This is the definition of a fun coffee table type book to just have sitting around. I love film and this book was so much fun to read. The reviews are clearly written by a fan and not a snobby film critic and that makes it that much more enjoyable.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Globe Pequot, Applause for an advance copy to this guide about films from the silent era to the anything goes 80's featuring swords, samurai, slashing, sorcery and whole lot more.

My town was blessed with two video stores who competed on the oddest movies one could get from classics to mondo classics, and depending on who was working didn't care the age of the person renting movies unless they seemed too obvious. My father doubly blessed us by having an illegal cable box so I had all the movie channels. And I so abused these gifts. I watched everything and anything. Horror from counties I had never heard of, Zombie movies from Italy, weird action movies from the Philippines, I loved them all. Being a role player I particularly paid attention to movies with swords and wizards, branching off into samurai and ninjas and 70's Hong Kong martial arts movies. Sword-play derring-do, bare chests from both men and women, it was a magical time, and I loved them all. And so it seems did Lawrence Ellsworth. Writer, translator and all around movie lover, Ellsworth's book Cinema of Swords: A Popular Guide to Movies about Knights, Pirates, Barbarians, and Vikings (and Samurai and Musketeers and Gladiators and Outlaw Heroes) is a guide and a love letter to all sorts of movies with pirates, knight, avengers and mad men swinging swords and chopping heads.

The book is set up alphabetically with most series listed together to get a feel for how a series might be from sequel to sequel. There are also television shows listed, featuring the usual Zorro, Robin Hood, and others like William Tell and Lone Wolf and Club. Collected movies include pirate films, chivalry, samurai and ninjas, lots of heroes, lots of classic stars. The entrys include date of release, studio, a star rating, director and how the might be seen today, which changes almost week to week. What surprises me most in looking up some of these films that even though there are so many streaming services many of these movies are hard to track down, which is a real shame.

The entries include cast, story origins and behind scenes information as well as select cast, and how the movie was received, or if it it disappeared. Ellsworth treats all the genres equally, thought he does spend a little more time on the 5 star reviews, which makes sense as these a great movies, and should be talked about, especially the influence these movies had. Oh and Maureen O'Hara, I think Ellsworth likes O'Hara a lot. Ellsworth is a good writer, sharing information and story information without giving much away, pointing out what is bad but still making saluting the art, not matter how much of a cash grab a picture might be. Ellsworth as an eye for detail, and swordwork, and has a good sense of humor that really adds to the guide. I thought I knew movies but quite a few were new to me, and are on my must track down to see list, plus Ellsworth speaks so well about movies I know that I have seen and yet remember vaguely, I might have to watch those again too. In addition there are sidebars with more information about actors, directors and of course William Hobbs who choreographed many of the greatest sword fighting scenes in movies.

Recommended for movie fans, especially for ones just starting out. Experienced fans will enjoy the reviews and takes, which are sometimes surprising. A very good guide about some great movies, and I hope Ellsworth will do something like this again.