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3.36 AVERAGE
3.36 AVERAGE
Wow this books was so fast pacing, it really kept me interested from page to page.
Basically it's a book about a boy, Ezio, who loses his family and finds he has a quest to complete.
If you have every played the PS2 games you will find this book interesting. I found myself remembering the game play. Even if you aren't into the games but like a good book with betrayal and skull duggary you will love this.
Now just have to decide whether to continue or try something different!
Basically it's a book about a boy, Ezio, who loses his family and finds he has a quest to complete.
If you have every played the PS2 games you will find this book interesting. I found myself remembering the game play. Even if you aren't into the games but like a good book with betrayal and skull duggary you will love this.
Now just have to decide whether to continue or try something different!
adventurous
informative
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
a story that i could stay with only because i enjoyed the games in which it is based.
it had terribly clunky writing, no fluidity and so much repetition of almost identical sentiments that it makes me question if the book was even edited.
the many anachronisms and uses of slang also made me question the editing. they completely remove the reader from the setting and are often interspersed randomly and suddenly. in addition, everything is shown not told. nothing is implied. a perfect example of this is after ezio gets revenge and kills his family’s betrayer, he happens to immediately open a letter to the betrayer’s wife explaining why he did it. a section so clunky, obvious and unnecessary, yet one that is repeated after almost every significant death in the novel - instead of simply implying the evil doer’s motivations, it is spelled out in a ‘accidentally found’ letter.
To be more specific about the clunky writing and repetition, everything is over explained. At some points the author even says “ezio did this because ….” or “ezio thought this because…..” and the sheer amount of times that the author says something along the lines of “ezio wasn’t a boy anymore….he was a man” is so frequent it’s comical. why was this not picked up on by an editor? at one point that line is written four times in the space of two pages.
it had terribly clunky writing, no fluidity and so much repetition of almost identical sentiments that it makes me question if the book was even edited.
the many anachronisms and uses of slang also made me question the editing. they completely remove the reader from the setting and are often interspersed randomly and suddenly. in addition, everything is shown not told. nothing is implied. a perfect example of this is after ezio gets revenge and kills his family’s betrayer, he happens to immediately open a letter to the betrayer’s wife explaining why he did it. a section so clunky, obvious and unnecessary, yet one that is repeated after almost every significant death in the novel - instead of simply implying the evil doer’s motivations, it is spelled out in a ‘accidentally found’ letter.
To be more specific about the clunky writing and repetition, everything is over explained. At some points the author even says “ezio did this because ….” or “ezio thought this because…..” and the sheer amount of times that the author says something along the lines of “ezio wasn’t a boy anymore….he was a man” is so frequent it’s comical. why was this not picked up on by an editor? at one point that line is written four times in the space of two pages.
Furthermore, the use of the training and tutorial sequences completely baffled me. As others in the reviews have said, it makes sense within game, but is completely useless and strange within a book adaptation. In fact, a lot of it makes little logical sense (why did ezio, after enduring much worse injuries and fatigue, fall asleep against that tree whilst holding the most precious artefact known to man???) but you need that kind of fantasy to be able to have a story like this about a singular man. it just isn’t realistic otherwise.
My final gripe is with the representation of the female characters in this adaptation. poor claudia!!! the author stood religiously to including the tutorial scenes that make no sense in the book yet still decided to make it HARDER for himself by making claudia a nun for a while? instead of being actively involved in the plot? she was in moteriggioni with her mother! helping ezio and mario! the one actual change you bother to make is the one that gets rid of the only female character that actually does something, which has to be critiqued.
All in all, a bad adaption. Not just for it’s terrible writing but for it’s actual adaptive skill.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I write this review as someone who has not seen the films or played the games. So for me, the content was an interesting, very sped up combination of Game of Thrones and Alex Ryder.
I enjoyed the additions of Italian words and insults throughout the book, despite disrupting the flow of reading- it made for a more authentic experience in 16th century Italy. Historical figures such as Da Vinci, Caterina Sforza, the Medicis and Rodrigo Borgia make appearances and actions that are explained through the supernatural conflict between Templars and Assassins.
Overall, the plot felt very widely encompassing, as we witness Enzo growing up from his teenager days to middle age. Given this is due to HUGE skimping on descriptive paragraphs as one would expect in novels, this made for a fast paced read that might be more enjoyable for those younger or newer to this genre.
I enjoyed the additions of Italian words and insults throughout the book, despite disrupting the flow of reading- it made for a more authentic experience in 16th century Italy. Historical figures such as Da Vinci, Caterina Sforza, the Medicis and Rodrigo Borgia make appearances and actions that are explained through the supernatural conflict between Templars and Assassins.
Overall, the plot felt very widely encompassing, as we witness Enzo growing up from his teenager days to middle age. Given this is due to HUGE skimping on descriptive paragraphs as one would expect in novels, this made for a fast paced read that might be more enjoyable for those younger or newer to this genre.
slow-paced
Okay I'm not really the best with words but I'll do my best to do a brief review. It is based on the Ubisoft game, Assassin's Creed II. The book is set in Renaissance Italy and it stars Ezio Auditore.
It pretty much follows the storyline of the game with a few extra lines added in. In some places in the book the use of poor language is obvious. Especially in the last chapter, which seems rushed.
I enjoyed the book and I even found it slightly addicting. I found it so good that I went out and bought another book in the series.
It pretty much follows the storyline of the game with a few extra lines added in. In some places in the book the use of poor language is obvious. Especially in the last chapter, which seems rushed.
I enjoyed the book and I even found it slightly addicting. I found it so good that I went out and bought another book in the series.
adventurous
challenging
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The Assassin's Creed video-games, for anyone who has been living in a cave for the last (roughly) decade or so, are Ubisoft's free-roaming murder-em-up games, detailing the ongoing secretive war between the order of the Assassins, and that of the Templars.
To date, I've played pretty much all of those games (or, atl least, those released for the PS3 and PS4), with the exception of Assassin's Creed: Unity. I'm also a heacvy reader, and have also seen to so-so Assassin's Creed movie (starring Michael Fassbender) that made the - in my eyes, wise, - decision to introduce a new character and historical period.
As such, I think it's fair to say I know enough about the series itself.
Of that series, the most enjoyable game (IMO) have been those set in the Renaissance period; those starring Ezio Auditore - the protaganist of this novel. Unfortunatley, however, this is a virtual retreading of the plot of the game, complete with passages where Ezio learns how to blend in (C'mon! It makes sense in the game, but not exactly an exciting narrative) or has to race hios accomplices from points A to point B (again, gives the player something to do in the game, but not exaclt exciting to read about).
It also doesn't help that this liberally mixes modern-day English and expressions with Italian phrases throughout (that require constant look-up to the glossary), nor that the author seemingly manages to make an entertaining game and compelling central character(s) into a bit of a chore to read through. On the plus side, it does away with all the modern-day Desmond sections from the game ...
Overall, however, I'm not impressed (sadly).
To date, I've played pretty much all of those games (or, atl least, those released for the PS3 and PS4), with the exception of Assassin's Creed: Unity. I'm also a heacvy reader, and have also seen to so-so Assassin's Creed movie (starring Michael Fassbender) that made the - in my eyes, wise, - decision to introduce a new character and historical period.
As such, I think it's fair to say I know enough about the series itself.
Of that series, the most enjoyable game (IMO) have been those set in the Renaissance period; those starring Ezio Auditore - the protaganist of this novel. Unfortunatley, however, this is a virtual retreading of the plot of the game, complete with passages where Ezio learns how to blend in (C'mon! It makes sense in the game, but not exactly an exciting narrative) or has to race hios accomplices from points A to point B (again, gives the player something to do in the game, but not exaclt exciting to read about).
It also doesn't help that this liberally mixes modern-day English and expressions with Italian phrases throughout (that require constant look-up to the glossary), nor that the author seemingly manages to make an entertaining game and compelling central character(s) into a bit of a chore to read through. On the plus side, it does away with all the modern-day Desmond sections from the game ...
Overall, however, I'm not impressed (sadly).