What can I say about Lead Writer David Gaider's debut novel, Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne? It was pretty good! There were times when it slumped, and times when it tried to do things that other fantasy novels have done better, but on the whole: I liked the book. It expanded greatly on the lore of Ferelden, introduced some interesting characters, and seemed to act like a true prequel to the video game.
Because of my love of the Dragon Age series, this book was a solid 4 out of 5 to me. But let's talk about the follow-up novel, Dragon Age: The Calling. As one reviewer on Amazon so perfectly put it: While The Stolen Throne tried to do too much in just 400 pages, The Calling doesn't do enough. What happened during the first 100 pages of the first book? War were declared. We get introduced to the Orlais-occupied Ferelden, the heir to the throne, his best friend, and a massive battle breaks out. In the second book? It takes 100 pages to pick up some pendants at the Circle Tower and get to the Deep Roads...maybe a little more than 100 pages, actually.
See...there's no story here. Nothing's happening, nothing's getting resolved. There's a mystery to it all, but it's not enough to drive the relatively lackluster story. Every time this subplot pops up, I get totally interested. It's intriguing, it ties in to a couple of the DA:O add-ons. But then I get sent back into the main storyline, and I start getting bored again.
The characters are surprisingly flat. They remind me of those random party members that would join your Warden in the game: just enough characterization to make you acknowledge them. Even Maric, who was great in the last book, comes off as...stupid? I mean, the fact that he's even in the Deep Roads in the first place is on account of a form of stupidity I can't even fathom. It just doesn't make sense. He tries to justify it A LOT going forward, but it's just never enough. It's actually one of the first times I've ever felt that in a book; I just could not suspend my disbelief. I refused to believe that the King of Ferelden is that much of an idiot.
The saving grace of this book is that it tells Duncan's story, or rather, how he joined the Grey Wardens. Why he was there, and how he acted at that age. It was actually really, really surprising. You see Duncan as this bastion of patience and wisdom in the game. In the book, he's kind of an asshole. He steals shit for no reason, he's cynical to the point of being a douche, and his life lessons are a direct result of his stupidity. This is not how I envisioned Duncan's beginnings. It's not that it doesn't exactly make sense, it's that the story will have to do a lot to sell me on that change in character that must eventually take place.
And finally: What the fuck is with BioWare and the Deep Roads? I have to laugh every single time they send me back there. I thought I had escaped them in the books. The Stolen Throne proved me wrong, and The Calling proved me doubly wrong. There is just nothing significant about the Deep Roads that they've shown so far. There are only so many different variants of "tunnel" and "cave" that you can use to describe them. Halfway through the book, I'm tired of the Deep Roads. I just can't imagine how this opportunity to showcase more of Ferelden was passed upon in order to tell a story in the most uninspired part of the country.
I'm not setting myself up for disappointment next time. I'm fully expecting another trek into the Deep Roads in Dragon Age II. Fully.
As of now, it's getting really difficult to continue on. The story is not progressing, the environment is boring, the characters are not so great because, once again, Gaider has decided to stick to long instances of exposition instead of letting his characters express themselves (one of them doesn't even talk in the first place). There was a bit involving an exchange of stories around a campfire that was really well done, but I know I'm not going to see another moment like that.
In summation: The Calling is pretty boring so far. It seems like a wasted opportunity and a rushed job with very few redeeming features beyond an opportunity to learn about Duncan's youth. Even then, where's Levi Dryden? He claimed that he was instrumental in bringing the Warden's back to Ferelden after the occupation, but he isn't mentioned in the book. It would have been nice to have a little consistency here and a deeper story. Instead, this reads like a 400+ page book that could have very, very easily been told in 200. Maybe 250.
I'll keep trying to get through it, but if I fail: read above once more.
EDIT: I've made it through 3/4ths of the book now, and things picked up substantially. Granted, it took 200 pages before I was truly hooked, but some neat things happened that were definitely worth reading. Not sure how much my rating will change after I finish it, but I'm certainly not as annoyed at this book as I was before!
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