Dragon Age: Asunder

This was a lot more entertaining than I thought it would be. I confess: I only picked up this book because I really liked Cole in Dragon Age: Inquisition. He is my favorite companion, and I found him so intriguing I wanted to learn more about him. When I found out he originated in this book, I bought it and proceeded to read it cover-to-cover in two days. I wasn't expecting to enjoy the book as much as I did. I came for Cole and I stayed because the plot and characters were equally interesting. There is not a single dull moment in the story. Every character is equally invested in the situations at hand, and nothing feels out of place or a loose end. All the characters are interesting and consistent, and there are a few cameo appearances from "Origins" characters that were delightful to read, as a fan of the first game. There's mystery, intense action sequences, and heartfelt emotion. Due to the main character Rhys's sense of humor, the book also got a few genuine chuckles out of me during well-placed comic relief. Mild Spoilers Below Potential Triggers: As is Dragon Age norm, there is fantasy violence throughout the story. Descriptions of dead and rotting corpses, people being murdered quite brutally, visceral descriptions of blood and injuries, and a few suffering souls. In particular, there is parental abuse involving a major character, which may be concerning to some. There are no sex scenes, and I counted one F-bomb, among some other mild language typical of Dragon Age. Ultimately, the main characters are good-natured and want to do the right thing, so this book doesn't strike me as pointlessly dark. There are cameos from Shale, Wynne and Leliana. In particular, fans of Wynne will want to read this book. Trust me. It's extremely important for her character. Pros: -Excellent pacing. There is never a dull moment and all the characters are equally important to the story. -Shale. -Enjoyable, consistent characters -Fans of Inquisition will enjoy the book, as many characters mention things that happened in Asunder in the game. -In the same breath, fans of Cole will be enlightened to the character's backstory, more than the character ever explains in the game. Cons: -If you haven't played Inquisition and don't plan to, the book feels almost "unfinished". The fate and nature of some characters are left ambiguous, the resolution is brief and teeters on the edge of a brewing rebellion, and I find myself wishing the ending was a bit longer. Asunder serves as a bridge between Dragon Age 2 and Dragon Age Inquisition- if you aren't interested in the games you will find yourself disappointed with the ending. -This may just apply to the Kindle edition that I read, but I counted 2 publication errors- two instances where the same sentence was repeated twice. I read this entire book out-loud, so I remember getting quite confused when I definitely read the same sentence twice- and it wasn't just my brain playing tricks on me. -For as much as I enjoyed the pacing, there were times when it almost felt a little rushed. In the hopes that the entire story remained interesting, I feel like some charm with the great characters was sacrificed. There is a scene in particular that takes place in a tavern- and the dialogue between the characters was so endearing I wished there was more of it.

Dragon Age: Asunder is probably the more nuanced of the three Dragon Age books thus far. I had a more difficult time putting it down and I enjoyed it the most. A major inherent reason is because the book is a sequel to the current Dragon Age chronology, as it is set after the events of Dragon Age II. One strength of the book is Gaider's strong characterization of the protagonists, some of the major characters, and what was by far the most lovable-to-hate villain in the Dragon Age franchise thus far. The ending was the most climactic of the three Dragon Age novels released to date. It also gives the sense of build up to events and characters that I hope will be part of the Dragon Age III story tapestry. One negative aspect of the book is the presence of some graphic violence and immersion into the disturbing point of view of a major character who is essentially a serial killer. In the end, these elements are more palatable given the plot developments. The struggles of one of the protagonists to understand the motives of the killer seemed weak. On the other hand the author's apparent intent to portray moral tension gives a complexity to said protagonist, ultimately making the character more human. Gaider does an excellent job with the evolution of another protagonist, a Templar whose perspectives and beliefs are challenged as the story develops. So while Dragon Age has some disturbing themes, it is a Dragon Age story, a fictional setting that is officially dark fantasy geared to mature audiences. On the other hand, the strength of Dragon Age is its intensity that retains the elements of good fantasy stories we grew up with and played through. Dragon Age also provides the extra juice for those of us past childhood and perhaps of an age to have families of our own... the Atari via Baldur's Gate generation that will still look for a good fantasy story and RPG. Dragon Age: Asunder is a welcome taste of Dragon Age awaiting Dragon Age III, best appreciated by Dragon Age fans and players familiar with the setting. Asunder is a good read and a welcome addition to the best fantasy franchise since D&D's Forgotten Realms.

Alas, David Gaider goes a bit George R.R. Martin, as all of the three Dragon Age tie-in books so far, including this one, just has to involve a group of people traveling somewhere in order to do something. Which I suppose is fitting for a book based on a video game world--you go off and do quests and whatnot. It's a very fun read though. Fans of the game series (and if you're reading the book, you probably are one) will probably enjoy: - The backdrop - centered around the Templar/Mage conflict, with a healthy (unhealthy?) dash of demons thrown in. You'd be surprised (or maybe not so surprised--more details-oriented fans have debated this for a while actually) who they can possess. - The events of Dragon Age 2 are mentioned. This book begins approximately one year after the finale in Kirkwall. - A little more background info about what we had previously only seen in in-game codices and brief mentions, including some interesting but not really in-depth tidbits about the more powerful Chantry figures. - Cameos! Yay. It takes place in Orlais, so you might be able to guess who makes an appearance. Someone else does too, at the same time resolving a small but quite long-standing debate about a detail in the "canon" Dragon Age storyline. If you've never played the game then I don't think this book will stand out at all. It is well-written, but those who come in not already knowing a bit about the world of Thedas would probably feel a bit lost. Another little tidbit in the Kindle edition that I found annoying is that apparently the book refuses to write the verb "lie" (as in "lie down") in past tense. Numerous times I see things along the lines of: "Her head hit something hard. She lie there, the world spinning..." and "Then, in the darkest moments when he lie there starving and thirsty...". Not sure if this is in the print version as well but it bothers me. Still, this is an excellent book if a flaw such as this bears mentioning. I did read the other two tie-in books as well, Stolen Throne and The Calling. I was pretty excited about this book being released, and I pre-ordered it. It's a pretty quick read, and I finished it in a day. TL; DR: As this book is obviously intended to be a bridge between DA2 and DA 3, read it if you loved Origins, maybe-liked-a-little-bit DA2, and still have high hopes for Dragon Age 3!

Asunder is indeed a fitting prelude, showing events that happen in Orlais after the great debacle at Kirkwall portrayed in Dragon Age 2, leading up to the next game, Inquisition. I am a fan of the computer game series and I am among those who liked Dragon Age Origins much more than Dragon Age 2. After Kirkwall, in which psychopath Anders blows up the Chantry and the insane Knight Commander Meredith of the Templars has all the mages there put to the sword, relations between the mages and templars elsewhere in Thedas became more strained to say the least. Orlais, the most powerful country of Thedas, is no exception. The story opens in the White Spire, in which some mysterious person or being is killing mages. One of the mages, Rhys, is the only one who sees this killer, so suspicion heads his way. An assassination attempt is made on the Divine (head of the Chantry) and the Seekers become involved as well. Enter Wynne, one of the heroes of the Blight, who gets Rhys and a templar named Evangeline to head out to an old Grey Warden outpost in the western wastes of Orlais to investigate a report about a Tranquil who may have found a way to reverse the Rite of Tranquility. The book shows a society in upheaval and is filled with interesting characters and solid plot lines. It certainly helps to have played the games but this book can essentially stand alone. It is suspenseful and I definitely cared about the characters. The ending was MOST satisfying and I will leave it at that. For fans of the game and those who enjoy fantasy, I definitely recommend this book.

Loved this story! A fascinating bit of Dragon Age lore. If you're a huge Dragon Age fan, I highly recommend reading this. Great insight into some characters from Origins (and what happened to them after the Blight) and gives you more information and background about ones that you encounter in Inquisition, including one of your companions - Cole. In fact, I didn't really connect with Cole in DAI until after I read this book. Instead of viewing him like Viv does, I started to see him more as a combination of what Solas and Varric do. Which made that part of the story a bit harder to handle when I had to make the decision in Redcliffe. It's a terrific addition to the story of what happened in Kirkwall in DA2 in showing you, the player, more details on how mage rebellion started, why the Inquisition was created, and it gives a deeper insight into the discovery by the mages of the cure for tranquility.

Time to write another review. Welcome to Asunder, and a world that has received the news of what transpired in Kirkwall and is, understandably, none too happy about it. As you may recall, in Dragon Age 2, our psychopathic companion known as Anders decided it might be a good idea to stuff some TNT in the Chantry because "fireworks are cool." The templars, however, didn't get the joke and decided to put everyone through the blade. If I'd had my way, the Qunari would be ruling Kirkwall now. Anyway, this event has served to rile up the mages throughout Thedas and put the templars on high alert in case anyone tries for a repeat. The mages, as usual, demand more freedom, even if some of them don't know what that is, while the templars would be more than happy to tighten the noose all the way to the Maker. Between them stands the Chantry and Divine Justinia V who has her own agenda to try and bridge the gap between the two and is at least ten times more proactive than Elthina, thank the Maker! In this volatile situation, Wynne, one of the Warden's companions from Dragon Age: Origins, recruits mages Rhys and Adrian, along with a reluctant templar by the name of Evangeline, to find a Tranquil that may or may not have found a way to undo the Rite of Tranquility. As if the templars didn't have enough on their plates already. SPOILERS FOLLOW First, let's talk about the Templar v Mage conflict. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the author actually addressed this subject quite skillfully. Yes, you do have the expected zealots on both sides but, and this is the important bit, you can empathize with them even if you don't necessarily sympathize. Lord Seeker Lambert is dead set against giving the mages more freedoms but he makes his case to Evangeline and it's a good one. He tried to help them initially and got burnt for it by the same people he was trying to help. To be sure, I felt that, in his own way, he was trying to prevent events coming to a head. Naturally, within the constraints of his own beliefs. On the part of the mages, Adrian is an easy character to hate though perhaps hate is too strong a word. Adrian is Lambert's mirror, in the sense that she is a zealot as well, a strong advocate for the mages' freedom and she's willing to do anything to achieve that goal no matter the cost. Indeed, she comes across as very manipulative and eager to forego the only friend she has for the sake of "the cause." So even if I didn't particularly like her as a person I can understand where she's coming from because she's giving voice to a group of mages that feel the same way. To counterbalance these characters we have Evangeline, the templar, and Rhys, the mage. Initially, their views resemble those of Lambert and Adrian somewhat but, as the story progresses, they realize that things are not quite so black and white and they acknowledge something needs to change if war is to be averted. Personally, I think I liked Evangeline more than Rhys, even though I liked them both. Rhys' character, while very perceptive, isn't quite sure what he believes in until, perhaps, the very end of Asunder. I suppose it's understandable given how both Adrian and Wynne try to win him over to the Libertarians and the Aequitarians respectively. His occasional outbursts, which he blames on his temper, only seem to be there in order to drive the plot. Evangeline, on the other hand, is a character who knows who she is (if that makes any sense). She sincerely believes in what the Templar Order stands for and, confronted by the reality that its purpose has been corrupted through time, she forges her own path, always clinging to that core belief. Nonetheless, there are a few things that disappointed me somewhat. First of all, I truly wanted to know more about Pharamond's research. I understand nobody really cared about that beyond the Divine, but I was intrigued. There seemed to be a connection to what happened in Dragon Age 2 when Anders tried to rescue Karl. Will it play a part in Inquisition? I hope so. Second, the attempt on the Divine. Unless I missed something, it is never explained how a mage managed to get so close to the Divine. It is hinted at that he could have been helped by the templars so they'd have an excuse to beat the crap out of some mages but the issue of how he got there is never resolved. I suppose in the large scheme of things it matters little but I would've liked to know nonetheless. Finally, and this really took me by surprise, there's the small matter of what transpires between Evangeline and Arnaud when Wynne and company exit Adamant fortress with Pharomond in tow. Considering Lambert had given Evangeline strict instructions to ensure Pharomond's demise (and possibly everyone else's), and seeing as he didn't trust her enough that he sent Arnaud with a bunch of templars, I honestly expected a fight to ensue. Truly, it could not have gone any other way and I fail to see how it did. Arnaud wasn't exactly reasonable throughout the story and he certainly shared in the Lord Seeker's views so it would have made more sense if he'd decided to kill Evangeline and the mages rather than let them go. This was probably the only moment where I felt the author had done something out of character. Asunder ends with a conclave where the mages decide what's to become of them. Like I said before, Rhys' character comes together at this point and, consequently, it's a shame we don't get to read more of the aftermath of said meeting. For the templars' part, they decide they've had enough of the Chantry's platitudes and break apart together with the Seekers. War is coming, there's no doubt about that. Will we read some more of it before Inquisition or will it become Inquisition? Only time will tell. For now though, if you're a fan of Dragon Age, there's no doubt in my mind you should read this book. This is Dragon Age 2 as it should've been: a nuanced and balanced approach to the conflict between templars and mages with strong, relatable, characters whose actions make sense within the narrative. There's also this guy named Cole...

David Gaider, head writer of the wonderful Dragon Age video games, offers hints in this story on what to expect in the next installment of the franchise, Dragon Age Inquisition. This story happens immediately following the events of Dragon Age II, in which the iron grip of the Chantry over the mages of Thedas is showing signs of slipping and a new order - the Inquisition - is rising to regain control. The setting is the White Spire Mage Circle in Orlais, in which we the readers are re-united with some characters of the game and acquainted with new, engaging characters in Rhys the mage, Evangeline the Templar, and the enigmatic Cole. Through the experiences of these characters Gaider further fleshes out the strife among three major powers - Magi, Chantry and Inquisition - and how these events are effecting everyone in Thedas, from the most humble of Spire prisoners to the Reverend Mother herself. It has the feel of a prequel and I am eagerly anticipating the rest of the story. It is helpful to have played the game - or to at least have read Gaider's other published work in the Dragon Age world - but not necessary in order to enjoy this rich and sometimes darkly portentious story.

Holy crap. I picked up this book because I played the third game, right? And in the third game, Cole talks about these people, Rhys and Evangeline and stuff involving them and I'm just like "Is Cole just being Cole again or did I miss something big??" And I ignored it. For two play-throughs of the game. But I really, really felt like I was missing something. And so I searched, desperate to figure out what it was that was important enough to be talked about but not included in the game. And holy smokes did I find it. Wish I had found it before playing the game, because it would have changed my mind about certain events--and Cole himself--entirely! Knowing how a thing ends before you delve into it is always a bit annoying. Knowing what characters make it out okay and which ones end up here or there is very annoying. And putting together pieces of random knowledge you didn't know you knew to figure out a plot twist before it happens is usually the worst thing EVER. But in this book, despite my knowing pretty much all that, the absolute joy in seeing it all unfold was amazing. And holy crap Cole. Cole makes or breaks this novel. The gold of this book is in the dialogue. The action is great (though the battles are mostly amusing for recognizing the spells, I think), the inner turmoil and descriptions of what they are doing is pretty good, ironically the 'big stuff' that goes on around them is only touched upon and written rather confusingly at times, but the dialogue is a gold-plated diamond. And the feels. Oh my gosh. There were times I was literally yelling at a book. A book! It was 4AM, people! I'm sitting there, staring at the book, completely entranced by the story, and then suddenly I'm yelling 'NO DON'T DO IT' to a book. At four in the morning. Which is the moment my father decides to walk by and wonder what the heck I'm doing. Better at that moment then when I was bawling a few hours later, I suppose. Still worth it. Buy this dang book. If you are a fan of Cole, or Wynne, or the Mage/Templar war, or an amazing story in general, or an excuse to avoid real life for a few hours--Do yourself a favor and buy this book.