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 enlarge | Author: John Clements
Publisher: Paladin Press
Category: Book
List Price: $40.00
Buy New: $19.95
You Save: $20.05 (50%)
New (26) Used (9) from $19.72
Avg. Customer Rating:  73 reviews
Sales Rank: 299347
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 344
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.2
Dimensions (in): 11.1 x 8.5 x 0.8
ISBN: 1581600046
Dewey Decimal Number: 796.86
EAN: 9781581600049
ASIN: 1581600046
Publication Date: October 1, 1998
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| Customer Reviews:
 Perhaps worse than his first book March 13, 2006
52 out of 61 found this review helpful
The author's first book, Renaissance Swordsmanship was a shocker. This book is perhaps worse, and it's a mystery why it continues to receive favourable reviews. I guess you can fool some of the people, some of the time.
The book covers two main weapons, longsword and sword and shield. As with his earlier work, both sections betray a very superficial understanding of any historical source. Despite showing some historical longsword guard positions, the author chooses to give his own guards, some of which resemble some historical guards, many of which don't (for example he claims that his hanging guard is the German Ochs or the Italian Posta di Donna, it doesn't really resemble Ochs and is completely different to Posta di Donna).
Clements teaches the withdrawal of the arms when cutting, something which should offend anyone with the most rudimentary understanding of tempo. He teaches what are essentially modern sabre parries with the longsword, which if he understood German theory, he would know is exactly what you are told not to do. The techniques he shows bear no resemblance to anything that can be seen by looking at original manuals.
The sword and shield section is even worse. Clements claims that his method of shield use is historical, yet it violates every principle of historical shield use. He holds the shield flat in front of the body, which authors like Marozzo tell you to do against polearms or multiple opponents, but NOT in single combat against another sword armed opponent. Clements' guards leave him vulnerable to having his shield bound by his opponent's. It also means that practically every cut he shows commits the cardinal sin of shield combat, exposing the arm in front of the shield. Lastly, Clements advocates moving the shield to block attacks, when historically combatants moved their bodies around large shields, not the shield around their body. All of the fundamentals that he could get wrong he does.
While in the longsword section you can see some effort (albeit poor) to follow historical practice, it is clear that the sword and shield section was simply made up. It is ironic that the author spends so much time criticising others for making up techniques and then does it himself.
This book was poorly researched and out of date when it was written, but it was the only book out there on medieval swordsmanship. This is no longer the case. There are a great many books, almost all of them a massive improvement on this sorry tome. For the longsword we have Christian Tobler's Secrets of German Medieval Swordsmanship, followed by his Fighting with the German Longsword. David Lindholm's Knightly art of Swordsmanship and Zabinski's Codex Wallerstein are both good works on the German system. There is also an excellent DVD by a German group called Ochs. The Italian system has Arte Gladiatoria, a translation of Vadi's manual, and the Swordsman's Companion, an excellent training manual. Sword and shield is less well covered. The Art of Medieval Swordsmanship translates the I.33 sword and buckler manual, while Medieval Sword and Shield explains it. There are also two excellent articles on the use of large shields in Spada and Spada II. Any of these books is preferable to Medieval Swordsmanship.
It is shocking to think that less than ten years ago, academic standards in this field were so low that this dreadful book was actually considered acceptable. There are so many good books in this field, with more being produced every year. The thought of anyone buying Medieval Swordsmanship in 2006 is apalling.
Medieval Swordsmanship: Illustrated Methods and Techniques March 12, 2006
1 out of 11 found this review helpful
A very usefull book with a very good weapon histiry. Good research in both Italian and German longsword and also sword & shield.
A New Approach to an Old Discussion March 1, 2006
1 out of 6 found this review helpful
What were medieval swordsmen really like? Clements seeks to answer this question in this book. This is a very straightforward, no punches pulled look at what we see around us regarding this issue. There are times when his approach to debunking commonly misheld truths can be abrasive, but this seems to be an excellent resource for those who truly want to know how the sword (and a few other weapons) were used before the Renaissance
 Interesting Introduction to Medieval Swordsmanship September 21, 2005
8 out of 11 found this review helpful
I study Japanese martial arts, and I purchased this book in an effort to understand the Western tradition of sword useage and broaden my general knowledge of sword useage. Both the similarities and differences between medieval swordsmanship and what I know of kenjutsu struck me: both utilize the same basic biomechanics (surprise! we're all humans) and even some general techniques, but each method is uniquely adapted to its own particular cultural environment. The subject is interesting, the author knows his swords, and the book reflects this. If you're looking for something along these general/introductory lines, this is the book for you. It contains a few specific techniques, but these are there for the purpose of illuminating the concepts rather than as part of some "exhaustive list."
Topics that are covered in detail include:
Design/production of medieval swords (from a warrior's perspective)
Use of the medieval sword and shield
Use of the medieval longsword
Medieval shield designs/uses
Training in medieval sword styles
Again, this is an interesting and worthwhile introduction to a very interesting subject. If you're curious, it's worth your time and money.
Perfect for what it's intended for July 6, 2005
8 out of 11 found this review helpful
I also spent a good deal of time reading all the reviews of this book. I feel that for what it's purpose is (a beginers guide into to medieval sword types), that it's one of the best resources of its kind available. That's not to say that other books of similar type aren't good. (Most notably "The Swordman's Companion: A Manual for Training With the Medieval Longsword by Guy Windsor" and Henry Tolbers book's Fighting with the German Longsword and "Secrets of German Medieval Swordsmanship: Sigmund Ringeck's Commentaries on Liechtenauer") Even then, Henry Tolber's books focus just on the German longsword and the latter just on a particular master. John Clements book covers many more sword types and weapon combinations throughout the medieval era.
From the negative complaints about this book, I conclude three things. These individuals are either 1) ignorant of what actual historical combat was and this evidence makes them look silly. 2) They have personal dislikes with John Clements or his habit of telling various boffer and rattan fighting groups that what they practice is not historical combat. Or 3) they forget that this is supposed to be a beginners manual and are looking for more an in depth approach.
There are many, many good books out there that would be the next step for the European Martial Arts student. But for the beginner, this is a fantastic reference book.
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