Edged weapon knowledge

Melee weapons are a mandatory attribute of almost any fantasy book, and often classic science fiction. But not all readers understand it (well, at least they can distinguish a sword from an ax or a spear) And this, in principle, is not a big problem - a huge amount of classic fiction simply gives the hero superpowers and allows him to do things that a normal person simply cannot do - for example, the same fencing with two-handed swords as with swords, chopping anything and everything, two-handed combat as a super ability that makes the hero unstoppable, etc.

It is all the more pleasant to read works in which it is clear that the author knows not only the basic concepts, but can also correctly describe the use of weapons, realistic techniques, tactics and battle strategy. The heroes in such books do not carry two-handed swords on their backs, they use shields and other, for some reason, unloved examples of bladed weapons.

On the other hand, often a description of a two-minute fight can take several pages with an explanation of why the hero chose this particular technique, stance, what he expected from the enemy and how he was able to deceive. Still, do not forget that in a battle with an approximately equal opponent (when you have no advantage in strength, agility or speed), the outcome is decided by the hero’s skills and ability to surprise.

Of course, a lot of attention can also be paid to the training process, especially if in the book the hero learns everything from scratch. And if the hero learns through blood and sweat, defeating increasingly powerful opponents and each time remaining on the verge of defeat, this becomes more interesting and believable than reading a story about the adventures of a super-strong hero who from the very beginning does not and will not have worthy opponents.