the time, I had to read it when I could not get caught with it. Even though I had read other books by HR, THIS one was forbidden and vanished. When I found a copy in a used book store, I bought it and sneaked it home. So, I had to read it in 10 - 20 page installments.
It was brutal and bloody. As we were involved in Vietnam at the time, this book made it clear that war was NOT the sterile thing that the war movies and TV shows I had watched made it out to be.
In those Pre-Sex Education days, I learned about sex the old fashioned way; listening to the guys who were "worldly wise" discussing it in locker rooms or behind someone's garage while they smoked. This book made it plain that they didn't know ANYTHING at all.
Now, I have been going back through some of the books that I read during that era to see how well they hold up. I hadn't planned to re-visit Robbins but several things lead me back to him.
In retrospect, this book seems to be at the peak of Robbin's career. I've seen several reviews stating that his first three books are classic and it was downhill from there. Without knowing for certain, I would suspect this is true for several reasons. They were written about the place and time where he grew up (NYC) and populated by people probably much like people he knew. They had the feel of their time. Later books were thinly veiled biographies of well known personalities. Secondly, as a budding author, he likely had a good editor. Authors had a hate-hate relationship with editors. Once they start hitting the best seller list, they have enough clout to say, "Editors. I don't need no steenking editor." And their publishers seem to go along. (If you saw how this review originally went, you would see that I edited about 90% of it out.)
From what I am seeing, The Adventurers is an awesome 400 - 500 page book, but it is unfortunately approaching 800 pages. This seems to be a major trend in publishing. Put together with a talent writer, an editor can turn good books into great ones.
So time to dig in to see how the book holds up.
May 10, 2015
The Adventurers by Harold Robbins 4/5
To call The Adventurers great literature would be a misstatement, on the other hand to dismiss it as trash would be inaccurate and unfair. Published in 1966 it captures the "jetsetters" lifestyle with a political and revolutionary twist. The story follows the life and death of Diogenes Alejandro Xenos, and what a life it is. The reader follows "Dax" from the jungles of his native Corteguay (a fictional amalgamation of Latin American countries), to the Executive Boardrooms of Paris, London and New York. Not to mention the bedrooms of various and sundry extremely willing women.
But while it would be easy to dismiss this story as light reading, there is an undertone, and possibly a warning. The political machinations, the obtaining and losing of power, whether it be political, corporate or personal is intricately told in a plausible manner. Upon my first reading of this book, shortly after it's publication it seemed more a tale of the coming and going of power in a small South American country, not much more. Now, all this time later, I see more in it. After all we've lived through Contragate, Watergate, and the various siblings of same.
Robbins has an easy to read style of writing, and while there is not a huge amount of character description, what is there is sufficient for the reader to understand what we must of each character.
To call The Adventurers great literature would be a misstatement, on the other hand to dismiss it as trash would be inaccurate and unfair. Published in 1966 it captures the "jetsetters" lifestyle with a political and revolutionary twist. The story follows the life and death of Diogenes Alejandro Xenos, and what a life it is. The reader follows "Dax" from the jungles of his native Corteguay (a fictional amalgamation of Latin American countries), to the Executive Boardrooms of Paris, London and New York. Not to mention the bedrooms of various and sundry extremely willing women.
But while it would be easy to dismiss this story as light reading, there is an undertone, and possibly a warning. The political machinations, the obtaining and losing of power, whether it be political, corporate or personal is intricately told in a plausible manner. Upon my first reading of this book, shortly after it's publication it seemed more a tale of the coming and going of power in a small South American country, not much more. Now, all this time later, I see more in it. After all we've lived through Contragate, Watergate, and the various siblings of same.
Robbins has an easy to read style of writing, and while there is not a huge amount of character description, what is there is sufficient for the reader to understand what we must of each character.
November 30, 2015
Un romanzo di formazione bellissimo. Un viaggio dal sud America, all'Europa, all'America, nei panni di un viaggiatore dalle molte qualità. Finire questo libro mi ha lasciato un incredibile vuoto dentro, come pochi ci sono riusciti. Una storia che ti prende e vorresti non finisse mai.
Acquistai questo volume in una bancarella ed è tra i volumi cartacei che custodisco con più cura da quando mi sono avvicinata al digitale. Uno dei pochi libri che rileggerei, solo per la gioia di sfogliare quelle pagine e rivivere le avventure del protagonista.
Acquistai questo volume in una bancarella ed è tra i volumi cartacei che custodisco con più cura da quando mi sono avvicinata al digitale. Uno dei pochi libri che rileggerei, solo per la gioia di sfogliare quelle pagine e rivivere le avventure del protagonista.
September 1, 2014
Brilliant and in its pulpy way a sort of Hamlet by way of Simón Bolívar and Túpac Amaru. "Dax" is one of the best male protagonists in modern literature. Multicultural and beautiful to behold in full flight.
April 24, 2011
This was my sex ed book at age 13 - oh my!
Fast paced, sexy and entertaining - over the top to the point of silly sometimes, but oh my!
Fast paced, sexy and entertaining - over the top to the point of silly sometimes, but oh my!
October 12, 2011
More sex and violence from HR. The movie was pretty crappy. Fictionalized life of Porfirio Rubirosa. Date read is a guess.
Read
July 27, 2011Certainly a good story well told, not as naughty as I remembered it - but then I was 14 when I read it the first time and everything seemed a lot dirtier then than it is now!
September 29, 2011
I read a number of sixties potboilers when I was in junior high and early high school. I knew even then they were extremely trashy, much as I might have enjoyed them.
August 7, 2012
A total Masala Book with everything.. Amazing Read
Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews