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50 Adventure Novels You Have to Read Before You Die

Some might argue that the adventure novel has been undermined by the modern age: since you can fly just about anywhere for a relatively reasonable price, or experience on the internet for free, the allure of a story that takes you to far-away places and unfamiliar cultures for the sake of adventure has been lost. In reality, the spirit lives on—if only because so many fantastic adventure stories have already been written. The 50 novels listed here are the sort of old-school romps designed to inspire you to dig out your hiking gear, quit your job, and go seeking your fortune before it's too late.
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Ivanhoe (Sir Walter Scott)
Ivanhoe
1
Sir Walter Scott
The Three Musketeers (Alexandre Dumas)
The Three Musketeers
2
Alexandre Dumas
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (Jules Verne)
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
3
Jules Verne
Treasure Island (Robert Louis Stevenson)
Treasure Island
4
Robert Louis Stevenson
King Solomon's Mines (H. Rider Haggard)
King Solomon's Mines
5
H. Rider Haggard
Kim (Rudyard Kipling)
Kim
6
Rudyard Kipling
Call of the Wild (Jack London)
Call of the Wild
7
Jack London
The Scarlet Pimpernel (Baroness Orczy)
The Scarlet Pimpernel
8
Baroness Orczy
Tarzan of the Apes (Edgar Rice Burroughs)
Tarzan of the Apes
9
Edgar Rice Burroughs
Captain Blood (Rafael Sabatini)
Captain Blood
10
Rafael Sabatini
The Mark of Zorro
The Mark of Zorro
11
Beau Geste (P.C. Wren)
Beau Geste
12
P.C. Wren
Lost Horizon (James Hilton)
Lost Horizon
13
James Hilton
Conan the Conqueror (Robert E. Howard)
Conan the Conqueror
14
Robert E. Howard
The Long Ships (Frans Bengtsson)
The Long Ships
15
Frans Bengtsson
The Cruel Sea (Nicholas Monsarrat)
The Cruel Sea
16
Nicholas Monsarrat
Lieutenant Hornblower (C. S. Forester)
Lieutenant Hornblower
17
C. S. Forester
Guns of Navarone (Alistair MacLean)
Guns of Navarone
18
Alistair MacLean
The Warriors (Sol Yurick)
The Warriors
19
Sol Yurick
Master and Commander
Master and Commander
20
Congo (Michael Crichton)
Congo
21
Michael Crichton
Sahara
Sahara
22
Le Morte D'Arthur (Sir Thomas Malory)
Le Morte D'Arthur
23
Sir Thomas Malory
The Sheltering Sky (Paul Bowles)
The Sheltering Sky
24
Paul Bowles
Sharpe's Tiger (Bernard Cornwell)
Sharpe's Tiger
25
Bernard Cornwell
Shantaram (Gregory David Roberts)
Shantaram
26
Gregory David Roberts
The Walking Drum (Louis L'amour)
The Walking Drum
27
Louis L'amour
The Beach (Alex Garland)
The Beach
28
Alex Garland
Flashman (George MacDonald Fraser)
Flashman
29
George MacDonald Fraser
The Swiss Family Robinson (Johann David Wyss)
The Swiss Family Robinson
30
Johann David Wyss
Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling
Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling
31
Kidnapped (Robert Louis Stevenson)
Kidnapped
32
Robert Louis Stevenson
The Mysterious Island (Jules Verne)
The Mysterious Island
33
Jules Verne
Assegai
Assegai
34
Count of Monte Cristo (Alexander Dumas)
Count of Monte Cristo
35
Alexander Dumas
The Sea Wolf (Jack London)
The Sea Wolf
36
Jack London
The Riddle of the Sands (Erskine Childers)
The Riddle of the Sands
37
Erskine Childers
Empire of the Sun (J.G. Ballard)
Empire of the Sun
38
J.G. Ballard
The Tigers of Mompracem (Emilio Salgari)
The Tigers of Mompracem
39
Emilio Salgari
Night Flight
Night Flight
40
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