Shimmering Sword: Samurai, Western, and Star Wars Sword Fighting [Paperback]

Nick Jamilla (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2002

What would lightsaber fighting look like if the lightsaber existed in the real world? Shimmering Sword delves into the Star Wars universe by comparing sword culture on Earth with Jedi Knight lightsaber culture in George Lucas' films. Jamilla's book explains how fear and honor have regulated the life of swordsmen in Europe and Japan and describes how the sword was wielded by warriors in battle and in duels. Shimmering Sword is a look at the real world warriors who have influenced the Jedi Knight, the Master-Apprentice instruction among swordsmen and Jedi Knights, and concludes with an in-depth look at the lightsaber fights in the Star Wars films.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Nick Jamilla discusses Jedi sword fighting from the perspective of a martial artist and fencer. A blackbelt in aikido and kendo, and participant in the 1987 World Fencing Championships, Jamilla is a modern Jedi Knight with the unique background to comment on the Star Wars lightsaber.

Product Details

• Paperback: 267 pages
• Publisher: NBK Pub (May 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0971879605
• ISBN-13: 978-0971879607
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #878,263 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Brilliant Study of Swordsmanship, Martial Arts and the Jed, January 6, 2005

By 

Chefelf (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Shimmering Sword: Samurai, Western, and Star Wars Sword Fighting (Paperback)

At first glance Shimmering Sword may seem like a book that simply analyzes swordplay and its relation to the Star Wars universe. Reading the book reveals so much more. The book teaches the reader a great deal about the history and nature of sword fighting, from its roots in the creation of hunting weapons, to its advancement through the middle ages as the primary weapon of the soldier and finally to its symbolic representation as a symbol still worn by soldiers today.

Shimmering Sword explains a great deal about the nature of the sword and the culture that surrounds it. Jamilla, who has studied fencing and kendo for some twenty years combines this passion and knowledge of swordsmanship with his abilities as a teacher to dive deep into an explanation of how swords have shaped our world and culture as well as that of a galaxy far, far away.

This book does not romanticize the violent history and nature of the sword. Complete in this text are gruesome explanations of why swords developed the way they have and how they are used in battle to maim and kill one's enemies effectively.

This book works excellently on two levels: For someone looking to learn of the history of the sword, it is an excellent starting point and wonderfully informative. For the fan of Star Wars, this book will help the reader to understand the history and nature of the Jedi. How Jamilla accomplishes this explanation of the Jedi is through his historical examples of various orders of knighthood, the samurai and the warrior monks of China and Japan. The Jedi order, as Jamilla shows us, is an intricate blend of these groups or historical warriors and swordsmen.

The book also delves into the Master/Apprentice relationship and development. As a student in Japan, Jamilla has an amazing history as an apprentice in kendo, learning from a master of the art. As a teacher of fencing himself, Jamilla can also lend an interesting perspective on that aspect of the relationship.

In closing, the book takes a critical examination of the lightsaber duels in Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi and finally The Phantom Menace. This is, perhaps, the most accurate and well thought out observation of the movies' sword battles. Anyone who calls oneself a fan of Star Wars should consider reading this book for this chapter alone.

To anyone who makes a habit of reading critical analysis of the Star Wars films, this is a must read. Often books on this subject tend to build strongly on the opinions and ideas of others. This book takes a truly unique approach to a very specific portion of the films and explores it fully. It is a truly original and thoughtful work, much like the movies that inspired it.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Martial Arts Philosphy and the Jedi Way, January 21, 2007

By 

M. A. Meredith "The Black Sword" (Sacramento, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Shimmering Sword: Samurai, Western, and Star Wars Sword Fighting (Paperback)

As a martial artist myself for over 20 years, I found this book to be a bit obvious but written well enough that someone not initiated into the martial arts would probably find this very instructive. If one does not have a great deal of experience with the code of bushido (The Way of the Warrior) but love the Star Wars philosophy of the Force and the Jedi code of self-sacrifice and service to others, this book is a great introduction. I especially like the themes that run through its pages of asking what is the place of the warrior in a modern society and accepting the consequences of being a warrior who takes a stand that may be against the powers that be. All in all, a nice, quick read on warrior philosophy as portrayed in the movies.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Em. . ., January 19, 2007

By 

David L. Grant "Grantus" (New York, NY America) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Shimmering Sword: Samurai, Western, and Star Wars Sword Fighting (Paperback)

A decent overview of the historical reference points that Lucas & Co. drew on as the basis of their Jedi Knights. There is also some educated discussion concerning technique and modus operandi of swordsmen throughout history.
However, the writing is often difficult to follow, and many passages are confusingly constructed. The book is poorly edited (if it was edited at all), which makes for a good many distractions, as one tries to figure out what the author is trying to say.

Kind of frightening that the author teaces grade school.

Worth a read, if you are a great fan of the Star Wars films, or want a brief history of swordsmanship.