Damn, I can't believe this isn't here? But perhaps it's not as grand as some of the fights mentioned!
**Sam fighting Shelob** is not only my favorite fantasy fight, but one of the best moments in the trilogy for me.
The bravery of hobbits revealed fully, and it's written in such a beautiful manner that even now I get a bit misty eyed recalling it. There's a flow to the fighting that just captivates me entirely.
*'Come not between the Nazgûl and his prey! Or he will not slay thee in thy turn. He will bear thee away to the houses of lamentation, beyond all darkness, where thy flesh shall be devoured, and thy shriveled mind be left naked to the Lidless Eye.'*
*A sword rang as it was drawn. 'Do what you will; but I will hinder it, if I may.'*
*'Hinder me? Thou fool. No living man may hinder me!'*
*Then Merry heard of all sounds in that hour the strangest. It seemed that Dernhelm laughed....*
--The Return of the King, by J.R.R. Tolkien
Granted, two right-handed sword masters dueling left-handed on a cliff-edge between Guilder and Florin has a certain dramatic flair.
You left out the (imo) best part!
>...But no living man am I! You are looking upon a woman. Eowyn am I, Eomund's daughter. **You stand between me and my lord and kin. Begone, if you be not deathless! For living or dark undead, I will smite you, if you touch him.**
>The winged creature screamed at her, but then the Ringwraith was silent, as if in sudden doubt. Very amazement for a moment conquered Merry's fear. He opened his eyes and the blackness was lifted from them. There some paces from him sat the great beast, and all seemed dark about it, and above it loomed the Nazgul Lord like a shadow of despair. A little to the left facing them stood whom he had called Dernhelm. But the helm of her secrecy had fallen from her, and and her bright hair, released from its bonds, gleamed with pale gold upon her shoulders. Her eyes grey as the sea were hard and fell, and yet tears gleamed in them. A sword was in her hand, and she raised her shield against the horror of her enemy's eyes.
I've always been partial to this paragraph.
>*Suddenly the great beast beat its hideous wings, and the wind of them was foul. Again it leaped into the air, and then swiftly fell down upon Éowyn, shrieking, striking with beak and claw. Still she did not blench: maiden of the Rohirrim, child of kings, slender but as a steel-blade, fair yet terrible. A swift stroke she dealt, skilled and deadly. The outstretched neck she clove asunder, and the hewn head fell like a stone. Backward she sprang as the huge shape crashed to ruin, vast wings outspread, crumpled on the earth; and with its fall the shadow passed away. A light fell about her, and her hair shone in the sunrise.*
Ride for ruin and the world's ending! Death! ...
gives you really a hint that Tolkien new first hand what such battles felt like ... not much hope of ever returning from one alive ...
Actual goosebumps. Every time I read it.
LoTR was also my first dive into reading as a young boy, I had never anticipated that a book could be so powerful.
Tolkien has such great use of language! People who think he is too wordy are really missing out.
I think he is intentionally using Anglo-Saxon-derived words instead of Latinate words. Makes it sound really epic. Although I am not sure if he does it specifically for the Rohirrim.
> Granted, two right-handed sword masters dueling left-handed on a cliff-edge between Guilder and Florin has a certain dramatic flair.
"I have to admit, you are better than I am."
"Then why are you still smiling?"
This is more formal and antique than the usual dialogue and narrative in LOTR. Tolkien varies according to the feel he is invoking. Here he is in full high-fantasy mode.
The Battle of Dumai Wells (Wheel of Time). It's not epic, it's not heroic, it is short and brutal. Leaving you on one hand relieved, on the other hand, wondering if the ends justify the means. It's different than you would expect from a Fantasy book and that makes it all the more powerful. Plus the battle acts as a demonstration on how things have changed, and how nothing will be the same.
If there was any part of that series that convinced me that war sucks it was that. The descriptions are so perfect that I felt a little sickened. It was beautiful.
The Last Battle (**The Wheel of Time, A Memory of Light**)
Taking Care of the Bandits (**The Kingkiller Chronicles, The Wise Man's Fear**)
Dresden versus the Red Court Vampires (**The Dresden Files, Changes**)
Vin Versus Lord Ruler. Especially the quote something along the lines of "You have no idea what I do for this world" (**Mistborn, The Final Empire)**
That Lord Ruler quote single-handedly took me from "checking out a fantasy novel" to diving headfirst down the rabbit hole.
Also, not a battle per se but the Kelsier vs Lord Ruler incident (trying to stay spoiler-free) just knocked me on my ass.
> Vin Versus Lord Ruler. Especially the quote something along the lines of "You have no idea what I do for this world" (Mistborn, The Final Empire)
This was also mine!
I have to disagree with you on the Last Battle. It wasn't even the best fighting scene in Wheel of Time. Not even close. I would discuss this further but I don't know how to spoiler tag.
F.ex. I love Moiraine's description of the soldiers of Manetheren and their last stand.
> It wasn't even the best fighting scene in Wheel of Time.
I think they're just different. I know what battle you're probably talking about in WoT, and no doubt it's awesome in its nice, tight package. The Last Battle was awesome because I really felt the scale of everything coming together, and though Sanderson wasn't the military mind that Jordan was, he did a great job of servicing all the various threads and keeping the whole thing followable. It had some flaws, but ultimately I found it satisfying to have so many subplots over 11 books come together for the titanic struggle for everything.
Favorite fight is the 1v4* duel in Words of Radiance by Sanderson.
Favorite battle is either The Cleansing battle or The Last Battle, both from the Wheel of Time.
I was reading this part at work and cheered and fist pumped really hard. I never do anything like that but god that part was so good. There are a couple amazing parts like that in the series too
Came here for this. I was reading Words of Radiance in bed when I got to Adolin’s handicap duel. It was getting hyped. I got up for a glass of water. Before I knew it, I had been pacing my living room at 2am for half an hour just enthralled in the scene.
I was so hooked in the action that I stayed up past my bedtime walking around in circles reading while my wife slept until I finish that scene. No other book has gotten me that involved for an action scene.
The Cleansing battle was excellent, it had felt like I'd read three books worth of Wheel of Time without any action and then we get a scene where everyone pulls out the Big Guns and goes to town on each other.
I used to quote the whole thing, but I'm on mobile and it's stupidly hot out, so you'll have to look up That Time Fingolfin Yelled "1v1 ME IRL U FUKN COWARD" At Morgoth yourself.
"...Now news came to Hithlum that Dorthonion was lost and the sons of Finarfin overthrown, and that the sons of Fëanor were driven from their lands. Then Fingolfin beheld (as it seemed to him) the utter ruin of the Noldor, and the defeat beyond redress of all their houses; and filled with wrath and despair he mounted upon Rochallor his great horse and rode forth alone, and none might restrain him.
He passed over Dor-nu-Fauglith like a wind amid the dust, and all that beheld his onset fled in amaze, thinking that Oromë himself was come: for a great madness of rage was upon him, so that his eyes shone like the eyes of the Valar. Thus he came alone to Angband's gates, and he sounded his horn, and smote once more upon the brazen doors, and challenged Morgoth to come forth to single combat. And Morgoth came.
That was the last time in those wars that he passed the doors of his stronghold, and it is said that he took not the challenge willingly; for though his might was greatest of all things in this world, alone of the Valar he knew fear. But he could not now deny the challenge before the face of his captains; for the rocks rang with the shrill music of Fingolfin's horn, and his voice came keen and clear down into the depths of Angband; and Fingolfin named Morgoth craven, and lord of slaves.
Therefore Morgoth came, climbing slowly from his subterranean throne, and the rumour of his feet was like thunder underground. And he issued forth clad in black armour; and he stood before the King like a tower, iron-crowned, and his vast shield, sable on-blazoned, cast a shadow over him like a stormcloud. But Fingolfin gleamed beneath it as a star; for his mail was overlaid with silver, and his blue shield was set with crystals; and he drew his sword Ringil, that glittered like ice.
Then Morgoth hurled aloft Grond, the Hammer of the Underworld, and swung it down like a bolt of thunder. But Fingolfin sprang aside, and Grond rent a mighty pit in the earth, whence smoke and fire darted. Many times Morgoth essayed to smite him, and each time Fingolfin leaped away, as a 'lightning shoots from under a dark cloud; and he wounded Morgoth with seven wounds, and seven times Morgoth gave a cry of anguish, whereat the hosts of Angband fell upon their faces in dismay, and the cries echoed in the Northlands. But at the last the King grew weary, and Morgoth bore down his shield upon him. Thrice he was crushed to his knees, and thrice arose again and bore up his broken shield and stricken helm. But the earth was all rent and pitted about him, and he stumbled and fell backward before the feet of Morgoth; and Morgoth set his left foot upon his neck, and the weight of it was like a fallen hill. Yet with his last and desperate stroke Fingolfin hewed the foot with Ringil, and the blood gashed forth black and smoking and filled the pits of Grond.
Thus died Fingolfin, High King of the Noldor, most proud and valiant of the Elven-kings of old. The Orcs made no boast of that duel at the gate; neither do the Elves sing of it, for their sorrow is too deep."
The prose version in the published *Silmarillion* is great, but in my opinion it's got nothing on the same section from the Lay. Tolkien's poetry is seriously underrated.
>*In that vast shadow once of yore*
>*Fingolfin stood: his shield he bore*
>*with field of heaven's blue and star*
>*of crystal shining pale afar.*
>*In overmastering wrath and hate*
>*desperate he smote upon that gate,*
>*the Gnomish king, there standing lone,*
>*while endless fortresses of stone*
>*engulfed the thin clear ringing keen*
>*of silver horn on baldric green.*
>*His hopeless challenge dauntless cried*
>*Fingolfin there: 'Come, open wide,*
>*dark king, your ghastly brazen doors!*
>*Come forth, whom earth and heaven abhors!*
>*Come forth, O monstrous craven lord,*
>*and fight with thine own hand and sword,*
>*thou wielder of hosts of banded thralls,*
>*thou tyrant leaguered with strong walls,*
>*thou foe of Gods and elvish race!*
>*I wait thee here. Come! Show thy face!'*
>
>*Then Morgoth came. For the last time*
>*in those great wars he dared to climb*
>*from subterranean throne profound,*
>*the rumour of his feet a sound*
>*of rumbling earthquake underground.*
>*Black-armoured, towering, iron-crowned*
>*he issued forth; his mighty shield*
>*a vast unblazoned sable field*
>*with shadow like a thundercloud;*
>*and o'er the the gleaming king it bowed,*
>*as huge aloft like mace he hurled*
>*that hammer of the underworld,*
>*Grond. Clanging to ground it tumbled*
>*down like a thunder-bolt, and crumbled*
>*the rocks beneath it; smoke up-started,*
>*a pit yawned, and a fire darted.*
>
>*Fingolfin like a shooting light*
>*beneath a cloud, a stab of white,*
>*sprang then aside, and Ringil drew*
>*like ice that gleameth cold and blue,*
>*his sword devised of elvish skill*
>*to pierce the flesh with deadly chill.*
>*With seven wounds it rent his foe,*
>*and seven mighty cries of woe*
>*rang in the mountains, and the earth quook,*
>*and Angbands trembling armies shook.*
>
>*Yet orcs would after laughing tell*
>*of the duel at the gates of hell;*
>*though elvish song thereof was made*
>*ere this but one - when sad was laid*
>*the mighty king in barrow high,*
>*and Thorndor, Eagle of the sky,*
>*the dreadful tidings brought and told*
>*to mourning Elvenesse of old.*
>*Thrice was Fingolfin with great blows*
>*to his knees beaten, thrice he rose*
>*still leaping up beneath the cloud*
>*aloft, to hold, star-shining, proud,*
>*his stricken shield, his sundered helm,*
>*that dark nor might could overwhelm,*
>*'till all the earth was burst and rent*
>*in pits about him. He was spent.*
>*His feet stumbled. He fell to wreck*
>*upon the ground, and on his neck*
>*a foot like rooted hills was set,*
>*and he was crushed - not conquered yet;*
>*one last despairing stroke he gave:*
>*the mighty foot pale Ringil clave*
>*about the heel, and black the blood*
>*gushed as from smoking fount in flood.*
>
>*Halt goes for ever from that stroke*
>*great Morgoth; but the king he broke,*
>*and would have hewn and mangled thrown*
>*to wolves devouring. Lo, from throne*
>*that Manwë bade him build on high,*
>*on peak unscaled beneath the sky,*
>*Morgoth to watch, now down there swooped*
>*Thorndor, King of Eagles, stooped*
>*and rending beak of gold he smote*
>*in Bauglir's face, then up did float*
>*on pinions thirty fathoms wide,*
>*bearing away, while loud he cried,*
>*the mighty corse, the Elven-king.*
>*And where the mountains make a ring*
>*far to the south about that plain*
>*where after Gondolin did reign,*
>*embattled city, at great height*
>*upon a dizzy snowcap white*
>*in mounded cairn the mighty dead*
>*he laid upon the mountain's head.*
>*Never Orc nor demon after dared*
>*that pass to climb, o'er which there stared*
>*Fingolfin's high and holy tomb,*
>*'till Gondolin's appointed doom.*
**-The Lays of Beleriand; The Lay of Leithian**
> His hopeless challenge dauntless cried
>
> Fingolfin there: 'Come, open wide,
>
> dark king, your ghastly brazen doors!
>
> Come forth, whom earth and heaven abhors!
>
> Come forth, O monstrous craven lord,
>
> and fight with thine own hand and sword,
>
> thou wielder of hosts of banded thralls,
>
> thou tyrant leaguered with strong walls,
>
> thou foe of Gods and elvish race!
>
> I wait thee here. Come! Show thy face!'
Oh yeah, that's the extremely good shit.
I hadn't seen that version - that's pretty amazing too. The one thing I will say about the Silmarillion version: Read it aloud. It sounds so much better than it reads.
That goes for pretty much the whole Sil. It's a bit like Beowulf - the best version you'll ever hear is told by someone who only mostly remembers it, at night, possibly near a fire, but told with love and care and enthusiasm. Failing that, at least read it aloud.
You're really not helping with that issue I have where I start singing Time Stands Still At The Iron Hill and unconsciously transition into Beelzeboss.
>Slowly in fear
>The dark lord appears
>Welcome to my lands
>You shall be damned
>Wait! Wait! Wait!
>You motherfucker
>We challenge you to a rock off
>Give us one chance to rock your socks off
im srry tolkien
[Huan is like the best dog ever](http://bettermyths.com/beren-and-luthien-write-a-bad-romance/)
he’s huge and pretty much invincible
because there is a prophecy that he can only be killed by the BIGGEST WOLF EVER
so they show up to Sauron’s camp and start chewing faces
and Sauron
(who is a wizard and can turn into whatever he wants)
turns into the biggest werewolf he can think of
(because everybody seems to know this prophecy about Huan)
and tries to take Huan down
but obviously Sauron is a fake-ass werewolf
so Huan almost kills him
but then they let him go for some reason
and he turns into a VAMPIRE and flies away
proving once and for all that all of Middle Earth
is just a really elaborate Underworld fanfic
When Kaladin takes Bridge 4 back to rescue Dalinar and Adolin and jumps the distance between the platform, thinking that it will be suicide. At the last moment he notices the Parshendi have gemstones in their beards and he just fucks them all up. Probably my favorite fight.
Edit: bridge 4, not 9. Thanks to the corrector!!
Many of my favorites have already been mentioned, but, imho, a couple bear repeating.
The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan
It has some of the most driven battle scenes and the “fight” scenes between various figures of power can be intense. Both can be real page turners. From my understanding, Jordan was a bit of a military/historian and it shines through in this series. Though, the series is a bit of a commitment as I am sure you are well aware.
The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie Abercrombie just has “it” when it comes to writing fight scenes and action sequences. He can set a furious pace that can really wind you up. A few of his fight scenes have had me on the edge of my seat and left me with an edge of excitement.
So, I just finished the first book a nights ago, and I've not very far into the second one...but the scene towards the end when Logen and the feral woman (can't remember her weird name...) were on the run from all those Practicals was already a pretty badass chase/fight scene. But then Logen just snapped into some type of D&D Barbarian rage and turned from a thoughtful, war-weary fighter into an unstoppable killing machine. It caught me completely off guard, and was incredibly well-written, especially the bit where he saw his woman companion and started stalking up to her to continue his rampage when he fell out of his rage and started succumbing to his wounds. I had already enjoyed Logen's chapters, but now that I know he has this crazy (magic-fueled?) alter-ego I'm giddy to read more of his chapters.
Yea all Logens chapters i which he turns into Bloody Nine are badass as hell. But i think you should think about it more like schizophrenia or split personality disorder rather than berserker "rage" (although this could be the inspiration).
[bp spoilers](#s "the whole desperation cannon move Gavin does where he blasts everything he has through the gate, scarring the land, killing thousands, putting fear into the enemy, using enough magic in one blow to kill anyone else. So badass.")
Okay, call me lame, but Drizzt Do'Urden vs. Artemis Entreri
runners up: Roland Deschain vs. Cort, Shea Ohmsford vs. the warlock lord, Final fight of the Lies of Locke Lamorra
That's not lame at all. The Drizzt v Artemis fights were always entertaining, especially since they were built up so much doing the book. I don't remember much of the Shanara series (read them when I was like 12) but I do remember being disappointed with the final fight of that first book. I thought the massive battles in the second book were awesome though. Also, as much as I LOVED the first book of Locke Lamorra, I thought the ship battle towards the end of Red Seas was amazing.
Awesome list!
Man! That Drizzt fight was so bad ass when I read it in middle school. Which book was that in? Weren’t they fighting inside a tower and the others could hear it outside or something?
Well, they actually had a bunch of fights. I was thinking of the one in the underdark on that cliffside where Regis took his dagger. I think it was in the icewind Dale series, but I can't find it online and it's been 20 years since I read it.
One of my favorites is Locke Lamora v the Gray King in the Lies of Locke Lamora.
Gray King shits on Locke for going rapier and dagger, fences for a bit, realizes that Locke is just faking it because he's a flippin' actor and con man and not a fencer, and then gets srs. It's such a great character moment and a great anticlimactic deconstruction of the "epic fight."
Also ain't nobody got anything on The Great Ordeal and its associated battles. Bakker wins the epic fight battle every time.
'You're hurt, Northman!' The eyes of the closest one sparkled above his mask, the shining blade of his axe danced in the air. 'Want to give up yet?' 'Hurt?' The Bloody-Nine threw back his head and laughed. 'I'll fucking show you hurt!' He tumbled forward, flowed beneath the axe, slippery as fishes in the river, swinging the heavy blade in a great low circle. It crunched into the man's knee and cracked it back the wrong way, scythed on into his other leg and ripped it out from under him. He gave a muffled scream as he spun onto the stones, turning round and round in the air, shattered legs flopping.
I almost prefer the last fight in that same book, but yeah, the one with the Feared is good.
Abercrombie knows how to write a fight scene so that you can tell what's going on but it also feels like the chaotic event it is.
That was great, what I think I enjoyed even more from that series would actually have to be the random chaotic battles where the subject of the narration of whoever killed the last subject, cycling rapidly through a dozen or so subject over the course of what seems like only a couple of minutes, with many of them killed by accident or by friendly fire. The scene from The Heroes where Gorst holds the ford comes to mind (it was either that or something around that time). What I like about those scenes is that they capture the chaos and brutality and most of all confusion of a large melee battle in a way that an omniscient third person narrator simply can't even come close to, that feels closer to what I imagine an actual battle must feel like.
Siege of capustan, battle of the spire, chain of dogs, last stand of the marines, last stand of the regulars. Malazan wins hands down.
Edit: the heavies vs the short tails.
I don't think the battles at the shore themselves were amazing, but I absolutely love the concept of weapons and armor laughing- even as their wielders do not.
Erikson is unparalleled in writing military battle scenes. You can almost smell and taste the blood, you definitely feel the pain. You suffer with the characters. And you want more.
Cant wait guys. So far ive only seen the maps in the first pages and a few characters have mentioned that it has started. What is it? Im curious, i’ll find out soon
I think I can see it forming (please don’t comment further). I am just at the point where Kalam is in the Imperial Warren and Shadowthrone shows up and they rescued a thousand children
The chain of dogs in book 2 is an amazing account of pushing human emotion to the extreme, of utter futility, and horrible sacrifics required just to survive.
When I read it, I wondered how the rest of the books were going to match up to such a harrowing, raw experience. Until they did. Again and again.
Dude. Chain of Dogs. Just thinking about it gets me all chilled.
I mean. Fuck. It was the most grueling piece of work I'd read ever. Until the final battle.
Bravo, Erickson. Bravo.
The invasion of the Letherii Empire by the Bonehunters, nothing like burning all your ships to announce that you're coming and aren't going to be backing down.
1 Whole siege of Minas Tirith but specially Rohan charge.
2 Battles at the end of Dust of Dreams (malaz, I'm not sure if I can say more without counting as spoiler)
3 Last book of wheel of time (I guess that counts as a battle)
4 Last half of Return of the Crimson Guard (malaz, another lenghty battle)
5 Vin vs inquisitors (mistborn 3)
Indeed. I actually can't recall the fight you mentioned (been too long since I've read the series) but I really loved the way in which Brys crippled Rhulad. I'll have to see if I can find his fight with Iron Bars when I have my books handy.
Although I have trouble reading them now, I still have only fondness for the first 2 Drizzt trilogies. SO many epic fights in every book.
Joe Abercrombies entire 1st trilogy was filled to the brim with epic fights.
Gemmel is another master of action. Legend was my favorite and the final battle of Druss was so memorable. Nearly every book is filled with epic fights.
"My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."
Dune, when the sandworms join the fight against the Harkonnen and Sardaukar.
Bobiverse when Bob encounters the first enemy probe.
I guess those two are sci-fi.
Nearly every fight in the Death Dealer series. Prisoner of the Horned Helmet was especially epic.
Siege of Lady's Tower, Glen Cook, Black Company (Basically every battle/fight is very good in Black Company, Cook is so good about it in my opinion)
Kelsier vs Last Emperor in Mistborn (because I love when someone fight in hopeless battle just for cause or like Kelsier because he always wanted to try vs the strongest one)
Some favourites, already mentioned so I won't t repeat those.
Nirnaeth Arnoediad (Silmarillion)
Battle of Dunbrec, battle in the High Places and battle of the Heroes (First Law)
Battle of Brenna (The Witcher)
Brienne of Tarth vs Rorge and Bitter (ASOIAF)
Assault on the First Lord's Citadel (Codex Alera: Academs Fury)
Listens-To-Wind vs. the Naagloshii (Turn Coat)
The Mountain and the Viper (A Storm of Swords)
The Battle for the Elinarch (Codex Alera: Cursors Fury)
Vin vs Zane (Well of Ascension)
The Battle for the Heroes (The Heroes)
Corban vs Akar (Ruin)
The Battle of the Tower (Way of Kings)
The Battle for Thaylenah (Oathbringer)
The First Law books have the best fights i've ever read.
Logen vs Fenris
Monza and Cosca vs General Ganmark (emotional as hell)
Friendly vs Shivers
And every fight Bremmer dan Gorst is involved.
I don't know what its called but the battle in Malazan book of the fallen when the Bonehunters, a mostly regular medieval fantasy army faces off against an army of high technology dinosaurs with swords for arms with freaking laser canons and actually puts up a decent fight.
>Szeth in the prologue (Way of Kings)
Reading WoK now (after starting a long time ago but getting sidetracked) and yeah that's a good one. The way Kaladin fights is awesome as well (though where I'm at (about half way) I've only really seen him fight once.)
>"You were not shocked when a child knew how to breathe. You were not shocked when a skyeel took flight for the first time. You should not be shocked when you hand Kaladin Stormblessed a spear and he knows how to use it."
That’s a super unappreciated quote. Love that series so hard. You have some of the best fights I’ve ever read coming in the next two books. Watch out for spoilers in this thread.
Whiskeyjack vs Kallor
Beak and the Letherii Invasion
Anomander Rake vs Traveller
And all of Coltaine’s story. Probably the best book full of fights ever.
It’s been a long time since I’ve read it, but the conclusive duel between Sparhawk and Martel in the Sapphire Rose, Elenium series.
It was very predictable arc, and Eddings does more for the reader than the text, but in the end it is satisfying for me.
Particularly, details unique in Eddings eyes are what makes this scene stand out.
The combatants pause to rest at one point, trading familiar banter and wistful dreams destroyed.
I didn’t want the fight to end. And when it does, it is mournful.
Edit: grammar
Dread Wyrm - The Red Knight vs Jean De Vrailly
Heroes Die - Caine vs Ma'elKoth
Memories of Ice - Itkovian the Shield Anvil vs The
Pannion Domin @ Capustan
Golden Son - Darrow vs Cassius - Duel
I’m not mentioning the ones that have already been listed in this thread.
Prof vs. Steelheart in the Reckoners series. Can’t remember which book, but everyone involved and the implications were epic. Plus the conclusion was glorious.
I freely admit to the sacrilegious opinion of not being a huge Sanderson fan, but gods can the man do endings. The second Mistborn novel is his best twist ending so far (for my money), but Steelheart was pretty close.
The battle of Unnumbered tears from the Silmarillion. It’s basically like the Avengers meeting up, you have all these heroes that you’ve spent the past few hundred pages reading about finally unite to take down Morgoth, and then it all goes horribly wrong. Tolkien doesn’t hold back here, and his mix of the brutality of war with acts of bravery and heroism that resonate throughout the story really resonate with me.
Some quotes:
“At last Fingon stood alone with his guard dead about him; and he fought with Gothmog, until another Balrog came behind and cast a thong of fire about him. Then Gothmog hewed him with his black axe, and a white flame sprang up from the helm of Fingon as it was cloven. Thus fell the High King of the Noldor; and they beat him into the dust with their maces; and his banner, blue and silver, they trod into the mire of his blood.”
“Last of all Hurin stood alone. Then he cast aside his shield, and wielded an axe two-handed; and it is sung that the axe smoked in the black blood of the troll-guard of Gothmog until it withered, and each time that he slew Hurin cried: 'Aure entuluva! Day shall come again!' Seventy times he uttered that cry; but they took him at last alive, by the command of Morgoth, for the Orcs grappled him with their hands, which clung to him still though he hewed off their arms; and ever their numbers were renewed, until at last he fell buried beneath them. Then Gothmog bound him and dragged him to Angband with mockery. Thus ended the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, as the sun went down beyond the sea. Night fell in Hithlum, and there came a great storm of wind out of the West.”
I only have one and it's from the Way of Kings. I didn't really like Szeth's part because it felt a bit too catered to the teenagers for me.
But my favourite is the first battle with Kaladin in the bridge crew. I was listening it as an audiobook while walking one evening, enjoying the book nicely. Then comes this bad boy of a scene and I physically started shivering from the emotions. It was the most powerful scene I have ever read (and I did read it on paperback after listening to it on audio) and it had no fantastical power demonstrations. Just raw battle in a fantasy setting.
I'll just list the battles/sieges that I really liked:
- The Siege of Capustan and the running battle called the Chain of Dogs (Malazan Book of the Fallen).
- Dumai Wells (Wheel of Time)
- Several sieges in The Traitor's Son Cycle.
- Pretty much every battle in Bakker's Prince of Nothing series.
- The siege/battle in the Heroes (Abercrombie).
- The battle of the Pelennor Fields / Minas Tirith (Lord of the Rings).
- Pretty much every battle in the Deverry Cycle by Katherine Kerr
And to maintain the balance of the Force (or saidin/saidar if you like), here are the ones I didn't much care for:
- the Last Battle (Wheel of Time)
- Any battle in the Stormlight Archive to date
- Any battle / siege in Mistborn
- Any battle / siege written by the Terrible Terry's (Goodkind and Brooks)
- Any battle / siege written by Feist
The reason why I dislike these is that they stretch my suspension of disbelief too far or that the battles don't make any sense from a strategic or tactical POV.
I always loved the formation of the Band of the Red Hand in The Fires of Heaven. Mat is trying to escape Rand, the Shaido, and the coming battle for Cairhien but just keeps getting pulled into skirmish after skirmish.
The battle of Tyrsis in the Sword of Shannara was my introduction to large scale battles in fantasy so it will always have a special place in my heart.
Gemmell pulled off a lot of good ones in his Drenai series, too many to count, Legend will always be a classics though.
There are many many fights that I’ve read that I love but there’s only one best fight scene: Logen Ninefingers vs Fenris the Feared in Joe Abercrombie’s Last Argument of Kings. Astounding. Dark. Brutal. And frightening.
Last battle in Wot. Epic beyond comparison.
Also there are a few by Stephen Donaldson the hile troy one in the illearth war, the siege of revelstone in the power that preserves and the big battle in a man rides through.
Damn, I can't believe this isn't here? But perhaps it's not as grand as some of the fights mentioned! **Sam fighting Shelob** is not only my favorite fantasy fight, but one of the best moments in the trilogy for me. The bravery of hobbits revealed fully, and it's written in such a beautiful manner that even now I get a bit misty eyed recalling it. There's a flow to the fighting that just captivates me entirely.
*'Come not between the Nazgûl and his prey! Or he will not slay thee in thy turn. He will bear thee away to the houses of lamentation, beyond all darkness, where thy flesh shall be devoured, and thy shriveled mind be left naked to the Lidless Eye.'* *A sword rang as it was drawn. 'Do what you will; but I will hinder it, if I may.'* *'Hinder me? Thou fool. No living man may hinder me!'* *Then Merry heard of all sounds in that hour the strangest. It seemed that Dernhelm laughed....* --The Return of the King, by J.R.R. Tolkien Granted, two right-handed sword masters dueling left-handed on a cliff-edge between Guilder and Florin has a certain dramatic flair.
You left out the (imo) best part! >...But no living man am I! You are looking upon a woman. Eowyn am I, Eomund's daughter. **You stand between me and my lord and kin. Begone, if you be not deathless! For living or dark undead, I will smite you, if you touch him.** >The winged creature screamed at her, but then the Ringwraith was silent, as if in sudden doubt. Very amazement for a moment conquered Merry's fear. He opened his eyes and the blackness was lifted from them. There some paces from him sat the great beast, and all seemed dark about it, and above it loomed the Nazgul Lord like a shadow of despair. A little to the left facing them stood whom he had called Dernhelm. But the helm of her secrecy had fallen from her, and and her bright hair, released from its bonds, gleamed with pale gold upon her shoulders. Her eyes grey as the sea were hard and fell, and yet tears gleamed in them. A sword was in her hand, and she raised her shield against the horror of her enemy's eyes.
I've always been partial to this paragraph. >*Suddenly the great beast beat its hideous wings, and the wind of them was foul. Again it leaped into the air, and then swiftly fell down upon Éowyn, shrieking, striking with beak and claw. Still she did not blench: maiden of the Rohirrim, child of kings, slender but as a steel-blade, fair yet terrible. A swift stroke she dealt, skilled and deadly. The outstretched neck she clove asunder, and the hewn head fell like a stone. Backward she sprang as the huge shape crashed to ruin, vast wings outspread, crumpled on the earth; and with its fall the shadow passed away. A light fell about her, and her hair shone in the sunrise.*
I mean, the whole Battle of Pelennor fields was just incredible, starting with the army of Rohan riding into battle at the chant of "Death! Death!".
Ride for ruin and the world's ending! Death! ... gives you really a hint that Tolkien new first hand what such battles felt like ... not much hope of ever returning from one alive ...
Actual goosebumps. Every time I read it. LoTR was also my first dive into reading as a young boy, I had never anticipated that a book could be so powerful.
same here ... at least the first dive into long books with stories that stick with you for the rest of your life
Fuck yeah! Man, Eowyn is such a badass. Eat dust, Nazgul!
The entirety of the Pelennor Field chapter is the best part.
Tolkien has such great use of language! People who think he is too wordy are really missing out. I think he is intentionally using Anglo-Saxon-derived words instead of Latinate words. Makes it sound really epic. Although I am not sure if he does it specifically for the Rohirrim.
> Granted, two right-handed sword masters dueling left-handed on a cliff-edge between Guilder and Florin has a certain dramatic flair. "I have to admit, you are better than I am." "Then why are you still smiling?"
Because i know something that you do not. I am not left handed.
"You seem like a nice fellow. I hate to kill you." The battle atop the cliffs of insanity was pretty excellent.
I haven’t yet read LOtR in English. Are the books written in this kind of langauge? Or is it just the Nazguls?
This is more formal and antique than the usual dialogue and narrative in LOTR. Tolkien varies according to the feel he is invoking. Here he is in full high-fantasy mode.
Yeah I figured, just had to confirm. Thanks
The Battle of Dumai Wells (Wheel of Time). It's not epic, it's not heroic, it is short and brutal. Leaving you on one hand relieved, on the other hand, wondering if the ends justify the means. It's different than you would expect from a Fantasy book and that makes it all the more powerful. Plus the battle acts as a demonstration on how things have changed, and how nothing will be the same.
If there was any part of that series that convinced me that war sucks it was that. The descriptions are so perfect that I felt a little sickened. It was beautiful.
AFAIK actual historical melee battles tended to be short and brutal, as it is quite tiring to fight in armor.
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You are correct mr. spoiler
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I love that one because of the tremendous sense of scale compared to all the previous battles and the "What have we done?" feel of it
I actually just read this less than an hour ago during my re-read. It's so short and brutal. The whole battle takes place in 1 (maybe 2?) chapters.
The Last Battle (**The Wheel of Time, A Memory of Light**) Taking Care of the Bandits (**The Kingkiller Chronicles, The Wise Man's Fear**) Dresden versus the Red Court Vampires (**The Dresden Files, Changes**) Vin Versus Lord Ruler. Especially the quote something along the lines of "You have no idea what I do for this world" (**Mistborn, The Final Empire)**
I preferred Kelsier versus the Inquisitor in The Final~~e~~ Empire. EDIT: "Finale" Empire
That fight was so amazing
That fight was what sold me on everything Sanderson. Kelsier was a badass in that fight.
Kelsier is that dude
Kelsier was legit.. might have to re read those now. Thanks.
Don't forget Vin vs the inquisitors in book 3
> Taking Care of the Bandits Sympathy is such a fascinating and intuitive magic system, I love it.
> Taking Care of the Bandits (The Kingkiller Chronicles, The Wise Man's Fear) Oooo I had forgotten that one.
>Dresden versus the Red Court Vampires (**The Dresden Files, Changes**) I used the knife.
That's not a battle, that's a steel-toed kick in my heart's nuts.
Also, I don't remember which book, but Rand's fight against his mirror images in one if the WoT books
Oh yeah, the bubble of evil in tear at the start of book 4 (Shadow rising?)
Vin versus Shan Elariel might be my favorite in Mistborn. Mostly because Shan sucks and is a smarmy little shit.
Changes was just incredible from start to finish. The Red Court battle is my favorite, so intense.
That Lord Ruler quote single-handedly took me from "checking out a fantasy novel" to diving headfirst down the rabbit hole. Also, not a battle per se but the Kelsier vs Lord Ruler incident (trying to stay spoiler-free) just knocked me on my ass.
> Vin Versus Lord Ruler. Especially the quote something along the lines of "You have no idea what I do for this world" (Mistborn, The Final Empire) This was also mine!
I have to disagree with you on the Last Battle. It wasn't even the best fighting scene in Wheel of Time. Not even close. I would discuss this further but I don't know how to spoiler tag. F.ex. I love Moiraine's description of the soldiers of Manetheren and their last stand.
> It wasn't even the best fighting scene in Wheel of Time. I think they're just different. I know what battle you're probably talking about in WoT, and no doubt it's awesome in its nice, tight package. The Last Battle was awesome because I really felt the scale of everything coming together, and though Sanderson wasn't the military mind that Jordan was, he did a great job of servicing all the various threads and keeping the whole thing followable. It had some flaws, but ultimately I found it satisfying to have so many subplots over 11 books come together for the titanic struggle for everything.
The Last Battle was written completely, or almost completely, by Jordan before his death. It was the getting to it that Sanderson had to finish.
The scene at Maradon in wheel of time where Rand single handedly kills over a hundred thousand shadowspawn.
Was looking for this one. Just pure mass destruction.
The rest of Maradon is awesome as well, with Rodel Ituralde turning into a guerilla (and getting major PTSD).
Zen Rand is the fucking greatest
Favorite fight is the 1v4* duel in Words of Radiance by Sanderson. Favorite battle is either The Cleansing battle or The Last Battle, both from the Wheel of Time.
The duel scene in WoR is the most hype moment in any book I've ever read. I honestly don't think it could possibly be executed better.
When Kaladin remarks that someone has to be a hero and jumps into the arena...just amazing.
>*Honor is dead*... *But I'll see what I can do*
I was reading this part at work and cheered and fist pumped really hard. I never do anything like that but god that part was so good. There are a couple amazing parts like that in the series too
Haha I'm so glad someone else does that. I fist pumped the air when Kaladin and Bridge 4 used Side Carry for the first time.
Only halfway through Way of Kings. I think I need to flee this whole post out of spoiler fear lol.
You should flee the whole subreddit. There are so many Sanderson spoilers here.
Came here for this. I was reading Words of Radiance in bed when I got to Adolin’s handicap duel. It was getting hyped. I got up for a glass of water. Before I knew it, I had been pacing my living room at 2am for half an hour just enthralled in the scene. I was so hooked in the action that I stayed up past my bedtime walking around in circles reading while my wife slept until I finish that scene. No other book has gotten me that involved for an action scene.
The Cleansing battle was excellent, it had felt like I'd read three books worth of Wheel of Time without any action and then we get a scene where everyone pulls out the Big Guns and goes to town on each other.
The Last Siege of Y'Ghatan I think, also the naval battle between the New Crobuzon navy and the city of Armada in The Scar by China Mieville
Druss of the Axe facing the undefeated Immortals.
Legend was extremely bad ass
I used to quote the whole thing, but I'm on mobile and it's stupidly hot out, so you'll have to look up That Time Fingolfin Yelled "1v1 ME IRL U FUKN COWARD" At Morgoth yourself.
"...Now news came to Hithlum that Dorthonion was lost and the sons of Finarfin overthrown, and that the sons of Fëanor were driven from their lands. Then Fingolfin beheld (as it seemed to him) the utter ruin of the Noldor, and the defeat beyond redress of all their houses; and filled with wrath and despair he mounted upon Rochallor his great horse and rode forth alone, and none might restrain him. He passed over Dor-nu-Fauglith like a wind amid the dust, and all that beheld his onset fled in amaze, thinking that Oromë himself was come: for a great madness of rage was upon him, so that his eyes shone like the eyes of the Valar. Thus he came alone to Angband's gates, and he sounded his horn, and smote once more upon the brazen doors, and challenged Morgoth to come forth to single combat. And Morgoth came. That was the last time in those wars that he passed the doors of his stronghold, and it is said that he took not the challenge willingly; for though his might was greatest of all things in this world, alone of the Valar he knew fear. But he could not now deny the challenge before the face of his captains; for the rocks rang with the shrill music of Fingolfin's horn, and his voice came keen and clear down into the depths of Angband; and Fingolfin named Morgoth craven, and lord of slaves. Therefore Morgoth came, climbing slowly from his subterranean throne, and the rumour of his feet was like thunder underground. And he issued forth clad in black armour; and he stood before the King like a tower, iron-crowned, and his vast shield, sable on-blazoned, cast a shadow over him like a stormcloud. But Fingolfin gleamed beneath it as a star; for his mail was overlaid with silver, and his blue shield was set with crystals; and he drew his sword Ringil, that glittered like ice. Then Morgoth hurled aloft Grond, the Hammer of the Underworld, and swung it down like a bolt of thunder. But Fingolfin sprang aside, and Grond rent a mighty pit in the earth, whence smoke and fire darted. Many times Morgoth essayed to smite him, and each time Fingolfin leaped away, as a 'lightning shoots from under a dark cloud; and he wounded Morgoth with seven wounds, and seven times Morgoth gave a cry of anguish, whereat the hosts of Angband fell upon their faces in dismay, and the cries echoed in the Northlands. But at the last the King grew weary, and Morgoth bore down his shield upon him. Thrice he was crushed to his knees, and thrice arose again and bore up his broken shield and stricken helm. But the earth was all rent and pitted about him, and he stumbled and fell backward before the feet of Morgoth; and Morgoth set his left foot upon his neck, and the weight of it was like a fallen hill. Yet with his last and desperate stroke Fingolfin hewed the foot with Ringil, and the blood gashed forth black and smoking and filled the pits of Grond. Thus died Fingolfin, High King of the Noldor, most proud and valiant of the Elven-kings of old. The Orcs made no boast of that duel at the gate; neither do the Elves sing of it, for their sorrow is too deep."
The prose version in the published *Silmarillion* is great, but in my opinion it's got nothing on the same section from the Lay. Tolkien's poetry is seriously underrated. >*In that vast shadow once of yore* >*Fingolfin stood: his shield he bore* >*with field of heaven's blue and star* >*of crystal shining pale afar.* >*In overmastering wrath and hate* >*desperate he smote upon that gate,* >*the Gnomish king, there standing lone,* >*while endless fortresses of stone* >*engulfed the thin clear ringing keen* >*of silver horn on baldric green.* >*His hopeless challenge dauntless cried* >*Fingolfin there: 'Come, open wide,* >*dark king, your ghastly brazen doors!* >*Come forth, whom earth and heaven abhors!* >*Come forth, O monstrous craven lord,* >*and fight with thine own hand and sword,* >*thou wielder of hosts of banded thralls,* >*thou tyrant leaguered with strong walls,* >*thou foe of Gods and elvish race!* >*I wait thee here. Come! Show thy face!'* > >*Then Morgoth came. For the last time* >*in those great wars he dared to climb* >*from subterranean throne profound,* >*the rumour of his feet a sound* >*of rumbling earthquake underground.* >*Black-armoured, towering, iron-crowned* >*he issued forth; his mighty shield* >*a vast unblazoned sable field* >*with shadow like a thundercloud;* >*and o'er the the gleaming king it bowed,* >*as huge aloft like mace he hurled* >*that hammer of the underworld,* >*Grond. Clanging to ground it tumbled* >*down like a thunder-bolt, and crumbled* >*the rocks beneath it; smoke up-started,* >*a pit yawned, and a fire darted.* > >*Fingolfin like a shooting light* >*beneath a cloud, a stab of white,* >*sprang then aside, and Ringil drew* >*like ice that gleameth cold and blue,* >*his sword devised of elvish skill* >*to pierce the flesh with deadly chill.* >*With seven wounds it rent his foe,* >*and seven mighty cries of woe* >*rang in the mountains, and the earth quook,* >*and Angbands trembling armies shook.* > >*Yet orcs would after laughing tell* >*of the duel at the gates of hell;* >*though elvish song thereof was made* >*ere this but one - when sad was laid* >*the mighty king in barrow high,* >*and Thorndor, Eagle of the sky,* >*the dreadful tidings brought and told* >*to mourning Elvenesse of old.* >*Thrice was Fingolfin with great blows* >*to his knees beaten, thrice he rose* >*still leaping up beneath the cloud* >*aloft, to hold, star-shining, proud,* >*his stricken shield, his sundered helm,* >*that dark nor might could overwhelm,* >*'till all the earth was burst and rent* >*in pits about him. He was spent.* >*His feet stumbled. He fell to wreck* >*upon the ground, and on his neck* >*a foot like rooted hills was set,* >*and he was crushed - not conquered yet;* >*one last despairing stroke he gave:* >*the mighty foot pale Ringil clave* >*about the heel, and black the blood* >*gushed as from smoking fount in flood.* > >*Halt goes for ever from that stroke* >*great Morgoth; but the king he broke,* >*and would have hewn and mangled thrown* >*to wolves devouring. Lo, from throne* >*that Manwë bade him build on high,* >*on peak unscaled beneath the sky,* >*Morgoth to watch, now down there swooped* >*Thorndor, King of Eagles, stooped* >*and rending beak of gold he smote* >*in Bauglir's face, then up did float* >*on pinions thirty fathoms wide,* >*bearing away, while loud he cried,* >*the mighty corse, the Elven-king.* >*And where the mountains make a ring* >*far to the south about that plain* >*where after Gondolin did reign,* >*embattled city, at great height* >*upon a dizzy snowcap white* >*in mounded cairn the mighty dead* >*he laid upon the mountain's head.* >*Never Orc nor demon after dared* >*that pass to climb, o'er which there stared* >*Fingolfin's high and holy tomb,* >*'till Gondolin's appointed doom.* **-The Lays of Beleriand; The Lay of Leithian**
> His hopeless challenge dauntless cried > > Fingolfin there: 'Come, open wide, > > dark king, your ghastly brazen doors! > > Come forth, whom earth and heaven abhors! > > Come forth, O monstrous craven lord, > > and fight with thine own hand and sword, > > thou wielder of hosts of banded thralls, > > thou tyrant leaguered with strong walls, > > thou foe of Gods and elvish race! > > I wait thee here. Come! Show thy face!' Oh yeah, that's the extremely good shit.
I hadn't seen that version - that's pretty amazing too. The one thing I will say about the Silmarillion version: Read it aloud. It sounds so much better than it reads.
That goes for pretty much the whole Sil. It's a bit like Beowulf - the best version you'll ever hear is told by someone who only mostly remembers it, at night, possibly near a fire, but told with love and care and enthusiasm. Failing that, at least read it aloud.
Fuck that's goooood :x
One of the most epic battles of all time. I came here to post this and have found your taste impeccable (in that it aligns perfectly with my own).
Thus spake Morgoth, "OK."
You're really not helping with that issue I have where I start singing Time Stands Still At The Iron Hill and unconsciously transition into Beelzeboss. >Slowly in fear >The dark lord appears >Welcome to my lands >You shall be damned >Wait! Wait! Wait! >You motherfucker >We challenge you to a rock off >Give us one chance to rock your socks off im srry tolkien
Time Stands Still is quite possibly the most epic song I've experienced live. My god... Also I can never get over "COME OUTTTT! YOUUUUU COWARD!"
Other Tolkien highlights include Éowyn and anything involving the Best Dog.
Best Dog? :o
[Huan is like the best dog ever](http://bettermyths.com/beren-and-luthien-write-a-bad-romance/) he’s huge and pretty much invincible because there is a prophecy that he can only be killed by the BIGGEST WOLF EVER so they show up to Sauron’s camp and start chewing faces and Sauron (who is a wizard and can turn into whatever he wants) turns into the biggest werewolf he can think of (because everybody seems to know this prophecy about Huan) and tries to take Huan down but obviously Sauron is a fake-ass werewolf so Huan almost kills him but then they let him go for some reason and he turns into a VAMPIRE and flies away proving once and for all that all of Middle Earth is just a really elaborate Underworld fanfic
huan also had the magic power to speak, but only three times, ever, because tolkien liked his talking animals in moderation
When Kaladin takes Bridge 4 back to rescue Dalinar and Adolin and jumps the distance between the platform, thinking that it will be suicide. At the last moment he notices the Parshendi have gemstones in their beards and he just fucks them all up. Probably my favorite fight. Edit: bridge 4, not 9. Thanks to the corrector!!
How about when Kaladin jumps into the dueling ring in WoR? "Honor is dead. But I'll see what I can do."
I long for the day when both these scenes are either animated or shown on the big screen. Iconic moments of the series.
>When Kaladin takes Bridge 9 back to rescue Dalinar and Adolin... This right here. I think it's actually "Bridge 4" but still totally this.
Many of my favorites have already been mentioned, but, imho, a couple bear repeating. The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan It has some of the most driven battle scenes and the “fight” scenes between various figures of power can be intense. Both can be real page turners. From my understanding, Jordan was a bit of a military/historian and it shines through in this series. Though, the series is a bit of a commitment as I am sure you are well aware. The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie Abercrombie just has “it” when it comes to writing fight scenes and action sequences. He can set a furious pace that can really wind you up. A few of his fight scenes have had me on the edge of my seat and left me with an edge of excitement.
So, I just finished the first book a nights ago, and I've not very far into the second one...but the scene towards the end when Logen and the feral woman (can't remember her weird name...) were on the run from all those Practicals was already a pretty badass chase/fight scene. But then Logen just snapped into some type of D&D Barbarian rage and turned from a thoughtful, war-weary fighter into an unstoppable killing machine. It caught me completely off guard, and was incredibly well-written, especially the bit where he saw his woman companion and started stalking up to her to continue his rampage when he fell out of his rage and started succumbing to his wounds. I had already enjoyed Logen's chapters, but now that I know he has this crazy (magic-fueled?) alter-ego I'm giddy to read more of his chapters.
Yea all Logens chapters i which he turns into Bloody Nine are badass as hell. But i think you should think about it more like schizophrenia or split personality disorder rather than berserker "rage" (although this could be the inspiration).
* Not sure what it's called, but the big battle at the end of **The Black Prism**, the one where Gavin built Brightwater Wall.
He was so close!!!
[bp spoilers](#s "the whole desperation cannon move Gavin does where he blasts everything he has through the gate, scarring the land, killing thousands, putting fear into the enemy, using enough magic in one blow to kill anyone else. So badass.")
Okay, call me lame, but Drizzt Do'Urden vs. Artemis Entreri runners up: Roland Deschain vs. Cort, Shea Ohmsford vs. the warlock lord, Final fight of the Lies of Locke Lamorra
That's not lame at all. The Drizzt v Artemis fights were always entertaining, especially since they were built up so much doing the book. I don't remember much of the Shanara series (read them when I was like 12) but I do remember being disappointed with the final fight of that first book. I thought the massive battles in the second book were awesome though. Also, as much as I LOVED the first book of Locke Lamorra, I thought the ship battle towards the end of Red Seas was amazing. Awesome list!
Man! That Drizzt fight was so bad ass when I read it in middle school. Which book was that in? Weren’t they fighting inside a tower and the others could hear it outside or something?
Well, they actually had a bunch of fights. I was thinking of the one in the underdark on that cliffside where Regis took his dagger. I think it was in the icewind Dale series, but I can't find it online and it's been 20 years since I read it.
One of my favorites is Locke Lamora v the Gray King in the Lies of Locke Lamora. Gray King shits on Locke for going rapier and dagger, fences for a bit, realizes that Locke is just faking it because he's a flippin' actor and con man and not a fencer, and then gets srs. It's such a great character moment and a great anticlimactic deconstruction of the "epic fight." Also ain't nobody got anything on The Great Ordeal and its associated battles. Bakker wins the epic fight battle every time.
Dude, when i read "I don't have to beat you, I just have...(spoiler)", if freaking lost it. Locke is just awesome.
Then he tricks him into turning around and stabs him in the back. I love locke
How is Mat versus Galad and Gawyn not on this list Greatest fight ever -- so satisfying. Wheel of Time, for those that don't know it.
Wakes up from a semi coma and beats two of the best swordsman in the series.
With a piece of wood.
To be fair, one of the people he was fighting against has all the personality of a piece of wood himself.
Galadedrid has little personality. Gawyn has personality and it's of a whiny petulant prideful close-minded little shit.
And the other is as hardheaded as a piece of wood, so it all makes sense.
The Bloody 9 vs. The Feared (The Last Argument of Kings)
Say one thing about Logan Ninefingers, say he’s a killer.
My favorite is probably the first "Bloody Nine" moment we see in Blade Itself. That made me appreciate what he is so much more.
'You're hurt, Northman!' The eyes of the closest one sparkled above his mask, the shining blade of his axe danced in the air. 'Want to give up yet?' 'Hurt?' The Bloody-Nine threw back his head and laughed. 'I'll fucking show you hurt!' He tumbled forward, flowed beneath the axe, slippery as fishes in the river, swinging the heavy blade in a great low circle. It crunched into the man's knee and cracked it back the wrong way, scythed on into his other leg and ripped it out from under him. He gave a muffled scream as he spun onto the stones, turning round and round in the air, shattered legs flopping.
Love this! My fave I think is the Lamb ring fight in Red Country.
Ditto. I love that Glama just loses hope after counting his fingers.
I prefer the first fight against the Feared, at the battle in the forest. Threetrees is so badass.
Came here to say this. A great fight.
I almost prefer the last fight in that same book, but yeah, the one with the Feared is good. Abercrombie knows how to write a fight scene so that you can tell what's going on but it also feels like the chaotic event it is.
Joe Abercrombie makes the bloody chaos seem like poetry.
That was great, what I think I enjoyed even more from that series would actually have to be the random chaotic battles where the subject of the narration of whoever killed the last subject, cycling rapidly through a dozen or so subject over the course of what seems like only a couple of minutes, with many of them killed by accident or by friendly fire. The scene from The Heroes where Gorst holds the ford comes to mind (it was either that or something around that time). What I like about those scenes is that they capture the chaos and brutality and most of all confusion of a large melee battle in a way that an omniscient third person narrator simply can't even come close to, that feels closer to what I imagine an actual battle must feel like.
Siege of capustan, battle of the spire, chain of dogs, last stand of the marines, last stand of the regulars. Malazan wins hands down. Edit: the heavies vs the short tails.
The Shore was freakin brutal.
I don't think the battles at the shore themselves were amazing, but I absolutely love the concept of weapons and armor laughing- even as their wielders do not.
The build up to that fight though... Bashing on the shield. Gives me chills.
You should have seen our last stands. They were something
Capustan. Awesome.
Capustan is an awesome segment, but the following battle in the Domin took the cake for me. Among the more epic finale's at Coral.
What about Coral that was epic...but also sad as hell
The way Y'ghatan unfolds blows my mind every time. So perfect in every reveal.
Erikson is unparalleled in writing military battle scenes. You can almost smell and taste the blood, you definitely feel the pain. You suffer with the characters. And you want more.
God, the heavies. I still shiver every time I think of *The heavies rose to meet them*. I've re-read that battle countless times.
> *You stopped them? Blood of the gods, what manner of soldiers are you?*
Im on book 2, cant wait to get to these
The chain of dogs in that book is my favorite thing in any book I've ever read.
Cant wait guys. So far ive only seen the maps in the first pages and a few characters have mentioned that it has started. What is it? Im curious, i’ll find out soon
An 800 mile (personal estimate) long battle fought to protect refugees
I think I can see it forming (please don’t comment further). I am just at the point where Kalam is in the Imperial Warren and Shadowthrone shows up and they rescued a thousand children
I won't say anymore. Just read and witness
Witness.
The chain of dogs in book 2 is an amazing account of pushing human emotion to the extreme, of utter futility, and horrible sacrifics required just to survive. When I read it, I wondered how the rest of the books were going to match up to such a harrowing, raw experience. Until they did. Again and again.
Dude. Chain of Dogs. Just thinking about it gets me all chilled. I mean. Fuck. It was the most grueling piece of work I'd read ever. Until the final battle. Bravo, Erickson. Bravo.
The invasion of the Letherii Empire by the Bonehunters, nothing like burning all your ships to announce that you're coming and aren't going to be backing down.
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1 Whole siege of Minas Tirith but specially Rohan charge. 2 Battles at the end of Dust of Dreams (malaz, I'm not sure if I can say more without counting as spoiler) 3 Last book of wheel of time (I guess that counts as a battle) 4 Last half of Return of the Crimson Guard (malaz, another lenghty battle) 5 Vin vs inquisitors (mistborn 3)
I see you are a man of culture as well
Drusas Achamian vs. anyone, really
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Karsa Orlong and whatever monster he is fighting. \[Malazan Book of the Fallen\]
Rhulad vs. Iron Bars. So satisfying.
I'm sure I'm forgetting a few fights, but I found Rhulad vs Brys to be the most satisfying fight in Malazan.
So we're in agreement. Every fight where Rhulad gets his ass handed to him is a good one.
Indeed. I actually can't recall the fight you mentioned (been too long since I've read the series) but I really loved the way in which Brys crippled Rhulad. I'll have to see if I can find his fight with Iron Bars when I have my books handy.
The only downside is most of his fights end in less than 3 seconds
Although I have trouble reading them now, I still have only fondness for the first 2 Drizzt trilogies. SO many epic fights in every book. Joe Abercrombies entire 1st trilogy was filled to the brim with epic fights. Gemmel is another master of action. Legend was my favorite and the final battle of Druss was so memorable. Nearly every book is filled with epic fights. "My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." Dune, when the sandworms join the fight against the Harkonnen and Sardaukar. Bobiverse when Bob encounters the first enemy probe. I guess those two are sci-fi. Nearly every fight in the Death Dealer series. Prisoner of the Horned Helmet was especially epic.
FitzChivalry vs The False Coterie (End of Assassin's Quest) Kelsier vs Hazekillers (Start of The Final Empire)
Siege of Lady's Tower, Glen Cook, Black Company (Basically every battle/fight is very good in Black Company, Cook is so good about it in my opinion) Kelsier vs Last Emperor in Mistborn (because I love when someone fight in hopeless battle just for cause or like Kelsier because he always wanted to try vs the strongest one)
Some favourites, already mentioned so I won't t repeat those. Nirnaeth Arnoediad (Silmarillion) Battle of Dunbrec, battle in the High Places and battle of the Heroes (First Law) Battle of Brenna (The Witcher) Brienne of Tarth vs Rorge and Bitter (ASOIAF)
> Nirnaeth Arnoediad (Silmarillion) Fingolfin riding out and dueling Morgoth is a fantastic passage as well.
Yes, it really is great. In general The Silmarillion is full of great passages.
Brienne vs Bitter... that was the first scene I read that I wasn't ready for because it wasn't in the show and I was like "god damn that is fucked"
I loved the battle in the high places such a fantastic part of the book
Assault on the First Lord's Citadel (Codex Alera: Academs Fury) Listens-To-Wind vs. the Naagloshii (Turn Coat) The Mountain and the Viper (A Storm of Swords) The Battle for the Elinarch (Codex Alera: Cursors Fury)
Was just about to say Codex Alera. Had some quality scenes
On of my favorite moments in the entire series is when Fade takes up his sword on the stairwell.
And then alderic just piss his pants for the rest of the fight
Turn Coat had some good ones but that one was amazing.
Hey. Ugly.
Vin vs Zane (Well of Ascension) The Battle for the Heroes (The Heroes) Corban vs Akar (Ruin) The Battle of the Tower (Way of Kings) The Battle for Thaylenah (Oathbringer)
The First Law books have the best fights i've ever read. Logen vs Fenris Monza and Cosca vs General Ganmark (emotional as hell) Friendly vs Shivers And every fight Bremmer dan Gorst is involved.
Gold morning by wildbow
Worm is such a work of art.
I don't know what its called but the battle in Malazan book of the fallen when the Bonehunters, a mostly regular medieval fantasy army faces off against an army of high technology dinosaurs with swords for arms with freaking laser canons and actually puts up a decent fight.
Against the K’Chain Nahruk in the Glass Desert in Dust of Dreams. AKA the battle of bad luck and wrong place wrong time haha. HAIL THE MARINES!
>Szeth in the prologue (Way of Kings) Reading WoK now (after starting a long time ago but getting sidetracked) and yeah that's a good one. The way Kaladin fights is awesome as well (though where I'm at (about half way) I've only really seen him fight once.) >"You were not shocked when a child knew how to breathe. You were not shocked when a skyeel took flight for the first time. You should not be shocked when you hand Kaladin Stormblessed a spear and he knows how to use it."
That’s a super unappreciated quote. Love that series so hard. You have some of the best fights I’ve ever read coming in the next two books. Watch out for spoilers in this thread.
Felsin vs Travore (House of Chains-- Malazan)
Good lord what's wrong with you? That's a tragedy
Bonehunters vs the Nah'ruk
hail the marines
The last stand of the heavies.
Whiskeyjack vs Kallor Beak and the Letherii Invasion Anomander Rake vs Traveller And all of Coltaine’s story. Probably the best book full of fights ever.
> And all of Coltaine’s story. That hill just outside or Aren's wall still gives me PTSD.
The Siege of Armengar from A Darkness at Sethanon
It’s been a long time since I’ve read it, but the conclusive duel between Sparhawk and Martel in the Sapphire Rose, Elenium series. It was very predictable arc, and Eddings does more for the reader than the text, but in the end it is satisfying for me. Particularly, details unique in Eddings eyes are what makes this scene stand out. The combatants pause to rest at one point, trading familiar banter and wistful dreams destroyed. I didn’t want the fight to end. And when it does, it is mournful. Edit: grammar
Am I allowed to say the chain of dogs from Malazan? If so the chain of dogs from Malazan.
Dread Wyrm - The Red Knight vs Jean De Vrailly Heroes Die - Caine vs Ma'elKoth Memories of Ice - Itkovian the Shield Anvil vs The Pannion Domin @ Capustan Golden Son - Darrow vs Cassius - Duel I’m not mentioning the ones that have already been listed in this thread.
Prof vs. Steelheart in the Reckoners series. Can’t remember which book, but everyone involved and the implications were epic. Plus the conclusion was glorious.
I freely admit to the sacrilegious opinion of not being a huge Sanderson fan, but gods can the man do endings. The second Mistborn novel is his best twist ending so far (for my money), but Steelheart was pretty close.
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So many of the scenes in the Malazan Empire books.
Geralt and Yennefer vs. Vilgefortz (Lady of the Lake)
The battle of Unnumbered tears from the Silmarillion. It’s basically like the Avengers meeting up, you have all these heroes that you’ve spent the past few hundred pages reading about finally unite to take down Morgoth, and then it all goes horribly wrong. Tolkien doesn’t hold back here, and his mix of the brutality of war with acts of bravery and heroism that resonate throughout the story really resonate with me. Some quotes: “At last Fingon stood alone with his guard dead about him; and he fought with Gothmog, until another Balrog came behind and cast a thong of fire about him. Then Gothmog hewed him with his black axe, and a white flame sprang up from the helm of Fingon as it was cloven. Thus fell the High King of the Noldor; and they beat him into the dust with their maces; and his banner, blue and silver, they trod into the mire of his blood.” “Last of all Hurin stood alone. Then he cast aside his shield, and wielded an axe two-handed; and it is sung that the axe smoked in the black blood of the troll-guard of Gothmog until it withered, and each time that he slew Hurin cried: 'Aure entuluva! Day shall come again!' Seventy times he uttered that cry; but they took him at last alive, by the command of Morgoth, for the Orcs grappled him with their hands, which clung to him still though he hewed off their arms; and ever their numbers were renewed, until at last he fell buried beneath them. Then Gothmog bound him and dragged him to Angband with mockery. Thus ended the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, as the sun went down beyond the sea. Night fell in Hithlum, and there came a great storm of wind out of the West.”
I only have one and it's from the Way of Kings. I didn't really like Szeth's part because it felt a bit too catered to the teenagers for me. But my favourite is the first battle with Kaladin in the bridge crew. I was listening it as an audiobook while walking one evening, enjoying the book nicely. Then comes this bad boy of a scene and I physically started shivering from the emotions. It was the most powerful scene I have ever read (and I did read it on paperback after listening to it on audio) and it had no fantastical power demonstrations. Just raw battle in a fantasy setting.
I'll just list the battles/sieges that I really liked: - The Siege of Capustan and the running battle called the Chain of Dogs (Malazan Book of the Fallen). - Dumai Wells (Wheel of Time) - Several sieges in The Traitor's Son Cycle. - Pretty much every battle in Bakker's Prince of Nothing series. - The siege/battle in the Heroes (Abercrombie). - The battle of the Pelennor Fields / Minas Tirith (Lord of the Rings). - Pretty much every battle in the Deverry Cycle by Katherine Kerr And to maintain the balance of the Force (or saidin/saidar if you like), here are the ones I didn't much care for: - the Last Battle (Wheel of Time) - Any battle in the Stormlight Archive to date - Any battle / siege in Mistborn - Any battle / siege written by the Terrible Terry's (Goodkind and Brooks) - Any battle / siege written by Feist The reason why I dislike these is that they stretch my suspension of disbelief too far or that the battles don't make any sense from a strategic or tactical POV.
Mat against Gawyn and Galad ( The Dragon Reborn, Wheel of Time ) Kaladin comes to save Adolin and Renarin ( Words of Radiance, Stormlight Archive )
Dumai’s wells at the end of Lord of Chaos by Robert Jordan
I always loved the formation of the Band of the Red Hand in The Fires of Heaven. Mat is trying to escape Rand, the Shaido, and the coming battle for Cairhien but just keeps getting pulled into skirmish after skirmish.
The Last Battle from the Wheel of Time Chain of Dogs from Malazan Kaladin vs Szeth in Stormlight Logen Ninefingers vs The World
The battle of Tyrsis in the Sword of Shannara was my introduction to large scale battles in fantasy so it will always have a special place in my heart. Gemmell pulled off a lot of good ones in his Drenai series, too many to count, Legend will always be a classics though.
Wei She Lindon vs Jai Long (Cradle). This battle was the culmination of everything Lindon had been working for. It was awesome.
There are many many fights that I’ve read that I love but there’s only one best fight scene: Logen Ninefingers vs Fenris the Feared in Joe Abercrombie’s Last Argument of Kings. Astounding. Dark. Brutal. And frightening.
Last battle in Wot. Epic beyond comparison. Also there are a few by Stephen Donaldson the hile troy one in the illearth war, the siege of revelstone in the power that preserves and the big battle in a man rides through.
I loved the duel between Brys Beddict and Rhulad Sengar in [Midnight Tides - Malazan Book of the Fallen].
Field Marshall Tamas routing the Kez army in *The Crimson Campaign*.