Well-written small-party fantasy combat scenes in literature?

[The Almighty Doer of Stuff]

I am looking for fantasy novels, novellas, short stories, etc. which include well-written combat scenes, focusing on a small party of combatants.

 

I have read very little fantasy, or indeed very little of anything. I have read "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings", although I stopped just before the ring was destroyed, having been distracted by something or other. I have also read the Everworld series of novels by K.A. Applegate. I don't remember how interesting or well-written their combat scenes were. I may have to reread them if the combat scenes were of high quality.

 

The reason I'm asking about this is that I'm attempting to write an absurdist, poetic, fantasy adventure novel featuring such combat. However, most of my experience with fantasy adventure stories is in the form of RPGs, where combat is performed rather than described. My novel calls for combat scenes, and without a frame of reference for what passes as good combat description, my novel is doomed to failure.

 

My novel is probably doomed to failure anyway, because, as I said, I read very little. My fiancée, Ashley, is writing her own novel, which I think may be destined for glory. I've suggested to her that she coauthor my novel with me, since she is much better at writing fascinating characters and descriptions, whereas my forte is poetry and coming up with whimsical ideas. Unfortunately, neither of us knows how to write combat.

 

So, does the community have any suggestions for literature which could inspire me in this area? Alternately, do any of you have particular tips that you use in your own combat writing? I would really appreciate the advice. Thanks!

[Sudanna]

R.A. Salvatore is supposed to have good fight scenes. He certainly puts a lot of detail into them, at least.

[Randomizer]

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote two historical 100 Years War novels, Sir Nigel and The White Company, that have medieval combat at the individual and full group level. Wrestling, joust, archery, siege, and battle are all used at various times. He goes into the details of different weaponry and how effective it it against armor. So you get why as well as how it is used. Also the books are very funny.

[Triumph]

I don't know if this would quite fit you what you need, but in terms of poetic combat scenes, check out...epic poetry? Sure. First, there's the Iliad and the Aeneid. Archaic weapons and supernatural interventions, check! The Iliad has more of that sort of thing, but the Aeneid has some too. Also check Paradise Lost (Milton) - it's got a war in heaven among the angels with some crazy hand-to-hand combat+cosmic forces action.

 

On the absurdist side of things, have you looked at Lewis Carroll? There are some "fight scenes" of absurdist quality in there.

[The Almighty Doer of Stuff]

I've never read Lewis Carroll, but what has seeped into my head from my limited contact with his work has been a huge influence for me, along with Edward Lear and Dr. Seuss. I need to get around to reading "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass" at some point.

 

Also, I'm not strictly looking for poetic combat. There's lots of poetry in it, but the story is told mostly via prose.

 

I'm also not looking for strict realism. This is a world with magic.

 

I'll check out R.A. Salvatore perhaps. I'd like to revisit "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" again first considering how long it's been, but I'll put it on my list.

 

Thanks, guys! I'm still looking for more recommendations.

[Randomizer]

For magical combat there is the Harold de Shea series by L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt starting with the Incompleat Enchanter, The Compleat Enchanter has the contents of the Incompleat Enchanter and the sequel, then the last two stories are in The Wall of Serpents. You get to see how magic works in the Norse myths, Spencer's The Faire Queen, The Song of Roland, Finnish and then Irish myths. Not as much regular combat, but plenty different magic systems and their rules.

[Bonam]

There is plenty of fairly good combat description in some of the long epic fantasy series... Sword of Truth, Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones), Wheel of Time, etc. Sword of Truth features lots of magical combat, between small groups as well as large armies, combat description often includes lots of gore and unpleasant scenery. Song of Ice and Fire tends towards more realistic combat, with magic substantially less prevalent, actual combat description is somewhat less frequent than some other series. Wheel of Time features much more sanitized combat with less gruesome scenery. Personally, I particularly enjoyed a lot of the combat description in Sword of Truth.

 

Another series which has some good magical combat description is the Name of the Wind; it's combat scenes are limited but they are of a high quality, in my opinion. Name of the Wind has a magic system whose function is described in great detail, almost as a science.

 

The Lord of the Rings, which you mention, is a great novel primarily for the depth and intricacy of its backstory and the world within which it is set (as described in the Silmarillion and other books), but it is not particularly "action-packed" and has only a few scenes of combat throughout, focusing much more on the description of the world of Middle-Earth as the characters travel throughout it.

 

As an aspiring author, it would probably do you well to read at least a few of the major works in the genre you are attempting to enter...

 

If I had one general tip about writing combat scenes that are engaging, I would say that the main thing you have to do is to make it seem real and make it touch the emotions of the reader, usually done by evoking the emotions and sensory perceptions (all 5 senses or more if applicable) of the main characters, that the reader (hopefully) has an emotional investment in (either identifies with them or hates them). Having an emotional impact can be done by illustrating tragic events/situations, through visceral scenery, by demonstrating heroism/bravery in the face of hopeless situations, etc. Stay away from dispassionately cataloging a mere list of combat events, unless you are writing a history book.

[Skladzien]

I don't know if A. Sapkowski's "The witcher" (originally Wiedźmin) was translated to your language but you can try to look for it.

 

P.S> Games are based on book, though The Witcher game took place few years after Saga.

[Dikiyoba]

Dikiyoba doesn't know if it's the best quality, but Dikiyoba always enjoyed the combat scenes in the early Redwall novels, especially in the original. It does more large-scale and individual combat scenes, but the style is easily adaptable to small-group combat.

[Student of Trinity]

What exactly is good writing for medieval combat scenes, anyway? Realism is hard to assess. Re-enactors can talk about how heavy weapons are to swing, and so on, but nobody re-enacts to the death. Realism to the point of vividly describing gruesome injuries is probably not going to sell all that widely. It might even get boring, if I'm right in guessing that what mostly happens is blood.

 

I liked the handful of fight scenes in The Lies of Locke Lamora. They're done as plot rather than description. Something happens, so something happens, so something else happens. You can follow the thread of events and it seems to make sense even when it's surprising. In that way, I'd say that there's probably no big difference between writing battles and writing anything else. Descriptions are boring and action is better; show, don't tell.

6. Never use the words "suddenly" or "all hell broke loose."

[Edgwyn]

The Dragonlance books, especially the original triology are probably worth looking at (at least from what I remember). Also, while they weren't great from a literary standpoint, some of the best of the classic AD&D adventures were turned into novels and of course all contain small party fantasy battles. They were published under the series title "Greyhawk Classics". Titles included "The Temple of Elemental Evil" and "White Plume Mountain".

[Death Knight]

R.A. Salvatore is supposed to have good fight scenes. He certainly puts a lot of detail into them, at least.

 

This is somewhat true. I read all of his books up to the the Orc King where I stopped. I found that while the characters were cool, the fight scenes were so confusing for the common eye. I'm not saying I don't like them but there were only about 50% of them that I understood what exactly was happening. He's a great author but I found that the Fighters series of Forgotten realms novels was better. Im almost finished with Master of Chains which was excellent. The fight scenes and story was more realistic than feint within a feint within a feint of drizzt books You gotta really ask yourself just how realistic is it when the fighter is preparing for all this stuff when in reality most fights are over within 10-20 seconds. Also the power of his characters is unrealistic and that is something Salvatore has admitted. He openly admitted that most of the fighters in some of the infinity engine games were more powerful than drizzt, artemis and other fighters of the hall. Sarevok, Yaga shura, the Players Character in BG2 are all more powerful fighters than Drizzt, Artemis and the rest of his merry men. Only Obould can kill basically anything in melee with ease. So I guess I got to give him that.

[Aramazon]

Raymond E Feist's Betrayal at Krondor book. Not the incredible amazing bestest RPG game ever, but the book. I have no doubt that the rest of his novels are as brilliant. The combat was really what stood out for me in the novel. It was so well written, it was like watching a movie.