Bill Weinberger at 2012-07-11 23:19:50:

It's not too big of a surprise that several of the titles suggested for the Action Film are based on books. I'm not sure I can justify all of these as 'essential' reading. But they are all gritty and action-packed. Killing Floor (Jack Reacher) by Lee Child Gorky Park (Arkady Renko) by Martin Cruz Smith The Bourne Identity (Jason Bourne) by Robert Ludlum Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs The Jury Master (David Sloane) by Robert Dugoni Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard Code to Zero by Ken Follett Death of a Citizen (Matt Helm) by Donald Hamilton Casino Royale (James Bond) by Ian Fleming

swinefever at 2012-07-12 06:33:40:

I'm surprised that no books from the SF/F "ghetto" have been mentioned as they are very often chock-full of action and adventure and with way more variety than any action novel set in contemporary times. So, to redress the balance I shall mention the following (all fairly recent) publications: - The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch - Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie - Zone One by Colson Whitehead - Embedded by Dan Abnett - Retribution Falls by Chris Wooding - Double Dead by Chuck Wendig - Among Thieves by Douglas Hulick - Equations of Life by Simon Morden - Chronicles of the Black Company by Glen Cook - Legend by David Gemmell

David Joyner at 2012-07-12 10:02:18:

I read Cormac McCarthy's "Blood Meridian" and was very impressed. (Warning: it is extremely violent.) According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_Meridian, it (a) made the list "TIME 100 Best English-language Novels from 1923 to 2005" (b) was selected by Ridley Scott and later by Todd Field for film adaptation, but both dropped out, (c) James Franco and Nicolas Winding Refn have expressed interest in a film adaptation. On the other hand, I'm not sure exactly how to define the "Action" genre. What distinguished it from "Thriller"? I've read that, in the action genre, the characters serve the action. Is that correct? Also, what about in a thriller that has some action scenes - what function do the characters have?

Shaula Evans at 2012-07-18 04:08:43:

In January 2009, the Guardian’s Review team and a panel of expert judges built up a list of the best novels from any decade and in any language: 1000 novels everyone must read: the definitive list It’s a good starting point for compiling the top 10 fiction lists for the genres under discussion, and the second subsection of the Guardian List, on crime novels, has some great titles for action film writers–many but not all of which you’ll recognize from their film adaptations.

Shaula Evans at 2012-07-21 18:04:35:

I have to wave my Canadian flag here and suggest two great Canadian writers who aren't nearly well known enough outside our borders: Pierre Berton and Farley Mowat. Not nearly enough of their books have been made into films, and if you're an action-adventure writer, there's a lot to work with there.

Shaula Evans at 2012-07-30 17:57:32:

Here's a recap of the suggestions so far: Title Recommendations Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy The Bourne Identity (Jason Bourne) by Robert Ludlum Casino Royale (James Bond) by Ian Fleming City Primeval by Elmore Leonard Code to Zero by Ken Follett Death of a Citizen (Matt Helm) by Donald Hamilton Flight of the Intruder by Steven Coontz Gorky Park (Arkady Renko) by Martin Cruz Smith Gunsights by Elmore Leonard The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy The Hunted by Elmore Leonard The Jury Master (David Sloane) by Robert Dugoni Killing Floor (Jack Reacher) by Lee Child Marathon Man by William Goldman Mute Witness by Robert L. Pike [basis for the movie Bullitt) Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp [basis for the movie Die Hard) A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs Author Recommendations Pierre Berton Lee Child/Jack Reacher Ian Fleming/James Bond Elmore Leonard - check out a few of his earlier novels for some flawlessly executed action scenes. Mathew Rielly/Scarecrow Farley Mowat Book Collections 1000 novels everyone must read: the definitive list In January 2009, the Guardian’s Review team and a panel of expert judges built up a list of the best novels from any decade and in any language. The section on crime novels has some great titles for action film writers–many of which you’ll recognize from their film adaptations.