The Deadliest Men
The World’s Deadliest Combatants throughout the Ages
Paul Kirchner, Paladin Press, 2001, 418 pages
&
More of the Deadliest Men Who Ever Lived
Paul Kirchner, Paladin Press, 2009, 455 pages
To me this is a two-volume encyclopedia of bad-asses. I have read the first volume four times and the second twice, and I use them for reference.
Kirchner is an excellent illustrator and a fairly transparent writer. The scheme is alphabetical and he makes an attempt to do a survey of all periods and cultures. For instance, he could have done a book just on WWII combat infantryman, but just includes a few. You have Islamic knights, savages, a jeweler [probably the coolest dude in the books], crooks, a Viking, law officers, a cabbie, fighter aces, duelists, Samurai, frontiersmen, snipers, a baseball player, boxers, a lesbian…
There is one triple entry for three Gurkhas and six double entrees for partners and successors. In all the 77 entries adds up to 85 ass-kicking machines. I do hope the author does another volume—perhaps he has. It would be worth checking out.
Guys, you just cannot beat this. These books belong on your shelf right between your bowie knife and that pack of Trojan super-magnums. I do hope that Mister Kirchner does a children’s version before my grandson turns five.
