Martial Arts fiction.

Despite my best efforts I have struggled to find any quality martial arts themed fiction.

It’s probably because I am such a picky reader. At the best of times my reading choices are all over the place. But with all the potential for action, complexity, exoticism and a total thrill ride, why has martial arts as a theme been so hard done to?

My intention for writing this piece is that I am hoping someone is going to share with me an overlooked gem, but I am not holding my breath.

There are books that ‘feature’ martial arts; usually intended to boost the credentials of the main protagonist (or villain). Her’s a couple of examples.

‘Green River Rising’. By Tim Willocks. American prison riot lockdown, super violent, super macho, where the main hero is a Shotokan black belt.

I have read a couple of Tim Willocks’ books; there a real sword swinging blood-fest called ‘The Religion’, historical novel set at the siege of Malta. But sometimes Willocks’ writing leaves me feeling a little queasy – too much strutting machismo.

Even Sherlock Holmes was supposed to have martial arts skills. Arthur Conan Doyle, his creator mentioned that Holmes had refined abilities in the clumsily name ‘Bartitsu’ (although in the books it was called ‘Baritsu’), a combination of boxing, jujutsu, savate and cane fighting. It was a real thing, something formulated by British engineer Edward Barton-Wright in 1898 after spending three years in Japan. Holmes used it in his final tussle with Moriarty.

The killing blade.

For sword stuff of the European brand, look up Arturo Perez-Reverte, well known in Spain but somewhat overlooked in the rest of the world. His hero Captain Alatriste featured in several of his novels and a movie titled from the eponymous swordsman/soldier of fortune in 17^th century Spain.

Perez-Reverte also wrote, ‘The Fencing Master’, this time 19^th century Spain. A neat little book which was also made into a movie. The plot features the search for the ‘unstoppable thrust’, which echoes in part the same plot support device used in the book and movie ‘Le Bossu’, in that case it is the ‘unstoppable’ sword technique devised by the Duke de Nevers; it’s an interesting idea to deploy as a motif of skill and mastery in fighting ability. The eastern martial arts version would be something like Dim Mak, the ‘magical death touch’.

Japanese fiction.

Of course, there has to be Japanese Samurai fiction, and not just the manga variation.

I have to mention Yoshikawa’s ‘Musashi’ series. I did dip into it myself but I struggled with the writing style.

Also, Musashi Miyamoto, author of ‘The Book of Five Rings’, is too much of a historical cypher. While the mystery of the man gives fuller licence to fiction writers, I am not so sure how much of a hero or role model the rogue samurai should be seen as. An elderly Japanese karate sensei told me that to him and other Japanese people, Musashi was just an unprincipled killer and that there were far better Japanese real-life heroes in the history books who don’t seem to get the same coverage that Musashi does.

Older stuff.

Not really martial arts but my early dip into fiction that resonated with the whole historical Japan thing was James Clavell’s ‘Shogun’, I think it still stands the test of time.

As a youngster, I also read some stuff by Eric Van Lustbader, it really didn’t tick my boxes.

I have recently read on-line plot synopsis and reviews of the books by John Donohue. These are thrillers, but the reviews are not great, the phrase ‘low brow’ comes to mind. But… I haven’t read them; maybe other people feel differently?

‘The Gift of Rain’ by Tan Twang Eng. The book that nearly got it right.

Here’s an interesting one…

A historical piece, published in 2008, set in Malaya during the build up to WW2 and the developing situation. A young boy is taken under the wing of a Japanese Aikido Sensei who is not quite what he seems. The book tries very hard to encompass a number of themes; loyalty and betrayal being the key ones. My feeling is that the ideas could have been developed over a series of novels and not just crammed into one book. As such, it suffers from trying to hit too many targets at the same time. I would be interested in what others think.

What is missing.

This is just an opinion from a fussy reader.

Why oh why are the martial arts details in novels so amateurish? Maybe the authors and editors are just pandering to an ill-informed audience? Just giving the punters what they think martial arts are, instead of giving more of an expert angle (my view is that the real story is far more interesting than the fiction).

In a way, the author has to bring something significant to the table, and for it to have any authenticity it has to come from the author’s own experience and knowledge.

Confession time.

I did attempt my own version, a hesitant beginning following up a theme I’d been think about for a while, but it was 2500 words of the same drivel that I have been so critical about above.

I’d made an additional rod for my own back by setting it in a historical time frame (England and China in the 1790’s), which demanded such a lot of research to make the details and the language sound authentic. Maybe some day I will look at it again. I feel that the idea was sound, but I don’t think I have the skills to pull it off.

Perhaps, after reading this, someone will be able to direct me towards something I have overlooked. Please feel free to add comments below, it would be good to get a discussion going.

Header image: Tim Shaw, via AI 2023.