Post: #26

First Blood by David Morrell. At least as good as the movie and with a much different ending.

Post: #27

(05-06-2014 07:56 AM)Sombro Wrote:  First Blood by David Morrell. At least as good as the movie and with a much different ending.

I agree. I was shocked at the ending after watching the movie, just like many Stephen King novels. It is a very quick read. Another really quick read that pops into my mind that resulted in three movies: "I am legend" by Richard Matheson.

You can recommend both these short books to people who do not usually like to read -- and perhaps get them more interested in short adventure novels.

Post: #28

In the same vein as First Blood, "Nothing Lasts Forever" by Roderick Thorpe is the story that was adapted into the first Die Hard movie - a lot of the set-pieces are familiar but it's shockingly different in places.

It's a quick read but surprisingly dark and thoughtful.

"I'd hate myself if I had that kind of attitude, if I were that weak." - Arnold

Post: #29

"The Hunt for Red October" by Tom Clancy (~400pp) was excellent. Best book I read last year. The movie followed the book pretty closely but the book had a few more plot lines and lots more tech-porn sections that made it a really juicy modern adventure novel. I'm told from someone who knows that the book's technological and doctrinal accuracy wrt submarine warfare is very high so you aren't reading cheap-spy-novel magic.

Post: #30

I'm surprised that books by Arthur Conan Doyle haven't been mentioned yet.

Post: #31

(05-06-2014 09:12 AM)Tail Gunner Wrote:  

(05-06-2014 07:56 AM)Sombro Wrote:  First Blood by David Morrell. At least as good as the movie and with a much different ending.

I agree. I was shocked at the ending after watching the movie, just like many Stephen King novels. It is a very quick read. Another really quick read that pops into my mind that resulted in three movies: "I am legend" by Richard Matheson.

You can recommend both these short books to people who do not usually like to read -- and perhaps get them more interested in short adventure novels.

I agree on "I am Legend" by Matheson

Post: #32

Anything by John Buchan like "The 39 Steps"
Buchan was an amazing character himself !

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Buchan...Tweedsmuir

Post: #33

I was going to suggest anything by Micheal Crichton. Decent reads, well researched, semi factual, a lot taking place in far off places. One of my favorite authors.

Post: #34

(05-05-2014 01:58 PM)Espresso Wrote:  The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.

Short book, simply written, lots of meaning.
Tells the story of a journey undertaken by a young man from Spain to Northern Africa, and the life lessons he learns along the way.

Why do people rave so much about this book? I read it, it was simpley written, and even still belaboured the simple point it was making.

Here's the point in a nutshell. Save yourself the few hours.

"There is a Taoist story of an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. "Such bad luck," they said sympathetically.

"Maybe," the farmer replied. The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses. "How wonderful," the neighbors exclaimed.

"Maybe," replied the old man. The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbors again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune. "Maybe," answered the farmer. The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son's leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out. "Maybe," said the farmer."

Post: #35

Birader, have you read "into the wild"?

Post: #36

(05-28-2014 09:43 PM)Seadog Wrote:  

(05-05-2014 01:58 PM)Espresso Wrote:  The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.

Short book, simply written, lots of meaning.
Tells the story of a journey undertaken by a young man from Spain to Northern Africa, and the life lessons he learns along the way.

Why do people rave so much about this book? I read it, it was simpley written, and even still belaboured the simple point it was making.

Here's the point in a nutshell. Save yourself the few hours.

"There is a Taoist story of an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. "Such bad luck," they said sympathetically.

"Maybe," the farmer replied. The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses. "How wonderful," the neighbors exclaimed.

"Maybe," replied the old man. The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbors again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune. "Maybe," answered the farmer. The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son's leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out. "Maybe," said the farmer."

I think it's one of those polarizing books, where some people 'click' with it and others don't. Those who do think it's great, and those who don't don't understand what the fuss is about. A bit like Catcher in the Rye, where some people really resonate with the story and the main character and other's say he's a whiny spoilt brat.

I don't know what makes somebody fall into one camp and not the other. I can only speak for myself, and I thought The Alchemist was a great book and was a pleasure to read. But if it doesn't resonate with you, I can see how you would find the story uninteresting.

With regards to the parable: I've heard it before, but never associated it with The Alchemist. To be honest, I don't think that's what the book was about.

Post: #37

All of the Alistair MacLean and Frederick Forsyth works.

Post: #38

Just finished reading Shantaram from recommendations on this thread. Great book, took me only about 10 days to read, real page turner.

Post: #39

Here's a few:

'The Manuscript Found in Saragossa' by Jan Potocki
An episodic picaresque book of interwoven tales featuring a colorful cast of characters including soldiers, brigands, pirates, gypsies, magicians, ghosts, succubi, etc. It's been compared to Arabian Nights and Decameron but it reads more modern and erotically-charged (the main character keeps getting into threesomes with 2 sisters who may or may not be ghosts…it's pretty wild for something written in the early 1800s). It swings from swashbuckling high adventure to gothic horror with a bit of philosophy and religion thrown in. The author was a Polish adventurer, so collect brownie points when chatting up some literary-minded Polish hb ; )

'The Last Good Kiss' by James Crumley
A hardboiled sardonic rural noir road movie of a book, beautifully written & melancholic.

The graphic novels of Jacques Tardi (especially the Adele Blanc-Sec series). Reads like gonzo Jules Verne. I think they call this genre Steampunk.

I also dig Walter Mosley's Fearless Jones novels and Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer novels. Just tough guys doing tough things, but really well written.

And of course, Kerouac's stuff…his whole search for meaning through travel and partying strikes a chord with me, and a lot of other people.

Post: #40

Any of the Bob Lee Swagger books by Stephen Hunter. I believe Point of Impact is the first one.

Post: #41

Fierce Invalids Home from Hot Climates by Tom Robbins



Outlandish story with showy language. Here's a passage:

"The unadorned truth is, adolescent girls are horny as jackrabbits. It's not their fault, nature designed it that way. For the protection of the species. And there's nothing politics or religion can do to alter that physical reality, short of drugging the girls with medical depressants or siphoning off their hormones with rubber tubes. But because modern society is by nature unnatural, we're in a state of absolute denial over it. Absolute denial. That our daughters, granddaughters, nieces, and little sisters might be highly charged sexual dynamos makes us so uncomfortable, so queasy, that we, men and women both, have to lie to ourselves and each other and pretend it doesn't exist."

Post: #42

For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway and the Inheritance series by Christopher Paolini if you are into fantasy. Homage to Catalonia is also good.

Post: #43

(04-23-2014 01:52 PM)Laner Wrote:  The classics that I have read multiple times:

- A Farewell to Arms
- Mutiny on the Bounty
- The Hobbit
- The Innocents Abroad

The page turners:

- James Clavell
- Wilbur Smith (African)
- Trevanian (Shibumi)

The cheese or guilty pleasure:

- Clive Cussler Dirk Pitt novels

I don't recommend A Farewell to Arms if you are looking for adventure as it's more slow paced and deep. The rest are good definitely.