In my last post, I talked about how I wanted to catch up on all the series that I read this year. One series I really enjoy but have fallen behind on has been the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. But I did finish “Dead Beat,†the seventh novel in the series, a few weeks ago.
It was a good read, but something really struck me about it – how much action there was. During the course of the book, wizard Harry Dresden (the main character) gets beaten up, threatened, injured, and more too many times to count – all in the space of a few days.
And it’s not just poor Harry. Several books I’ve read recently by authors like Cindy Gerard, Kresley Cole, Roxanne St. Claire, Kristin Cashore, and Jim C. Hines have featured lots of action. I’m wondering if this is something authors are doing more of these days – adding in more and more action in their books.
Maybe authors are trying to give readers more of a movie- or television-type experience. Maybe readers just expect more of these scenes. Maybe authors and readers both just like it when stuff blows up a lá Jerry Bruckheimer movies. I certainly do. 
But one thing I do know is that action is good for a number of reasons. As a reader, it keeps me hooked and flipping pages. How is the heroine going to fend off the five ninjas that she’s going up against? Especially when she doesn’t have any weapons? If I want to know, I have to keep reading.
As an author, I love writing action scenes. These sorts of scenes really get my creative juices flowing, and I always think about how I can write something that’s real and cool and gritty and still makes my readers worry about the fate of my heroine. Action scenes always challenge me to try to come up with something new and fresh.
If more action is a trend, then I’m totally on the bandwagon as a reader and an author. (What can I say? It’s hard to write an urban fantasy series about an assassin without a lot of fight scenes).
So sorry, Harry. Looks like you’re going to have to take a few more hits on the chin for the team.
What about you? What do you like as a reader? What do you like writing as an author? All action? Or some breathers between fight scenes?
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I bounce back and forth on this one. My latest release is as much action-adventure as romance and I’m not well-versed in the kind of combat situations my characters kept having to face.
I recall writing one scene where hero and his cohort were defending the area against a bunch of bad guys–by this point, the hero was very worried about whether or not the heroine was safe, and I wanted to get back to it. I had described the opening of the action, then wrote something like, “an eternity later, which his partner swore was only seven minutes, the shooting stopped.” I then sent my hero barreling down the mountain to look for the heroine.
My editor came back with, “I want to see those seven minutes on the page.”
Argh — thank goodness for people who DO know about combat who are willing to take the time to help authors like me.
When I’m reading, I tend to gloss over a lot of the details in action scenes. I don’t need every blow. I get the gist and that’s good enough. When I’m writing, however .. I have to put those details on the page. Sometimes more than I wanted! (But my editor loved the rewrite.)
I like breathers between the action, in which more characterization can happen. I also like there to be characterization in the action scenes, because as a reader it’s sometimes hard for me to follow the descriptions of combat. I care about how the pov character FEELS about the combat.
I love action scenes! And I get to write some cool ones with the Science Fiction side of my romance.
I beat my characters up bad, but I always take the time to show them getting patched up afterward.
Jess
I love all action all the time as a reader. It definitely keeps the pages turning until I’ve raced through and there are no more pages. But, the end result is a more forgettable book.
The hero and heroine always make it out. The only tension is in how they’re going to make it out. And that’s not what makes for a memorable book.
The emotional element that shows H&H connecting and working through their vulnerabilities, admitting why they weren’t able to love before – that’s the meat of the story. The parts where they tangle with the bad guys is usually filler.
Terry — It can be tough to write action scenes. Even though I like writing them, I always have to sit and think, “Now, what have I done before?” — and then try to come up with something new.
Victoria — I like the characterization in the action scenes too. Like in the Harry Dresden book. No matter how bad things get, Harry always manages to keep his sense of humor — even if its gallows humor.
Jess — It’s always fun to pick on your own characters, isn’t it?
Venus — I know what you mean. I liked Dead Beat, but there was just so much action, I didn’t think it was quite as strong as some of the other books in the series, which seemed to have more character development/interaction.
That being said, sometimes I’m just in the mood for a good shoot-em-up — whether it’s a book or a movie.
I have a hard time visualizing action scenes in books, and if they go on for very long, I skim them. What I’m writing now doesn’t lend itself to action, but I have discovered that description is my weak point–I expect those two traits are related. What I love to read–and write–is dialogue. Sometimes, I find myself lumbering through a scene, only to run into a patch of dialogue–my speed and my spirits pick up!
I like action sequences, but whether it be action/adventure, thriller, romance, or all the above, I also like careful buildup of suspense. Those lulls before the storm when you know more excitement is coming, or maybe when you THINK you missed the storm and are about to find out it’s going to hit head on. When well done, the anticipation these “breathers” create is almost as fun as the action itself!
Yay, ACTION! I grok that.
For my own reading, I’m not into the huge, all out army versus army warfare scenes, either in books or movies — too much going on, too much stimulus, and if it goes on for too long I become numb to it. [shrug] I dunno, maybe it’s a past life thing.
But I greatly prefer the one on one personal combat scenes, especially if I’ve been given a reason by the writer to become emotionally invested in at least one of the combatants — I have to know, before blades engage, what’s at stake if the character I’ve come to care about should lose that particular encounter.
And dear gods, yes, — writers, Do Your Research. Make the action at least feasible, so I don’t roll my eyes and mutter maledictions about bovine excrement.
Thanks for the shout out in the blog, Jennifer. As I write (okay, as I procrastinate by blog hopping), I am mid page on what I call the BADS. Big Action and Danger Scene. This is the ultimate climax of heroine (usually) in jeopardy. If my heart is not pounding as I write, then I doubt the reader’s will be either – that’s my litmus test.
It’s great to know readers love these scenes, and reassuring that to know they’re tough for everyone to write. They mix choreography, pacing, emotion, credibility and character traits. I also like to use the setting of my book to drive the danger. Today’s is taking place in a volcanic crater on the island of Corvo in the Azores.
Good blog and so timely for me!
Leah — Yeah, sometimes, I have a hard time “seeing” action scenes as well — especially the big epic battle scenes that you sometimes find in fantasy novels (like Radish also mentioned).
Lisa — Suspense is always important. Like you said, it can build up a reader’s excitement to see what happens next.
Radish — I like the one-on-one scenes too, especially when it’s the final showdown between the hero and the big bad. That’s usually my favorite part as a reader and author.
Roxanne — No problem. I recently finished the BC trilogy and really enjoyed it. Action scenes do mix all the things you mentioned. But when done well, they really elevate a book for me.
Although I do write a bit of action in my novels, I prefer reading and writing dialogue. Not a lot of dialogue going on during fight scenes.
I like some breathers between scenes of action to have a chance to delve into the characters and their motivations. When it’s nonstop action, I start to skip some of the description just like I don’t watch every kick and punch in the Bourne movies. And about Harry Dresden, how does he survive all the abuse he takes in his adventures? He’s one tough guy. Butcher believes in torturing his hero.
I love me some action scenes (and the opening action scene in Jess Granger’s BEYOND THE RAIN reminded me of the various scenes in ALIENS–sweet!). And I thought Linnea Sinclair had some really suspenseful combat/battle scenes in HOPE’S FOLLY.
The action scenes I tend to enjoy most in books are ones that are short to moderate in length and of the right scope for the story. Especially with SF&F, it’s hard to wage big battle scenes on the page without making a reader’s eyes glaze over, and as Terry noted, in single combat an author doesn’t need to describe every punch.
Another thing that makes an action scene stand out for me if there is something uber cool about it, whether it has to do with a character’s outfit or weapon or if it in some way advances the character development.
Action scenes can do a lot of swell stuff but there’s also a lot to be said for moderation (I’m looking at you, Michael Bay).