Great Reads for Gamers
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Whether transporting readers into the outer reaches of space, catapulting them into a finely wrought fantasy realm, or plunging them into the very depths of hell, these tie-in titles to popular video games provide a satisfying literary experience for older teens. Persuade your die-hard gamers to put their handsets down, unplug the hardware, and curl up with a good book that expands their interests.
Mass Effect
Steeped in classic sci-fi/space opera themes, the first installment in BioWare's award-winning role-playing saga was released for Xbox 360 in 2007 (Microsoft Game Studios) with versions for other platforms following soon after. It's the 22nd century, and since their discovery of the mass relays (an ancient and alien technology capable of transporting vessels between star systems almost instantaneously) mankind has embraced space travel wholeheartedly. Welcomed by alien empires to the Citadel, the galactic capital, humans have quickly become major players. However, danger hoves over the universe, as the Reapers, a mysterious race of biomechanical beings, threaten to return from their long hibernation in dark space to harvest their crop: all organic life. The game puts players in the shoes of Commander Shepard, an elite human solider, as he attempts to save the galaxy from the Reapers and their minions. In Mass Effect 2, which hit video screens in January 2010, Shepard, who was killed in an attack on his vessel by a mysterious species called the Collectors, is revived by Cerberus (a black ops organization dedicated to ensuring human survival at any cost) two years later. Assembling a team for what looks to be a suicide mission, he's sent to discover more about this new enemy and their relationship to the Reapers, and find out why the Collectors are abducting entire human colonies. Supplemental content is available for purchase, and another sequel will complete the trilogy. Teens can visit the official website for cinematic trailers, demos, downloads, game info, character sketches, forums, and more.
Dark Horse has recently published Mass Effect Redemption, a four-part comic book series now available in trade paperback format that forms a bridge between the two games. It's just after the attack, and Dr. Liara T'Soni, a beautiful asari with a sharp intellect and the ability to move matter with her mind, travels to the distant and lawless Terminus Systems to search for the Commander (or his remains). As Liara hunts for answers, faces one dangerous situation after another, and comes into contact with some unseemly individuals, she must decide just who she can trust. The tale percolates with dramatic dialogue, unexpected twists, and explosive battle confrontations. Ranging from bright pastel shades to glistening gray hues, the artwork has a steely veneer that suits the story's setting and dynamic action. The trade paperback includes an eight-page sketchbook showcasing artist Omar Francia's character designs, page layouts, and the 3-D models he created for several of the settings and vehicles.
Drew Karpyshyn, the lead writer of the series, adds to his game-based novel sequence with Mass Effect: Retribution, just published by Del Rey. Featuring many of the same characters and plot lines as its predecessors, Revelation (2007) and Ascension (2008, both Del Rey), but also able to stand alone, Retribution revolves around the Illusive Man, ruthless leader of Cerberus, and his diabolical plan to learn more about the Reapers by studying a human who has been implanted with their body-altering technology. Mixing revenge with research, the Illusive Man chooses as his subject Paul Grayson, a former Cerberus operative who betrayed the organization to save his daughter's life with the help of scientist Kahlee Sanders. When Grayson disappears, Kahlee turns to Alliance war hero Captain David Anderson for help, and the two head for the secret Cerberus facility where Grayson is being held. But the Reaper technology has already begun to affect Grayson's mind, and the consequences could prove devastating for the entire galaxy. The crisp writing does a good job of explaining scientific concepts, delineating characters and their complex motivations, and keeping the action moving at a rapid pace. Look for the book and its companion volumes in audio format from Tantor Media.
Dragon Age: Origins
Also developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts in late 2009, this role-playing game has been garnering rave reviews from users and critics alike. Billed as an "epic tale of violence, lust, and betrayal" and drenched in a distinctly Dungeons & Drangons-esque aura, this offering is set in Thedas, a mythical world inhabited by humans as well as elves, dwarves, and other magical beings. Demonic creatures called the darkspawn live deep underground, swarming to the surface every few hundred years in a wave of destruction known as the Blight, and only the Grey Wardens, a legendary order of warriors, can protect Thedas from the onslaught. The action begins in the kingdom of Ferelden during a time of civil unrest. Under the tutelage of Duncan, a Grey Warden searching for recruits to fight the Blight, players take on the role of their choice-as a warrior, mage, or rogue (of varying species)-and work to unite the kingdom and face the looming demon invasion. Dragon Age: Origins-Awakening, an expansion to the game, was released in March 2010, and there's a sequel in the works. Teens can check out the buzz at the official website
David Gaider, the game's lead writer, has authored two prequel novels (Tor) that lend depth and atmosphere to this virtual world. In Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne, young Maric is forced to become leader of an insurgent army when his mother, the Rebel Queen, is betrayed and murdered by her own disloyal nobles. With few allies and little support, he must defy difficult odds to free the kingdom of Ferelden from oppression and restore his family to their rightful throne. King Maric returns in The Calling (2009, both Tor), set years later, as he allows the exiled Grey Wardens (including the youthful and enjoyably impetuous Duncan) to enter Ferelden for the first time in years. When he finds out that they are in search of one their compatriots feared captured by the dreaded darkspawn, Maric accompanies these warriors on their dangerous adventure. A satisfying blend of high fantasy style and down-to-earth humor, the writing features strong characterizations, well-drawn relationships, gripping suspense, and breathless battle action. Finely detailed and delightfully well-crafted, Gaider's exhaustively imagined world will resonate with both game fans and fantasy readers. Both books are available in an audio CD edition from Tantor Media.
Dante's Inferno
Inspired by the real Dante Alighieri, this action adventure offering developed by Visceral Games was released earlier in 2010 by Electronic Arts for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Players take third-person control of Dante, here re-imagined as a mercenary soldier returning from war, as he travels through the nine circles of Hell to reclaim the soul of his beloved Beatrice. Armed with Death's Scythe the energy-firing Holy Cross, Dante faces the terrifying terrain of the underworld, all manner of monsters and demons, the people and misdeeds of his own past, and even Lucifer himself. Teens can visit the official website to find out more about the game, descend into (and tweet from) the various circles of hell, and explore some interesting information about Dante and his masterpiece (including dramatic quotes and stunning historical artworks).
Why not nudge game fans into exploring the source material? Del Rey has published Dante's Inferno, translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, with an eye-catching tie-in cover. An introduction written by Jonathan Knight, the game's executive producer, provides a bit of background about the poet, his work, and its impact, and some of the artists who have famously interpreted the text. In addition, Knight offers insights about adapting and reimagining Dante's opus "for a new medium and a new generation, while maintaining the core idea of a man's journey through the afterlife to find the love of his life, even as he contemplates his own mistakes and transgressions." A 16-page section presents classic images of Dante's hell by artists such as Auguste Rodin and Gustave Doré paired with concept art and screenshots from the game, illustrating the care and creativity that went into its development.
Pub Info
Walters, Mac & John Jackson Miller. Mass Effect Redemption. illus. by Omar Francia. Dark Horse, dist. by Diamond Book Distributors. 2010. pap. $16.99. ISBN 978-1-59582-481-3.
Karpyshyn, Drew. Mass Effect: Retribution. Del Rey. July 2010. pap. $7.99. ISBN 978-0-345-52072-2.
_____. Mass Effect: Retribution. Audio book ed. Tantor Media. July 2010. Lib. Binder Pkg. (8 audio CDs) $83.99. EAN 9781400146802.
Gaider, David. Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne. Tor. 2009. pap. $14.99. ISBN 978-0-7653-2408-5.
_____. Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne. Audio book ed. Tantor Media. 2010. Lib. Binder Pkg. (11 audio CDs) $69.99. EAN 9781400146215.
_____. Dragon Age: The Calling. Tor. 2009. pap. $14.99. ISBN 978-0-7653-2409-2.
_____. Dragon Age: The Calling. Audio book ed. Tantor Media. 2010. Lib. Binder Pkg. (12 audio CDs) $79.99. EAN 9781400146208.
Dante's Inferno. Del Rey. 2010. pap. $13. ISBN 978-0-345-52223-8.
