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chemicalpoisons's review against another edition
2.0
Thank God for the ending. That's all I have to say.
The story itself was really interesting, as it is always nice to get a glimpse into events that have been repeatedly narrated in the game, or in the Codex of it. Especially if those events are a part of a disastrous Fourth Blight that nearly brought north-eastern Thedas to the brink of annihilation. And as I said, I was really satisfied with the ending.
Alas, I had a major issue, and that issue was with the characters. Apart from the ones in the present, like Valya or Reimas, the heroes of the Fourth Blight were downright insufferable. Most of all, Isseya. I really couldn't care less about her, and unfortunately, as the story was told from her own point of view, she made me distaste the rest of the cast, even though I had originally liked Garahel and Calien. I know it is a Blight, I am aware that things were very bleak in the best of circumstance, but Isseya's nagging, depressing and infuriatingly pessimistic nature made me sigh every time I opened the book. The book might have been much more alluring if it was told from the view of her griffon, in my opinion.
I hope the rest of the series is not like this. 3 stars for the story, the ending and the wonderful griffons.
The story itself was really interesting, as it is always nice to get a glimpse into events that have been repeatedly narrated in the game, or in the Codex of it. Especially if those events are a part of a disastrous Fourth Blight that nearly brought north-eastern Thedas to the brink of annihilation. And as I said, I was really satisfied with the ending.
Alas, I had a major issue, and that issue was with the characters. Apart from the ones in the present, like Valya or Reimas, the heroes of the Fourth Blight were downright insufferable. Most of all, Isseya. I really couldn't care less about her, and unfortunately, as the story was told from her own point of view, she made me distaste the rest of the cast, even though I had originally liked Garahel and Calien. I know it is a Blight, I am aware that things were very bleak in the best of circumstance, but Isseya's nagging, depressing and infuriatingly pessimistic nature made me sigh every time I opened the book. The book might have been much more alluring if it was told from the view of her griffon, in my opinion.
I hope the rest of the series is not like this. 3 stars for the story, the ending and the wonderful griffons.
magicineverybook's review against another edition
4.0
Last Flight varies from the previous Dragon Age novels. Instead of having a direct connection to any of the video games, such as being a prequel or having events that clearly tie into the previous games plotlines, Last Flight focuses on what truly happened to the Grey Wardens griffons and weaves a past and present narratove. While different than other DA novels, it is just has marvelous as the others, expanding on lore and history and foreshadowing a future with griffons.
exposedprose's review against another edition
4.0
This is the first Dragon Age novel I can confidently say I really enjoyed. I have nothing but respect for the work Gaider and Weekes have done on the games, but for whatever reason their skills just didn't translate to writing a good novel, in my opinion. I love that this was told from the perspective of Garahel's sister, instead of his own. I love that there was no forced romance between Isseya and her mentor in magic/comrade in battle. This is really a 3.5 star book for me because of some small continuity errors here and there and one glaring mention of the Champion of Kirkwall made by Isseya, who lived 400 years before the events of Dragon Age II. That mistake took me out of the story for a bit, but other than that it was a beautiful tragic tale of what really happened during the Fourth Blight.
alexbanham's review against another edition
2.0
EEhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
This was just.....disappointing. I didn't have high hopes to begin with anyway, but even so. It was just so dull for almost all of it, the writing was amateur, the characters were just...there. The dialogue was awkward, and honestly any line of dialogue could have come from any character. They were just indistinct vessels for words to come out of. And the two perspectives were just frustrating, because, ultimately, both were necessary for the "plot", which makes the fact that one of them was so painfully boring all the more annoying. It did have some interesting effects on the Dragon Age world as a whole though, and it did have a genderfluid character which was great, except for the fact that her only character trait was her gender fluidity. Even so, I am interested to see how the events of this book affect the games, if at all.
This was just.....disappointing. I didn't have high hopes to begin with anyway, but even so. It was just so dull for almost all of it, the writing was amateur, the characters were just...there. The dialogue was awkward, and honestly any line of dialogue could have come from any character. They were just indistinct vessels for words to come out of. And the two perspectives were just frustrating, because, ultimately, both were necessary for the "plot", which makes the fact that one of them was so painfully boring all the more annoying. It did have some interesting effects on the Dragon Age world as a whole though, and it did have a genderfluid character which was great, except for the fact that her only character trait was her gender fluidity. Even so, I am interested to see how the events of this book affect the games, if at all.
dreklogar's review against another edition
4.0
After reading all the Dragon Age books, I can definitely say I've saved the best for last. Both the characters and the exploration of actions, morality and suffering were on a whole different level here when compared to, say, Asunder, which was my first Dragon Age book and almost turned me off from reading them any further.
It was also fun to see some "real" Gray Wardens in the middle of their duty: as amazing as the Warden ends up being in Origins, there is still definitely the feeling of playing it by the ear as far as Gray Warden things go. Here, we get to see some more of their actual hierarchy and methods, for better or for worse.
It was also fun to see some "real" Gray Wardens in the middle of their duty: as amazing as the Warden ends up being in Origins, there is still definitely the feeling of playing it by the ear as far as Gray Warden things go. Here, we get to see some more of their actual hierarchy and methods, for better or for worse.
darklady92's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
carwenat's review against another edition
5.0
I wasn't sure I would have appreciated Last Flight as much as I did the other DA books, because I knew that there wouldn't be any characters from the games. However, I liked it just as much as Weekes's, and more than Gaider's.
I feel that, although it distances itself from the main storyline, it's the book that sits more closely to the games. The spell the mages use are the ones playable characters use, for example, and because it's set during a Blight, it reminded me a lot of DA:O, especially the Battle of Denerim. In fact, even though Gaider's books are set in the Deep Roads, this time I actually had the feeling that I was reading about the same darkspawn the warden had to battle.
Both main characters are women, elven, and mages. What's more to love? And, for once, they feel /real/: not merely love interests, not "strong female characters", just real. There is also no useless romantic subplot, even though romances are hinted: but even in that case the female character can stand on her feet without becoming the shadow of her male lover. Oh, and there's a genderfluid character, too!!
Every character, even the least important, is multi-faceted and doesn't end up a stereotype. I especially loved Garahel and Issaya, as their character development is amazing, and it is also amazingly shown - not described. I actually felt the characters as they grew up, without the author telling me once.
One thing that I didn't like, was the fact that the narration - although beautifully written - felt cold. This book is full with death and tragedy, but the overall feeling is that of emptyness, sometimes melancholy. Never once I felt sadness, while reading. Deaths happen quickly and just as quickly they are over, without time, I believe, for the reader to empathize with the situation. In the end, I felt as if I loved every character, but wasn't attached to any of them. I believe, however, that that was necessary: Issaya distances herself from emotion, it's she who doesn't get attached, she who doesn't have time to grieve. It's only natural that we do so too, so I think that this actually gives value to the book.
If you need any reason more to read this book: GRIFFONS. Actual griffons. What more could you ask for?
I feel that, although it distances itself from the main storyline, it's the book that sits more closely to the games. The spell the mages use are the ones playable characters use, for example, and because it's set during a Blight, it reminded me a lot of DA:O, especially the Battle of Denerim. In fact, even though Gaider's books are set in the Deep Roads, this time I actually had the feeling that I was reading about the same darkspawn the warden had to battle.
Both main characters are women, elven, and mages. What's more to love? And, for once, they feel /real/: not merely love interests, not "strong female characters", just real. There is also no useless romantic subplot, even though romances are hinted: but even in that case the female character can stand on her feet without becoming the shadow of her male lover. Oh, and there's a genderfluid character, too!!
Every character, even the least important, is multi-faceted and doesn't end up a stereotype. I especially loved Garahel and Issaya, as their character development is amazing, and it is also amazingly shown - not described. I actually felt the characters as they grew up, without the author telling me once.
One thing that I didn't like, was the fact that the narration - although beautifully written - felt cold. This book is full with death and tragedy, but the overall feeling is that of emptyness, sometimes melancholy. Never once I felt sadness, while reading. Deaths happen quickly and just as quickly they are over, without time, I believe, for the reader to empathize with the situation. In the end, I felt as if I loved every character, but wasn't attached to any of them. I believe, however, that that was necessary: Issaya distances herself from emotion, it's she who doesn't get attached, she who doesn't have time to grieve. It's only natural that we do so too, so I think that this actually gives value to the book.
If you need any reason more to read this book: GRIFFONS. Actual griffons. What more could you ask for?
deanna's review against another edition
4.0
Tears blurred in her eyes until it seemed that she looked at her once-familiar world through a pane of warped, melting glass. The lyrium dust and Archdemon's blood dragged her down like a thousand pound of steel chain. The churbling purrs and occasional snaps of griffons at rest filled her ears as she climbed into the tower that they'd claimed as their own, and Isseya didn't know whether she wanted to glory in the sound or mourn its impending loss.
[...] The Blight takes too much from us.
But it was impossible to refuse. How could she? This was the very purpose of their lives. Every time they went out to the field, the griffons and their riders willingly courted death. They fought the darkspawn with all their hearts, and risked oblivion freely, so that others might survive the horrors of the Blight. The Grey Wardens had already made the same sacrifice that she was asking of the griffons. Was this really so different?
Like previous Dragon Age tie-in novels, Last Flight establishes an important plotline of the installment of the game it precedes. In this case, it was foreshadowing the disappearances of Grey Wardens for Dragon Age: Inquisition. Valya and other mages from the Hossberg Circle of Magi, seek shelter by joining the Grey Wardens after the outbreak of the Mage-Templar War. They are welcome with opened arms and quickly put to work pouring over centuries old documents looking for accounts of wardens acting strangely and abandoning their posts as well as references to darkspawn acting more intelligently. However, this plot point is not the main focus of the book. Valya finds the journal of Grey Warden Isseya and slowly uncovers the truth of the griffons' extinction and shows just how far the Wardens are willing to go to end the blights.
The story is told both from Valya's POV in the present and Isseya's POV in the past though it's much more heavily focused on Isseya, which I enjoyed because I found her the more interesting character. There also isn't a love story subplot in the installment of the series, which is maybe unusual for a video game series so well known for providing an abundance of opportunities for the player character to romance other characters, but I found that a nice change of pace from the previous novels.
It might be worth noting that, unlike Dragon Age previous authors, Liane Merciel is not affiliated with Bioware in any way. I have no way of knowing just how much of this story is Merciel's own and how much of it was outline for her by other writers at Bioware, but I really enjoy the end result. Merciel's writing is lyrical and emotional and it's obvious that she's knowledgeable on the basics of the game lore (though I'm still wondering if the details of the Joining are truly common knowledge throughout Thedas as she claims through Valya or if Dragon Age: Origins just misled me into assuming that). I hope to read more of her work soon.
voidslantern's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
fluka's review against another edition
3.0
This was decent! Probably strictly of interest to fans of the Dragon Age series, it expands on the existing background lore of the series in some interesting ways and has interesting implications for the future. The characters aren't particularly deep, but are sketched well enough in their own minimalist way. The plot moves forward at perhaps even too quick a pace, with lots of jumps forward in time, so that one never gets particularly invested in one particular story strand, except perhaps for the central relationships between the griffons and their riders. Nothing earth-shattering, but if you're a fan of the games I can think of worse ways to spend a few days.