Topic of the Week - Happiness is a Warm Gun

[jer_bear711]

Since tomorrow is Veterans/Remembrance/Armistice Day, this topic seemed appropriate (or maybe horribly inappropriate--you decide):

jtucktattoo asks:

How do you go about picking weaponry/fighting styles for your characters? Do you choose things simply for their inherent "cool" factor, or do other things weigh in?

Great question, and one that points to an aspect

Comments

[jer_bear711]

For the most part, I try to stay away from specifics on fighting and weapons in my novels, for fear of exposing my complete cluelessness. That's one reason why most of my POV characters tend to fight with their brains (or magic powers like pyrokinetics) instead of their fists

[ruadan63]

The hero of my fantasy novel "The Sword-Edged Blonde" is a medieval-style private eye (known in his world by the derogative term 'sword jockey'). I decided that, since he'd had childhood weapons training and is a veteran of years as a mercenary, his fights would be very short; he would either win quickly, or know he couldn't and not waste his time fighting.

I have no professional "vampire hunters" in my novel "Blood Groove," but I made sure the characters who do go hunting for them used weapons that were foreshadowed and grounded in experience and expertise.

[jer_bear711]

his fights would be very short; he would either win quickly, or know he couldn't and not waste his time fighting.

This is a really good point. Knowing when not to engage is such an important skill for a warrior, and pointing this out in a novel lends an air of realism.

I'm still trying to figure out that title, though. But it makes me want to read the book to find out what the heck a sword-edged blonde is. ;-)

[tom_gallier]

A sword edge blonde is one sharp lass.

[lnhammer]

Insofar as my characters get into any fights at all, it's usually brawling with fists, or occasionally with teeth and claws.

Course, I'm writing comedy. With high school kids.

---L.

[jer_bear711]

Ouch--teeth and claws make for nasty, infection-prone wounds. :-)

[dpeterfreund]

Hmmmm, can't say too much about this, as learning to use the weaponry is a major plot point in the book.

In my case, it was a mix of "what can kill this particular monster" and trying to figure out how to have a modern book about hunting where they don't just use long-range sniper rifles, because hey, that's boring. Sitting on a rooftop and picking off the unicorns as they gallop by? Forget it.

[jer_bear711]

Funny, as I was writing this post I remembered that scene in RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK where Indy was confronted with a guy who whipped around a pair of machetes in a masterful, intimidating way, and then Indy just shot him.

But it wouldn't take much for me to believe that unicorns were bullet-proof. :-)

[jessaslade]

Oh that Indy scene! The bestest scene ever! The timing, expressions and action are impeccable. I fell in love that day :)

[reneesweet]

I read somewhere (IMDB?) that that scene was improv--that Harrison Ford was feeling under the weather and decided spur of the moment to use the gun instead of fighting the guy because he didn't feel up to it. Genius!

[sylverkit]

I love fighting scenes. I love imagining the battle in my head, the various strikes, parries, and fancy steps, and making it come alive in the story. Most of my characters use swords, but than again, most of my characters are urban faeries, so metal guns=ouch

[jer_bear711]

I'm the exact opposite--love scenes, no prob, but fights scenes are a nightmare. That's a great idea you have to use anime or samurai movies to get the moves down and recreating them verbally.

[dawn_metcalf]

Hear! Hear!

[reneesweet]

Did you, O Karate Mistress, just agree that writing fight scenes are a nightmare?? o_O