Indiana Jones is an enduring action hero whose undisputedly awesome adventures will continue to entertain and inspire. The recent release of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has definitely proved that there’s nothing quite as fun as a dangerous treasure hunt with mystical artifacts and punchable baddies. If you’re a fan of the series and you love these kinds of stories, then you’ll enjoy all the books like Indiana Jones that we’re highlighting with this list.
1. Seven Deadly Wonders (Matthew Reilly)
Matthew Reilly’s reads like a fast-paced action movie, and will keep fans of Indiana Jones (and The Mummy) hooked from cover to cover. Jack Wes෴t Jr. and his team of heroic archeologists and soldiers need to find the seven parts of an anci♔ent treasure to stop a solar flare from wiping out humanity. Each of these pieces is residing within one of the world’s most iconic ancient wonders. The trouble is, there are more than a few nefarious organizations trying to get to them first, and their people are just as deadly as the traps and puzzles that are guarding the artifacts.
2. Timeline (Michael Crichton)
In , a team of archeologists working at a dig site in France find a note from their leading professor, Edward Johnston, that’s over 600 years old. The note desperately requests their aid, and as a result, they begin to investigate Johnston’s disappearance from the present. They soon discover that the ITC, which is the company that funded their dig, used quantum technology to send the professor back to 1357, during the Hundred Years’ War. Michael Crichton’s book is significantly more satisfying than its film adaption, so even if you’ve already seen the Timeline movie, you’ll li🍰kely have a great time reading the novel.
3. The Imperial Alchemist (A. H. Wang)
is a globetrotting adventure that takes its protagonist, Georgia Lee, on a journey through ancient China to find the secret history behind the myths surrounding the Elixir of Life. It’s a fascinating mystery with plenty of action and more than a few enjoyable characters. At each step along the way, you’ll continuously wonder which parts of the elixir’s story are true, and which parts are simply a legend. Just like Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the book calls into question what humans would actually do if there really was an artifact out there capable of granting us eternal life. The Imperial Alchemist is th💝e f🍰irst part of trilogy of novels about Lee’s archaeological adventures.
4. Amazonia (James Rollins)
A scientific expedition into the Amazon rainforest disappears, and all of its team members are thought to be dead until a lone solider who accompanied the team comes back ye🧔ars after the group first set out. The man entered the jungle with one arm, but somehow, he’s leaving it with two. He’s marked with strange tribal symbols, and with his death, leaves behind a handful of other strange mysteries as well. It’s up to Nathan Rand and his team to journey into the depths of the jungle to discover what really happened to him, and the rest of the original expedition. has a premise that will instantly draw you in, and a storyline that continues to darken with unique twists.
5. Labyrinth (Kate Mosse)
If you’re interested in setting out on a different quest for the Holy Grail than the one in The Last Crusade, then you’ll love reading Kate Mosse’s . The novel follows two storylines simultaneously, with one set in the present day and the other taking place 800 years earlier. Alice discovers the maze-like symbol of the Cathars while she’s working on an archeological dig site, and soon finds that there are dangerous people hunting for what she’s found. Meanwhile, Alais, the historical protagonist, inherits the relics needed for findin𝓀g the Grail, and must evade those who seek its power. The overlapping narratives give the book a consistent level of tension that’s sure to keep you turning the pages as fast as possible.
6. The Hunt for Atlantis (Andy McDermott)
When Nina Wilde and Eddie Chase discover a sign that points the way towards the mystical city of Atlantis, they kickstart a globe-spanning adventure that turns out to be full of peril. A secret organization known as the Brotherhood of Selasphoros tails their every move, and will stop at nothing to halt their progress. is not just about archaeological discoveries and the race against evil. The lead characters and their chemistry make for a gripping read, and there’s plenty of fun dialogue between the two. Nina’s and Eddie’s adventures continue in The Tomb of Hercules and The Secret of Excalibur, which are also fantastic books to read if you like Indiana Jones.
7. The Lost City of Z (David Grann)
In 1925, the legendary explorer Percy Fawcett entered the Amazon in hopes of finding an ancient, fabled civilization and its chief city, Z. He encountered hostile natives, but the real danger was the forest itself. Explorers such as Fawcett thought that the Amazon was the home of El Dorado, and journeyed into the deepest parts of the South American continent in search of it. So what ever happened to Fawcett and his team, and what did he find? follows all the historical clues that we have available in an attempt to answer these questions. The book got a film adaption back in 2017, and offers a more grounded look at jungles of South America than the likes of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
8. What the River Knows (Isabel Ibañez)
is a neatly designed mystery that lets the reader in on each of its secrets at a perfect pace. The story begins in nineteenth century Argentina, where the protagonist, Inez, learns of her parent’s demise, which occurred during a trip in Egypt. Left with a fortune and a strange golden ring, she sails to Cairo in search of answers, but begins to uncover more 𝕴questions instead. There are slightly more supernatural elements than your average Indy adventure, but you’re a fan of the ☂original film trilogy, then you’ll love this journey out into the sands.
9. The Red Pyramid (Rick Riordan)
Younger fans of Indiana Jones will love , which centers around the adventures of sibling✃s Sadie and Carter Kane. Carter travels the world with his father, who tells everyone that he’s an Egyptologist. When the pair of them return home to see Sadie, they visit the British Museum, where a strange ritual occurs that awakens the ancient Egyptian gods. The deity Set has a dangerous plan that the siblings will need to stop. The book is the first of three in the Kane Chronicles series. If you’re a fan of the author’s other YA series, Percy Jackson, then you’ll love these novels as well.
10. Indiana Jones and The Peril in Delphi (Rob MacGregor)
The Indiana Jones novels are, of course, also great reads for fans of the original films. The first of these books is , which takes place in the 1920s, several years before Temple of Doom. When a strange earthquake uncovers a set of ancient ruins below Delphi, Indy explores them and soon finds a strange artifact that might be important for stopping what his fellow archeologist, Dorian Belecamus, has in store for him. Paperback editions of thi𝔍s book are essentially collector’s items, and can be tricky to find. However, if you’re a fan of the series, then you’ve got to pick one up.
Published: Jan 18, 2025 10:03 am