If there’s one thing that BJJ players and fantasy geeks share, it’s the inescapable desire to shove our interests down the throats of our uninterested friends and family. But what if you like both? What if you struggle to fit both topics into every conversation you have? Well, Boston BJJ black belt and author Alex Darwin has the solution to your dilemma with his MMA/Fantasy book series: The Combat Codes.
The story takes place in a dystopian world where global conflicts between nations are solved not with armies and wars, but by proxy fighters beating each other senseless in a circle. Following a young fighting prodigy Cego alongside his grizzled veteran mentor Murray, Combat Codes is a story of empowerment through training and the responsibility that comes with it. With highly detailed hand to hand combat exchanges strewn throughout the book, Darwin is offering a take on action not often found in modern fiction.
”I started thinking of MMA as a kind of magic-system,” Darwin said during his JJT Podcast appearance. Comparing MMA to parts of a typical fantasy such as the magic in Harry Potter or the Force in Star Wars, there is a lot of parallels to explore. All three require training to master, elevate you above those who don’t/can’t engage in it, and allow you to test yourself against similarly empowered opponents.
Though the series is only just beginning, this type of exposer and representation is great for martial arts. CC takes the old school ideals of discipline and a code of conduct within a martial arts discipline and combines it with practical techniques in both striking and grappling.
His next book, “Blood of the Grievar,” is set to drop next month and you can learn more by following his Instagram here.
Enjoy!
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