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ashxo's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
heikieesmaa's review against another edition
4.0
A decent enough fantasy romp, paved with well-trod and comforting cliches.
effaly's review against another edition
2.0
I picked this book up, because I wanted to know more about King Maric and Loghain, and while I found out a lot, now in hindsight, I regret not simply reading the wiki.
For the first third I really enjoined the book. Maric reminded me a lot of Alistair, but everything after that... oh my. While Alistair is naive every now and then, Maric is naive most of the time, not to mention so unbelievable stupid, what I can't say about Alistair.
What really annoyed me was the love-quartet. Yes, you read right, not triangle, quartet. Especially because Maric had absolutely no chemistry with her and only liked it that she "loved" him for all the wrong reasons. And not to mention all the drama it caused, just for the sake of drama.
The most disappointing and annoying thing however, was the ending. Everything about it was just so wrong on so many levels. For nearly 400 pages they towards a goal, and then he we're getting it told, instead of shown? Really? Effing REALLY. But hey, at least Maric got "his revenge" right...
Thankfully, everything important was told in the short Epilog, where Mother Ailia is telling everything young Cailian. You know, including his father betraying and hurting his mother. 😒
Can you tell I'm mildly annoyed with the book? Because I really am! Ugh. I really hope The Calling the better.
For the first third I really enjoined the book. Maric reminded me a lot of Alistair, but everything after that... oh my. While Alistair is naive every now and then, Maric is naive most of the time, not to mention so unbelievable stupid, what I can't say about Alistair.
What really annoyed me was the love-quartet. Yes, you read right, not triangle, quartet. Especially because Maric had absolutely no chemistry with her and only liked it that she "loved" him for all the wrong reasons. And not to mention all the drama it caused, just for the sake of drama.
The most disappointing and annoying thing however, was the ending. Everything about it was just so wrong on so many levels. For nearly 400 pages they towards a goal, and then he we're getting it told, instead of shown? Really? Effing REALLY. But hey, at least Maric got "his revenge" right...
Spoiler
And much that annoyed me. Katriel is the reason several of his people died including Rowna's father and he wants to avenge her death? Dude, stop thinking with the lower region and stop hurting Rowan! >.<Thankfully, everything important was told in the short Epilog, where Mother Ailia is telling everything young Cailian. You know, including his father betraying and hurting his mother. 😒
Can you tell I'm mildly annoyed with the book? Because I really am! Ugh. I really hope The Calling the better.
justkaylareads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
4.0
brisingr's review against another edition
4.0
I've really enjoyed this - and as a big Dragon Age fan, the novels are a treasure chest of information that I more than willingly gulped up. I really appreciate the way the writing style truly evoked the feel of a video game: quick, engaging, action-packed and fast, all while not losing the story's depth. I loved getting some background to some characters that are much different when you meet them in the video games, and now I really want to continue on with the rest.
Just four stars instead of five because I wanted some more relationship development, though I am aware this is probably personal preference. However, still a fun experience that made my lil Bioware fan heart very, very happy!
Just four stars instead of five because I wanted some more relationship development, though I am aware this is probably personal preference. However, still a fun experience that made my lil Bioware fan heart very, very happy!
monbro's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-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? Yes
3.75
dillonbrantley's review against another edition
3.0
As a standalone story, it is relatively mediocre (3/5), but is elevated in conjunction with the story of Dragon Age Origins. It adds a significant depth and dimensionality to Loghain's character that I wish I had the context of before completing that game. Without it, the character was rather boring and villainous, but with the context presented in this prequel, his actions in the game make more sense and are more nuanced
ivannam1991's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
wrynes's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
thebestmark's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
While The Stolen Throne sidesteps some of the more embarrassing qualities of the video game tie-in novel - to its credit, it feels like its own story and not an act of narrative backfilling for another project - it is still an incredibly thin read. Characters speak with the stately flavorlessness of The Lord of the Rings dialogue but with the queasy, half-smirking, 'so THAT happened' style of superhero comic book quippery. Plot points often feel like they occur only to further demonstrate the series' density of lore.
Gaider does commit some Writing Crimes, as in one early sequence, where a primary character thinks to himself, 'wow, this other primary character sure is a charismatic speaker,' without actually demonstrating, through dialogue, that the protagonist is a charismatic speaker within the same or any immediately subsequent scenes. And then there's the prose, which is embodied by sentences like this one: "His horse nickered irritably, and he patted its head absently. Then he looked at Rowan and nodded curtly." Not to be all 'tut-tut, don't use so many adverbs!' about it, but passages like this create the sense that The Stolen Throne is, somehow, not actually a book, but instead a piece of marketing for a video game, even though it is definitely a real book that only happens to be a piece of marketing for a vide game. Ahem.
Gaider does commit some Writing Crimes, as in one early sequence, where a primary character thinks to himself, 'wow, this other primary character sure is a charismatic speaker,' without actually demonstrating, through dialogue, that the protagonist is a charismatic speaker within the same or any immediately subsequent scenes. And then there's the prose, which is embodied by sentences like this one: "His horse nickered irritably, and he patted its head absently. Then he looked at Rowan and nodded curtly." Not to be all 'tut-tut, don't use so many adverbs!' about it, but passages like this create the sense that The Stolen Throne is, somehow, not actually a book, but instead a piece of marketing for a video game, even though it is definitely a real book that only happens to be a piece of marketing for a vide game. Ahem.