Swordfighting, for Writers, Game Designers and Martial Artists

"Useful, helpful, absorbing, entertaining. Whether you are interested in weaponry or, like me, researching details for a novel, this is the book for you." - Helen Hollick

Your search for a book that will feed your passion for and deepen your knowledge of swordsmanship ends here.

Guy Windsor's Swordfighting offers insight into this magnificent historical European martial art: you will find answers to your burning questions about swordsmanship, its theory and practice.

This carefully crafted book provides essential information on diverse topics with piercing clarity.

"Whether you are a writer or game-maker seeking the kind of information I sought while writing The Baroque Cycle, or just a general reader with an interest in the arts to which Guy Windsor has dedicated his career, you should find much that is rewarding in these pages." - Neal Stephenson, New York Times bestselling and multi-award-winning author

Made up of a selection of Guy's essays and articles, with a great deal of brand new material, this engaging and revealing book makes this complex subject accessible, enabling you to deep-dive into —

- Benefits of training

- Types of weapons

- Sword fighting principles

- Historical accuracy

If you are an actor, writer or games designer creating or writing fight scenes, this book provides cutting-edge research on our European martial arts heritage. You will also discover the dos and don'ts of producing a stunningly realistic sword fight.

Swordfighting is not a training manual. For technical instruction on specific swordsmanship styles, pick up The Medieval Longsword and The Duellist's Companion.