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A review by itadakinasu
Asunder by David Gaider
2.0
Pros:
* provides depth into Cole's background
* fleshes out the world building of Orlais and the Chantry system
* cameos of familiar characters
* doesn't "up-the-ante" like other series tend to
Cons:
* rehashed character archetypes
* character behavior doesn't match their ages or experience
* character behavior frequently tests the limits of plausibility
* fight scenes involving magic are poorly written and repetitive
* character development happens off-page and isn't believable
All in all, I agree with another reviewer who said that Gaider should stick to writing for games and should avoid writing novels. In games, the characters can interact naturally in ways that sound stilted and juvenile in prose. The sarcastic tone that Dragon Age is known for doesn't translate well to writing. Also, in games, the time allotted for character development is much more limited and thus is subject to less scrutiny than in written works.
The plot is decent (if you can ignore the idiotic actions of what are supposed to be intelligent and experienced characters), but generally the Dragon Age books feel more like long codex entries than actual novels.
* provides depth into Cole's background
* fleshes out the world building of Orlais and the Chantry system
* cameos of familiar characters
* doesn't "up-the-ante" like other series tend to
Cons:
* rehashed character archetypes
* character behavior doesn't match their ages or experience
* character behavior frequently tests the limits of plausibility
* fight scenes involving magic are poorly written and repetitive
* character development happens off-page and isn't believable
All in all, I agree with another reviewer who said that Gaider should stick to writing for games and should avoid writing novels. In games, the characters can interact naturally in ways that sound stilted and juvenile in prose. The sarcastic tone that Dragon Age is known for doesn't translate well to writing. Also, in games, the time allotted for character development is much more limited and thus is subject to less scrutiny than in written works.
The plot is decent (if you can ignore the idiotic actions of what are supposed to be intelligent and experienced characters), but generally the Dragon Age books feel more like long codex entries than actual novels.