Monday 16 March 2009

Great Expectations

I suspect I'm not alone in having wondered if the few fragments of manuscript detailing the art of the longsword in England could ever be combined to make a workable system.

To date the vast majority of the work seems to vary between decidedly average at best to unbelievably poor at worst. A new book promises to change that.

Brandon Heslop is the public face of the duo of authors responsible for the forthcoming title "Lessons on the English Longsword".

You have to admit he has an interesting strategy.

Announce the book, start a blog and upload regular video updates to try and generate a frenzy of interest for when the book finally hits the shelves.

Apparently there will also be a DVD. This to me is the most intriguing aspect of it.

It's just possible that this may well be the way things are done in future. It certainly seems as if the book/DVD combo might go some way to solving the problem of how to get enough practical instruction in to a book and theory into a DVD.

Of course that all depends on whether it is any good.

Unlike SPWH I won't fall into the trap of assuming it can't be because I am not familiar with either of the authors. But it is certainly a worry. In fiction the general rule is that the more you write the better you get. In adult education you want your teacher to have experience of teaching. Preferably at the forefront of their field.

So perhaps Stephenpaul is right.

Good grief did I really just type that?

Blimey.

It'd be a first if they are.

Anyway, back to the main thrust.

We can expect a "complete lexicon of the known terminology".

Sounds impressive doesn't it?

Well yes, initially.

But it's not the known terminology that I have trouble with. It's the unknown terminology.

"This book will put the final nail in the coffin in the argument that the German and Italian traditions are radically different from each other"

That's quite a claim.

Of course it depends on how we define the word "radically".

Oh who am I trying to kid. I could pick holes in the semantics all night if I wanted to. The truth is that I don't.

I'm looking forward to seeing it.

Brandon hasn't done a lot to help himself by marching onto one of the more popular forums, telling folk they are uninformed and then marching straight out again but I suspect he doesn't care much for their opinion as long as they buy his book.

I for one will be buying it.

Either I will have a worthwhile addition to my ever expanding library, or I will have another target for ridicule.

A win win situation for me I think.

So Brandon, the ball is in your court.

Make it wonderful, or make it appalling. Just for the love of God don't make it mediocre.