Adult Booklists: Adventure and Military Fiction
Sometimes called 'men's books,' most of these are novels of survival, adventure, intrigue and espionage, war, militias, and other thrilling, suspenseful topics.
A Is For Action!: War Stories, Military Adventures & Techno-Thrillers (Lynne M. Kennedy, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY): List of over 300 titles, with author, publication info, and summary for each title. Many series identified and catalogued. From Ernest Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms (1929) to W.E.B. Griffin's Brotherhood of War series Special Ops (2001).
Many Manly Men Doing Manly Things (Wolfner Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Jefferson City, MO): Lists about 20 titles, with author and detailed summaries of each title. Clancy, Wister, L'Amour, Mailer, Cussler, Higgins, Griffin, etc. Updated Sept. 2006.
Action is the Name of the Game (Wolfner Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Jefferson City, MO): 'Exciting adventures that are loaded with action, and not recommended for the squeamish.' Lists about 20 titles, with author and detailed summaries of each title. Estleman, Lutz, McBain, Burke, Paretsky, Block, Sheldon, Baldacci, among others.
A Taste of Adventure (B. J. Seitzer, Durham County Library, NC): Arranged by category: Spies; On Land, On the Sea, or in the Air; and Future. Provides author, title, and summary for about 30 novels. Compiled May 2000, updated 2001.
Adventure (Fairfax County Public Library, VA): Author, title, summary, and webcat link for about 30 real adventure stories/biographies and fictional adventure stories, from Adventure Racing: the Ultimate Guide by Liz Caldwell and Barry Siff to Zanzibar Chest: A Story of Life, Love and Death in Foreign Lands by Aidan Hartley.
I, Spy: World War II Espionage Tales (Lynne M. Kennedy, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY): About 35 titles, with authors, publication info, and summaries. Enigma, the OSS, Churchill, and Nazi plots to kill FDR abound. From Helen MacInnes's Above Suspicion (1941) to John Altman's A Gathering of Spies (2000).
Espionage Thrillers (Reader's Advice): Author, title, and Amazon link for about 650 titles, from David Aaron's Agent of Influence to Marcus Wynne's Dale Miller and Charley Payne series. Compiled Aug. 1999, updated July 2007.
Adventure Books Set in Cold Climates (Northbrook Public Library, IL) : Author, title, summary for more than 30 books, from Andrea Barrett's Voyage of the Narwhal to Richard Woodman's Arctic Treachery.
Adventure Books Set in Hot Climates (Northbrook Public Library, IL) : Author, title, summary for about 30 books, from David Ball's Empires of Sand to Lucy Wadham's Lost.
Men's Action/Adventure Series (Reader's Advice): 'Action/Adventure series in which a single agent or team of agents opposes the forces of evil.' Author, title, and Amazon link for fourteen series, one of which lists about 145 books. Series include Keith Douglass's Carrier series, Cliff Garnett's TALON Force series, several of Don Pendleton's series, Clay Harvey's Tyler Vance series, and Warren Murphy (and others) The Destroyer series.
Action Adventure (Halton Hills Public Library -- Georgetown, Ontario, CAN): Author, title, webcat links for more than 80 books (listed alphabetically by author), from Eric Ambler's Care of Time to Walter Wager's Blue Leader.
Set Sail for Adventure: Tales of Derring-Do on the High Seas (Lynne M. Kennedy, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY): Almost 150 novels listed (some in series), with author, publication info, and summary for each title or series. From James Fenimore Cooper's The Red Rover (1828) to James L. Nelson's The Blackbirder (2001).
Anchors Aweigh! A Naval Adventure Fiction Booklist (Lincoln City Libraries, NE): 'Extensive list of Naval Adventure fiction, set from the 1600s through the early 1900s. Most of these titles are military fiction, with a few pure 'adventure' novels thrown in. All the novels in this list feature adventures aboard sailing vessels.' Titles and series listed by author, with webcat links. Hundreds of books listed. Updated June 2006.
UP Periscope!: Submarine Adventures (Lynne M. Kennedy, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY): List of 65 titles, with author, publication info, and summary for each title. From Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1870) to H. Jay Riker's The Silent Service: Grayback Class (2000).
Saltwater Sagas: Adventures On and Under the Sea (Pratt Free Library, Baltimore MD): Title, author, summary, publication year, and webcat link for about 25 novels, from Goliath by Steve Alten to Typhoon by Robin White. Mostly recent novels, with a few classics thrown in. Compiled 2004.
Naval Adventure on the High Seas (Manchester Public Library, Manchester, CT): Author and series summaries for about 15 series. Titles listed. Updated 2006.
Stories of the Navy SEALS (Springfield-Greene County Library, MO): Author, title, webcat link, and summary for about 10 novels featuring Navy SEALS.
Masters and Commanders (Central Rappahannock Public Library, VA): Books similar to Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey and Maturin series: 'These books, many part of a series, feature unforgettable captains facing the rigors and horrors of the boundless deep.' Author, title, summary, webcat link for about 20 books, from Apprentice to the Sea by Philip McCutchan to Tom Cringle's Log by Michael Scott.
High Seas (Reader's Advice): Thrillers involving sea adventures. Author, title, and Amazon link for about 30 titles, from Dave Barry's Tricky Business to Jules Verne's The Mighty Orinoco. Compiled April 2000, updated July 2006.
Sea Adventures (Carol A. Kubala, Fiction-L): Compiled July 2006. Author and title for 8 series and about 65 novels and short story collections of sea adventures, from Mammoth Book of Hearts of Oak: Classic and New Stories from the Age of Fighting Sail (ed. Mike Ashley) to Jay Worral's Any Approaching Enemy: A Novel of the Napoleonic Wars.
Cussler-Like (Reader's Advice): 'Suspense/thrillers with a sea connection.' Author, title, and Amazon link for about 100 titles, from Steve Alten's The Trench to Peter Tonkin's Richard Mariner series. Compiled Sept. 1999, updated June 2007.
Modern Warfare (Northbrook Public Library, IL) : Lists about 20 titles, with author and summary for each book. From Larry Bond's Vortex to Joe Weber's Shadow Flight.
Military and Naval Adventure (Reader's Advice): 'Adventure stories, usually historical, dealing with warfare.' Author, title, and Amazon link for about 200 titles (most in series), from John Biggins' Otto Prohaska series (WWI) to Richard Woodman's Nathaniel Drinkwater series (Naval, Napoleonic War). Usually the war or time period is noted. Created Aug. 1999, updated Nov. 2006.
Military and Naval Adventure (Lansing PL, IL): 9-page PDF. 'These are adventure genre rather than serious portrayals of warfare, although many have excellent scenes of battle. The war novel as a mainstream novel is not included.' Author, title, summary for about 35 books, from Cold is the Sea by Edward L. Beach to The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk. Compiled March 2005, updated April 2006.
Uncle Sam Wants You! To Read Military Novels (Lansing PL, IL): 8-page PDF. Author, title, summary for about 30 books, from The Ghost Road by Pat Barker to Wings of Honor by Tom Willard. Compiled Dec. 2004, updated April 2006.
Military Action, Espionage, and Intrigue (Manchester Public Library, Manchester, CT): Author, title, and summary of about 25 books, followed by a longer list of simply authors and titles/series. Updated Oct. 2006.
Military Fiction (Heights Libraries, Cleveland Heights, OH): Author, title, summary, book cover image, and webcat link for about 20 books. Compiled 2001.
War/Military Fiction (Reader's Advice): 'Distinguished from military adventure or historical fiction dealing with specific wars, this type of fiction deals more with the social and psychological impact of war and military life, and includes humorous books on military life.' Author, title, and Amazon link for about 90 titles, from Rick Ainsworth's Thunder and Storm to Leonard Wise's Doc's Legacy. Compiled Jan. 2000, updated June 2007.
Fighting Forces & Special Ops (Reader's Advice): 'Adventure stories, often in series, dealing with wars, special military forces, police actions, and those who take part in them.' Author, title, and Amazon link for about 250 titles (many in series), from David Alexander's Special Ops to Bing West's The Pepperdogs. Lots of Tom Clancy and W.E.B. Griffin. Compiled Sept. 1999, updated July 2007.
Conquer the Stars! Classics in Military Science Fiction (Central Rappahannock Public Library, VA): Author, title, summary, webcat link for about 15 books, from Bolo Brigade by Keith Laumer and William H. Keith, Jr. to Worldwar: In the Balance by Harry Turtledove.
Action Adventure (Kitchener Public Library, Ontario, Canada): Authors and title(s) only for 31 novels of action.
If You Like Adventure/Thrillers, Try ... (Mayo County Library, Ireland): Recommends 2 or 3 similar authors, if you like: Evelyn Anthony; Geoffrey Archer; Campbell Armstrong; Desmond Bagley; David Baldacci; Mary Higgins Clark; James Clavell; Jon Cleary; Clive Cussler; Len Deighton; Robert Goddard; John Le Carr?; Eric Lustbader; Alistair MacLean; Michael Ridpath; Gerald Seymour; Sidney Sheldon; Nevil Shute; Martin Cruz Smith; Wilbur Smith; Craig Thomas; Gordon Thomas.
If You Like Ken Follett (Wake County PL, NC): 'Stories of suspense, espionage and adventure.' Author, title, webcat link, and summary for 10 books, by Nelson Demille, Len Deighton, Stephen Coonts, Jack Higgins, Robert Ludlum, and others. Compiled Jan. 2006.
Rough Reads (State Library of Tasmania): Author, title, and brief summary of ' gritty fiction featuring tough characters from the wild side of life.' A mix of crime novels, military adventure, horror, dark novels, tales of addictions, etc. Over 50 titles/series, from Nelson Algren's A Walk on the Wild Side to Richard Wright's Going Native.
Fiction Honoring Our Veterans (Des Plaines Public Library, IL): Title and author only for over 50 books about veterans and war service. Compiled Nov. 2001.