Dragon Age: The Masked Empire

After the whole Mass Effect novel fiasco when they switched writers I was a bit concerned about how this one would turn out. I'm more than happy with the result. Mr Weekes did a fantastic job of putting us back in Thedas and bringing some long dormant excitement back for the Dragon Age series. I really like the new cast of characters and hope the put them to use in Inquisition. I'm always puzzled why they don't use the characters from novels more in the games. I would like to have Michel as one of my companions in Inquisition but enjoyed the entire cast and their complicated relationships. Another thing I appreciated was the use of DA specific creatures that aren't darkspawn. It's nice to have a little more insight than we might get in the games. I'm giving this a five star rating because I really enjoyed it. It's not on the same level Martin or Rothfuss, for me, but it's a good sword and sorcery with a lot of political and ethical intrigue. If you like a good fantasy adventure you could do a lot worse. Good job Mr Weekes...now when do we get the next one?

I'll start off by saying that I've read all of the DA books released thus far, and "The Masked Empire" is hands down the best one written. I credit that to Patrick Weekes, who is the first person after long-time DA novelist David Gaider to handle the series. This was the most well written novel so far; a problem I have had with previous books in the series. You could tell him put a lot of effort in describing Orlais and Orlesian society. I was actually able to see the French influence they used for creating Orlais, something I was not able to in “Asunder”. Patrick Weekes was able to deliver a book that had both substance and style, and which the only complaint I could say is it wasn’t long enough. That’s understandable, considering I know they can’t write George R. R. Martin size books. Previous novels I found lacking in many departments, but “The Masked Empire” had none of them. I would be very fine with Weekes taking over the novels at this point.

If you're playing DA:I for the first time or, more likely, replaying it for the tenth time, this is a great little companion book that helps explain the backstory behind all of the political turmoil at the Winter Palace and gives some interesting insight into the motives and reasoning driving the decisions made by the major contenders for power. It's also a fun little piece of DA merch that looks pretty on a bookshelf. I'm happy I made the purchase.

There are many complaints about this book, mainly because many have mistakenly compared it to caliber of of George R.R. Martin or Jacquline Carey. It is by no means up to par with those books and I don't think it tries to. It has a few twists and turns that you might not see coming. It focuses on Orlais, its political nature and paints beautifully the difference between what it is to be a City Elf and a "Dalish" Elf. One of the most captivating characters is Felassan. He is a Dalish Elf and by far the most complicated character in the book in my opinion. The relationship between Celene and Briala is beautiful and complicated. I rooted for Briala the entire book even if I was upset as a romantic as to how things turn out. And Michel De Chevin, the Queen Champion goes through a journey that is unique in and of itself although he becomes predictable at times. The antagonist, Gaspard, is painted by some as anti-hero and not a truly evil man. While he is not entirely evil, I wouldn't call him the anti-hero. That gives him too much of a John Cusack kind of vibe. He's opportunistic and bad at political machinations, though wonderful at battle strategy and you cannot call a man an anti-hero if orders the SLAUGHTER of his own people, no matter The Game. It's a wonderful book, a great lead-in to Dragon Age Inquisition, and doesn't expect it to be a 800-1000pg tome, and you're good.

I am a longtime fan of the Dragon Age world, and this book is another jewel in the franchise. Unlike other Dragon Age books and games, I do believe this should be read alongside Dragon Age: Asunder by David Gaider. Both stories actually take place nearly simultaneously. This book is especially well-written, and these are probably the most gray characters in the series. All I know is I cannot wait to play DA:I and revisit Thedas with these awesome characters. Now, I will refrain from further details because of possible spoilers. But, this and Asunder are a must for Dragon Age fans and people anticipating Dragon Age: Inquisition:)

I don't normally enjoy novels based on video games, much as I love both video games and fantasy novels, but I picked up The Masked Empire because I wanted to learn more about the characters than I could find on the Dragon Age wiki or in the World of Thedas volumes, and was very glad I did. Weekes dedicated the book to the games' queer fans, and that dedication truly holds up - Celene and Briala are wonderfully, realistically complicated, and their relationship is heartbreakingly so, in the best way possible. While the plot is straightforward and unlikely to surprise anyone who already knows the plot of Dragon Age: Inquisition, the characters make it a pleasure to read. I'd highly recommend it to fans of the games.

SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! I am in page 274. At this point in the story, Gaspard and his posse just defeated the Sylvan trees, still attempting to capture Celene. I have about a quarter of the book left. In the other three quarters of the novel, I have just been reading about Celene's adventures (adventures is a very favorable word) after her escape. There are two things I am wondering: When (not if) will Celene return to Val Royeaux (because we all know she will) and when and/or how will she kill Gaspard (because we all know she will). *Edit: Okay, after reading the entire novel, he doesn’t die. You fooled me Weekes. Gaspard actually turned out to be a very interesting, honorable, witty, and perceptive character. I am surprisingly glad he didn't die. In fact, I would go as far as saying he may actually be a more capable ruler (and far more interesting character) of Orlais than Celene. But hey, that’s just my opinion. I am wondering and hoping at the same time that he will be in the upcoming Dragon Age Inquisition game. I am also hoping to see Michel in the game, as he begins his new mission life. I am wary to applause cliffhangers in the Dragon Age franchise. I am still asking myself questions. For example, what was the item that Morrigan gave the Hero of Ferelden before she disappears into the eluvian in the Witch Hunt DLC? Here’s another question I am asking: Who was the person who killed Felassan? Was it Mihris or the demon/spirit Ishmael? Nonetheless, if the BioWare writers have it all planned out in the end, I guess it’s all just mere speculation. I guess these types of questions are what keep me interested and passionate in this series. Now, I am about to present a controversial topic (I guess not so controversial these days). However, the one thing that I just do not understand that BioWare writers do all the time is how they include homosexuality in almost EVERYTHING! Before people start berating me, I support gays and lesbians. I have relatives and friends who are gay. My brother is gay for crying out loud. So, please restrain from the trolling, unnecessary, and ignorant remarks. Remember folks, this is just my opinion. We can all agree to disagree and still remain cordial and respectful. Anyway, the fact that Celene had a female lover tended to be a distraction for me. Every time one of them would lovingly gaze at the other, I felt compelled to roll my eyes. When I played Dragon Age Origins, every time the Empress of Orlais was mentioned, I would picture a mystical, powerful, and relentless woman. Okay, she was all of those things for the most part, but why make her a lesbian? Was it rumor that she was supposed to replace Queen Anora and marry King Cailan? I just feel so disappointed with this character. I guess I had different expectations of Celene; that’s all. And now there will be a “fully gay” (as opposed to a “pseudo gay”?) character, Dorian, in the new Dragon Age game. I am sure he will be an intriguing character; however, this is just another example of it being blatantly in my face. I think the options BioWare give the players in the games are terrific. Continue doing stuff like that! I love that! But when two characters of the same sex engage in sexual and sensual activities, and there is nothing I can do about it, it ruins it for me. Let me have that choice to see it or not, just don’t make it such an overwhelming theme in a novel (or a game). However, with all that said, I definitely think Weekes did a good job. There were a few sentences that I had to re-read over again since they included typos or were grammatically incorrect (I am an English Language Arts teacher if you couldn’t guess). But it was not bad for his first novel. Dragon Age has such a vast and rich historical background. I can’t imagine what it would be like to have to dive into the universe head on to create an entirely new storyline about a character we’ve only heard snippets of from the games and the other novels. I recommend this novel if you’re a huge fan of the franchise. Gaider still rules though. 

This and Asunder (the last two Dragon Age tie in novels) have both been fantastic reads. They stand on their own as stories I think, with the occasional cameo from the games always make me smile. But seriously, the characters are all extremely well written, its fast paced, and has a dozen twists and turns to keep you engaged. Both of these books have set the bar high for the next game, Dragon Age: Inqusition, since the game will deal with a lot of the fallout from the novel. That is one thing to keep in mind-if you want to go into the game totally blind, I would wait to read this until after you have played. Characters from the novel have a very good chance of showing up as quest givers, allies, and antagonists in the game (it would seem), so if you don't want that knowledge, wait till you've played to read. (You should DEFINITELY still read this though if you are a fan!)

No han pasado ni dos semanas desde que me llegó el libro a casa y ya lo he devorado. Un libro excelente para todos aquellos que quieran saber más sobre qué ocurre en el periodo de diez años entre Dragon Age II y Dragon Age: Inquisition.. También es un excelente modo de aprender muchísimo sobre la cultura e historia de Orlais, un territorio realmente peculiar y diferente, dado que el libro se centra en la historia de su emperatriz Celene. Considero que Patrick Weeves está a la altura de David Gaider. Tiene un modo de escribir fácil (todo y que el libro a veces trata temas políticos quizás un poco difíciles de seguir) y al libro no le faltan giros. Lo recomiendo mucho a los fans de Dragon Age.

O melhor livro do universo Dragon Age

I read The Masked Empire after finishing Inquisition and all its DLCs. I knew about Briala, Felassan, Celene, and Gaspard's involvement in the story (as well as their true motivations and personalities), but I wanted to finally read it for myself and see how many hints Weekes had put into it. Boy, I was not disappointed! His style is clear and refined and its descriptions made me fall back into the world of Thedas in full force. There are so many references that any fan of the series will adore and he truly set up the plot perfectly for Inquisition and Trespasser. The characters are amazing and it has been great to see them even more well-fleshed after playing the game. Weekes has a great talent with words, witty lines and jokes, but also with the drama of life and hard choices: he shows the consequences of those choices, the thoughts and considerations that went behind them, the feelings of each character. Truly a wonderful read. I really hope he will write another DA novel for the next game.

Annihilated all expectations. The concept of a political fantasy seems a bit... boring, but it is amazing in so many ways. Dialogue is clever, entertaining, and often very funny. Easily some of the best action scenes I've ever read in any book. Every movement of characters is written in a way that paints the scene perfectly in your head.

Envío rápido y en forma correcta . Busque este libro junto a los demás de dragón age y al fin lo conseguí a excelente precio !!