Dragon Age: The Masked Empire

After the whole Mass Effect novel fiasco when they switched writers I was a bit concerned about how this one would turn out. I'm more than happy with the result. Mr Weekes did a fantastic job of putting us back in Thedas and bringing some long dormant excitement back for the Dragon Age series. I really like the new cast of characters and hope the put them to use in Inquisition. I'm always puzzled why they don't use the characters from novels more in the games. I would like to have Michel as one of my companions in Inquisition but enjoyed the entire cast and their complicated relationships. Another thing I appreciated was the use of DA specific creatures that aren't darkspawn. It's nice to have a little more insight than we might get in the games. I'm giving this a five star rating because I really enjoyed it. It's not on the same level Martin or Rothfuss, for me, but it's a good sword and sorcery with a lot of political and ethical intrigue. If you like a good fantasy adventure you could do a lot worse. Good job Mr Weekes...now when do we get the next one?

Patrick Weeke's first stab at writing for the Dragon Age series is a good hit. Having to follow in the footsteps of DA's lead writer, David Gaider, is a tall order, but Weekes stands up to the challenge. His writing is clear, composed, and brings the Dragon Age world to life. His characters are multi-dimensional, the scenes and sequences he paints are vivid, and it's a good story overall. If you are waiting for Dragon Age: Inquisition to come out and need a fix of more DA, this book is recommended for you.

If you're playing DA:I for the first time or, more likely, replaying it for the tenth time, this is a great little companion book that helps explain the backstory behind all of the political turmoil at the Winter Palace and gives some interesting insight into the motives and reasoning driving the decisions made by the major contenders for power. It's also a fun little piece of DA merch that looks pretty on a bookshelf. I'm happy I made the purchase.

I absolutely loved getting the chance to learn more about the Orlesian war, as well as some of the complexity surrounding what you encounter at the Winter Palace. Let's just say it changed how I make choices in the game. No idea why it took me so long to read any tie-in novels of my favourite game series, but this was an excellent companion to my ongoing obsession. And a good celebration of the announcement of DA4, to boot. The writing is great, and the characterisation of each character's motivations is done expertly. I want more books.

There are many complaints about this book, mainly because many have mistakenly compared it to caliber of of George R.R. Martin or Jacquline Carey. It is by no means up to par with those books and I don't think it tries to. It has a few twists and turns that you might not see coming. It focuses on Orlais, its political nature and paints beautifully the difference between what it is to be a City Elf and a "Dalish" Elf. One of the most captivating characters is Felassan. He is a Dalish Elf and by far the most complicated character in the book in my opinion. The relationship between Celene and Briala is beautiful and complicated. I rooted for Briala the entire book even if I was upset as a romantic as to how things turn out. And Michel De Chevin, the Queen Champion goes through a journey that is unique in and of itself although he becomes predictable at times. The antagonist, Gaspard, is painted by some as anti-hero and not a truly evil man. While he is not entirely evil, I wouldn't call him the anti-hero. That gives him too much of a John Cusack kind of vibe. He's opportunistic and bad at political machinations, though wonderful at battle strategy and you cannot call a man an anti-hero if orders the SLAUGHTER of his own people, no matter The Game. It's a wonderful book, a great lead-in to Dragon Age Inquisition, and doesn't expect it to be a 800-1000pg tome, and you're good.

SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! I am in page 274. At this point in the story, Gaspard and his posse just defeated the Sylvan trees, still attempting to capture Celene. I have about a quarter of the book left. In the other three quarters of the novel, I have just been reading about Celene's adventures (adventures is a very favorable word) after her escape. There are two things I am wondering: When (not if) will Celene return to Val Royeaux (because we all know she will) and when and/or how will she kill Gaspard (because we all know she will). *Edit: Okay, after reading the entire novel, he doesn’t die. You fooled me Weekes. Gaspard actually turned out to be a very interesting, honorable, witty, and perceptive character. I am surprisingly glad he didn't die. In fact, I would go as far as saying he may actually be a more capable ruler (and far more interesting character) of Orlais than Celene. But hey, that’s just my opinion. I am wondering and hoping at the same time that he will be in the upcoming Dragon Age Inquisition game. I am also hoping to see Michel in the game, as he begins his new mission life. I am wary to applause cliffhangers in the Dragon Age franchise. I am still asking myself questions. For example, what was the item that Morrigan gave the Hero of Ferelden before she disappears into the eluvian in the Witch Hunt DLC? Here’s another question I am asking: Who was the person who killed Felassan? Was it Mihris or the demon/spirit Ishmael? Nonetheless, if the BioWare writers have it all planned out in the end, I guess it’s all just mere speculation. I guess these types of questions are what keep me interested and passionate in this series. Now, I am about to present a controversial topic (I guess not so controversial these days). However, the one thing that I just do not understand that BioWare writers do all the time is how they include homosexuality in almost EVERYTHING! Before people start berating me, I support gays and lesbians. I have relatives and friends who are gay. My brother is gay for crying out loud. So, please restrain from the trolling, unnecessary, and ignorant remarks. Remember folks, this is just my opinion. We can all agree to disagree and still remain cordial and respectful. Anyway, the fact that Celene had a female lover tended to be a distraction for me. Every time one of them would lovingly gaze at the other, I felt compelled to roll my eyes. When I played Dragon Age Origins, every time the Empress of Orlais was mentioned, I would picture a mystical, powerful, and relentless woman. Okay, she was all of those things for the most part, but why make her a lesbian? Was it rumor that she was supposed to replace Queen Anora and marry King Cailan? I just feel so disappointed with this character. I guess I had different expectations of Celene; that’s all. And now there will be a “fully gay” (as opposed to a “pseudo gay”?) character, Dorian, in the new Dragon Age game. I am sure he will be an intriguing character; however, this is just another example of it being blatantly in my face. I think the options BioWare give the players in the games are terrific. Continue doing stuff like that! I love that! But when two characters of the same sex engage in sexual and sensual activities, and there is nothing I can do about it, it ruins it for me. Let me have that choice to see it or not, just don’t make it such an overwhelming theme in a novel (or a game). However, with all that said, I definitely think Weekes did a good job. There were a few sentences that I had to re-read over again since they included typos or were grammatically incorrect (I am an English Language Arts teacher if you couldn’t guess). But it was not bad for his first novel. Dragon Age has such a vast and rich historical background. I can’t imagine what it would be like to have to dive into the universe head on to create an entirely new storyline about a character we’ve only heard snippets of from the games and the other novels. I recommend this novel if you’re a huge fan of the franchise. Gaider still rules though. 

If you are looking to get immersed in the Dragon Age universe before the new game release I highly recommend. Written by Patrick Weekes it is the first novel in the series not written by David Gaider, and there are definitely some style differences. Most notably to me, and a little distracting were the sections where combat is described. It reads like the Dragon Age games play. Specific characters are written clearly (but not explicitly stated) as certain classes with specializations, enchanted gear, spells, and special attacks. Aside from the combat's over-articulation of its game origins the plot is engaging, fun, and a good primer for Orlesian politics for those looking to play the upcoming Dragon Age Inquisition.

Everyone in Orlais has their secrets and motivations in The Grand Game played by the nobles in Orlais that even sucks in the lower classes. A fairly suspenseful novel in the Dragon Age universe turns into a thoroughly shocking and revealing series of twists as the journey of Empress Celene with her trusted Champion Ser Michel, and an elf servant named Briala--an asset to Celene in The Game of Orlais--all deal with a civil war brewing in Orlais led by Celene's lifelong rival Grand Duke Gaspard. While not as riveting the entire way as the previous Dragon Age novel by David Gaider, Asunder--a fine work of art even with no knowledge of the Dragon Age universe--the author Patrick Weekes does a fine job in The Masked Empire of executing a series of plot twists leaving the reader reeling through the finish making for yet another rich adventure in the novels of the DA universe. This novel will have any Dragon Age fan thrilled as several ancient elven mysteries are explored and explained, and a colorful band of new characters are introduced skillfully as the reader watches alliances made, broken, and mended up to an explosive climax expertly using every character arc for a compelling finish that is the highlight of the novel and the reader wanting for more. This novel along with Asunder do an excellent job of setting the stage for the tumultuous state of life in Thedas for the newest game Dragon Age: Inquisition.