I attend a club with no formal coach and the "senior" epee has only had a year of experience and isn't the most gung-ho of people. Anyways, I've been cracking at this for about 6mo and thought I've picked up a lot from tournaments I feel like I'm not where I could be so I leave it to you guys.
Books, Drills, or any kind of resource would be super helpful. Anything you would suggest to anyone.
I would look for another club, one with a coach and a group of talented epeeists. While you can learn from books and competitions, it will be harder and take longer.
You can not learn epee from books. You need proper instruction and competition from people who are better than you. Books are helpful to polish your strategy, perhaps, also to understand the amount of training needed to excel. In order of importance: lessons, bouting, footwork, drills, videos, and books.
Epee is the Sword.
I go to as many tournaments as I can. Since starting in august I've been to 5 including the one I was at today. I actually almost earned my E, I came in 6th in a D1, it should have been a c, 3 cs made it to the top 8 but both of the D's lost to Us. Imagine my disappointment. all i can really say that there doesn't seem to be many options for Epee coaches in my area its why I'm turning here.
I must say I agree with what everyone has said so far. Get experience bouting with electric equipment and at competitions. There is no 'handbook' for epee. It comes as experience and as instinct. Keep at it, and keep with conditioning (AB WORKOUTS!!!) and staying in shape.
Something else I forgot... When I was new to fencing (around a year) I felt like I was at a plateau. Find another club with good epeeists and private lessons this will help alot.
When I felt like I was at a plateau I went to many tournatments... nothing is better than fencing people when it counts.
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