Dragon Age: The Masked Empire

I'm having trouble figuring out what I want to say about this book other than the fact that I found it enjoyable. I think I got distracted half way through because my husband mentioned running a Dragon Age RPG campaign, and I started thinking about how to make that happen with this story.

I did enjoy getting more insight int Orlais and how The Game is played. I also enjoy getting to know the characters. You meet several of these people in Dragon Age: Inquisition but this book fleshes them out more, which was nice to see.

The only complaint I have is that the ending of the book wrapped up a little too quickly. And many of the character just walked away without much resolution to their story arch - I mean, this is a book companion to the game so of course they aren't going to wrap things up because they want you to play that part. But still, this is a book. And as a book, I just expected things to wrap up a bit more than they did.

That said, I still really enjoyed this book. I would recommend it to any Dragon Age fan.

Dragon Age: Asunder

I might be a bit generous in giving this book 5 stars, but I loved it. This the first in the Dragon Age series that felt like its own complete story, not just a book to tie up lose ends. I finished the book in two days and couldn't put it down. The characters were great, and the plot moved constantly. It was a very enjoyable read.

I would definitely recommend this book to someone who hasn't played Dragon Age. And it's a must read for those who have.

Dragon Age: The Calling

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. While it's written by the same author as the previous, the style has improved and is much easier to read. While I struggled a bit with The Calling, this one I had trouble putting down.

The story contains a young Duncan, newly recruited from the Wardens. It's interesting to note the differences from his younger self to the older Duncan we meet in the game, though I honestly find some difficulty connecting the two. The Duncan in this book is more akin to Zevran than the stuffy and distant Warden recruiter we meet in the game. But, Warden life is hard. Perhaps it has worn on him.

I digress. In all honesty, I wouldn't consider Duncan to be the main character of this book as the narrative switches point of view. This is actually done very well, and I was never confused with who I was following. I actually looked forward to the character switches and getting to be everyone's head.

The content of this book spends a lot of time the Deep Roads. And we get more insight into the Architect, which I really enjoyed. The only part I didn't care for was the experience in the Fade. It's a lot like the experience in the game, and I honestly just skimmed that part to get the various character backgrounds and move on. Even without the rehashing of the game, that part of the book has nothing to do with the main plot, so it was rather off putting.

Again, digressing. I still really enjoyed this book. I read it in nearly one day. I couldn't put it down. This is a book I would consider giving to some who isn't familiar with Dragon Age. The style was smooth. The characters were pleasant. I just enjoyed it.

Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne

I'm a little obsessed with Dragon Age at the moment. I just love the video game series, so I decided I needed to read the novels.

Basically, this book is okay. I definitely expands on the lore, giving us a first-hand account of Maric and Loghain's friendship and the battle they fought together to free Ferelden from Orlais. For a fan of the video games, I would say this is a must read if for no other reason that to give you a deeper understanding of the world.

That said, the story itself is okay. I found myself having to fight through it a little. It's not bad, but it's not great either. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who isn't already a Dragon Age fan.