Action Adventure

[Matthew]

I am not really sure that this is the right group to post this with but as I only belong to two group so here goes. While the majority of what I read is speculative fiction, I am now looking for a good action adventure story. Something that could contain treasure hunting or swashbuckling. Kind of like a cross between The Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Da Vinci Code and Indiana Jones. Also, if the book is available as an audiobook that would be a bonus.

[Lit Bug (Foram)]

I loved The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper. It is not be exactly a story where the protagonists look for an adventure, but they are in more of a 'do or die' situation, and it is also a literary book so lots of underlying themes like colonialism, etc. But it is a really wonderful book. A masterpiece of early American fiction. This one was perhaps based on a true story.

[Michele]

Jim Butcher's Dresden Files are pretty much action adventure set in modern day urban Chicago with magic and every fantasy thing thrown in the mix. He's constantly racing around, fighting for his life, trying to solve the mystery, save the day. All this with a noir feel (at least in the first few) and Harry Dresden is a sarcastic smartass who often has me laughing out loud - and they're all available as audiobooks.

[Matthew]

Thanks for the suggestions. I have read a bunch of the Dresden Files and enjoyed them. However, now am looking for something that's less of a detective story and more of a treasure hunt. Maybe even with a dash of romance. One series I am considering is one of the Allan Quartermain books (who Indiana Jones is loosely based off) but I am not sure if any of them are any good.

[Lit Bug (Foram)]

'The Last of the Mohicans' has a brilliant but subdued, underplayed romance but not a treasure hunt, only heroic efforts at survival.

[Geoff]

Not sure this is the type of action/adventure you're looking for but I'm a big fan of James Rollins and Matthew Reilly.

[Kristina]

I would like to suggest: The Lies of Locke Lamora and the follow up Red Seas Under Red Skies.

[Robert]

It's not SF, but you might try Captain Blood. You might also check the works of Robert E. Howard, especially the Conan stories.

[Michele]

Alex Archer His Rogue Angel series are a bit Tomb Raider with a woman who goes after artifacts and stuff. I only read the first one when I found it at a used book store and they didn't have the next ones. It was kind of like a harlequin for geeks, short quick read, hot kickass chick. Might check those out.

Have you read Don Quixote?

[Bryan]

I read King Solomon's Mines, the first Allan Quatermain book, and it was awesome. Haven't read any of the others, though.

[Daran]

Speaking of King Siolomon's Mine, I would recommend Clive Cussler. His stories are about treasure hunting, and feature myths like King Solomon'S Mine, Atlantis, and Cibola. Also, classic cars.

[Matthew]

Thanks for the suggestions. You have given me a bunch of great ideas.

[Thane]

Robert wrote: "It's not SF, but you might try Captain Blood. You might also check the works of Robert E. Howard, especially the Conan stories."

Here's a second for Captain Blood, which you can get from Project Gutenberg, free!

[Bryan]

You might also look for the Doctor Syn books by Russell Thorndike. They're super racist(like most books written at that time) but if you can get past that they're pretty entertaining.

[Lit Bug (Foram)]

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson - a classic!

[Tassie Dave, S&L Historian]

I would also suggest the Jack West Jr series by Aussie author Matthew Reilly.

The series starts with Seven Deadly Wonders (AKA Seven Ancient Wonders)

It is similar to Clive Cussler's work if you like him.
It is over the top action adventure with treasure hunting. It is definitely pulp fiction and it is not going to win any literary awards, but it is a fun ride.

[AndrewP]

Geoff wrote: "Not sure this is the type of action/adventure you're looking for but I'm a big fan of James Rollins and Matthew Reilly."

I second James Rollins, especially the earlier non sigma force novels. Excavation might be the best one if you are looking for an Indiana Jones type adventure.

[Gene]

I've just read Dumas' CORSICAN BROTHERS for the first time, and it's a very good read, though not much like the film versions of it, which tend to "Musketeer-ize" the storyline. Also read Dumas' last work, THE BLACK TULIP, but that one's not the least bit adventure-oriented. No treasure hunt in either.

The only Fenimore Cooper I've read is THE DEERSLAYER, which I also recommend. Poe's only novel, THE NARRATIVE OF ARTHUR GORDON PYM, is a quasi-adventure with (of course) a lot of horrific elements.

Howard even has an explicit treasure-hunting Conan story, THE TREASURE OF TRANICOS.

[Dharmakirti]

Kristina wrote: "I would like to suggest: The Lies of Locke Lamora and the follow up Red Seas Under Red Skies."

Agreed on The Lies of Locke Lamora. I just finished it and really liked it.

Also check out Well of Souls by Martha Wells and Alif the Unseen by G. Willow Wilson.

[Rik]

Daran wrote: "Speaking of King Siolomon's Mine, I would recommend Clive Cussler. His stories are about treasure hunting, and feature myths like King Solomon'S Mine, Atlantis, and Cibola. Also, classic cars."

What I was going to suggest. My job is such that I get to listen to books at work on my Ipod and I'm a cheapskate so rather than do audible I just get whatever I can get at the library and as such I've done a lot of stuff I might not have tried otherwise including a lot of Cussler. They are kind of formulaic, especially after you've read (listened) more than one but they are enjoyable in an action / adventure way. In a funny way though its kind of confusing because since I'm at the mercy of what the library currently has available I've read them way out of order so it always takes me a while to figure out where the book fits in to the Pitt timeline.

[Bryan]

Gene wrote: "I've just read Dumas' CORSICAN BROTHERS for the first time, and it's a very good read, though not much like the film versions of it, which tend to "Musketeer-ize" the storyline. Also read Dumas' l..."

I believe The Treasure Of Tranicos is actually a rewrite by L. Sprague De Camp of the original Robert E. Howard-penned Conan tale entitled The Black Stranger.

[Rasnac]

Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson. There are pirates, Scottish highlanders, Jacobite rebellion, civil war, murder, kilts, sword fights etc. all kind of exciting stuff in it. It was my most favourite novel growing up and the first novel I read in English language. ;)

[Oblomov]

If you enjoy a good anti-hero try the Flashman series by George McDonald Fraser. Flashman is publicly the greatest hero of the Victorian era who participated at pretty much every historical event for a sixty years. He is really a coward, a womaniser, a bully and round rogue. Lots of fun and brilliantly researched.
Also the Alatriste series by the Spanish author Perez Reverte is very good. Alatriste is asoldier in the first half of the seventeenth century during the last days of glory of the Spanish empire. Gritty and melancholy, with memorable characters and very good action scenes.

[Joe Informatico]

The Jack Absolute books by C.C. Humphreys, about an 18th century Redcoat and spy. Very much in the vein of Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe books.

If you haven't read Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and Grey Mouser stories, do so. Probably best to start with Swords and Deviltry, but any of the story collections should do.

Michael Chabon's Gentlemen of the Road: A Tale of Adventure is a loving homage to Leiber, Robert E. Howard, and early swashbuckling pulps in general.