5 Elements Of A Good Adventure Novel

5 Elements Of A Good Adventure Novel

Adventure novels are an exciting form of literary entertainment. This type of fiction often takes readers to faraway and unusual locations (real or imagined) while providing a strong sense of yearning to find out what happens next.

Stories of adventure can range from bank robberies to government conspiracies to mystery detectives and exotic treasure hunts to heroic rescues. Although many people would not actually want to participate or be a by-stander in such situations, experiencing them through the imagination is very alluring.

So, what makes an adventure book so appealing? Here are what I believe are the top five elements of a good adventure novel:

1. Spirited Protagonist
An adventure novel must have a spirited protagonist. This person could be a man, woman, boy, girl, animal, or invented being, but he or she must have a strong character defined by high energy and strong will. In general, the key adventure player is not plagued by deep emotional drama with other characters, although these emotions may play a role in his/her motivation to succeed.

2. Suspense
Suspense is one of the most important elements of an adventure work. A certain sense of danger, mystery, or need to survive is what keeps readers coming back to this genre again and again. A good adventure author knows how to effectively draw out the plot by dropping hints and withholding come information.

3. Exploration
Another element of the adventure genre of writing is the theme of exploration. As the protagonist seeks to solve a mystery or rescue another character, it is typical that he or she will explore new environments in the process. This provides the reader with an exciting look at foreign spaces, porting them away to worlds unknown.

4. Fast Pace
The fast pace of adventure novels goes right along with the other elements. Without a face pace, adventure books would quickly become too much like the genre of Drama. Readers who enjoy adventure fiction expect a high level of liveliness throughout as the protagonist leads them on a journey through space and time.

5. Dilemma
Often seen as the “turning point” in the script, a dilemma of some sort presents the thrill of opportunity and change. This dilemma could be internal or external. It could be natural, man-made, ethical, or relational. Whatever the type of dilemma, the protagonist will be forced to respond. It’s at this point that the key character must make a choice to act and usually becomes seen as heroic, clever, or adept based on their reaction.

The Modern Adventure Novel
Adventure novels as a genre are a long and well established group of literary works and include several sub-categories such as Crime, Mystery, Fantasy, and some Sci-Fi. Notable classic adventure authors include JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis, Mark Twain, Jules Verne, Herman Melville, and Alexandre Dumas. Some of the most famous contemporary adventure novelists are JK Rowling, Dan Brown, Veronica Roth, and Suzanne Collins. I have come to admire many of these authors for their outstanding writing skills and exhilarating storylines.

In some cases, the mainstream audience is first exposed to these authors through a movie. Some of the most popular modern and classic adventure novels have been turned into fantastic Hollywood films. Hunger Games¸the Harry Potter series, and The Lord of the Rings are a few of the most famous hits. If you find you enjoy the Action and Adventure genre of film, be sure to go back and read some of the books!

Are you looking for a new adventure novel to spark your reading bug? Check out my listing of published books at: www.leifericksonwriting.com/my-books