[Thorntamer]

http://www.killtenra...-ascalon-review

Enjoy!

Quote

It feels that sometimes these fantasy IP novels are created as a product more than a story. This was the extreme prejudice I brought when reading the Ghosts of Ascalon.

For this book, it completely shattered my pessimistic outlook. The writing quality was absolutely top notch.

I am very excited to hear this. I had the same worry too. Great review Ravious!


Those of you worried about spoilers, he does quote a small portion (one paragraph) from the book (which refers to a specific destruction caused by the dragons). And he mentions a few character names and a reference to their struggle. On a scale of 1 to 10, the spoiler is a 2 (very slight, not really giving away much). If you read the forums, you probably already know everything he mentions.

Edited by Thorntamer, 27 July 2010 - 02:26 AM.

[Skyy High]

Dumb question: how much is spoiled?

[Tall]

I agree with the reviewer. This novel is much much better in quality than most game novels out there. Yeah, it did feel at times that lore had to be forced down your throat, but it was needed for newcomers.

Otherwise, I read the book in one sitting. Very enjoyable.

[Gregor Lightbringer]

Tall said:

I agree with the reviewer. This novel is much much better in quality than most game novels out there. Yeah, it did feel at times that lore had to be forced down your throat, but it was needed for newcomers.

Otherwise, I read the book in one sitting. Very enjoyable.

The only issue I had, was that I finished it too quick. I read it in a day. I hate it when I power read. :(

[Tall]

Gregor Lightbringer said:

The only issue I had, was that I finished it too quick. I read it in a day. I hate it when I power read. :(

I felt the same way. It was just so good, I couldn't stop myself!

Ahh, I can't wait for the second novel. :cool:

[Gregor Lightbringer]

Tall said:

I felt the same way. It was just so good, I couldn't stop myself!

Ahh, I can't wait for the second novel. :cool:

Lookin forward to it as well. By the end of this year is the report, but I shall wait until I know an exact date. :)

[Eragon Zarroc]

nice, can't wait to get my hands on it :D

[Darcy]

If Borders doesn't mess up, I will have my copy tomorrow. I foresee a very late night of reading.

Thanks for the link.

[Amannelle]

I know what you guys mean. I hate when I get so into a book that it's suddenly over. xD

I once had a series of 5 books, and after I started the first one, I loved them so much that I finished the entire series in a few days. When I finished the last book I hated myself for going so fast. Lol at least ANet is making us wait a while before we get the next one.

[Jexx]

Amannelle said:

I know what you guys mean. I hate when I get so into a book that it's suddenly over. xD

I once had a series of 5 books, and after I started the first one, I loved them so much that I finished the entire series in a few days. When I finished the last book I hated myself for going so fast. Lol at least ANet is making us wait a while before we get the next one.

I don't understand the concept of making books last for a while..

I mean why? If you finish a series and really liked it, Great! Doesn't matter how fast you finished it. If you think you want more books to read, go to the library, or the bookstore. Get another series to wrap your brain around.

*looks at the tens of books in his house*

Heh..

There's that one series.. I really enjoyed that one. Ooh! I love those stand-alone novels. Hmm.. I didn't read that one yet...

[pumpkin pie]

Bravo Ravious, that is a very good review. and thank you.

[Amannelle]

AsuranSylvari21 said:

I don't understand the concept of making books last for a while..

I mean why? If you finish a series and really liked it, Great! Doesn't matter how fast you finished it. If you think you want more books to read, go to the library, or the bookstore. Get another series to wrap your brain around.

*looks at the tens of books in his house*

Heh..

There's that one series.. I really enjoyed that one. Ooh! I love those stand-alone novels. Hmm.. I didn't read that one yet...

Lol it's not that I don't enjoy other books; I do! I have a bookcase full of them. It's just, sometimes you get that book that is so special to you that you want it to last a lifetime, if that makes sense. ^^

[Jexx]

Amannelle said:

Lol it's not that I don't enjoy other books; I do! I have a bookcase full of them. It's just, sometimes you get that book that is so special to you that you want it to last a lifetime, if that makes sense. ^^

Yea, I get that feeling too. But it's more like that I want more pages. >.<

[Feathermoore]

A very nice review. I personally thought that some of the foreshadowing was a bit too obvious and that some of the characters were just a tad cliche (probably only cliche to a GW fan though). But, I want to emphasize the "bit" and "tad" there.

I was also pleasantly surprised by the writing, and while I wasn't exactly unable to predict the exact passage of the last 4 chapters, there were times when I was taken aback or at least had to pause at certain events.

Overall, noone who loves GW will be unsatisfied. I would also say that it could actually do relatively well with non GW players. We all know how many fantasy and Scifi books litter bookstores these days, and the book fits solidly above a good number of them.

[Konig Des Todes]

Skyy High said:

Dumb question: how much is spoiled?

In the interview? There's an excerpt from around chapter 8 (I think - around there), and it discusses a bit about the following chapter.

Other than that, not many spoilers.

Gregor Lightbringer said:

The only issue I had, was that I finished it too quick. I read it in a day. I hate it when I power read. :(

I was both glad and sad that I finished it so fast. It was the first book I read that was finished within 24 hours (I never power read). I enjoyed it a lot but now feel compelled to read it again sometime later in order to be sure to know the full value of the book.

AsuranSylvari21 said:

I don't understand the concept of making books last for a while..

I mean why? If you finish a series and really liked it, Great! Doesn't matter how fast you finished it. If you think you want more books to read, go to the library, or the bookstore. Get another series to wrap your brain around.

*looks at the tens of books in his house*

Heh..

There's that one series.. I really enjoyed that one. Ooh! I love those stand-alone novels. Hmm.. I didn't read that one yet...

I agree. Making books last is pointless and gets more annoying than not. However, there are some stories in which I enjoy taking my time - and in the case of stories for fictional worlds I enjoy, such as Guild Wars, I end up wanting to learn as much about said world from the book. Yes, I am a nerd.

I still have about 30 books to get to... that I own - about triple that for don't own.

[Sengel]

Yeah, I'm definately going way to fast on this one but can't put it down...Well I can always read it again (has a 30 book stack behind him for his next semester at college)

[jazilla]

i am on chapter 8. it's really stinkin good. there is bother about a few things but the story moves along nicely and the author doesn't dawdle too much or too little. my bro picked me up a signed copy from comicon :) rich signed, "you should have been here jason!" i was bummed i couldn't make it.

[OctoberJade]

It amuses me that the same community who gripes at having to grind for anything will gladly sit and read a book for twelve hours uninterrupted.

Hmm.

[Konig Des Todes]

OctoberJade said:

It amuses me that the same community who gripes at having to grind for anything will gladly sit and read a book for twelve hours uninterrupted.

Hmm.

Mindlessly killing mindless creatures is different from mindfully reading a book.

You see, one is boring (grind), the other is entertaining (reading). And it stimulates the brain instead of kills it (not scientifically proven).

[fallot]

OctoberJade said:

It amuses me that the same community who gripes at having to grind for anything will gladly sit and read a book for twelve hours uninterrupted.

That is totally consistent and makes complete sense.

[Foeslayr]

Konig Des Todes said:

Mindlessly killing mindless creatures is different from mindfully reading a book.

That quite says it all OctoberJade. And may I add that it is mindlessly killing mindless creatures repeatedly. :]

[Sarge]

Can't wait to read this book.

Hopefully I will have it soon enough!! And apparently the next one will be around December; that is good news indeed.

[Matthew Browne]

Great review Ravious, I just can't wait to get my hands on the book.

[Konig Des Todes]

I hope Anet brings up information about the second book en-masse soon. Jeff brought it up in his blog post and said it's for another day, but with the placeholder in December, there's not many days to discuss it while being ahead of its release. Not on par to discussing Ghosts of Ascalon at least, which had a Q&A panel a year before release!

[Sard]

I agree entirely. Very well written.

[Ravious]

Thanks all. I tried to keep the review fairly spoiler free. Most people here know how it will end. I mean for Guild Wars 2 there has to be peace between the charr and the humans. :)

The back of the book more or less lays out the journey, but what makes the story interesting are all the events that string it together.

Hopefully they sell enough that they can consider a hardback edition of this and Edge of Destiny.

[Konig Des Todes]

Ravious said:

Hopefully they sell enough that they can consider a hardback edition of this and Edge of Destiny.

o.o

*starts whispering repeatedly "oh please do, oh please do"*

[Mister_Smiley]

Konig Des Todes said:

o.o

*starts whispering repeatedly "oh please do, oh please do"*

ya i agree with Konig.....

[Darcy]

I'm assuming that ArenaNet went with paperback (if it was their decision and not the publishers) to reach a wider audience. At $8 for a book, most people could afford it, but at closer to $30 for a hardcover, the number of people buying it would drop drastically.

I will read my copy (I've given up on Borders who still don't know if they have received the book.) then let my son and grandson read it. I will then donate it to my local library so it can reach a wider audience.

There are many "old folks" playing Guild Wars. Quite a few belong to guru and gw2guru. If my son decides to keep the book, I will buy another copy for the library. I used to keep all my books (when I moved to Florida years ago, I took my bed, my table & chairs, my clothes and 18 boxes of books), but I am now at the point where I prefer to pass most of them on as my housing is shrinking (10 rooms in 1972 to 4 rooms in 2010).

Edited by Darcy, 27 July 2010 - 06:49 PM.

[Jexx]

Darcy said:

I'm assuming that ArenaNet went with paperback (if it was their decision and not the publishers) to reach a wider audience. At $8 for a book, most people could afford it, but at closer to $30 for a hardcover, the number of people buying it would drop drastically.

I will read my copy (I've given up on Borders who still don't know if they have received the book.) then let my son and grandson read it. I will then donate it my local library so it can reach a wider audience.

Wow. I didn't know people who are old enough to be grandparents (I'm guessing Grandmother in this case) play Guild Wars.

But it's great to know Guild Wars reaches a wide audience. Your awesome!

Too bad I'm too selfish, I like to keep all the books I buy.