Asunder

Dragon Age #3

by David Gaider

Return to the dark fantasy world created for the award-winning, triple platinum game, Dragon Age™: Origins in this third tie-in novel!A mystical killer stalks the halls of the White Spire, the heart of templar power in the mighty Orlesian Empire. To prove his innocence, Rhys reluctantly embarks on a journey into the western wastelands that will not only reveal much more than he bargained for but change the fate of his fellow mages forever.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Video Games, High Fantasy, Gaming, Magic, Games

414 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

David Gaider lives in Edmonton, Alberta, and has worked for video game developer BioWare since 1999. He is the lead writer on the upcoming Dragon Age: Origins role-playing game and has previously worked on such titles as Baldur’s Gate 2: Shadows of Amn, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and Neverwinter Nights.

Reviews

[Federico DN · Rating 3 out of 5]

The life of a Mage.

A series of unexplained murders start happening at the White Spire, heart of the Templar Order in the Kingdom of Orlais. Mage Rhys embarks on a perilous journey to the Western borders in a risky attempt to prove his innocence. Several discoveries along the way will change his life forever, and ultimately the life of every mage in Thedas.

A novel that works as a sequel to Dragon Age 2 and prequel to the events of Dragon Age 3: Inquisition. Several DA characters are explored further, mainly Rhys, Adrian, Wynne, Shale, Evangeline and Cole; and even a bit of Fiona and Leliana.

It was wonderful to see Wynne and Shale again , and devastating to see one of them go . Cole has always been a mysterious and disturbing character. Rhys, Adrian and Evangeline were ok, but never really grew on me; and it was very disappointing to have them barely mentioned in DA3. Leliana was a major crush for me in DA1, and the main reason I started to read this series in the first place; it was very rewarding to finally see her again, however briefly.

This novel is basically focused in what it means to be a Mage in the world of Thedas. And partly explains the background in the complex chain of events that end up in the full scale war between the Order of the Magi and the Templar Order. Interesting, entertaining and revealing. I think the best of the series so far. Yet still not really recommendable, except maybe for a Dragon Age fan.



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PERSONAL NOTE :
[2011] [416p] [Fantasy] [Conditional Recommendable]
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★★★☆☆ 1. The Stolen Throne [2.5]
★★★☆☆ 2. The Calling [2.5]
★★★☆☆ 3. Asunder
★★★☆☆ 4. The Masked Empire [2.5]
★★★☆☆ 5. Last Flight [2.5]

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La vida de un Mago.

Una serie de inexplicables asesinatos empiezan a ocurrir en la Torre Blanca, el corazón de la Orden de los Templarios en el Reino de Orlais. El Mago Rhys se embarca en un peligroso viaje hacia las fronteras del Oeste en un arriesgado intento de probar su inocencia. Varios descubrimientos a lo largo del camino cambiarán su vida para siempre, y en última instancia la de vida de todos los magos en Thedas.

Una novela que funciona como secuela de Dragon Age 2 y precuela a los eventos de Dragon Age 3: Inquisición. Varios personajes de DA se exploran más, principalmente Adrian, Wynne, Shale, Evangeline y Cole; e incluso un poco de Fiona y Leliana.

Fue maravilloso ver a Wynne y Shale de nuevo , y devastador ver a uno de ellos irse. Cole fue siempre un misterioso y perturbador personaje. Rhys, Adrian y Evangeline estuvieron ok, pero nunca realmente crecieron en mí; y fue bastante decepcionante que apenas fueran mencionados en DA3. Leliana fue un gigantezco flechazo para mí en DA1, y la principal razón por la que empecé esta serie en primer lugar; fue muy reconfortante finalmente volverla a ver, aunque fuera tan fugazmente.

Esta novela se centra básicamente en lo que significa ser un Mago en el mundo de Thedas. Y parcialmente explica el trasfondo en la compleja cadena de eventos que terminaron con la guerra a gran escala entre la Orden de los Magos y la Orden de los Templarios. Interesante, entretenida y reveladora. Creo que la mejor de la serie hasta ahora. Pero aún no realmente recomendable, excepto tal vez para un fan de Dragon Age.



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NOTA PERSONAL :
[2011] [416p] [Fantasía] [Recomendable Condicional]
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[Sean Barrs · Rating 3 out of 5]

How do you stop a murderer who is invisible and doesn’t, technically speaking, even exist?

Not easily that’s for sure. Only one man can actually see him and he dare not give his perceptions voice because everybody will think he is utterly insane. Even a mention of the murderer’s name is forgotten by the hearer as some dark magic lingers over his words. Rhys knows he is not mad, but he can’t even communicate these ideas to anyone so he is forced to remain silent.

“And worse, there was the music. He didn’t know what it was, but it seemed to come from far, far off. It called to him, but not in a pleasant way—it had an urgency that sped his heart and made his blood burn.”

Five mages have been brutally stabbed to death so far. The mages, naturally, blame their powerful overseers: The Templars. And the Templars blame the mages who they believe have summoned a daemon to do their bidding. Tensions between the two factions are ridiculously tight.



The Templars decide to send Rhys on a mission which may help to give them answers regarding their invisible slasher. He is sent with a Templar (to watch him) and his mother, Wynne: an extremely powerful sprit healer. Rhys becomes distracted with the mission at hand and is dogged by the problems the mages have. His concern with the bigger picture interrupts his focus on the dangers that are happening in the present, and as such a dangerous situation becomes a fatal situation. He was lucky he had such a healer with him.

The Weakest Dragon Age book so far

The arguments between the Templars and the mages form a huge part of the Dragon Age universe; it is one of its central themes and one of the major causes of conflict, but here it felt a little overdone. It was the story: it completely dominated everything else and didn’t allow for the characters to shine through the narrative. I never got the impression that any of them were particularly divided about it. They were one side or for the other, which was a shame because dealing with complex moral questions is what make this series so immersive.

After a while, I just wanted to see the story go somewhere else which it didn’t. Sure, it’s an entertaining read though the previous two books were much more compelling.

[Bear Wiseman · Rating 1 out of 5]

As a reasonably big fan of the Dragon Age series, I thought it might be prudent to read Asunder, which takes place not long after the second game, and offers some insight into what might be happening in the third game.

While I have a lot of respect for what goes into the making of video game worlds, and I think Thedas is actually a really fantastic place with a great and well-written culture and history, I think Gaider should avoid writing novels at all costs.

The book had some interesting insights, as promised, into the world and upcoming games, and you get to learn a bit more about Wynne and find out what Shale's been up to since the first game.

However, it was 414 pages of the most mediocre writing I've ever been exposed to.

To say one good thing about the book, possibly the only good thing I have to say, was that Cole was a really interesting character. You spend the entire book wondering exactly what he is, and the way it ended was intriguing enough. Not to say the quality of how he was written was much better than the rest of the characters, but he alone was a reason to keep turning pages.

But on to my complaints - let's start with the prose itself. It's flat. It's undynamic. There was not a single sentence that was memorable unless it was so bad that it made me laugh. The descriptive writing is perfectly adequate to set a scene, but he uses the most generic, uninteresting language possible. And every time he does throw in a good line, it seems out of place and awkward against the rest of the writing. Likewise, if he uses a big word, it is again so out of place that it shouts, "Look at how smart I am! Do you see?"

And the characters... oh the characters. Gaider seems completely incapable of writing more than about 10 characters total. Every character he's ever written is a derivation of one of these. Examples of these "soggy two-dimensional pieces of cardboard," as a friend of mine puts it: there is Strong Female Lead (played by Evangeline in this book), the tough and moral female character, who often has to struggle between doing what she is supposed to do and doing what is right. Then there is Alistair. If you played the first game, you'd know him. He's the handsome and charismatic joker. And I kid you not, Rhys was Alistair (actually, if you've paid attention you would notice that Awakening-Anders, Maric from the other novels, one of the playable character's voice choices in DA1, and a few others are also Alistair). Rhys made the exact same jokes, and was constantly described as "handsome" and "charismatic"... just like Alistair. With no hint of exaggeration, every single one of Rhys' smartass remarks was the exact same thing you would expect to hear Alistair say in DA1. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if some of them were the exact same jokes Alistair made. Also, the jokes were implanted into some of the most inappropriate places in the book - places where it might work if you're listening to your AIs banter in the background in a video game, but definitely not appropriate places for a novel.

And flat characters indeed. Their personality traits never feel real, but mostly just tacked on to make them distinguishable from one another. One character, Adrian, has a feisty temper and hates horses, but there's no reason as to why she's got a temper, or why she hates horses. Then it's just mentioned in a throw-away comment later that, for some unexplained reason, she now cares deeply for the horses and has named them all. No explanation as to why she had a change of heart, or anything.

Nothing has any depth to it. Even the budding romance was based on little more than, "you're actually a rather decent person, and I find you awfully attractive."

Another issue I had was that there is no feel of age distinction. Most of the characters are nearing 40 but act as though they're about 18 (incidentally, wasn't that about how old Alistair was supposed to be?), and a letter written in the end by the Lord Seeker, who is a hardened and mean old warrior, read in the exact same way a teenage girl writes a nasty letter to someone she hates.

The last major complaint I had was the attempt to make video game battle logic, well, logical. Because let's face it, video game battles have no logic in them, for the most part. When you try to make something like that logical in a book, it just doesn't make sense. For example, one mage casts what was clearly the level 3 or 4 fire spell from the games, and it saps her dry of mana. If she was a senior enchanter, you'd think she'd have enough mana to cast more than one spell - in the game she would. But she couldn't. And why not bring mana potions, or something? There are writing techniques that work around these awkward situations, but Gaider is apparently not familiar with any of them.

It also opens up several plot holes, which basically all amount to Gaider not being able to juggle all the information he and the other game writers have given over the years. For a simple example that doesn't offer any spoilers to this book (minor spoilers for all three games), if Kristoff (DA: Awakening) was dead when possessed by Justice, and his body was rotting, why wasn't Wynne (DA: Origins) rotting in the over ten years she was brought back from the dead by a spirit? Gaider has claimed in blogs that if Anders died and Justice repossessed his body at the end of DA2, his body would rot away eventually. So really, the logic doesn't synch up.

All-in-all, if you like the game series and the world and want to know more about it, by all means give it a read. It doesn't take long and the story is interesting enough to keep you going. Unfortunately, the quality of the writing is sub-par at best, and it might start to point out some flaws in the logic, which has the possibility to ruin the game for you a bit if you know a lot of the lore already.

[Mrs Giggles · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't remember purchasing Asunder, so it is a good thing that I stumbled upon it in my pile of unread books, just when I was thinking of getting a copy. You see, the video game Dragon Age: Inquisition is coming out later in 2014, and as one of the few people who enjoyed both the games that came before it, Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age 2, equally, I wanted some Dragon Age meat to sink my teeth into while waiting for that game. Okay, that sounds obscene, but I am an impatient person.

As this story is set in the world of Thedas, people who are unfamiliar with the games, especially Dragon Age: Origins, may not be able to appreciate this story, as the background of one of the principal characters, Wynne, was fully revealed in that game. David Gaider assumes that readers are familiar with Wynne's back story, so he gives minimal information for newcomers to catch up. An event in the pivotal moment of the story, therefore, may cause these newcomers to scratch their heads and wonder what is going on in that scene.

Also, this story contains major spoilers for both games, especially Dragon Age 2, as it takes place a few months after events at the end of that game. It is not possible for me to review this book without coming off like a big tease as well, so if you wish to play that game one of these days without being spoiled, you have better skip reading the book as well as this review until then.

You still here? Alright, let me get comfortable first.

Where we last went off, there was a brewing war building between the templars and the Circle of Magi. A little background for those out of the loop: in the world of Thedas, the principal religion is the Chantry, which is like a matriarchal version of Christianity, with the martyr being a woman named Andraste, who died at the pyre for her beliefs. Her sacrifice touched the emperor who ordered her execution, and he soon played a part in expanding the faith to almost all corners of the world. One of the tenets of the faith is that magic must serve man. This is interpreted to mean that magic-users cannot be trusted, as they can be possessed by demons once they lose control of their willpower while doing their fancy woo-woo stuff, and therefore, all mages must be corralled into Chantry-run settlements called Circles, where every move they make is watched by the martial arm of the Chantry called the templars. The templars are specially trained to counter magic, and therefore, they tend to have the upper hand in a confrontation with the mages.

As you can probably guess, abuse of power is rife and there are many mages that want to just shove a finger to the templars and the Chantry. In Dragon Age 2, the biggest finger came in the form of Anders, a possessed mage who decided to blow up the Chantry in the city-state of Kirkwall to get the templars to war with the mages. It is only when the mages are galvanized to fight, he believed, that they would finally overthrow the tyranny of the templars. Being that Anders was a Grey Warden, and the Grey Wardens' motto is "In war, victory! In peace, vigilance! In death, sacrifice!", it is not surprising that he viewed the death of many to be a sacrifice for the greater good.

The brewing war becomes an outright war in Asunder. Unsurprisingly, one of the chief mages pushing for outright defiance against the templars is Fiona, a former Grey Warden. With Lord Seeker Lambert, leader of an arm of the Chantry whose authority is higher than the templars, gunning hard to crush any dissent among the mages in the wake of the party at Kirkwall, and with more mages starting to wonder whether it is time to fight back before they all get cut down as part of the retaliation against the incident at Kirkwall, all it takes to cause a conflagration is a tiny spark.

That spark arrives in the form of Wynne, who travels to Orlais with Shale as part of her ongoing efforts to help the golem become a dwarf again. Along the way, she is requested by the Divine in Val Royeaux to check into a... situation. A Tranquil, Pharamond, has been conducting research on the Rite of Tranquility - surprisingly enough, for the Chantry, and of late, there is a possibility that he has been possessed by demons. A Tranquil... possessed? That's impossible, right? Wynne arrives at the Circle of the White Spire to seek the aid of two other mages to bolster her firepower when she travels to find Pharamond. Wynne, by the way, is an old woman.

She arrives just in time to extricate her son Rhys - whom she is not close to, having been forced to give him up after his birthing, just like all mages that have given birth (templars's orders and all that) - from deep trouble. You see, someone or something is killing the mages in the Circle, and Rhys is caught in a most suspicious circumstance by the Knight-Captain Evangeline of the templars. With the authority invested in her by the Divine - who is the Pope of the Chantry, so to speak - she grabs Rhys and Rhys's ex-girlfriend Adrian with her. Evangeline tags along, as mages aren't allowed to travel and do things without templar supervision. Unknown to the others at that point, Lambert charges her to silence Wynne and the rest by any means necessary should the mages discover anything to prove that the Rite of Tranquility is not fool-proof.

Also tagging along is the killer of the mages, a... creature... called Cole. He is not a demon, and while he may be a spirit, he's not benevolent like spirits tend to be. He acts more like a sad and lonely child who needs to kill in order to remain in this plane. Rhys is one of the few people who can see him, and, therefore, he considers Rhys the only friend he has in this world.

This group of five - Shale tags along too - make up a rather unbalanced party. If you have played the game, you may immediately notice that there are three mages in this party and that means this party is overpowered to the maximum level. Fortunately, Rhys is one of the biggest colossal idiots in Thedas and Wynne is too much of a pacifist to the point of folly, so the enemies here do stand somewhat of a chance.

The story in Asunder is solid. It has everything: pathos, conflicted loyalties, a beautifully tormented woobie in the form of Cole, and rousing cries to arms. Unfortunately, the execution is nowhere good enough to bring these elements to life.

The biggest problem here is Rhys, the designated hero. Let me put it this way: if we replace him with Oghren's more brain damaged drunken brother, the collective IQ of the party would actually increase by at least 100 points. Rhys can't and won't make any decision, he has to be dragged along all the way by others, and his actions all land on the side of stupid. He knows that Cole is the killer, but doesn't tell anyone, therefore dooming his fellow mages just because. It's not like he has any compelling reason to keep Cole's existence a secret. He doesn't know what Cole is, and he doesn't have solid proof that Cole is someone worth helping.

Not only that, Rhys loves to walk out in the dark alone, and needs rescuing as a result. When he is called on his stupidity, he just smiles and tries to say glib things, only, he lacks the charm of Alistair and ends up looking like a dumb putz. The author tells me repeatedly that Rhys is talented and powerful, but the few times this joke tries to do his magic powers, he blacks out after a while. Every single time! Seriously, as a lead male character, this guy is such a total failure in every single way, I can only wonder whether the author is having a laugh at my expense.

I love Wynne in Dragon Age: Origins. Here, someone must have beaten her dumb with the stupid stick, because this version of Wynne is like that idiot who sat in the middle of the rail tracks, insisting that she's staging a peace protest and she will not be moved, when everyone else can see the train coming in fast. She is a bloody hypocrite too. It is fine if other mages are dying as long as she gets to pretend that she's Aung Sun Suu Kyi, but the moment tragedy hits close to home, she's all "Destroy them all! Kill them all!"

Evangeline, whose personality is akin to Aveline Vallen being pasted onto this character but with any hint of intelligence exorcized, is supposed to be this tough but intelligent lady who would eventually see the good in mages and feel conflicted, blah blah blah. Only, in this story, she just stands by and lets the mages do all kinds of things without putting much of a fight. Of course, this is necessary for the plot to advance - Rhys needs lots of quiet time alone to do stupid things, after all - but it also makes her character look like a weak pushover. Naturally, she is the love interest, although heaven knows why, as she and Rhys have zero chemistry.

Another problem is that the author shows the templar in such an awful light here - Evangeline apparently is the only nice one around, and that's because she's a pushover - while making Wynne a pacifist that advocates the mages to not sue for independence (war is bad, you see?) and Rhys being just an idiot that can't decide what he wants to do. At the same time, the "bad person", Adrian is written in such a one-dimensional awful manner that I can only wonder whether she's based on an ex-girlfriend from a bitter break-up. Yet, despite all her overwrought theatrics, Adrian advocates independence from the Chantry. As a result, the author creates a situation where I find myself actually rooting for that caricature over the designated good guys. Whether this is intentional or not, it's just... bewildering.

Lambert is ridiculous too, and he's too much of a Looney Tunes villain to be taken seriously, but he seems like a genius compared to the joke that is Rhys. This is one story where the brainpower seems to be possessed only by the extremists in the cast, and the take-home message is: "Screw this, let's just beat the crap out of these morons."

The Dragon Age games have some lovely storytelling elements. While the overall stories may not be great, there are moments of great pathos and emotional poignancy, even thought-provoking moral dilemmas. In this book, however, everything is just a mess. A flat, awkward mess that suggests that the author has no clue what he is doing half the time. And he's the lead writer! Maybe he should have gotten the whole writing team to work along with him in the book.

[Kristalia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Final rating: 5/5 stars

Dragon Age is the series of well done high fantasy games. Every game is so well done that you have a feeling you are reading a book instead of playing it. This book is a prequel for Dragon Age III: Inquisition.

I believe people who never heard of these games would be a bit confused as to what is happening and who the characters are, because you do see most of them through the games. Wynne from the first game, your companion and a mage. Shale, a stone golem, also one of your companions. But the most important character in this whole story is Cole, your companion in Inquisition. This book is mostly about him, his best friend Rhys, Evangeline, Wynne and Shale.

I don't say that it's necessary to know what Dragon Age is about, but some things would be easier to understand if you at least played one of the games.

This book is set between II and III game, but more like a prequel for the third one. But you don't have to read the other books in DA series. They are all (?) stand alone.

✍ ☘ ❦ ☕ ❂ ✄ ☸ ⚡ ⚓ ☁ ☂ ✎ ✍ ☘ ❦ ☕ ❂ ✄ ☸ ⚡ ⚓ ☁ ☂ ✎ ☸ ⚡ ⚓

In the world of Dragon Age, mages are considered extremely dangerous. In order to control their magic, people built Circles in which Templars have permission to do whatever they want to the mages. Kill them all if there is a mutiny, imprison them, or worst of all, make them Tranquil. This is a fate worse than death - and its used as a controlling measure against the mages, who only want freedom. In their world, however, exists the Fade, a realm of "demons". Demons are lured by the use of magic and therefore possess mages without control, another reason people are scared of them, aside from having dangerous magic. In Fade, besides the demons, live Spirits as well. They are usually not violent and spirits of compassion are summoned to help with the healing. But, aside from them, they are usually considered the same as the demons.
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CHARACTERS:
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❂ Cole is a young man who never had a normal life. All because he was a mage. So when he was captured by templars and dragged into Circle, he wished to die and to be forgotten. Due to certain circumstances, he got his wish. He doesn't remember how he got out of the dungeon, neither does he understand why suddenly no one sees him, nor can remember him. The only people who see him have a strong desire to die. And, being the only thing that makes him feel anchored to the world, he kills young mages who are on the brink of despair.

Cole wasn’t dead. Yet at the same time, he didn’t exist, and he walked amongst the living.

❂ The only person whom he didn't kill is Rhys, an older mage, First Enchanter, who not only sees him, but also remembers him. But Rhys doesn't know about the killings and now he is the prime suspect. Rhys doesn't think that Cole is the Ghost - going by the rumors, and he wants to prove that he is just a normal human being, who was cursed with inconvenient curse.

❂ Evangeline is the Templar and a bodyguard of Divine Justinia V. She follows the code and rules of Templars, but also has enough heart to understand that not everything is how it seems to be.

❂ Adrian is the fellow mage of Rhys. As his best friend, she thinks it's up to her to help Rhys clear his name.

❂ Wynne is an old mage, as well as mother of Rhys. But they don't get along, considering how she saw him two times in his whole life. Wynne comes to the circle Rhys is in, just in time to save Rhys from being wrongly accused and possibly made tranquil, acting on Divine Justinia V's personal orders to save her friend Pharamond - a Tranquil who may have discovered dangerous things templars would kill to hide. She took Rhys, Adrian and Knight-Captain Evangeline with her in order to find Pharamond. No one excepted Cole to follow them, having found about orders Evangeline got from Lord Seeker Lambert that put Rhys' life in danger.

❂ Shale is a stone golem and friend of Wynne. "Shale was the best warrior of King Valtor and member of House Cadash and the only female dwarf to volunteer to become a golem."
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OVERALL:
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This may not be enough information in order to read this book as a stand alone, but i tried my best to explain, for those interested. Every event that is mentioned in the book can be found on wikia, but i still believe this book is worth to be read.

Since Cole is one of the main characters in the game, you find out his potential paths in life during DA:I, but if you are interested you can always watch his scenes on youtube or read about him on wikia. Other than that, the book is complete story for itself, more or less. If you want a bit of a romance or flirting, there is that here too. Unrequited love as well, lots of prejudice, false accusations, i won't lie but there is angst too.

All in all, a satisfying read.

[C.T. Phipps · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most intriguing struggles depicted in the Dragon Age universe is between the Circle of Magi and the Templar Order. The basic premise is that mages are kept locked up in the setting, forbidden from using their talents save under the careful supervision of the anti-magic trained knights of the Chantry (Thedas' equivalent of the Catholic Church). The mages, naturally, resent this treatment as they can't help how they were born.

What saves this from being a clear-cut metaphor for oppression is that mages, unlike real-life minorities, are a threat to the common good. They are haunted by demons and possess powers which could easily result in the deaths of thousands.

One of the earliest missions in Dragon Age: Origins deals with the discovery of an eight-year-old who, in a moment of desperation, makes a pact with a demon and unleashes a horde of undead on his hometown. There are also mages who brutalize and abuse normal human beings, the latter who are helpless to resist.

It's basically the fantasy version of the X-men, only Henry Peter Gyrich and Senator Kelly are given a sympathetic portrayal.

Dragon Age: Asunder focuses squarely on the Mage versus Templar issue. I'll be honest, when I first heard about this, I was of mixed feelings. Dragon Age 2 devoted a great deal of time to this issue and I came away hating both factions.

It was like being forced to choose between Magneto and the Sentinels. Neither side came out smelling like roses and there was no sign of a reasonable third option. I decided to side with the mages in Dragon Age 2 but I came away feeling that the Templars were being given the short end of the stick.

Asunder avoids most of these pitfalls. It has the remarkably unique idea of giving both sides likable members and showing the dark side of each side too. As a result, it feels like a much more balanced group and while there's an air of triumph to the ending--you also feel like events have escalated to a point which they didn't have to.

The premise of Asunder is Senior Enchanter Rhys, a high-ranking mage, has long supported independence from the Chantry. His estranged mother, Origin's Wynne, believes this attitude is foolish and invites reprisal from numerous sources. After the events of Dragon Age 2, tensions between the Templars and mages have reached a boiling point. You don't have to have played the aforementioned games to understand the game but, frankly, why are you reading tie-in fiction if you haven't?

An assassination attempt on the Divine, the Chantry's equivalent of the Pope, escalates matters further as does the discovery of a mystical ritual which has the potential to permanently alter the balance of power between the two factions. Thrown into the mix are liberal Templar knight Evangeline and the mysterious yet sympathetic serial killer Cole (who may or may not be a ghost). I'm also fond of the Lord Seeker, Lambert, who appears to be a one-dimensional hardliner but turns out to just be the wrong man for the wrong time in the worst way.

I've read all of the Dragon Age novels and I have to say that Asunder is my favorite of the ones released so far. Everyone is likable, sensible in their actions, and entertaining to read about. We get a good look into their mindsets and there's even a few unexpected moments. Mages, for example, fail to realize the Templars don't just keep them locked up but also protect them from the bigotry of the common people. They also miss how blessed they are to live in a community where race, nation, sexuality, and social status don't matter. Every mage is allowed an education and never has to worry about where his next meal is coming from where, in Thedas, these are fantastic luxuries.

But are they worth freedom?

Fans of Dragon Age 2 may dislike the fact the book does a light retcon of the setting's timeline. It was implied a war between the Templar and Mage factions began immediately after the events of the game. This shows events took a great deal more to turn them into a full-scale war which also spoils the ending of the book. I'm, largely, okay with this retcon but it does seem to make the actions of certain characters in the game seem less meaningful.

In conclusion, I strongly recommend fans of the Dragon Age game series pick up Asunder as a lead-in to Dragon Age: Inquisition and because it's a very fun book. I don't recommend this book to people who aren't familiar with the franchise as the emotional resonance will not be the same. It's entertaining but this was written with fans of the game in mind and doesn't quite work on its own the way, say, The Stolen Throne does.

9/10

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first, and will probably be the only, Dragon Age tie-in novel I have read. I thought I'd give it a go because a) Gaider is an exceptionally good writer of characters (for those readers who don't play story-based video games, yes video games have characters, and plots, and stuff. And they have around 60 hours of screentime to play with to do it); and b) rumour was it had important background info to bridge the gap between Dragon Age 2 and 3.

Both were valid enough. The characters are solid, intriguing and rounded. I could tell that because I started really hoping that the characters would prominently appear as NPCs in the next game (they;d be great companions). The book certainly does describe events that give you a pretty good idea where the next game will pick up. I didn't really hate it.

But it felt a bit like describing a video game in places - lots of detail about the fighting, for example. And why did people keep setting off in expeditions in small groups, to explore defined areas and have a few fights along the way? It felt at times like the novel was bound by the conventions of the RPG game genre, almost complete with levelling up moments.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably the best of the Dragon Age tie-in novels; paradoxically(?), it's also arguably the least accessible to someone who hasn't played the games. It takes place a few years after the events of Dragon Age 2 and deals, in part, with repercussions of the events in Kirkwall. If you've played the games, you'll be happy to spend time with familiar faces and to see what I can only assume is the groundwork being laid for Dragon Age 3. If you haven't played the games, you won't have the context to fully appreciate everything that happens, and you may find the ending singularly unsatisfying.

Having said that, I really liked the book, adore the games and hope that this won't be the last Dragon Age novel we see.

[Mayesha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved it. I just loved it. I loved most of the characters and even wanted to shake them by their shoulders sometimes for being SO stupid. And at other times, I wanted to hug- nay, KISS- them.

Gaider deliberately put Wynne in it to pull at your heartstrings. He can be so heartless sometimes, killing his darlings like that.... But I LOVE that. I love the dark fantasy world he created. I love how REAL the characters are, how believable their actions and mistakes are. How even though you want to hate them and shake your head at their idiocy, you can't help but know that you would have done the same thing had you been in their shoes. And no, there are no greater-than-life heroes to save the day.

I had some problems with the book though. Some parts should have been more subtle, a teensy bit more relaxed, I suppose. And even though I loved the book, it would have made a better video game. It's like: go there, do this, do that and done. But that's what you get when you read a novel based on a game.

As always, the book ends with the promise of more to come. I really can't wait to see how the game will take up after this.

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review can also be found on my blog, Where the Words Take Me.

Picture this: I’m in my third, back-to-back playthrough of Dragon Age: Inquisition when I learn that my son, Cole, has a book that’s all about his backstory. Naturally, I had to find and read it as soon as possible.

While I’ve vaguely known that Dragon Age books existed, I hadn’t picked up any until now because, historically, books written to supplement a video game franchise are often lackluster comparatively. It can be hard to capture all the things that make a video game wondrous through text alone, without you there as the player character that makes all the decisions and ultimately saves the day. So imagine my delighted surprise when I read Asunder, only to find that I didn’t just like it; I devoured it.

Perhaps the book’s only major fault, which doesn’t apply to me, is that it’s not incredibly accessible to those who haven’t played the Dragon Age games. If you have, however, then it’s like falling back into the world of Thedas all over again. Asunder‘s primary setting is in the country of Orlais at the White Spire, which houses one of the many Circles of Magi. As this takes place after the Kirkwall rebellion, tensions between mages and templars have never been more taut, and now mysterious murders are taking place behind the Spire’s walls. When a mage named Rhys is pinned for the murders, he’ll do anything to clear his name, including venture out on a dangerous mission that will uncover knowledge that could change the fate of mages forever.

I’d heard Cole deliver his account of these events in DA:I, and luckily, it was a bare bones account because I was still surprised at many happenings that took place throughout Asunder. That is, of course, a testament to David Gaider’s writing, which balanced dialogue, character voice, description, plot, and pacing in a near-perfect fashion. The only minor flaw that I noticed were a couple of repetitive phrases like “sweat sliding down the face/brow” to indicate nervousness or strain. Aside from that, I loved how Gaider told this story and the regard he gave to every single character on the page, whether it was in their point of view or not.

This makes sense, given that Gaider was one of the lead writers of the games and is responsible for writing some of my favorite characters, such as Zevran, Morrigan, Fenris, and Alistair. Sometimes, this talent won’t translate to writing a full-blown novel, but this time, it did. All the new characters were wonderful to read, both as they all interacted with each other and as their own people: Ser Evangeline with her struggle of doing right yet performing her duty as a templar; Rhys with his sense of humor and compassion but his fears about his own fate along with that of his fellow mages; bold and brash Adrian; and the cold and harsh Lord Seeker Lambert. Returning characters were also a joy to experience, such as Leliana, Wynne, and Cole.

I really do have to single out Wynne for a moment. I felt like I had just gotten to know her in Dragon Age: Origins before the game was over, so having her as a major character in Asunder did wonders. (And, no, I haven’t played Dragon Age: Awakening yet, please forgive me.) Throwing her in a book with characters who all have strong opinions and personalities was also a great way to show off her own strengths and faults as well as how she’s changed since DA:O. I got incredibly emo about Wynne before it was all said and done.

Then, there’s Cole, my sweet boy, my shining star, my everything. He broke my heart and made me so proud, and that’s how you know he’s my Cole. Even though his dialogue is written slightly different in Asunder—closer to his more lucid moments than his alliterative, rambling ways in DA:I—I heard his voice come through loud and clear. And it made sense, in a way, given he did not fully realize his own nature in Asunder. Gaider played out Cole’s mystery, his tragedy, and his actualization beautifully. His character journey in Asunder transfers easily into DA:I, where he still has plenty of growing to do based on the decisions you help him make. Therefore, I couldn’t be happier with the justice Gaider did Cole’s character.

Even though the book only takes place in Orlais, the world-building is as rich and expansive as you would expect from Dragon Age. As you read, you experience the still rippling effects of the Kirkwall rebellion; witness politics and posturing in Val Royeaux and the Grand Cathedral; and watch the beginnings of the Orlesian Civil War unfold between Empress Celene and her cousin, Grand Duke Gaspard.

While the swells of history surround our characters, the mage/templar conflict rests firmly in the center of it all, the eye of our storm. Every scene in the White Spire mounts with tension and danger, tempers threatening to spill over on both sides even as compromises and peace attempt to be made—both ultimately dissatisfying to all parties. The distrust and wrongs committed by both sides are just too great a chasm to fill, and no matter what, you know something is about to take place. I felt like I was hovering upon a knife’s edge, waiting for the bloodshed to start, for one action to be taken too far, too personally.

Even if you feel strongly one way or the other about this conflict (pro-mage, always), the book takes great pains to show that every mage, templar, and Seeker of Truth has valid reasons and viewpoints for seeing the world and this specific plight as they do. It was impressive how well Gaider maintained that this conflict isn’t a black-and-white situation while also showing the truth of it in the self-awareness and actions of the characters, even when they were being their most unreasonable. For being as harsh and unforgiving as he is, even Lord Seeker Lambert demonstrates moments of thoughtfulness as well as insight, and I am surprised that I can admit that. That he wasn’t just a two-dimensional bastard villain.

It’s amazing what can be accomplished, how much depth even a little mass market paperback can have, when you write with nuance.

So yes, I loved this book and all the beautiful things it did, all the character moments and plot reveals with the lore woven expertly throughout. Whether you’ve already played DA:I or not, I cannot recommend Asunder any higher. Well done, Gaider!

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's funny how a simple change of perspective can alter your entire impression of a book. I went in on this novel preparing for the worst, having read reviews both here and elsewhere that made "Asunder" out to be lacking.

And was it really? As a standalone novel: yes. The story expands upon the events taking place between the second and third instalments of the Dragon Age games, specifically the political upheaval for the civil war that sets the stage for Dragon Age: Inquisition. And for the uninitiated, I can only imagine how meaningless the plot may seem. The storyline by itself isn't really compelling enough to draw in new fans, and even for established ones there's no new information to glean from it. The pace is slow, the characters not developed beyond the barebones needed to keep up the story, and the lore only vaguely dwelled upon to set the basics for what a dedicated DA fan already would know and one that is not have little reason to care about.

But as text-based extra content serving to flesh out the main story rather than stand out on its own, like everything Leliana's Song could have been but was not? This was excellent. As a longer, larger DLC for DA:I, it would have been fantastic. Obviously, it would have been a fairly unprofitable venture given the resources it would have taken to make a DLC of this size - on par with Awakening for DA:O, I suppose - and the most likely niched portion of the fanbase that would pay to play it. (Not to mention the flood wave of fan complaints that would inevitably follow about not getting DLC about another more popular character or something else beyond the much played-out mage/Templar conflict that has taken the center stage for the better part of two games.)

Even so, that's how I decided to reinterpret this novel. The battle scenes and pacing are much easier to stomach and the emotional climax of the ending more poignant in video game form, even imagined. It also makes far more sense as a prequel DLC for those interested in either a) Cole's past, b) how the mage rebellion/Templar cessation from the Chantry truly began, or c) the impact of Anders' actions at the end of DA2.

Which, in my case, fit perfectly; I had just wrapped up a DA2 run in which I went for the tragic everything-goes-wrong-in-Hawke's-life angle as she desperately tried to save Anders, her lover and the last remnant she had of a family still within the means of her protection, and then was forced to watch in horror as he blew up an entire building of innocent people and caused the subsequent deaths of countless others - almost including her own sister - just to make a stand for the ideals she had once loved him for.

I felt a bit emotionally robbed to find in DA:I that this had not, in fact, sparked the fight for freedom Anders had been raving and literally dying for since day one of DA2. Rather, it was the actions of Grand Enchanter Fiona, who we're told is extremely passionate about mage freedom, but by the time I catch up with her in Redcliffe, she just seems tired and devastated and looking for an end to the war. And having just indentured the "free" mages as glorified slaves to Tevinter, no less. What happened to her reputation (or Vivienne's completely unbiased gossip, cough) as the aggressive idealist who drove them all to battle, blinded by her plight for self-governance? And what point had there even been in Anders' act then, and the Kirkwall mages' suffering?

Also, in DA:I you're actively asked to make a stand for various factions within the war, and as someone who never played as a mage and was only involved in DA2 by the sidelines as an extremely anti-Templar character due to roleplayed personal bias, I didn't really know what to make of anything. Furthermore, some things just didn't make sense to me. Why would the Aequitarians, the ones who have kept the precarious balance for peace for centuries and the largest Circle fraternity, vote in favor of fighting? How did the Libertarians convince them all into action - weren't they just a louder minority known to speak for drastic, often fanatic violence (i.e. Uldred, Anders and their associates) that the rest of the mages frowned upon? And where on earth was Wynne, who is one of the most pro-Circle major characters of the games, and surely very influential given her assistance in the Fifth Blight?

This book answered all of those questions, and also further shed light on the tensions that had been boiling even among the mages themselves (and that resurface even in DA:I) that led to the complete chaos we're introduced to in the third game. It really helped building my perspective of the decisions I'm asked to make in DA:I, especially since I'm playing a mage Inquisitor who more or less becomes the representative for all mages of Thedas due to her position. On top of that, I had just recruited Cole and was curious about his backstory and implied involvement with the rebellion and Lord Seeker while exploring the Western Approach for the first time, so I guess it was a matter of timing, too.

TL;DR: I can fully understand why anyone would not like this novel: if I hadn't played the way I had or found it just as I was wondering about the issues it addresses, I don't know how much I would have liked it, either. But as it is, I would give this book less than 2 stars for a standalone novel, but as a text-based DLC? A solid 3.5, bordering on 4. Especially while listening to Leliana's Song from Origins for the final chapter.

[Stefan Stojanovski · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a big fan of the Dragon Age Origins, I was disappointed by this book. It has an interesting concept, but it's done decently at best. The original characters are well developed, though they're supposed to be middle aged, yet I would say they act like 20-30 at most. Their motives and personalities make sense. The plot makes sense. The style.... Although action packed, Gaider seems to use "fancy* words to make the text stand out more and set an atmosphere, but it makes it incredibly cringe when you stumble upon them. The pacing was slightly off and we were robbed of a satisfying end.

However it was very memorable. The start date and the end date ought to indicate it

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a huge fan of the Dragon Age series of games and books, I had high hopes for Asunder, and Mr. Gaider delivered.

Although I enjoyed the first two books Mr. Gaider wrote (The Stolen Throne and The Calling), my interest was mostly due to the history and lore of Ferelden and the Grey Wardens imparted by the story. The characters and stories themselves were all right, but not the main draw.

With Asunder, that changed. I found the lore intriguing, but the real plus to this story is the characters. Mr. Gaider introduces new characters, but well-loved characters from the games make appearances as well.

Best of all, this story sets up future installments in the Dragon Age franchise. I loved that Mr. Gaider wasn't afraid to change the world he's created, and significantly.

Asunder is a must-read for any fan of the Dragon Age world, and I can't wait for the next game!

[Sud666 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been on a Dragon Age kick. The last book focused on the blight and characters and events from the first game. This book focuses on the Mage rebellion and the conflicts between the Templars and the Mages. It's more set towards the events of Dragon Age II. Interestingly enough there is the "origin" story for Cole, a character from Dragon Age Inquisition. That was rather interesting as Cole's origins are nebulous.

This looks at the huge issues between the Mages and the Templars. Rhys and his Mother, Wynne, are both powerful mages tasked with finding a lost colleague. The Seekers assign a Templar to oversee the operation. No spoilers. It's a pretty good story. I would suggest you have some idea or have played the games, as to what's going on-but the books do not require it. They can act as stand alone stories.

But having played the games, the conflicts described had a large relevance in explaining the lore. Would you like this without that background? Possibly. It's a good story. I enjoyed looking into the arguments for and against the current system. Nothing great, but a nice fun read.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far the best of the tie-in books. It gives so much color to Inquisition, where we're otherwise left mostly in the dark about just how the war between mages and Templars came about (other than Boom!Kirkwall started it all). And I loved the characters -- Evangeline and Rhys are both rational people in the middle of chaos, and Cole is pure bananas. Honestly, he's got a pretty dark past and in-game Cole reads a bit *softer* to me. More cutesy crazy than kill 'em in the dark.

I wish Evangeline and Rhys were more present in Inquisition than just the war table missions. Cole deserved them as a quest rather than the one he had. But what are you going to do? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I'm reading the publication date right, and if I'm remembering the release of Dragon Age: Inquisition correctly, the book came out before the game which makes everything surrounding Cole, Rhys, and Evangeline in the game — particularly in how it was handled — make so much more sense. I consumed the media the other way around: played the game first and then, years later, read this book, so I had a different experience than what was probably intended.

For better or for worse, I couldn't tell you. I loved this book anyway, and I'm tempted to replay DA:I (again) and really pay attention to Cole and everything he says and does this time.

And dare I say it, but I liked this book miles more than I liked The Calling. In that one, I was doubtful of David Gaider's prowess as a novelist. His world-building and characters and dialogue are fantastic, but his prose and narrative structure left a lot to be desired. For Asunder, I don't have the same complaints. He improved so much. My only gripe is that I wish he would assume that most readers already know the world-building enough that he doesn't have to re-hash things that 2.5 games have already covered 2.5x over, but the instances of this were few and far between enough that it's a minor complaint.

Asunder follows the story of Rhys, his best friend and once lover Adrian, the templar Evangeline, Rhys's mother and Dragon Age: Origins favorite Wynne, as they journey to discover the secrets the Tranquil mage Pharamond unlocked that caused him to become possessed by a demon, something that should never happen to a Tranquil because that's the whole point of the Rite of Tranquility. In the midst of all this is the still radiating effects of the events of Dragon Age 2 (the radiation effects being at "the sun is a deadly laser" levels), and the ever-boiling conflicts between mages, templars, and the Chantry that, if you've played Dragon Age: Inquisition, you'll know will only end terribly. We even get cameos from other favorite game characters, like Leliana and Shale.

And man, Shale's presence in this book is an absolute delight. I also want to replay Dragon Age: Origins for her.

Anyway, this is David Gaider at his best: the characters — even our villains — are complex and wonderful, and the mage vs. templar conflict is complex with many simultaneously delightful and infuriating shades of gray. The dialogue is great, and I think David Gaider thrives on witty and charming characters because hello, Rhys, you feel like a few of my favorite Gaider characters and I'm not complaining even a little bit about that. Normally, I dislike how most male authors treat female characters, but considering that most of the cast here are female and how much I love the book, you bet I believe that Gaider did a wonderful job with all of them.

I even actually liked the romance that brewed here. If you've played Inquisition, you won't be surprised by it, but honestly, even if you've played Inquisition and nothing that happens in here will shock you at all (my only point of confusion was that, since this takes place about a year before Inquisition begins: I thought Wynne was already dead, but nope, guys, this is the book where she dies, so, yeah, it checks out. And yes, I was very sad, I love Wynne, she was my Warden's grandma/much needed parental figure, okay? (My Warden is Brosca, the dwarf commoner origin, so, yeah, much needed parental figure.)) you will enjoy this one. There is a lot of lore and backstory to be gained here that's only barely touched on in Inquisition, so it's worth it, promise!

[Heidi *Bookwyrm Babe, Voyeur of Covers, Caresser of Spines, Unashamed Smut Slut, the Always Sleepy Wyrm of the Stacks, and Drinker of Tea and Wine* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some books that are based on games are really crappy, this is not one of them. It is well written and the characters have depth. The whole 'verse that is Dragon Age is pretty awesome, and being a lover of the game I was very worried that this book would not live up to my expectations. I can't believe I waited so long to read this. It gave me feels. Like picking up heavy metal chairs and throwing them kind of feels. So many feels. It was frustrating but beyond worth it. It was so easy to get lost in the DA world. Anyways, it's late, I am babbling, and I am keeping my reviews vague because I would spoil it for everyone if I continued. :P Time to start/finish another book.

[Stefano Curcelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarà che David Gaider conosce il mondo della saga videoludica come se fosse suo figlio ed è pieno di citazioni e informazioni sulla lore, sarà che la storia si basa su uno dei temi che preferisco (il rapporto tra Maghi e Templari) e che i personaggi sono coerenti e ben caratterizzati, dei quattro libri di Dragon Age disponibili in italiano, questo probabilmente è quello che mi è piaciuto di più.

Punti critici: il ritmo dopo il prologo l'ho trovato un pochino lento e la copertina è proprio brutta.

[MasterSal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review to follow

I am quite surprised at that rating - don’t know how the author managed it but this worked for me. This added to the context and background for Cole which was good. There were some issues with the plot which felt forced and extra convenient. But this is par for the course for the author so it didn’t bother me.

Plus it really helped that there were no weird sexy times in the book. Leaving Maric behind helped with the series 😂😂 good job there

[Krista D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Great for Wynne, Shale, and Cole fans. A little Fiona and Leliana, too.

[merrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crying screaming throwing up. Everything there is to love about dragon age is in this book. It both inspired and broke me. Love it, 10/10. I usually am really unwilling to spend more money on this franchise before i get Dreadwolf, but this was worth it.
I'm so happy! Will be rereading this for sure, i made so many highlights regarding lore, da:i plot, and characterization

[Lio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cole :ccc

But really, I think Asunder is the best Dragon Age tie-in I've read to date. And, with little doubt, will remain so.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're still clinging to the hope that your Warden and Darkspawn will show up in Dragon Age: Inquisition, this book should remove that silly hope. Darkspawn did make a brief appearance (though sadly, no random ogres) and the Hero of Ferelden is mentioned a few times, but otherwise, Asunder firmly establishes the Mage/Templar War as the new focus of this age.

Taking place a year after Anders blew up the Kirkwall Chantry, things are not particularly good for mages. Not that they were good before, but now a lot of the Circles have been put on lockdown by the templars, with some already sacrificed to the Right of Annulment. Asunder takes us deep into the heart of the White Spire, the Orlais Circle, and shows us just how poorly treated the mages are, even without a war to fuel the templars -- insight insight that was conspicuously missing from Dragon Age II.

First, we meet Cole, vaguely known as the Ghost of the Spire. He spends most of his time in the Pit, where mages are brought for punishment. He is also, apparently, a murderer, but since no one else can see him, blame for the murders falls on Enchanter Rhys, a spirit medium and the only one who can see Cole. Along with the murders, there is also the inconvenience of a mage's attempted murder of the Divine, the leader of the Chantry. None of this works in Rhys' favour, so it's fortunate for him that Enchanter Wynne of Blight fame requests his accompaniment on a special mission ordained by the Divine herself. Wynne's friend Pharamond, a Tranquil, has been possessed by a demon - something that isn't supposed to be possible since Tranquils are cut off from their magic. Pharamond's research may also imply that the Rite of Tranquility can be reversed, which the templars are none too happy about. Knight-Commander Evangeline is sent along with Wynne, Rhys and another mage, Adrian, to assess the situation and do whatever is necessary to protect the templar's interests.

While the templars continue to be painted in a very poor light as they were in the game, Evangeline serves as a counter. She believes in her duty and in the templars, but she does not follow the orders of the Lord Seeker blindly and, most importantly, respects mages as human beings. With this in mind, the outcome of events is not particularly difficult to predict.

One of the things I've loved about Gaider's writing is his characters. I've even been able to overlook weak plots just because the characters and their interactions were so well done. Yet despite the presence of three beloved characters from Dragon Age: Origins, the characters in Asunder fell flat. There were some amusing moments with Shale's snark and Wynne revealing what she'd really been doing while I was busy in the Deep Roads, but otherwise, this was a rather dull journey. It provided some interesting information that I assume will appear in the future game. We also get a few hints about what the Orlesian Empress Celene is up to, which I assume will be expanded upon in Dragon Age: The Masked Empire. But overall, I don't think I would have lost much by just reading the wiki version.

See more reviews at
The BiblioSanctum

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is hard to know how to rate this. I think it is tighter and smoother than the previous game novels, The Stolen Throne and The Calling, but for me it felt like there was less heart. Loghain and Maric had more sparkle and more tension than any character combination here. However, it is still a readable and entertaining tale, if you are a fan of the setting. Cole is an interesting character and his story is heartbreaking. There is some development of lore that a DA geek would appreciate, such as exploration of the Tranquil. The general fantasy reader would probably find it dull. I'm also not sure that it sets up the mage-templar war any more convincingly than did Dragon Age 2. It all feels a little mechanical and forced, and like I still have no idea who the Libertarians, Aequitarians or Seekers are, or why I should care about any of them.

[Aurora · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an OK read. The story takes place right after the mage rebellion in Kirkwall, but is set in Val Royeaux (Orlais). It's definitely no big work of literature, although it had some interesting plot points (the reversion of Tranquility, some new lore about demons and spirits, Wynne's past, etc.). Unfortunately, the main characters lack any serious characterization and reminded me of characters I met in DA:O and DA:II.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always imagine these type of stories to be like coloring books for an author. They've got this very established world to work in with certain larger events going on in it, and their job is just to tell this very specific story with specific people in a specific place (was I too specific there). So they have to stay within the lines as they write. The result is a pretty nice picture but one that is kind of unsatisfying. At least it was well told.

[Bic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Knowing his history does not make me love Cole any less. He is still fantastically precious to me!!

[Jeannette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Also available on the WondrousBooks blog.

*** Actual rating: 3.5 stars ***

I liked this book just slightly less than the previous two, for two main reasons:

I was sorely missing the characters from the first two books.
I had issues with some of the characters in this one.

To start off, Asunder takes place right after the Kirkwall rebellion, in the White Spire circle tower in Orlais. The tensions between the mages and the templars are already a fact all over Thedas, and the appearance of a serial killer in the White Spire only makes matters worse.

The best part of this book for me was the fact that Wynne and Shale made an appearance. While Shale was only a nice reminder of DA:O, Wynne is likely my favourite healer from all three games. Also, the only one who did not betray my character's trust, so yay Wynne! She'd changed much, but it was nevertheless great to see her again, as, contrarily to other characters from DA:O, she was not referenced in Inquisition.

Among the other characters, it was also interesting to see Cole again, and to get acquainted with some new people. That's not to say, though, that I necessarily liked all of the new people. I felt like Rhys, Evangeline and Adrian rang a bit hollow in comparison to the characters which were introduced in the games and written much better. Rhys, for example, did a lot of things that had an interesting or important outcome, but it was not really clear what his thought process was. Evangeline was more of a generic strong lady stereotype, I couldn't help but imagine a cheaper version of Cassandra when reading about her. Not least of all, I hated Adrian with passion. She was the most infuriating character to read about in any of the books. While I'm all for characters who stand their ground, I felt that she was pointlessly and unreasonably fanatical and contrary. She was literally against everything at any single moment. There was no point to her presence, save for creating tensions for Rhys so that his decisions have more pathos.

On the other hand, I'm not upset that I wasn't crazy for the characters, because the story was still a good/necessary one and added to the overall setting of the world for the events of DAI. Also, while admitting that Gaider is not the best author on the planet, I think I'll miss the additions he makes to Dragon Age, as this is his last book for the time being and I do feel that he's deep enough into the characters for his voice to be one of the most crucial ones for these companion novels.

[Ky · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best pieces of Dragon Age media in my opinion. The Mage vs Templar conflict I believe is a strong narrative, however in the games it felt slightly neutered to me. Whereas this book allows the full concept of that to flourish with great characters, some wholly original to these books, and others faithful reappearances of characters in the games, and even characters that have their first appearance here and then went on to become important characters in the games. I really wish Rhys and Evangeline showed up in person in Inquisition as I loved their characters here. Wynne, Shale, and Leliana were all excellent to see. And the Lord Seeker made a good antagonist. But the star of the book, easily, is Cole. Such an interesting and sympathetic character that is so tragic and dark I can't help but love him. It is also helps that this book is written by the actual lead writer of the games, so every character, every action, every lore-point, every location feels authentic because it genuinely is. Big recommend to Dragon Age fans, I do recommend that you have played Origins and 2 as I think the enjoyment of this greatly depends on knowing the characters that appeared in those two games, as well as seeing the main conflict of this book come to a head in 2. I also think this is easily the best of Gaider's Dragon Age novels. While I enjoyed the fun adventure of the Stolen Throne, and the darkness of the Calling, this was the best of the three.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Cole so much - I wanted to finish this story before asking him about his backstory in my Inquisition replay to see how events transpired vs. how he tells us about them. I was really just here for that, but I did enjoy seeing Wynne and Shale, and some of Divine Justinia and Leliana. I can see why Leliana is so devoted to her and in a dark place after her death. I also appreciated this book for providing some clarity into how exactly the war between mages and templars came about, how the templars separated from the Chantry, and Fiona's role as a Grand Enchanter.

To be honest, I expected more interactions with Rhys and Evangeline for Cole, given he has a quest related to them in the war table and he referred to them as his good friends. It was a bit more complicated than that in the book, but I still loved reading about Cole and how he views himself in relation to others. I don't feel the romance between Rhys and Evangeline was all that well developed, and I am interested in Adrian's role with the mages. Since we don't see her again that I can recall, I wonder if she was at the conclave...

I also was thinking it might lead me to feel strongly one way or the other regarding his personal quest and becoming more like a person or a spirit, but I don't know that it did. I can still see the merit to both. That ending though - I almost rated this 4 stars for that scene alone. Cole getting revenge for well...Cole is just *chef's kiss*.