Five classic works of adventure literature
Want to get away? In search of extraordinary journeys? Or you just need a thrilling adventures? Here's a selection of 5 masterpieces of adventure literature that will transport you from the depths of the oceans to the peaks of the Himalayas, via the wilds of Alaska.
These timeless tales, true pillars of the genre, will take you on unforgettable odysseys through the eyes of mythical characters: a lonely castaway, a dog turned savage, a captain obsessed with revenge, intrepid explorers and many more...
So strap yourself in at the rail and let these extraordinary stories come to life!
Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe
Book 1
Based on the true story of Alexander Selkirk, this novel follows the life and survival of a young English shipwreck survivor: Robinson Crusoe.
After a terrible sinking, of which he is the sole survivor, Robinson finds himself stranded on an island, nautical miles from the nearest shipping lanes.
To survive, he must learn to fend for himself in the face of the island's hostility, and avoid the madness and depression of the solitude that threatens him. It's a daily battle that unfolds throughout the book, to prevent Robinson from turning into a wild beast...
Roman Fleuve, Philibert Humm
Book 2
The three young men undertook this journey in defiance of danger, at the risk of their lives, and despite the pleas of their respective fiancées.
They did it for France's influence, for the progress of science, and also to pass the time. The result is a zany adventure novel with plenty of action inside, as well as quiet times and simple past tenses. This is an immersive reading experience.
With the exception of two or three disturbing passages, the suspense is bearable and the work remains accessible to the general reader.
Note the presence of numerous adverbs. The publisher cannot be held responsible for the bad ideas that this book is bound to instill in the tainted brains of the new generations, gorged on screens and rotten to the core.
The Call of the Wild, Jack London
Book 3
Buck was leading a peaceful dog's life, in the warmth of California and the comfort of his master's home, a state judge, when he was kidnapped and sold to dog fences. Transported by boat to Alaska, he is forced to become a sled dog.
Confronted with the harshness of the cold, hunger, constant physical exertion and the brutality of the other dogs, Buck will have to adapt very quickly to his new life if he is to survive. As the book progresses, the traits of the dog disappear and those of the wild beast re-emerge. To impose himself on the other dogs in the pack, he will learn to fight and steal meat to survive. How primitive will Buck become in order to survive?
Throughout the story, we see images of death and cruelty, as well as references to Darwin's “struggle for life”. London describes the Alaskan and Yukon wilderness as a place where fear reigns supreme.
Moby Dick, Herman Melville
Book 4
Ishmael, a young American in search of a thrill, embarks on a Nantucket whaler: the Pequod.
Led by a seasoned, one-legged sailor, Captain Ahab, Ishmael discovers that this is not just about whaling, but about revenge. Captain Achab is hunting Moby Dick, a particularly ferocious white sperm whale whose reputation and brutality have taken him all over the 5 oceans. The captain's thirst for vengeance leads our hero into a battle with only one possible outcome: the death of one of the two combatants.
The author explores such themes as social class, good and evil, the existence of God, and Ismaël's doubts and questions about his beliefs and place in the world.
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Jules Verne
Book 5
During a scientific expedition to identify an underwater monster that has been terrorizing the seas for some time, Professor Aronnax and his companions fall victim to it themselves.
Miracle or misfortune, they find themselves stranded on the side of the beast, which looks nothing like a beast with its metal walls.The beast turns out to be a submarine, the Nautilus, commanded by a mysterious captain with a hazy past: Captain Nemo.
Our three friends find themselves Nemo's prisoners, and are forced to board the submarine for a thrilling adventure. How far will the captain's madness take them, and what will they discover about the abyssal world?
Summit of the Gods, Jirō Taniguchi & Baku Yumemakura
Just one more
In the dizzying heights of the Himalayas, an obsessive quest unfolds, combining mountaineering and mystery. Fukamachi, a photographer, discovers a camera that could prove that George Mallory was the first to reach the summit of Everest in 1924. This discovery leads him on the trail of Habu Jôji, a legendary mountaineer who disappeared years earlier, in an investigation that will confront him with the most profound questions about what drives men to risk their lives to reach the summits.
This masterful work explores the all-consuming passion of mountaineering, the quest for the absolute and the limits of human ambition, all magnified by breathtaking illustrations that plunge us into the beautiful yet cruel world of the high mountains.
