Action & Adventure

Publication year 1485

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Mythology, Action / Adventure, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages

First published in 1485, Thomas Malory's Le Morte d’Arthur collected the mythological-historical legends about King Arthur from numerous source texts into a comprehensive prose narrative divided into plot sections and written in late Middle English. Although multiple men named Thomas Malory lived around that time, the most likely author was an English knight, later a prisoner in Newgate, who would have been educated in all the practices of “courtesy” (knightly conduct). The title of his... Read The Death of King Arthur Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Humor, Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure

The Dog Stars is a post-apocalyptic novel, published in 2012, by Peter Heller. It was selected as the Apple iBooks Novel of the Year, and an Atlantic Monthly and San Francisco Examiner Best Book of the Year. It follows the experience of Hig, the narrator, and his partner, Bruce Bangley, as the two patrol and protect their eight-mile perimeter around an abandoned airport in Erie, Colorado, outside of Denver, where fuel and survival supplies are... Read The Dog Stars Summary


Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Animals, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Fate, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Animals


Publication year 1987

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Western, Action / Adventure


Publication year 1954

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Nation

Tags Historical Fiction, British Literature, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Classic Fiction

First published in 1954, The Eagle of the Ninth is the first of three novels constituting English author Rosemary Sutcliff’s Roman Britain trilogy, all of which are connected through the emerald ring belonging to the family of Marcus Flavius Aquila. A work of historical fiction, The Eagle of the Ninth draws upon two historical events. One is the disappearance of the Ninth Legion of the Roman Army around the year AD 117 after they departed... Read The Eagle of the Ninth Summary


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams

Tags Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Humor, Children's Literature


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, History: European, British Literature, History: World


Publication year 1990

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Fantasy, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Action / Adventure, Narrative / Epic Poem

The Eye of the World is the first installment in the 14-volume high fantasy series The Wheel of Time by James Oliver Rigney Jr., who wrote under the pen name Robert Jordan (1948-2007). Rigney was born in Charleston, SC. He enlisted in the army after high school and served two tours of duty during the Vietnam War. In 1970, he enrolled in The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, earning a BS in physics... Read The Eye of the World Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Animals, Science / Nature, Action / Adventure


Publication year 1984

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Siblings, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature

Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Action / Adventure

The Eyes of the Dragon was originally self-published by Stephen King in 1984 with Philtrum Press. The first edition, illustrated by Kenneth R. Linkhauser, had a limited run, and the books were mostly given as gifts by the author. Three years later, Viking published a mass-market version with new illustrations by David Palladini. The novel was a departure for King, who had earned a reputation as a master of horror novels by the 1980s. Instead... Read The Eyes of the Dragon Summary


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride

Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure

The False Prince, by Jennifer A. Nielsen, is a YA fantasy novel published in 2012 by Scholastic Books and the first book in the Ascendance Trilogy.The story opens with Bevin Conner, a powerful regent in King Eckbert of Carthya’s court, arriving at Mrs. Turbeldy’s Orphanage for Disadvantaged Boys. Conner is there to collect Sage, the narrator of the story, for a royal mission, though the exact nature of the mission is unclear. Sage is a... Read The False Prince Summary


Publication year 1955

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure

In 1954, writer and scholar of English literature J. R. R. Tolkien published The Fellowship of the Ring, the first of three volumes in his novel The Lord of the Rings. Considered a founding text of high fantasy, The Lord of the Rings is widely regarded as a modern classic. The saga’s roots in epic poetry, philology, and mythology have influenced both academia and popular culture, inspiring scholarship, Tolkien societies, and film adaptations, including Ralph... Read The Fellowship of the Ring Summary


Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Modern Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure


Publication year 1961

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Community

Tags Anthropology, Action / Adventure, Education, Education, Anthropology, Science / Nature, History: World, Travel Literature

In The Forest People, anthropologist Colin M. Turnbull describes his experiences while living as a friend and observer with the BaMbuti (Pygmies) of the Ituri Forest. He shares the everyday lives of the Pygmies located in the Epulu River region and their interactions with each other and with him. The setting is the Belgian Congo, which Turnbull describes as located in the center of Africa. Turnbull had visited the Epulu BaMbuti in 1951. This narrative... Read The Forest People Summary


Publication year 1974

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Space & The Universe

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Military / War, Love / Sexuality, Science / Nature, Technology, American Literature, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

Joe Haldeman’s science fiction novel The Forever War was published in 1974 and is considered a classic of the genre: Along with Robert Heinlein’s Starship Troopers, The Forever War invented the science fiction war novel. It won the 1975 Nebula Award as well as the 1976 Hugo and Locus awards. Haldeman, a veteran of the Vietnam War and a Purple Heart recipient, infuses his firsthand knowledge of war and military protocols into his futuristic setting... Read The Forever War Summary