Daniel Defoe was an early English novelist known primarily for adventure stories. His famed work Robinson Crusoe remains a classic tale of survival and exploration.
If you enjoy reading books by Daniel Defoe then you might also like the following authors:
Jonathan Swift was an Irish writer known for his sharp wit and biting satire. If you enjoyed the adventurous storytelling of Daniel Defoe, you might appreciate Swift’s book Gulliver’s Travels.
This story follows Lemuel Gulliver, an ordinary sailor who finds himself shipwrecked on strange, distant islands.
Gulliver experiences remarkable encounters with tiny people in Lilliput, towering giants in Brobdingnag, and peculiar societies that humorously critique human nature and society. Swift cleverly explores themes of politics, morality, and the absurdities of human behavior.
The imaginative journeys and sharp observations in Gulliver’s Travels offer both entertainment and thoughtful reflection, making this book a natural next read for fans of adventures like Robinson Crusoe.
Readers who enjoy Daniel Defoe’s vivid depiction of adventure and human nature might appreciate Henry Fielding’s work. Fielding, an English novelist and satirist of the 18th century, often addresses society’s follies with sharp wit and humor.
His novel Tom Jones tells the story of a spirited young man named Tom, whose charm and good nature lead him into all kinds of adventures and romantic entanglements.
Through characters who are both humorous and lifelike, Fielding explores morality, social hypocrisy, and class dynamics in 18th-century England.
Readers interested in engaging narratives filled with memorable characters and insightful commentary on human behavior will likely find Tom Jones worthwhile.
Samuel Richardson was an English author who wrote novels focused on detailed character portrayals and emotional depth. If you enjoy Daniel Defoe’s realistic depiction of individual lives, Richardson’s Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded is worth exploring.
The novel unfolds through letters written by Pamela Andrews, a servant whose master repeatedly tries to compromise her honor. In resilient defense of her values, Pamela documents her struggles, fears, and hopes.
Through her letters, Richardson vividly portrays the social dynamics and personal challenges faced by a young woman in 18th-century England. Lovers of Defoe’s immersive characters and authentic narratives will likely find Richardson’s vivid storytelling just as engaging.
Tobias Smollett was an eighteenth-century Scottish author known for his satirical wit and lively storytelling. If you’re drawn to Daniel Defoe’s adventurous tales and sharp insights into human nature, then Smollett’s The Adventures of Roderick Random is worth reading.
This novel follows young Roderick who, after losing his family fortune, must find his way through a harsh world packed with dishonest characters, absurd situations, and a good dose of humor.
Smollett’s storytelling skillfully combines biting satire with vivid descriptions of life at sea and society on land, creating a world that readers can fully immerse themselves in.
Fans of Defoe’s ability to weave adventure with social commentary might appreciate Smollett’s entertaining portrait of eighteenth-century life, filled with episodic excitement and sharp observation.
Readers who appreciate Daniel Defoe’s lively storytelling and sharp wit might enjoy exploring the works of Laurence Sterne. Sterne was an 18th-century Irish-born novelist and clergyman noted for his originality, humor, and conversational style.
His novel, The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, stands out as an unconventional, entertaining literary journey.
In this unusual book, Tristram Shandy himself narrates his own life story—but he gets so sidetracked by humorous anecdotes, odd digressions, and playful observations on life, birth, and society, that the narrator hardly manages to tell his own story at all.
Sterne invites readers to share in a delightfully absurd exploration of what it really means to tell a story.
Readers who enjoy Daniel Defoe’s adventurous tales may appreciate Aphra Behn, an author noted for bold storytelling and sharp insight. Her novel Oroonoko tells the powerful story of an African prince who is betrayed into slavery and transported to Surinam.
Behn explores themes of honor, love, betrayal, and the struggle for freedom in a vivid setting. Oroonoko’s conflicted journey from noble ruler to enslaved hero captivates readers with emotional depth, compelling questions about morality, and sharp critiques of colonialism.
Aphra Behn was delivering powerful social commentary long before Defoe’s time, making her works appealing to anyone drawn to narratives with complex characters and potent themes.
John Bunyan was an English writer from the 17th century, notably famous for his vivid storytelling and sharp imagination. Readers who enjoyed Daniel Defoe’s classic, Robinson Crusoe, may find themselves equally drawn to Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress.
This book tells the story of Christian, a man burdened by guilt and doubt, who journeys towards the Celestial City seeking peace and salvation. Along his path, he meets vivid characters—some helpful, some dangerous—and faces trials like the Slough of Despond or Vanity Fair.
Bunyan uses clarity and insight to explore life’s struggles, choices, and spiritual journeys, themes readers may find close in tone to Defoe’s thoughtful narratives.
Eliza Haywood was an English writer well-known for her energetic storytelling and insightful portrayals of society in the early 18th century.
In her novel Fantomina, Haywood tells the story of a charming young woman who decides to disguise herself multiple times to pursue the man she admires.
As she adopts various roles—each new identity carefully crafted—the heroine explores freedom, desire, and the constraints society places on women.
Readers who appreciate Daniel Defoe’s sharp character studies and detailed social commentary in novels such as Moll Flanders and Roxana will find similar pleasures in Haywood’s lively prose and her sharp observations about class and gender.
Robert Louis Stevenson was a Scottish author known for adventure stories and vivid characters. If you enjoyed Daniel Defoe and his novel Robinson Crusoe, Stevenson’s book Treasure Island might appeal to you as well.
In this story, young Jim Hawkins finds himself caught up in a dangerous journey after coming across a pirate’s treasure map. Jim sets sail among pirates and sailors, never entirely sure who to trust.
This book has exciting twists, secrets, treasure hunts, and colorful characters, especially the famous pirate Long John Silver, who seems friendly one moment and treacherous the next.
Stevenson has an appealing style, full of excitement, mystery, and tension, and he writes lively dialogue that makes the scenes come to life.
Alexandre Dumas was a French writer famous for adventure novels filled with vivid characters, thrilling plots, and daring escapades. If you enjoy Daniel Defoe’s stories of survival and clever heroes, then you might appreciate Dumas’s novel The Count of Monte Cristo.
This classic tale follows Edmond Dantès, a sailor unjustly imprisoned due to betrayal and conspiracy. After imprisonment, Edmond meticulously crafts an elaborate plan to escape and seek revenge against those who wronged him.
The story has fascinating twists, hidden identities, and intense confrontations, all wrapped into a narrative of justice, intrigue, and redemption. Readers who love the resourceful protagonists and rich storytelling of Daniel Defoe may find Alexandre Dumas equally rewarding.
Jules Verne was a French novelist known for his imaginative adventures and detailed explorations of far-off places. If you enjoyed Daniel Defoe’s classic Robinson Crusoe, you might appreciate Verne’s The Mysterious Island.
In this story, five prisoners escape captivity during the American Civil War, only to find themselves stranded on an uncharted island. Verne vividly describes their resourcefulness and ingenuity as they attempt to survive and create a new life.
The island holds many secrets and surprises, from unexpected allies to mysterious occurrences, giving the tale a sense of adventure, wonder, and suspense.
If you enjoy Daniel Defoe’s adventurous storytelling and exotic settings, you might want to try H. Rider Haggard.
Haggard’s classic novel King Solomon’s Mines follows Allan Quatermain, a fearless hunter and explorer who sets out into unknown African lands in search of a missing expedition member and legendary treasure.
Alongside companions Sir Henry Curtis and Captain John Good, Quatermain faces wild creatures, harsh landscapes, and mysterious tribes as they journey toward King Solomon’s fabled diamond mines.
Packed with thrilling scenes, memorable characters, and vivid descriptions of unexplored places, King Solomon’s Mines transports readers into the heart of an exciting adventure.
Books by Joseph Conrad often explore adventures at sea, morality, and human nature. Conrad draws you into intense, morally complicated situations with vivid and realistic detail. A good example is Lord Jim, a novel about a sailor named Jim who dreams of heroic adventures.
After he abandons his ship during a crisis, Jim struggles deeply with guilt, shame, and a need for redemption. Conrad’s powerful storytelling puts Jim through challenges that test character, courage, and honor.
If you’re interested in Daniel Defoe’s vivid accounts of adventure and moral testing in stories like Robinson Crusoe, you’ll probably appreciate Conrad’s thoughtful look at bravery, failure, and the true measure of a man.
Books by Herman Melville often deal with maritime adventures, moral challenges, and intense human struggle against nature—themes readers of Daniel Defoe would certainly appreciate.
One of Melville’s most famous novels, Moby-Dick, follows Ishmael, a sailor who joins a whaling ship named Pequod. Under the driven and obsessive Captain Ahab, the crew embarks on a dangerous voyage in pursuit of the legendary white whale, Moby Dick.
The novel explores the depths of human ambition and the fierce power of the sea.
For readers who enjoyed the shipwrecks, island adventures, and survival tales in Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe, Melville’s work promises rich storytelling full of risks, danger, and profound questions about human nature.
Readers who enjoy Daniel Defoe’s adventurous historical tales will find plenty to enjoy in Walter Scott’s novels. Scott is famous for vivid historical narratives and colorful characters. His novel Ivanhoe is set in medieval England during the reign of Richard the Lionheart.
It tells the story of Wilfred of Ivanhoe, a brave knight who returns home after the Crusades. The story features jousting tournaments, castles under siege, secret identities, political intrigue, and even Robin Hood himself.
The blend of romance, history, and adventure makes Scott’s storytelling similar to Defoe’s, and easy to get lost in.