Fiction in which fencing plays a prominent role. There's not much fencing fiction, so even mediocre work is welcome on the list, so long as it is ranked appropriately.

Fiction only, please.

Please don't add novels—especially fantasy—in which swordplay is not the main focus of the story (e.g. R.A. Salvatore).
1

by
4.27 avg rating — 956,325 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2

by
4.10 avg rating — 350,758 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
3

by
4.03 avg rating — 1,072,896 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
4

by
4.07 avg rating — 142,998 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
5

by
4.03 avg rating — 376,810 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
6

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 66,543 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
7

by
4.10 avg rating — 9,361 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
8

by
4.06 avg rating — 92,014 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
9

by
3.83 avg rating — 22,917 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
10

by
3.80 avg rating — 12,050 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
11

by
3.80 avg rating — 24,814 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
12

by
4.09 avg rating — 26,179 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
13

by
3.85 avg rating — 548,300 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
14

by
4.18 avg rating — 17,909 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
15

by
4.29 avg rating — 1,668,151 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
16

by
3.93 avg rating — 5,472 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
17

by
3.79 avg rating — 68,655 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
18

by
3.45 avg rating — 6,106 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
19

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 7,320 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
20

by
3.91 avg rating — 30,111 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
21

by
3.52 avg rating — 3,409 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
22

by
3.80 avg rating — 11,100 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
23

by
3.81 avg rating — 61,130 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
24

by
4.08 avg rating — 3,806 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
25

by
4.13 avg rating — 26,074 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
26

by
3.75 avg rating — 19,075 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
27

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 8,800 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
28

by
4.29 avg rating — 955,654 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
29

by
4.06 avg rating — 2,193,695 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
30

by
4.10 avg rating — 430,466 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
31

by
3.99 avg rating — 11,851 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
32

by
3.59 avg rating — 352 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
33

by
4.10 avg rating — 22,063 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
34

by
4.45 avg rating — 2,775,475 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
35

by
4.10 avg rating — 1,003,627 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
36

by
4.05 avg rating — 21,663 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
37

by
4.11 avg rating — 13,023 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
4.14 avg rating — 19,142 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
39

by
4.13 avg rating — 845 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
40

by
3.89 avg rating — 1,653 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
41

by
3.68 avg rating — 108,957 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
42

by
3.93 avg rating — 3,485 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
43

by
4.22 avg rating — 324,405 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
44

by
3.84 avg rating — 2,076 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
45

by
3.90 avg rating — 4,694 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
46

by
3.79 avg rating — 14,728 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
47

by
4.20 avg rating — 10,589 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
48

by
3.78 avg rating — 2,749 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
49

by
3.91 avg rating — 2,261 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
50

by
3.71 avg rating — 582 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
51

by
3.99 avg rating — 2,233 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
51

by
4.07 avg rating — 1,401 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
53

by
4.13 avg rating — 2,044 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
53

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1,625 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
55

by
4.06 avg rating — 16 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
56

by
3.89 avg rating — 1,547 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
57

by
3.90 avg rating — 1,340 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
57

by
3.88 avg rating — 3,117 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
59

by
4.10 avg rating — 5,297 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
3.73 avg rating — 642 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
61

by
3.59 avg rating — 1,103 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
61

by
3.87 avg rating — 11,425 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
63

by
3.88 avg rating — 2,179 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
63

by
3.91 avg rating — 407 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
63

by
3.87 avg rating — 3,550 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
63

by
4.38 avg rating — 3,497 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
67

by
3.98 avg rating — 97 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
67

by
3.73 avg rating — 4,743 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
69

by
3.70 avg rating — 442 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
70

by
3.42 avg rating — 178 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
70

by
3.44 avg rating — 5,122 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
72

by
4.18 avg rating — 190,363 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
73

by
3.82 avg rating — 533 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
73

by
3.94 avg rating — 12,628 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
75

by
4.27 avg rating — 976 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
76

by
3.79 avg rating — 21,793 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
77

by
3.74 avg rating — 390 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
78

by
4.09 avg rating — 5,295 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
79

by
4.04 avg rating — 5,136 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
80

by
4.23 avg rating — 78,468 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
81

by
4.24 avg rating — 9,821 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
81

by
4.27 avg rating — 11,697 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
3.62 avg rating — 2,961 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
4.61 avg rating — 76 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
4.15 avg rating — 603 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
4.15 avg rating — 921 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
4.49 avg rating — 99 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
4.11 avg rating — 696 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
4.01 avg rating — 71 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
3.86 avg rating — 2,713 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
4.20 avg rating — 464 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
3.89 avg rating — 55 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
4.14 avg rating — 412 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
3.93 avg rating — 239 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 8 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
97

by
3.73 avg rating — 1,305 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
97

by
3.75 avg rating — 664 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
97

by
3.89 avg rating — 422 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
97

by
3.74 avg rating — 810 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
156 books · 221 voters · list created July 2nd, 2008 by Michael (votes) .
42 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


Michael 696 books
81 friends
Jennifer 3977 books
52 friends
CLM 11158 books
220 friends
Nessie 854 books
106 friends
Michael 836 books
4975 friends
Megan 923 books
174 friends
Christy 7506 books
2606 friends
Jake 1386 books
89 friends

More voters…


Comments Showing 1-21 of 21 (21 new)

dateUp arrow    newest »

message 1: by Xenophon (last edited Dec 06, 2010 10:36AM) (new)

Xenophon Hendrix Do you want this restricted to light swords or are books with any kind of sword training and swordplay OK?


message 2: by Michael (new)

Michael Yes, rapiers, modern fencing, etc. are great.

Conan is right out, as are most fantasy novels in which swordplay is part of the genre but not prominent part of the story.

Thanks for asking!


message 3: by Xenophon (new)

Xenophon Hendrix OK. I've removed three, but the rest of the Dave Duncan fantasies that I added have swordsmanship with light swords heavily featured in the story.


message 4: by Michael (new)

Michael Thanks!


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads We taking plays?


message 6: by [deleted user] (last edited Dec 17, 2010 11:10AM) (new)

Hamlet is dying to make an appearance! I see Cyrano is already present.


message 7: by Michael (new)

Michael Plays work, sure.


Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) Enter stage right, the Prince of Denmark.

P.S. I take it the likes of Macbeth and Coriolanus are not eligible, though, being more about heavy swordplay?


message 9: by Michael (new)

Michael Ya, let's pass on the claymores, etc., please.


message 10: by Cyrus (new)

Cyrus INTERESTING


message 11: by Dana (new)

Dana Drosdick I just wanted to say that reading books like these is what interested me in starting fencing lessons! My first lesson is in September so I'm excited. Thanks for the recommendations :)


message 12: by Michael (new)

Michael Excellent, Dana! Hope you enjoy your lessons.


Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) Where is there fencing -- especially: as a core focus of the book! -- in The Little Prince (currently No. 23)?!


message 15: by Michael (new)

Michael Missed that one in the purge last night. Thanks.


Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) You're welcome ...


message 17: by Richard (new)

Richard A Sundial in a Grave: 1610 by Mary Gentle has a HUGE amount of fencing in it, good description of technique too (I've done a fair bit of Capo Fero) :)


Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) Everybody can add books to GR lists, Richard; there's a tab up top next to "all votes."


message 19: by Michael (new)

Michael Dana wrote: "I just wanted to say that reading books like these is what interested me in starting fencing lessons! My first lesson is in September so I'm excited. Thanks for the recommendations :)"

Fantastic! Hope you've been enjoying your lessons.


message 20: by Joe (new)

Joe Lunievicz Open Wounds, by Joseph Lunievicz.


message 21: by Russell (new)

Russell John Great list!


back to top



Related News

Need another excuse to treat yourself to a new book this week? We’ve got you covered with the buzziest new releases of the day, according to early...

Anyone can add books to this list.