History BFS / Literature

* In the John Silke novel ''Prisoner of the Horned Helmet'', the main character uses a large axe named the elephant killer, which is described as being heavier than an average breastplate. later, 2 {{giant mook}}s appear. one of them uses a scimitar whih is almost as long as th other man, while the other uses an axe which is described as being "big enough to be his brother"

** Aliera e'Kieron wields her ancestor Kieron's greatsword for several books. It's taller than she is. But then, she's an elf by any other name, and [[spoiler:her mother is a goddess]], so at least there's a reason she can lift it. This trope is also [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] by Vlad on seeing Telnan with Nightslayer. He wonders if some Dzur strap hilts on with no sword underneath.

* In Creator/NickPerumov's ''Literature/KeeperOfTheSwords'' cycle, DarkMagicalGirl Sylvia gets to wield a Flammberg that has magic that in Sylvia's hands gives it a properties of a LaserBlade, including near-zero wielding weight (but not for the ones hit).

* Obould Many-Arrows from R.A. Salvatore's ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms'' novel ''Literature/TheLegendOfDrizzt'' wields one; notably, it's also [[FlamingSword on fire]]. Obould himself as an orc chieftain was [[AsskickingLeadsToLeadership strong enough to intimidate into obedience]] stronger-than human orc warriors -- ''before'' he was magically enhanced.

* {{Downplayed}} in ''Literature/ReignOfTheSevenSpellblades''. Nanao's sword is a normal katana, where Union mages generally prefer smaller one-handed swords as "athames": Oliver's resembles a smallsword. At first glance he thinks the weapon would be far too large and slow to make an effective athame, not knowing that that Nanao is a war veteran whom a WizardingSchool instructor plucked directly from her LastStand on a battlefield.

** Later books reveal that the Shardblades are actually [[spoiler:the spren -- or corpses of spren -- who were bonded to the ancient Knights Radiant, and a spren in blade form in the hands of their Knight can transform into various weapons, including daggers, staves, or spears as the Knight needs. Their shape as Swords does seem to be the default, however.]]

* La Pucelle from ''LightNovel/MagicalGirlRaisingProject'' has the ability to change the mass and size of her sword. This means she can potentially make both her sword and its sheath as big as she wants, such as making it large enough to bridge a giant whole in the ground.

* Obould Many-Arrows from R.A. Salvatore's ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms'' novel ''Literature/TheLegendOfDrizzt'' wields one; notably, it's also [[FlamingSword on fire]]. Obould himself as an orc chieftain was [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority strong enough to intimidate into obedience]] stronger-than human orc warriors -- ''before'' he was magically enhanced.

** In ''Literature/WatchersOfTheThrone'', Aleya picks up a massive greatsword from her ruined convent and makes it her WeaponOfChoice. In the second book, she receives her own Executioner Greatblade, a CoolSword that's almost as tall as her.

* In ''Literature/TheEpicOfGilgamesh'', the [[GodModeSue titular hero]] and his buddy Enkidu carry bladed weapons that might be heavier than themselves, the blades alone weighing 120 pounds each. Now these weapons aren't double-handed swords. They're ''daggers''. Gilgamesh and Enkidu throw them. All in all, each of them carries 600 pounds worth of daggers.

** Belgarion inherits a BFS halfway through the story. A basic gigantic greatsword [[ThunderboltIron forged from meteoric iron]], it's got a MacGuffin (the Orb of Aldur) attached to the hilt, effectively turning it into an EmpathicWeapon that will kill (almost) anyone else that touches it (putting it into the "only he can use it" category). Among other things, the Orb reduces the weight of the sword to enable Belgarion to easily wield it; in an amusing scene early in the sequel series, ''The Malloreon'', Belgarion removes the Orb from the hilt with the sword still strapped across his back—and promptly hits his knees under the immense weight of the weapon. He barely manages to struggle out from underneath it, and throughout the rest of the series, he takes the sword off ''before'' removing the Orb. The sword was actually forged to be fairly normal-sized by its original wielder, Riva Iron-Grip. Only problem was he was about two or three feet taller than most people with even bigger hands (thus his name).

* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' seems surprisingly lacking in these, but the Klatchian enforcer 71-Hours Ahmed in ''Jingo'' has a very large ''scimitar''.

* Subverted in ''Literature/{{Masques}}'': Everyone ''assumes'' a specific mythical sword must be really, really big. Turns out, no, it is [[spoiler: the protagonist's sword]], which is unusually ''small''. [[spoiler: It was under their noses the whole time, but they quickly dismissed it as "too small, must be just an ordinary sword"]]

* In ''Literature/TheCatastropheOfTheEmeraldQueen'' Mordalayn, the Emerald Queen's bodyguard, fights with a 3 bladed sword so large he wears it on his back. [[spoiler:It’s also booby trapped and takes off the hand of an enemy who tries to pull it out the scabbard. It's also capable of becoming a WeaponOfMassDestruction where the two outer blades detach and form a magical force field.]]
* In ''Literature/CodexAlera'', [[DishingOutDirt Knights Terra]] carry enormous swords, mauls, or waraxes that would be impossible for ordinary soldiers to use, but they can thanks to the fact that Earthcrafting gives SuperStrength. They are usually organized into a moderate sized group that Legions can uses as a battering ram or stopgap. Even [[WolfMan Canim elites]] and [[HordeOfAlienLocusts Vord warriors]] have to give way under that kind of assault. And they become ''real'' terrors if they're [[ExtraOreDinary metalcrafters to boot.]]

* Kamahl, the protagonist in the Torment Cycle of Literature/MagicTheGathering wields a BFS.

* ''Literature/TheElricSaga'': One of the oldest examples in Fantasy literature (popular in the 1970s and 1980s, although ''Stealer of Souls'' was published in 1961): bad-ass AntiHero Elric of Melnibone his [[ArtifactOfDoom evil sentient soulsucking black rune-sword]] Stormbringer, one of two demonic runeblades (the other being Mournblade). Although Stormbringer was not as ridiculously big as many anime swords, it was still on the large side, and could only be touched safely by Elric or occasionally by his sidekick. Elric himself, being of a sickly constitution, could only lift the sword when he was filled by the blade's stolen soul energies; powered-up he could swing it with ease for hours, slaughtering whole armies, but without the stolen strength, he would collapse and be unable to even lift the heavy blade, let alone fight with it.
* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'': Greatswords are not uncommon. Ned Stark carries a greatsword called Ice, which contains enough Valyrian steel to make two swords. There's also Gregor Clegane, who is so large that he wields a greatsword in one hand.

* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' seems surprisingly lacking in these, but the Klatchian enforcer 71-Hours Ahmed in ''Jingo'' has a very large ''scimitar''.
-->'''Vimes:''' He's practically a concealed owner!
* ''Literature/QuantumGravity'' had the weapon of intent, more accurately a shapeshifter weapon, that Lila Black brought back in the third book, and used all through the fourth. It does however, fit the trope perfectly, as the only two forms it took more than once were a pen (for concealment and easy carrying, but still usable as a weapon by simply writing threats?!) and a huge Zweihander. It is mentioned that even with Lila's Steel-Rending cyborg strength it would be too large and heavy for her to use effectively, except that it somehow balanced itself in an impossible way around her hand.
* In ''Literature/KeysToTheKingdom'', Sir Thursday wielded a massive, dual-handed longsword with one hand. Justified in that he's a nearly immortal, demi-god-like being. This is later subverted when the blade transforms into a slender rapier for Arthur. Don't think that made it any less badass: the blade's signature power was that it killed any living creature with even the slightest touch.

* In Creator/GeneWolfe's ''Literature/BookOfTheNewSun'' series, torturer Severian is given a huge and ancient executioner's sword by his guild-master when he is exiled, named ''Terminus Est''. The quillons are terminated by male and female heads, designating one edge for executing men and the other for women; the sword is blunt-tipped and only a cutting weapon, and sharp enough for Severian to shave with it. A channel down the blade is hollow, and contains mercury; it runs toward the hilt when the sword is held up, and flows toward the tip when swung, increasing the force of the blow.
* In the first edition of ''Literature/{{Eragon}}'', the protagonist had a five-foot-long sword. It was retconned to three-and-a-half in later editions.
* ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'' features [[LaserBlade lightsabers]] designed to be inordinately long. They disappeared more or less immediately when it was considered [[AwesomeButImpractical swinging one inside a ship would cause explosive decompression]]. They reappeared when someone came up with a way to put it on a switch, so it would be a regular lightsaber until the user ''needed'' a blade that could cut a small spaceship in half. Luke Skywalker said "Dual-phase lightsabers seem to have been a fad among Jedi at certain points." His father utilized such a variant as Darth Vader.
** The earliest versions of lightsabers (not counting their Forcesaber precursor) were so energy-intensive and unwieldy that they were essentially relegated to rarely-used siege weapons.
* In Sienkiewicz's ''[[Literature/SienkiewiczTrilogy Trilogy]]'' Longinus's hereditary sword made a RunningGag: most people he acquaints starts with asking him why he carries an "executioner's sword" and then are shocked when he shows ''[[ImplausibleFencingPowers he can fence]]'' with it. Their family legend -- backed up by coat of arms -- says one of his forebears beheaded 3 enemies with one swing and Longinus vowed to repeat this feat. Also, see below (claymore).
* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' novels:
** Duke Venalitor from the ''Literature/GreyKnights'' novel ''Hammer of Daemons'' is introduced with a blade as long as he is tall.
** Malfallax from the ''Literature/BloodAngels'' novel ''Deus Sanguinius'' brings to bear a warpblade explicitly said to be ten metres long. He is a giant EldritchAbomination, though.
** In ''Literature/WatchersOfTheThrone'', Aleya picks up a massive greatsword from her ruined convent and makes it her WeaponOfChoice. In the second book, she receives her own Executioner Greatblade, a CoolSword that's almost as tall as her.
* The books ''Literature/MemorySorrowAndThorn'' have the sword Thorn, a blade about two meters/six and a half feet long, forged from ThunderboltIron, that weighs so much it can't be lifted. (To everyone except its chosen user. For whom it's ''still'' so heavy it takes insane strength to use.) Did I mention it's ''black''? Not just regular black, but black that seems to suck in light. If not for the silver wrapping on the grip, it would be impossible to see at night (or hidden deep in a frozen cave, where the hero found it). There are only two men known to be able to lift it: [[IdiotHero Simon Snowlock]], the [[{{Determinator}} Dragon Slayer]]; and [[LaserGuidedAmnesia Sir Camaris]], the one who is strong enough to use it in battle.
* In ''Literature/TheRiftwarCycle'', Prince Arutha gets some visitors from the Empire of Great Kesh. One of them carries a ''flasher'', which is apparently to a scimitar what a greatsword is to a broadsword.
* [[http://typemoon.wikia.com/wiki/File:Ado_Edem_Slash_Emperor.png The Slash Emperor]] from [[Franchise/{{Nasuverse}} Kinoko Nasu]]'s short story ''[[Literature/AngelNotes Notes]]'' is several times taller than its user Ado Edem, and is ''more powerful than your average nuke''. Ado Edem uses it to slice apart [[spoiler:[[EldritchAbomination Type Jupiter]]]].
* Michael, the Knight of the Cross of ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' fame, wields a sword- ''Amorrachius'' -- five feet long.

* Obould Many-Arrows from R.A. Salvatore's ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms'' novel ''Literature/TheLegendOfDrizzt'' wields one; notably, it's also [[FlamingSword on fire]]. Obould himself as an orc chieftain was [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority strong enough to intimidate into obedience]] stronger-than human orc warriors -- ''before'' he was magically enhanced.

* The sarcastic, somewhat jerkish sixteen-year old AntiHero in ''Literature/HowToSurviveAZombieApocalypse'' wields no less than a pencil three-quarters her size. It sounds useless in a zombie apocalypse, [[GagSeries but then again...]]
* In the John Silke novel Prisoner of the Horned Helmet, the main character uses a large axe named the elephant killer, which is described as being heavier than an average breastplate. later, 2 {{giant mook}}s appear. one of them uses a scimitar whih is almost as long as th other man, while the other uses an axe which is described as being "big enough to be his brother"
* Shardblades in ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'' normally fit; the ones described in detail are about 6 feet long. They are also incredibly light, even ignoring the fact that they are usually wielded by people in {{Magitek}} PoweredArmor. They can be [[{{Hammerspace}} summoned and dismissed]] at will, and sever the soul from the body without actually damaging the flesh, as well as effortlessly cutting through almost any inorganic material. The [=BFSness=] is mostly for [[RuleOfCool show]], although the increased reach helps when your weapon can kill a whole crown in one swing as well. The oversized blades were more necessary when they were originally created, since they were made primarily to fight monsters made of stone roughly the size of small buildings. Creator/BrandonSanderson has confirmed that he was deliberately invoking (and justifying) this trope. {{BFS}}s being a staple of the fantasy literature he grew up with, he decided to make a world where such weapons were actually practical--and then answer the question of [[TheLegionsOfHell what sort of enemy]] was so terrible it needed weapons like this to fight...
** Later books reveal that the Shardblades are actually [[spoiler:the spren - or corpses of spren - who were bonded to the ancient Knights Radiant, and a spren in blade form in the hands of their Knight can transform into various weapons, including daggers, staves, or spears as the Knight needs. Their shape as Swords does seem to be the default, however.]]
* In ''Literature/ArabianNights'' a gigantic cannibal appears in the story of Codadad. His scimitar is said to be so large that only a gigantic man like him could use it.
* In Simon Green's "Blue Moon Rising" there are some big-ass magic swords referred to as [[GodzillaThreshold Infernal Devices]], which make their wielders almost impossible to kill and capable of slaughtering whole armies. The characters spend a lot of time arguing about using them against the [[LegionsofHell invading demon army]], because anybody who does will more than likely be taken over by the swords and keep killing until they run out of people to kill. Anywhere. Later we see that this is [[spoiler:an entirely justified fear.]]

* ''Literature/AMagesPower'': Culmus carries around a metal sword that's as tall as he is, and just as wide. It was designed to kill orcs, who have infamously tough skin and thick muscles. He also insists that carrying it is weight training and that its great length allows him to add more magic enchancement runes than a smaller sword would allow.
* Downplayed with Rhona's massive Zweihänder in ''Literature/AHarvestOfWar''. The sword is huge, the wielder is HUGE.
* ''Literature/TheHeroes'': Whirrun of Bligh wields the Father of Swords, a massive, legendary weapon carried by a long line of famous heroes. It's said to look absurdly, impractically large, the kind of thing that a person who'd never seen a real sword would imagine that heroes carry. In spite of that, Whirrun uses it with deadly efficiency.
* In ''Literature/TheEpicOfGilgamesh'', the [[GodModeSue titular hero]] and his buddy Enkidu carry bladed weapons that might be heavier than themselves, the blades alone weighing 120 pounds each. Now these weapons aren't double-handed swords. They're ''daggers''. Gilgamesh and Enkidu throw them. All in all, each of them carries 600 pounds worth of daggers.
* ''Literature/TheWarGods'' series frequently points out that Bahzell wields a five-foot long greatsword. It also points out that, being wielded by a [[TheBigGuy Big F'n Hradani]], it's "merely" a hand-and-a-half sword for him.

* Shows up, surprisingly, in the SufficientlyAnalyzedMagic setting of ''Literature/{{Ra}}''. Abstract Weapon first appears as a colossal executioner's sword, unique among most [=BFSes=] in that it's crude, chipped, rusted, and generally ugly, and not particularly impressive other than its size. Ultimately [[SubvertedTrope subverted,]] however, when Abstract Weapon is revealed to actually be an infinitely versatile SwissArmyWeapon that merely has a BFS as its default form.
* ''Literature/RobRoy'': Subverted. Frank is attacked by a Highlander wielding a huge broadsword; but Frank is not afraid because he is certain that his smaller but quicker and lighter rapier is the superior weapon.
* In ''Literature/GrentsFall'', [[spoiler:Turbert the Bladecleaver]]'s sword definitely counts.

* Obould Many-Arrows from R.A. Salvatore's ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms'' [[Literature/TheLegendOfDrizzt novels]] wields one; notably, it's also [[FlamingSword on fire]]. Obould himself as an orc chieftain was [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority strong enough to intimidate into obedience]] stronger-than human orc warriors -- ''before'' he was magically enhanced.

* ''[[Literature/AMagesPower A Mage's Power]]'': Culmus carries around a metal sword that's as tall as he is, and just as wide. It was designed to kill orcs, who have infamously tough skin and thick muscles. He also insists that carrying it is weight training and that its great length allows him to add more magic enchancement runes than a smaller sword would allow.

* Shows up, surprisingly, in the SufficientlyAnalyzedMagic setting of ''{{Literature/Ra}}''. Abstract Weapon first appears as a colossal executioner's sword, unique among most [=BFSes=] in that it's crude, chipped, rusted, and generally ugly, and not particularly impressive other than its size. Ultimately [[SubvertedTrope subverted,]] however, when Abstract Weapon is revealed to actually be an infinitely versatile SwissArmyWeapon that merely has a BFS as its default form.

* In ''Literature/CodexAlera'', [[DishingOutDirt Knights Terra]] usually carry enormous swords, mauls, or waraxes that would be nearly impossible for ordinary soldiers to use, but thatthey have no trouble wielding due to the SuperStrength that comes from being an earthcrafter. They are usually organized into groups that a particular Legion uses as a battering ram or stopgap. Even [[WolfMan Canim elites]] and [[HordeOfAlienLocusts Vord warriors]] have to give way under that kind of assault. And they become ''real'' terrors if they're [[ExtraOreDinary metalcrafters to boot.]]