Adventure novel. Adventure novel: the best books in the genre

Blessed princes: Roman Ryazansky, Roman Uglitsky, Vasily and Vladimir Volynsky, Theodore, David and Konstantin Yaroslavsky, Dovmont Pskovsky, Mikhail Tverskoy and Anna Kashinskaya During the reign of the brother of St. Alexander Nevsky, the martyrdom of St. Prince Roman

Copyright Competition -K2
The adventure genre is the most popular and is preferred by the largest number of readers. Moreover, readers of various ages, intelligence levels and social status. Adventures are read by everyone - from pioneers to pensioners.
However, they are in no hurry to admit this. And it has always been like this. Even in the century before last, the intelligentsia declared from the rostrum that they recognized Spengler exclusively, although, in fact, they avidly read Paul de Kock. Since then, a lot has changed in science, technology and social order, but according to the results of the first half of 2012, Marinina’s detective story “Tiger Fight in the Valley” became the best-selling novel. You can't argue with numbers.

And literary scholars, just as they did not like the adventure novel, continue to convince us that adventures are second-rate literature. So let us answer these, God forgive me, philologists in their own language!

The division of literature into “serious” and some other is artificial.
There is one concept of literature as an art with different generic, genre content.
Adventure genres are part of the general literary process and cannot be considered outside the context of its development.
Moreover, the literary process itself is largely directed by the evolution of adventure - low, according to philologists - genres.
Here!

Well, now that these annoying ones have been melted down, let's talk about the adventure genre seriously.

The adventure genre includes almost all the attributes necessary for interesting and exciting reading - the dynamism and complexity of the plot, brave and beautiful heroes, love twists and turns and unexpected turns.

As a genre, the adventure novel emerged in the mid-19th century.
The predecessors of the adventure novel of the 19th century were the works of Walter Scott, Fenimore Cooper, and Victor Hugo. And, of course, Dumas and Stevenson added shine to the genre.
The end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century is the golden age of adventure. The writers went wild. These are Louis Boussenard, Edgar Poe, Melville, Sabbatini, Théophile Gautier, Jack London, Bram Stoker, Jules Verne, Conan Doyle, Mine Reed, H.G. Wells and many others.
In Russia, A. Green, V. Kaverin, A. Tolstoy, A. Belyaev, G. Adamov, A. Rybakov worked in the adventure genre.
What names! Classics! All of them have stood the test of time and, undoubtedly, have become names in the history of literature.

Mass love for adventure literature is usually seen as a response to mundane literature (that is, realism), which was only interested in the everyday life of everyday life. And readers wanted to expand the world, they needed works in which passions would boil, with extraordinary heroes who would go through the most difficult trials and achieve success with fabulous ease. In short, we needed an amazing, mysterious, exciting world of adventure.

“What she likes most in novels is the long, cunningly conceived and deftly unraveled intrigue, the magnificent duels, before which the Viscount unties the bows from his shoes as a sign that he does not intend to retreat a single step from his position, and after which the Marquis, having pierced through the Count apologizes for making a hole in his beautiful new doublet; purses filled with gold, carelessly thrown left and right by the main characters, love adventures and witticisms of Henry IV - in a word, all this spicy, gold and lace, heroism of the past centuries of French history" (Kuprin. Yama)

What distinguishes the adventure genre from others?

First of all, FABULA.
Despite the external variety of plots of adventure works, their plot is quite simple. This is escape, travel, captivity, miraculous salvation.
A love story may be present, but the focus is not on the psychology of the lovers’ relationship, but on overcoming external circumstances that prevent their happy reunion.

As a rule, the main character sets out on a search for a loved one, a treasure, an enchanted place, or some idea.

I immediately remember:
Conan Doyle. "The Lost World". Professor Challenger and his company go to South America in search of a certain mountain plateau, where, according to rumors, dinosaurs and primitive people of the Stone Age live.
Jack London. "Hearts of Three" The young descendant of the pirate Morgan, who left him a rich inheritance, goes in search of the treasures of his ancestor.
Jules Verne. "Around the world in 80 days." Phileas Fogg bet that he would be able to circumnavigate the globe in no more than 80 days, which was the maximum possible speed at that time.

Alternatively, the hero finds himself in a difficult situation and in order to get out of it, the hero has to overcome many obstacles. (Dumas. The Count of Monte Cristo. Mine Reid. The Headless Horseman)

We all remember these (and other) novels very well due to the HIGH EMOTIONAL INTENSITY OF THE ACTION.
Extraordinary events await the hero - shooting, predators, natural disasters.

The intrigue underlying the work involves MANY PLOT COMPLICATIONS.
Heroes constantly fall out of the frying pan and into the fire. For example,

The crew of the schooner "Pilgrim" dies as a result of a fight with a whale (Jules Verne. "The Fifteen-Year-Old Captain"). Junior sailor Dick Sand takes command. Everything would be fine, but the evil cook Negoro turns out to be an agent of the slave traders and deceives him to change the course of the ship (remember the ax under the compass?). The heroes sail to Africa instead of South America (well, they made a slight mistake). And here again is the villain, this time Negoro’s accomplice. He again lures the heroes deeper into the country by deception. Everyone ends up in slavery. But one black man escapes and saves Dick. Again dangerous adventures, as a result of which the heroes save a woman with a child and a crappy entomologist.

Or
The transatlantic ship Benjamin Franklin sinks during a storm (A. Belyaev. “Island of Lost Ships”). It's drowning, drowning, but don't drown. And the heroes find themselves brought somewhere into the inner region of the Sargasso Sea. And there is not just anything, but a whole state consisting of unsank victims of shipwrecks. The villainous governor (self-proclaimed) wants to marry the beautiful heroine, but the positive hero does not allow him to do so. The hero quickly repairs the German submarine, and the whole company sets sail from the island. They return to America, and there it turns out that the good hero is acquitted (before that he was accused of a crime, but everything turned out okay). The heroes get married and go to the Sargasso Sea again (well, they really are itching for it).
And during their absence, dramatic events occur there. Everyone thinks that the villainous governor was shot, and his successor orders the construction of bridges to the neighboring ship wrecks. And then this very murdered governor is announced, who, it turns out, survived the mess. He is quickly arrested, but while the visiting expedition is exploring the underwater world, the villain escapes and hides on one of the abandoned ships. Of course, it's a siege. At this time, a Chinese man, high on opium, explodes an oil tank.

Or
After long ordeals, Goryunov’s expedition (Obruchev. “Sannikov’s Land”) reaches the desired point and even wins the sympathy of the local residents - the Onkilons. They live together, even fight hand in hand against wampus - people of the Stone Age. But here again bad luck - earthquakes begin. The volcanic island is in danger of extinction.

Adventure is an incident, an unexpected event in life (Ozhegov).
Adventure is an adventurous adventure, a risky undertaking (Ushakov).

Old maps that keep the secrets of pirate treasures, randomly found letters, overheard conversations - all these moments are the starting points for a long series of adventures in which the hero's willpower and the qualities of his character are tested - courage, loyalty, the ability to take decisive action. This is the MAIN IDEA in any adventure book.

HEROES, CHARACTERS, CHARACTERS
The hero of an adventure novel is precisely a hero in the epic sense of the word, an infallible fighter who defends the ideals of goodness and justice.
Adventure literature does not imply deep psychologism, therefore, as a rule, the characters of the heroes are distinguished by integrity and staticity. The hero's reflection is not of particular interest to the narrator.

The revelation of the HERO'S IMAGE occurs through the SHARPENESS OF CIRCUMSTANCES.
The main characteristic of a hero is his actions.
As the action progresses, the heroes always face trials, obstacles, humiliation, and at the very end - fulfillment of desires (for positive characters) and collapse or disappointment (for negative ones).

The main character qualities of the main character are honesty and courage, devotion to ideals and the ability to take decisive action. The hero is unshakable and knows how to cope with his fear. Honor is extremely important to him; the hero really lives by this law.

“Look, my lord! - said Gloucester, turning to Lord Foxham. - Here's a strange couple. When I invited the young man to choose his reward, he asked to have mercy on the old drunken sailor. I warned him, but he persisted in his stupidity. “This is where my favors end,” I said. And he answered me with impudent self-confidence: “I will have to come to terms with the loss of your favors.” Well then! So be it!” (Stevenson. Black Arrow).

As a rule, the main character is young and quite simple-minded. And if he is not young (like the same Professor Challenger), then all the same, his main achievements are in the future.
The main character is not only active, but also smart. His mind is practical, producing quick - even lightning-fast - schemes for optimal behavior in a given situation.
Natural data (intelligence, ingenuity, quick wits) are enough to take from life everything that it can give.

In adventure literature, the authority of the initiative principle is very strong and the rejection of automatic, routine activity is equally strong. Even if the main character was an inconspicuous clerk, events will unfold in such a way that he, at a minimum, will have to perform the functions of an admiral. And the hero will cope with this perfectly. In an adventure novel, dry book knowledge is always rejected in favor of active creative work.

The main character has an extraordinary sense of humor. With a witty escapade, he atones for failures, fends off the blows of fate, and pillorys his enemies.
The main character is an extrovert, moves a lot, strives to fill as much space as possible.
A hero can wander around the world because he was slandered by scoundrels or did not want to remain in the musty world of ordinary people. In any case, he does not seek anything for himself, but fights for an idea/freedom, protects the orphaned and defenseless.
Alternatively, the hero can be a scientist, a kind eccentric, who was called on the journey by science.

I urge you to pay attention to this interesting point. On the one hand, the hero is overwhelmed by all-consuming, fatal, irresistible passions, blinded by love or hatred. But, on the other hand, the hero shows the ability to reason sensibly and act thoughtfully. Don't look for psychological inconsistency in this - this is how all adventure novels work.

Sometimes the author allows his hero to be a more or less immoral adventurer and act under the slogan “The end justifies the means.” So, d'Artagnan deceitfully achieves intimacy with Milady, and even receives an expensive ring as a reward. And note, readers are not at all discouraged by this fact.

Almost always the main character is not burdened with a family; if there are relatives, they are very distant and somewhere not here.
It is more interesting to consider the love line. The search for a loved one who has not yet existed or who, on the contrary, existed but disappeared, can form the plot of the work. In this case, the ending of the journey is known in advance. This is a passionate embrace of lovers and marriage. Which, in fact, is where all the adventures end, which is what makes an adventurous novel similar to a fairy-tale ending: “They got married and lived happily ever after.”

“To the singing of trumpets, to the clank of weapons, to the tramp of horses of the departing army, Dick and Joanna sat side by side, lovingly holding hands, and looking into each other’s eyes with ever-increasing tenderness.
Since then, the dirt and blood of this violent era flowed away from them. Far from worries, they lived in that green forest where their love arose" (Stevenson. Black Arrow)

The main character loves to talk, even to be frank. And so that he does not do this with the first person he meets, the author finds him a mate - as a rule, a character standing at the very bottom of the hierarchy of the work. Servant, in short. Like Planchet by d'Artagnan or Conseil by Professor Aronnax (Jules Verne. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea).
What is this for? By talking to each other, master and servant divulge their inner lives, making psychological interludes unnecessary. In the absence of a living interlocutor or confessor, the hero sets out his plans in a diary. Not a bad welcome, by the way. Helps the author avoid many unnecessary explanations.

A negative hero is a polar repetition or distortion of the qualities of the main character. (Remember, Protagonist is Antagonist?)
So, the adventure novel, to a greater extent than other genres, is built precisely on the opposition of heroes. The author emphasizes the merits of the positive ones and belittles the merits of the negative ones.
In almost all adventure novels, there comes a moment when the positive protagonist shows the makings of a superman - he makes an unprecedented effort, physical or mental, and saves someone/is saved himself.
The negative hero also has a strong character (sometimes even supernaturally strong and evil, such as Professor Moriarty), there is will, intelligence, determination and courage. But if at that very notorious critical moment the positive hero surpasses himself, then the negative one quickly deflates and loses.

Developing psychologically credible and original characters is not essential for an adventure novel, in which everything is subordinated to the fascination of intrigue.
Characters can be typical to the point of caricature. For example, pirates are all drunk and bloodthirsty. In Agatha Christie's novels there is always a retired military man and a couple of old maids, in Conan Doyle - a native of the colonies, and in Gardner - a millionaire from Texas and a beauty who was a former dancer. But this is not scary, the main thing is that in different combinations of the same type of figures the author creates very original adventure stories.

The narrator in adventure fiction often acts as its hero, especially when the narration is told in the first person. But even being a third person, the narrator can have the character’s credentials, even if hidden.

The LANGUAGE of adventure novels is as accessible and lively as possible, so as not to distract the reader from following the plot.

PORTRAITS OF CHARACTERS ARE PRESENTED DYNAMICALLY. Attention is focused on the most striking features of appearance, behavioral characteristics, details of clothing, etc.
“A man came out of a side room. I immediately realized that this was Long John. His left leg was amputated up to the hip. He held a crutch under his left shoulder and controlled it with unusual dexterity, jumping like a bird at every step” (Stevenson. Treasure Island).

The same can be said about landscape sketches. Descriptions of nature/weather are introduced solely so that the reader can orient himself in the scenery and prepare for the development of the plot at this stage of the story.

“The landscape, if you can call it that, has changed, but not for the better. Everything is still black all the way to the horizon. Only the surface is no longer smooth: it has become wavy. Chains of hills are interspersed with valleys. It cannot be said that there are no trees here at all, although what remains of them can hardly be called that. There were trees here before the fire - algarobo, mesquito and some other types of acacia grew here alone and in groves. Their feathery foliage disappeared without a trace, leaving only charred trunks and blackened branches.
-Have you lost your way, my friend? - asks the planter, hastily driving up to his nephew.
- No, uncle, not yet. I stopped to look around. We need to go through this valley. Let the caravan continue on its way. We are going the right way, I vouch for it” (Mine Reed. The Headless Horseman)

LOCATION plays a big role.

Heroes tend to explore territory beyond their normal habitat. Therefore, an adventure novel can also be called a novel of search.

It should be noted that an interesting trend has emerged in modern adventure literature.
In the last century, most adventure novels took place in medieval castles and luxurious estates. The main requirement for the location was the presence of beauty - luxurious interiors and exotic nature became the backdrop for the rapid events and experiences of the characters.
In our democratic times, rich villas and royalty (as well as dukes, counts and lords) are no longer in fashion. Characters can function in places that are more familiar to the reader. Let us recall, for example, Glukhovsky’s novel “Metro,” where the action takes place in the Moscow metro – the largest anti-nuclear bomb shelter on earth.

The tactics for choosing heroes have also changed. If in the past the hero of the novel was an extraordinary person (scientist - a rare profession, rich - unattainable status, noble blood - fabulous luck to be born in the right family), now the heroes are completely ordinary people. From the crowd.
The technique is very attractive because it allows the author to show the reader - this is your chance! All this could happen to you, just read!
I wrote it and thought that this is not such a modern trend. Remember Agatha Christie's novel The Man in the Brown Suit (1924), where a simple girl from the English countryside, Anne, finds herself at the center of an international espionage conspiracy. And not just anywhere, but in the center of Africa!

But what the modern adventure novel has definitely inherited is the HEROES’ CRAVING TO MOVE.
Dan Brown. "The Da Vinci Code". The heroes successively visit the Louvre, the American embassy in Paris, Zurich, Chateau-Villette (France), Kent (England), Westminster Abbey (oh, lucky these members of the European Union!) and finally end in Scotland.

There is a quick – cinematic – flashing of scenery, against the backdrop of which strong and beautiful heroes beautifully confront villains (sometimes also beautiful). Perhaps this should be considered as a kind of psychotherapeutic technique that allows us to compensate for the lack of emotionality in everyday life.

Now let's try to summarize.

Adventure literature was, is and will be, despite the high-brow aesthetes trying to stab it with their eternal feathers. There are some doubts about the future of the aesthetes themselves.

Adventure literature is characterized by the rapid development of action, the change and severity of plot twists, the exaggeration of the characters’ experiences, the motives of secrets, abductions and persecution.

One of the main tasks of adventure literature is not so much to teach as to entertain the reader. (V.S. Muravyov. “Adventure Literature”).

“There are people who stubbornly try to consider adventure as something like the last point in the program of cultural events, at the very end, after the dancing. And adventure is that optimistic rhythm that helps scientific and artistic creativity, ensures the success of complex work that requires initiative, daring, and invention from its performer.” (With)

Let us add on our own that very good adventure literature also educates the reader along the way. At least in the field of geography.

That’s basically all I wanted to draw your attention to on the eve of the new competition, which will be called “Adventures”

With respect to lovers of different literature,
Willow

© Copyright: Copyright Competition -K2, 2013
Certificate of publication No. 213013100491

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"Pourquot occuper le Tribunal
de ce chetif b… la” – cria une
voix de la Montagne…
La Revolution.
Louis Madelin

Kirdzhali was originally from the Bulgars.
A. Pushkin

The driver drove with all his might, as he was ordered. The heavy car, buzzing like a giant bumblebee, overtook the endless line of cars returning to Paris.
The passengers - two mannequins of the Manel fashion house and the manager of the same house, Monsieur Bruneteau - were tensely silent.
The mannequin Natasha (commercial pseudonym of Marusya Dukina) was silent because she was angry at the unsuccessful trip, at the rain in Deauville, at boredom and at the mannequin Vera (commercial pseudonym for the Frenchwoman Lucy Pain), who began to stir up drama with Monsieur Bruneteau. Found the time too!
Vera pursed her lips and turned away from Bruneteau, who, as if guilty of something, was fawning over her, covering her legs with a blanket, and whispering something.
“They are quarreling,” thought Natasha. “She’s getting something out of him.”
Bruneteau apparently had a hard time. Approaching Paris, he took off his hat, and Natasha was surprised to see that his bald, combed forehead was completely wet.
“Dear Natasha,” he said. – Of course, we will all have lunch together. I just need to stop by for a minute... Vera will go with me... I need to settle it... generally calculate it. Dear Natasha, Vera and I will get out now, and the driver will take you to Montmartre, he knows where. Grab a bottle of champagne if you like, dance and wait for us. I beg you very much!
He addressed Natasha, but looked at Ver, and at the words “I beg you,” he bent down and pressed his face to Ver’s hand.
She silently closed her eyes.
He grabbed the phone and said to the driver:
- Avenue Montaigne. To me.
It was already ten o'clock when Natasha drove up to the restaurant.
“Go back to Avenue Montaigne,” she told the driver.
A tall young man entered the entrance at the same time as her. He hurriedly let her go ahead, with a quiet exclamation of reverent surprise.
Climbing the stairs, Natasha saw in the huge mirror a languid, graceful lady in a silver-white coat trimmed with black fox. On the long flexible neck are two strings of pink pearls. Large black curls tightly hugged the back of her head.
- God! How beautiful I am! How strange that the fool Bruneteau likes the plump Vera!
She sat down at the table, ordered wine and waited.
I felt calm, content, rich.

The main thing is that it’s good that you’re calm. One can imagine the hysterics Vera is throwing at the unfortunate Bruneteau now. And on Monday, when Manelsha’s patroness finds out about all the little things (of course, the driver is gossiping!), such a storm will fall on his poor bald head, from which he will not be able to escape alive.
All this is boring, tedious.
Natasha drank wine in small sips, smoked, and listened to howling jazz.
- It's good to be free!
The same young man she met at the entrance sat down at the next table. The place, obviously, was not given to him in vain. He fussed about something for a long time and argued with the head waiter.
Natasha realized that this was being done because of her, and secretly watched her neighbor.
He was still very young, about twenty-five years old, no more. Blond, gray-eyed, with plump cheeks and a pouty upper lip, as children do when they are doing something very carefully. He slowly sipped the wine from the glass, throwing his head back and looking restlessly at Natasha. Apparently, he wanted to speak and did not know how to start it.
But then the red lights in the hall came on, the overhead lights went out and the “act” began. Two half-naked dark dancers, very similar to each other, danced a fantastic dance. They danced more on their hands than on their feet. Diamond heels sparkled in the air.
The audience applauded.
Wobbling their sides, the dancers made their way between the tables to the exit.
- Shurka! – Natasha screamed, catching the smaller dancer by the tulle skirt.
- Natasha! How did you get here?
- Quiet! Let them think I'm a rich Englishwoman. I'm waiting for mine. How long have you been dancing here?
- Second week. I have a new sister. She looks even more like me than last year. Is our number good? Well, I'm running. Come in!
She ran away. A young man with a pouting lip rushed after her, dropping chairs. We returned together. Shurka, out of breath, stammered in monstrous French:
- Madame, voisie monsieur ve presente...
She burst into tears and ran away.
The young man bowed in confusion, inviting them to dance.
He danced amazingly.
“Isn’t he a professional?” – thought Natasha.
And his face up close was absolutely glorious. Childish - cheerful and kind and slightly embarrassed.
He spoke French with an accent.
-Aren't you French? – Natasha asked.
- Guess! - he answered.
“You…” she began and stopped.
Who is he, really?
– What’s your name?
He paused, as if he was making it up.
- Gaston Luquet.
- So, after all, he’s French?
He again answered “guess” and added:
– And I immediately found out that you are English.
- Why?
– By your accent, by your appearance and by your pearls.
Natasha smiled.
- It's hereditary.
- Well, no! – he laughed. “Only the fake ones call it that.” And yours are real.
“Of course,” Natasha answered dryly.
How could one doubt it when Madame Manel sold this magnificent product for six hundred francs per thread, and then only to good clients for good dresses.
We danced a lot. The boy was not eloquent. He smiled more than he spoke. But he smiled so happily, and tiny pits appeared at the very corners of his mouth.
– Aren’t you going to your England? – he asked suddenly.
- Not yet. Not soon.
Then he blushed, laughed and said:
- I love you.
It was already about twelve, and Natasha began to worry about the absence of Vere and Bruneteau, when the driver unexpectedly appeared and handed her a letter.
Bruneteau wrote that he could not come, apologized profusely and thanked him in advance “for everything, for everything.” Natasha understood why. So that she doesn’t spill the beans to her patron. At the end of the letter it was said that she could have a car, and a five hundred franc ticket was pinned up.
“I’ll leave soon,” Natasha told the driver. - Wait a little.
The boy called again to spin.
“Last dance,” she said. - It's time to go home.
He even stopped.
- Are you tired of it yet? Are you bored? Yes, I know it myself. It's cramped and stuffy here. Let's go to another place. Do you want it? I'll show you... near Paris. It's wonderful there. It's not too late... I beg you!
Natasha imagined her boring hotel room. Why not stay a “rich Englishwoman” for at least an hour, since it’s so funny? Another hour, another, and it’ll be over. Forever.
“Okay, let’s go,” she decided. - My driver is downstairs. You tell him the address.
He blushed with pleasure and began to fuss...
Natasha went to her table, paid for the wine and, throwing on her sparkling coat with a practiced graceful mannequin gesture, went down the stairs.

Er war ein Dieb,
Sie war...
H. Heine

The restaurant to which Gaston Luquet brought Natasha turned out to be very close to the Seine. He occupied a small two-story house, all surrounded by a glass veranda, decorated with garlands and colored lanterns, all blazing like a Bengal bonfire, among the dark quiet houses of the suburbs.
The dull beats of an orchestral drum reached the square, which was lined with cars.
- It will be cozy here! - Gaston said when Natasha released the driver.
There was a bar downstairs. Upstairs they dined, drank and danced. There was barely a free table.
In the small space reserved for dancing, bare backs, bare shoulders, and steamed faces swayed, crushing each other with their legs and elbows.
The orchestra was led by a lady pianist, she conducted it masterfully. She laughed, shouted out English words, grimaced, and clapped the side of the piano. Her sleek, pointed head with curls spilling out from under her ears made her look like a cheerful greyhound.
In the crowd of dancers, a black man stood out, throwing out some special moves, not very beautiful, but always unexpected. The black man was dressed rather dirty, and Natasha was surprised that, looking intently in their direction, he winked cheerfully at Gaston. A strange acquaintance.
“Do you know this black man?” – she asked.
“No,” he answered somewhat frightened.
“It seemed to me that he bowed to you.”
Gaston blushed:
- It seemed to you. It just breaks like that. He probably fell in love with you.
- Tell me, have you known Shura for a long time?
- Shura? Which one?
- A dancer.
- Yes... that is, I saw her very often... twice.
We tried to dance, but it was difficult to move in this crush.
The black man, craning his neck, watched them. He danced all the time with a young blonde, breaking her in different directions. And it was impossible to tell whether he was dancing or just fooling around.
“It’s terribly stuffy here,” Natasha said. - It's time to go home.
Gaston was alarmed:
- Let's sit some more. I'll bring you a wonderful cocktail now. Local specialty. Just try it. I beg you! I'll bring it now...
He began to make his way between the dancers.
Natasha took out a mirror, powder, and tinted her lips. I noticed a wine stain on my dress and was very alarmed. The dress belonged to a “Maison” and was worn by her to show it off at Deauville during a dinner that did not take place because of Ware’s quarrel with Monsieur Bruneteau. This spot can cause trouble, especially if the patron is in a bad mood.
“Well, there’s no need to think about it now. We need to have fun."
It was “we need to have fun,” she thought, and immediately felt that she was not having fun at all, but only restless, anxious, and it was time to end it all. She did not feel like a rich Englishwoman; maintaining this misunderstanding was pointless and boring. Suspicious Gaston turned out to be stupid and not very funny.
She began to look for him with her eyes and saw him behind the door, near the stairs leading to the bar. A black man stood behind him and, squinting his eyes to the side, said something, leaning close, obviously whispering.
"So he is familiar with this black man?"
Then they both disappeared, probably went down to the bar.
The crowd of dancers thinned out a little. The whirring of engines starting up could be heard from the street.
Natasha opened her purse to take money for the taxi. The lining turned out to be wet: the bottle of perfume was uncorked, and the gloves, handkerchief and even the money were covered in green stains from the faded green silk of the powder compact.
- Well, try it! – Gaston’s voice rang out.
He carried, smiling with his dimples, two glasses of orange drink with straws sticking out of it. He placed one glass in front of Natasha, threw away the straw from the other, took a long sip, closed his eyes and laughed:
- Wonderful!
Natasha tried the cocktail. Yes, tasty and not even very strong.
The orchestra played “Ce n’est que votre main, madame.”
And suddenly Gaston, still laughing and looking into her face, began to sing along in a slightly hoarse, sensual and strange voice:
- “Madame, I love you!”
He leaned close, and Natasha could smell his perfume, stuffy, dull, completely unfamiliar and very restless.
“If you love him,” she thought, “then these perfumes will drive you crazy.”
- But you talked to the black man? – she said, moving away from him slightly.
– “And I will never in my life forget you”! – he hummed without answering.
Didn't you hear? Or didn't want to answer? And who cares?
- The cocktail is delicious. What is it called?
“I know a lot of tasty things,” answered Gaston. – Someday we will go with you to the same island... quite far away. One little girl there will show you something that they don’t know at all in England.
“You are a strange man, Gaston Luquet.” Tell me, what do you even do?
- By you. I'm taking care of you.
He took her hands and, laughing, brought them to his lips.
And then she noticed his fingers. They were rough, with small flat nails, well finished, but ugly in shape. But the main ugliness, frightening, like a vague memory of some terrible story, was a far-set, disproportionately long thumb, almost reaching the first joint of the index finger.
“The hand of the strangler,” Natasha thought, and she kept looking and couldn’t take her eyes off, but she looked on the sly, as if if he noticed that he was “recognized,” then something terrible would happen, something she didn’t know and didn’t dare imagine.
He raised his glass and put a straw in her mouth:
- Well, more! Well, more! Tasty! Funny! Wonderful!
And the restless smell of his perfume entered her like chloroform, against which everyone who is put to sleep instinctively fights and to which he sweetly and weakly submits when he feels that there is no other breath for him in life except this, unwanted, only, blissful.
-You have strange hands! – Natasha said and for some reason laughed. - I'm very tired. I went to Deauville today.
She wanted to tell him everything so that she could laugh together at the misunderstanding with the “rich Englishwoman.” But I was too lazy to talk. The strong cocktail made my heart beat, made me dizzy and started to feel nauseous.
She remembered that she had not had dinner, that she had only drank champagne at the restaurant.
- We need to go home quickly.
She stood up, but immediately sank down onto a chair and almost fell. The colored lights swayed, my head began to ring... My eyes closed, nausea squeezed my throat.
“Hook! Hook! Hook! – something hummed dully, either the drum of the orchestra, or her heart. It must have been the heart, because there was pain in my chest...
- Well, what are you talking about! What do you! - said an excited voice.
This is Gaston. Dear boy!
- The lady feels a little ill. The cocktail was too strong.
Who did he tell?
Natasha hardly opened her eyes.
Black person!
The black man is standing near her table. Up close, he is small, with gray, disgustingly loose lips. Nondescript. Lackey!
He has Natasha's empty glass in his hands.
“Then you don’t need to drink anymore.” “I’ll take the cocktail away,” he says and takes away the empty glass.
“Try to get up,” says Gaston. - There is a room here. Just lie down for a minute and everything will pass.
He leads her. Her legs move strangely easily, but she doesn’t feel the floor. He doesn’t dare open his eyes: if he opens them a little, everything will ring, he will spin, and he will no longer be able to stay on his feet.
- The lady feels bad! – Gaston’s voice is heard.
“Here, here,” someone answers.
They are carrying her.
Then she feels an elastic, cool touch on the back of her head and right cheek, so familiar, simple, calm.
Bright yellow beads flashed in his eyes, falling in a long fringe from somewhere above, and an eerie, deathly pale, almost white female face with a square folded hard towel on her head.
Then a sharp, thin ringing.
Then... nothing.
Dreamless sleep...
And then - a rustle, a whisper.
Something tickled my neck a little...
Natasha opens her eyes with difficulty and does not quite understand the dream she suddenly sees.
She dreams of pink fog, dreams of a black man. He bent over something that was lying on the night table... And someone else had his back to her, and she couldn’t see his face. The black man spread his lips with a disgusted grimace, said something angrily, clinked something...
- Shute! – the other one whispered and quickly turned around. And suddenly he desperately, almost loudly exclaimed:
- She's watching!
Natasha did not see his face. The pink mist was not motionless. It floated, flickered... A dazzlingly pale female face flashed, with a white square towel on the crown of the head... A large warm hand lay over Natasha's eyes... But she still could not look anymore. Noise, ringing, splashing sparks filled the world, and the heavy eyelids dropped before this hand closed them. The last thing she felt was the smell of a strange perfume, as if already familiar, so stuffy, sweet, blissful that, losing consciousness, she smiled at it as happiness.

– Qui est-ce votre père spirituel?
– Le chevalier de Casanova.
– Un gentilhomme espagnol?
- Non, un aventurier benitien.
Sonate de Printemps.
Valee Inclan

What a wonderful life it can be!
Two ladies in crimson dresses, long, firm, wide, dance, coyly picking up their skirts with their fingers. A raspberry shepherdess sits under a raspberry bush and plays the pipe...
Wonderful, curly, crimson clouds... And behind them is a crimson boat, and in it is a dreamy lady in a crimson dress. She put her hand in the water. And in front of her, a crimson gentleman in garters tied with bows is reading something from a book.
What a happy life!
Farther away on the island there are two rams... Even further away - magnificent ladies are again dancing to the shepherdess' pipe...
Close your eyes and then look more closely.
Now everything is clear. This is not life. It's just wallpaper.
Natasha turned her head and saw the face of tonight right in front of her: a dazzling white female face.
It was smaller than it appeared at night, and belonged to a plaster bust of an Italian woman, which adorned the fireplace of a small cozy room with pink curtains drawn, with a pink lampshade with yellow beads on the hanging lamp and on the night table lamp. Someone laughed behind the wall, and a cheerful female voice quickly started babbling something.
A bell was heard and small steps outside the door. Live conversation. Everything was as simple as in all small hotels. Not creepy at all. Natasha stood up and saw that she was lying in a dress, in a sparkling evening dress, a “creation” by Maison Manel.
This was the first thing she understood clearly. She is lying in an evening dress. She crumpled a wonderful evening dress, which she must return in perfect order.
From this professional shock, thoughts began to move in my tired, drugged head - I remembered the whole yesterday, the trip to Deauville, champagne in the restaurant, Gaston, evening, black man.
- Am I drunk?
And suddenly I remembered the night, the black man, the whisper:
"She's watching!"
Hand…
Natasha lowered her feet from the bed. My head was slightly dizzy.
What were they looking at on the table - the black man and the other one?
Her pink pearls and purse were on the table. Nothing more. Maybe the black man thought the pearls were real and wanted to rob her?
And suddenly she realized it.
Where is the coat?
The coat was wearing expensive fur!
Stolen!
She jumped up.
Ooo! That would really be terrible!
Almost crying, she walked around the room.
- God bless!
The coat fell between the bed and the wall.
There was a knock on the door, and, without waiting for an answer, a friendly, smiling elderly maid in a white headdress looked into the room.
– Madam is up already? Madam wants coffee?
She ran to the window and pulled back the curtains.
- I'll bring it now.
From the window one could see the square, the tram, the embankment. Everything is so simple and ordinary. And the maid smiled so welcomingly. Nothing special happened. And just one minute the thought flashed through her mind - maybe they had slipped something into her cocktail... Maybe even the black man hadn’t come at night... And it was all a dream.
The maid brought coffee and croissants.
– Do you have many tenants? – Natasha asked.
– Yes, from Saturday to Sunday many people spend the night here. They come to dance and stay.
Natasha calmly drank her coffee.
It's good that today is Sunday. She will have time to get her dress in order by tomorrow.
She went to the mirror and took out powder and pencils from her purse. In the other compartment, where she hid the perfume, handkerchief and money, there was only perfume and a handkerchief. Three hundred-franc notes remaining from the money sent by Monsieur Bruneteau to the restaurant were missing. She couldn’t lose them in the restaurant, because she remembered how here, in the dance hall, she noticed that the wet lining had tinted them with green spots. So they disappeared here.
She opened the compartment again, where there were pencils and powder, and found one hundred and fifty francs, crumpled into a lump. It was her own money, which she brought from Deauville.
So, after all, she was robbed. Who? Black person? Gaston? Or the other one, whose face she did not see? But it was, perhaps, Gaston...
It was a pity for the money.
So the “rich Englishwoman” had fun! This means life is hard for them too. It's good that they didn't strangle him. Someday I will have to deliberately go to Montmartre, to that restaurant, and look this Gaston straight in the eye.
She couldn’t clearly imagine what good this would do. I still won’t dare to ask about money...
An elegant young man jumped out of the tram and began to cross the square. Approaching the hotel, he raised his head and looked around the windows.
- Gaston!
Gaston. And he was obviously going here, to the hotel. How dare he?..
She put on her wonderful coat and went out into the corridor. Gaston walked up the stairs.

Cecil Forester: Midshipman Hornblower

Young Horatio Hornblower was very unlucky. A midshipman with no experience ended up in a society of salty sea wolves. At seventeen, the young officer was too serious, but timid by nature and did not easily get along with people. A monstrous despotism reigned on the ship, immediately reminding Hornblower of the classic images of degenerate Roman emperors. More and more often the young man began to think about death, and even more often about escape. He had no idea what an extraordinary fate the ocean was preparing for him.

Bogdan Sushinsky: Captain Scott's Pole

The action-packed novel by the famous writer Bogdan Sushinsky is dedicated to a majestic and tragic event in the history of civilization - the campaign in 1911-1912. English polar explorer Captain Robert Scott to the South Pole of the Earth. The ascent to the polar peak of the planet turned not only into a disastrous struggle with the natural conditions of Antarctica, but also into an equally disastrous competition for the laurels of the discoverer.

Henry Haggard: King Solomon's Mines. The Adventures of Allan Quartermain. Benita

The mysterious treasures of King Solomon... They say these diamonds are cursed and bring only misfortune. Many searched for them, but no one came back - like Sir Henry's brother, who disappeared without a trace in an unknown direction. In search of him and in the hope of getting rich, three desperate daredevils go to the Kukuana Country, lost in the heart of Africa...

Oleg Ryaskov: Notes of the forwarder of the Secret Chancellery. Adventures of a Russian princess in the New World

Events take place after the death of Peter the Great. Naval officer Semyon Plakhov, accused of murdering a fiscal official, unexpectedly gets a chance to escape if he fulfills one mysterious order. Together with the forwarder of the secret chancellery Ivan Samoilov, the magician Van Hoover, the young poisoner Fekla and the pupil Liza, Plakhov goes to London and the New World.

Curwood, Kipling, Rousselet: Grizzly

In the north of Canada, in a harsh and deserted region, the orphaned bear cub Muskwa meets the huge wounded bear Tyra. Incredible adventures and discoveries await them, but touching friendship will help them overcome all dangers! And the collection also included adventure stories and stories by various authors: “Wolf Hunters” (J. Curwood), “The Adventures of the Young Rajah” (W. Kingston), “The Snake Charmer” (Rousselet), “Coral Island” (Ballantyne), “ Little Toomai” (Kipling).

James Cooper: The Last of the Mohicans, or a Narrative of 1757

The novel tells the story of the struggle and death of the Indians of North America under the onslaught of modern civilization. The main character of the novel is the hunter and tracker Natty Bumppo. Stern and fair, brave and noble, Bumpo is one of Cooper's most beloved heroes.

Robert Stilmark: Heir from Calcutta

The events of the novel develop rapidly. Courageous and noble heroes enter into a daring battle with vile villains, seductive women, thrown by fate into a stormy whirlpool of events, overcome tragic circumstances. Readers can expect earthquakes and storms, fights with predators and deadly poisons...

Wilbur Smith: Those in Danger

Oil. They kill and die for it. The daughter of Hazel Bannock, a woman who runs a giant oil corporation, has been kidnapped. The criminals demand that a controlling stake be transferred to them as a ransom. Is there any confidence that, having received what they want, the bandits will release the girl? The police are unable to help. Intelligence services too. And then Hazel decides to turn to very dangerous people for help. Officially, they are employees of a security company, but in reality they are real “soldiers of fortune.”

Reed Mine: White Chief

Myne Reid's books attracted and continue to attract people with their romance. This is the romance of the struggle for a just cause, the romance of feat in the name of a high idea, the romance of courageously overcoming the obstacles that people and nature put in the path of a brave hero. The style of narration is also romantic, rich in colorful descriptions, intense dialogues...

Bogdan Sushinsky: Rommel's Gold

By order of Field Marshal Rommel, in 1943, the Nazis removed treasures from Africa, but they failed to deliver them to their intended destination, and the convoy was forced to scuttle them off the coast of Corsica. The novel takes place in the post-war years, when a real “gold rush” began around the disappeared treasures. The search operation involves saboteurs - the former “Fuhrer's agent on special assignments” Otto Skorzeny and the leader of the Italian combat swimmers Valerio Borghese.

Mikhail Churkin: Through the taiga to the ocean

On April 4, 1918, two Japanese employees of a commercial company were killed in Vladivostok. The next day, without waiting for the case to be investigated, the Japanese landed troops in the city under the pretext of protecting Japanese citizens. Many years of foreign intervention in the Far East began. Japan cherished the hope of capturing all of Primorye and Eastern Siberia up to Lake Baikal. But the Far Eastern Republic and its People's Revolutionary Army stood in the way of the interventionists.

James Curwood: Ramblers of the North

The best adventure novels of the famous American nature writer and traveler James Oliver Curwood are dedicated to animals and the harsh nature of Northern Canada and Alaska, which the author loved very much. Under the cover of thisbookscollected five amazing stories about incredible friendship, loyalty and courage: “Ramblers of the North“, “Kazan”, “Son of Kazan”, “Golden Loop”, “Valley of Silent Ghosts”.

Emilio Salgari: Black Corsair. Treasure of the Blue Mountains

The vile Spaniards killed the brave brothers of the Black Corsair, and now only revenge will bring him peace. To defeat a powerful enemy, he must team up with the legendary pirates of the Caribbean - Francois Olonnet and Henry Morgan himself. The shipwrecked captain Fernando de Belgrano miraculously survived. Once captured, he managed to win their trust and become the leader of the tribe. Years later, he sent his children a letter in which he pointed out the path to the treasure...

Paul Sussman: The Vanished Oasis

The sister of the famous mountaineer Freya Hannen, the famous Egyptologist and former intelligence agent Alex, is dead. The police have no reason to consider the incident a murder. But the Bedouin, who hands over a bag with mysterious maps and films to Freya, who has arrived in Egypt, transparently hints: her sister was killed. And danger threatens anyone who takes possession of these materials. At first, Freya simply brushes off his words, but soon realizes: he was not lying.

Robert Stevenson: Kidnapped. Catriona

The “Kidnapped” and “Catriona” duology tells the story of the extraordinary adventures of the young Scottish nobleman David Balfour. Battles on land and sea, bloody battles and chases, conspiracies and mutinies, love adventures described by the unsurpassed master of intrigue - Robert Louis Stevenson, will not leave the reader indifferent... The publication reproduces a complete set of 80 illustrations by Louis Reed and William Howle.

Henri Charrière: The Moth

AuthorIn this story, Henri Charrière, nicknamed the Moth (Papillon), at twenty-five years old, was accused of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. But then the most fantastic of his adventures began. At hard labor in French Guiana, he went through incredible trials, more than once coming close to death. The survival instinct and an indomitable desire for freedom helped him eventually be released.

Arthur Doyle: The exploits of Brigadier Gerard. The Adventures of Brigadier Gerard

The cavalry officer Gerard is an adventurer and adventurer, of which there were indeed many in the army of Emperor Napoleon, which marched victoriously across Europe. He is frivolous, but noble, loves women, and is equally ready to risk his life for the sake of France, for the sake of the next lady of his heart - or just for the sake of thrills. Together with this charming Frenchman, the reader will experience many dizzying adventures - sometimes funny, and sometimes deadly...

Gilles Weber: Fanfan-Tulip

The novel introduces the protagonist to the fascinating world of love affairs and military adventures during the time of Louis XV. Fanfan-Tulip is a brave and resourceful Frenchman, defeats the enemies of France, saves his beloved girl and finds his brother.

Henry Haggard: Sacred Flower. Court of the Pharaohs

Together with his partner, the famous adventurer Allan Quartersine goes to the heart of Africa in search of a unique orchid. But the hunt for an orchid is full of dangers - in the native tribe it is considered a Sacred Flower. To get it, you will have to face a fierce faith that only a white man can defeat. One day, in a museum, John Smith saw a statue of the ancient Egyptian queen Ma-Mi. Captivated by her image, he vowed to find the tomb of the one he loved...

Vakhtang Ananyan: Prisoners of the Barsov Gorge

The story tells about schoolchildren who got into trouble in the Caucasus mountains. Finding themselves captive to the elements, they bravely endure the trials. Friendship, mutual support and fortitude help them overcome difficulties, and sometimes even mortal danger.

Robert Stevenson: The Adventures of Prince Florizel

Stevenson can be called one of the outstanding masters of adventure and genres. His works are full of all kinds of conspiracies, duels, kidnappings, murders, sensational revelations, secrets and other adventurous events. These are the two famous novelistic cycles of the classic of English prose Stevenson - “The Suicide Club” and “Raja's Diamond”, united by the eccentric figure of Prince Florizel of Bohemia.

Wilbur Smith: Blue Horizon

Young Courtney sets out to conquer a rebellious continent. But, at first sight, falling in love with a captive of Dutch sailors, he risks his life for the sake of the girl’s freedom. Now Jim is alone against the whole continent, which is fraught with a lot of dangers. Now he and his beloved face seemingly inevitable death. But Jim Courtney is not afraid of danger. He is ready for a lot, and if he has to, he will risk his own life!

Albert Piñol: Pandora in the Congo

London, 1914. Marcus Harvey is accused of murdering two English aristocrats, with whom he went in search of gold and diamonds in the heart of Sub-Saharan Africa, in the Congo. Aspiring writer Thomas Thomson, commissioned by Harvey's lawyer, is working on a book designed to restore the truth and save the alleged murderer from the gallows. But the book tells not only the story of an expedition that cost the lives of many people, but also an absolutely incredible love story.

Olga Kryuchkova: Captain of the Marauders

Adventures in life begin with adventure books.

Jules Verne

For many of us, our love of books and reading began with adventure novels. And for children who discovered the joy of reading, “adventures” often became the first book they read on their own.

Here is a list of 10 best adventure novels , both Russian and foreign authors. This list is the choice of librarians, we will be glad to hear your preferences in this genre. We hope that exciting adventures, whether at sea, land, or on another planet, will bring you unforgettable pleasure.

Grigory Adamov "The Secret of Two Oceans"

The unique submarine “Pioneer” sets off on a voyage across two oceans full of dangers and mysterious incidents. She will have to go around Cape Horn, fight a Japanese cruiser, survive a clash with saboteurs...

A classic adventure novel, one of the first and best examples of science fiction for teenagers. Many of the technical ideas presented in it still amaze with their scientific foresight. First published in 1938, the book remains popular among readers to this day.

Jules Verne "Journey to the Center of the Earth"

Having deciphered an ancient note, Professor Lidenbrock and his nephew Axel become the owners of a secret that can shake humanity. It turns out that our planet is hollow from the inside, and in the center of the Earth there is a mysterious world about which people know nothing. Who knows what awaits the researchers who dare to go down there through the crater of an extinct volcano? The professor decides to organize an expedition - and find out as soon as possible! The famous novel by the classic of adventure literature Jules Verne has won the hearts of many generations of readers. Today this book is included in the golden fund of adventure literature.

Arthur Conan Doyle "The Lost World"

Edward Malone, a young and promising journalist for the Daily Newspaper, urgently needed to accomplish a feat. This condition was set before him by the beautiful Gladys, whose hand Edward sought. So Malone found himself on the expedition of Professor Challenger, an eccentric scientist who dared to claim that dinosaurs still live in the jungles of South America... Who would have thought that this incredible hypothesis would be confirmed, and brave researchers would see with their own eyes a piece of the mysterious and dangerous ancient world? !

Alexandre Dumas "The Count of Monte Cristo"

Alexandre Dumas, a French classic and the famous author of The Three Musketeers, once found in the Parisian police archives the story of the sailor Francois Picot, who ended up in prison as a result of the denunciation of ill-wishers and who, many years later, managed to take revenge on those responsible.

Dumas turned this true incident into the most important adventure novel in the history of world literature, the popularity of which continues unabated to this day. In this book, the reader will find incredible events and incidents, exciting plot twists, skillful descriptions of human vices and passions, laughter, tears, love, revenge and the triumph of justice.

Veniamin Kaverin "Two Captains"

As a boy, Sanka decided to find the missing expedition of Captain Tatarinov at any cost. “Fight and search, find and not give up” - with this motto Sanka walked through life towards his goal. This amazing book about the intertwining of destinies, perseverance and weakness of character, patriotism and cowardice, betrayal and loyalty has not left either adult or young readers indifferent for many years.

“Two Captains” is one of the most striking works of Russian adventure literature of the 20th century. It was reprinted several times and was filmed both in Russia and abroad; the musical “Nord-Ost” was based on it.

Jack London "Hearts of Three"

“Hearts of Three” is a pearl of London’s creative heritage.

The fascinating story of cousins ​​Francis and Henry Morgan, distant descendants of the great pirate captain, who went in search of the treasures of their legendary ancestor, and the beautiful Leoncia, with whom they are both in love, has been filmed more than once - both in the West and in our country.

But even the most successful film adaptations still failed to fully embody all the charm and fascination of Jack London’s immortal novel...

Patrick O'Brien "Commander and Navigator"

"Commander and Navigator" is the first novel in Patrick O'Bryan's famous historical series, dedicated to the era of the Napoleonic Wars. In it, a friendship develops between British Royal Navy captain Jack Aubrey and ship's doctor Stephen Maturin. Their sloop "Sophie", cruising off the coast of Spain, shows miracles of heroism in clashes with Spanish-French ships.

Maria Semyonova "Swan Road"

Swan Road - this is what the Vikings, the heroes of the historical novel by Maria Semenova, called the sea. In the middle of the 9th century, when Norway was united into a state, many residents of the northern lands were forced to take this road, moving to other lands, including Rus'. The book tells about one of these travels, about meetings with different tribes, about an attempt to start a new life among the Slavs in a vivid, excitingly interesting way, with deep knowledge and a sense of a distant era.

Henry Rider Haggard "Montezuma's Daughter"

The English writer and publicist Henry Rider Haggard was an avid traveler and meticulous researcher, so his novels are based on personal impressions and real historical facts. The combination of a fascinating plot and dynamic narrative, an abundance of reliable details and the author’s rich imagination - all this makes Haggard’s works in demand today.

The fate of the hero of the novel “Montezuma's Daughter” by Thomas Wingfield is a continuous chain of surprises. He intended to become a doctor, but was declared the supreme god of the Aztecs; Instead of a peaceful life in his father’s estate, he fought against the conqueror of Mexico, Cortez. He swore his love and fidelity to a girl named Lily, but became the husband of Princess Otomie...

Robert Shtilmark "The Heir from Calcutta"