The Assassins Creed games are well known for their deep and intricate conspiracy plots and intrigue. Assassins Creed: Renaissance, is the first in a series of novels that feature the protagonist of the games Ezio Auditore. The book is rather large at just over 500 pages in length. Whilst this may draw people to the book, bigger is not always better. The novel is by no means terrible but it does suffer from over padding and it could have been a lot shorter, about 200 words shorter. The book is fun and Ezio is just as awesome and likeable as he is in the games and it was these two elements that kept me reading it.
Bowden's novel draws from a large array of Renaissance Italy, much like the novels counterpart. The plot and setting are ideal, however this was all put into place by Ubisoft before Bowden began writing. The novel ties in well with the game and Italian history well, and while there are some inaccuracies (much like in the game series) they can be overlooked, as the novel suspends disbelief.
The book has been created it seems to fill in the blanks or improve upon aspects that are slight in the game. Throughout the novel we learn a great deal about Ezio's back story, his love for Cristina and builds a lot of depth into his character. It is important to point out as well that Ezio is the main character of this book, Desmond does not feature in the book or the Animus, the whole story is set in Ezio's world.
Being quite fast paced the novel spans over a rather large section of Ezio's life, it starts when he is eighteen and ends when he is forty-four. The jumps in-between can be a tad confusing at times, forcing you to really pay attention, as Ezio jumps from on location in Italy to another.
While the book does pad out Ezio's background as a character he doesn't really develop. From the age of eighteen to the end of the book he is very much the same person he was to begin with. He may have gained skills in weaponry and his assassination abilities, knowledge and allies but he is still the same rogue his was beforehand. This is also the same for all of the other characters in the story. There is no extensive development of anyone and people remain as they were, despite the trails and experiences they get put through.
In short, the games are far more in depth and better in terms of both character development and plot, however the book is an easy light read and is worth the time if you are a fan of the series. It is by no means a fantasy epic, or as deep and intricate as the games. Assassin Creed: Renaissance is an easygoing, fun and relaxing read that follows the life of Ezio, nothing more.
Hyrule Historia is a huge guide to the Zelda universe. Packed with plenty of concept art, secrets, and information on the series, it also includes a solution to the Zelda timeline. Fans have been debating that one for years, so it will be interesting to see this!
Dark Horse Comics will be translating Hyrule Historia, which will then be released for $34.99 (other countries prices still need to be confirmed). The book is scheduled for a release on the 29th January 2013. It will include all content in English, even small notes, and will be released in North America, UK, Australia and some additional parts of Europe. This is fantastic news, as there has been a massive demand for this book from Zelda fans. A few pages have found their way online from the Japanese edition, but it'll be great to actually be able to flick through the book without a translation.
Personally, being a huge Zelda fan, I will be buying this!
I've read plenty of books devoted to video games, but a philosophical one? Well, that's a first for me. But here I find myself, loading up my Kindle and reading The Legend of Zelda and Theology. I'm ready to give my brain a bit of a work-out.
Comprising of a selection of essays by different writers, and edited by Jonny Walls, The Legend of Zelda and Theology discusses the deeper philosophical or theological meanings behind The Legend of Zelda series.
I do not follow a religion, so when I started reading the introduction and the discovering that these were going to be Christianity-heavy essays, in all honesty, I sighed. However, I was pleasantly surprised. Personally, I cannot see a connection between Christianity and the Zelda series (but then I am not a Christian), but leave your reservations at the door; the writers are not intending on pushing their Christian theories onto you in an effort to make you believe them. It's merely their theological viewpoint on one of Nintendo's most well loved series which they have decided to compile in a book for anyone interested in checking out their theories.
Many of the essays make interesting points. You don't have to agree with them if you don't want to, but it's interesting to read someone's personal opinion on the content in the Zelda series. Another positive point is that the book felt nicely organised. Each essay is written by a different person, which keeps it refreshing. Of course, everyone has their own opinions, so it was nice to see this demonstrated throughout the variety of different topics. Essays cover a range of Zelda themes, including death and the afterlife, the game's interpretation of evil, and the necessity of the triforce in the defeat of Ganon. The book spans the Zelda series from the beginning right up until Twilight Princess, so it doesn't matter if you haven't played a particular Zelda game...there's plenty more to read about here.
Here's the complete essay list:
- Linking the Landscapes of Twilight Princess Christian Theology.
- Trouble in the Golden Realm: Ganandorf and Hyrule's Problem of Evil in Ocarina of Time.
- The Birth of Gaming from the Spirit of Fantasy: Video Games as Secondary Worlds with Special Reference to The Legend of Zelda and J.R.R Tolkien.
- Freedom Versus Destiny: A Hero's Call.
- The Mediation of Transcendance within The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker.
- Take Your Time, Hurry Up, The Choice is Yours: Death and the Afterlife in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask.
- On Hylian Virtues: Aristotle, Aquinas and the Hylian Cosmogenesis.
- High Rule? Vintage Virtue in The Legend of Zelda.
- Portals, Prophecy, and Cuccos: Considerations of Power in A Link To The Past.
- The Necessity of the Triforce in the Defeat of Ganon.
Whilst the book does provide some interesting insights into the Zelda series, particularly for those who are Christian's themselves, unfortunately I found it a little heavy going at times. It's a much more enjoyable read when read in instalments, rather than powering through it (like I tried to...I like my reading too much). If theology and philosophy interests you, well there is definitely a lot of it here to enjoy! It's a well written and edited book, with plenty of content. Zelda fans may appreciate all of the nods to the series, and those looking for a bit of a deeper read may find this satisfying. The Legend of Zelda and Theology's Christian outlook isn't forced on you, which is a good thing. Whether you believe it or not, there are plenty of interesting points touched upon in the book (for example, the Biblical references). The topics are wide and varied, and it's refreshing to have so many different author's views demonstrated. The annotations will help provide some prompts for those wishing to engage in further research, and the ranking system, which lists the essays in terms of difficulty (casual, normal or advanced) allows for those to choose their desired complexity level.
It's an informative, well written and often engaging book. If you're after something that allows you to think just that little bit more than usual...then perhaps you might be seeking this.
Fancy reading a book on The Legend of Zelda from a Christian perspective? Well author Jonny Walls has done just that in his new publication, The Legend of Zelda and Theology.
The book aims to prove that all the fiction of Zelda relates solely to God. Whilst not everyone will agree with the message that Walls is trying to prove, it does at least show a new way of thinking about the Zelda series. Whatever you feel though, the book is listed on Amazon to purchase. However, it appears to be out of print for now, so who knows when it will be available again?
Valve have released a comic book/graphic novel devoted to the scenarios and characters in some of their most popular games. Entitled "Valve Presents The Sacrifice and other Steam-Powered Stories", the book comprises of 200+ pages for fans of Portal, Left 4 Dead and Team Fortress.
This hard-cover collection serves as a great read to fans who are wishing to find out more about the games they love, or for comic readers who fancy reading something new. It's currently retailing at £15.82 on Amazon. Just in time for Christmas!
