Books with lots of action are often a home run with readers, especially those who like a plot-driven story. They can cross a wide-range of genres, from spy fiction to murder mysteries.
Definition:
Action books are often very heavy on the plot with danger pulling the story forward, leaving readers on the edge of their seat desperate to know what happens next. Elements of risk and surprise are key factors in action stories. The events that trigger the action or danger are typically outside the protagonist’s day to day life. Often, at the end of the story, the hero or heroine is never the same.
Characteristics:
* Fast-paced
* Conflict
* Danger
* Risk
* Double-crossings
* Betrayal
* Villains
* Violence
* Survival
* Plot twists
* Underdogs
Appeal:
With action novels, readers quickly turn the pages – often reading these novels in a single setting. In a series, there is often an overall arc that ties all the books together, even though the primary plot of the book is resolved.
Actions books are perfect escapism reads; this type of story rarely happens in real life.
Readers like rooting for the underdogs. Often times these teen characters go against supposedly smarter more savvy adults and yet, they are victorious in their quest. It’s hard not to root for the underdog.
Recently I was chatting with one of the teen volunteers at my library. He told me how he watched Scream last night and how much he enjoyed it. A couple of other teens overheard our conversation and chimed in about how much they enjoyed Scream. I instantly lit up and talked about the Drew Barrymore twist at the beginning being homage to Hitchcock. All the teens looked at me strangely and indicated that they were talking about MTV’s new television program Scream. Not the late ’90s thriller that I was talking about.
Killer Instinct by S.E. Green