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Far Cry: Absolution
The official prequel to the latest instalment of the Far Cry video game series.
Hope County, Montana. Land of the free and the brave, but also home to a fanatical doomsday cult known as The Church of Eden’s Gate that has slowly been infiltrating the residents’ daily lives in the past years.
Mary May Fairgrave, a local barkeep, has lost almost everything to the her parents died in suspicious conditions and her brother, entranced by the cult leader’s charismatic words, has vanished. When the authorities refuse to investigate further, she decides to take matters into her own hands.
Local hunter William Boyd was saved by Eden’s Gate years ago, during the darkest moments of his life. When his duties lead him to cross paths with Mary May, the daughter of one of his old friends, he soon discovers that what is happening in the county is far from what he believed.
Up against an omniscient and dangerous adversary, Mary May stands little chance. But the unexpected intervention of William Boyd will change her journey—as well as his.
Hope County, Montana. Land of the free and the brave, but also home to a fanatical doomsday cult known as The Church of Eden’s Gate that has slowly been infiltrating the residents’ daily lives in the past years.
Mary May Fairgrave, a local barkeep, has lost almost everything to the her parents died in suspicious conditions and her brother, entranced by the cult leader’s charismatic words, has vanished. When the authorities refuse to investigate further, she decides to take matters into her own hands.
Local hunter William Boyd was saved by Eden’s Gate years ago, during the darkest moments of his life. When his duties lead him to cross paths with Mary May, the daughter of one of his old friends, he soon discovers that what is happening in the county is far from what he believed.
Up against an omniscient and dangerous adversary, Mary May stands little chance. But the unexpected intervention of William Boyd will change her journey—as well as his.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published February 27, 2018
133 people are currently reading
443 people want to read
About the author
Urban Waite
16 books67 followersUrban Waite is the author of The Terror of Living, named one of Esquire's Ten Best Books of the year. His latest book is The Carrion Birds, an Indie Next Pick and the recipient of starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist. His short fiction has appeared in the Best of the West anthology, the Southern Review, and other journals. He has degrees from the University of Washington, Western Washington University, and Emerson College. He lives in Seattle with his wife.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
March 21, 2018
See my full thoughts here: https://youtu.be/_7uawqRQzIs
You know, as a fan of the Far Cry series and as someone excited to play Far Cry 5 when it comes out next week, I thought that this would be fun. Even if it wasn't a masterpiece it would give me some more insight into the world of Hope County, Montana and The Project at Eden's Gate. I didn't expect it to blow me away but I at least expected something competent. That was my mistake, this book sucks.
For those of you who aren't familiar with Far Cry, it's a video game series. The newest installment, Far Cry 5, comes out soon and it's all about an insane doomsday cult that's taken over a large chunk of rural Montana. The game is all about fighting back and liberating oppressed people, but the book is all about how the situation got like that. At least it's supposed to be. Really it's all about some dumb girl wandering in the woods, getting saved, and then making a vague promise to do something in retaliation.
The primary reason I was excited to read this was to see how things could have progressed to the point where a cult could be openly killing people without the National Guard getting called in. How did The Project at Eden's Gate start, how did it get so many members, why isn't law enforcement doing anything? And this book's biggest failure is its inability to answer a single one of those questions. The book starts long after PEG has come to power, so we never see how they started. And apart from some vague muttering about something bad happening out east, it never gives a picture of what's happening in the outside world. To put it bluntly, the worldbuilding is a shit sandwich with no dressing.
The writing is shit too. There are several side characters that spend several days with the main characters trekking in the woods that never get names. They're just "the rancher" and "the rancher's son." It's also bad at setting the scene, I never got a sense of what the world or characters looked like. And the action is confusing to say the least.
The one thing this book did that was actually really good was the character of Will. He's the protagonist (sort of) who joined PEG years ago but is starting to split from their teachings. We understand why he joined the cult (his life was falling apart), why he eventually doubts them, and why he rebels against them. He has a good backstory, a fleshed out personality, and he's kind of a badass. Really he's too good for a story this horrible.
So obviously I don't recommend this one. For fans of Far Cry it doesn't give anything new or interesting. And for everyone else it's just boring, confusing, and unsatisfying.
You know, as a fan of the Far Cry series and as someone excited to play Far Cry 5 when it comes out next week, I thought that this would be fun. Even if it wasn't a masterpiece it would give me some more insight into the world of Hope County, Montana and The Project at Eden's Gate. I didn't expect it to blow me away but I at least expected something competent. That was my mistake, this book sucks.
For those of you who aren't familiar with Far Cry, it's a video game series. The newest installment, Far Cry 5, comes out soon and it's all about an insane doomsday cult that's taken over a large chunk of rural Montana. The game is all about fighting back and liberating oppressed people, but the book is all about how the situation got like that. At least it's supposed to be. Really it's all about some dumb girl wandering in the woods, getting saved, and then making a vague promise to do something in retaliation.
The primary reason I was excited to read this was to see how things could have progressed to the point where a cult could be openly killing people without the National Guard getting called in. How did The Project at Eden's Gate start, how did it get so many members, why isn't law enforcement doing anything? And this book's biggest failure is its inability to answer a single one of those questions. The book starts long after PEG has come to power, so we never see how they started. And apart from some vague muttering about something bad happening out east, it never gives a picture of what's happening in the outside world. To put it bluntly, the worldbuilding is a shit sandwich with no dressing.
The writing is shit too. There are several side characters that spend several days with the main characters trekking in the woods that never get names. They're just "the rancher" and "the rancher's son." It's also bad at setting the scene, I never got a sense of what the world or characters looked like. And the action is confusing to say the least.
The one thing this book did that was actually really good was the character of Will. He's the protagonist (sort of) who joined PEG years ago but is starting to split from their teachings. We understand why he joined the cult (his life was falling apart), why he eventually doubts them, and why he rebels against them. He has a good backstory, a fleshed out personality, and he's kind of a badass. Really he's too good for a story this horrible.
So obviously I don't recommend this one. For fans of Far Cry it doesn't give anything new or interesting. And for everyone else it's just boring, confusing, and unsatisfying.
May 3, 2018
Relevant to something I'm writing, and it's an excellent lesson to see what constitutes the most heavily vetted mainstream-prepped material.
Certainly nothing wrong with it, nor anything terribly new.
Work that pre-empts the big time will probably never get 5* from me because of how safe it has to play everything. Low vocabulary, standardised pacing (sometimes some things happen faster than others and that's okay!), filler backstories etc.
I didn't have the worst time with this book, nor a very memorable one.
There are two killers with most cult stories:
1. You never seem to get enough of the cult's rules/propaganda etc.
Someone who's a great writer is probably the opposite of someone who would be a good cult leader.
Good writers are too conscientious and empathetic. Not many would want to consciously manipulate others into doing their bidding, which makes it difficult for them to understand those who do and authentically replicate their actions and pseudospiritual gibberish. Also, it's pseudospiritual gibberish: who wants to read the real version, let alone some fictional version someone else made up? And yet without enough of it, we're kept at a distance from the characters' motivations. I think.
2. Multiple ideologically possessed characters will inevitably sound like one another. And become predictable!
If they all think/behave/act using someone else's iron-clad set of rules, well, that's a recipe for cardboard characters. Probably one of the reasons cults are so terrible, that it artificially creates standardised people, who are not as rich in thought/behaviour/action as they could be as "themselves." An example of story trumping verisimilitude: when life is more boring and predictable than the imagination could provide, why replicate life?
I think I already knew "UbiSoft" weren't about to be my new favourite publisher though, so, whatever :P
Check out "Church" by Renee Miller, out with Unnerving, instead :)
The game looks cool!
Certainly nothing wrong with it, nor anything terribly new.
Work that pre-empts the big time will probably never get 5* from me because of how safe it has to play everything. Low vocabulary, standardised pacing (sometimes some things happen faster than others and that's okay!), filler backstories etc.
I didn't have the worst time with this book, nor a very memorable one.
There are two killers with most cult stories:
1. You never seem to get enough of the cult's rules/propaganda etc.
Someone who's a great writer is probably the opposite of someone who would be a good cult leader.
Good writers are too conscientious and empathetic. Not many would want to consciously manipulate others into doing their bidding, which makes it difficult for them to understand those who do and authentically replicate their actions and pseudospiritual gibberish. Also, it's pseudospiritual gibberish: who wants to read the real version, let alone some fictional version someone else made up? And yet without enough of it, we're kept at a distance from the characters' motivations. I think.
2. Multiple ideologically possessed characters will inevitably sound like one another. And become predictable!
If they all think/behave/act using someone else's iron-clad set of rules, well, that's a recipe for cardboard characters. Probably one of the reasons cults are so terrible, that it artificially creates standardised people, who are not as rich in thought/behaviour/action as they could be as "themselves." An example of story trumping verisimilitude: when life is more boring and predictable than the imagination could provide, why replicate life?
I think I already knew "UbiSoft" weren't about to be my new favourite publisher though, so, whatever :P
Check out "Church" by Renee Miller, out with Unnerving, instead :)
The game looks cool!
March 21, 2018
I've purchased this book after reading the prologue on a preview. It was excellent!
But, I must say that the rest of the book is a let down! I did not finish it (life is too short for bad books). Sadly, the "story" is boring and the first 100 pages are full of useless details. I usually like details in novels but that feels like a filler in this already short book! Maybe it gets better in the last 100 pages but I was expecting something much better.
Better luck next time!
March 2, 2020
3.5
I've been branching into different mediums for the video games, and this was a pleasant surprise. Far Cry is one of the craziest game series, so when I heard about this book, I wasn't expecting a coherent storyline, but this delivered. If you're a new fan of the series, play the game first. Reading this without the game won't help. I understand if you read this and hated it. It's not the game after all.
The characters are exactly the characters from the game. They come to life, and if you remember them from the game, this will help. The villains of the piece are typically hard to visualise without the game, so due to the length of the novel this is something lacking. The motivations of the characters are quite good, and it's surprising a book of this nature delivers on this front. This could've been a boring additional sell out novel, but it at least attempts to deliver something for the fans.
The book starts a little flat and take a long time to get started, but after a while it clicks into gear. This becomes a hunting book and this section was relentless. I won't lie and say the pacing is well structured, the first section of the book is the groundwork for the key characters. The downside of having a coherent plotline is the lack of the games craziness and that's something I don't believe any book could capture. Urban Waite manages to create something out of nothing and when I say this storyline surprised me, that's exactly how I described it to others. If you're not a fan of the series, there's still something you could engage with and being a fan is just a bonus.
Why the 3.5?
This was fast and the last two sections delivered. The twisted outcome and the hunting through the wilderness was enough for me to enjoy. It's not an essential read for the fans, and sadly most will ignore this novel. I went in with the lowest expectations and ended up reading this within a few days. The novel doesn't cover much of the cult sections, and for that it's slightly disappointing. I tend to agree with other reviewers, and that mainstream writers tend to add reason to the cults in their storylines and it's something that's very hard to write. I enjoyed the book for what it was and that mid section chase was fun to read. This won't appeal to everyone, but I thought it was worth the money.
I've been branching into different mediums for the video games, and this was a pleasant surprise. Far Cry is one of the craziest game series, so when I heard about this book, I wasn't expecting a coherent storyline, but this delivered. If you're a new fan of the series, play the game first. Reading this without the game won't help. I understand if you read this and hated it. It's not the game after all.
The characters are exactly the characters from the game. They come to life, and if you remember them from the game, this will help. The villains of the piece are typically hard to visualise without the game, so due to the length of the novel this is something lacking. The motivations of the characters are quite good, and it's surprising a book of this nature delivers on this front. This could've been a boring additional sell out novel, but it at least attempts to deliver something for the fans.
The book starts a little flat and take a long time to get started, but after a while it clicks into gear. This becomes a hunting book and this section was relentless. I won't lie and say the pacing is well structured, the first section of the book is the groundwork for the key characters. The downside of having a coherent plotline is the lack of the games craziness and that's something I don't believe any book could capture. Urban Waite manages to create something out of nothing and when I say this storyline surprised me, that's exactly how I described it to others. If you're not a fan of the series, there's still something you could engage with and being a fan is just a bonus.
Why the 3.5?
This was fast and the last two sections delivered. The twisted outcome and the hunting through the wilderness was enough for me to enjoy. It's not an essential read for the fans, and sadly most will ignore this novel. I went in with the lowest expectations and ended up reading this within a few days. The novel doesn't cover much of the cult sections, and for that it's slightly disappointing. I tend to agree with other reviewers, and that mainstream writers tend to add reason to the cults in their storylines and it's something that's very hard to write. I enjoyed the book for what it was and that mid section chase was fun to read. This won't appeal to everyone, but I thought it was worth the money.
September 12, 2025
ciekawie zapowiadająca sie, ale bez domknięcia niektórych wątków. jest krótka, wiec mozna śmiało sie z nia zapoznać:)
March 13, 2018
Amo i libri che portano all'interno il contenuto dei videogiochi, quelli che ci permettono di essere protagonisti diversi dalla solita realtà, quelli che ci fan passare ore e ore davanti alla televisione con l'obbiettivo principale di riuscire nella missione.
Ma ciò che fa questo libro è qualcosa in più: il contenuto non è la trasposizione del videogioco che sta per arrivare, ma anticipa FarCry 5 portandoci a sognare quasi una storia a sé, che rimane comunque avvincente e divertente.
Se ci si aspetta di trovarsi di fronte alla classica storia di azione con poche battute da parte dei personaggi, in realtà ci si sbaglia di grosso, in quanto l'autore con un ritmo sempre serrato ci porta di fronte ad una realtà diversa, dove ogni personaggio è così particolarmente caratterizzato che ci sembrerà riuscire ad uscire al di fuori delle pagine.
Ci troviamo in Montana, in una regione dove ormai tutto non è più come un tempo. Gli abitanti sono vittime di una setta dove l'estremo è il loro motto e dove tutto vige sotto il controllo dei suoi adepti.
I personaggi che incontriamo nel racconto sono tutti segnati dal passato e dal presente, quel passato che l'autore descrive con fermezza e ci porta ad affezionarci alle loro storie e a sentirci completamente immersi nel contenuto.
Se la realtà è sempre stata immersa in una sorta di bolla, di specchio che copriva con l'illusione di una vita migliore, la setta nasconde segreti inconfessabili che i protagonisti si ritroveranno ad affrontare con la paura di conseguenze disastrose. Si riuscirà ad uscire da quel buio? La realtà è davvero frutto di sogni infranti?
Quello che cambia dall'aspettativa sul videogioco è la riuscita dell'autore di creare pathos intorno alla figura di alcuni personaggi, sia protagonisti principali, sia la figura dei cattivi pronti a tutto pur di ottenere ciò che vogliono fino ad arrivare all'attesa del videogioco per scoprire quasi come finisce la storia finora letta.
Il ritmo serrato e adrenalinico ci porta a leggere le pagine con avidità in un linguaggio diretto e non troppo forte come ci si è trovati di fronte ai videogiochi.
La trama ricca che ruota intorno allo scenario di una setta, di un complesso marchingegno capace di possedere ogni cosa, lascia con il fiato sospeso di fronte a personaggi che avranno il bisogno di riprendere in mano la propria vita.
Ammetto che ci sono stati momenti in cui ho cercato quella violenza, quel bisogno di azioni crude e dirette evocando immagini di quelle giocate, ma in Far Cry Absolution non manca, nonostante tutto, nulla. E' tutto ciò che ci si aspetta e anche di più dall'idea di inserire il romanzo di un videogioco. Urban Waite sfrutta l'onda di Far Cry e ricama su una storia che si legge in poche ore e che lascia con il bisogno di sapere, quel bisogno che sicuramente verrà soddisfatto in Far Cry cinque.
Siete pronti a giocare con la mente prima di giocare davvero? Far Cry absolution ti porta all'interno del suo mondo e non ti lascia uscire. Sarai controllato o sarai tu a controllare?
Ma ciò che fa questo libro è qualcosa in più: il contenuto non è la trasposizione del videogioco che sta per arrivare, ma anticipa FarCry 5 portandoci a sognare quasi una storia a sé, che rimane comunque avvincente e divertente.
Se ci si aspetta di trovarsi di fronte alla classica storia di azione con poche battute da parte dei personaggi, in realtà ci si sbaglia di grosso, in quanto l'autore con un ritmo sempre serrato ci porta di fronte ad una realtà diversa, dove ogni personaggio è così particolarmente caratterizzato che ci sembrerà riuscire ad uscire al di fuori delle pagine.
Ci troviamo in Montana, in una regione dove ormai tutto non è più come un tempo. Gli abitanti sono vittime di una setta dove l'estremo è il loro motto e dove tutto vige sotto il controllo dei suoi adepti.
I personaggi che incontriamo nel racconto sono tutti segnati dal passato e dal presente, quel passato che l'autore descrive con fermezza e ci porta ad affezionarci alle loro storie e a sentirci completamente immersi nel contenuto.
Se la realtà è sempre stata immersa in una sorta di bolla, di specchio che copriva con l'illusione di una vita migliore, la setta nasconde segreti inconfessabili che i protagonisti si ritroveranno ad affrontare con la paura di conseguenze disastrose. Si riuscirà ad uscire da quel buio? La realtà è davvero frutto di sogni infranti?
Quello che cambia dall'aspettativa sul videogioco è la riuscita dell'autore di creare pathos intorno alla figura di alcuni personaggi, sia protagonisti principali, sia la figura dei cattivi pronti a tutto pur di ottenere ciò che vogliono fino ad arrivare all'attesa del videogioco per scoprire quasi come finisce la storia finora letta.
Il ritmo serrato e adrenalinico ci porta a leggere le pagine con avidità in un linguaggio diretto e non troppo forte come ci si è trovati di fronte ai videogiochi.
La trama ricca che ruota intorno allo scenario di una setta, di un complesso marchingegno capace di possedere ogni cosa, lascia con il fiato sospeso di fronte a personaggi che avranno il bisogno di riprendere in mano la propria vita.
Ammetto che ci sono stati momenti in cui ho cercato quella violenza, quel bisogno di azioni crude e dirette evocando immagini di quelle giocate, ma in Far Cry Absolution non manca, nonostante tutto, nulla. E' tutto ciò che ci si aspetta e anche di più dall'idea di inserire il romanzo di un videogioco. Urban Waite sfrutta l'onda di Far Cry e ricama su una storia che si legge in poche ore e che lascia con il bisogno di sapere, quel bisogno che sicuramente verrà soddisfatto in Far Cry cinque.
Siete pronti a giocare con la mente prima di giocare davvero? Far Cry absolution ti porta all'interno del suo mondo e non ti lascia uscire. Sarai controllato o sarai tu a controllare?
September 12, 2019
This book drove me nuts. So I wasn't going to get it at first, I took a peek at the author's writing style and I wasn't going for that. But the hype for Far Cry 5 made me decide to buy it, along with the idea that this author won an award / some acclaim, thought I'd give him a chance.
Boy, was that a mistake. That Will character (who isn't even in the game), every other description of his is: he picked up his bag, he picked up his rifle, he picked up his bag. John, the author totally got him wrong, he's like a blend of "The Father" and some other guy; so annoying. Almost just as bad is the idea that The Father isn't anywhere in this story. He is behind everything, let him travel the regions and John stay in his rural farming area, doing preaching (no, they don't have him doing that, instead he does what Jacob does; argh). There are so many things!
I don't even think Jacob Seed is in the story. I don't remember, it was so boring. Faith? No crazy / beautiful Faith? What pesters me is that Urban Waite said he played the video game, but it's clearly his own little "trip" with the Far Cry name tacked on it.
The good thing is that it made me want to play video games, of course, that's not reading... Trust me, this book is horrible, avoid it!! And I know, the first chapter seems decent and like it will lead somewhere; it doesn't! Even if you think it will be "okay" and I'm wrong, there are much better books.
If you need video game literature, I found Warcraft: War of the Ancients Trilogy by Richard A. Knaak to be a little tedius in the final book, but pretty enjoyable.
Boy, was that a mistake. That Will character (who isn't even in the game), every other description of his is: he picked up his bag, he picked up his rifle, he picked up his bag. John, the author totally got him wrong, he's like a blend of "The Father" and some other guy; so annoying. Almost just as bad is the idea that The Father isn't anywhere in this story. He is behind everything, let him travel the regions and John stay in his rural farming area, doing preaching (no, they don't have him doing that, instead he does what Jacob does; argh). There are so many things!
I don't even think Jacob Seed is in the story. I don't remember, it was so boring. Faith? No crazy / beautiful Faith? What pesters me is that Urban Waite said he played the video game, but it's clearly his own little "trip" with the Far Cry name tacked on it.
The good thing is that it made me want to play video games, of course, that's not reading... Trust me, this book is horrible, avoid it!! And I know, the first chapter seems decent and like it will lead somewhere; it doesn't! Even if you think it will be "okay" and I'm wrong, there are much better books.
If you need video game literature, I found Warcraft: War of the Ancients Trilogy by Richard A. Knaak to be a little tedius in the final book, but pretty enjoyable.
October 1, 2018
This book was incredibly hard for me to finish and I actually skimmed the last 60 pages. I was constantly debating whether to just put it down and move on... but it is incredibly rare for me to give up.
The writing style was meh at best and at times the phrasing was so off I had to reread a line several times.
The story itself was bland and not engaging.
Not something I would recommend nor ever pick up again.
The writing style was meh at best and at times the phrasing was so off I had to reread a line several times.
The story itself was bland and not engaging.
Not something I would recommend nor ever pick up again.
June 3, 2020
Eins muss man dem Buch lassen: Man kann es sehr schnell durchlesen, doch jetzt kommen die "aber's".
Zu aller erst: Ich bin schon lange ein Fan von der Far Cry Reihe, obwohl ich erst seit Far Cry 3 mit am Start bin. Das fünfte Game hatte mir auch sehr gut gefallen, weil mich die ganze Thematik mit dieser Sekte so unterhalten hat. Und bezüglich des Buches, hätte ich mir mehr Infos gewünscht, die man nicht aus dem Game oder Far Cry: New Dawn erhalten hätte.
Als Leser verfolgen wir zwei Hauptcharaktere: Will, ein Mann im Alter von 60 Jahren, der seine Frau und Tochter verloren hat und mit der Sekte agiert & Mary May, die die Bar ihrer Eltern in Falls End betreibt. Jedoch ist in den Wochen davor zuerst ihre Mutter und dann ihr Vater verstorben, welcher sich auf den Weg gemacht hatte Drew, Mary Mays Bruder, aus der Sekte von Eden's Gate zu holen. Seit dem Tod ihres Vaters besitzt John Seed ein großes Interesse Mary Mays Sünden auszutreiben.
Die Perspektive wechselt immer wieder zwischen den beiden, da sie zunächst gegeneinander agieren. Jedoch ändert es sich mit der Zeit und Will & Mary May versuchen Drew aus der Sekte zu befreien und Mary May selbst in Sicherheit zu bringen.
Etwas, was typisch für die Games ist, war auch hier vertreten: Das Jagen von Tieren, das Häuten und die Schusswaffen Kämpfe bis auf den Tod.
Bekannte Charaktere die aufgetreten sind waren John Seed und Pastor Jerome. Von Joseph Seed war nur eine Sequenz zu sehen, wobei Jacob nur erwähnt wurde. Ich hätte mir mehr von den anderen Charakteren gewünscht. Trotzdem habe ich mich über die Rolle von Pastor Jerome in dem Buch gefreut.
Mir war die Handlung zu schnell, zu undurchsichtig und es hat lange gebraucht, damit ein roter Faden entstand. Ich hätte mir gewünscht, dass sich mehr Zeit für den Plot genommen wurden wäre, da es extrem gehetzt wirkte und gerade mal in etwa 2-4 Tagen stattfand. Durch diese Hetze, konnte nicht mal eine ausgereifte Geschichte entstehen, da sie mehr von Flucht und dem Verstecken geprägt wurde.
Der Schreibstil war mir etwas zu umfangreich. Dadurch, dass es so viele Ortsbeschreibungen gab oder wie man zum Beispiel einen Bären jagt, ergab sich nicht so oft ein Leseflow, weil ich nur mit Infos überschüttet wurde, die nicht Story-relevant waren.
Das Ende war nicht meins. Mir schien, dass die ganze Handlung in etwas Unverständliches gemündet hat. Ich hab wirklich das Ziel der ganzen Geschichte nicht ganz begreifen können, was ich recht schade fand.
Fazit:
Es ist cool, dass es ein Extraband neben den Spielen auf den Markt gekommen ist. Jedoch hatte ich so meine Problemchen mit dem Buch. Ich würde nicht behaupten, dass es schlecht ist, ich selbst bin nur mit einem "meh" Gefühl aus der Geschichte herausgegangen, weil mir einige Elemente gefehlt haben und mir die Charaktere zu blass waren. Ich hätte mich darüber gefreut mehr über Joseph Seed und die Gründung von Eden's Gate zu erfahren, aber dieser kam kaum in dieser Geschichte vor, außer in Erwähnungen als "der Vater".
Wenn ihr etwas zusätzlich zu den Games haben möchtet, könnt ihr gerne das Buch lesen und eure eigene Meinung bilden! :)
2 von 5 Sternen
Zu aller erst: Ich bin schon lange ein Fan von der Far Cry Reihe, obwohl ich erst seit Far Cry 3 mit am Start bin. Das fünfte Game hatte mir auch sehr gut gefallen, weil mich die ganze Thematik mit dieser Sekte so unterhalten hat. Und bezüglich des Buches, hätte ich mir mehr Infos gewünscht, die man nicht aus dem Game oder Far Cry: New Dawn erhalten hätte.
Als Leser verfolgen wir zwei Hauptcharaktere: Will, ein Mann im Alter von 60 Jahren, der seine Frau und Tochter verloren hat und mit der Sekte agiert & Mary May, die die Bar ihrer Eltern in Falls End betreibt. Jedoch ist in den Wochen davor zuerst ihre Mutter und dann ihr Vater verstorben, welcher sich auf den Weg gemacht hatte Drew, Mary Mays Bruder, aus der Sekte von Eden's Gate zu holen. Seit dem Tod ihres Vaters besitzt John Seed ein großes Interesse Mary Mays Sünden auszutreiben.
Die Perspektive wechselt immer wieder zwischen den beiden, da sie zunächst gegeneinander agieren. Jedoch ändert es sich mit der Zeit und Will & Mary May versuchen Drew aus der Sekte zu befreien und Mary May selbst in Sicherheit zu bringen.
Etwas, was typisch für die Games ist, war auch hier vertreten: Das Jagen von Tieren, das Häuten und die Schusswaffen Kämpfe bis auf den Tod.
Bekannte Charaktere die aufgetreten sind waren John Seed und Pastor Jerome. Von Joseph Seed war nur eine Sequenz zu sehen, wobei Jacob nur erwähnt wurde. Ich hätte mir mehr von den anderen Charakteren gewünscht. Trotzdem habe ich mich über die Rolle von Pastor Jerome in dem Buch gefreut.
Mir war die Handlung zu schnell, zu undurchsichtig und es hat lange gebraucht, damit ein roter Faden entstand. Ich hätte mir gewünscht, dass sich mehr Zeit für den Plot genommen wurden wäre, da es extrem gehetzt wirkte und gerade mal in etwa 2-4 Tagen stattfand. Durch diese Hetze, konnte nicht mal eine ausgereifte Geschichte entstehen, da sie mehr von Flucht und dem Verstecken geprägt wurde.
Der Schreibstil war mir etwas zu umfangreich. Dadurch, dass es so viele Ortsbeschreibungen gab oder wie man zum Beispiel einen Bären jagt, ergab sich nicht so oft ein Leseflow, weil ich nur mit Infos überschüttet wurde, die nicht Story-relevant waren.
Das Ende war nicht meins. Mir schien, dass die ganze Handlung in etwas Unverständliches gemündet hat. Ich hab wirklich das Ziel der ganzen Geschichte nicht ganz begreifen können, was ich recht schade fand.
Fazit:
Es ist cool, dass es ein Extraband neben den Spielen auf den Markt gekommen ist. Jedoch hatte ich so meine Problemchen mit dem Buch. Ich würde nicht behaupten, dass es schlecht ist, ich selbst bin nur mit einem "meh" Gefühl aus der Geschichte herausgegangen, weil mir einige Elemente gefehlt haben und mir die Charaktere zu blass waren. Ich hätte mich darüber gefreut mehr über Joseph Seed und die Gründung von Eden's Gate zu erfahren, aber dieser kam kaum in dieser Geschichte vor, außer in Erwähnungen als "der Vater".
Wenn ihr etwas zusätzlich zu den Games haben möchtet, könnt ihr gerne das Buch lesen und eure eigene Meinung bilden! :)
2 von 5 Sternen
March 13, 2018
Acting as a prequel and laying down the foundations to the forthcoming Far Cry 5 game I wasn't expecting this to be high literature, I bought the book as I've been looking forward to the game. My expectations were quickly thrown out of the window as this turned out to be well written and surprisingly thoughtful.
The story takes it's time to give the wilderness character and set the tone for the rest of the book and the soon-to-be released game. The plot was fascinating and the writing itself was easy to read and yet it had depth and feeling to it.
Admittedly I'd never heard of Urban Waite before but considering how good this was I'm quite eager to check out more of his work and recommend this book to others!
Unfortunately I'm now even more impatient for the game as the book sets up what looks to be a great adventure.
The story takes it's time to give the wilderness character and set the tone for the rest of the book and the soon-to-be released game. The plot was fascinating and the writing itself was easy to read and yet it had depth and feeling to it.
Admittedly I'd never heard of Urban Waite before but considering how good this was I'm quite eager to check out more of his work and recommend this book to others!
Unfortunately I'm now even more impatient for the game as the book sets up what looks to be a great adventure.
April 23, 2019
I’m unsure about if it was a 2.5 or a 3-star read. I didn’t expect much of it and it didn’t surprise me. I’d at least want more about Father Joseph, (if he’s on the cover he might just as well have a little bit more agency in the story, right?) who was by far one of my favorite Far Cry villains.
What also bothers me is that one of the storylines is rapidly broken off and I don’t know how it ended - maybe it was in the game, but I don’t remember it at all.
It was a nice, light read. Nothing groundbreaking. I’d read more Far Cry novels, not necessarily from that author though
What also bothers me is that one of the storylines is rapidly broken off and I don’t know how it ended - maybe it was in the game, but I don’t remember it at all.
It was a nice, light read. Nothing groundbreaking. I’d read more Far Cry novels, not necessarily from that author though
December 7, 2021
I thought this was a good story and a good introduction to Far Cry 5. Urban Waite does a good job in his description and not taking it too far with the violence that Far Cry is known for, also finally a novelization of a game that does not include a rape scene or a threat of a rape. I wish it would have had more about how Eden's Gate got started, by the time this book takes place they are already an established cult. If you are a fan of the series and have not played the game, this book doesn't give away the plot and takes place about a week before the game starts. If you already played it is still a good read to revisit some of the characters (mostly John) and the world created in Far Cry 5.
March 22, 2018
This was a very different experience than I expected. Going into a Far Cry Novel I was expecting dark humor and graphic violence. It was quite the opposite. While occasionally violent it never seamed graphic. And I don't believe there was much if any humor to be found. Instead I found surprisingly deep prose and a western feeling adventure novel that felt more like a gritty noir than a novel based an a video game. It wasn't a bad novel it just wasn't what I was hoping for going in. I'm sure many will enjoy it.
May 11, 2018
Für alle Far Cry 5 liebenden ein MUSS!
Far Cry - Vergebung bietet einem einen einmaligen Blick hinter Eden´s Gate, einen Blick wie es vor der Zeit von dem Geschehen im Spiel war, was viele Mitglieder dazu motivierte Eden´s Gate beizutretet. Man hörte schon con Mary May Fairgrave und von William Boyd im Spiel an sich und erfährt im Buch Hintergundinformationen durch eine packende, actionreiche, rührselige und gewaltige Geschichte.
Far Cry - Vergebung bietet einem einen einmaligen Blick hinter Eden´s Gate, einen Blick wie es vor der Zeit von dem Geschehen im Spiel war, was viele Mitglieder dazu motivierte Eden´s Gate beizutretet. Man hörte schon con Mary May Fairgrave und von William Boyd im Spiel an sich und erfährt im Buch Hintergundinformationen durch eine packende, actionreiche, rührselige und gewaltige Geschichte.
October 12, 2018
Honestly not a bad book. The writing style is great, plenty of details and the story was interesting. I'm happy I read it.
Now this book isn't 100% like the video game, it shows how The Father grew his gathering and changed from volunteers to forcing people into his cult. We are introduced to him and John, and shown some of the inside workings inside Edens Gate. It's a far cry novel, not a novelization of the game. The beginning was a little slow, but it picked up.
Now this book isn't 100% like the video game, it shows how The Father grew his gathering and changed from volunteers to forcing people into his cult. We are introduced to him and John, and shown some of the inside workings inside Edens Gate. It's a far cry novel, not a novelization of the game. The beginning was a little slow, but it picked up.
March 22, 2019
I really enjoyed this book and the added insight it gave! The book centers on Mary May and Will and their life with being in the different communities of Eden’s Gate and the resistence and how they come together! Also, John played a huge part in this story and The Father made his appearance here and there! Jacob was mentioned a few times and I loved the little hints toward things! Though I kind of wish the story spread throughout the other characters too like Nick Rye, Sharky, and Jess!
June 12, 2018
Bad. The kind of book that puts you off reading for a while.
September 9, 2019
Loved it!
Far Cry 5 is my favorite game. Wish there were more books based on Far Cry 5! One of my favorites!
Far Cry 5 is my favorite game. Wish there were more books based on Far Cry 5! One of my favorites!
August 20, 2018
This is a good "side"/"prequel" story to the main game, but it is by no means required in order to appreciate the main game, nor does it add anything that I would call overly substantial to the central plot of the game.
That said, it is a good stand-alone "side" or "prequel" story to the main events of Far Cry 5 as it develops a few characters a bit more and gives you a better idea of what Hope County was like prior to the start of Far Cry 5. The reason for the scare quotes on side and prequel is that I'm hesitant to call it a true side story as its fairly detached from the main game plot, and I'm also hesitant to agree with the term prequel because that implies a stronger connection to the events of the main game than this book contains. In short, pretty much nothing that happens in this book has much, if any, bearing on the events in the main game. What it does do exceptionally well, however, is to give you a separate view into Hope County from a drastically different perspective and lens than does Far Cry 5.
Whereas Far Cry 5 is well... a Far Cry game, this story is much more slow-paced and detail oriented. It brings in characters you know from the game, be they loved or despised, and adds to them. However, these additions are fairly insubstantial, and there are some characters - chief characters at that - which are featured disappointingly little, if at all, in this book. In fact, there are particular characters which I would argue are featured a bit too much given the way this book appears to have been marketed, but that's more of a personal nitpick that a substantive review of the book.
The real strength of Far Cry: Absolution comes in its cast of characters which are not (for better or worse) featured in the events of the main game. These characters mold better into the novel's plot and, because you haven't encountered them in the main game, you don't have as many preconceived notions for them. This, in turn, allows the characters to stand on their own a bit more than the characters who are central to the plot of the game.
This was my first "video game novel" and I have to say I was very impressed by the writing. Yes, Waite does have a very detail-centric approach to his writing that may leave some readers questioning (or perhaps, just outright bored by) why he goes to such depth with seemingly "mundane" items, however I really appreciated the world-crafting that Waite was able to achieve in his story. That said, because Waite focuses on details which don't even always matter to this novel's story, don't go into Far Cry: Absolution with any expectation of a "major" reveal for the game's plot - as there simply isn't one to be found.
In recommending this book, I would not recommend it to the reader who is only interested in a story tied directly and substantially into the events of the main game. I would, however, hastily recommend the book to anyone who enjoyed Hope County as a more abstract story and who is interested in exploring its lesser-known characters and the more nuanced edges of Eden's Gate, with the understanding that the novel advances no major "Far Cry 5 story" beyond one possible event to one side-character who is included in the main game.
Overall a recommended and well-written read if you manage your expectations as to how directly this ties into the main game.
That said, it is a good stand-alone "side" or "prequel" story to the main events of Far Cry 5 as it develops a few characters a bit more and gives you a better idea of what Hope County was like prior to the start of Far Cry 5. The reason for the scare quotes on side and prequel is that I'm hesitant to call it a true side story as its fairly detached from the main game plot, and I'm also hesitant to agree with the term prequel because that implies a stronger connection to the events of the main game than this book contains. In short, pretty much nothing that happens in this book has much, if any, bearing on the events in the main game. What it does do exceptionally well, however, is to give you a separate view into Hope County from a drastically different perspective and lens than does Far Cry 5.
Whereas Far Cry 5 is well... a Far Cry game, this story is much more slow-paced and detail oriented. It brings in characters you know from the game, be they loved or despised, and adds to them. However, these additions are fairly insubstantial, and there are some characters - chief characters at that - which are featured disappointingly little, if at all, in this book. In fact, there are particular characters which I would argue are featured a bit too much given the way this book appears to have been marketed, but that's more of a personal nitpick that a substantive review of the book.
The real strength of Far Cry: Absolution comes in its cast of characters which are not (for better or worse) featured in the events of the main game. These characters mold better into the novel's plot and, because you haven't encountered them in the main game, you don't have as many preconceived notions for them. This, in turn, allows the characters to stand on their own a bit more than the characters who are central to the plot of the game.
This was my first "video game novel" and I have to say I was very impressed by the writing. Yes, Waite does have a very detail-centric approach to his writing that may leave some readers questioning (or perhaps, just outright bored by) why he goes to such depth with seemingly "mundane" items, however I really appreciated the world-crafting that Waite was able to achieve in his story. That said, because Waite focuses on details which don't even always matter to this novel's story, don't go into Far Cry: Absolution with any expectation of a "major" reveal for the game's plot - as there simply isn't one to be found.
In recommending this book, I would not recommend it to the reader who is only interested in a story tied directly and substantially into the events of the main game. I would, however, hastily recommend the book to anyone who enjoyed Hope County as a more abstract story and who is interested in exploring its lesser-known characters and the more nuanced edges of Eden's Gate, with the understanding that the novel advances no major "Far Cry 5 story" beyond one possible event to one side-character who is included in the main game.
Overall a recommended and well-written read if you manage your expectations as to how directly this ties into the main game.
March 5, 2023
Far Cry: Absolution has its moments when it paints pictures by reveling in slow moments in the Montana wilderness. It also has its flaws whenever the action picks up. Overall, it's an uneven ride but one that serves as a good introduction to the setting and characters of Far Cry 5.
One of the best parts of Far Cry: Absolution is that it stays focused. Too often, media tie-ins bite off more than they can chew, seemingly trying to check off an endless list of characters and events (and, in the case of game tie-ins, game mechanics) that they need to reference. Absolution is limited in scope, using a small cast of characters to provide us a view into the Eden's Gate cult before the events of the game.
Will Boyd (of the "Boyd Residence" in the game) and Mary May Fairgrave (an ally of the game's protagonist) take the lead, as Mary May tries to rescue her brother from the cult and Boyd tracks her down. The early chapters introduce the Hope County, Montana setting as well as a few other important characters -- including, notably for players of the game, John Seed. (The only notable introduction later on is Pastor Jerome with a late-act appearance.) But the novel stays tight to its leads, rather than sprawling out to introduce and expand on the whole cult family, and is the better for it. These early sections (I can't really call them "chapters" -- somewhat frustratingly for people like me, who typically read chapter-by-chapter, the novel is divided into only five often-lengthy "chapters" with character shifts and time changes included within each) are slow and thoughtful and allow you to soak in the beautiful Montana surroundings -- they're easily the highlights here.
However, somewhere around the 2/3 or 3/4 mark, things start to go off the rails -- both for our leads and for the reading experience. Absolution becomes a book about action, and those beautifully painted, slow scenes devolve into a messy and chaotic tale that becomes more difficult to follow. It was also at this point that I noticed a distractingly frequent use of the word "now" -- "now they did this, he paused now and looked around, she saw them coming now", that sort of thing. Once I picked up on it, it stood out to me sometimes in consecutive paragraphs and many times in a section -- enough that it seemed like a crutch to make things sound like they were more exciting than they actually were.
Other than some action-oriented stumbles, the story is pretty good most of the way. Even the ending isn't as unfulfilling as many tie-ins that are more focused on leading into another piece of media than telling a good story. (Although there's still little in the way of resolution for most of the characters here.) In fact, Absolution seems like it might be one of the more approachable media tie-ins for people who aren't interested in the media franchise itself -- there's nothing distinctly "Far Cry" here that you need to understand to enjoy it. Overall, it's a pretty easy recommendation for fans of the setting and story of Far Cry 5 -- any maybe even worth a read for someone just looking for a low-scope thriller about a cult.
One of the best parts of Far Cry: Absolution is that it stays focused. Too often, media tie-ins bite off more than they can chew, seemingly trying to check off an endless list of characters and events (and, in the case of game tie-ins, game mechanics) that they need to reference. Absolution is limited in scope, using a small cast of characters to provide us a view into the Eden's Gate cult before the events of the game.
Will Boyd (of the "Boyd Residence" in the game) and Mary May Fairgrave (an ally of the game's protagonist) take the lead, as Mary May tries to rescue her brother from the cult and Boyd tracks her down. The early chapters introduce the Hope County, Montana setting as well as a few other important characters -- including, notably for players of the game, John Seed. (The only notable introduction later on is Pastor Jerome with a late-act appearance.) But the novel stays tight to its leads, rather than sprawling out to introduce and expand on the whole cult family, and is the better for it. These early sections (I can't really call them "chapters" -- somewhat frustratingly for people like me, who typically read chapter-by-chapter, the novel is divided into only five often-lengthy "chapters" with character shifts and time changes included within each) are slow and thoughtful and allow you to soak in the beautiful Montana surroundings -- they're easily the highlights here.
However, somewhere around the 2/3 or 3/4 mark, things start to go off the rails -- both for our leads and for the reading experience. Absolution becomes a book about action, and those beautifully painted, slow scenes devolve into a messy and chaotic tale that becomes more difficult to follow. It was also at this point that I noticed a distractingly frequent use of the word "now" -- "now they did this, he paused now and looked around, she saw them coming now", that sort of thing. Once I picked up on it, it stood out to me sometimes in consecutive paragraphs and many times in a section -- enough that it seemed like a crutch to make things sound like they were more exciting than they actually were.
Other than some action-oriented stumbles, the story is pretty good most of the way. Even the ending isn't as unfulfilling as many tie-ins that are more focused on leading into another piece of media than telling a good story. (Although there's still little in the way of resolution for most of the characters here.) In fact, Absolution seems like it might be one of the more approachable media tie-ins for people who aren't interested in the media franchise itself -- there's nothing distinctly "Far Cry" here that you need to understand to enjoy it. Overall, it's a pretty easy recommendation for fans of the setting and story of Far Cry 5 -- any maybe even worth a read for someone just looking for a low-scope thriller about a cult.
June 20, 2020
This novel is a prequel to the Far Cry 5 game, focusing on the story of Mary May, who takes matters into her own hands to find her brother who has joined the Eden’s Gate cult. It features the character William Boyd, whose dark past led him to join Eden’s Gate many years ago, where he is now a local hunter whose path crosses that of Mary May’s.
The story began slowly but started getting into a bit more action about a third of the way through. Each chapter was made up of smaller sections which made it easier to read. The story featured some of the game’s existing characters, including (obviously, Mary May), John and Joseph Seed, and Jerome. I was surprised that the main villain was actually John, with limited appearances from the Father. There was a brief mention of Jacob, and no mention of Faith. It may be that Faith had not yet come into the timeline, but as a fan of the game I would have liked to see more of the other Seeds, not just John. Also, I’m a bit disappointed that the little bear in the start didn’t turn out to be Cheeseburger!
The character Will Boyd, who is only vaguely referred to in the game (ie, through the existence of the Boyd house, and is referred to in a letter left there), had an interesting backstory. This helped to gain an understanding of why many people joined the cult, and how it changed from something seemingly innocent, to something increasingly barbaric. It provided some insight into how changes in the cult leaders’ methods may have caused some members to become disillusioned and defect to The Resistance.
Reading this story was an immersive experience into the world of Hope County, with descriptions of buildings and landscapes, the theme of hunting, and of course The Bliss, that reflected the game world. I feel like this could have gone even further with the inclusion of things like the prepper stashes, and background into some of the notes and letters that are discovered in the game. I thought it was cool that the beginning of the chapters were similar to the loading screen in the game, particularly with quotes from the Father.
Whilst this is by no means an amazing example of literature, and the ending was not what I anticipated, it was overall an enjoyable read for myself as a Far Cry 5 fan. Personally, I would recommend reading the book after finishing the game, as the story doesn’t offer anything that would be of assistance during the game. It’s been a pleasure to immerse myself in the world of Hope County again after withdrawals from finishing the game. It goes along well with the Far Cry 5 prequel mini-movie found on YouTube.
I’m glad this novel is more accessible than the Book of Joseph, and it would be great to see more stories involving other characters in the Far Cry 5 universe, to build on the background that was set in this novel.
4/5 stars, I would recommend this to any fan of Far Cry 5. Don’t expect it to be the most enthralling and well-written work out there, just enjoy it for the experience in Hope County and a bit of backstory to the game.
The story began slowly but started getting into a bit more action about a third of the way through. Each chapter was made up of smaller sections which made it easier to read. The story featured some of the game’s existing characters, including (obviously, Mary May), John and Joseph Seed, and Jerome. I was surprised that the main villain was actually John, with limited appearances from the Father. There was a brief mention of Jacob, and no mention of Faith. It may be that Faith had not yet come into the timeline, but as a fan of the game I would have liked to see more of the other Seeds, not just John. Also, I’m a bit disappointed that the little bear in the start didn’t turn out to be Cheeseburger!
The character Will Boyd, who is only vaguely referred to in the game (ie, through the existence of the Boyd house, and is referred to in a letter left there), had an interesting backstory. This helped to gain an understanding of why many people joined the cult, and how it changed from something seemingly innocent, to something increasingly barbaric. It provided some insight into how changes in the cult leaders’ methods may have caused some members to become disillusioned and defect to The Resistance.
Reading this story was an immersive experience into the world of Hope County, with descriptions of buildings and landscapes, the theme of hunting, and of course The Bliss, that reflected the game world. I feel like this could have gone even further with the inclusion of things like the prepper stashes, and background into some of the notes and letters that are discovered in the game. I thought it was cool that the beginning of the chapters were similar to the loading screen in the game, particularly with quotes from the Father.
Whilst this is by no means an amazing example of literature, and the ending was not what I anticipated, it was overall an enjoyable read for myself as a Far Cry 5 fan. Personally, I would recommend reading the book after finishing the game, as the story doesn’t offer anything that would be of assistance during the game. It’s been a pleasure to immerse myself in the world of Hope County again after withdrawals from finishing the game. It goes along well with the Far Cry 5 prequel mini-movie found on YouTube.
I’m glad this novel is more accessible than the Book of Joseph, and it would be great to see more stories involving other characters in the Far Cry 5 universe, to build on the background that was set in this novel.
4/5 stars, I would recommend this to any fan of Far Cry 5. Don’t expect it to be the most enthralling and well-written work out there, just enjoy it for the experience in Hope County and a bit of backstory to the game.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2021
Far Cry: Absolution by Urban Waite is video game prequel tie-in novel based of Ubisoft’s 2018 game “Far Cry 5”.
This novel reads like an old school pulp crime fiction but is set in the present-day hardscrabble rural America of anti-government militias and apocalyptic cults. Instead of driving sedans down the streets of Los Angeles these characters steer their pickup trucks down winding dirt roads that lead to churches, cult compounds, small farms and grazing land.
Like most hardboiled stories those in power are either corrupt or at best compromised by the system. The two protagonists of the book, bar owner Mary May Fairgrave (a FARCRY character) and hunter William Boyd (Urban Waite’s book character) come in conflict with apocalyptic cult featured in the Far Cry 5 game. They have two different reactions.
Mary May is a local barkeep whose father owned “The Spread Eagle Bar.” She inherits this bar after her father dies and her brother becomes part of the cult. A little less than half the book shows her trying to reconnect with her brother. This reconnection is a dark journey and points to a powerful for her character to become part of the resistance against the cult and its messianic leader, “The Father.” Since she is a character in the game I was surprised how much of her back-story is revealed in the book, but obviously the creators trusted this author.
The author’s creation, William Boyd, is an old man who lost his wife and daughter. He works for the cult as a hunter. A reformed alcoholic he joined the cult, called Eden’s Gate, as a worshipper. His role as a hunter keeps him separate from much of the cult and he is troubled by its increasingly violent and terrorist actions to people in the fictional Montana Mountains that he lives.
He and Mary May’s stories weave together, when a member of the cult hires him to track her. He is told this is done to find and protect her but as it becomes increasingly obvious there is a sinister purpose he starts to rebel against his role in the cult. The portrayal of these two characters and their situations makes for good reading.
Many times, a novel written to promote a game can seem to be a thinly veiled side mission. This is not that. The writer Urban Waite has crafted an original story set In the Far Cry game universe that gives the reader a look inside the game world of Far Cry 5’s fictional location of Hope, Montana, but also stands on its own. It’s shame that a long running game franchise like Far Cry has so little expanded universe material exploring its various games. Far Cry: Absolution really shows that it can tell a good story set with this games universe, and I would definitely recommend fans of the Far Cry franchise give it a read.
February 15, 2019
all reviews in one place:
night mode reading ;
skaitom nakties rezimu
About: After a drunk accident in which Will has killed his family, the only solace he found was in Eden’s Gate cult. Led by Joseph Seed, called The Father by his followers, cult lives a communal life, building each other houses, keeping one another in check, donating all they got to common kettle, where it then gets distributed to those who need said things accordingly. Will’s sins were absolved, he was taken into new family, given home, purpose. But the more time he spends away, on his own, his soul slowly seeping back into nature and thoughts that he did, accident or no, kill his family, the more he starts doubting the purity and truth of the Gospel The Father is preaching. The cult believes the world’s about to end, for it is corrupt and rotten. The only way to be saved is to abandon sin and join them. But while his joining was willing, full of new hope, there’s whispers and rumors in the wind of ever emptier towns below his mountain, which speak of drug-laced baptisms, kidnappings, and even murder…
Mine: The book had the same thought and point as the game did. The same double-view on things. From one point you see these armed folk kidnapping you, forcing you to confess, possibly tying you up to prevent you from running. On the other side you see desperation to save you, for the world might indeed soon end, and you, a sinner that you are, don’t deserve to die anyway. You get this in the game too. I remember the strange shock I felt the first time I was saving people from a bunker, hearing cult members scream in desperation that the people will die if allowed to go. They didn’t mean they’ll kill the people. They literally meant that they’ll perish in the apocalypse which was indeed mere days away. Brutal means to keep you safe. Or brutal means to force you into a sect. But. Here’s a big one. There’s inconsistencies with the game that could’ve been prevented by googling, looking into wikipedia and so on. There’s plot holes. And at times it seemed like author forgot what he wrote three pages back, so what you’re reading now – doesn’t fit at all.
This book was just good enough to read to the end and give it 3 out of 5. It’s not a bad book. It’s simply not a good one either.
night mode reading ;
skaitom nakties rezimu
About: After a drunk accident in which Will has killed his family, the only solace he found was in Eden’s Gate cult. Led by Joseph Seed, called The Father by his followers, cult lives a communal life, building each other houses, keeping one another in check, donating all they got to common kettle, where it then gets distributed to those who need said things accordingly. Will’s sins were absolved, he was taken into new family, given home, purpose. But the more time he spends away, on his own, his soul slowly seeping back into nature and thoughts that he did, accident or no, kill his family, the more he starts doubting the purity and truth of the Gospel The Father is preaching. The cult believes the world’s about to end, for it is corrupt and rotten. The only way to be saved is to abandon sin and join them. But while his joining was willing, full of new hope, there’s whispers and rumors in the wind of ever emptier towns below his mountain, which speak of drug-laced baptisms, kidnappings, and even murder…
Mine: The book had the same thought and point as the game did. The same double-view on things. From one point you see these armed folk kidnapping you, forcing you to confess, possibly tying you up to prevent you from running. On the other side you see desperation to save you, for the world might indeed soon end, and you, a sinner that you are, don’t deserve to die anyway. You get this in the game too. I remember the strange shock I felt the first time I was saving people from a bunker, hearing cult members scream in desperation that the people will die if allowed to go. They didn’t mean they’ll kill the people. They literally meant that they’ll perish in the apocalypse which was indeed mere days away. Brutal means to keep you safe. Or brutal means to force you into a sect. But. Here’s a big one. There’s inconsistencies with the game that could’ve been prevented by googling, looking into wikipedia and so on. There’s plot holes. And at times it seemed like author forgot what he wrote three pages back, so what you’re reading now – doesn’t fit at all.
This book was just good enough to read to the end and give it 3 out of 5. It’s not a bad book. It’s simply not a good one either.
March 15, 2019
Good writing for a spin-off
I liked the author’a writing style. He was great with setting the mood with the minor details, especially with the hunter, Will. He seemed to know a thing or two about the outdoors, and I really felt inside the character’s head. Makes me want to read more of his work.
I thought this was an okay setup for the game. I’m about to start my second playthrough of it and thought I should read this while my mind is on the subject. It didn’t expand much upon its story, and from what I remember about Mary May, not too much on her either, despite her being the book’s main supporting character. It makes the game’s story a little more personal to her, but not much. I would’ve liked to have read more about Sheriff Whitehorse, since he’s such an interesting character; or about how Joseph Seed got started, specifically his history with his daughter and wife.
None the less, it was a good read. Easy. Finished it in just over a day. Will definitely look into this author’s other books.
The internal monologue that Will and Mary May had was good, and it said more about the human experience more than what I would expect for a video game novelization, but not enough to fulfill my standard for five stars. Still good writing. And since the story was just okay, just three stars.
I liked the author’a writing style. He was great with setting the mood with the minor details, especially with the hunter, Will. He seemed to know a thing or two about the outdoors, and I really felt inside the character’s head. Makes me want to read more of his work.
I thought this was an okay setup for the game. I’m about to start my second playthrough of it and thought I should read this while my mind is on the subject. It didn’t expand much upon its story, and from what I remember about Mary May, not too much on her either, despite her being the book’s main supporting character. It makes the game’s story a little more personal to her, but not much. I would’ve liked to have read more about Sheriff Whitehorse, since he’s such an interesting character; or about how Joseph Seed got started, specifically his history with his daughter and wife.
None the less, it was a good read. Easy. Finished it in just over a day. Will definitely look into this author’s other books.
The internal monologue that Will and Mary May had was good, and it said more about the human experience more than what I would expect for a video game novelization, but not enough to fulfill my standard for five stars. Still good writing. And since the story was just okay, just three stars.
March 14, 2018
Eccoci con "l'anticipazione(?)" del nuovo Far Cry 5, in uscita a fine mese. Sono entusiasta nel aver letto il libro , letteralmente DIVORATO in poche settimane. Il nuovo capitolo della saga mi ispira moltissimo come l'antecedente. Hope County, Montana la città ambientata in questo nuovo titolo , è caduta nelle mani di una setta che si è data il nome di chiesa di Eden's Gate. Sfruttando debolezze e bisogni, anche grazie al carisma del loro capo, John Seed, che si fa chiamare Il Padre. Mary May è una giovane ragazza che combatte per ragioni personali , la setta ma non da sola, ci sarà il nostro William Boyd personaggio che mi ha colpito moltissimo ad aiutare la giovane ragazza per combattere questa sette fasulla e raggiungere il suo obiettivo. Un romanzo scorrevole e piacevole alla vista con azione e senza far spoiler all'attesissimo nuovo capitolo.E' una chicca da non perdersi da amante di libri e videogiochi e non vedo l'ora di potervi giocare e divertirmi come i precedenti capitoli.
March 28, 2018
Far shot far cry
I went into this book expecting mediocre character development but a decent background story of the game I have been anticipating for a while. I wanted to finish this before the release of far cry 5 and with the audio book and my reading I have done so!
I was not disappointed and pleasantly surprised with William Boyd. The main character of this book a member of the cult that plays the antagonist in this latest far cry rendition. I hope once I start playing the game I see how far the author went into the research of this book to develop him. The reading was easy to follow and the written detail really immersed me into he story. I don’t want to spoil the book but i really want to know what happens next!
On the scale of 1-10 I give this book an 8 and would totally recommend it. My only complaint about the book is the dang bear cub! Bring him back! Also I feel as though William Boyd could have his own stand alone book leading up to him joining the cult!
I went into this book expecting mediocre character development but a decent background story of the game I have been anticipating for a while. I wanted to finish this before the release of far cry 5 and with the audio book and my reading I have done so!
I was not disappointed and pleasantly surprised with William Boyd. The main character of this book a member of the cult that plays the antagonist in this latest far cry rendition. I hope once I start playing the game I see how far the author went into the research of this book to develop him. The reading was easy to follow and the written detail really immersed me into he story. I don’t want to spoil the book but i really want to know what happens next!
On the scale of 1-10 I give this book an 8 and would totally recommend it. My only complaint about the book is the dang bear cub! Bring him back! Also I feel as though William Boyd could have his own stand alone book leading up to him joining the cult!
May 5, 2018
Without playing the Far Cry 5 game it's a little difficult to understand exactly what's going on here. It's not a particularly good stand alone.
The book focuses on Mary May trying to get her brother, Drew, back from the Eden's Gate cult in Montana. She goes marching on in there and then wonders why everything went wrong.
As far as the Seed's go, the story is set mainly around John. Jacob is mentioned and Joseph makes a brief appearance, but this is one for the John lovers.
I loved the game so much — Team Jacob for the win! — but this book really did not live up to my expectations. Mary May is a flat character, Will is dark and broody but with no personal growth. Seriously, the only good bits are the bits with John. He's written beautifully, but he's just not in it enough.
The book focuses on Mary May trying to get her brother, Drew, back from the Eden's Gate cult in Montana. She goes marching on in there and then wonders why everything went wrong.
As far as the Seed's go, the story is set mainly around John. Jacob is mentioned and Joseph makes a brief appearance, but this is one for the John lovers.
I loved the game so much — Team Jacob for the win! — but this book really did not live up to my expectations. Mary May is a flat character, Will is dark and broody but with no personal growth. Seriously, the only good bits are the bits with John. He's written beautifully, but he's just not in it enough.
February 23, 2021
Gdy parę lat temu premierę miała gra Far Cry 5 nie mogłem się od niej oderwać. Uważam ją za jedną z lepszych odsłon tej serii. Po przejściu fabuły i wątków pobocznych miałem pewien niedosyt. Chciałem bardziej zagłębić się w losy Hrabstwa Hope w stanie Montana. Pewnego dnia wybrałem się do sklepu Empik, żeby zobaczyć sobie co tam ciekawego w świecie książek się dzieje i natrafiłem na oficjalny prequel do Far Cry 5. Bez zastanowienia kupiłem i zabrałem się za czytanie. Jest to świetna książka dla fanów tej serii. W bardzo fajny sposób przedstawia wydarzenia, które działy się przed historią opowiedzianą w grze. Można poznać wcześniejsze losy bohaterów i początki kultu, z którym musimy się zmierzyć podczas grania.
August 20, 2023
kind of blandly written.
i only read it because i wanted to see if it filled in some of the gaps from the game's narrative. (the game, by the way, supposedly had a lot of rewrites at a late stage so presumably the characterisation of characters who are actually in the game and in this novel like John and Mary-May might have changed since Urban Waite got given the go-ahead to write this book.) sadly it does not.
it's just original-character-do-not-steal trying to help his old friend's daughter when she tries to investigate her brother's disappearance into the cult and gets in way over her head. i would have thought it'd feature more of joseph, but nope, apparently john's the one who everyone's really afraid of.
i only read it because i wanted to see if it filled in some of the gaps from the game's narrative. (the game, by the way, supposedly had a lot of rewrites at a late stage so presumably the characterisation of characters who are actually in the game and in this novel like John and Mary-May might have changed since Urban Waite got given the go-ahead to write this book.) sadly it does not.
it's just original-character-do-not-steal trying to help his old friend's daughter when she tries to investigate her brother's disappearance into the cult and gets in way over her head. i would have thought it'd feature more of joseph, but nope, apparently john's the one who everyone's really afraid of.
December 1, 2022
Not as balls-to-the-wall insane as the original game franchise, but Waite has some Cormac McCarthy-light style prose which is pretty enjoyable. He also avoids the mistake of trying to include too much of the source material by focusing largely on one sect of our villains, which makes for a leaner book.
Check out our full talkthrough of this novel anywhere podcasts are found or at the following links:
https://pixellitpod.com/far-cry-absol...
https://pixellitpod.com/far-cry-absol...
https://pixellitpod.com/far-cry-absol...
https://pixellitpod.com/far-cry-absol...
Check out our full talkthrough of this novel anywhere podcasts are found or at the following links:
https://pixellitpod.com/far-cry-absol...
https://pixellitpod.com/far-cry-absol...
https://pixellitpod.com/far-cry-absol...
https://pixellitpod.com/far-cry-absol...
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