Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Dragon Age: The Silent Grove (Dragon Age Graphic Novels #1)

by David Gaider, Alexander Freed, Chad Hardin (Illustrator)

3.88 of 5 stars 3.88 · rating details · 244 ratings · 41 reviews

Available in print for the first time, Dragon Age: The Silent Grove is the perfect introduction to BioWare's dark fantasy universe In this essential, canonical story from David Gaider, lead writer of the games, King Alistair, accompanied only by rogues Isabela and Varric, embarks on a quest deep inside the borders of Antiva - a nation of assassins Together, they will encou...more

Hardcover, 82 pages

Published July 25th 2012 by Dark Horse Comics

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Great Books Made From Great Video Games

7th out of 27 books — 11 voters

Graphic Novels with Fairytale or Mythical elements

51st out of 76 books — 13 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 535)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

May 04, 2012 Bill Tillman rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: art, book-for-review, dragons, ebook, fae, fantasy, fiction, ghosts, graphic-novel, kindle, magic, otherworlds, netgalley, short-story, witch, dwarf

Hold onto to your shield and bucklers! A graphic-novel with a clear plot & dialogue, I mean you will know each character & their intentions beginning to end. Colorful and dynamic art, I even jumped out of my skin when the serpent like dragon came onto the scene. This is too good to pass up, get it.

3 likes · like · see review

Aug 25, 2012 Eric Piotrowski rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: action, comics, graphic-novels, fantasy, video-games

I was skeptical about this title, only I had been browsing at the comics shop for 45 minutes (as we waited for our Thai food takeout) and I felt bad. I'm a huge fan of Dragon Age: Origins, so I decided to take a chance.

I'm glad I did. The characters and storyline are intriguing enough, but what really stands out here in the artwork and the narrative skill. No panel is wasted, and -- true to BioWare's best efforts -- the locations and people are superbly crafted. We're back with some people we kn...more

like · see review

Aug 06, 2012 Trekscribbler rated it 3 of 5 stars

Kings, queens, servants, and dragons have made for great stories for centuries, and with a property like BioWare’s DRAGON AGE to play with, Dark Horse is presented with a previously-built land of myth in which it can populate with even more fairy tales. Truth be told, the uninitiated may feel a bit lost – some of the characters and relationships could’ve used a bit more backstory that would’ve served the greater narrative – but there’s still a nice little gem in THE SILENT GROVE the casual reade...more Kings, queens, servants, and dragons have made for great stories for centuries, and with a property like BioWare’s DRAGON AGE to play with, Dark Horse is presented with a previously-built land of myth in which it can populate with even more fairy tales. Truth be told, the uninitiated may feel a bit lost – some of the characters and relationships could’ve used a bit more backstory that would’ve served the greater narrative – but there’s still a nice little gem in THE SILENT GROVE the casual reader can admire.

(WARNING: The following review will contain minor spoilers solely for the purposes of discussing the plot. If you like to enter your kingdoms without so much as a hint to what’s going on, then jump to the last two paragraphs for my assessment. If you’re okay with some minor spoilage, then read on.)

Alistair Theirin has settled into his reign as king of Ferelden nicely. He’s gone about rebuilding his lands, ones torn apart by a nasty Civil War. However, personal quests remain, such as a further exploration into what happened to the bloodline before him. With a sexy pirate lass and her crossbow-toting dwarf as his companions, King Alistair ventures into some of the darker corners of his realm in hopes of uncovering the true fate of his father, King Maric. It’ll involve a witch, a dragon, and a magical temple that just might hold a few secrets he never anticipated.

Unfortunately, I’m no gamer, so I can’t tell you how well GROVE integrates into the franchise. Still, I can appreciate a good yarn like any reader of graphic novels, and, on that front, GROVE mostly succeeds. It almost feels a bit ‘abbreviated’ or ‘condensed’ for my tastes; while it’s clear Alistair hired these two hands for the purposes of this journey, I can’t help but believe there’s a greater history to their involvement with one another. Also, there are hints in the conclusion that they’ll be in his service for days to come, so perhaps this seeks to establish their ongoing partnership in his journeys. Still, it’s a comfortable world – one similar to most fantasy-based worlds – and I appreciated it entirely on that level. It’s not as grand or involved as, say, Tolkien’s or Jordan’s or Martin’s, but it works for the purposes of the events here. With a story by David Gaider, a script by Alexander Freed, (some very impressive) art by Chad Hardin, colors by Michael Atiyeh, and lettering by Michael Heisler, THE SILENT GROVE is a serviceable tale about a young king on a quest of his own design that’s nothing so grand as the salvation of his kingdom so much as it is finding peace in his soul.

RECOMMENDED. As somewhat of a novice to the tales of DRAGON AGE, I’m comfortable admitting that the tales nuances may’ve been lost of me, but, at its core, THE SILENT GROVE is nothing more than the tale of a king, a gypsy/pirate, a dwarf, a witch, a villain, a dragon, and the curse of leadership, that being the never-ending pursuit of justice in the name of the crown. That I get, and it works on that level. I suspect others more familiar with the property might find something more to get jazzed about here, but, for the uninitiated, there’s still plenty of solid artwork and a grand fairy tale to serve as a creative distraction.

In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the good people at Dark Horse Comics provided me with a digital copy of DRAGON AGE: THE SILENT GROVE by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review.
(less)

like · see review

Jul 31, 2012 Angela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks, graphic-novels, first-reads, netgalley, read-2012, fantasy

I requested this as my partner is quite obsessed with the game and although I haven't played it myself (I'm still in the throes of Fallout: New Vegas) I've always enjoyed watching him play this as the graphics, storyline and missions were all rather spectacular.

I was not disappointed by this graphic novel at all though I suspect if I had played the game I would have enjoyed and understood it a lot more.

The artwork was definitely a highlight for me, it was absolutely fantastic, and I will read th...more

4 likes · like · see review

Jul 28, 2012 Alicia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley

I came into this at a disadvantage because I'd never played the video game or learned anything about the Dragon Age world before picking up this book. I enjoyed it, but I imagine I would have enjoyed it more had I been familiar with the world and the characters. I felt like I was thrown into a story somewhere around the midpoint.

Alistair, a king and the main character, is on a quest to find his missing father. He's assisted by a pair of pirates, a fight-happy dwarf and a smart-mouthed lady thief...more

like · see review

Jul 25, 2012 Shaheen rated it 4 of 5 stars

My very first graphic novel review! Where do I begin?Dragon Age: The Silent Grove is set after the Fifth Blight (Dragon Age I) and follows Alistair, king of Fereldand (Dragon Age: Origins) and Isabela the pirate captain and Varricthe ground dwarf from Dragon Age II.Alistair is forced to work with the two rogues in his quest to find his father, and the first step is to raid the archives of The Crows for information. This quickly sets him on the course of his adventure, where he chased by The Crow...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jun 15, 2012 Ashleyn Poston rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Brooding King Alistair goes off in search of his dead father. Combining possibly the best elements of Dragon Age and Dragon Age II (Alistair, Varren, and Isabella, respectively), there is no reason to believe that this volume will be none other thank a snarky romp through an unknown wilderness. The only thing we're missing are the controllers to fight the hordes of hulking enemies. But I think we can forego the controller for a while. Alistair seems to have his game together.

His brooding game.

To...more Brooding King Alistair goes off in search of his dead father. Combining possibly the best elements of Dragon Age and Dragon Age II (Alistair, Varren, and Isabella, respectively), there is no reason to believe that this volume will be none other thank a snarky romp through an unknown wilderness. The only thing we're missing are the controllers to fight the hordes of hulking enemies. But I think we can forego the controller for a while. Alistair seems to have his game together.

His brooding game.

To be completely honest, I miss the snide Alistair from the first game (and yes I realize that this isn't a game, it's a comic based off of the games, but still). I miss how he had a glib for everything your hero had to say. Now that the main focus is on him, however, Kingship has changed the man. He's no longer that much fun to be around. Sure, the artist does a fine representation of his hunkiness, but the character just doens't appeal to me anymore. But then, why would he? He's been annointed King against his will, and now he's off on a self-imposed crusade. I am intruiged in the ways his newfound power has changed him, because now there is an evident weight, a longing to shuck his duties, but then a guilt if he does.

It's really all very complicated.

As far as Isabella and Varren are concerned... what's there to say? They're their normal spunky selves. Isobella the temptress and Varren the storytelling dwarf. (view spoiler)

The story is a little weak around the knees. The whole premise is Alistair going off to find clues on his dead father's whereabouts. (view spoiler)

The artwork is very nice. Nothing spectacular---I didn't read this for the artwork. Some of the coloring is a little off (Alistair is blue at times), and there are these awkward-face moments when the eyes look screwed or the head is disproportional to the body. The action scenes are very nicely done. Nothing over the top, no outlandish poses. Overall, the artwork did not upstage the story, but it kept to the original character concepts from the games. As a huge fan of Dragon Age, I really tip my hat to the artist for the similar portrayal.

Overall, this is a must-read for any Dragon Age fan. If you're not sitting on the couch playing the game, you should now be reading it.

Source: Netgalley(less)

like · see review

Jun 13, 2012 TheTick rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics

The Silent Grove is graphic novel set in the Dragon Age universe, written by the same man who was the main writer of the games, David Gaider, along with Alexander Freed and Chad Hardin. If you've read this site at all, you know I loved Dragon Age: Origins and it's related content, and came around on Dragon Age 2 in the end. What's being reviewed here is the collection of six comics previously only available via the Dark Horse comics store.

The story follows Alistair, King of Ferelden in the conti...more

1 like · like · see review

Jun 07, 2012 Diayll rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of the Video Game, Fans of Adventure

Originally Reviewed at:Mother/Gamer/Writer
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Controllers
Review Source:NetGalley
Reviewer:Me

I have been waiting on this one! Dragon Age Volume 1: The Silent Grove is definitely a graphic novel for fans of the game, Dragon Age:Origins and Dragon Age II. We see the return of Alistair who is our main character, on a quest to find his missing father Maric. Along beside him for the journey are Isabela, who you may recall is a thief and the captain of the pirate ship, The Siren’s Call....more

like · see review

May 15, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

In reviewing this graphic novel, I am fully aware that I will be revealing myself as a world-class geek! I am also aware that I'll be alienating a few readers here. However, I feel it's worth coming out of the nerdy closet just so I can be a bit of a video-game fangirl in my excitement over this!

I love the Dragon Age games. I like video games in general, and I have ever since I was a kid. I used to love watching my brother play games like Final Fantasy VII and Metal Gear Solid. I loved the stor...more In reviewing this graphic novel, I am fully aware that I will be revealing myself as a world-class geek! I am also aware that I'll be alienating a few readers here. However, I feel it's worth coming out of the nerdy closet just so I can be a bit of a video-game fangirl in my excitement over this!

I love the Dragon Age games. I like video games in general, and I have ever since I was a kid. I used to love watching my brother play games like Final Fantasy VII and Metal Gear Solid. I loved the stories and could forgive even the corniest dialogue!

Things have moved on a bit since Lara Croft's boobs were hexagonal and the voice actors of games like Resident Evil were so bad your ears would bleed. These days, there are some games which are like stepping inside a good book and becoming the main character! The Dragon Age games are like that, and because I love their stories, I'm guilty of having spent far too many hours playing them!

Unfortunately, DA3's release date is still being posted as “To Be Announced”. This means that fans like myself figured we were whole way away from being able to immerse ourselves in the world of Thedas again.

But, bless David Gaider's soul, Dragon Age has come to the printed page! I have the prequel novels on my Goodreads Wishlist, but could hardly believe my luck (or my eyes) when, while browsing NetGalley for the first time in a year, I saw this! A graphic novel following Alistair, Varric and Isabela on a whole new journey.

Alistair is the king of a land called Fereldan, and he is a character in Dragon Age: Origins. Isabela is a pirate hussy and Varic is a lovable dwarf and both appear as companions in Dragon Age 2. This GN takes place “almost a decade” after the Fifth Blight (the catastrophe that the first game is based around). In this book, Alistair is looking for his father, in search of answers to questions which have haunted him all his life.

Now, I'm a fan so while reading this I was able to sink quickly into the world depicted. I knew the voices and mannerisms of the characters like they were old friends! And yes, I know that's uber-geeky! However, while I read, I tried to imagine what it would be like for someone unfamiliar with this world to read about it. While I think the story had plenty going for it, I think the mentions of other in-game characters and events might leave a lot of readers floundering. But, that being said, I feel like these books are probably designed to appeal to the existing fan base.

The illustration was good, though I would have preferred Isabela and Alistaire to be more in-keeping with their game-selves as I feel Freed “uglied them up” somewhat. Varric was a little different, but cool.

Overall, I loved the opportunity to see some of my favourite characters kicking but and swashing some buckle again! I'm not sure how much scope there is for a series as there are so many different possible endings to both of the games (the first more than the second...) that it seems like there might be a few elephants in the room after a while. In my games, for example, Alistair married my character. In other people's games, he ran away and never became King of Fereldan at all. I guess reading this GN is like playing a sequel to a game and loading a default save. The decisions and outcomes of the prequel are just the most typical outcomes.

And yes, I know just how geeky that last paragraph made me sound. I may as well go ahead and give this a well-deserved four and a half stars! Then maybe I should go and watch reruns of Star Trek while trying to to learn how to write in Tolkien's elvish. (less)

1 like · like · see review

May 04, 2012 Shannon rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Dragon Age Fans

Shelves: arc, manga-or-graphic-novel, fantasy, fangirling

I received this as an ARC through Dark Horse Comics from netgalley.com.

Pretty quick read. It's only 83 pages long.
It took me a little while to get into it. I read the description and my first thought was immediately, "but Alistair wouldn't galavant around with Isabela and Varric --- especially not after defeating The Blight". I love Dragon Age: Origins (and Alistair) so I had to overlook this detail and read it anyway. (No, I do not like Dragon Age 2.)
My thoughts were confirmed in the first coup...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 20, 2012 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, comics, own, netgalley, reviewed

Before I start my review I just wanted to say that I have never read any other Dragon Age books or played any of the games and I have no knowledge of the Dragon Age world. That's probably one reason why I didn't enjoy it very much. I saw it on Netgalley and thought it looked interesting so I requested it.

This was clearly a fantasy book so I should have expected a complicated world with lots of made up words. If I kept up with Dragon Age I would understand what was happening, but I don't so for t...more

like · see review

Jul 23, 2012 Lakis Fourouklas rated it 5 of 5 stars

Dragon Age: The Silent Grove is one of those graphic novels that take the reader on a long but beautiful journey into the not so bright worlds of the creators’ imagination.

In this dark tale one can find just about everything, apart from romance, but maybe that’s to come in a future volume.

This is the story of King Alistair, an unwilling King, and his quest to discover the whereabouts of his missing father, King Maric. Alistair never wanted to be a king, he wasn’t supposed to be one either and he...more Dragon Age: The Silent Grove is one of those graphic novels that take the reader on a long but beautiful journey into the not so bright worlds of the creators’ imagination.

In this dark tale one can find just about everything, apart from romance, but maybe that’s to come in a future volume.

This is the story of King Alistair, an unwilling King, and his quest to discover the whereabouts of his missing father, King Maric. Alistair never wanted to be a king, he wasn’t supposed to be one either and he: “never asked for an easy life – fruit every morning, servants cleaning my feet, bedclothes free from crawling things. I certainly wasn’t raised to expect it.”

Why not? Because his mother was nothing but a servant. As for the rightful heir to the throne, King Cailan, he died a decade ago. But can a reluctant king be a good king? Well, perhaps he can, since for the past few years his homeland, the nation of Fereldin had known an unprecedented period of stability and prosperity. That, however, was not enough to make Alistair happy.

And now, for the first time in years, he may at last have a chance to set things straight, for one and for all, as he receives some information about his father. In order to find out more he has to travel to the northern port city of Antiva. Instead of ordering an army to follow in his footsteps, or take along some faithful soldiers, he decides to hire a ferocious and beautiful woman that goes by the name Isabela, who’s a pirate, and her traveling companion, the dwarf Varric Tethras, to accompany him.

Antiva though is not going to be their final destination, since once there they receive yet another piece of info, by Prince Claudio Valisti, a man with an agenda, that will first lead them to Velabanchel prison and then forwards to the Silent Grove, an enchanted place, where they are destined to meet Yavana, the Witch of the Wilds, and confront their worst foes and fears.

During the long journey the authors and the illustrator, do a great job in describing to the reader how Alistair, the center of this special universe, feels at any given moment, and what one sees is a sad man. What can he do to get over his melancholia? Is it possible for him to embrace his destiny? Can he depend on anyone else but himself? And can he remain true to his purpose from beginning to end?

This is a story of quite a few twists and turns that keep it going unperturbed from the first page to the very last. The passions of the protagonists come alive on the page, through wonderful words and beautifully drawn images, which make us empathize with them. And if there’s a message in here it’s this one: people can sometimes pleasantly surprise you, as they, for better or for worse, surprise Alistair.

If you love fantasy you will love this graphic novel.
(less)

like · see review

May 23, 2012 Stephanie Cover2CoverBlog rated it 4 of 5 stars

Background: King Alistair sets out on a dangerous quest with the pirate Isabela and Varric Tethras. While on the move, they encounter thieves, assassins, witches, and dragons. Quests can’t be easy.

Review: I did not play the Dragon Age games, however I have friends that did as well as my husband, which means I watched a lot of people play. The characters from the games are very well depicted here in this graphic novel. Alistair is a very interesting personality, a king, but not afraid to do thing...more

like · see review

Jun 30, 2012 Courtney rated it 4 of 5 stars

More reviews at Rondo of a Possible World: YA Book Reviews

I've been dying to please the games but reading the graphic novel is going to have to hold me over for now.

The art is stunning and the character designs are beautiful. Not just the designs, but the characters themselves are well developed and kept my attention. The action and the thickening plot held me within the story until the very end. The dialogue was well developed and even had me chuckling. I was happy to get a graphic novel with...more

like · see review

Jul 19, 2012 Anzu The Great Destroyer rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of the game

Shelves: arc-galley, comics, excitement, fantasia, reviewed-2012

Ohkay. Dragon Age: The Silent Grove. Another video game inspired graphic novel. I can’t say that I hate the idea of reading more about a game I enjoyed playing but most of the time the stories end up disappointing me.

In Dragon Age: The Silent Grove we follow the footsteps of Alistair who is to become King of Ferelden. Alistair used to be my love interest in the game (yes, I was desperate) so it’s funny to see him being all badass when, in truth, he’s just a little insecure man. I never liked hi...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jun 29, 2012 Abhinav rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics, fantasy, dark-horse, dragons

Shadowhawk reviews the graphic novel sequel to Bioware’s Dragon Age games, a new narrative penned by David Gaider and published by Dark Horse Comics.

“Quite a mystery thriller set in the world of Ferelden, Dragon Age – The Silent Grove offers a lot of intrigue, swordplay, double-crossing and subterfuge but does not quite go the whole distance.” ~The Founding Fields

Note: After writing the review I randomly found myself on the Dragon Age wiki and found that Ferelden isn’t the name of the world in t...more Shadowhawk reviews the graphic novel sequel to Bioware’s Dragon Age games, a new narrative penned by David Gaider and published by Dark Horse Comics.

“Quite a mystery thriller set in the world of Ferelden, Dragon Age – The Silent Grove offers a lot of intrigue, swordplay, double-crossing and subterfuge but does not quite go the whole distance.” ~The Founding Fields

Note: After writing the review I randomly found myself on the Dragon Age wiki and found that Ferelden isn’t the name of the world in the setting but one of the continents. The review inaccurately presumes that it is. Please ignore that misconception!

Just as with Matt Forbeck’s Magic: The Gathering comics, David Gaider’s Dragon Age – The Silent Grove exposed me to a setting that I had no previous experience with, but by the time I was done with it, I wanted to explore more and more. Its funny how things work out that way. I’d heard about the Dragon Age games for ages but had never had a chance to get acquainted with them. Seeing the collected six issues of The Silent Grove on NetGalley was therefore a great chance to take that first step.

I have to say, based on this first exposure, that I really like the setting of Dragon Age and the world of Ferelden. Conceptually and in terms of the atmosphere created by the writer and the various artists, I’m quite reminded of the Dragonlance novels by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis. The Dragonlance novels were my first real exposure to the wider world of speculative fiction, coming just ahead of me picking up my first Black Library novels. As such, I have a great fondness for those novels and for the world of Krynn which holds an endless fascination for me. Ferelden is every bit just as interesting as Krynn!

In terms of the narrative, The Silent Grove is written quite well with some really interesting characters. However, it doesn’t quite go that whole distance. Some of the twists and turns appear to be tacked on for the benefit of filling up the page requirement, and not necessarily because they were the demand of the narrative itself. As such, the graphic novel wasn’t as enjoyable as I thought it would be. Nevertheless there are a lot of factors that still made me want to go on and get to the end of the story to see how things play out.

You can find the full review over at The Founding Fields:

http://thefoundingfields.com/2012/06/...(less)

like · see review

Jul 24, 2012 archdandy rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Dragon Age fans

Shelves: adult, books-to-own, fantasy, favorites, graphic-novels, warts-wands-broomsticks-oh-my

I received a copy of this through netgalley to review. The story is written in part by David Gaider who was the main writer for both Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age II and I think that helped a lot with how much I liked this graphic novel. It also helps that I am a huge Alistair fan (yes, I know, not many of us out there) and the plot revolves around him, so we get to learn a little more about him.

I loved the witty banter between Isabela and Varric, that is one of my favorite parts about Dra...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 15, 2012 Jo Roberts rated it 4 of 5 stars

I admit, as soon as I found out that David Gaider (who, let's face it, wrote the majority of the best characters in the DA universe) was writing Alistair *and* Varric in the same story, my inner fangirl squeed in excitement. This is the first time I've ever followed a comic issue by issue, but it was well worth it. The writing does not disappoint, I love the art style, and the story is a nice addendum to the games. I think you probably care a bit more about Alistair finding his father if you've...more

like · see review

Mar 02, 2013 Lauren (Northern Plunder) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-recieved-for-review, ebooks-owned, graphic-novel, netgalley, read-during-college, reviewed, 36-book-challenge-2012, series-to-complete

Review first posted here at Northern Plunder

Review: I received a digital copy of this graphic novel from netgalley and whilst I had a few troubles as mentioned in other graphic novels read this way I didn't have so many this time because most of the font was large enough to not be over pixelated. Any how obviously I'm a fan of Dragon Age and even though I didn't complete the game (it's not my fault, I'm a hoarder, it's a disease!) I had played enough to let my inner nerd completely devour this b...more

like · see review

Sep 17, 2012 Cassandra (The Book & Movie Dimension blogger) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: to-review, received-for-review, fantasy, graphic-novels

--Review courtesy from Book & Movie Dimension a Blog--

Kings, dragons, villains, and some mysterious sorcerres are what are scattered in Dragon Age, Volume 1. King Alistar is trying to recover his long-lost father , King Maric, has been imprisoned in , Velabanchel Prison, a seeming horrible place to be. He uncovers to his surprise that has been taken instead by Yavaneth a dragon witch. King Maric has agreed to be spirited away though much to the confusion of King Alistar. Through a last ditch...more

like · see review

Jun 21, 2012 Donna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-bitten

I'm falling more and more in love with comics the more I read them. This is such a great introduction to this whole world and it's left me feigning for more. Between the artwork and the snark I really couldn't get enough of it.

It's a fully realized world that gives me everything I'm looking for in a fantasy (kind of like Gaider tapped into my head and pulled out my fantasy needs) without overdoing it. There's magic and sorcery and dragons and villains and damaged heros and anti-heros but none of...more I'm falling more and more in love with comics the more I read them. This is such a great introduction to this whole world and it's left me feigning for more. Between the artwork and the snark I really couldn't get enough of it.

It's a fully realized world that gives me everything I'm looking for in a fantasy (kind of like Gaider tapped into my head and pulled out my fantasy needs) without overdoing it. There's magic and sorcery and dragons and villains and damaged heros and anti-heros but none of it seems overdone. Unlike some fantasy it's not trying too hard at all. In fact it's barely trying because it really doesn't have to. The world feels effortless. From the beginning I'm in the middle of it, I believe in it and it keeps me reading.

The three main character are all absolutely amazing. Alistair is a total snarker which, for a king in fantasy, at least in my experience, is a no-go. An unserious king? No way. Way, Ted! It's like if Simon Pegg wrote a fantasy this would be it. Alistair knows what he needs to do and tries his damndest to get it done but holy shit if things don't get in his way. He emotes a little, cracks jokes to himself and then sets back out again barely feeling set back but maybe just a little.

Isabela is a total hardass chick that I'd like to get to know more about. She's a pirate, captain of her own ship and damn it all if she doesn't remind you about her fists of glory and the fact that she can nail you to a wall. But she's not so tough as to be obnoxious.She falls a few times and while she's not the kind of person to constantly take help she knows when she needs it and begrudgingly accepts. She's also one to readily offer her help. For a price, of course.

And Varric? The snark-master dwarf? I don't know how you have comedic relief in something that's kind of a comedy already but Varric is it. The quips he kept coming out with had me laughing out loud. Literally.

Here's some snarkxamples (snamples?) -

06/09 page 79 96.0% ""My name is Alistair Theirin and I'm king of Ferelden. Long live the king, long may he reign! And so forth. Pray to the maker he doesn't do something stupid…""
06/09 page 68 83.0% ""Evidently we're going to ask Claudio how it feels to be stabbed in the chest.""
06/09 page 39 48.0% ""That sound is coming closer." "What do we do?" "Brown our trousers.""

One is Alistair, two is Isabela and three is Varric. I need more DRAGON AGE. Sooner rather than later. Like fantasy? Like humor? Like a story that doesn't take itself too seriously? DRAGON AGE. Now.(less)

like · see review

Jul 26, 2012 Michelle (In Libris Veritas) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, graphic-novels, netgalley

Anyone who has ever played Dragon Age knows it’s one of those games with a lot of lore packed into it. I mean everywhere you go you uncover more history and it becomes world rich in history. It’s also one of those games that you want to see more about, especially if you actually read all of the lore like I do. So this graphic novel is the perfect place to find out more about it all, including some of your favorite characters from the games.

As soon as I saw the cover I knew this would be somethin...more

like · see review

Aug 30, 2012 Forgotten Realms Queen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: game-based, graphic-novels

Fantastic! Alistair from Dragon Age:Origins joins up with Isabella and Varric in the first installation of a new side story where the famous Flemeth and equally infamous daughters play a key role. We learn more about the history of dragons, more of Flemeth and her daughters, as well as some interesting hints as to the fate of Alistair's father King Maric.

All in all, can't wait for the next one to come out!

like · see review

Jul 31, 2012 Bethany rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, graphic-novels-comics

I read these digitally but I'm going to rate them all at once. I thought this series was a lot of fun. Gaider's style of writing is much more compatible with the graphic novel format than with regular novels (IMO), which makes sense considering he shines in game writing.

Anyway, this is beautifully illustrated and contains probably the three best DA characters, so go read it.

like · see review

Jul 27, 2012 Brandon rated it 4 of 5 stars

An overall solid comic. Takes place sometime after Dragon Age 2 I think, judging on some of the Dialogue with Isabella. But there's no major Dragon Age 2 spoilers, so if you've only played Dragon Age: Origins you're still good to go. It's a bit odd that King Alistar is canonical though... guess they weren't as tiptoey about Dragon Age canon as they were with Mass Effect.

like · see review

May 18, 2012 Rebecca Rogers rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novel, fantasy, dragons, arc, for-review

Anybody who knows me knows I love video games, especially fantasy MMORPGs. This was a fantastic story about a king who needed to find his father and two friends who tagged along for the quest. The dialogue was witty, and the illustrations were vivid. I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a good fantasy adventure.

**ARC courtesy of publisher via NetGalley

like · see review

Aug 14, 2012 Nicole Trainor rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dragonage, graphic-novels, liked-male-lead

And my Dragonage obsession continues. This story picks up after DAO and DA2 and continues the story of Alistair, Isabela, and Varric. All were true to character, aside from giving Alistair blue eyes. Art was decent, story was fun. I'm definitely going to be picking up Those Who Speak when the hard copy comes out (which isn't nearly soon enough).

like · see review

Nov 04, 2012 nacchi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: form-comic-graphic-novel-manga, genre-fantasy, sword-and-sorcery, magic-witches-warlocks-enchanters

I only gave it three stars, because it felt too short. I liked it a lot, but in the end it was just a teeny-tiny snippet - a good one - but ... it left me wanting more in a good way, but it was still a little bit short. If this should continue - I hope it will! - this rating will go up, because then it's a fantastic beginning :D

like · see review

Jul 07, 2012 Jun rated it 4 of 5 stars

Fantastic art, spot-on characterisation (well, it was written by Gaider), and filled with fantastic little references to the games-- Alistair's "No way to buy you off with cookies, then," remark was particularly great. I appreciated the deeper look into Isabela's backstory, too.

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 17 18 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

Genres

Fantasy

30 users

Sequential Art > Graphic Novels

26 users

Sequential Art > Comics

17 users

Games > Video Games

5 users

Games > Gaming

4 users

Fantasy > Dragons

4 users

Graphic Novels Comics

3 users

Adventure

3 users

Science Fiction Fantasy

2 users

Comics > Comic Book

2 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Mass Effect: Invasion
by Mac Walters (Author)
Jack Templar, Monster Hunter
by Jeff Gunhus
The Last Dragon
by Jane Yolen
Talisman of El
by Alecia Stone
Channel Zero
by Brian Wood

About David Gaider

David Gaider lives in Edmonton, Alberta, and has worked for video game developer BioWare since 1999. He is the lead writer on the upcoming Dragon Age: Origins role-playing game and has previously worked on such titles as Baldur’s Gate 2: Shadows of Amn, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and Neverwinter Nights.

More about David Gaider...

Books by David Gaider

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Dragon Age: The S...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

title link	preview: Dragon Age: The Silent Grove
avg rating	preview: Dragon Age: The Silent Grove Goodreads rating: 3.88 (244 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13633057-dragon-age?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1336087073l/13633057.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13633057-dragon-age?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Dragon Age: The Silent Grove by David Gaider[/url]

Dragon Age: The Silent Grove (Dragon Age Graphic Novels #1)

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topicDiscuss This Book

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About David Gaider

Books by David Gaider

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Dragon Age: The S...

new topic
Discuss This Book