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Quick answer: If you loved Treasure Island, read Robert Louis Stevenson's Kidnapped, then Robinson Crusoe, Captain Blood, King Solomon's Mines and The Three Musketeers. All are classic adventures with pirates, danger and swashbuckling heroes.
Robert Louis Stevenson's 1883 novel follows young Jim Hawkins, who finds a treasure map in a seaside inn and sails with Long John Silver and a dangerous crew. It gave us the images of pirates with parrots and X marks the spot. The books below offer similar swashbuckling adventures and sea stories.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kidnapped | Robert Louis Stevenson | All ages | Highland adventure |
| The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde | Robert Louis Stevenson | Adult | split self |
| Robinson Crusoe | Daniel Defoe | Adult | the original castaway |
| Captain Blood | Rafael Sabatini | Adult | pirate classic |
| King Solomon's Mines | H. Rider Haggard | Adult | African adventure |
| The Three Musketeers | Alexandre Dumas | All ages | swordplay and friendship |
| The Count of Monte Cristo | Alexandre Dumas | Adult | revenge epic |
| Moby-Dick | Herman Melville | Adult | American epic |
| Ivanhoe | Walter Scott | Adult | medieval adventure |
| The Swiss Family Robinson | Johann David Wyss | Ages 9+ | family castaways |
| Peter Pan | J.M. Barrie | All ages | boy who never grows up |
| Swallows and Amazons | Arthur Ransome | Ages 8-12 | sailing adventure |
| Pirate Latitudes | Michael Crichton | Adult | pirate thriller |
| Lord of the Flies | William Golding | Adult | boys on an island |
| The Princess Bride | William Goldman | Adult | fairy-tale parody |
1. Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
A boy is kidnapped and swept into Scottish politics. Fast and vivid.
Best for: Highland adventure.
2. The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
Dr. Jekyll takes a potion that releases the cruel Mr. Hyde. Short and spooky.
Best for: split self.
3. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
A man survives for years on a deserted island. The model for later survival stories.
Best for: the original castaway.
4. Captain Blood by Rafael Sabatini
A doctor turned pirate fights for justice in the Caribbean. Fast and gallant.
Best for: pirate classic.
5. King Solomon's Mines by H. Rider Haggard
Allan Quatermain leads a search for lost treasure. Classic and pulpy.
Best for: African adventure.
6. The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
D'Artagnan joins the Musketeers in seventeenth-century France. Lively and funny.
Best for: swordplay and friendship.
7. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
A wronged man escapes prison and takes revenge. Long and thrilling.
Best for: revenge epic.
8. Moby-Dick by Herman Melville
Captain Ahab chases a white whale. Long, strange and powerful.
Best for: American epic.
9. Ivanhoe by Walter Scott
A knight returns to England in the age of Richard the Lionheart. A classic adventure.
Best for: medieval adventure.
10. The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss
A shipwrecked family builds a life on a tropical island. Cheerful and detailed.
Best for: family castaways.
11. Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
Wendy and her brothers fly to Neverland. A classic about childhood.
Best for: boy who never grows up.
12. Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome
Four children sail and camp on an island. The classic outdoors adventure.
Best for: sailing adventure.
13. Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton
A privateer plans a raid on a Spanish fortress in 1665. Fast and fun.
Best for: pirate thriller.
14. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Schoolboys stranded on an island descend into savagery. A classic.
Best for: boys on an island.
15. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
A farm boy and his true love face pirates and giants. Witty and loved.
Best for: fairy-tale parody.
How to Choose
For more Stevenson read Kidnapped or Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. For castaway tales choose Robinson Crusoe or The Swiss Family Robinson. For swashbuckling pick Captain Blood, The Three Musketeers or Ivanhoe. For African adventure read King Solomon's Mines. For parody try The Princess Bride. Treasure Island is short and fast, so these picks suit readers who love old-fashioned adventure. Stevenson wrote Treasure Island for his stepson and published it as a serial before it became a book. It is in the public domain, so illustrated editions of every price are available, including the famous N. C. Wyeth illustrations.
Related: Shutter Island Ending Explained · Long Island by Colm Toibin Book Club Discussion Questions (With Summary and Themes)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Treasure Island about?
A boy finds a treasure map and sails with pirates to find buried gold.
Who wrote it?
Robert Louis Stevenson.
When was it published?
1883 in book form, after serial publication from 1881.
Who is Long John Silver?
The charming one-legged pirate cook who is the book's most famous character.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes, from about age ten, though it has violence.
Is it in the public domain?
Yes.
Is it hard to read?
The language is old-fashioned but quick.
What should I read next?
Try Kidnapped or The Three Musketeers.
Which book here is best for pirate classic?
Try Captain Blood by Rafael Sabatini, which suits readers looking for pirate classic.
Which book here is best for revenge epic?
Try The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, which suits readers looking for revenge epic.
Which book here is best for family castaways?
Try The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss, which suits readers looking for family castaways.
Which book here is best for pirate thriller?
Try Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton, which suits readers looking for pirate thriller.
Which book here is best for split self?
Try The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, which suits readers looking for split self.