What ten tropes should action novels contain to make the story interesting to individuals who like thrilling action stories?
I liken my books to action adventure fantasy stories. They're obviously fantasy novels because someone is always going to use magic to open doors, light a dark room, or defend themselves. Then each of my stories also contains adventure aspects, as the characters might have daring escapes, a reluctant hero, or an evil villain.
But what must my stories contain to categorize them as action stories? Here are ten tropes that hopefully you will agree a good action story should incorporate.
Let's begin by mentioning two or three action novels that you may have read or heard about over the years. One of my favorites is the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child. I think you will find most of these tropes in a Jack Reacher novel. If you look back to the nineteen-sixties, you might include a James Bond novel, cut along the same lines as Reacher, though James Bond has more class and is less physically violent. But this genre also has more cerebral stories seen in a John Le Carre novel.
Lone Hero
Number one on the list of must have action novel tropes is the Lone Hero. Here's the man or woman that isn't working on a team or an army. They are working by themselves as they face insurmountable odds and dangerous missions without significant assistance.
Does Jack Reacher fit this scenario? Absolutely. There he is, riding buses across America, taking down vast organizations and dangerous groups all by himself. If the odds are against him, he doesn't hesitate to jump into the fray. If he sees injustice, he finds out what's wrong, who is responsible, and then makes plans to make things right.
High Stakes
Clive Cussler novels with the NUMA organization were always saving the world. It's not just getting local justice in an action trope, the protagonist is playing a high stakes game, that prevents a nuclear bomb from exploding, or is single handily rescuing hostages.
I watched a movie called Survivor last night and the female lead raced across London and then New York to prevent a terrorist attack. She was part of a governmental organization, but based on limited information, they thought she was the terrorist, so she had to put her own life on the line to save millions of people in New York.
The lead in that show was the woman from the Fifth Element, Milla Jojovich. That show also had high stakes as Earth itself was targeted for elimination.
Relentless Antagonist
The bad guys just won't give up sometimes. You take out their computers, but they keep trying to commit the crime of the century. You think they will be stopped by the roadblock you set, but they had already considered that the good guys might do that, and had plans to get past that scenario.
Sometimes the antagonist is killed. You see the bad guy, monster, or Creature from the Black Lagoon, but then somehow he survives that critical wound and returns once more to cause havoc to the good guys and their plans to keep the world safe.
I used this plot technique in my book Quest for the Crystal with a never dying mage at the end of the story. Wait! You might cry. Watch out for spoilers. Really? It's an action story, the antagonist has nine lives.
Intense Combat and Chases
If you don't like intense fighting and combat scenes, then action novels might not be your cup of tea. I believe the Jack Reacher series has a must have fight scene with the locals and then the bad guys, at least before the fifty percent mark in the book. Somebody is going to get hurt if they get in Jack Reacher's way.
The Jason Bourne series by Robert Ludlum has Matt Damon starring in the movie version. Suspense, intrigue, and chases through Russia as our hero attempts to save his own life and those of the city or country he is helping.
When this trope is well written even the reader feels her/his blood and adrenaline pumping. Let's face it, we love these stories, because we must see what happens next and every moment might be our hero's last.
Exotic and Varied Locations
I've always liked Clive Cussler's NUMA series because they dealt with a location I can only dream of, the deepest bottoms of the Oceans. What must it be like to dive a quarter mile below the ocean surface? Cussler describes these experiences so well, because he loved the oceans. He has financed and gone on ocean treasure hunts.
Indiana Jones shows us the life of an archeologist as the main character looks for treasures in jungles, deserts, and even remote locations in the USA. Readers love the detail of an exotic location, which helps us experience it for ourselves.
Weapon Mastery
A good protagonist in an action novel must have skills with their hands and weapons. Someone is going to get hurt and if you don't want it to be you, then back off when our action hero takes on the case.
Jack Reacher can fire most any type of gun, but he is just as much at home using his hands in hand-to-hand combat. Lee Child will always slow the action down in a fight. We learn what Reacher is thinking before he throws a punch or hits someone with his forehead. Then Reacher takes the action, but the bad guy moves and then Reacher has to reassess the situation.
James Bond has all these amazing weapons and tools that he gets from the research department. He's shown the items once and somehow he knows exactly how and when to use them for his benefit. It might be part of his watch, a pen, or a lapel pin, but he pulls it out at the right moment and dispatches the enemy.
Ticking Clock
Okay, this is officially my favorite tool in the action trope list. When the good guy has to save the world, but they only get twenty-four hours to find out who is the bad guy, what weapon does the antagonist plan to use, where in the world will this occur, and how can our protagonist defeat this well-laid plan?
Lee Child uses this for the entire novel, but he is also an expert at using the technique in a specific scene. The bad guys are on the way.
"Come on Reacher, get out of there."
"Wait! I'm looking for something."
"But we only have two minutes. Let's go."
"I'll be right there."
If your blood wasn't pounding before, now it's absolutely boiling. How does the author expect you to fall asleep after that scene? He hopes you don't.
This technique works for the entire novel, as well. Usually, by the inciting incident, we know something is off and we might also find out that the terrorist plans to upset New York City at midnight on New Year's Eve. Our heroes aren't out having a Cinnamon Dulce Latte at their local Starbucks. They only have seven hours to save the world. Though we see Reacher drinking a lot of coffee in the local diner.
Undercover Operations
How do we know what the protagonist has planned to upset the world? We send in one of our top spies to infiltrate their organization. Maybe they're only supposed to bug a phone or room, but each moment they are in the enemy's camp, we're on edge. This is no time for our hero to be scared to be around others. They must see what they're up against, and the only way to do that is to get close to the action.
Personal Vendetta
What drives our hero to be so passionate about this particulate case and how do we get involved in the story? The author makes it personal. First, the author introduces us to the victim and then shows us the bad things the bad guys do to that character. Now it's personal.
Our protagonist knows not to take things personally, but he really liked that person. In the movie, I Robot, Will Smith is called to the scene of a suspected suicide. He is there because the person who died is the doctor that repaired his arm and shoulder with robotics after an on-the-job-injury. Now, it's personal. And if it wasn't before, when the robots attack him, it becomes personal real fast.
One of the classic personal vendetta books is The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. This is one of the greatest stories of all time. After being falsely accused of a murder, the protagonist is imprisoned and later learns that his loved one has been deceived into thinking he will never return. It's an intricate and long revenge that keeps you wondering what he's planning each chapter.
Twists and Betrayals
A good action plot isn't always so clear on who are the good guys and who are the bad guys. It seemed that person was helping the protagonist, but the reader doesn't realize the blackmail the antagonist is using against the protagonist's friend. It isn't their fault, but they are purposely withholding critical information that would help our hero.
Twists, double-crosses, and betrayals keep the reader guessing and usually guessing wrong. The competent author is masterful at hiding key pieces of information from the reader to make them surprised when the twist occurs.
The writer must plot rigorously to make these surprises occur at the right moment. It's no fun when you recognize the good guy as the bad guy too early in the story.
There you have it. Ten tropes integral to the action genre. Adding some or most of these tropes into your action story will create a dynamic and engaging read to captivate your audience.
Here's a quick list of ten action tropes.
- Lone Hero
- High Stakes
- Relentless Antagonist
- Intense Combat and Chases
- Exotic and Varied Locations
- Weapon Mastery
- Ticking Clock
- Undercover Operations
- Personal Vendetta
- Twists, Double Crosses, and Betrayals
If you enjoy Action Adventure Fantasy Novels, you may enjoy Eclipse of the Triple Moons.
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