While this isn't really a book, I think it's important that people realize the importance of one of the coolest characters in adventure history: Jack Burton. He's the main character in“Big Trouble in Little China, a John Carpenter movie from the 80's, and played by Kurt Russell.

Burton is a truck driver who likes to play cards with friends in Chinatown. When he takes a friend to pick his up fiance coming from China, she is kidnapped, and it starts of an adventure with strange creatures, ghost-like beings and lots of martial arts.

Like most of carpenter's films, it's filled with tongue-in-cheek humor. What makes Burton great is his wisecracking sarcasm and attempt to look tough and unconcerned when he literally would go to the ends of the Earth for his friends.

While he uses the excuse of getting his truck back to participate in the adventure, it's obvious he really cares about his friend and helping out the people of Chinatown, but he'll never admit it. Burton is the protagonist, but he's the least prepared and trained to actually help out. He doesn't have the martial arts background or firearms skills like everyone else and yet he always seems to make it out of the situation unscathed.

The movie has developed a cult following and there have been rumors forever about a sequel. Scripts have been written, but through the years nothing has ever materialized. The world is waiting for the return of Jack Burton and in this time or remakes and reboots, we still might get the chance.