Customer Reviews

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Swords and Sabers: An authorative history and visual directory of edged weapons from around the world, shown in over 800 stunning colour photographs

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a good reference with a lot of material. It has a broad coverage and thus lacks depth on any one ietm. They could have had more room for the swords if they left out the coverage of polearms, but that doesn't take up too much room. The illustrations are excellent. My only real complaint is that there are a number of references in the text to important examples or specific items which are then not pictured. Nonetheless it is well worth the price.

At a time in history where technology takes center stage, it is refreshing to find a book steeped in history concerning a subject that at one time was more vital than most, reemerge with such a vivid visual reference. Encyclopedia's, by their nature can be dry, lofty volumes, yet this book is not. It is more concise than I would desire, yet still excellent in comparison to other books on the same subject, mainly because of the visual presentation which is necessary to the subject matter.

I purchased this book for my 13 year old grandson who is a sword enthusiast. He just loved the book. We could not get it out of his hands, but he does love to read and he is very interested in history.

Actually more than a Coffee table book... a great and comprehensive guide to the world of Swords. Great images, huge book.
Worth a look for the sword afficianado.

The details are fantastic. As are the illustrations of the swords that have been discovered over the years. The author takes the time to explain why the swords were made in so many ways, their strengths and weaknesses.

If you know absolutely nothing about the subject and want to get your toes wet, this is a good coffee table treatment of a vast subject. For 4000 years the sword was a symbol of power and entitlement. It was a martial art that took years to master. As technologies evolved the sword also changed and diversified. The myth of the slow, heavy and not overly sharp western sword has been exploded by the research of the past 25 years. Western swords may have developed more pragmatically than their eastern counterparts, but they were as often as not the equal or functionally better than what was developed elsewhere.

You will get the gist of this from this book. The illustrations and graphics are excellent; they just wind up being pretty superficial.

If you want it for the art I'd shop the amazon secondary market and get this as cheap as you can.

Addendum:

What the heck is goin on?? I paid 28.00 for this book and it's selling for 200.00 a pop on the used market? Hey contact me!! You can have mine for 150.00. Really it's an okay piece, but a lot's missing from this book. As my good friend Elmer Fudd told me, " I weewee don't see why dis book is selwing fow tho much, when it's weewee kinda cwappee."