Review And Book Review He Did

[Edward_R_Murrow]

Tags: BioWare; David Gaider; Dragon Age

Just for laughs (and because both Gamebanshee and RPGWatch posted it), the Codex is proud to bring you news about a <b>Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne</b>, <a href="http://www.galacticawatercooler.com/2009/07/17/review-dragon-age-the-stolen-throne/">book review</a> by Galatic Watercooler.<blockquote>Gamers know David Gaider for the great characters he’s created for popular games Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Neverwinter Nights. And now that he’s the lead writer on Bioware’s upcoming fantasy RPG Dragon Age: Origins he’s published his first novel (and prequel to the new game), Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne. It’s chock full of the usual fantasy trappings like elves, dwarves, mages, giant spiders, magic and sword fights, but its focus remains squarely in Gaider’s strength: developing the main characters.
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Stolen Throne feels like the original Star Wars trilogy meets the Harry Potter series, with the tales of King Arthur and the darker tone of George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series tossed in for effect. It’s a coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of a rebellion to reclaim the throne for the kingdom of Ferelden’s rightful heir.</blockquote>Anybody on the Codex up to challenge their review?
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Spotted at: <A HREF="http://gamebanshee.com/">Gamebanshee</A>

 

[Edward_R_Murrow]

Ninja edited. Don't want to kill a potentially good content title....

 

[MetalCraze]

Gamers know David Gaider for the great characters he’s created for popular games Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Neverwinter Nights.[...]
its focus remains squarely in Gaider’s strength: developing the main characters.

The dude is very good at sarcasm, I'll give him that.

 

[DarkUnderlord]

But there are book reviews and there are book reviews, and this book review was the latter.

 

[Talby]

And wretch I did.

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

"Stolen Throne feels like the original Star Wars trilogy meets the Harry Potter series, with the tales of King Arthur and the darker tone of George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series tossed in for effect. It’s a coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of a rebellion to reclaim the throne for the kingdom of Ferelden’s rightful heir."

That's more Better Game/Book name-dropping than the RPGs themselves get. YEAH SO GUYS OUR GAME IS LIKE... THE COMBAT OF BG2 AND THE CHARACTERS OF PS:T, YOU KNOW? WE ALSO HAD INSPIRATION FROM NETHACK AND DARKLANDS.

 

[Jaime Lannister]

THE COMBAT OF BG2 AND THE CHARACTERS OF PS:T, YOU KNOW?

I'd play it.

 

[Weresloth]

Good book, especially for a first effort. Looking forward to the second one.

 

[Data4]

Good book, especially for a first effort. Looking forward to the second one.

cool review bro.

 

[Hümmelgümpf]

Stolen Throne feels like the original Star Wars trilogy meets the Harry Potter series, with the tales of King Arthur and the darker tone of George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series tossed in for effect. It’s a coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of a rebellion to reclaim the throne for the kingdom of Ferelden’s rightful heir.

...

Did Gaider rip off goddamn Eragon?

 

[ElectricOtter]

Stolen Throne feels like the original Star Wars trilogy meets the Harry Potter series, with the tales of King Arthur and the darker tone of George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series tossed in for effect. It’s a coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of a rebellion to reclaim the throne for the kingdom of Ferelden’s rightful heir.

...

Did Gaider rip off goddamn Eragon?

There is no words to describe this.

 

[kris]

Maric’s reluctant best friend

All my best friends are reluctant to be my friend.

 

[Shannow]

I'd do a review. If I were paid for it. I'll not throw money out of the window for some lulz
Or you'll need to wait a while until I get into another draught like this spring... But that might take a year or two
But basically it'd probably look like Weresloth's:

Pathetic book, even for a first effort. OMG, there'll be a second one! Will nobody stop him? For the love of good taste *weep*

Anyway, I'm sure there are better suited people on the codex for that. Thinking of Andyman or Lesifore.

 

[Stereotypical Villain]

I always imagined that the DA book would've been like one of those old-school adventure books.

Would you like to sleep with this lady?

Yes - Page 57
No - Page 128

Page 128 - "No, i do not wish to sleepeth with thou... but i senseth that i haveth no say in the matter so i shall do it anyway."

Do it anyway?

Yes - Page 57
No - Page 128

Page 128 - "No, i do not wish to sleepeth with thou... but i senseth that i haveth no say in the matter so i shall do it anyway."

Do it anyway?

...

 

[Lesifoere]

Anyway, I'm sure there are better suited people on the codex for that. Thinking of Andyman or Lesifore.

I could probably manage an amusing review if the book's sufficiently shitty (in a hilarious-shitty way, not "bland banal boring shit" mediocre way), but I don't want to for the same reason you don't: I don't want to give David Gaider my money.

 

[poocolator]

But there are book reviews and there are book reviews, and this book review was the latter.

Indeed.

 

[Mr. Teatime]

Lol.

Is the Gaider book any good? I read recently in a game review somewhere that Gaider is good at thinking up stories* but a poor wordsmith (certainly the dialogue in Bioware games just gets really, really boring, especially compared to the snappy dialogue in games like Grim Fandango), so I hesitate to touch his book. And the sample I read ages ago was... not good. In my opinion.

* Although 'blah blah evil power blah blah threatens the planet and/or universe blah blah blah one man can save it blah blah blah' is not a good story, even if in LoTR it was. Does the book follow this pattern?

 

[DriacKin]

The story centers around three main characters: the young Prince Maric (who must prove to himself and others that he is worthy of the throne), the outlaw commoner Loghain (Maric’s reluctant best friend), and the noble warrior woman Rowan (who is betrothed to Maric). Each must make tough decisions and terrible sacrifices for the good of Ferelden while fighting to oust the viscious usurper sitting on the throne.

These characters seem completely original...
They're not enormously obvious cliches or anything like that. Not at all

 

[mondblut]

Re: And Review He Did

Stolen Throne feels like the original Star Wars trilogy meets the Harry Potter series

If Gaider I were, cut myself I would.

 

[TheMany]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stolen-Throne-Dragon-Age/dp/0765324083/ref=cm_cr-mr-title

Might me helpful to look at the first review on amazon. I wouldn't touch this book: i have a hard time reading books unless they are superbly written. This will be mediocre at best. Plot, characters and action do not matter when i could form better sentences myself.

 

[Andyman Messiah]

I'll do the review. Here we go. "This shit sucks." There. End of review.

I'm pretty sure the book will reach the dark corners of my favorite science fiction-bookstore (The Science Fiction Bookstore) so I can probably pick it up for a reasonable price soonish if I feel like doing a review. Shit like this is direct to paperback (like the Mass Effect novels) so I'm sure it'll be cheap. I mean, not cheap enough but I'll probably manage even with this financial crisis going on.

In the meantime I'll echo Mr. Teatime. What little of the book I have sampled is really bad. Think of the most dull BioWare-game you have ever played and now imagine some jerk writing fanfiction for it.

 

[poocolator]

I'd love to read an excerpt just for the lulz if indeed it is that bad.

 

[Mr. Teatime]

I wonder. If I give this book to a girl will she sleep with me?

 

[Andyman Messiah]

She'll castrate you with a nail-clipper and leave you bleeding in the moonlight.

 

[Stereotypical Villain]

I wonder. If I give this book to a girl will she sleep with me?

Page 236 - The girl slaps you and then shoves the book up your arse.

What do you do?

Ask her for some moar - Page 78
Pull the book out and read it yourself - Page 23

- Page 1