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Hard in Hightown
Prolific dwarven author and heroic companion of the Dragon Age games, Varric Tethras brings us the collected edition of his breakthrough crime-noir drama, Hard in Hightown (with help from his trusted human confidante, Mary Kirby)! This volume is beautifully illustrated by Stefano Martino, Alvaro Sarraseca, Andres Ponce, and Ricardo German Ponce Torres, with a painted cover by E.M. Gist!
Twenty years of patrols have chiseled each and every stone of the Kirkwall streets into city guardsmen Donnen Brennokovic. Weary and weathered, Donnen is paired with a recruit so green he might as well have leaves growing out of his armor. When the mismatched pair discover a dead magistrate bleeding out on the flagstones, they're caught up in a clash between a shadowy organization known only as the Executors and a secretive group of Chantry agents--all over some ancient artifact.
This is a prose novel featuring 24 black and white full page images.
Twenty years of patrols have chiseled each and every stone of the Kirkwall streets into city guardsmen Donnen Brennokovic. Weary and weathered, Donnen is paired with a recruit so green he might as well have leaves growing out of his armor. When the mismatched pair discover a dead magistrate bleeding out on the flagstones, they're caught up in a clash between a shadowy organization known only as the Executors and a secretive group of Chantry agents--all over some ancient artifact.
This is a prose novel featuring 24 black and white full page images.
72 pages, Hardcover
First published July 31, 2018
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February 6, 2022Cassandra Pentaghast voice: Time to start talking, dwarf. They tell me you're good at it.
Anyone who knows me at all knows that Dragon Age 2 is my fucking hill to die on. Is it flawed? Yes, of course. Save me from the recycled environments and the endless waves of enemies that drop from the sky! BUT! But. That main protagonist, who feels like a real person as opposed to a blank canvas for the player to move around. That seedy, bleak setting. That relentless Greek tragedy of a main plot, intimate and deeply personal and willing to dive into fascinating complexities and challenge the Hero's Journey. Those companions, who are dynamic and wonderful and stick together not because they're saving the world but because they love each other; who are Thedas's messiest, most dysfunctional and best family. I love them, and I love this game. BITE ME.
At the center of Dragon Age 2, and one of the main things that makes it the shiny gem that it is, is Varric - best friend, liar, and storyteller extraordinaire. Varric is my precious son, and I have stated on many occasions to anyone who would listen that I would commit any number of dark, profane acts in order to read one of his world-famous novels. It turns out that all of my blood magic rituals were not in vain, because here we have Hard in Hightown. This book is, essentially, a little nugget of Dragon Age goodness, featuring a hard-boiled detective who's had enough of this shit, a twisty, pulpy story, all the grittiness and shine that Kirkwall has to offer, and cameos from every companion.
I'm not going to lie and pretend that I didn't cackle like an idiot over what Varric has done to Sebastian, or want to hug Merrill all over again through her scene. I treasure these characters more than almost any others in RPGs, and it was like a homecoming to have even the tiniest bit more Content featuring them. Is the asking price a little ridiculous given the length? Yes. Do I wish that it had been longer? Of course (and to honor Isabela I am obligated to add a "that's what she said"). All I can say is that all of this is true, but I had a blast reading this book. It evoked that feeling that makes Dragon Age 2 so, so special to me, and that's exactly what I was hoping for.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go physically restrain myself from playing the game all over again.
Fenris content included. Now I can rest.
Anyone who knows me at all knows that Dragon Age 2 is my fucking hill to die on. Is it flawed? Yes, of course. Save me from the recycled environments and the endless waves of enemies that drop from the sky! BUT! But. That main protagonist, who feels like a real person as opposed to a blank canvas for the player to move around. That seedy, bleak setting. That relentless Greek tragedy of a main plot, intimate and deeply personal and willing to dive into fascinating complexities and challenge the Hero's Journey. Those companions, who are dynamic and wonderful and stick together not because they're saving the world but because they love each other; who are Thedas's messiest, most dysfunctional and best family. I love them, and I love this game. BITE ME.
At the center of Dragon Age 2, and one of the main things that makes it the shiny gem that it is, is Varric - best friend, liar, and storyteller extraordinaire. Varric is my precious son, and I have stated on many occasions to anyone who would listen that I would commit any number of dark, profane acts in order to read one of his world-famous novels. It turns out that all of my blood magic rituals were not in vain, because here we have Hard in Hightown. This book is, essentially, a little nugget of Dragon Age goodness, featuring a hard-boiled detective who's had enough of this shit, a twisty, pulpy story, all the grittiness and shine that Kirkwall has to offer, and cameos from every companion.
I'm not going to lie and pretend that I didn't cackle like an idiot over what Varric has done to Sebastian, or want to hug Merrill all over again through her scene. I treasure these characters more than almost any others in RPGs, and it was like a homecoming to have even the tiniest bit more Content featuring them. Is the asking price a little ridiculous given the length? Yes. Do I wish that it had been longer? Of course (and to honor Isabela I am obligated to add a "that's what she said"). All I can say is that all of this is true, but I had a blast reading this book. It evoked that feeling that makes Dragon Age 2 so, so special to me, and that's exactly what I was hoping for.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go physically restrain myself from playing the game all over again.
Fenris content included. Now I can rest.
August 1, 2018
In the immortal words of Cassandra, I read the shit out of this.
August 28, 2018
Let me be blunt: Varric Tethras is my all-time favourite character. I adore him in all other iterations and I was super pumped to read this book.
My first impressions were... less than stellar. The book is about the size of a collection of comics/comic books. It's hardly the novel-length story I was expecting.
On top of that, to any who have played Dragon Age: Inquisition, the codex pages one can get FOR FREE on the wiki of Dragon Age are not seriously dissimilar to the actual novel. Yes, there are additional paragraphs in the novel but you'd get the same rudimentary story just reading the codex pages online.
Furthermore, I realize Varric is meant to be a comical character in some regards. However, the world of Dragon Age leads us to believe that he's a phenomenal writer and super sensational, especially as the Hard in Hightown series is his breakout novel. That said, why is there an entire paragraph that can only be explained as 'Varric gave up'? He's attempting to describe a ship and his own inexperience leads him to write "shit I don't know, it was the best boat to ever boat".
I was super excited for Hard in Hightown, and I went in with high expectations. If you're expecting a proper novel with a multitude of nuance and in-depth story - you're looking in the wrong place. If you're looking for a book that's meant to be a sort of joke and ties into the Dragon Age universe - this is more for you.
My first impressions were... less than stellar. The book is about the size of a collection of comics/comic books. It's hardly the novel-length story I was expecting.
On top of that, to any who have played Dragon Age: Inquisition, the codex pages one can get FOR FREE on the wiki of Dragon Age are not seriously dissimilar to the actual novel. Yes, there are additional paragraphs in the novel but you'd get the same rudimentary story just reading the codex pages online.
Furthermore, I realize Varric is meant to be a comical character in some regards. However, the world of Dragon Age leads us to believe that he's a phenomenal writer and super sensational, especially as the Hard in Hightown series is his breakout novel. That said, why is there an entire paragraph that can only be explained as 'Varric gave up'? He's attempting to describe a ship and his own inexperience leads him to write "shit I don't know, it was the best boat to ever boat".
I was super excited for Hard in Hightown, and I went in with high expectations. If you're expecting a proper novel with a multitude of nuance and in-depth story - you're looking in the wrong place. If you're looking for a book that's meant to be a sort of joke and ties into the Dragon Age universe - this is more for you.
August 1, 2018
We were blessed with this book so much that now I might even start praying harder to Andraste and the Maker for us to get more books from Ser Tethras. I hear the Seeker is fond of a certain series, might as well start publishing it.
Seriously though, this book albeit short, was glorious. Epic. I could clearly hear Varric narrating it, and we better get that audiobook going. The subtle -hah!- mentions of DA2 characters were beautifully done and just... I wanna keep reading, and play the game. And maybe read more, please.
Well done, Ser Tethras, Lady Kirby. Well done.
Seriously though, this book albeit short, was glorious. Epic. I could clearly hear Varric narrating it, and we better get that audiobook going. The subtle -hah!- mentions of DA2 characters were beautifully done and just... I wanna keep reading, and play the game. And maybe read more, please.
Well done, Ser Tethras, Lady Kirby. Well done.
August 29, 2018
So back in Dragon Age II, as you wandered the city of Kirkwall listening to your companions banter with each other, you'd occasionally find stray pages from a manuscript that, eventually, you realized was a noir detective novel set in Kirkwall written by one of your bantering companions, the dwarf Varric Tethras, and starring tuckerized versions of most or all of your companions.
Well now, seven years later, Bioware has assembled all of those pages (and, I'm pretty sure, expanded the story beyond what you could originally find in the game) and published it as a standalone book.
Fair warning -- it's pretty short. About 75 pages (including illustrations); I'd guess it's technically novelette length.
Having said which, I did quite enjoy it -- the story was engaging, the voice was well-executed, and it was fun to once again see the lightly-disguised forms of my companions; and now I'm thinking I should probably replay the game one of these days ...
Well now, seven years later, Bioware has assembled all of those pages (and, I'm pretty sure, expanded the story beyond what you could originally find in the game) and published it as a standalone book.
Fair warning -- it's pretty short. About 75 pages (including illustrations); I'd guess it's technically novelette length.
Having said which, I did quite enjoy it -- the story was engaging, the voice was well-executed, and it was fun to once again see the lightly-disguised forms of my companions; and now I'm thinking I should probably replay the game one of these days ...
December 31, 2018
If you’re not a fan of Dragon Age there is no reason to read this. Happily I am—so this was fun. I love that Varric uses thinly veiled people from his life in the story. I enjoyed recognizing pieces of Kirkwall. The story is a fine little noir/action set and when I managed to imagine Varric narrating it, I laughed—especially at some of the more amusing figures of speech.
Good time!
Good time!
December 29, 2018
I already knew I was going to love this book, because I love Varric and his pulpy metaphors and the tidbits in the game are SO MUCH FUN, but I still surprised myself a little when I tore through it in about 3 hours. Granted, it's not very long, and I think the lack of chapters labelled as such made it hard to find a good stopping point, but then again it was so enjoyable I didn't really want to stop.
It's not the most complicated or surprising plot, which I don't mean in a bad way: the plot does what it has to do and even when you can sort of tell what the outcome might be it's still such a delight to experience it page by page, with the cameos by canon characters adapted into Varric's story as variations of themselves and the fun, witty turns of phrase along the way.
My only complaint is that (as far as I've found) this doesn't have an audiobook narrated by Brian Bloom yet. Reading the excerpt he narrated for the promotional video at the same time as I listened to said narration made it even better, if possible! Oh, and I need Ser Tethras to publish Swords and Shields in our universe so I hope Mary Kirby approaches him about that!
It's not the most complicated or surprising plot, which I don't mean in a bad way: the plot does what it has to do and even when you can sort of tell what the outcome might be it's still such a delight to experience it page by page, with the cameos by canon characters adapted into Varric's story as variations of themselves and the fun, witty turns of phrase along the way.
My only complaint is that (as far as I've found) this doesn't have an audiobook narrated by Brian Bloom yet. Reading the excerpt he narrated for the promotional video at the same time as I listened to said narration made it even better, if possible! Oh, and I need Ser Tethras to publish Swords and Shields in our universe so I hope Mary Kirby approaches him about that!
September 3, 2020
Como libro de Dragon Age, me ha encantado.
Como novelita/relato policiaco en una ambientación de fantasía épica medieval, también. "Hard in Hightown" está muy bien escrito, tiene un girito que no te esperas y tiene unas ilustraciones que me han flipado. No es nada del otro mundo, pero es justo lo que promete, y eso merece cinco estrellas. Lo he leído con la voz de Varric y 10/10 a la experiencia.
Ojalá estuviera en español (¿alguna editorial me contrata para traducirlo? *guiño, guiño*) y, si sacaran la serie Swords and Shields de Tethras en el mismo formato me los compraría todos sin dudarlo un segundo.
Varric Tethras, gran autor, mejor enano.
Como novelita/relato policiaco en una ambientación de fantasía épica medieval, también. "Hard in Hightown" está muy bien escrito, tiene un girito que no te esperas y tiene unas ilustraciones que me han flipado. No es nada del otro mundo, pero es justo lo que promete, y eso merece cinco estrellas. Lo he leído con la voz de Varric y 10/10 a la experiencia.
Ojalá estuviera en español (¿alguna editorial me contrata para traducirlo? *guiño, guiño*) y, si sacaran la serie Swords and Shields de Tethras en el mismo formato me los compraría todos sin dudarlo un segundo.
Varric Tethras, gran autor, mejor enano.
November 25, 2024
2.5 stars.
I'M SORRY VARRIC, hes suffered enough without this review too. Look its a very fun novel, for sure. But it really is just the codex pages found in Inquisition, with some extra pages and some great illustrations. Mary Kirby is a great writer, and she captures the Dragon Age and Varric's tone expertly, I just wish she could have flexed her skills a bit more.
I'M SORRY VARRIC, hes suffered enough without this review too. Look its a very fun novel, for sure. But it really is just the codex pages found in Inquisition, with some extra pages and some great illustrations. Mary Kirby is a great writer, and she captures the Dragon Age and Varric's tone expertly, I just wish she could have flexed her skills a bit more.
December 23, 2020
The perfect accompaniment to my umpteenth replay of Dragon Age 2.
January 28, 2025
I either didn't pay attention or was misled, but I thought this was an entire book with multiple chapters. It's a short story about a guardsman in Kirkwall, pretty basic, just not for me.
October 26, 2024
def something for the fans only, but with veilguard around the corner, i think it was about time i gave this a chance. loved to see the game-hard in hightown supposed parallels, and honestly mary kirby built the dragon age universe and its face (varric tethras himself!!!!) by hand and she deserves so much better
August 3, 2018
I enjoyed this book but I do have a few critiques.
Firstly, the price is a bit steep for a 72-page story. I was expecting a full-length novel for the cost of this book, but it is actually a short story. It's not broken up into chapters or anything.
At least it's a good story. There are some typing errors (quotation marks where none should be, and missing quotation marks where they should exist in the dialogue) but nothing major.
The book is fully illustrated and the art is beautiful. There's a picture almost on every other page. (Of course, that means the book is more like 30-some pages and not 72.) But the characters don't look the same every time so I don't understand what that's about. There's a noblewoman who is central to the story, and in two pictures she is seen with short-cropped black hair, one at the beginning of the book and one at the end. But there's another page in the middle of the story where she has long, flowing hair and it's not shaded in. It doesn't make sense...
So there are some editing errors in both the text and the artwork. But I was also expecting the book to feature the cast of Dragon Age II. A few of the characters are there, with changed names. For example, Fenris has become "Ferris" and is a bartender at the Hanged Man. Isabela is pretty much unchanged, and is called "Belladonna." Merill is in the alienage and Aveline is the captain of the guard, each also using an alias. If any of the other characters are there, however, I can't tell it.
I'm not sure who the main character is even supposed to be, but the plot is about a man about to retire from the guard but first he wants to solve one final murder. So the story is a whodunit murder mystery. I liked the story but it was a bit predictable.
A nobleman with an impressive collection of weapons tries to buy the very sword that slayed Andraste. But before he either pays for the acquisition or has it in his hands, he is found murdered. The retiree becomes a detective, trying to figure out who killed the nobleman and why. His trail leads him to Isabela's ship, where she tells him she procured the sword but never got paid before the man was murdered. And he isn't the last to die.
I love a good murder mystery, but like I said, it's made pretty obvious early on who the culprit is. And the book concludes rather abruptly with little climax. What I really enjoyed about the story was the setting. I thought I knew Kirkwall, but the book talks about corners you don't actually get to explore in the game. For example, although we visit the elven alienage in Dragon Age II, the book also discusses a dwarven enclave and a foreign quarter where Orlesians and Antivans live. I found those sorts of details fascinating.
And the book was well-written and descriptive, just as you might imagine Varric would write. There's even one point where he's struggling to find a way to elegantly describe Belladonna's ship and just gives up:
The Dragon's Jewels was a big boat. The largest boat in the harbor. A carved figurehead of a woman painted in vivid colors and making a remarkably lewd gesture drew the eye past the more sedate merchant vessels. The pointy bits towered majestically over the water. The roundish wooden part seemed like it could crush armadas beneath its...s**t, I don't know, wood. It was the greatest boat in the history of boats.
If you loved Dragon Age II, I think you'll enjoy this book a lot. If you haven't played the game, it will make you want to. There are a few nitpicky things but as a whole I thought the story was fun and I would read this again, even knowing whodunit in the end.
Firstly, the price is a bit steep for a 72-page story. I was expecting a full-length novel for the cost of this book, but it is actually a short story. It's not broken up into chapters or anything.
At least it's a good story. There are some typing errors (quotation marks where none should be, and missing quotation marks where they should exist in the dialogue) but nothing major.
The book is fully illustrated and the art is beautiful. There's a picture almost on every other page. (Of course, that means the book is more like 30-some pages and not 72.) But the characters don't look the same every time so I don't understand what that's about. There's a noblewoman who is central to the story, and in two pictures she is seen with short-cropped black hair, one at the beginning of the book and one at the end. But there's another page in the middle of the story where she has long, flowing hair and it's not shaded in. It doesn't make sense...
So there are some editing errors in both the text and the artwork. But I was also expecting the book to feature the cast of Dragon Age II. A few of the characters are there, with changed names. For example, Fenris has become "Ferris" and is a bartender at the Hanged Man. Isabela is pretty much unchanged, and is called "Belladonna." Merill is in the alienage and Aveline is the captain of the guard, each also using an alias. If any of the other characters are there, however, I can't tell it.
I'm not sure who the main character is even supposed to be, but the plot is about a man about to retire from the guard but first he wants to solve one final murder. So the story is a whodunit murder mystery. I liked the story but it was a bit predictable.
A nobleman with an impressive collection of weapons tries to buy the very sword that slayed Andraste. But before he either pays for the acquisition or has it in his hands, he is found murdered. The retiree becomes a detective, trying to figure out who killed the nobleman and why. His trail leads him to Isabela's ship, where she tells him she procured the sword but never got paid before the man was murdered. And he isn't the last to die.
I love a good murder mystery, but like I said, it's made pretty obvious early on who the culprit is. And the book concludes rather abruptly with little climax. What I really enjoyed about the story was the setting. I thought I knew Kirkwall, but the book talks about corners you don't actually get to explore in the game. For example, although we visit the elven alienage in Dragon Age II, the book also discusses a dwarven enclave and a foreign quarter where Orlesians and Antivans live. I found those sorts of details fascinating.
And the book was well-written and descriptive, just as you might imagine Varric would write. There's even one point where he's struggling to find a way to elegantly describe Belladonna's ship and just gives up:
The Dragon's Jewels was a big boat. The largest boat in the harbor. A carved figurehead of a woman painted in vivid colors and making a remarkably lewd gesture drew the eye past the more sedate merchant vessels. The pointy bits towered majestically over the water. The roundish wooden part seemed like it could crush armadas beneath its...s**t, I don't know, wood. It was the greatest boat in the history of boats.
If you loved Dragon Age II, I think you'll enjoy this book a lot. If you haven't played the game, it will make you want to. There are a few nitpicky things but as a whole I thought the story was fun and I would read this again, even knowing whodunit in the end.
September 17, 2018
*clears throat & leans into the mic*: Dragon Age 2.
The crowd boos as I fend off haters-- err I mean darkspawns* to protect the Kirkwall Krew
takes a deep breath and screams into the Void
stops screaming because the Outsider kicked me out of the Void
So, that's how much I love DA2 and the Kirkwall Krew and I've barely scratched the surface of my feels.
And this novella? It's 100% Dragon Age 2 fanservice. Raymond Chandler meets Kirkwall, and the greatest game of all is trying to figure out who-is-who and laughing way too hard at all the private jokes. Honestly, it's more about what Varric does to our favorite characters than about the murder mystery itself.
I loved it so much, I was starving for some Dragon Age 2 contents and BioWare heard me, thank the Maker.
TL;DR;OhmyGodItalktoomuchaboutDragonAgewhy:
-You love DA2: Buy it, read it, love it, .
-You've never played DA2 or you hate it: I honestly don't know. It's 72 pages of fun and "Varric" is a delight, but will he be enough to keep you hooked? It's up to you.
The crowd boos as I fend off haters-- err I mean darkspawns* to protect the Kirkwall Krew
takes a deep breath and screams into the Void
stops screaming because the Outsider kicked me out of the Void
So, that's how much I love DA2 and the Kirkwall Krew and I've barely scratched the surface of my feels.
And this novella? It's 100% Dragon Age 2 fanservice. Raymond Chandler meets Kirkwall, and the greatest game of all is trying to figure out who-is-who and laughing way too hard at all the private jokes. Honestly, it's more about what Varric does to our favorite characters than about the murder mystery itself.
I loved it so much, I was starving for some Dragon Age 2 contents and BioWare heard me, thank the Maker.
TL;DR;OhmyGodItalktoomuchaboutDragonAgewhy:
-You love DA2: Buy it, read it, love it, .
-You've never played DA2 or you hate it: I honestly don't know. It's 72 pages of fun and "Varric" is a delight, but will he be enough to keep you hooked? It's up to you.
May 13, 2021
More like 3.5 stars but bumped up for:
a) lovely description of Belladonna's ship,
b) characters "inspired" by the DA2 cast (especially Merrill, I mean Maysie)
The man, the legend, Varric! Nice to see the defictionalization of his most famous work being put to paper. It is a nicely written, if simple, noir-ish fantasy whodunnit that checks (on purpose!) all the necessary boxes for tropes and clichees.
Still, I can't help but wish to read once a defictionalization of Swords and Shields...
a) lovely description of Belladonna's ship,
b) characters "inspired" by the DA2 cast (especially Merrill, I mean Maysie)
The man, the legend, Varric! Nice to see the defictionalization of his most famous work being put to paper. It is a nicely written, if simple, noir-ish fantasy whodunnit that checks (on purpose!) all the necessary boxes for tropes and clichees.
Still, I can't help but wish to read once a defictionalization of Swords and Shields...
August 1, 2018
This was everything I wanted it to be (despite some, uh, indifferent copy editing). 10/10 would caper again.
November 21, 2018
Varric Tethras is a bronto-licking backstabber who steals customers.
August 24, 2018
For Dragon Age 2 fans, Hard in Hightown is a treat and chance to revisit Kirkwall through Varric's often mentioned critically acclaimed novel. Having read the Dragon Age novels, I was expecting something more in line with those rather than a graphic novel thin volume the length of a novella and with illustrations (but it still looks cool, especially with Hawke and Merrill's quotes on the covers). The story follows city guardsman Donnen and a new recruit Jevlan who investigate the murder of a magistrate. It's pretty standard cop-drama/whodunit and leads to a fun ride. Going back to the writing itself, I liked the bits where I could hear Varric narrating, but for the rest of it, I was a bit disappointed with the quality, it didn't feel as polished as the Dragon Age novels (written by different authors). While the plot doesn't have anything mind-blowingly memorable, I enjoyed the references to the characters in Varric's fictionalized versions (e.g. Merrill, Isabela, Fenris) and it made for an enjoyable read. Overall, Hard in Hightown is fun and quick chance for fans of the game to dive back into Kirkwall and the world of Dragon Age 2.
August 23, 2020
A crime story set in Thedas (a parody of hard-boiled, so to speak). It is actually a nice gift for all the fans who left their hearts into this saga.
I admit I was fangirling like Cassandra does with “Swords and Shields”.
As a hardcore Dragon Age fan since more than ten years now, I loved every single bit of this book.
And it indeed works, especially when we consider Varric, the author, and the story itself: Kirkwall is his city and, like a good crime story writer, it is important that you know the city you use as a location for your novel and his perspective is palpable.
Even his biases (the way he portrayed Sebastian, for example) are definitely in-character.
Also, reading this short story (alas, this is one of the things that make me sad, I wish it was longer and full of details), made me feel again connected to a saga I never left behind me. As a fanwriter, I would like to use this story to make my original characters speak again, another time, since they are all fans of Varric.
If someone says that they don’t like Varric, in my opinion, they lie, knowing that they do lie.
I admit I was fangirling like Cassandra does with “Swords and Shields”.
As a hardcore Dragon Age fan since more than ten years now, I loved every single bit of this book.
And it indeed works, especially when we consider Varric, the author, and the story itself: Kirkwall is his city and, like a good crime story writer, it is important that you know the city you use as a location for your novel and his perspective is palpable.
Even his biases (the way he portrayed Sebastian, for example) are definitely in-character.
Also, reading this short story (alas, this is one of the things that make me sad, I wish it was longer and full of details), made me feel again connected to a saga I never left behind me. As a fanwriter, I would like to use this story to make my original characters speak again, another time, since they are all fans of Varric.
If someone says that they don’t like Varric, in my opinion, they lie, knowing that they do lie.
August 1, 2018
Que Andraste bendiga este libro.
Me emocionó demasiado y a la vez siento que fue demasiado corto pero aún así tiene de todo para entusiasmar a cualquier fan de Dragon Age.
Llevábamos años imaginando que sería de la historia completa de Hard in Hightown, solo teniendo fragmentos de codex o los banters entre personajes con comentarios sueltos. Así que al fin teniendo la versión completa sólo deja con ansias de una cosa importante:
Necesitamos más libros de Varric Tethras. Si o si.
Quiero volver a jugar Dragon Age 2...
Me emocionó demasiado y a la vez siento que fue demasiado corto pero aún así tiene de todo para entusiasmar a cualquier fan de Dragon Age.
Llevábamos años imaginando que sería de la historia completa de Hard in Hightown, solo teniendo fragmentos de codex o los banters entre personajes con comentarios sueltos. Así que al fin teniendo la versión completa sólo deja con ansias de una cosa importante:
Necesitamos más libros de Varric Tethras. Si o si.
Quiero volver a jugar Dragon Age 2...
December 22, 2022
4 stars is hella pushing it because this DOES NOT DESERVE 4 STARS BUT it's Dragon Age so 🥹 I was really looking forward to reading this because Varric is one of my all time favourite characters. But for a book that's supposedly "written" by him, it sure lacked his superior sense of humour and effortless way with words. The author didn't even TRY to channel his writing style at all and I'm so confused as to why she did me dirty like this? Why even bother writing the book like that when it's not how it's meant to be AT ALL?!? This is beyond strange 🤔
September 29, 2018
A short, enjoyable, well-paced and capably-written hard-boiled detective story set not only within the fantasy world of Thedas from the 'Dragon Age' video games, but more specifically as an in-universe artefact written by one of its characters; the bawdy dwarf bard Varric Tethras.
You'll likely get a lot more of out of it if you're familiar with the source material, as it's peppered with references to events and characters from Dragon Age II, but it's a fun read in any case as a fantasy parody pulp detective novel.
You'll likely get a lot more of out of it if you're familiar with the source material, as it's peppered with references to events and characters from Dragon Age II, but it's a fun read in any case as a fantasy parody pulp detective novel.
January 14, 2020
This is a very short book and while it isn’t technically a graphic novel nor a novella, it’s something in between. For a book based on a random video game story, I was surprised at how good it was! It really captures the feeling of film noir/ detective stories while also being (essentially) a medieval-style fantasy setting.
September 7, 2018
Kirja, jonka hienoudet ymmärtää vain, jos on kolunnut Kirkwallin kujia yöllä. Mutta jos tekstiä ei kuule mielessään Varricin äänellä ja muutenkin irrottaa lukukokemuksen pelimaailmasta, on käsissä vain keskinkertainen suoraviivainen pulp-seikkailu.
February 2, 2020
As an avid Dragon Age fan, this was fun quick read to blitz through to try and tide myself over until DA4 is finally release.
This book is very short and as such, it's not that hard to determine who the killer is in this murder mystery, but it was still enjoyable enough. The obvious references made by 'Varric' to the the titular game characters by just changing one letter from their names is a nice titbit for fans.
This book is very short and as such, it's not that hard to determine who the killer is in this murder mystery, but it was still enjoyable enough. The obvious references made by 'Varric' to the the titular game characters by just changing one letter from their names is a nice titbit for fans.
August 15, 2018
well this was delightful
October 18, 2019
This was fun :)
Oh Varric, you didn’t even try to hide that you were basing your characters on your friends.
Oh Varric, you didn’t even try to hide that you were basing your characters on your friends.
May 20, 2023
Right. And Im the Queen of Antiva
June 28, 2024
It’s a fun quick read but nothing special. I’m mostly disappointed this isn’t a proper full-length novel. But as a huge Dragon Age II fan I still enjoyed this short silly story.
Want to read
July 31, 2018I neeed this
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