# Can anyone recommend me some great fight scenes(?) in literature? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 16, 2004, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-recommend-me-some-great-fight-scenes-in-literature/240297 "2004-04-16T02:37:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![teemingONE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b4bc9f/32.png) [@teemingONE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teemingONE)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-recommend-me-some-great-fight-scenes-in-literature/240297/1 "2004-04-16T02:37:21Z")
I’m looking for good detailed fight scenes (or what do you call them?). The action should flow and paint a nice picture. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d9b06d/32.png) [@Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichini_Sanshigo)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-recommend-me-some-great-fight-scenes-in-literature/240297/2 "2004-04-16T03:04:29Z")
Well, it’s not a one-on-one fight, but the battle scenes in Steven Brust’s Dragon were pretty good. Also, in Gene Wolfe’s The Book of the New Sun , Severian fights a giant in a highly improbable but nonetheless entertaining scene. ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-recommend-me-some-great-fight-scenes-in-literature/240297/3 "2004-04-16T03:27:32Z")
The fight scene in The Dark Tower by Stephen King in which Roland of Gilead becomes a gunslinger is _too_ good. In fact, most of the fight scenes in the Darktower series are good…you can see the action unfolding in front of you. I’m sure someone will point out that these books aren’t considered great literature, but I’m going on the assumption you are more interested in a well described fight scene. All the sword fights written by Alexadre Dumas are equally wonderful. I’m sure I’ve read a ton more, but those are the ones that jump out of my memory immediately…may be back later. ---
**Author:** ![thwartme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@thwartme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thwartme)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-recommend-me-some-great-fight-scenes-in-literature/240297/4 "2004-04-16T03:35:05Z")
If by fight scenes you mean descriptions of one-on-one combat, then Fantasy novels are possibly your best bet. They frequently have descriptions of sword fights and the like. I would highly recommend **Guy Gavriel Kay** He has a handful of novels, all of which I think are excellent. But in particular for your purposes, the Fionavar Tapestry has two sequences that are simply mind-blowing. Without giving away too much, I’ll describe them as ‘the fight in which Lancelot asks for help’ and ‘The Prince vs the Dark God’s champion.’ Astounding. Also, his novel ‘the Lions of Al-Rassan’ has a couple of excellent sequences, in particular a scene in which the two main heroes give a demonstration of their skills. **George R. R. Martin** also has some excellent stuff in his ‘Song Of Ice And Fire’ series. My favourite would be the trial-by-combat sequence between Ser Gregor Clegane and The Red Viper. thwartme ---
**Author:** ![Journeyman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/779978/32.png) [@Journeyman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Journeyman)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-recommend-me-some-great-fight-scenes-in-literature/240297/5 "2004-04-16T04:01:39Z")
**thwartme** , you beat me to it. The Viper of Dorne versus Gregor Clegane was tense and gripping. Great series in general, I strongly recommend it. Martin pulls no punches in terms of violence (or anything else, really), which leads to some very tense fights, as well as a very fluid, epic story that’s not about any one character. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-recommend-me-some-great-fight-scenes-in-literature/240297/6 "2004-04-16T08:28:59Z")
My all-time favorite fight scene is the battle against the manticore in _The Worm Ouroborous_ by E.R. Eddison. Also, Tim Powers did a number of good fight scenes in _The Drawing of the Dark_. And if you’re looking for SF fight scenes, David Drake is quite good. ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-recommend-me-some-great-fight-scenes-in-literature/240297/7 "2004-04-16T10:42:15Z")
Going a little out there, but I liked the novelizations of the Death of Superman and Knightfall. I never read the comics they were based on, only the novels but they had some good fight scenes in them. If you like massive army/war fights, try Lord of the Rings, or the Elfstones of Shanarra (of the first three books, it’s the one with the good fights) ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-recommend-me-some-great-fight-scenes-in-literature/240297/8 "2004-04-16T15:50:01Z")
_The Assyrian_ and _The Blood Star_ by Nicholas Guild have some of the best-written fighting and combat scenes I’ve ever read. Exceptional books in every respect. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-recommend-me-some-great-fight-scenes-in-literature/240297/9 "2004-04-16T15:52:48Z")
Two that are a little off the beaten path (and, most likely, aren’t really what you’re looking for): In “The Princess Bride,” by William Goldman, there is a wonderful scene near the beginning when Inigo Montoya attempts to gain the rank of (I think) Master in terms of swordsmanship. He has to demonstrate a variety of moves, attacks and defenses in front of an expert. The short conversation they have at the end of this long demonstration is nothing short of inspired. In “Ender’s Game,” by Orson Scott Card, there are a series of training battles in a zero-gravity room. (Obviously, this is sci-fi.) This isn’t hand-to-hand fighting, but the strategy and tactics used in these training battles are simply marvelous. ---
**Author:** ![McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McDeath_the_Mad)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-recommend-me-some-great-fight-scenes-in-literature/240297/10 "2004-04-16T16:29:08Z")
I highly recomend any of the Forgotten Realms books written by RA Salvatore, especially his earlier work. A couple of my favorite books are (each are book 1 of two different trilogy’s): [The Crystal Shard](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0880385359/qid=1082132542/sr=8-1/ref=pd_ka_1/104-7403547-8742335?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) [Homeland](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0880389052/qid=1082132803/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4_xs_stripbooks_i4_xgl14/104-7403547-8742335?v=glance&s=books) The both involve a dark elf (Drow) named Drizzt who uses a couple of scimitars. Very cool books, vivid battle scense. A pleasure to read. MtM ---
**Author:** ![Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cornelius_Tuggerson)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-recommend-me-some-great-fight-scenes-in-literature/240297/11 "2004-04-16T16:46:39Z")
I’ll suggest the Fedman Kassad vs. Shrike in the **Fall of Hyperion** by **Dan Simmons**. A very detailed account of a battle between a colonial marine style soldier and an evil metal golem that can control time and space and has many evil sharp things on his body. It is very original, innovative and captivating with a somewhat unexpeted ending. ---
**Author:** ![Ender\_Will](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Ender\_Will](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ender_Will)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-recommend-me-some-great-fight-scenes-in-literature/240297/12 "2004-04-17T03:56:13Z")
> [@](#): > > In “Ender’s Game,” by Orson Scott Card, there are a series of training battles in a zero-gravity room. (Obviously, this is sci-fi.) This isn’t hand-to-hand fighting, but the strategy and tactics used in these training battles are simply marvelous. Ender’s fight with the school bully at the begining is pretty good. And when he gives Bonzo the beat down in the bathroom at Battle School. As good as the battle room fights were, it was hard for me to keep a mental layout of the “stars” and the positions of forty soldiers. In Spider Robinson’s _Lady Slings the Booze_ the capture of the time-rapist is damn good. David Sherman and Dan Cragg’s STARFIST series isn’t particularly good, but is quite entertaining. Especially the knife fight towards the end of the first book. ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-recommend-me-some-great-fight-scenes-in-literature/240297/13 "2004-04-17T14:50:39Z")
There is a scene in Faulkner’s “The Bear” in which a character wrestles the title character. It was the only part of the book I liked. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-recommend-me-some-great-fight-scenes-in-literature/240297/14 "2004-04-17T18:17:47Z")
**The Iliad**. Homer describes _every_ blow struck by _every_ soldier in _every_ battle. Personally, I found it a bit tedious. But I have read that the ancient Greeks used to pay speakers just to recite those scenes. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-recommend-me-some-great-fight-scenes-in-literature/240297/15 "2004-04-17T21:10:14Z")
Philip Jose Farmer has some excellent fight scenes in his Riverword series. This was one of the many things the Sci Fi channel decided to leave out when they based a show on the books. Non Spoiler- My favorite fight in the whole series occurs between two characters who like and admire eachother, but have wound up on different sides. They have a brief talk and can’t see an alternative to fighting, but agree to make the duel to first blood. The loser will surrender. Both are skilled duelists so there’s no chance of accidental death or even serious injury. The loser will end up with just a scratch. Farmer still makes the fight an edge-of-your-seat thrill. ---
**Author:** ![Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d9b06d/32.png) [@Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichini_Sanshigo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-recommend-me-some-great-fight-scenes-in-literature/240297/16 "2004-04-17T23:53:05Z")
Here’s another one, sort of. The main fight scene in Andrew Vacchs’s “Flood” is really good. Come to think of it, mostly all fight scenes that Vacchs writes are good, but this one… yowsa. ---
**Author:** ![gentle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eb8c5e/32.png) [@gentle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gentle)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2004, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-recommend-me-some-great-fight-scenes-in-literature/240297/17 "2004-04-18T01:13:11Z")
**Raphael Sabatini** is known for his painstakingly accurate depiction of swordfights. Curiously enough, his most famous novel, _Scaramouche_, which is about revenge and duelling, barely has any swordplay at all, which is rather disappointing considering that the main character spends years training to master the art of the sword. This being the only Sabatini novel I’ve read, I don’t know any specific books to recommend, though. **Tim Powers** , who is reportedly a fan of Sabatini, also shines when it comes to depicting a good, old-fashioned swordfight. In particular I recommend _On Stranger Tides_, which mixes magic, voodoo, the fountain of youth, Bluebeard, zombie pirates (who can not want to read about zombie pirates?) into a wonderful, clever story. Best pirate story ever. ---
**Author:** ![Crazy150](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/41988e/32.png) [@Crazy150](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazy150)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2004, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-recommend-me-some-great-fight-scenes-in-literature/240297/18 "2004-04-18T02:19:42Z")
Try reading “The Ninja” by Eric Van Lustbader (now perhaps know as just Eric Lustbader.) Very detailed fight scenes; both hand-to-hand, as well as sword fighting. ---
**Author:** ![Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myron_Van_Horowitzski)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-recommend-me-some-great-fight-scenes-in-literature/240297/19 "2004-04-19T21:02:10Z")
> [@faldureon](#): > > I’ll suggest the Fedman Kassad vs. Shrike in the **Fall of Hyperion** by **Dan Simmons**. A very detailed account of a battle between a colonial marine style soldier and an evil metal golem that can control time and space and has many evil sharp things on his body. It is very original, innovative and captivating with a somewhat unexpeted ending. And in the _Endymion_ sequels, it’s the Shrike against the Nemes-thing. Incredibly cool. Those are great books. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2004, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-recommend-me-some-great-fight-scenes-in-literature/240297/20 "2004-04-20T00:13:22Z")
In the novelization of the movie _They Live_, there’s a fistfight that lasts 36 pages. Just kidding. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-recommend-me-some-great-fight-scenes-in-literature/240297.md?page=2)