Free summaries
Adventure — page 75
5,964 public-domain adventure books, summarised. Page 75 of 125.
The Boy Scout Pathfinders
Robert Maitland
A group of enthusiastic Boy Scouts finds more than woodcraft and fresh air in the Adirondack Mountains when they stumble upon a criminal conspiracy.
The Cave by the Beech Fork: A Story of Kentucky—1815
Henry S. (Henry Stanislaus) Spalding
Deep in the frontier woods of early nineteenth-century Kentucky, two young hunters stumble into a hidden cavern, entangling themselves in a shadowy network of wilderness outlaws, wartime news, and local rifle trials.
The Dreadnought Boys in Home Waters
John Henry Goldfrap
This is a spirited adventure story following two young naval officers who navigate high-stakes maritime war games and international espionage. It offers a classic, fast-paced look at early 20th-century American naval ambition.
The Girl of the Golden Gate
William Brown Meloney
The vast, indifferent ocean serves as the crucible for a man haunted by a disgraced past and a woman who finds her strength in the face of certain doom. Together, they navigate a wreckage-strewn existence toward a final, uncertain horizon.
The King of Pirates: Being an Account of the Famous Enterprises of Captain Avery, the Mock King of Madagascar
Daniel Defoe
Stripping away legend to expose reality, these fake letters from a real pirate trade bombastic myth for a coolly calculating narrative of seafaring crime, fortune, and quiet retirement.
The little acrobat: a story of Italy
Janie Prichard Duggan
A young circus performer struggles to find his place in the world after being left behind by his traveling family to pursue a conventional education.
The Shriek: A Satirical Burlesque
Charles Somerville
A send-up of early twentieth-century desert romance novels, this parody skewers every trope of the genre with relentless, slapstick enthusiasm.
The Tarzan twins
Edgar Rice Burroughs
Two young cousins, separated by an ocean but united by name and appearance, find their African holiday transformed into a desperate fight for survival in the heart of the jungle.
The Treasure Trail
Frank Lillie Pollock
After discovering that gold stolen from a collapsed government lies in a forgotten wreck, a desperate wanderer pursues the treasure across the globe in a high-stakes race against ruthless rivals.
Tom Strong, Lincoln's Scout: A Story of the United States in the Times That Tried Men's Souls
Alfred Bishop Mason
An earnest young courier navigates the turbulence of the American Civil War, his path crossing with the highest figures of the era as he carries out critical missions for the Union.
Up the Forked River
Edward Sylvester Ellis
In the shadowy waterways and treacherous mountain corridors of South America, a young American veteran finds that rescuing his beloved from the clutches of rival dictators requires navigating an intricate web of revolution, gunboat diplomacy, and romance.
Wacousta : a tale of the Pontiac conspiracy
Major (John) Richardson
A vengeful giant of a man terrorizes a British frontier garrison, using the local Pontiac uprising to wage a devastating personal vendetta against its cold, uncompromising commander.
A Dear Little Girl's Summer Holidays
Amy Ella Blanchard
A gentle summer unfolds for two young friends who find connection, adventure, and personal growth while visiting a seaside home. This classic tale captures the simple, imaginative joys of childhood through the lens of a leisurely vacation.
A trace of memory
Keith Laumer
A soldier of fortune awakens on an ancient starship, only to find himself embroiled in a multi-generational war of memories and shifting identities spanning across galaxies and human history.
Baree, son of Kazan
James Oliver Curwood
A wild-born creature of the northern woods, a dog-wolf hybrid, carves out a fierce existence while forging a protective, lifelong bond with a young woman, finally finding redemption in a dramatic final act of vengeance.
Conjuror's House: A Romance of the Free Forest
Stewart Edward White
Beyond the mapped limits of civilization lies a frozen wilderness where the Hudson Bay Company exerts absolute, unforgiving authority. In this stark northern expanse, a young adventurer defies the local tyrant, igniting a high-stakes struggle of wills that pulls an isolated girl into a dangerous, life-altering romance.
Frank Reade Jr. and His Engine of the Clouds
Luis Senarens
The sky serves as a playground for mechanical genius in this fast-paced tale, where a relentless pursuit across the globe pushes man and machine to their absolute limits.
From Squire to Squatter: A Tale of the Old Land and the New
Gordon Stables
The scion of an English squire leaves his ancestral home to forge his own destiny in the Australian bush, where he transforms from a headstrong boy into a capable, self-reliant man.
Harper's Young People, December 23, 1879: An Illustrated Weekly
Various
This weekly illustrated periodical captures the spirit of late 19th-century American childhood, blending moralistic fiction, nature lore, and interactive puzzles into a single, cohesive window into a vanished era.
Harper's Young People, June 28, 1881: An Illustrated Weekly
Various
This mid-Victorian periodical offers a vibrant window into the past, balancing practical instruction, moral guidance, and serialized adventure for the nineteenth-century child. It serves as a time capsule of an era’s educational and leisure ideals.
Harper's Young People, September 6, 1881: An Illustrated Weekly
Various
This weekly periodical offers a vivid, multifaceted snapshot of late 19th-century American youth culture, capturing the era’s enthusiasm for natural history, moral instruction, and serialized storytelling.
In Texas with Davy Crockett
John T. (John Thomas) McIntyre
Two young friends travel down the Mississippi River to rescue a girl from a sinister conspiracy, finding themselves swept into the historic, desperate struggle for Texas independence alongside a legendary backwoods hero.
Into the Unknown: A Romance of South Africa
Lawrence Fletcher
This high-stakes adventure pits two resourceful British travelers against a secretive, hostile society hidden within the rugged, mountainous terrain of South Africa. It is a tale of narrow escapes, unwavering loyalty, and the brutal collision of colonial grit with an isolated, fanatical sect.
Mass' George: A Boy's Adventures in the Old Savannah
George Manville Fenn
A boy and his father carve out a home in the young colony of Georgia, facing wilderness hazards and foreign threats alongside an unexpected companion.
Patsy Carroll Under Southern Skies
Josephine Chase
When a group of spirited students heads to a Florida estate for spring break, they discover that southern sunshine hides more than just flowers—it conceals a century-old secret.
Sard Harker: A novel
John Masefield
A seasoned sailor finds his shore leave transformed into a desperate, mythic rescue mission across a treacherous Central American landscape. Amidst political upheaval and ancient dangers, one man’s quiet duty becomes a test of endurance and love.
The Adventures of Two Alabama Boys
Washington Bryan Crumpton
Two brothers from Alabama recount their separate migrations to the American West, weaving tales of gold-rush hardships, Civil War loyalties, and the enduring pull of home.
The Boy Slaves
Mayne Reid
The harrowing struggle for survival against a backdrop of shifting sands and absolute cruelty, this narrative captures the resilience of youth in the face of impossible odds.
The Khaki Boys at the Front
Josephine Chase
A tight-knit group of American soldiers faces the realities of the Great War, moving from the uneasy calm of French villages to the grim, muddy crucible of the front-line trenches.
The Salving of the "Fusi Yama": A Post-War Story of the Sea
Percy F. (Percy Francis) Westerman
A group of British veterans embarks on a desperate salvage mission for sunken treasure, only to face a ruthless rival sabotaging their every move across the Pacific.
The Stolen Cruiser
Percy F. (Percy Francis) Westerman
HOOK A British naval officer and his crew must outwit a ruthless band of international pirates who have hijacked a powerful warship to terrorize the high seas.
The Submarine Boys and the Middies: The Prize Detail at Annapolis
Victor G. Durham
The teenage captains of a private submarine fleet navigate naval skepticism, corporate sabotage, and the rigors of training midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy.
The Triumph of John Kars: A Story of the Yukon
Ridgwell Cullum
A battle for justice in the desolate Yukon, where a man of iron resolve fights to dismantle a corrupt monopoly and save a family from a hidden, murderous conspiracy.
The Yellow Phantom: A Judy Bolton Mystery
Margaret Sutton
A spirited young woman ventures into the heart of New York City, only to find herself embroiled in a dangerous tangle of missing manuscripts, family secrets, and a mysterious, crumbling tower.
A Parisian Sultana, Vol. 1 (of 3)
Adolphe Belot
A wealthy Parisian woman recruits three men to accompany her on a perilous expedition into the heart of Africa, promising her love to the one who proves most worthy. This narrative explores the intersection of intellectual ambition, romantic obsession, and the stark realities of nineteenth-century exploration.
At War with Pontiac
Kirk Munroe
A young soldier finds his fate bound to a powerful Ottawa chieftain, navigating the brutal realities of the 1763 frontier to save his loved ones and find a place in a changing world.
Barbara's Heritage: Young Americans Among the Old Italian Masters
Deristhe L. (Deristhe Levinte) Hoyt
This narrative follows a group of young Americans embarking on a formative journey through Italy, where they trade their innocence for a deep, scholarly appreciation of the Old Masters. It is an earnest, didactic story that chronicles both the growth of aesthetic taste and the quiet maturation of the heart.
Beyond Light
Nelson S. Bond
A crash-landed engineer and his space-captain rival must set aside their grievances to survive a subterranean nightmare. Beneath the surface of Venus, the only way to triumph is through ingenuity, not firepower.
Bumper the White Rabbit and His Friends
George Ethelbert Walsh
Bumper the White Rabbit is a gentle, resourceful protagonist who navigates a dangerous wilderness by building alliances with former enemies. His adventures remind us that courage and kindness can bridge the divide between predator and prey.
Bunny Brown and His Sister Sue at Camp Rest-A-While
Laura Lee Hope
Two young siblings embark on a summer adventure at a lakeside camp, where they encounter woodland secrets, a mysterious runaway boy, and the gentle challenges of the great outdoors.
Jules of the great heart
Lawrence Mott
A rugged, solitary trapper navigates the unforgiving frozen wilderness of the North, seeking redemption and the return of his stolen life. Through violence and grace, he learns that the true weight of a man is measured by his capacity to forgive.
'Midst Arctic Perils: A Thrilling Story of Adventure in the Polar Regions
Percy F. (Percy Francis) Westerman
Two schoolboys find themselves cast into a desperate race against the elements when their holiday cruise turns into a survival mission across the frozen wastes of the Arctic.
Ned, Bob and Jerry on the Firing Line
Clarence Young
Three inseparable friends trade their peaceful civilian lives for the trenches of World War I, finding that courage in the face of machine guns is just as vital as keeping their spirits high.
Poppy Ott and the stuttering parrot
Leo Edwards
A group of resourceful boys in a small Illinois town investigates a series of bizarre events involving a stuttering parrot, a missing townsman, and their own neighborhood rivalries.
Poppy Ott's pedigreed pickles
Leo Edwards
A youthful entrepreneur’s scheme to revolutionize the pickle market leads his friends into a tangled web of poisoned food, suspicious characters, and a long-lost pirate’s hidden treasure.
Sea Plunder
H. De Vere (Henry De Vere) Stacpoole
This tale of Pacific maritime adventure captures the restless spirit of a professional wanderer finding his fortune on the high seas.
Tales from the Arabic
John Payne
These stories capture the boundless imagination of classical Arabic folklore, where human ambition, divine fate, and the supernatural collide. They offer a vivid glimpse into a world of relentless adventure, courtly romance, and the shifting fortunes of fortune-seekers.
The Admirable Tinker: Child of the World
Edgar Jepson
This story follows an extraordinarily resourceful boy who assumes the role of architect in his own life and the lives of those he loves. It is a lighthearted, turn-of-the-century adventure that captures the whimsy and confidence of a child who believes he can steer the world.