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Assassin's Creed: Renaissance (Assassin's Creed #1)

by Oliver Bowden

3.54 · rating details · 609 ratings · 114 reviews

View our feature on Oliver Bowden's "Assassin's Creed.""I will seek vengeance upon those who betrayed my family. I am Ezio Auditore Da Firenze. I am an assassin..."

Betrayed by the ruling families of Italy, a young man embarks upon an epic quest for vengeance. To eradicate corruption and restore his family's honor, he will learn the art of the Assassins.

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Published by Ace (first published November 11th 2009)

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Dec 03, 2011

Archer rated it

Shelves: books-i-own, books-that-make-your-eyes-bleed, game-novelisations, books-for-people-who-don-t-like-goo, books-that-need-to-be-burned, books-that-should-be-better, fiction, historical, i-d-rather-have-my-testicles-fed-th, should-be-better, they-cut-down-trees-for-this, fucking-awful, piece-of-shit, thriller, serial-killer

Well, once again, hello dear readers

Today I am going to be venting my frustrations about one Oliver Bowden (real name Anton Gill, this author, in my opinion, deserves to be named and… well, we’ll get to what else he deserves later) and his adaptations of the Assassin’s Creed story.

Now let me just go on record and say, I read these books out of order. I read The Secret Crusade first (hey when a book is sold as the retelling of the events that spawned the series you’d natur...moreWell, once again, hello dear readers

Today I am going to be venting my frustrations about one Oliver Bowden (real name Anton Gill, this author, in my opinion, deserves to be named and… well, we’ll get to what else he deserves later) and his adaptations of the Assassin’s Creed story.

Now let me just go on record and say, I read these books out of order. I read The Secret Crusade first (hey when a book is sold as the retelling of the events that spawned the series you’d naturally assume that that should be read first) and now I’m reading Brotherhood. But let me just say this for the books… They make an amazing tale mediocre. Structurally, for the most part, there isn’t all that much wrong with the writing, it’s just dry, lacklustre, dull.

Now I’m not a published author or anything but I’ve researched this writer, he has 27 years experience in the writing game, and as such there is no excuse for the errors that Gill (No, sir, with respect I will not allow you to hide behind a pseudonym, you don’t deserve the honour) is frequently making; mispunctuated text, broken flow, poor desriptive text, dry narrative. Honestly I am surprised he has had so many books published.

So as I am a fan of the already successful AssCreed franchise, as many of my readers are no doubt aware, I find myself frustrated to the point of it being a chore to read these books because so very much is wrong with them. Now I know Ubisoft are commisioning them to make the story accessible to people other than gamers, and they should because the story is fucking kick ass, but honestly, they could at least find a better author, maybe an author that has actually understood the story line and the details of the tale, that could be an idea couldn’t it Ubi? Anton Gill, whilst claiming to be a renaissance historian, is making blinding historical innaccuracies in his text, innacuracies that are simply the work of a sloppy writer who has not researched the time period properly.

Now the historical errors I can let slide because no doubt he had a time frame to get the book out in, BUT, I cannot forgive the detail innacuracies of the characters. The big one being the Hidden Blade. In the original telling of the tale, i.e. the game, the original hidden blade Ezio is left by his father, is worn on the left hand. This is because the mechanism originally required the sacrifice of the ring finger because the bearer would be married to the Brotherhood of Assassin’s. So why did Gill put it on the right hand? This is wrong.

However, there were a few little snippets of Ezio’s life that were in the book that were not mentioned in Assassin’s Creed 2. These were memories of his first love, Christina. I think that these gave the character of Ezio a depth and very human storyline that has been missing from a lot of big franchise protagonists for many years. And obviously Ubisoft agreed because they actually included these little snippets as playable memories in the Brotherhood game to allow Ezio to remember Christina and to let the gamer more fully understand everything that he gave up to carry on his father’s work of hunting down Templars and protecting the masses from their malevolent schemes.

I know this sounds mostly like me being petty and picking for the sake of it, but these are the problems with the book that take an awesome concept the should work well as a novel and make it average at best. I have no doubts at all that if another author could have taken a stab at the tale then these books could have been better. Hell if Ubi had found a fan of the series that was also a writer and had told them “make it as awesome in text as it is on screen” then these adaptations would be best sellers in their own rights. But as it stands, these are books that die-hard fans should stay away from like they would the plague. They are better suited to teens whose parents won’t let them play the games, but are still interested in the franchise.

But to anyone who reads these books, don’t expect the sort of quality writing you get from authors like J.K., Butcher, Pullman or Nix. These books read as if they didn’t have enough polishing done and were put out ahead of schedule and have as such suffered.

Happy reading and don’t be another blade in the crowd

Archer
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Mar 06, 2011

Logan rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Masochists

Recommended to Logan by: Sadists

Shelves: books-i-hate

I've never had faith in books (or movies) based on videogames, but since Assassin's Creed II is my favorite videogame of all time, I decided to risk this.

If you find my review incomprehensible, it's merely because this trash fried my brain cells to the point of blissful delirium.

Take the worst books you've ever read, burn them, mix the ashes with toad semen and the sweat of Dick Cheney, and you will alchemically create this book.

This book is so bad, even by "...more

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Nov 28, 2011

Anna rated it

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I bought this book just because I love the game. I was surprised to see that the book was true to the game. The conversations is almost the same and the environment is described just as you saw it in the game. Bowden did a good job in filling out the blanks that wasn't included in the game and it was fun to read more indepth of Ezio's thoughts and life, especially in his younger days.
The thing I thought was strange with this book is that this actually is the second game, but it is the first...more

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Nov 15, 2010

Sophie rated it

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Shelves: fiction, owned

I was genuinely surprised by how much I liked this book. I bought it mostly because I am somewhat obsessed with the game, and I wanted more Ezio, now please! I expected that at best it would be bearable to read because I don't tend to think too highly of novelizations of either movies or video games. But this was really good and fun.

Most of the story in the book is in the game as well, so the plot wasn't particularly surprising. But there were a few additional details - like, say, Leo...more

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Jun 05, 2011

Raymond Hu rated it

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This book was a really cool book which interest me a lot. This book caught my eye and i read the whole thing mostly because it was a popular game turned into a book and i also wanted to read that action felt in the games.The book was confusing at first the first time i read it because of the setting switches and characters switches but after reading it the 2nd time i got that the storyline. I felt bad for the main character because he went throught a lot and lost a lot of people close to him. Al...more

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Jun 30, 2011

Andrea_99 rated it

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ASSASSIN'S CREED RINASCIMENTO E' UN ROMANZO CHE PARLA DI EZIO AUDITORE DA FIRENZE NATO NEL 1476.
SEMPRE NELLO STESSO ANNO EZIO VEDE I SUOI FAMILIARI GIOVANNI AUDITORE(IL PADRE),FEDERICO AUDITORE(FRATELLO DI EZIO E PRIMOGENITO DI GIOVANNI) E PETRUCCIO(FRATELLO DI FEDERICO E EZIO E ULTIMO FIGLIO DI GIOVANNI) IMPICCATI UNO ALLA VOLTA PER ESSERE ACCUSATI DI TRADIMENTO CONTRO LA CITTA' DI FIRENZE.
DA QUEL GIORNO EZIO E' COSTRETTO AD AFFRONTARE UNA VITA SOLITARIA OMICIDI ALLA RICERCA DEI RESPO...more

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Jul 01, 2011

Polina rated it

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I can imagine this book being read by a teen who knows about the game but who can not play the game for some reason - for example, intelligent parents. While access to the video games rated M for "mature" (content may be suitable for those over 17 years of age) may be limited and rightfully so, the access to books is free, so this little thing will be a good substitute until the reader is old enough to not only read other books but also play the actual game.
It being a book based on a...more

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May 02, 2011

La Stamberga dei Lettori added it · review of another edition

Shelves: tancredi

Ultimamente sta prendendo piede l'usanza di derivare romanzi di genere da videogiochi di successo. Per lo più si tratta di romanzi di fantascienza o di horror, ma è possibile trovare qualcosa di diverso. Così è per il caso di Assassin's Creed, videogioco fantastorico di grandissimo successo. Che anche questo settore dell'intrattenimento stia oltrepassando i suoi limiti, puntando su una ricerca della qualità che a qualcuno potrebbe sembrare esagerata per un semplie prodotto d'intrattenimento, è c...more

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Jan 22, 2012

Dennis rated it

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Assassin's Creed Renaissance by Oliver Bowden is based on two of the Assassin's creed series games, Assassin's Creed 2 and Assassin's Creed Brotherhood. It follows the life of a young adult from a noble family, whose name is Ezio Auditore, who finds out his true meaning in life, to become an Assassin. After his family was betrayed by other ruling families in Italy Ezio starts his adventure unlike anything he had ever imagined. On his journey he meets famous people from the renaissance era like L...more

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Jul 22, 2011

Nina rated it

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Shelves: fantasy

I found this a tiresome read. The way it was written really irritated me. The character, Ezio, irritated me. But the setting-I liked.

First I will acknowledge that this is a book based on a game. It is wasn't I would compare this to the likes of Robin Hobb and Brent Weeks with little of a positive nature.

You don't need to have played the game, just various games, to understand that the style is very game-like. I think generally, that it does follow too much with a game li...more

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Jan 29, 2011

Tancredi rated it

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Shelves: fantasy, storico, statunitensi

"Niente è reale, tutto è lecito."

Non primo e non ultimo caso di trasposizione in narrativa di un videogioco, Rinascimento è certamente uno dei più brillanti e riusciti.
Dietro lo pseudonimo Oliver Bowden si nasconde un ignoto docente universitario di storia, e non poteva essere altrimenti per un videogioco storico così ricco e ben curato che si è servito di un team di esperti in materia. Da solo l'autore riesce nei suoi compiti: trasportare in forma di romanzo tutta la storia...more"Niente è reale, tutto è lecito."

Non primo e non ultimo caso di trasposizione in narrativa di un videogioco, Rinascimento è certamente uno dei più brillanti e riusciti.
Dietro lo pseudonimo Oliver Bowden si nasconde un ignoto docente universitario di storia, e non poteva essere altrimenti per un videogioco storico così ricco e ben curato che si è servito di un team di esperti in materia. Da solo l'autore riesce nei suoi compiti: trasportare in forma di romanzo tutta la storia del videogioco, aggiungervi qualcosa di originale, e soprattutto dipingere uno sfondo storico credibile e verosimile. La sfida è vinta pienamente, la bravura dell'autore si avverte già nei primi passaggi, con delle belle pennellate capaci di ricostruire la società, i costumi ed i luoghi dell'Italia rinascimentale, dalla Firenze dei Medici a Venezia. Ottima è anche la caratterizzazione dei personaggi: lungi dall'indugiare in un'approfondita introspezione che avrebbe appesantito l'intreccio (un intreccio che rimane comunque concepito per un videogioco), con poche parole e pochi gesti riesce a creare un ritratto verosimile ed affatto superficiale per ogni personaggio coinvolto. Non viene meno nemmeno con i personaggi storici: Leonardo Da Vinci, Lorenzo de' Medici, Rodrigo Borgia, Niccolò Machiavelli appaiono vivi e realistici quanto mai.
Quanto alla trama, il merito va per lo più ai creatori del gioco: Bowden ha ripreso fedelmente tutte le scene del gioco, forse anche un po' troppo (è identico persino il finale prettamente fantastico, che forse stona un po' con un romanzo interamente storico). Per tre quarti del romanzo insomma si ha una esatta riproposizione del videogioco; tuttavia, è nell'ultima parte che l'autore ritaglia uno spazio per sé, occupando un lasso di tempo saltato dal videogioco. Una scelta azzeccata: i capitoli per così dire "inediti" gli danno l'opportunità di approfondire lo sviluppo del protagonista e di inserire altri personaggi, come il frate Savonarola, riuscendo a mantenere intatto il puzzle degli eventi storici.
In definitiva, chi ha giocato ad Assassin's creed ritroverà le stesse atmosfere del gioco e qualcosa in più; chi invece si accinge alla lettura senza conoscere il gioco originale, potrà godersi un ottimo romanzo storico arricchito di qualche elemento fantastico.(less)

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Aug 27, 2011

Kelsey Jacobs rated it

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I would not normally read a novel based on a video game, because if the video game is worth playing, it should have a good story within it anyway.

Also, this novel is based on Assassin's Creed II, and I have only played most of the first one, and a few parts of Brotherhood. Something I abhor is reading a book in a series out of numerical order.

So with all that said, I enjoyed this for what it was. It certainly could have been worse. The writing was serviceable, and there w...more

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Sep 21, 2011

Scott Vout rated it

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Shelves: books-of-2011

Not sure why i stayed with this one to the end. Probably because i did not finish the video game.

If you played the video game you have read the book as it is basically a guided tour of the game.

Not sure what i was expecting here but what i got was the usual good vs evil with this incarnation of good winning.

A bit of a weak ending in my opinion as we are presented with what appeared to me to be space/time travellers explaining how the world got to this point an...more

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Feb 20, 2010

Candace rated it

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Shelves: historical-fiction, video-games

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Exactly it looks like -- that is, a trashy novel adaptation of the PS3/360/PC game, Assassin's Creed II. But a friend gave me it for free, and I'm such a fan of the games I couldn't pass up reading it.

The book, much like the game, follows Ezio's life from seventeen, but the end is slightly changed, so it finishes when he's forty-four rather than forty. The framing narrative of Desmond in the modern day going back and reliving his ancestor's memories is completely absent here; it's al...moreExactly it looks like -- that is, a trashy novel adaptation of the PS3/360/PC game, Assassin's Creed II. But a friend gave me it for free, and I'm such a fan of the games I couldn't pass up reading it.

The book, much like the game, follows Ezio's life from seventeen, but the end is slightly changed, so it finishes when he's forty-four rather than forty. The framing narrative of Desmond in the modern day going back and reliving his ancestor's memories is completely absent here; it's all Ezio's POV. It works... for the most part.

Much of the dialogue and events are lifted directly from the game, which is both a good and a bad thing. The author takes his own liberties and tries to change things to better fit the novel format, but sometimes it is awkward, incorrect or outright out of character. He insists Mario Auditore's villa is actually a castle (?), or that Ezio's eyes are 'cold blue-grey', when they're very clearly brown in the game. Maybe brown wasn't badass cold, calculating assassin enough for him, I don't know. But Ezio isn't a cold, calculating assassin, most of the time. He's angry, he almost enjoys killing, he shows off, makes it look messy and flashy. The author would have been better at writing cold, clinical Altaïr, because when he wasn't lifting game dialogue directly, Ezio lost a lot of his charm, for me.

There were other little things that bothered me, too, like Ezio basically dumping his mother and sister at a convent after they fled Florence. What the hell? His father and brothers were just killed by a close family friend and Ezio would just go and leave them? And Ezio's apparent obsession with Cristina, when he all but seems to forget about her in game. After twenty or so years, you... would have thought he'd gotten over her, especially with Rosa and such, but nope, the author seemed intent on forcing twu wuv on the manwhore assassin. Riiight.

Gratuitous Italian is used, just like in the game, except this time there aren't any subtitles, so you have to flip to the back of the book to find the glossary. Ruined the flow a lot, for me. The author also seemed to hate the word 'said' with a passion, used a thesaurus just as gratuitously as an Italian dictionary, and loved huge run-on sentences, like such: From the roof of the citadel, he could see that the courtyard was deserted, leapt down to the top of its colonnade, and dropped down to the ground. Which had me going 'bzuh?!' every time. It could have easily been two sentences!

I could go on and on about all the faults, but we'd be here all day, and it wasn't like I was expecting much anyway. It was decent, and there were one or two added scenes that were nice, like Ezio giving his family a proper funeral. But the 'sorry Ezio, you're just a plot device to move the series forward' ending the game had was here unsatisfying and nonsensical without Desmond. At least we're left feeling as bewildered as Ezio, I guess?(less)

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Jul 26, 2011

Sabrina rated it

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I was pleasantly surprised upon reading 'Assassin's Creed'. For a book to encompass every aspect of the game would be impossible - there are optional missions such as the Assassins' tombs and the glyphs that were more a part of Desmond Miles' story than Ezio's - so it obviously just tells the main story.

Oliver Bowden makes everything authentic, from the history surrounding both real Italy and the fictional parts (thieves, courtesans and mercenary factions for instance), to use of It...more

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Sep 15, 2011

Edina Jambor rated it

· review of another edition

I came across this book at Heathrow Airport when I was flying back to the United States. I was already familiar with the game but since the first did not have subtitles - at least not on xbox -, I decided to buy it and read it. It is not a classic work, to say the least, but it is an enjoyable retelling of the game. The plot was not surprising at all but it gave some additional insight and it roused my interest in the actual historical facts behind the fiction. Most of them are quite correct, wh...more

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Mar 01, 2010

João rated it

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I played the game and I enjoyed the story a lot so I decided to get the book hoping it would have more juice to the story. It didn't. It's mostly equal to the game with some minor changes and one or two details that don't really add much.

Since my native language is portuguese the words in italian didn't break the flow for me and were a really nice addition, I liked it the same way I liked it in the game (I played through the game all in italian because it added to the experience).
...more

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Mar 02, 2010

Kati rated it

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Shelves: het, 2010, in-english, fantasy, work-translations

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Sep 26, 2010

Michelle added it · review of another edition

I am not much of a gamer, but when I saw my friend playing this game one night,I loved the storyline so much, I really wanted to play it. The next day I was walking by some books, and saw an actual book based off of the game. I was so thrilled, not only was I going to get a more in depth storyline than some game, but it was going to be about $100 cheaper considering I would have had to buy an Xbox just to play the game. This book is very great, and my heart was attatched to the main character al...more

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Jun 04, 2011

Lisa Mills rated it

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Recommends it for: yes

I am not a game player (have only watched the game being played) but an avid reader and I must say that I actually really enjoyed this book, quite humourous and very entertaining. I didn't have the knowledge of the game to compare it too, so it was a good read for me and I don't feel that there is anything lost in it.

I was very grateful for the translations at the back of the book and the 'family tree' it added to the enjoyment of the book, as i did tend to get lost in the many char...more

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Jul 01, 2011

Moira rated it

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U knihy je hodně patrné, že je to napsané podle počítačové hry a místy mě to dost vyrušovalo. Výtku mám i k postavě samotné - pravda, propracované, ale takové - ploché. Nedokázala jsem se do ní vžít. A moc mi ani nesedlo, že jsem v jedné knize prožila přes třicet let a v ubíhajících letech jsem se orientovala jen díky letmým zmínkám. Pamatuju, jaké bylo mé překvapení, když jsem zjístila, že náhle čtu o třicátníkovi a ne devatenáctiletém mladíkovi. :P Přesto má kniha děj a originální zápletku, ta...more

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Nov 22, 2011

Rajat Saigal rated it

· review of another edition

I had not completed the game, so I decided to pick up this book and refresh my memory on the story.
I had thought that it would be like general video game books, all action, no story.
I was totally wrong.I would recommend this book to Non-Video gamers as well as Oliver Bowden has given Ezio life in a way that the video game was not able to.
The video game was fairly mixed up from us jumping from the 15th century to 2012. The book has left Desmond's story altogether which I think w...more

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Dec 15, 2011

Melanie rated it

· review of another edition

The is the second Assassin's Creed book I've read, and while the writing in this one was somewhat better than Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade, I think the story somehow managed to be worse. There were ridiculous plot holes and plot devices, and Bowden has to rely on saying how long has passed to portray the passage of time. On numerous occasions I would think it was a matter of months since x, then someone would go "I haven't seen you for six years!" and I'd just be completely con...more

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Jan 26, 2012

Justin Sylvia rated it

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Considering that i own and have rarely played any of the Assassin's Creed books, i knew very little about the story line, the characters, or anything like that. Once i started to read this book & once i started to get into it and be intrigued by what was going on thoroughly became entrenched if you will into this book. I don't necessarily think that you have to be a fan or even a gamer who plays this game in order to read it. It does in my opinion have a good story line between this clan of Assa...more

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Sep 24, 2011

Adam Bourke rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

In these days of computer gaming, more and more books are being based on the computer games we can buy. I even saw an animated cartoon of Pacman the other day, in full HD on a 3DTV. Some of these books are quite good (See Force Unleashed II), and some of them are poor. Unfortunately, This is one of the latter.

I don't normally explain the plot in my reviews, but in this case it's a major point I need to make. For those of you who aren't really into computer games - or just haven't heard...moreIn these days of computer gaming, more and more books are being based on the computer games we can buy. I even saw an animated cartoon of Pacman the other day, in full HD on a 3DTV. Some of these books are quite good (See Force Unleashed II), and some of them are poor. Unfortunately, This is one of the latter.

I don't normally explain the plot in my reviews, but in this case it's a major point I need to make. For those of you who aren't really into computer games - or just haven't heard of this particular one - Assassin's Creed II is part of a franchise where you play a character called Desmond. As Desmond, you enter a machine that allows you to relive your ancestors memories - in the hope that you will learn something that will help you in the battle between Assassins and Templars in the modern day. So far in the franchise there have been two Ancestors introduced, and the one this game, and Book, focuses on is an Assassin called Ezio. It's a really good game - and a very popular one.

Then there's the book. It decides to completely ignore the story about Desmond, the modern day character. Instead it focuses solely on Ezio's Story. Which is fair enough, Ezio's story still existed long before Desmond was born. However, at the very climax of the game, there is an event which only makes sense if you know about the modern day. In fact, it makes little sense then, but in the book - it makes no sense whatsoever. So the reward for reading through the book? Confusion. No good climax. Just a letdown. Unless you know what it means from the game, but then you know the story anyway.

And then there's the work in actually reading the book itself. It's not an easy task. It starts off well, the first page was good enough to make me buy the book. Then the writing gets quite simple, except when switches, apparently randomly, into Italian for just a few words. and not words that I'm likely to know. Some people may recognise "Case, Dulce Case" as "Home, Sweet Home", but what's a grullo? and why does it occur in a book written in English? There is a glossary, at the back, but I did see a couple of terms that weren't in there, and even still, looking them up breaks the flow of the story. It's as if the book has been translated from Italian, but by a translator who couldn't be bothered to do the whole thing. And it's really annoying.

And finally there is the characters. Now I had knowledge of the game's characters before I read this, so this might be in comparison rather than in general, but I didn't find anyone to be really developed well. Ezio a little, but other characters not at all. This is especially true of Rodrigo Borgia, the Spaniard who became Pope Alexander VI. He just seems one-dimensional. Even as Ezio is walking away from his corpse. Which is a shame, as he is characterised so well in both the game, and the TV show "The Borgias", although as very different people.

In conclusion, I can only say negative things about this book. Being a lover of the games, I had thought it would be good. But it's not. I'll never re-read this book, and I can't recommend it to anyone. Maybe the other two books already published are better (this was the first to be published), but I would suggest you give this one a miss. Unless you understand Italian, and like a challenge. (less)

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May 21, 2011

Andy Parkes rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-reading

Originally posted on: http://andyparkes.co.uk/blog/index.php/2...

I’m really into Assassins Creed at the moment. Having ignored the first game I got the second one as gift for my birthday and I was engrossed with it so when I saw this book I grabbed a copy.

The story follows the events of Assassins Creed 2 so I waited until I’d worked through the game before reading it.

A big part of the game is that there are lots of side missions and other things to do as well...more

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May 06, 2011

Anzu ZombieHazard rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: misc, hottest-dudes, fat-kitty-judges-you, fantasy, my-reviews

Oh yes, after reading that description you surely are drooling over this book. Well hold yer spit 'n lend me yer eyes 'cause thar are a some problems here (God, I love pirate talk!). One - a simple question. Did you play the game? If you didn’t know: yes this is a game, but not just any game. This game is a masterpiece, probably my favorite so far. Ok, so if you didn’t know this then shame on you. If you didn’t play the game then I say drop the idea of buying and reading this book. If you want t...moreOh yes, after reading that description you surely are drooling over this book. Well hold yer spit 'n lend me yer eyes 'cause thar are a some problems here (God, I love pirate talk!). One - a simple question. Did you play the game? If you didn’t know: yes this is a game, but not just any game. This game is a masterpiece, probably my favorite so far. Ok, so if you didn’t know this then shame on you. If you didn’t play the game then I say drop the idea of buying and reading this book. If you want to buy it just to have something pretty to look at then go ahead. The cover is amazing, as all the artwork for this game is. Two. If you are a gamer and you played it… well, no difference there, is it? The book follows the game pattern maybe too closely for my taste. It was great that at some points I was comparing the way the assassinations were done in the book to the strategies I used in the game. This went on for what? A quarter or half of the book but eventually I got bored. I thought I’d love it because, let’s face it, so many great characters appear in the story. We have Ezio, Leonardo, Machiavelli, La Volpe, Mario and many more. Eventually even these characters couldn’t keep me from falling asleep while reading it. Some details were cool, stuff that I didn’t notice in the game but I still find the story chaotic. I feel that the events don’t stick together too well. Towards the end of the story we have a scene (no spoilers, don’t worry) where *blank* looks at *someone*. Those who played the game know it’s Desmond. So we have a hint that he should have been in the book too. But I don’t know where because I couldn’t trace him. I think it would have been cooler if the author integrated the Animus in the story somehow. Maybe it would have given the book a bit of spice. I am really disappointed because I was expecting something more of this. I feel bad that I won’t be giving it such a high score…

Aaanyways, I’ll add a part that I really enjoyed. This is one of the reasons why I love this game so much.

‘People of Florence! Come! Gather round. Listen well to what I say! The end approaches! Now is the time to repent! To beg God’s forgiveness. Listen to me, if you cannot see what is happening for yourselves. The signs are all around us: Unrest! Famine! Disease! Corruption! These are the harbingers of darkness! We must stand firm in our devotion lest they consume us all !’ He scanned them with his fiery eyes. ‘I see you doubt, that you think me mad. Ahhhh… but did the Romans not say the same of Jesus? Know that I, too, once shared your uncertainty, your fear. But that was before Savonarola came to me. He showed me the truth! At last, my eyes were opened. And so I stand before you today in the hope that I might open yours as well!’ The preacher paused for breath. ‘Understand that we stand upon a precipice. On one side, the shining, glorious Kingdom of God. On the other – a bottomless pit of despair! Already you teeter precariously on the edge. Men like the Medici and the other families you once called masters sought earthly goods and gain. The abandoned their beliefs in favor of material pleasures, and they would have seen you all do the same.’ He paused again, this time for effect, and continued: ‘Our wise prophet once said, “The only good thing that we owe Plato and Aristotle is that they brought forward many arguments which we can use against the heretics. Yet they and other philosophers are now in hell.” If you value your immortal souls you’ll turn back from this unholy course and embrace the teachings of our prophet, Savonarola. Then you will sanctify your bodies and spirits – you will discover the Glory of God! You will, at last, become what our Creator intended: loyal and obedient servants!’
But the crowd, already thinning out, was losing interest, and the last few people were now moving away. Ezio stepped forward and addressed the beguiled preacher. ‘Your mind,’ he said. ‘I sense it is your own.’
The preacher laughed. ‘Not all of us required persuasion or coercion to be convinced. I already believed. All I have said is true!’
‘Nothing is true,’ replied Ezio. ‘And what I do now is no easy thing.’ He unsprung his wrist-blade and ran the preacher through. ‘Requiescat in pace,’ he said. Turning away from the kill, he pulled his cowl close over his head.

Two and a half stars for this...(less)

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Jun 29, 2011

Fuglsang rated it

· review of another edition

Sweet, sweet obsessions. They make you play PS3 for six hours straight and then go to bed, dreaming of hidden blades and assassins... and they make you seek out every little thing you can find of the thing you're obsessed with. Thus, I came across Oliver Bowden's books based on the incredibly awesome Assassin's Creed games. Though I can say I'm not very thrilled, I'm certainly not disappointed, either.

Bowden has breathed new life into the characters of the game, and the game is what ...more

· see review

Feb 14, 2011

Mical rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This book was sort of a gimme for me, as I deeply enjoy the game series and, having played them, had a pretty fair idea of what the novel would be about and where the plot would be heading, etc.
Oliver Bowden gives us a fairly straight-forward account of the video game, owing for a more realistic viewpoint of time and training that is simply glossed over in the game due to the fact that your average gamer geek simply doesn't care how much time has passed (unless it's relevant to the actual...more

· see review

Aug 20, 2011

Brandy rated it

· review of another edition

Mare mia que chorrada de libro. Para el que no haya jugado al videojuego quizás lo vea como una novela de aventuras tirando a mala, porque ni descripciones ni ná..Ezio hace esto, Ezio hace lo otro...
Y para los que como yo nos hemos pegado tardes enteras pegadas al televisor con el videojuego, es el guión, tal cual, del mismo. Eso si, sin la trama del siglo XXI.
Vamos, que lo he leído por saber si meterían la "parida final" (asi ha sido) y decididamente paso de leer nada más de...more

· see review

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About Oliver Bowden

Oliver Bowden is the pen-name of an acclaimed novelist and renaissance historian who currently lives in Paris.

Series contributed to:
* Assassin's Creed

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“Self expression is a vital part of understanding life, and enjoying it to the full.” — 8 people liked it

“Seré tu guía, Ezio. Pero antes debes aprender a abrir tu mente, y a recordar siempre lo siguiente: nada es verdad. Todo está permitido.” — 6 people liked it

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