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Dragon Age #2
Dragon Age: The Calling
The thrilling prequel to Dragon Age: Origins, the hit role-playing video game from award-winning developer BioWare! After two hundred years in exile, King Maric has allowed the legendary Grey Wardens to finally return to Ferelden. But they bring with them dire news: one of their own has escaped into the Deep Roads and aligned himself with their ancient enemy, the monstrous darkspawn... The Grey Wardens need Maric's help and he reluctantly agrees to lead them into the passages he travelled through many years before, chasing after a deadly secret that threatens to destroy not only the Grey Wardens but also the kingdom above.
305 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
374 people are currently reading
5164 people want to read
About the author
David Gaider
38 books651 followersDavid 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 475 reviews
September 10, 2023
The life of a Grey Warden.
The secret location of the sleeping Archdemons is at risk of being discovered when Bregan, the supreme commander of the Grey Wardens, is captured by the Darkspawn, in the Deep Roads.
Ferelden free from the occupation of Orlais, the now King Maric Theirin finds himself mixed up in a new adventure, when he departs with a group of Grey Wardens to the rescue of the commander of the Grey Order, in a desperate race against time, before a new Blight is unleashed to the ruin of the whole kingdom of Thedas
A novel that works as a sequel to “The Stolen Throne” and prequel to the events of Dragon Age 1: Origins, where we get to know a bit more deeply some characters of the game, like Maric, Duncan and Loghain. And some of the enemies, like The Architect. There’s a fleeting moment with Fiona that explains the origins of Alistair. This novel is basically focused to what it means to dedicate your life as one of the Grey Wardens. Interesting and entertaining from time to time, but far from being memorable or recommendable, and least of all to someone not a fan of Dragon Age.
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[2009] [444p] [Fantasy] [2.5] [Not Recommendable]
-----------------------------------------------
★★★☆☆ 1. The Stolen Throne [2.5]
★★★☆☆ 2. The Calling [2.5]
★★★☆☆ 3. Asunder
★★★☆☆ 4. The Masked Empire [2.5]
★★★☆☆ 5. Last Flight [2.5]
-----------------------------------------------
La vida de un Guardia Gris.
La secreta ubicación de todos los durmientes Archidemonios corre el peligro de quedar al descubierto cuando Bregan, el comandante supremo de los Guardias grises, es capturado por engendros tenebrosos, en las profundidades de la tierra.
Ferelden libre de la ocupación de Orlais, el ahora Rey Maric Theirin se ve envuelto en otra nueva aventura, cuando parte junto a un grupo de Guardias grises al rescate del comandante de la Orden Gris, en una desesperada carrera contra el tiempo, antes que se desate una nueva Ruina que destruya todo el reino de Thedas.
Una novela que funciona como secuela de “The Stolen Throne” y precuela a los eventos de Dragon Age 1: Origins, donde se conoce un poco más profundamente a algunos de los personajes del juego, como el Maric, Duncan y Loghain. Y algunos de los enemigos, como el Arquitecto. Hay un momento fugaz con Fiona que explica los orígenes de Alistair. Esta novela básicamente se centra en lo que significa dedicar tu vida como uno de los Guardias Grises. Interesante y entretenido de a ratos, pero lejos de ser memorable o recomendable, y menos para alguien que no sea fan de Dragon Age.
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[2009] [444p] [Fantasía] [2.5] [No Recomendable]
-----------------------------------------------
The secret location of the sleeping Archdemons is at risk of being discovered when Bregan, the supreme commander of the Grey Wardens, is captured by the Darkspawn, in the Deep Roads.
Ferelden free from the occupation of Orlais, the now King Maric Theirin finds himself mixed up in a new adventure, when he departs with a group of Grey Wardens to the rescue of the commander of the Grey Order, in a desperate race against time, before a new Blight is unleashed to the ruin of the whole kingdom of Thedas
A novel that works as a sequel to “The Stolen Throne” and prequel to the events of Dragon Age 1: Origins, where we get to know a bit more deeply some characters of the game, like Maric, Duncan and Loghain. And some of the enemies, like The Architect. There’s a fleeting moment with Fiona that explains the origins of Alistair. This novel is basically focused to what it means to dedicate your life as one of the Grey Wardens. Interesting and entertaining from time to time, but far from being memorable or recommendable, and least of all to someone not a fan of Dragon Age.
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[2009] [444p] [Fantasy] [2.5] [Not Recommendable]
-----------------------------------------------
★★★☆☆ 1. The Stolen Throne [2.5]
★★★☆☆ 2. The Calling [2.5]
★★★☆☆ 3. Asunder
★★★☆☆ 4. The Masked Empire [2.5]
★★★☆☆ 5. Last Flight [2.5]
-----------------------------------------------
La vida de un Guardia Gris.
La secreta ubicación de todos los durmientes Archidemonios corre el peligro de quedar al descubierto cuando Bregan, el comandante supremo de los Guardias grises, es capturado por engendros tenebrosos, en las profundidades de la tierra.
Ferelden libre de la ocupación de Orlais, el ahora Rey Maric Theirin se ve envuelto en otra nueva aventura, cuando parte junto a un grupo de Guardias grises al rescate del comandante de la Orden Gris, en una desesperada carrera contra el tiempo, antes que se desate una nueva Ruina que destruya todo el reino de Thedas.
Una novela que funciona como secuela de “The Stolen Throne” y precuela a los eventos de Dragon Age 1: Origins, donde se conoce un poco más profundamente a algunos de los personajes del juego, como el Maric, Duncan y Loghain. Y algunos de los enemigos, como el Arquitecto. Hay un momento fugaz con Fiona que explica los orígenes de Alistair. Esta novela básicamente se centra en lo que significa dedicar tu vida como uno de los Guardias Grises. Interesante y entretenido de a ratos, pero lejos de ser memorable o recomendable, y menos para alguien que no sea fan de Dragon Age.
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[2009] [444p] [Fantasía] [2.5] [No Recomendable]
-----------------------------------------------
March 12, 2017
The Dragon Age series is one of my favourite video game franchises (second only to the Elder Scrolls.) Playing immersive role playing games like this is what drew me to epic fantasy fiction in the first place, and eventually into a love of all things literature. So for me this is a rather special world to dive into.
Centre to it all are the Grey Wardens, and when they reach a certain age they are driven mad by the corruption that infests their blood. The corruption is their greatest weapon and, ultimately, their doom. In order to prevent such madness, the aged members of the order throw themselves at their ancient enemy (the darkspawn) and perish in one last glorious battle. They die with a sword in their hand and retain their dignity; it’s a sacrifice they must pay.
“Join us brothers and sisters.
Join us in the shadows where we stand vigilant.
Join us as we carry the duty that cannot be forsworn.
And should you perish, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten.
And that one day we shall join you.” ―Words spoken at the Joining
This is the end that awaits them all; however, this time round one of the Wardens has been captured by the darkness. Instead of being slain by his ancient foe, they have captured him for reasons unknown. To put this into perspective, it’s like a cave troll from the Lord of the Rings inviting you round for tea and biscuits: it just doesn’t happen! The other Grey Wardens sense that their comrade is still alive, and they have to find him. He should be dead. The narrative drive was monumental because of this. I, too, wanted to know why such an oddity would occur. The darkspawn are evil and merciless; they do not take prisoners: they only ever kill.
The Warden’s name is Bregan, and his sister is now looking into his capture. She speaks to the king for aid and, to her surprise, he recklessly decides to join her on her quest. He decides to join her on her exhibition into the heart of darkness. King Maric has been there before, and only he can open the dwarven gates to the ancient crossroads in which the darkspawn reside. But why would he agree to do such a thing? His actions appear heroic and even altruistic. But in reality he just wants to escape. He never wanted to be king, and this is his chance to live a little. He resents his duties. Like the Wardens, he has made many personal sacrifices in the name of duty.
What unfolds is a dark and gory story, one that is also redemptive and morally debatable. The deeds of the characters were not what you would strictly term as morale, but they had the wider view of things to consider. This is certainly required reading for fans of the game. We learn more of the new threat in the deeproads (it’s a prequel to Awakenings) and we all learn more about Duncan, the late commander of the Wardens. It’s revealing stuff, a great dark fantasy adventure. You don’t necessarily need to have played the games to enjoy this either.
Highly recommended for lovers of dark fantasy
Centre to it all are the Grey Wardens, and when they reach a certain age they are driven mad by the corruption that infests their blood. The corruption is their greatest weapon and, ultimately, their doom. In order to prevent such madness, the aged members of the order throw themselves at their ancient enemy (the darkspawn) and perish in one last glorious battle. They die with a sword in their hand and retain their dignity; it’s a sacrifice they must pay.
“Join us brothers and sisters.
Join us in the shadows where we stand vigilant.
Join us as we carry the duty that cannot be forsworn.
And should you perish, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten.
And that one day we shall join you.” ―Words spoken at the Joining
This is the end that awaits them all; however, this time round one of the Wardens has been captured by the darkness. Instead of being slain by his ancient foe, they have captured him for reasons unknown. To put this into perspective, it’s like a cave troll from the Lord of the Rings inviting you round for tea and biscuits: it just doesn’t happen! The other Grey Wardens sense that their comrade is still alive, and they have to find him. He should be dead. The narrative drive was monumental because of this. I, too, wanted to know why such an oddity would occur. The darkspawn are evil and merciless; they do not take prisoners: they only ever kill.
The Warden’s name is Bregan, and his sister is now looking into his capture. She speaks to the king for aid and, to her surprise, he recklessly decides to join her on her quest. He decides to join her on her exhibition into the heart of darkness. King Maric has been there before, and only he can open the dwarven gates to the ancient crossroads in which the darkspawn reside. But why would he agree to do such a thing? His actions appear heroic and even altruistic. But in reality he just wants to escape. He never wanted to be king, and this is his chance to live a little. He resents his duties. Like the Wardens, he has made many personal sacrifices in the name of duty.
What unfolds is a dark and gory story, one that is also redemptive and morally debatable. The deeds of the characters were not what you would strictly term as morale, but they had the wider view of things to consider. This is certainly required reading for fans of the game. We learn more of the new threat in the deeproads (it’s a prequel to Awakenings) and we all learn more about Duncan, the late commander of the Wardens. It’s revealing stuff, a great dark fantasy adventure. You don’t necessarily need to have played the games to enjoy this either.
Highly recommended for lovers of dark fantasy
May 22, 2016
Here lies the abyss, the well of all souls.
From these emerald waters doth life begin anew.
Come to me, child, and I shall embrace you.
In my arms lies Eternity.
-Andraste 14:11
Maric Theirin has sat on the throne of Ferelden for years since defeating the Orlesian conquest. But a new danger threatens from far below the ground, and dangerous secrets lie hidden in the Deep Roads…
Where The Stolen Throne fleshes out the backstory of Ferelden and its heroes, The Calling digs deeper (literally) into the mysteries of the darkspawn, the Grey Wardens and Blights. This provides a wonderful opportunity to present a fabulous journey through the dwarven-created, horror-infested, half-ruined veins through the world below Thedas known as the Deep Roads, without question one of the most interesting settings in modern fantasy, let alone in Dragon Age.
The book is very similar to an expanded version of what the avid Dragon Age journeyman gets to see in the dwarven storyline of Origins. But it also has a lot more to offer. Maric, for instance. And his relationship with a very important character in both later books and in Inquisition. Beautifully described scenery. And full verses from the Chant of Light.
The Calling is arguably the weakest of the Dragon Age books written by David Gaider. But that doesn’t really say much.
From these emerald waters doth life begin anew.
Come to me, child, and I shall embrace you.
In my arms lies Eternity.
-Andraste 14:11
Maric Theirin has sat on the throne of Ferelden for years since defeating the Orlesian conquest. But a new danger threatens from far below the ground, and dangerous secrets lie hidden in the Deep Roads…
Where The Stolen Throne fleshes out the backstory of Ferelden and its heroes, The Calling digs deeper (literally) into the mysteries of the darkspawn, the Grey Wardens and Blights. This provides a wonderful opportunity to present a fabulous journey through the dwarven-created, horror-infested, half-ruined veins through the world below Thedas known as the Deep Roads, without question one of the most interesting settings in modern fantasy, let alone in Dragon Age.
The book is very similar to an expanded version of what the avid Dragon Age journeyman gets to see in the dwarven storyline of Origins. But it also has a lot more to offer. Maric, for instance. And his relationship with a very important character in both later books and in Inquisition. Beautifully described scenery. And full verses from the Chant of Light.
The Calling is arguably the weakest of the Dragon Age books written by David Gaider. But that doesn’t really say much.
November 9, 2016
In Dragon Age: Origins, we got to spend precious little time with Duncan, and I don't know about you, but I never really grew attached to him for that very same reason.
In "The Calling", we get to know the (tragic) story of Duncan's life, and witness what he was like before becoming the famous Warden-Commander.
Then there is Alistair. Have you ever wondered at how he truly came into existence and what his father's relationship to his mother was like?
"The Calling" answers these questions.
The book closely relates to Dragon Age Awakening by introducing the Architect, a self-aware, talking and highly intelligent darkspawn, and focuses on Maric and Duncan, who venture into the Deep Roads to find a missing Grey Warden.
While the Wardens hardly played a role in The Stolen Throne, this book is theirs.
Even though the plot had its weaknesses here and there, the character backstories were fantastic and thus I highly recommend this book to fans of the Dragon Age universe.
This was a buddy read with Sorina at Buddies Books and Baubles
In "The Calling", we get to know the (tragic) story of Duncan's life, and witness what he was like before becoming the famous Warden-Commander.
Then there is Alistair. Have you ever wondered at how he truly came into existence and what his father's relationship to his mother was like?
"The Calling" answers these questions.
The book closely relates to Dragon Age Awakening by introducing the Architect, a self-aware, talking and highly intelligent darkspawn, and focuses on Maric and Duncan, who venture into the Deep Roads to find a missing Grey Warden.
While the Wardens hardly played a role in The Stolen Throne, this book is theirs.
Even though the plot had its weaknesses here and there, the character backstories were fantastic and thus I highly recommend this book to fans of the Dragon Age universe.
This was a buddy read with Sorina at Buddies Books and Baubles
March 23, 2016
Edging dangerously close to 2.5, in spite of Gaider's creaky prose, which is admittedly better here than in the other one. But hey, the token hot elf wasn't so keen on martyring herself for plot purposes. Yay, for not stuffing Fiona in a refrigerator next to Katriel.
Still, Gaider should probably just stick to game dialogue and internet bon mots.
Still, Gaider should probably just stick to game dialogue and internet bon mots.
September 17, 2011
You know, after loving the game Dragon Age:Origins, as well as Gaider's first novel, "The Stolen Throne", I wanted to like this book far more than I actually did. Don't get me wrong, there are some good things at work here: exciting fight scenes, some good humor, and a fine cast of great characters, but where "The Calling" fails is the usual attempting to do too much and accomplishing too little.
Gaider presents us with an in-depth look into the Grey Wardens--the not-so-merry band of heroes who sacrifice their own happiness to protect the world from the diseased and corrupt Darkspawn. The book goes into great detail as to what it means to be a Grey Warden, what they must give up, and the horrors of what they face. Seems great, right? But unfortunately the narrative is too dense and the pacing too slow to really sink your teeth in.
Gaider presents us with a great cast of characters, however he simply tries too hard to make people care about them. Under the constrictions of piling them all into a single adventure, readers don't really get a chance to take their time and like them on their own accord. Everyone is given ample back story and dialogue, but the need to follow the threat and engage in battle just makes for a jarring narrative. I get the impression that Gaider wanted to write these people over the course of several books, but his busy schedule demanded otherwise. There is some great characterization, but it is just so much that it feels like he is handing you their cliff notes and shouting, "like them, like them!" Even the returning King Maric, who is one of my favorites, just seems forced and out of place in a story tackling what it means to be a Grey Warden.
Look, I am a fan of Gaider. I love his work at BioWare and "The Stolen Throne" is a great read. I am chalking this up to the same crazy, corporate schedule that made Dragon Age 2 a shadow of what it could have been. Hopefully, BioWare will give him some breathing room for the next Dragon Age novel so he can take his time and remind people that he has the skill to run with the Fantasy genre's elite.
Gaider presents us with an in-depth look into the Grey Wardens--the not-so-merry band of heroes who sacrifice their own happiness to protect the world from the diseased and corrupt Darkspawn. The book goes into great detail as to what it means to be a Grey Warden, what they must give up, and the horrors of what they face. Seems great, right? But unfortunately the narrative is too dense and the pacing too slow to really sink your teeth in.
Gaider presents us with a great cast of characters, however he simply tries too hard to make people care about them. Under the constrictions of piling them all into a single adventure, readers don't really get a chance to take their time and like them on their own accord. Everyone is given ample back story and dialogue, but the need to follow the threat and engage in battle just makes for a jarring narrative. I get the impression that Gaider wanted to write these people over the course of several books, but his busy schedule demanded otherwise. There is some great characterization, but it is just so much that it feels like he is handing you their cliff notes and shouting, "like them, like them!" Even the returning King Maric, who is one of my favorites, just seems forced and out of place in a story tackling what it means to be a Grey Warden.
Look, I am a fan of Gaider. I love his work at BioWare and "The Stolen Throne" is a great read. I am chalking this up to the same crazy, corporate schedule that made Dragon Age 2 a shadow of what it could have been. Hopefully, BioWare will give him some breathing room for the next Dragon Age novel so he can take his time and remind people that he has the skill to run with the Fantasy genre's elite.
June 27, 2011
I enjoyed The Stolen Throne but I absolutely loved this one! A group of Grey Wardens, once exiled from Ferelden, have returned to seek King Maric's assistance in locating a member of their order who is lost in the Deep Roads, the abandoned and Darkspawn infested former home of the great Dwarven kingdom. Maric, believing his intervention could prevent another Blight, agrees to help the Wardens.
A fresh recruit named Duncan is among the party that sets out for the Deep Roads. I liked Duncan in the game, but seeing him as a young man was absolutely delightful, as he's nothing like the stoic and duty-driven warrior we meet in Origins. He was an absolutely compelling character. I don't want to say much else and give anything away, but I thoroughly enjoyed learning about his life before the Wardens and his reason for joining. MOST of the others characters are almost as intriguing. Maric is still Maric, with his charm and humor, although also carrying some pretty heavy baggage since ascending to the throne. Kell is a hunter/archer accompanied by a hound named Hafter. A dwarf named Utha is a Silent Sister. She doesn't speak, and her fighting style is vaguely ninja-like. Fiona is an elven mage full of bitterness and suspicion, but still a friend to Duncan, who is an outcast among the Wardens for various reasons. Nicholas and Julien are two seasoned warriors who are very devoted to the cause and each other.
Genevieve is the Warden Commander, and she's searching for her brother Bregan. As all Wardens eventually must, he has come to the Deep Roads to die, taking as many of the enemy along as he can, before the Darkspawn taint destroys him. Genevieve is a hard woman, willing to sacrifice anyone or anything in the name of the mission. Her relationship with Duncan is especially interesting. As the party searches for Bregan, there is disagreement, in-fighting, and some tragic losses. The reader gets to see each Warden's life before and reasons behind joining the order. Some found it an escape, others a duty, and others were given little choice. There is an equally large variation in each party member's feelings toward the others in the group, though these feelings change as they find out more of each others' pasts and motivations. Once again, I felt the character development shined (mostly), especially in regards to Duncan, Genevieve, Maric, and Fiona. Julien and Nicholas also deserve a mention for a particularly moving scene.
That being said, Bregan's motivations remained a mystery to me. He seemed completely motivated by resentment, which I didn't understand fully. Utha also acts out of character toward the end. Even Genevieve's decisions near the conclusion kind of confused me. Also, I think the complex plot involving the Architect and his plans might be really perplexing to anyone who hasn't played the Awakening expansion pack. The setting of the Deep Roads got a bit tedious after a while, though I've spent countless hours in them in-game. For me, the fantastic characters of Duncan, Fiona and Maric, and their evolving opinions and relationships to each other really carried the story. Because of the delicate and subtle way they're handled, I can forgive some of the flaws, like the slightly convoluted plot and rushed ending. I'll certainly look forward to any future Dragon Age novels by David Gaider.
Oh and there's a real surprise at the end!
A fresh recruit named Duncan is among the party that sets out for the Deep Roads. I liked Duncan in the game, but seeing him as a young man was absolutely delightful, as he's nothing like the stoic and duty-driven warrior we meet in Origins. He was an absolutely compelling character. I don't want to say much else and give anything away, but I thoroughly enjoyed learning about his life before the Wardens and his reason for joining. MOST of the others characters are almost as intriguing. Maric is still Maric, with his charm and humor, although also carrying some pretty heavy baggage since ascending to the throne. Kell is a hunter/archer accompanied by a hound named Hafter. A dwarf named Utha is a Silent Sister. She doesn't speak, and her fighting style is vaguely ninja-like. Fiona is an elven mage full of bitterness and suspicion, but still a friend to Duncan, who is an outcast among the Wardens for various reasons. Nicholas and Julien are two seasoned warriors who are very devoted to the cause and each other.
Genevieve is the Warden Commander, and she's searching for her brother Bregan. As all Wardens eventually must, he has come to the Deep Roads to die, taking as many of the enemy along as he can, before the Darkspawn taint destroys him. Genevieve is a hard woman, willing to sacrifice anyone or anything in the name of the mission. Her relationship with Duncan is especially interesting. As the party searches for Bregan, there is disagreement, in-fighting, and some tragic losses. The reader gets to see each Warden's life before and reasons behind joining the order. Some found it an escape, others a duty, and others were given little choice. There is an equally large variation in each party member's feelings toward the others in the group, though these feelings change as they find out more of each others' pasts and motivations. Once again, I felt the character development shined (mostly), especially in regards to Duncan, Genevieve, Maric, and Fiona. Julien and Nicholas also deserve a mention for a particularly moving scene.
That being said, Bregan's motivations remained a mystery to me. He seemed completely motivated by resentment, which I didn't understand fully. Utha also acts out of character toward the end. Even Genevieve's decisions near the conclusion kind of confused me. Also, I think the complex plot involving the Architect and his plans might be really perplexing to anyone who hasn't played the Awakening expansion pack. The setting of the Deep Roads got a bit tedious after a while, though I've spent countless hours in them in-game. For me, the fantastic characters of Duncan, Fiona and Maric, and their evolving opinions and relationships to each other really carried the story. Because of the delicate and subtle way they're handled, I can forgive some of the flaws, like the slightly convoluted plot and rushed ending. I'll certainly look forward to any future Dragon Age novels by David Gaider.
Oh and there's a real surprise at the end!
August 21, 2019
Having played and enjoyed Dragon Age Origins I was intrigued by this book. While it is by no means a major work, in fact, I might have given it 2 stars had I not known the basics of the plot. This is certainly a book where the knowledge of the game helps.
A group of adventurers get together to venture into the Deep Roads on the hunt for a missing Grey Warden. Along the way the learn a lot about themselves and the reader gets a glimpse into the stories of the characters from the game. From King Maric to Duncan the Grey Warden and Loghain, the major players are here and you see what they were like before the events of the game. As the game focused on the Blight (when the Darkspawn rise out of the depths and attack humanity), this prequel shows us the starting events. From the interesting Architect to the reasoning behind the Grey Wardens there is much to consider.
Without knowledge of the game this becomes just a decent story. Not bad, but completely forgettable. Would I recommend this to someone with no knowledge of the game? No probably not. But if you do have experience with it-then I think you will enjoy this one.
A group of adventurers get together to venture into the Deep Roads on the hunt for a missing Grey Warden. Along the way the learn a lot about themselves and the reader gets a glimpse into the stories of the characters from the game. From King Maric to Duncan the Grey Warden and Loghain, the major players are here and you see what they were like before the events of the game. As the game focused on the Blight (when the Darkspawn rise out of the depths and attack humanity), this prequel shows us the starting events. From the interesting Architect to the reasoning behind the Grey Wardens there is much to consider.
Without knowledge of the game this becomes just a decent story. Not bad, but completely forgettable. Would I recommend this to someone with no knowledge of the game? No probably not. But if you do have experience with it-then I think you will enjoy this one.
August 8, 2017
Man, I went back and forth on this. On the one hand, its poorly-done tie-in genre fiction. It isn't going to be 5-star material. On the other hand, it is so much better than the first book.
The characters in this are far more complex than what we see in Stolen Throne. The action is more interesting (and only a small portion of the text). The Calling looks at more interesting places, organizations, and problems than Stolen Throne does.
But it is what it is. The prose is still simple and redundant. If you show me a character is injured, limping, and grimacing, you do not need to go further and tell me they are in pain. There were swaths of story that felt like filler (such as the Fade section).
The characters in this are far more complex than what we see in Stolen Throne. The action is more interesting (and only a small portion of the text). The Calling looks at more interesting places, organizations, and problems than Stolen Throne does.
But it is what it is. The prose is still simple and redundant. If you show me a character is injured, limping, and grimacing, you do not need to go further and tell me they are in pain. There were swaths of story that felt like filler (such as the Fade section).
February 14, 2023
I CANNOT BELIEVE HOW GOOD THIS WAS!!!!! ESPECIALLY COMPARED TO THE FIRST BOOK!!!!
May 17, 2015
While this novel was certainly an improvement from The Stolen Throne, many of the elements I found distasteful and obnoxious in the first book recur in Gaider's second DA novel. It amazes me how often Gaider repeats himself, frequently word for word, throughout the novel; his descriptions and evaluations are redundant, as if he and his editor were aiming for most words printed rather than most effective language. On one hand, the characters themselves were much more interesting, although they once again lack depth and I found most of their motives either unbelievable or conflicting to their own characterization. I believe I got farther along in this novel before growing completely bored (I had about 90 pages left when boredom settled in), but once again nothing much happened, at least not in a coherent way, in terms of plot or character development. In fact, it didn't seem like much happened even in regard to setting; certainly we're given more fight scenes and new enemies/threats for our characters to face, but it all feels rather hollow and shallow upon completion of the novel.
A few of my biggest frustrations:
Gaider works so hard to make it clear that the Grey Wardens don't like their Commander, and yet there's no evidence to explain why they choose to follow her anyway. Their motivations for following her commands and putting up with her icy personality seem only to go as far as "because she's the Commander so she gets to decide." Do they respect her, and why? It's clear to the reader that her Warden's find her distasteful, specifically for treating people like objects, tools be used and discarded, not as actual lives worth valuing. So, why do they follow her? What has she done despite her decisions to earn their trust, their loyalty? Outside of hefting a two-handed sword well, I didn't get a clear answer.
In addition, I found the moment in the novel when Maric and the Wardens get trapped in the Fade by a(it sounded like a pride) demon particularly tedious and lackluster. Firstly, it couldn't get any less interesting to read the same plot six times in a row with only character names and scenery changes. I think Gaider was hoping if the characters all witnessed the loss of each others' loved ones, maybe it would be enough to band them together and deepen our love for them as readers? Well, it failed. Fiona's nightmare had the most potential for engrossing the reader, but it was so predictable and simultaneously so shallow, I found myself caring for the characters less than I had before opening the book's cover. Secondly, this moment in the novel took so long and added absolutely nothing to the overall novel; it didn't contribute to or re-enforce characterization in a clever way (turned out to be quite shallow, obvious and at best, redundant), it didn't contribute to the setting of the novel (the experience was completely out of context and I imagine anyone new to the world of Thedas would have a "WTF, why" moment), nor did it contribute to the plot (it deviated from it in the most horribly way). Thirdly, if you've played Origins, this entire moment in the Fade exactly mirrors your character's own journey, only in far less interesting detail- wake up in the Fade, realize you're dreaming and that you don't like your dream enough to keep it, wander around other dreams to rescue your companions, fight the (sloth in the game, pride in the book) demon in order to escape.
I'll continue to read the rest of the Dragon Age novels not because I think they're well written or make any unique contributions to the fantasy genre, but because I enjoy the game so much and I'll take any hints I can find about how the lore in the game developed and where it may go in future games. Having read this book, I can say the only potentially shocking "secret truth" revealed was so poorly executed and vague, I'm not sure if it is actually true: Fiona the Grey Warden, First Enchanter of Montsimmarid, may or may not be Allistar's mother.
Don't bother reading this book, whether you like DA or not, and certainly if you enjoy fantasy and action novels - go read The Riddlemaster of Hed instead. Thank goodness I borrowed this novel.
A few of my biggest frustrations:
Gaider works so hard to make it clear that the Grey Wardens don't like their Commander, and yet there's no evidence to explain why they choose to follow her anyway. Their motivations for following her commands and putting up with her icy personality seem only to go as far as "because she's the Commander so she gets to decide." Do they respect her, and why? It's clear to the reader that her Warden's find her distasteful, specifically for treating people like objects, tools be used and discarded, not as actual lives worth valuing. So, why do they follow her? What has she done despite her decisions to earn their trust, their loyalty? Outside of hefting a two-handed sword well, I didn't get a clear answer.
In addition, I found the moment in the novel when Maric and the Wardens get trapped in the Fade by a(it sounded like a pride) demon particularly tedious and lackluster. Firstly, it couldn't get any less interesting to read the same plot six times in a row with only character names and scenery changes. I think Gaider was hoping if the characters all witnessed the loss of each others' loved ones, maybe it would be enough to band them together and deepen our love for them as readers? Well, it failed. Fiona's nightmare had the most potential for engrossing the reader, but it was so predictable and simultaneously so shallow, I found myself caring for the characters less than I had before opening the book's cover. Secondly, this moment in the novel took so long and added absolutely nothing to the overall novel; it didn't contribute to or re-enforce characterization in a clever way (turned out to be quite shallow, obvious and at best, redundant), it didn't contribute to the setting of the novel (the experience was completely out of context and I imagine anyone new to the world of Thedas would have a "WTF, why" moment), nor did it contribute to the plot (it deviated from it in the most horribly way). Thirdly, if you've played Origins, this entire moment in the Fade exactly mirrors your character's own journey, only in far less interesting detail- wake up in the Fade, realize you're dreaming and that you don't like your dream enough to keep it, wander around other dreams to rescue your companions, fight the (sloth in the game, pride in the book) demon in order to escape.
I'll continue to read the rest of the Dragon Age novels not because I think they're well written or make any unique contributions to the fantasy genre, but because I enjoy the game so much and I'll take any hints I can find about how the lore in the game developed and where it may go in future games. Having read this book, I can say the only potentially shocking "secret truth" revealed was so poorly executed and vague, I'm not sure if it is actually true: Fiona the Grey Warden, First Enchanter of Montsimmarid, may or may not be Allistar's mother.
Don't bother reading this book, whether you like DA or not, and certainly if you enjoy fantasy and action novels - go read The Riddlemaster of Hed instead. Thank goodness I borrowed this novel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2015
The second installment in the Dragon Age book series was a good read, but it wasn't spectacular or satisfying.
For me, it lacked a really important element to a book or story which was character development. Don't get me wrong, the few lead characters of the book had a decent backstory and element to them. But due to some of the other character's having bad development, I could tell that they were going to meet a untimely and bad fate. For some reason, it reminded me of playing Dragon Age Origins for the first time (which this book is prequel to), and having a party of NPCs at the beginning of the game that lacked or had little motive, ambition or emotion shown, making me point to the screen and go "He's gonna die, he's a bland NPC he has to!" And then they did about 3 hours later (I'm looking at you Daveth and Ser Jory).
Where these characters were lacking, the main characters Duncan, King Maric, Fiona and Genevieve were quite interesting. Each had a strong motive, although some characters you don't really find out much until you get about halfway or so through the book. A couple of the character arcs were explored by using the Fade as a way to see character's backstories, but for me it has been a little overused after playing all the games and reading this book, dammit. I must say I do prefer the Fade in the game way more than I do in this book. It just felt so rushed, whereas in the game, I could take my time and explore the mysterious Spirit World in wonder.
Some of the really interesting elements in the book involved The Architect. I should've expected it, as the book is called "The Calling", but alas I did not. I absolutely loved the follow up expansion to Dragon Age: Origins, Awakenings, it was just as good the base game in my opinion*, and to have The Architect in this book was an absolute delight.
All in all, "The Calling", was a good read, with reason being that I am a big Dragon Age fan. I would only recommend this book for fans of the series, and for people who have played both Origins and Awakenings, as the world and lore isn't explained to a massive extent in this book. People who haven't played the Dragon Age games will be so confused by this book, but I believe that is the whole point. Only fans will get a good kick out of this prequel, one which I enjoyed, but did not find mind boggling** or spectacular.
Edit:
*Only thing I didn't like about Awakenings was not being able to romance Nathanial, dammit!
**
For me, it lacked a really important element to a book or story which was character development. Don't get me wrong, the few lead characters of the book had a decent backstory and element to them. But due to some of the other character's having bad development, I could tell that they were going to meet a untimely and bad fate. For some reason, it reminded me of playing Dragon Age Origins for the first time (which this book is prequel to), and having a party of NPCs at the beginning of the game that lacked or had little motive, ambition or emotion shown, making me point to the screen and go "He's gonna die, he's a bland NPC he has to!" And then they did about 3 hours later (I'm looking at you Daveth and Ser Jory).
Where these characters were lacking, the main characters Duncan, King Maric, Fiona and Genevieve were quite interesting. Each had a strong motive, although some characters you don't really find out much until you get about halfway or so through the book. A couple of the character arcs were explored by using the Fade as a way to see character's backstories, but for me it has been a little overused after playing all the games and reading this book, dammit. I must say I do prefer the Fade in the game way more than I do in this book. It just felt so rushed, whereas in the game, I could take my time and explore the mysterious Spirit World in wonder.
Some of the really interesting elements in the book involved The Architect. I should've expected it, as the book is called "The Calling", but alas I did not. I absolutely loved the follow up expansion to Dragon Age: Origins, Awakenings, it was just as good the base game in my opinion*, and to have The Architect in this book was an absolute delight.
All in all, "The Calling", was a good read, with reason being that I am a big Dragon Age fan. I would only recommend this book for fans of the series, and for people who have played both Origins and Awakenings, as the world and lore isn't explained to a massive extent in this book. People who haven't played the Dragon Age games will be so confused by this book, but I believe that is the whole point. Only fans will get a good kick out of this prequel, one which I enjoyed, but did not find mind boggling** or spectacular.
Edit:
*Only thing I didn't like about Awakenings was not being able to romance Nathanial, dammit!
**
January 17, 2021
Also available on the WondrousBooks blog.
Be still my beating heart... As we got closer to the story of Dragon Age: Origins, I got more and more excited to see how the situation from the beginning of the game was set up. From Cailan's rule and Loghain's actions, through the Blight itself, and not least of all, Alistair's parentage.
From the perspective of the world-building, The Calling is a much needed novel which answers several important questions, including, but not only, the topics above. The Architect was also very interesting to read more about. He was the main antagonist in Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening and I had many issues deciding what to do with him, so it was fun to see how that all started.
I also got to meet many familiar characters and learn more about their stories prior to the events of the three books, and I was by far most interested in Maric, Duncan and Fiona, who are crucial to games.
One thing that I didn't like as much was the fact that there was less character development and insight into the main characters, mostly due to the fact that there were so many new people introduced in this book. The whole group of Grey Wardens which entered the Deep Roads was carefully presented, but that took some attention off of their personality and motivations. If Fiona remained more or less mysterious by the end of the book, Duncan did so even more. I think he's one of the characters with the biggest role in DA:O, yet we never truly see him evolving from the young thief in this book to the Warden-Commander in Origins.
Nevertheless, it was great reading this, because of its value to the story, and nothing can convince me otherwise.
P.S. BookFiona has dark eyes, gameFiona has blue eyes. Just sayin'.
Be still my beating heart... As we got closer to the story of Dragon Age: Origins, I got more and more excited to see how the situation from the beginning of the game was set up. From Cailan's rule and Loghain's actions, through the Blight itself, and not least of all, Alistair's parentage.
From the perspective of the world-building, The Calling is a much needed novel which answers several important questions, including, but not only, the topics above. The Architect was also very interesting to read more about. He was the main antagonist in Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening and I had many issues deciding what to do with him, so it was fun to see how that all started.
I also got to meet many familiar characters and learn more about their stories prior to the events of the three books, and I was by far most interested in Maric, Duncan and Fiona, who are crucial to games.
One thing that I didn't like as much was the fact that there was less character development and insight into the main characters, mostly due to the fact that there were so many new people introduced in this book. The whole group of Grey Wardens which entered the Deep Roads was carefully presented, but that took some attention off of their personality and motivations. If Fiona remained more or less mysterious by the end of the book, Duncan did so even more. I think he's one of the characters with the biggest role in DA:O, yet we never truly see him evolving from the young thief in this book to the Warden-Commander in Origins.
Nevertheless, it was great reading this, because of its value to the story, and nothing can convince me otherwise.
P.S. BookFiona has dark eyes, gameFiona has blue eyes. Just sayin'.
September 4, 2016
"And so is the Golden City blackened
With each step you take in my Hall.
Marvel at perfection, for it is fleeting.
You have brought Sin to Heaven,
And doom upon all the world."
- Canticle of Threnodies 8:13
Buddy read with Layla at Buddies Books and Baubles!
As good, if not better than the first book. I certainly enjoyed it more because it was a story I really cared about (Alastair!). As it's been the case before, the strength of the Dragon Age books does not lie with the plot, but with the characters. It is the characters that we care about, and the characters that really make the story. Even when I am left with confusing feelings about characters (Fiona), I still embrace that confusing because that's what makes the story and the characters really good sometimes.
The Architect was also an interesting villains and I actually got his motivations and reasons for doing what he was doing for the most part. Which is what makes a good villain in my book.
And very much like the first book, it was a book that was written like a proper fantasy books. It may sound strange, but I actually got the feeling, from the prose and descriptions and so on, that I was reading a fantasy novel.
Ah, Dragon Age universe, please never leave me!
April 28, 2020
This is an interesting dark fantasy which kept me entertained. The prose is a bit clunky and wordy, but the story is sufficiently engaging to overlook this. It is certainly a better story than the first in the trilogy and it was pleasing to find a 'middle book' with a satisfying ending, although clearly more to come in part 3.
A good example of the genre and I was happy to wade through it!
A good example of the genre and I was happy to wade through it!
July 25, 2023
Better than stolen throne because it didn't have Loghain in it. Young Duncan was much cooler to read about anyways.
March 31, 2023
2.5, maybe 2.75
November 7, 2025
5 stars
I’m so autistic about this world, I just can’t give it anything but 5 stars. (Spoiler-ish) Also there’s doomed yaoi, baby Alistair, my goat Duncan and a Grey Warden dog. It’s perfect.
I’m so autistic about this world, I just can’t give it anything but 5 stars. (Spoiler-ish) Also there’s doomed yaoi, baby Alistair, my goat Duncan and a Grey Warden dog. It’s perfect.
May 22, 2023
"Blessed are they who stand before
The corrupt and the wicked and do not falter.
Blessed are the peacekeepers, the champions of the just."
— Canticle of Benedictions 4:10
3.25/5
This was quite slow, but not bad. And near the end it picked up and was actually rather exiting.
I was interested in finding out more of Maric's story, especially his relationships with Fiona, since we know this from the games.
Also Duncan! Such a great character. Even though we only see him a little tlin DAO, I love the man. And now I know more of him and of his relation to Alistair. That was great.
The plot was rather slow, like I said. A lot of walking, not much actually happening in the Deep roads. I did like the Fade part however! It was nice to look deeper into our characters past and their desires.
Overall glad I finished it, since I'm obsessed with Dragon Age lore. Now I know a little more.
The corrupt and the wicked and do not falter.
Blessed are the peacekeepers, the champions of the just."
— Canticle of Benedictions 4:10
3.25/5
This was quite slow, but not bad. And near the end it picked up and was actually rather exiting.
I was interested in finding out more of Maric's story, especially his relationships with Fiona, since we know this from the games.
Also Duncan! Such a great character. Even though we only see him a little tlin DAO, I love the man. And now I know more of him and of his relation to Alistair. That was great.
The plot was rather slow, like I said. A lot of walking, not much actually happening in the Deep roads. I did like the Fade part however! It was nice to look deeper into our characters past and their desires.
Overall glad I finished it, since I'm obsessed with Dragon Age lore. Now I know a little more.
July 11, 2012
Let me start out by saying that – despite my low hopes – I enjoyed this second Dragon Age book much more than “The Stolen Throne”.
Why?
Well, it has something that Stolen Throne is lacking – an actual story. Stolen Throne feels like the author tried very hard to somehow connect historical events into something resembling a novel. That almost never works.
Here we have a tight plot that is telling a linear story in a short timeframe – a lot simpler to accomplish and therefore better suited for a… uh… let’s say not so experienced writer.
The set up is this:
The Grey Warden commander of Orlais has been sent on his Calling – basically a suicide forage into the Deep Roads. Something every Grey Warden eventually has to do when the taint they have acquired after drinking Darkspawn blood during the Joining takes over eventually. He has however not died but his sister still has visions of him being alive. So she sets out with a team of Grey Warden (including a very young Duncan) and Maric (now king of Ferelden) to find and possibly kill her lost brother so he can not help the Darkspawn start a new Blight (which she is afraid he might do).
The plot has the characters travelling through the Deep Roads, fighting various monsters, uncovering an evil plot (which has some nice hints for the upcoming expansion “Awakening” which I liked a lot) and in the end winning but paying a high price in blood.
There are no huge surprises but it is a solid story and offers tons of background lore for Dragon Age so in that regard it is very satisfying.
In this book Mr. Gaider focuses on three characters.
Maric is the first and most important again, this time around he gets some more depth and the reader is able to identify with him much better. He is also less a copy of Alistair and more “himself” which I liked. He is a grown man now with all the troubles and regrets one accumulates over the years and that makes him much more believable.
The second character is Duncan, who in this book still is a young rogue, just recruited a few months ago. I very much enjoyed this glimpse into Duncan’s past and he is just as likeable as one would have hoped. That he sometimes acts a bit irrationally actually makes him more real.
Last there is Fiona, a young elf mage Warden. She is pretty stereotypical and I thought she was rather bland. She is supposed to be a tragic figure I guess but she really doesn’t work. Heaping too many minority disadvantages on one character can quickly become ridiculous (jewish, black, ex-convict lesbian, anyone?) and that is what I thought happened here. That she in the end turned out to be Alistair’s real mother was just stupid. Somehow Mr. Gaider has a knack for really stupid epilogues it seems.
The characters are more fleshed out then in Stolen Throne though and have more personality even though they still lack a distinctive inner voice of their own.
The fights are still rather boring to read. Watching a fight or playing one in a game is much more interesting then reading about it in detail when it is lacking in emotional impact like the fights written by Mr. Gaider are. And there are tons of fights. TONS. The only moment where the author managed to capture some excitement was in the fight against the dragon.
What I really enjoyed to read was the Fade sequence. That was very well written and had a lot of feeling. I would have preferred though to have it told from Duncan’s and Fiona’s point of view in their dreams but I think that might have overtaxed Mr. Gaider’s ability to write inner drama. Especially for Fiona.
Again the book gets an extra point simply for being a Dragon Age novel since I enjoy the setting so much.
Generally this is definitely the better book of the two and therefore a good sign since it shows an upward tendency. If Mr. Gaider keeps up with the improving he might make a good writer yet.
Why?
Well, it has something that Stolen Throne is lacking – an actual story. Stolen Throne feels like the author tried very hard to somehow connect historical events into something resembling a novel. That almost never works.
Here we have a tight plot that is telling a linear story in a short timeframe – a lot simpler to accomplish and therefore better suited for a… uh… let’s say not so experienced writer.
The set up is this:
The Grey Warden commander of Orlais has been sent on his Calling – basically a suicide forage into the Deep Roads. Something every Grey Warden eventually has to do when the taint they have acquired after drinking Darkspawn blood during the Joining takes over eventually. He has however not died but his sister still has visions of him being alive. So she sets out with a team of Grey Warden (including a very young Duncan) and Maric (now king of Ferelden) to find and possibly kill her lost brother so he can not help the Darkspawn start a new Blight (which she is afraid he might do).
The plot has the characters travelling through the Deep Roads, fighting various monsters, uncovering an evil plot (which has some nice hints for the upcoming expansion “Awakening” which I liked a lot) and in the end winning but paying a high price in blood.
There are no huge surprises but it is a solid story and offers tons of background lore for Dragon Age so in that regard it is very satisfying.
In this book Mr. Gaider focuses on three characters.
Maric is the first and most important again, this time around he gets some more depth and the reader is able to identify with him much better. He is also less a copy of Alistair and more “himself” which I liked. He is a grown man now with all the troubles and regrets one accumulates over the years and that makes him much more believable.
The second character is Duncan, who in this book still is a young rogue, just recruited a few months ago. I very much enjoyed this glimpse into Duncan’s past and he is just as likeable as one would have hoped. That he sometimes acts a bit irrationally actually makes him more real.
Last there is Fiona, a young elf mage Warden. She is pretty stereotypical and I thought she was rather bland. She is supposed to be a tragic figure I guess but she really doesn’t work. Heaping too many minority disadvantages on one character can quickly become ridiculous (jewish, black, ex-convict lesbian, anyone?) and that is what I thought happened here. That she in the end turned out to be Alistair’s real mother was just stupid. Somehow Mr. Gaider has a knack for really stupid epilogues it seems.
The characters are more fleshed out then in Stolen Throne though and have more personality even though they still lack a distinctive inner voice of their own.
The fights are still rather boring to read. Watching a fight or playing one in a game is much more interesting then reading about it in detail when it is lacking in emotional impact like the fights written by Mr. Gaider are. And there are tons of fights. TONS. The only moment where the author managed to capture some excitement was in the fight against the dragon.
What I really enjoyed to read was the Fade sequence. That was very well written and had a lot of feeling. I would have preferred though to have it told from Duncan’s and Fiona’s point of view in their dreams but I think that might have overtaxed Mr. Gaider’s ability to write inner drama. Especially for Fiona.
Again the book gets an extra point simply for being a Dragon Age novel since I enjoy the setting so much.
Generally this is definitely the better book of the two and therefore a good sign since it shows an upward tendency. If Mr. Gaider keeps up with the improving he might make a good writer yet.
April 13, 2018
Some fight scenes were a bit too long for my taste, but this is a very good DA book. It was really nice to see Maric and Fiona interact, to watch Duncan start is journey towards the wonderful man we meet in Origins, and I especially loved the fact that Gaider didn't focus solely on the characters fans already knew / favored. All the characters are more than what meets the eye, and it's quite easy to be invested in their respective arcs. Another interesting bit was to be at the heart of a Grey Wardens team whose members don't have the same opinion about the order's mission. In Origins, there were only two of them and the urgency made for little moral debates. Here, they know something bad might happen, but they don't know when or how, and it leaves a lot of room for the main problem of the order to surface. Claiming that they do whatever is necessary to fight Blights is one thing ; agreeing on what exactly is necessary is another. After reading this, it's no wonder Weishaupt has gone off the radar after Trespasser. In fact, it's a miracle the Wardens managed to survive this long without different, opposing groups appearing in their ranks.
Another question this raises for me is, could Bioware be following Elantris' main plotpoint? I might be entirely wrong, I'm honestly not sure if the timeline works here, but Bregan's transformation reminded me of Raoden's. They were inspired by A Song of Ice and Fire way before it became wildly popular, so I wouldn't be surprised if other fantasy works that are less mainstream than, say, LOTR have played a part in the building of Thedas' lore. Could the Veil put a stop to an otherwise smooth transformation process? Is it one of the reason (more than the whole 'we wanted to be Gods and, surprise!, it went badly' bit) the Darkspawn are the way they are? I used to think the Titans were the ones calling to them (since lyrium's their blood and it's said to 'sing'), but I'm starting to wonder if they aren't listening to something beyond the Veil. And since the Old Gods are quite likely some of the Forgotten Ones, it would make sense they're drawn to them in the process. Anyway. That theory is a bit extreme, and it might not even work if Elantris was published after DA:O. But a book which makes you think is usually a good book, so here's to The Calling giving me headaches!
Another question this raises for me is, could Bioware be following Elantris' main plotpoint? I might be entirely wrong, I'm honestly not sure if the timeline works here, but Bregan's transformation reminded me of Raoden's. They were inspired by A Song of Ice and Fire way before it became wildly popular, so I wouldn't be surprised if other fantasy works that are less mainstream than, say, LOTR have played a part in the building of Thedas' lore. Could the Veil put a stop to an otherwise smooth transformation process? Is it one of the reason (more than the whole 'we wanted to be Gods and, surprise!, it went badly' bit) the Darkspawn are the way they are? I used to think the Titans were the ones calling to them (since lyrium's their blood and it's said to 'sing'), but I'm starting to wonder if they aren't listening to something beyond the Veil. And since the Old Gods are quite likely some of the Forgotten Ones, it would make sense they're drawn to them in the process. Anyway. That theory is a bit extreme, and it might not even work if Elantris was published after DA:O. But a book which makes you think is usually a good book, so here's to The Calling giving me headaches!
September 13, 2015
Not too bad for a video game tie-in, and I really enjoyed myself, up until the very end. I would have given this book a higher rating, but the last 10-15% of it just really fell apart, like the author was suddenly rushed to complete it or something. Several of the protagonists acted way out of character, and I generally felt that the conclusion was wrapped up rather clumsily.
November 11, 2016
Today in Adventure Time: Thedas Edition, King Maric is an adorable idiot, again.
I have to take off my hat for David Gaider's writing. I really have to. And I hate him, because he has the ability of making me love characters that I know for certain that are not going to have a good ending. In this particular instalment we follow the adventures of Maric, who joins a group of Grey Wardens heading to the Deep Roads in the search for the brother of the Warden-Commander. It sounds like a mess, and it is a mess.
Most of the book takes place in the Deep Roads and dwarven tunnels, and the oppressive atmosphere of the environment is as much as a character as the rest of the ensemble. In fact, the characters are probably what makes this book stand out even more than The Silent Throne. Duncan, Fiona, even and old baddie that you might recognise if you played the DLC for Origins, this book is filled with winks to the original game and also with plenty of feels. And the couple of scenes that Maric and Loghain share are pure gold. Srsly, I would play a whole game with those two as the only companions.
If you liked Origins and want to know more about those characters, please pick up this book. You will not be disappointed, it adds a lot of backstory to our beloved Duncan and another fan-favourite character which I will not mention because spoilers. JUST DO IT. SRSLY.
I have to take off my hat for David Gaider's writing. I really have to. And I hate him, because he has the ability of making me love characters that I know for certain that are not going to have a good ending. In this particular instalment we follow the adventures of Maric, who joins a group of Grey Wardens heading to the Deep Roads in the search for the brother of the Warden-Commander. It sounds like a mess, and it is a mess.
Most of the book takes place in the Deep Roads and dwarven tunnels, and the oppressive atmosphere of the environment is as much as a character as the rest of the ensemble. In fact, the characters are probably what makes this book stand out even more than The Silent Throne. Duncan, Fiona, even and old baddie that you might recognise if you played the DLC for Origins, this book is filled with winks to the original game and also with plenty of feels. And the couple of scenes that Maric and Loghain share are pure gold. Srsly, I would play a whole game with those two as the only companions.
If you liked Origins and want to know more about those characters, please pick up this book. You will not be disappointed, it adds a lot of backstory to our beloved Duncan and another fan-favourite character which I will not mention because spoilers. JUST DO IT. SRSLY.
May 8, 2016
My fascination with all things Dragon Age continues with this novel. Since finishing Inquisition I've been catching up on the prequel books and graphic novels I skipped earlier, and this one was very good. I liked it even more than The Stolen Throne. I just found the story more compelling. King Maric joining a party of Grey Wardens on a quest to save one of their own while at the same time keeping a new blight from beginning. Maric is still a great character, just as he was in the earlier novel, and this time we've added some nice new characters to the story. I particularly enjoyed Duncan, a rogue Warden who still dabbles in his old profession. Fiona and Kell are welcome additions as well. This book gives us a lot of new insight into both the Grey Wardens and Darkspawn. I'm definitely going to continue with the series...although I'm sure I'll be done long before the next game comes out. :(
October 28, 2022
This is the second Dragon Age novel. It takes before the events of Dragon Age: Origins. It focuses on the young king of Ferelden, Maric, and a group of Grey Wardens who embark on a secret mission in the Deep Roads. A great part of this novel is the setting. If you enjoy the Dragon Age setting, this is a great read to experience all the tropes of the game again: the Darkspawn, the Mage's Circle, the world's unique take on dwarves and elves, the Fade, Marbari hounds, etc.. The best part of this novel, however, is the cast of characters. Maric, Duncan, Fiona, Kell, Utha, Genevieve: these characters constitute a fellowship and a lot of the novel is them interacting in dialog. The plot didn't work for me. Without spoiling anything, it didn't seem like the characters had much to do except travel, and the travel gave there opportunities to talk. There was one sequence that featured the Fade--the dream world--that will stick with me. If you enjoy the Dragon Age games, then you'll enjoy this.
November 9, 2014
As a fan of this world, I found this book utterly compelling. Ferelden is threatened by the possibility of a blight and we find out more about what the witch of the wilds tells Maric in the first novel, The Stolen Throne. In addition, we gain more insight into Loghain's manic obsession with Orlais (not that he didn't have reason before...) and see his relationship with Maric further erode. We learn about a particular baby that has special meaning for players of the game and most importantly, we learn a lot about the Grey Wardens. However, the tale continued in this book is far from finished. I hope we see at least one, if not two more prequels before the events of the game, Dragon Age Origins unfold.
March 21, 2022
Contains spoilers!!!!!
Absolutely amazing. I love his writing style, and charactery are great, it has a gay couple which is writting the same as a hetero couple would be, and FINALLY a book that contains great female characters (and romance) without sexualizing them.
Absolutely amazing. I love his writing style, and charactery are great, it has a gay couple which is writting the same as a hetero couple would be, and FINALLY a book that contains great female characters (and romance) without sexualizing them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2016
Now I understand so much more, holy shit. I know why Loghain was such a dick and how it all started. Damn.
October 25, 2018
"In your blood lies the key," it whispered. "Yours is the middle ground between human and darkspawn, the path to true peace."
The Calling is a medieval fantasy novel set in the world of Thedas, based off the videogame series Dragon Age by Bioware. Maric is called upon to save Ferelden once again, but instead of an Orlesian threat, it's darkspawn. He must travel down into the Deep Roads and back into his past in order to stop a rogue grey warden who has met his calling, with the help of a few familiar faces to those who have played any of the Dragon Age games. This novel is another prequel set fourteen years after the events of The Stolen Throne, providing insight into many characters' pasts.
RATING: 4.5/5 stars
My Review
This book answered so many questions that I had about the series and characters' pasts. If you're a hardcore dragon age fan who loves the Dragon Age Universe and its characters, you need to read this book. Like, right now. If you've played Inquisition and wondered who Grand Enchanter Fiona is? Look no further. That guy, Duncan, from the Origins prologue? Curious about his past? Right here. Ever wondered what happened to Maric after he took the Ferelden throne back from the Orlesians in Stolen Throne? Or who the Architect is? This book tells all.
I feel like this was an informational book as well as a story. I learned so much about darkspawn, the taint, the dwarves, and Grey Wardens. Things they don't tell you as a Grey Warden recruit in Dragon Age Origins, because we know the Order is so secretive that only the most senior Grey Wardens know everything, keeping knowledge from us all unless they feel the need to share it, which seems like never. *Spoilers for DAO* Because, you know, having to die to slay an archdemon would have been useful information to have known when we were preparing to slay it in Origins! Telling us at the last minute like it's need-to-know information! Pfft! *Spoilers end*
Learning about the dwarves made me want to play as one in both Origins and Inquisition. You see how much they've lost and understand why, out of all the other races, they have the most respect for the Grey Wardens, because of their constant fight with the darkspawn that destroyed the Dwarven empire.
I had mixed emotions seeing familiar faces. It was interesting to see how Maric has changed from the youthful boy to an older king and the issues he faces now. It's clear that he has impostor syndrome, not feeling that he earned Ferelden's crown (similiar to how Harry Potter doesn't feel like he would be a good DADA teacher in Order of the Phoenix), getting by on luck and the skill of those around him. Here, Maric has lost a lot of his youthfulness under the pressure of the crown, but it does make an appearance every so often. He's learnt from his mistakes, and his friendship with Duncan was lovely, as he becomes a sort of mentor figure in a way, telling him not to be ashamed at himself for past actions.
Speaking of Duncan...oh the heartbreak! If you've played Dragon Age Origins you'll know his fate, which makes it so much sadder to read about him in his youth. We get so little time with him in Origins that I never paid too much attention to him, but learning about his past and how he was a cheeky rogue with a tragic past makes me want to replay Origins just to spend the prologue with him!
Another familiar face is Fiona. I really wanted to know her background as we see her in Dragon Age Inquisition, but not much is known about her. I learned from other sources about *Spoilers* her being Alistair's mother *Spoilers end* and I was curious to see how that takes place with a fellow character in this story. I never really liked her in Inquisition, as she did not have a big role and she made huge mistakes, but now I will never be able to side with the Templars in Inquisition! She's a pretty cool character! As with all Dragon Age characters, she too has a tragic past that makes her a bit defensive around Maric because he's a human king, whereas she is an elf who had a typical non-dalish elven upbringing.
There were lots of emotions swirling through me as I read this book. Anger, nostalgia, heartbreak, happiness. Some characters (I'm looking at you, Genevieve!) made me want to scream at them through the pages. Lots of feels from the Stolen Throne too. R.I.P Rowan! Also, Maric, what is it with you, women, and the Deep Roads?
There were a few scenes that reminded me of Origins, like the mage tower quest and the fade from Inquisition with Divine Justinia. And there were plenty of Easter eggs from the Stolen Throne and the games. Something Loghain says made me pause too. What he does in Origins really made sense after that.
The main antagonist from this story, The Architect, was really interesting to read about. In Origins: Awakening, we only see the talking darkspawn from a villainous point of view. But in this book we see him in a different light. We actually get to hear his side of the story without the pressure of whether to kill him or not hanging on our shoulders — that's if he's telling the truth! It's hard to believe him, knowing what he is. He seems to have good intentions, but can he be trusted? I'm not sure. It will definitely impact my in-game choices in Origins: Awakening though.
Unfortunately, this book just didn't give me the same feeling as Stolen Throne did. I wasn't as enthralled with this book, hence the -0.5 star compared to it's predecessor. A few fight scenes tended to go on for a bit. Fighting darkspawn in the Deep Roads is inevitable so of course there will be lots of fights, but the scenes went on forever, for almost an entire chapter at one point! One of the fight scenes I really didn't think needed to be put in because it felt like a filler moment, but they were pretty epic.
Expanding on my above point, there were two story lines that wove into one. The first being the Grey Wardens and Maric delving into the Deep Roads, and the second being Bregan, the Grey Warden Maric and the others are after. I felt like the second story line had more to it. You learn more from Bregan, about the darkspawn, the taint, and how it spreads through a Grey Warden. I learnt so much about the corruption and what Wardens become after they hear their Calling, things they don't tell you in Origins because you're only a newbie to the Order. The other story line was basically trekking through caves, and fighting after the first 10% of the book, and lasted until around 60% of the way through!
Overall, this is definitely a required read if you're a big DA fan like me. It will make you laugh and cry, and make you want to play the games all over again so you can pick up on the lore and dialogue that refers back to this story.
Also, if you could tell me who's supposed to be on the cover of this book, please let me know! I've been trying to figure it out but I just can't identify them!
Review also on my blog: lexinehiggins.wordpress.com
September 29, 2025
Look, I don't want to be dramatic but also I do and this book temporarily ruined my life. I picked it up and suddenly anything interfering with me reading it was evil. When I wasn't reading the book I wanted/needed to be reading the book and was ruminating about the book.
Hey Nico, quit saying "the book."
Fine.
This novel was written by the Lead Writer of the Dragon Age games. It shows. It's got action but is very character based. I slipped right back into this world as if I'd never left Thedas. Reading this actually made me want to at the latest game, which, if I do, means this novel has ruined my life in two seperate formats. Impressive.
Okay, really now. The pacing here was good, as was the combat. The moral dilemmas were appropriately difficult. The characters were all varied and interesting. One of our main perspectives was written in this way that made me me want to deck him in such an effective way that I didn't rage quit - just pictured him getting eaten by darkspawn. And then when he pulled his head out of his butt, it was pretty satisfying.
Now, I'm me so I've gotta give an extra shout out to Julian and Nicolas. Dragon Age gas always been a very queer friendly franchise so this romance wasn't entirely unexpected but I was so fucking happy it was there....and then the thing happened. And let me tell you: I actually started yelling at my novel, then carefully closed it and walked away. And then I paced a bit. And then I swore several, several times and tried not to cry. And then I picked up the novel again because it had me around it's little finger, and when the second thing happened I was just so utterly relieved they didn't entirely fuck it all up. Those two dug a hole in my heart so fast. But that's Dragon Age.
Really, this was everything I hoped for and more from a DA novel. The setting, the plot, the characters, the moral problems, the gripping writing itself... I've already tabbed it a little, which I haven't done in ages. If you're a fan of the franchise - pick this up even if Origins wasn't your favourite. It was my LEAST favourite and I ate this up and now I just want more of this world. Dammit, David Gaider, I do not have the money to support my DA habit!
Hey Nico, quit saying "the book."
Fine.
This novel was written by the Lead Writer of the Dragon Age games. It shows. It's got action but is very character based. I slipped right back into this world as if I'd never left Thedas. Reading this actually made me want to at the latest game, which, if I do, means this novel has ruined my life in two seperate formats. Impressive.
Okay, really now. The pacing here was good, as was the combat. The moral dilemmas were appropriately difficult. The characters were all varied and interesting. One of our main perspectives was written in this way that made me me want to deck him in such an effective way that I didn't rage quit - just pictured him getting eaten by darkspawn. And then when he pulled his head out of his butt, it was pretty satisfying.
Now, I'm me so I've gotta give an extra shout out to Julian and Nicolas. Dragon Age gas always been a very queer friendly franchise so this romance wasn't entirely unexpected but I was so fucking happy it was there....and then the thing happened. And let me tell you: I actually started yelling at my novel, then carefully closed it and walked away. And then I paced a bit. And then I swore several, several times and tried not to cry. And then I picked up the novel again because it had me around it's little finger, and when the second thing happened I was just so utterly relieved they didn't entirely fuck it all up. Those two dug a hole in my heart so fast. But that's Dragon Age.
Really, this was everything I hoped for and more from a DA novel. The setting, the plot, the characters, the moral problems, the gripping writing itself... I've already tabbed it a little, which I haven't done in ages. If you're a fan of the franchise - pick this up even if Origins wasn't your favourite. It was my LEAST favourite and I ate this up and now I just want more of this world. Dammit, David Gaider, I do not have the money to support my DA habit!
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