I love the game so I couldn't resist buying the book. I'm sad to say that I am thus far disappointed in the book. I think the idea of a book or series of books based on the characters is a great idea, but maybe a different author would have been better. One of the things that first made me stop and say "really? did he really just use that phrase?" was the line in which the main character and his older brother are racing along the rooftops, and the older brother says to Ezio, "you went past me like greased lightening". Now I'm no author, but I'm pretty sure that they didn't use the phrase "greased lightening in renaissance Italy. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure they didn't. That coupled with a few of the character names, which sounded to me like the author just made them up by adding the letter o onto the end of them, well basically it just got to the point where I had to put the book down and walk away.
Great idea, bad execution. Assassin's Creed: Renaissance (Assassin's Creed (Unnumbered))
Synopsis: Assassin's Creed: Renaissance is a novel based on the Assassin's Creed II computer game, however unlike in the game, the present day is not included, it is set only in the 15th century.
I often find myself watching the introductions to computer games and thinking 'wow that looks like such a great story!' only to then totally loose interest once the actual game starts. I thought that a book version of a game would be my kind of thing. I expected it to be quite trashy but still good. Sadly, I was mistaken. I almost always finish books, even if I'm not really enjoying them I usually still push through, but this one i had to let go. I forced myself through the first 150 pages or so (complaining loudly all the way through on my facebook updates) and then skipped ahead to the final chapter. After finishing I thought thank god I didn't force myself through the rest, that was one awful ending.
It's got a great idea, alot of adventure and a mystery which seems as though it should be enthralling, however this book is just written really poorly. It is basically one gigantic synopsis, one event after another. If I had to sum it up I would explain it like this (without giving away the plot) :
'First, he went to his house and blah blah blah. Then, he went to the river and saw a guy and said 'blah blah blah'. Then, he met his girlfriend. Then, he went back to his house. Then......' I'm sure you get my drift. The dialogue is really stilted, alot like the dialogue in computer games. I'm thinking that this book is supposed to be written for an upper primary school audience, but some of the language is very crude so that can't be right. I think that if you were a 15 year old boy who hates reading, this would be the book for you. I'm reminded of Derek Zoolander: 'It's a book for kids who can't read good (really really good looking male model pout).'
I can't believe I've actually given a book one star, but there you go, I hated it.
I just finished the entire book and thoroughly enjoyed it. At first, my opinion was a little mixed because of how close the novel followed the game: sometimes down to exact quotations. But ultimately I enjoyed the rendering. The author also included the "bonus chapters" of the game with nearly stunning accuracy. My only real complaint is that the author specifically left out the "modern day" portion of the story of the game. It made the novel as a whole easier to understand, and appreciate Ezio`s story, but I was dissappointed. However, I was overall pleased, and would recommend picking it up.
Books based on video games usually fall into two categories, great and awful. Books that're basically a verbatim screenplay of otherwise great video games instead fall into awful and preferably burnable. Assassins Creed: Renaissance is taken almost word for word from the fantastic game that its based off of, with a rather glaring exception, that Desmond and Abstergo are not part of the actual story. While I can appreciate the attempt to not have to worry about juggling the two storylines and the Animus, its like having a heart and no lungs. Also injected is this sense of "past lives", which is so glossed on as to be easily laughable. Add in ridiculous plot points and attempts to work the games tutorial into the story only serve to further poison what is already an awful book.
Assassin's Creed is my all-time favourite game series; I am enthralled by it! Sadly, right now I moved to te U.S. (I am not originally from here) and thus I had to leave my Xbox behind; well it actually belongs to my brother. My point is, while I am saving up for a new Xbox and to buy the Assassin's Creed games again, reading this novel and the one from Brotherhood has been what has saved me from going insane. I don't know why several people haven't liked it. I had no problems whatsoever with the author's style, and actually this novel helped me to better comprehend what went on in ACII because honestly some assassinations had me a bit confused and happened so fast that I didn't understand who I was killing or why.
Great purchase, and I am currently reading Brotherhood! :)
Insieme per la vittoria! :D
I understand that this is a book about a video game, but have a little more respect for your audience. If you can't manage that, at least have some respect for yourself (to the author). Your name is on the front cover and at some point an editor should have taken you aside and pointed out the irony of the assassination you were performing against your good name. *Phew*...now that I've got that out, here's what I didn't like about the book.
The protagonist, Ezio, never escapes his adolescent view of the world. Sure, he goes from the privileged, devil-may-care, lifestyle of a rich bankers son to a celibate assassin, but his outlook on life never shifts to one of maturity. The book pretends to be a coming of age story, where the son takes his father's mantle and continues a secret family tradition. Instead, Ezio just comes across as an angry 13 year old. He broods, he pouts, he lashes out at those who injured him...yawn. Adding insult to injury is the way the author just 'gives it away'. There is no suspense in this book...none. On one page we find out that there is some new mystery Ezio must unravel and on the very next page, the secret is revealed with all the art and sophistication of a sledge hammer. How in the heck do you take incredible ingredients like Renaissance Italy, secret societies from the Crusades, revenge, and love and write a book that stinks like the fart of a drunken Beagle? Boooooo! - Historical Fiction - Fiction - Literature - Ubisoft'
Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information
