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A review by itadakinasu
The Calling by David Gaider
3.0
David Gaider writes good characters. I know that when I read something of his, I'll probably like it. The Calling is no exception, although it was slightly disappointing compared to The Stolen Throne.
Maric is not an unfamiliar character for readers of the Dragon Age series. I have a love-hate relationship with him; I find him frustratingly predictable and cannot stomach his character flaws. However, he is a good and truly flawed character, unlike some Gary Stus, who are especially prevalent in fantasy literature.
I liked the characters we are introduced to in The Calling. Each one has a distinct personality and something likable or at least relatable about them, however they do definitely have a distinct David Gaider-ness. I particularly liked Genevieve and Kell and was hoping to dig a little deeper into their motivations than what was written here. Some attempts were made to introduce the characters' backgrounds to readers, but it felt melodramatic and shoehorned in without adding anything of substance to the plot.
My main problem with the story was... the story. Maric is somehow convinced to go on a wildly dangerous rescue mission while knowing almost nothing. Forget the fact that he's the king of Ferelden (he constantly seems to), forget the fact that he has no relationship whatsoever with any of the rest of the characters, and forget the fact that he isn't even a good warrior or guide. Not only is it not believable, it's stupid.
Along the way, there are plenty distractions from the main plot that serve only to force in another morsel of the characters' tragic backgrounds. Likewise, the ending felt messy and pushed the limits of plausibility.
That being said, The Calling does address some interesting aspects of Grey Warden nature, the royal family, and our beloved Duncan (from Dragon Age: Origins). So, it's not all bad.
Maric is not an unfamiliar character for readers of the Dragon Age series. I have a love-hate relationship with him; I find him frustratingly predictable and cannot stomach his character flaws. However, he is a good and truly flawed character, unlike some Gary Stus, who are especially prevalent in fantasy literature.
I liked the characters we are introduced to in The Calling. Each one has a distinct personality and something likable or at least relatable about them, however they do definitely have a distinct David Gaider-ness. I particularly liked Genevieve and Kell and was hoping to dig a little deeper into their motivations than what was written here. Some attempts were made to introduce the characters' backgrounds to readers, but it felt melodramatic and shoehorned in without adding anything of substance to the plot.
My main problem with the story was... the story. Maric is somehow convinced to go on a wildly dangerous rescue mission while knowing almost nothing. Forget the fact that he's the king of Ferelden (he constantly seems to), forget the fact that he has no relationship whatsoever with any of the rest of the characters, and forget the fact that he isn't even a good warrior or guide. Not only is it not believable, it's stupid.
Along the way, there are plenty distractions from the main plot that serve only to force in another morsel of the characters' tragic backgrounds. Likewise, the ending felt messy and pushed the limits of plausibility.
That being said, The Calling does address some interesting aspects of Grey Warden nature, the royal family, and our beloved Duncan (from Dragon Age: Origins). So, it's not all bad.