Your favorite fistfight scene? Reacher? Bourne?

lurky

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Hi,
I've been writing in another genre, but I'm now trying modern day espionage.
I have a big (fist) fight scene coming up between a trained agent an angry crowd in a confined space.
Fight scenes are my strength in the other genre (where everyone had a sword) but I'm having a little trouble getting started with this.
I did a some googling and there seems to be a feeling that many authors gloss over the fight itself, but Ludlum's Borne books and Child's Reacher book do a very good job. I've not read either series.
Can anyone recommend a fight scene from either series or any other series that they think gets it right?
I'd like to see how the pros handle it.
Thanks!
 
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heyjude

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Sorry I didn't see this until now, lurky! I think for me those scenes don't tend to stand out. In fact, most of them tend to be so over the top that I skim. Hopefully someone who pays closer attention can chime in. :)
 

muse

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I'm with HJ. I tend to skim fight scenes. (I do the same with car chase scenes in films - hate, hate those things.)

If I had to pick an author who does the best fight scenes it would be Lee Child. I do love Reacher's thought process when he's fighting - it's not all Wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am. :greenie
 

Wesley_S_Lewis

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It looks like several other people have already given my answer, so I'll just add my vote for Lee Child's Reacher series. It's much easier to write the aftermath of violence, which I'm sure is why a lot of writers gloss over the actual fights, but Child knows how to keep a fight scene exciting and engaging, without making his prose sound like play-by-play commentary or stage choreography. He also seems to understand that a little bit goes a long way. It's been a few years since I've read a Reacher novel, but I seem to recall that the fight scenes, despite being impactful, are relatively short.