Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy discussion

Here is a question. How long is too long for the last battle of a normal 300-400 page book? Let's try to go by page count too. Do you like a battle that goes on for around 20 pages or do you like something short and sweet? Is there a middle ground?

Liz ^_^
www.vampyrekisses.com

The way that I look at it is--if the battle lasts more than 2 pages (unless its LotRs and then I'm capping it at 5) then its way too long. Most of us don't know what a riposte is--or the difference between a sabre, main garache, epee etc.--so going into loving details about them means that, well, I lose interest and skip ahead to when the battle ends.

Twenty pages does sound too long, but if it is brilliantly written, and full of suspense and tension, it could work.

It just depends. In Harry Potter Deathly Hallows that battle was long, but it worked. It needed to be that long. The series pretty much built up to that one moment.

I can see why in other series it would be too long if it was over a few pages.

I think, like the others mentioned, if it was well done then anything over a couple of pages would be okay.

Wow. A couple pages? That seems so short in my mind. Ok, what if the battle is actually fighting and explanation through the 20 pages? So it's not going into details on the differences of this weapon or what but its actual action packed with some dialogue the whole way through. Also, used as a way to bring the whole group back together?

If it gets too long, I start skimming. A few pages unless it's really good.

Dialogue helps sometimes. I like the one liners in Kate Daniels.

You may be too long. Depends on too many factors to answer fully.

Shelly is right about too many factors--but I do usually cap it at a couple of pages. I'm sorry, but even description "Sam and Ted met in the center of the battlefield, determined at last to end their feud one way or the other," kind of sums up a good fight scene for ME. Of course, clever one-liners can stretch that out some, but more than that, no.

See, I enjoy a good battle scene if done right so I don't care how long it lasts( but then again I also enjoy thriller and suspense books so that may be why)

Ann aka Iftcan wrote: "Shelly is right about too many factors--but I do usually cap it at a couple of pages. I'm sorry, but even description "Sam and Ted met in the center of the battlefield, determined at last to end t..."

I have to agree with you there, Anna. I absolutely hate long battle scenes since I have no interest in becoming a strategist. Following what happens to a character on the battlefield doesn't need to be drawn out IMHO. A couple of pages is plenty. The exception is, of course, NF books with a focus on pivotal battles and/or generals ala the History Channel. A different beast altogether.
OTOH, I read and adored The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel Of The Civil War even though I have little interest in the Civil War, and the whole book was the three day Battle of Gettysburg.

I don't know that I have a specific page count, but, I will skim if the author gives too many details about strategy, troop movement, and weapons type. I do like descriptive actions in fight scenes. A quick weapons sketch, and gore, key movements and the coup de grace in detail. Ah, now that's a fight scene!

I usually read a book, even if I don't like it, over an extended period of time to make it more bearable but to see if, for some reason, the finale is worth the torture of the entire book.
Although there was this one time when I just couldn't stomach any more than half of it, so maybe that's a count...

To me it depends on the scene. If it all about x kicked and lifted sword that clashed with y's sword who punched, blah blah, then a couple pages would be my max. But if there are other things going on during the scene, other characters doing something or x sword fighting then casting magic or going after more than one character then more pages are welcome.

I guess another way to put it does the fighting move the story along somehow. Even with the last battle there is some post battle happenings. If not, it needs to be shorter.

I do think 20 pages sounds like a lot of battling, but how long any scene, plot point or battle runs seems to me part of the pacing of the book. If it is something that has been building up for a long period of time, giving it just a page or two could be disappointing.

If it is a battle that has only been growing within one book, I'm sure a few pages could sum up the action. There is no magic answer. You really need to decide on how it best works within the rest of your book.

I think there should be some little battles or attacks (about 3 pages) to lead up to the big battle & the big battle should be 10 - 20 pages. Those pages would include some set up & people jockeying for position. The biggest catch is if it's written well or not. If it's boring or not written well then the length will not matter because you'll be thinking "is it over yet" & prob thinking that of the book. A major battle that is too short leaves you wanting more. A major battle should be more then a page or two.

On the middlin' side. Too short and you're left wondering, "Well, what the hell happened to.....during the battle between.......& ......?" & "Well, how the hell did he manage that?". Too long and it just gets tedious and boring.

The second book of the Dresden Files has a battle scene that goes on and on and on and at the end, there was still no resolution. By the end of it, I was too tired to finish the book. The battle wore me out and wore me out for no reason.

There are some authors that think their battles are epic showdowns between good and evil, but they are not. They are just violent struggles that should move the plot along. Now if you truly have an epic battle, i.e. Harry Potter and Voldemort, then by all means take your time. But if you just have violent struggles for power, i. e. witches and fairies moving to Sookie's neighborhood, 10 or 12 pages should be more than enough.

Depends on the writing. In Siege of Darkness by R.A. Salvatore the last like 150 pages is a battle (not like one scene in one room, obviously) and it was awesome.