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jan_damask 's review for:
Assassin's Creed: Forsaken
by Andrew Holmes, Oliver Bowden
Earlier this year, I started playing the Assassin’s Creed games. I was never uninterested in them, but I also wasn’t particularly drawn to the series before. That changed, and as someone who enjoys franchise fiction in general: Star Wars, Star Trek, and more. it was only a matter of time until I’d read one of the AC tie-in novels as well.
I love history, and I’m fascinated by how the Assassin’s Creed franchise uses real historical events and figures and weaves them into a world of secret societies, conspiracy, and just a hint of sciences fiction. It hits a very specific niche for me. So I got myself a bundle of the books and decided to start with Forsaken, the tie-in to Assassin’s Creed III.
Forsaken retells the story of AC3, but not from the point of view of Connor, the protagonist of the game, but from his father Haytham Kenway. The entire book is written as a journal in first person perspective, something I’m usually not a huge fan of, but in this case, it works surprisingly well. It allows the story to dig deep into Haytham’s character and worldview. We don’t just see the revolution through his eyes we get his full life story. His upbringing in the house of Edward Kenway, his recruitment by the Templars after the death of Edward, and his rise within the Templar Order.
One thing to note: if you’re reading this hoping for much connection to Rogue, which is set between Black Flag and AC3, you might be disappointed. Forsaken came out before Rogue, and unfortunately, there’s no narrative overlap. It’s a bit of a missed opportunity, especially since Haytham’s story could have benefitted from that bridge.
The novel also touches on other important events outside of the American Revolution, including the Seven Years’ War, which gives it a nice amount of historical scope.
The strength of Forsaken lies in its portrayal of Haytham. He’s a morally complex character, and this book gives him the time and depth he needs. You may not agree with him, but you understand him. It’s also interesting to see the American Revolution from the Templar side since we see Connors' side in the Game itself.
The actual events of Assassin’s Creed III don’t start until fairly late in the novel, so I would definitely recommend playing the game first. If you haven’t, you’ll miss a lot of context, especially in the final chapters. The ending also feels a little rushed, especially considering how much emotional weight it could have carried. But overall, Forsaken is a strong addition to the Assassin’s Creed universe. It’s a character study more than a pure action novel, and for fans of the franchise, it’s absolutely worth reading.
I love history, and I’m fascinated by how the Assassin’s Creed franchise uses real historical events and figures and weaves them into a world of secret societies, conspiracy, and just a hint of sciences fiction. It hits a very specific niche for me. So I got myself a bundle of the books and decided to start with Forsaken, the tie-in to Assassin’s Creed III.
Forsaken retells the story of AC3, but not from the point of view of Connor, the protagonist of the game, but from his father Haytham Kenway. The entire book is written as a journal in first person perspective, something I’m usually not a huge fan of, but in this case, it works surprisingly well. It allows the story to dig deep into Haytham’s character and worldview. We don’t just see the revolution through his eyes we get his full life story. His upbringing in the house of Edward Kenway, his recruitment by the Templars after the death of Edward, and his rise within the Templar Order.
One thing to note: if you’re reading this hoping for much connection to Rogue, which is set between Black Flag and AC3, you might be disappointed. Forsaken came out before Rogue, and unfortunately, there’s no narrative overlap. It’s a bit of a missed opportunity, especially since Haytham’s story could have benefitted from that bridge.
The novel also touches on other important events outside of the American Revolution, including the Seven Years’ War, which gives it a nice amount of historical scope.
The strength of Forsaken lies in its portrayal of Haytham. He’s a morally complex character, and this book gives him the time and depth he needs. You may not agree with him, but you understand him. It’s also interesting to see the American Revolution from the Templar side since we see Connors' side in the Game itself.
The actual events of Assassin’s Creed III don’t start until fairly late in the novel, so I would definitely recommend playing the game first. If you haven’t, you’ll miss a lot of context, especially in the final chapters. The ending also feels a little rushed, especially considering how much emotional weight it could have carried. But overall, Forsaken is a strong addition to the Assassin’s Creed universe. It’s a character study more than a pure action novel, and for fans of the franchise, it’s absolutely worth reading.