You're The Voice: Bailey on action and adventure
People often ask me what is my ideal book; what genre I enjoy sitting down to read.
My answer?
“Reading sitting down!?!?! Are you crazy!!?!”
There is nothing better than dive rolling onto your bed avoiding a volley of bullets being shot at you, all the while trying not to crease the pages of your book when you land. Action- and, depending on the author, adventure – books are only amplified in greatness by the jumping up and down in excitement as the protagonist of the story overcomes all of the obstacles in her –or his- way. The acting out of the series of events is what makes a book worthwhile, and perhaps the injuries sustained in the act are a better story to relay than the book itself. Or maybe that’s just me.
Only writers like Chris Ryan and Matthew Reilly have prepared readers (and actors!) for a future emergency situation. They’re the ones who have our hearts fluctuating. They’re the ones who teach us that bravery can come out of even the most timid of people. They’re the ones who teach us that great feats are possible, even when the resounding doubt is echoing in our minds and is plastered on our faces.
When I hit the sack after reading an action-packed book, I create my own adventure in my head. I dream of being the hero, I dream of being the heroine.
Raging weather pounds at the window of our hiding place, smothering the creaks of the floorboards as we take turns at lookout, just waiting for the signal.
Sentry duty. Like the meerkats.
I love these dreams, where I have no control over what happens, though it’s all in my head. I often can’t remember the entirety of the dream, but I hold on to the snippets that, perhaps one day, I can piece together and have one of my own books classified as a creator of thrills.
Yes I’m a girl who likes action books, and no I don’t understand how to play the video games, but I have mastered the act of fitting myself under my bed and scaring whoever walks in. The element of surprise; always on Scarecrow’s list of ways to save the day.
Amongst a close group of friends, we have designed an emergency battle plan for students at our school if we happened to be under attack. It may involve hijacking public buses and stocking up on important supplies like glow in the dark paint and Nutella, but we’re the ones who’ll survive in the end. We’ve even noted vantage points within the school grounds were we could station our collection of potato cannons and glow stick launchers to ward off the enemy.
Action and adventure books have influenced my life in the weirdest of ways, but overall they have given me the hopes and dreams of one day being able to act quickly and collectively in an emergency situation (preferably a zombie apocalypse over a medical emergency, but beggars can’t be choosers).
- Bailey
