Review: A book no author should be without
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 4, 2012
Whatever your genre, this is a book every author should have in his/her library. I can hold my own in a discussion about swords or guns; I've been shooting guns since I was six, and obsessing over swords since I started watching Highlander (I do have quite a collection). Even though I feel comfortable with both categories of weapons, even these sections fun and full of new ideas.My favorite Sword Blunder;"Generic sword which can hack, slash, cleave, stab, slice, pierce, thrust, cut through armour, split bricks and whirl through the air... as if a single sword could do everything." Rayne Hall, Writing Fight Scenes (Kindle Locations 466-467).Yes, yes, yes, thank you, and yes! That's one that drives me crazy.The rest of the weapons, I'm not so familiar with, outside of playing Soul Caliber or Dynasty Warriors.Do you know how to properly use a stone sling? Hint: It doesn't involve "frantic whirling around and around." Or understand the connotations of daggers? The different effects of fighting on men and women? How to integrate the senses and setting into a fight scene effectively?Just take a look at the Table of Contents for this book and you'll realize how valuable it can be. It's a short book, but it gets to the point and provides direction to numerous outside sources including video clips of scenes to consider. Each section is broken down into a description of the weapons, how to use them, how they impact the battle, and "Blunders to Avoid." It'll save you a lot of time and effort. Even if you don't anticipate full-scale fight scenes in your book, you're sure to find something within these pages that will spice up the book and allow some some added depth for your characters.My favorite chapters were toward the end; Psychological Barriers, The Inside Experience (PoV), Genres, Pacing, and Sabre-Sharp Dialogue. Rayne Hall also provides ideas for the types of vocabulary appropriate for fight scenes--a valuable too when you're struggling to find the right word.My verdict--If you're an author you can't afford not to read it.(Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.)