Classic Adventure Reading

[BigSleep]

A few years back I got on a kick of reading some adventure classics that I had heard about all my life.

I got into it because I am a big N.C. Wyeth fan and found some editions with illustrated panels in them.

I started with "Treasure Island", "Kidnapped", Robinson Crusoe", "Robin Hood" and "Alice in Wonderland".

Recently started "Tarzan Of The Apes". (Much more exciting and brutal than any of the movies I remember.)

Do you have any classic must-reads that I should add to my list?

 

[J.A. Daub]

Must reads for classic adventure stories,

Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzan is just the beginning.
H. Rider Haggard, Allan Quatermain series

The books published by a lot of the professional hunters over the years are great adventure stories, and have the advantage of being true(mostly)

Peter Capstick, "Pondoro" Taylor, Sir Samuel Baker, W.D.M. Bell and Jim Corbett all wrote entertaining stories and there is always "Man-Eaters of Tsavo" by Col. John Patterson

 

[rcinlv]

Mark Twain... Philip Marlowe... Cervantes... Verne...

More modern: Umberto Eco, Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum.

Cheers,

RC

 

[The Wolf]

How about some adventures pulps? Doc Savage pulps are my favorite.

Sincerely,
the Wolf

 

[Bill Taylor]

A good follow up to "Tarzan of the Apes" is "Son of Tarzan" by Burroughs. There is an amusing sequence at the beginning of the book. Lord Greystroke(Tarzan) and Lady Greystroke (Jane) are having issues with their teen aged son wanting to run off to Africa. Lady Greystroke is kvetching to her husband about why the son would want to do such a thing. Lord Greystroke replies, "My dear Jane, it would be disingenious of you of all people to deny the attractions of Africa". Paraphrased, don't remember the line as it was exactly written. Doesn't say whether or not she socked him out for saying that.

H. G. Wells is always a good read as is C. S. Lewis (especially the trilogy of "Out of the Silent Planet", "Perelandra"(Venus) and "That Hideous Strength". However, those three get a little deep in philosophical good and evil thinking.

E. R. Eddison is good early science fiction. He was a contempory of J. R. R. Tolkein ("The Lord of the Rings") and C. S. Lewis and apparently admired by both.

Bill

 

[BigSleep]

Thanks guys.
I cant wait to dive into my next one and you all have given me a lot to choose from.

 

[BegintheBeguine]

The first thing that came to mind is The Lost World by Conan Doyle.
Second thing is the Fu Manchu series I'm reading now by Sax Rohmer.
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre by B. Traven might or might not be considered an adventure but there's one page that will have you gasping. You may also enjoy The Big Sky by A. B. Guthrie, Jr.
Happy blood-racing.

 

[tonyper]

NC Wyeth, !!!!

Hey Sleep, I really am not a Classic Adventure Fan, but reading these few posts makes me want to go out and buy a few. Speaking of NC Wyeth though, I have read almost evey book on the Wyeth family. I am Andrew's biggest fan. Jamie is no slouch either. A facinating family of Artists. I am an Oil Painter so I can relate.

Regards Tony

 

[imoldfashioned]

I enjoyed Richard Halliburton's books--even though you know they were embroidered to the point of fiction they are a lot of fun.

Love the illustrators of those turn of the century adventure books--Wyeth, Howard Pyle, etc.