It is always good to see a new book on Fencing, and this one is a treat. Prof ‘Jes’ Smith has worked for many years as a coach and is a former women’s epee national coach; therefore, he has something to say and is worth listening to.

His book does not follow the traditional format of just giving basic definitions and then describing the blade actions, he provides a much fuller explanation of how to apply these actions tactically. have not seen a book that does such a good job of explaining tactics. He covers technique, timing, speed, distance, different reactions a fencer will give; it’s all there! This is the sort of knowledge needed by someone who wants to take exams in coaching fencing, not just for fencers.

Jes has divided his book into six parts and follows the logical development needed from the initial basic attack/defence up to advanced strokes, all with comprehensive tactical explanations. Intriguingly, he does not follow a stroke/coaching syllabus, but only deals with those actions needed to make a competitive fighter. The topics of first and second intention, with examples are covered, along with a very interesting explanation of parries using reaction, premeditation and inducements.

Two things that stand out for me are 1) the realistic drawings, many drawings for left-handers. 2) the exercise format of ‘Fencer A and Fencer B’ to explain the lessons/practices - a blast from the past, but effective. Unusually, he also includes drawings of incorrect actions.

Some terminology is different, such as transports, through or grazing beats and inducements but Jes clearly describes the meaning in detail. I would like to have seen him develop the part on Accelerating/Flick hits and the defence against those actions.

This book does well to cover the techniques of modern foil fencing. A beginner will soon be out of their depth and will need a coach to get the best out of it. Coaches will also benefit because it gets them to teach their pupils how to become a modern fighter. This is not a book to read and put away, it should be in a fencing bag. In the club fencers will often just have a lesson and then fight, this book is ideal to work from.

There is a lot of wisdom here, for those who wish to become the best, as a coach or a fencer.

Leon Hill, Academy News, May 2003

I have to agree with Keith Smith, in his foreword, that this is an admirable book, produced in a clear and logical manner. One of the many problems confronting any Master writing a book on fencing is that of finding an original format. Jes Smith has certainly found a good solution to this problem. The originality of his approach is refreshing and it makes an enjoyable read for the experienced fencer and a very useful book of reference for beginners, intermediate fencers and trainee fencing coaches.

The book is clearly illustarted with good outline diagrams, which are helpful in understanding the text. There were a few of these diagrams which, on first glance I found confusing. However, upon careful reading of the text they became clear. Another interesting aspect of the format of the book is the inclusion of ‘Exercises’. These are clearly presented and could be of great value to trainee coaches and to those beginner and intermediate fencers who have sufficient self-motivation to work through them with a partner.

There are Masters who would not totally agree with his interpreation of ‘first and second intention’, but this has been an area of disagreement for many years. At least here is an explanation that will seem logical to most fencers. I congratulate Jes on the production of his book, which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I have no hesitation in recommending it most highly.

This is a first class book, long awaited. The style is clear and the explanation and logic easy to follow. The use of "birdseye view" drawings is unusual and excellent. More would have been good. The drawings are easy to follow (usually a problem in fencing books) and the explanations clear. There is a logical progression that makes the concept of fencing easy to understand.

The book, unlike so many others, is up to date and concentrates on what is happening now and not what happened 30 years ago! This book, along with Prof Alf Simmonds Fencing to Win will be first and foremost within reach on the bookshelf. It is great for students and good for the less experienced coach. Buy it, learn from it and then try and go to one of Prof. Smith's classes. I will certainly be recommending this book to my students

If you only buy one book on foil fencing, buy this one. Having waded through quite a bit of literature on the subject, I found this one refreshingly concise and importantly, up to date. The text is to the point whilst still showing due respect to the forms and conventions of fencing. Some other books on the subject are wrapped up in the nostalgia of swordplay, rather than dealing with it as a modern sport with a colourful history. You can't learn to fence from a book, but this as near as you will get.

This book gives a straight-forward set-up to a guide on the sport of fencing. With explanations for beginners and more advanced advice on the tactics of the sport, it is useful for both the novice and more adept foilist. I found the illustrations particularly helpful in explaining more complex points, and on the whole found the book enhanced my understanding of the sport. I would sincerely recommend purchasing this book as an essential guide to fencing.

This is the first fencing book I bought shortly after having started the sport. I found it a very useful revision tool to support what I had learned in class. It is written in a very clear and simple style with plenty of pictures to support the text. The layout of the different moves into clearly headed separate sections means that you can locate the move you want to check up on without having to trawl through the whole thing. I would say that this has to be The Book for those starting fencing and it is also a good book to have for those more intermediate fencers who want a handy quick reference guide to improve existing technique.