Imre Vass: Epee fencing-a complete system

[crquack]

How useful is this book to an intermediate fencer in the context of the modern sport?

[jjefferies]

How useful is this book to an intermediate fencer in the context of the modern sport?

As always it depends on what you are looking for:
1. IF you were thinking in terms of learning the game of epee, then it's not of much use.
2. If you already play the game or are learning it under the direction of a decent coach then it can be very useful to put what the coach teaches or what you have been taught into a frame work.

I've read much of it. I think the most useful parts have been the terminology and definitions of what the positions and guards are. But then I've also found some minor mistakes in what is probably the translation. Personally I think it is a very valuable book for my fencing reference library. And even worth the trouble to work your way through it. But in some senses it's like the tactical wheel - which I've never been able to use on the strip. Perhaps an epeeist at the very top of the game could see the tactical descriptions as a way of review. But again as to your original question it depends on your intended use.

[Phrogger]

While a good addition to the epeeist's library, it is hardly the holy grail of epee reference books many of us would like to see. Like jjeffries, some of the problems may be in translation. The glossary at the back doesn't even bother to define words like "imbroccata" and gives a poor explanation of things like a "time degagement thrust." It also suffers from poor organization and pacing, which combined with the other problems makes for a quite difficult read. Having said all that, it contains moves that I'd never even heard of before (never hurts to have a few new ones) and makes a noble attempt to explain drills for coach and student, in addition to many, many useful diagrams.

So taken for what it is, and seeing as how there are few books on the market (in English) specializing in epee technique, it's worth the money if you are a committed student of the weapon. I'd say not for the casual reader, however.

[edew]

As always it depends on what you are looking for:
1. IF you were thinking in terms of learning the game of epee, then it's not of much use.
2. If you already play the game or are learning it under the direction of a decent coach then it can be very useful to put what the coach teaches or what you have been taught into a frame work.

I've read much of it. I think the most useful parts have been the terminology and definitions of what the positions and guards are. But then I've also found some minor mistakes in what is probably the translation. Personally I think it is a very valuable book for my fencing reference library. And even worth the trouble to work your way through it. But in some senses it's like the tactical wheel - which I've never been able to use on the strip. Perhaps an epeeist at the very top of the game could see the tactical descriptions as a way of review. But again as to your original question it depends on your intended use.

Unless there's a different wheel for epee, I don't think you can use the foil tactical wheel for epee. It doesn't work because it assumes that you don't mind getting hit for the sake of scoring a point with right of way.

[jjefferies]

Unless there's a different wheel for epee, I don't think you can use the foil tactical wheel for epee. It doesn't work because it assumes that you don't mind getting hit for the sake of scoring a point with right of way.

Aaah SOooo! Now that makes sense. And here I thought it was for the purpose of teaching sword play not ROW. My Bad.

[crquack]

As always it depends on what you are looking for

As it happens this book arrived in error in a package instead of Czajkowski's book that I ordered.

It occurred to me that I have no reference book on epee and wondered if I should keep it or return it (it is in a plastic shrink wrap so I cannot peek!). The two books I have on fencing (including one by N. Evangelista) spend a lot of time on foil and epee is really mentioned mainly in reference to foil.

I really do not have a coach except perhaps three times a year when I visit and get private lessons (as well as my tail kicked in his club). Thus I spend a lot of time practicing solo. On occasions questions arise which I cannot answer myself. I experiment with contraptions in the garage, I post here, I read books (including a downloaded Canadian Fencing manual) and rarely e-mail the coach (I do not want to overdo it and p..s him off!).

I am also half-way through reading the Epee 2.0 by Harmenberg which is a fascinating book full of revelations. This in turn generates further questions and so on.

It is clear to me that no single source will provide me with all the answers (well, the coach would but he is not here) so I am looking for information specific to epee which is not too out of date as many of the teaching materials are.

[Allen Evans]

I would consider Vass a poor reference guide for epee. It's primarily a laundry list of actions, counter-actions, and counter-counter-actions, entirely from a blade point of view. The text uses Hungarian terminology, which can be a little obtuse if you've been raised with French terms. The line drawings the book is illustrated with are rarely helpful.

AE

[Lemonaide]

I read the book when I started Epee. I think it's probably a good idea to read it, as you'll probably be fencing people who read the book. I found it pretty confusing - he's not very clear, but I hung onto it and as I continued along in Epee, more and more of it made sence. It's written in a very european mind, sort of fettered, kinda heavy - but by all means hang onto it. [also, yes, I found errors as well, but I also believed it was due to translations rather than lack of knowledge].

[crquack]

It's written in a very european mind

That's handy, I've got one of those...
Thanks, though, seriously.
I have decided more or less to keep it.