Teaser Tuesday - Larcout

As you may have noticed I'm not reading a lot at the moment, but I just started on this, and it just might get me out of my reading slump.


Vadrigyn bared her teeth. "Do not confuse my restraint for your ability to exert control over me, old woman."
Rebita recoiled. "You heathen beast."

(Page 82, Larcout by K.A. Krantz)




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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The Hallowed Ones - Book Review (repost)

I've been more busy with playing games lately than with reading, so today I bring you a repost of my review of The Hallowed Ones, a book I think everyone should read.


The Hallowed Ones
by Laura Bickle

What is it about:
Katie is on the verge of her Rumspringa, the time in Amish life when teenagers can get a taste of the real world. But the real world comes to her in this dystopian tale with a philosophical bent. Rumors of massive unrest on the “Outside” abound. Something murderous is out there. Amish elders make a rule: No one goes outside, and no outsiders come in. But when Katie finds a gravely injured young man, she can’t leave him to die. She smuggles him into her family’s barn—at what cost to her community? The suspense of this vividly told, truly horrific thriller will keep the pages turning.

What did I think of it:
Ever had that feeling when you read a book and you love it so much that part of you wants to share it with the whole world, while another part of you wants to jealously guard it and keep it all to yourself?

That's how I feel about The Hallowed Ones!

(And to those who do not know that feeling (which is probably all of you): Yes, I'm weird like that.)

I fell in love with Katie from the start. She's a thinker, who doesn't take what others tell her for granted and who wants to explore things before making a decision. Living in a community where it's expected that you take the things your elders tell you for granted is difficult for Katie. That's why she's looking forward to her Rumspringa, to see the outside world and to be able to decide for herself if her place is really among the Amish or if she belongs somewhere else.

Then bad things happen and it looks like Katie's future might be decided for her.

There is so much to this story I could just ramble on all day. It's as much a creepy, suspenseful horror-thriller as it is a story about strength and faith. Who can Katie trust? Who can she confide in? What will she have to do to survive the horrors that plague the outside and that threaten her community?

There's a constant threat hanging over the story which slowly begins to escalate until it's not just a threat anymore and Katie will have to fight for her survival.

I also loved the setting. The Amish community Katie lives in was described very well and used to its full advantage for this story. I especially loved reading about the Hexenmeister, a mysterious and intriguing figure, who paints so called hexes to protect houses and families from all kind of things.

The climax of this story was just totally amazing and the ending makes me hungry for the next book to see what will happen next (and I can tell you: that is bound to be a lot!). So I can safely say I will be reading the next book as soon as it's released and I'll be rereading The Hallowed Ones in the meantime.

Why should you read it:
It's a totally amazing YA horror-thriller

Teaser Tuesdays - Three Parts Dead

He had no mouth to open, nor a throat through which to draw breath; neither lungs to hold that breath nor diaphragm to propel it out. Yet he howled.

(page 102, Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone)

Hate - Book Musings

Hate
by Alan Gibbons

What is it about:
Eve's older sister, Rosie, was bright and alive and always loved being the centre of attention. Then one day, she is brutally murdered. Six months later, Eve meets Antony and discovers that he was there the night Rosie died and did nothing to help. Is there any way she can ever get past that?

Inspired by the Sophie Lancaster murder in 2007, which saw Sophie and her partner Rob viciously attacked in Stubbylee Park, Bacup, Lancashire because of the way they dressed. This is a hard-hitting real-life thriller about friendship, courage, loss, forgiveness and about our society and communities.


Thoughts on this subject and the book:
Just this once I will not tell you about this book myself, but let my owner do the talking:

I know a lot about being different. At high school I was labeled THE The Cure fan, as if that was all I was. Later in life I have often been called weird because of how I dressed or how I acted. One time I've been called Morticia Addams as an insult (that I took it as a compliment doesn't take away it was meant to be an insult).

These days I sometimes get asked if I'm a Goth. And even though I'm not, and everyone who knows even a little bit about Goths can see I'm not, I do sympathize with Goths, and I love a lot of Goth music. And yes: I dress mainly in black.

Still despite the occasional insult, the labeling, the being called weird or strange: I've never felt threatened or harassed by people for who and what I am. From stories I've heard from other alternative and Goth people I know I've been lucky. I know there's a lot of hate and prejudice towards Goths and other people who are different.

I even encounter it often in my reading. There's a lot of authors who write (YA) Paranormal or Urban Fantasy stories who feel the need to add digs at Goths in their books. From negative or insulting mentions to adding characters who dress like Goths, but aren't TRUE Goths as the author explains in length. It annoys me and makes me wonder why authors do this. Especially as I can only assume that Goths make up a large portion of the readers of Paranormal and Urban Fantasy books.

But I'm getting off track.

I picked up this book because this hate and prejudice towards Goths and other groups/people who are different confuses and scares me. It feels like this intolerance only seems to be growing. I was curious to how Gibbons would handle such a difficult subject.

And I can tell you this book is good.

It was a difficult story to read for me, because apart from the violence it hit very close to home. The way people don't act to not become a victim themselves, to keep their position save. The way they don't speak up. In this book it might have been about a murder, but how often is it that we see that people stay quiet about other important things as well?

This book also was very emotional. I will confess I cried a lot when reading it. This is a powerful story and I could only agree with everything Gibbons tries to tell us.

Still I wonder if this book will be read by those people who need to read it. I am afraid this book will only get picked up by people who already know how wrong prejudice and the hate that goes with it is.

We're a long way away from a more inclusive society. I can only hope we will see sense.

Why should you read it:
It's a powerful and emotional read.

The Testing - Book Review

The Testing (The Testing #1)
by Joelle Charbonneau

What is it about:
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Isn’t that what they say? But how close is too close when they may be one and the same?

The Seven Stages War left much of the planet a charred wasteland. The future belongs to the next generation’s chosen few who must rebuild it. But to enter this elite group, candidates must first pass The Testing—their one chance at a college education and a rewarding career.

Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a Testing candidate; eager to prove her worthiness as a University student and future leader of the United Commonwealth. But on the eve of her departure, her father’s advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies--trust no one.

But surely she can trust Tomas, her handsome childhood friend who offers an alliance? Tomas, who seems to care more about her with the passing of every grueling (and deadly) day of the Testing. To survive, Cia must choose: love without truth or life without trust.

What did I think of it:
This is a very entertaining read.

So the whole last stage of the testing seemed absurd: who cares. It made for fun reading.

Seriously: the concept of The Testing is one that's been done before: teens have to battle it out for survival or placement in a position they want. I knew this going in, so I wasn't expecting originality. I started on this book with the expectation I would be entertained. And I was!

Cia is likeable enough, and the tests she and the others have to take were cool to read about. The whole world building and the testing didn't really make sense to me, but I decided not to try to make sense of it and just enjoy the events.

And I must say that I really loved the interaction between Cia and the other teens. There were some really fun characters. Even Tomas, who seemed to be the typical teenage heartthrob, turned out to have a few tricks up his sleeves. I will confess it's this part of the story that makes me curious how this series will continue, and I most probably will pick up the next book in the series to find out.

All in all this book is enjoyable, if not overly original. If you're looking for an entertaining Dystopian read (and aren't too critical) this might be your book.

Why should you read it:
Teens having to compete in absurd tests!

On McPig's Wishlist - Dead Ringers

This book sounds like it might be a really cool read, but it's over 20 Euro! I guess I'll have to hope for a cheaper paperback.


Dead Ringers
by Christopher Golden

When Tess Devlin runs into her ex-husband Nick on a Boston sidewalk, she's furious at him for pretending he doesn't know her. She calls his cell to have it out with him, only to discover that he's in New Hampshire with his current girlfriend. But if Nick's in New Hampshire...who did she encounter on the street?

Frank Lindbergh's dreams have fallen apart. He wanted to get out of the grim neighborhood where he'd grown up and out of the shadow of his alcoholic father. Now both his parents are dead and he's back in his childhood home, drinking too much himself. As he sets in motion his plans for the future, he's assaulted by an intruder in his living room...an intruder who could be his twin.

In an elegant hotel, Tess will find mystery and terror in her own reflection. Outside a famed mansion on Beacon Hill, people are infected with a diabolical malice...while on the streets, an eyeless man, dressed in rags, searches for a woman who wears Tess's face.

Age of Blood - Book Review

Age of Blood (Ash and Ruin #3)
by Shauna Granger

What is it about:
Hope is a dangerous thing, but powerful. Hope keeps you going. Hope can keep you alive.

But hope can shatter your world.

Kat and Dylan have found a home, but the monsters are still out there. The pox and plague still ravage the world. They have hope of finding a vaccine, but their encampment isn't equipped to develop it.

Dylan is still too weak from the pox to leave the encampment, so Kat must decide between staying by his side and protecting her last remaining family member as he leaves to find supplies. Separated for the first time since they came together, Kat and Dylan will have to fight their own battles to save what is left of their bloody world.

Kat will have to hold on to hope that she has anything left to save and someone to come home to. If she can survive.

What did I think of it:
If I wasn't already totally hooked on this trilogy, I might have started on it as soon as I saw the cover of this book. Isn't it gorgeous and cool!

Anyway...

I loved the previous two books, so I ordered this book as soon as I saw it was available on bookdepository.

And this book is an wonderful conclusion to an awesome trilogy.

I was a bit apprehensive that Kat and Dylan were splitting up, but Granger made it work. I could understand why Kat takes on a mission that takes her away from Dylan. The team she travels with was well chosen story-wise: Kat's companions all have very different personalities and their interaction was just as suspenseful as their adventures.

To be able to end this trilogy on a note of hope the story focuses on a cure for the plague, so people can start doing more than just survive. The plan to create a vaccine and to find the supplies to do so sounded believable to me, making it easy to root for Kat to succeed.

She and her friends encounter lots of dangers on their mission and there is lots of action. And it's not just Pestas they encounter: This book shows people both at their best and their very worst.

The book is fast paced and I couldn't put it down until I reached the end, which is very satisfying in my opinion. I will most certainly reread this trilogy, and might give other books by Granger a try as well.

Why should you read it:
It's an awesome Post Apocalyptic YA read.

Teaser Tuesdays - The Testing

I take deep breaths. I force my legs to move. All the while I am wondering, if this room from my father's subconscious is real, what else is?

(page 97, The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau)




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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Dragon Age: Inquisition - Game Review

Dragon Age: Inquisition
by BioWare and Electronic Arts

What is it about:
A cataclysmic event plunges the land of Thedas into turmoil. Dragons darken the sky, casting a shadow over lands on the brink of chaos. Mages break into all-out war against the oppressive templars. Nations rise against one another. It falls to you and your allies to restore order as you lead the Inquisition and hunt down the agents of chaos.

Explore, lead, and battle: Tough choices define your experience, and even one decision can change the course of what's to come.

What did I think of it:
After my reviews of the previous games it probably won't come as a surprise that I couldn't help myself and bought Dragon Age: Inquisition.

I'll start my review by telling you about my adventures with this game even before I started playing it...

I bought the game on disc, because it wasn't available in the online Marketplace for Xbox. Stupidly enough I thought this would mean I wouldn't have to wait for ages before I could start playing, like I had to with Dragon Age II, which took forever to download from the Marketplace. As soon as I placed the install disc in my Xbox I got a notice that an update was needed!

An hour later the update was installed.

After waiting even longer for the game to install to my Xbox I finally could start playing. At this point I discovered I couldn't just import the history of my previous games like you could in Dragon Age II. Nope: I had to register at a website where I had to recreate the history of my other Dragon Age games. Then I had to upload the history I wanted to use in Dragon Ag: Inquisition. If on a future play through I want to use another history I will have to upload that one. You can't have more than one history available to chose from as far as I understand.

So. History sorted out, I finally could create a character and start playing...

Only to discover the spoken language was French!

It turned out that for some weird reason the game is only sold with French spoken language in the Netherlands! I had to download an English voice-over pack to get the game in English.

By this point I was very, very frustrated I can tell you!

Voice-over pack downloaded I finally was all set to start my game in earnest.


First positive point: you can chose different races again!
I really didn't like it that I had to play a human in Dragon Age II, I will confess. So I was glad that Dragon Age: Inquisition had options for other races again. I couldn't help it: I picked a female dwarf again.

As for the game:
The graphics look better than Dragon Age II (no weird Manga vibe), although I will confess that the look and feel of Dragon Age: Origins will always be my favorite.

Horses! I will confess that in Dragon Age: Origins I thought that this world didn't have horses. It turns out it does, and there are other animals you can use as steeds as well. Riding around on a horse or large antlered beast is very cool and gets you around a bit quicker than walking. And that's really necessary because the world in this game is huge!

I was immediately interested in the main story line. It has an urgency and direction that was lacking in DA II. I was invested in what was happening and wanted to find out if my dwarf would save the day. Along the way there were some really difficult and evil decisions I had to make.

There were new companions to collect and take with you on your quest. There was a returning companion from DA II, and for once I was lucky and it was one of my favorites. The first couple of other companions didn't really click with me, but soon I found some other companions that I really loved. There are also some cameos of characters and companions from the previous games.

There's also lots of romantic options for your hero again. I once again had a clear favorite. The romantic story line that I played with my hero was both sweet and emotionally intense with a huge surprise along the way.

What did frustrate me a bit was all the questing! Next to the main story line there are a gazillion side quests. And because you have to reach a certain level to be able to take on the main story line, and you have to have a certain power level as well, those side quests are not completely optional. At times I was really annoyed I had to do quests before I could continue with the main story line. There were people in danger, but my dwarf had to go set up camps, because her power level wasn't high enough...

At one point I was so eager to get to the end of the main story line that I picked my side quests on how easy they were to finish and the power level they would give me. I know some people love doing all possible quests they encounter, but I'm not patient enough for that, certainly not on a first play through. I finished the game with lots of side quests untouched, and some areas not even explored. I might give those a try on a future play through.

All in all this game was both awesome and frustrating. I can safely say that Dragon Age: Origins is my favorite of the series, but this one ranks as second best. I will certainly play it again.

On McPig's Wishlist - The Dogs

This sounds like it might be a cool read.


The Dogs
by Allan Stratton

Cameron and his mom have been on the run for five years. His father is hunting them. At least, that’s what Cameron’s been told.

When they settle in an isolated farmhouse, Cameron starts to see and hear things that aren’t possible. Soon he’s questioning everything he thought he knew and even his sanity.

What's hiding in the night? Buried in the past? Cameron must uncover the dark secrets before they tear him apart.

Two Weeks' Notice - Book Review

Two Weeks' Notice (Revivalist #2)
by Rachel Caine

What is it about:
After dying and being revived with the experimental drug Returne, Bryn Davis is theoretically free to live her unlife—with regular doses to keep her going. But Bryn knows that the government has every intention of keeping a tight lid on Pharmadene’s life-altering discovery, no matter the cost.

Thankfully, some things have changed for the better; her job at the rechristened Davis Funeral Home is keeping her busy and her fragile romance with Patrick McCallister is blossoming—thanks in part to their combined efforts in forming a support group for Returne addicts. But when some of the group members suddenly disappear, Bryn wonders if the government is methodically removing a threat to their security, or if some unknown enemy has decided to run the zombies into the ground...

What did I think of it:
I have books in my TBR pile that I know will be cool reads, but that stay in there because I am curious about other books. Do you ever feel like that as well? Skipping over sure reads in favor of reads that might or might not be great? (Or am I just weird?)

Anyway: Two Weeks' Notice is a book that I knew I would like, and that's why it took me a while to get to it.

I finally picked it up when I got a signed copy of the next book in this series.

And this is (as expected) a great read.

I usually am not a fan of thinking zombies, but Caine does them right. I really was invested in Bryn's problems, and cheered her on. The bad guys in all this are really nasty, and there are some really creepy and disturbing events in this book.

Bryn is more 'take charge' in this book than she was in the first. Her military training finally shone through in some scenes. All in all this book is even better than the first, and I devoured it in one sitting.

You can bet I'll be reading the next book soon!

Why should you read it:
It's an action-packed Urban Fantasy read.

Teaser Tuesdays - Age of Blood

This series is so good!


Without Dylan, this is as close to normal as I can get anymore. Just me, my dog, and my weapon.

(Page 103, Age of Blood by Shauna Granger)




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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Day 21 - Book Review

Day 21 (The Hundred #2)
by Kass Morgan

What is it about:
No one has set foot on Earth in centuries -- until now.

It's been 21 days since the hundred landed on Earth. They're the only humans to set foot on the planet in centuries...or so they thought. Facing an unknown enemy, Wells attempts to keep the group together. Clarke strikes out for Mount Weather, in search of other Colonists, while Bellamy is determined to rescue his sister, no matter the cost. And back on the ship, Glass faces an unthinkable choice between the love of her life and life itself.

In this pulse-pounding sequel to Kass Morgan's The 100, secrets are revealed, beliefs are challenged, and relationships are tested. And the hundred will struggle to survive the only way they can -- together.

What did I think of it:
Although I was very disappointed by the lack of mutants in the first book, I liked it enough to use a gift card to get the second book in this series.

Still no mutants though...

I will say that the more I read about these teens, the more I start to dislike them, with the exception of Clarke and Bellamy. It was for those two that I kept reading. They were the only two who didn't seem totally self centered and petty.

Almost all of them are acting irresponsible, gullible, and stupid though. I was a bit disappointed that their gullibility wasn't punished.

All in all this book was enjoyable, but with so little connection to the characters I wasn't invested in the story. There were some discoveries, but they didn't interest me enough to make me curious to what will happen next.

I don't think I'll get the last book.

Why should you read it:
It's an enjoyable read.

Dragon Age: The Calling - Book Review

The Calling (Dragon Age #2)
by David Gaider

What is it about:
This is a prequel to "Dragon Age: Origins", the hit role-playing video game from Bioware.

King Maric has allowed the legendary Grey Wardens to return to Ferelden. One of their own has aligned himself with their ancient enemy, the monstrous darkspawn. Maric agrees to lead the Grey Wardens, chasing after a deadly secret that threatens to destroy the Grey Wardens and the kingdom.

What did I think of it:
As happens to me often: There was a character that appears at the start of Dragon Age: Origins who I really liked, but he was one of the first to die.

When I read that he plays a large part in this prequel novel, I decided to pick the book up.

And this is a really cool read, especially for people who love the game.

I loved learning a bit more about the history of Ferelden. It was also great to learn more about the Grey Wardens, the darkspawn, and that certain character of course.

It is clear that this story is written by one of the writers of Dragon Age: Origins, and that he used lots of the elements that were used in the game as well, but I didn't care. It was a fun, action-packed story, full of cool characters and events.

I was hooked from the start and couldn't put the book down until I finished it. There was suspense, lots of fighting and heartache. Some events made me question some of the choices I made in the game, and I'm already planning another play-through.

I think this book can also be read by people unfamiliar with the game, but you will miss out on small, fun details that will delight fans of the game.

All in all this book is a wonderful read and a must have for fans of Dragon Age: Origins. I will put it on my keeper shelves, and I might pick up other books in this series as well.

Why should you read it:
It's an action-packed Fantasy adventure.

On McPig's Wishlist - Dragon Age: Inquisition

And it might not surprise you after my previous posts this week, that I put the next Dragon Age game on my wishlist.


Dragon Age: Inquisition
by BioWare and Electronic Arts

A cataclysmic event plunges the land of Thedas into turmoil. Dragons darken the sky, casting a shadow over lands on the brink of chaos. Mages break into all-out war against the oppressive templars. Nations rise against one another. It falls to you and your allies to restore order as you lead the Inquisition and hunt down the agents of chaos.

Explore, lead, and battle: Tough choices define your experience, and even one decision can change the course of what's to come.

Dragon Age II - Game Review

Dragon Age II
by BioWare and Electronic Arts

What is it about:
Set in the same mythical world introduced in Dragon Age: Origins, the player assumes the role of Hawke, a human mage, warrior, or rogue who arrives in the city of Kirkwall as a lowly refugee but becomes its legendary champion over a turbulent decade of political and social conflict.

What did I think of it:
I got totally addicted to Dragon Age: Origins, so I wanted to give the next game in the series a try as well.

Dragon Age II does have a very different feel than Dragon Age: Origins.

In the first game you have a very clear goal: save your country from the Blight! This game however is about the rise to fame of your character. This makes that at first the story feels a bit aimless. There's lots of questing, but I didn't feel an urgency like I did in the first game. Only later in the game it felt like I was working towards something more than just the end of the current quest.

The mood of the story was darker, while stupidly enough the graphics and fighting got a bit of a Manga feel, making the fighting feel less realistic than in DA: Origins. I also wondered why suddenly most Elves became Irish!

There's again the opportunity to romance some of your companions, but even the romance was dark and angsty! That might have been because I picked the most difficult love interest though.


There were some cool companions (I especially liked Varric, who also is used in cut-scenes to tell the story you're playing.), but I will confess I liked the companions in DA: Origins better. I also liked the way you could interact with your companions in DA: Origins better. It felt more natural than in DA II.

The ending was quite epic and sets itself up perfectly for a sequel. Depending on the choices you made for Hawke there will be lots for him/her and others to do.

Although I might sound a bit negative about some things, I overall enjoyed Dragon Age II. It's a cool Fantasy RPG with lots of possibilities. I will most certainly play it again, but DA: Origins is my clear favorite of the two.

Why should you play it:
It's a fun Fantasy RPG

Teaser Tuesdays - Dragon Age: The Calling

Maybe he should sit down and make up a list of all the good things that would get destroyed at the same time - like cookies. The darkspawn would wipe out all the cookies from the face of Thedas. That would be bad, and alone made this entire endeavor seem more worthwhile.

(page 108, Dragon Age: The Calling by David Gaider




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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Dragon Age: Origins - Game Review

I've been playing Dragon Age these last few weeks, because I couldn't concentrate on reading. I decided to do some game reviews.


Dragon Age: Origins
Developed by BioWare and Edge of Reality

What is it about:
You are a Grey Warden, one of the last of this ancient order of guardians, who have defended humanity for centuries from the Darkspawn and the Blight they bring with them.

You’ve been betrayed during an important battle, and it’s up to you to bring the traitor to justice and to save Ferelden from the Blight.

On your way to the inescapable confrontation with evil you have to fight the Darkspawn and gather an army. Along the way you gather companions who join you on your quest.

Is the beautiful shape shifter the key to victory, or will she try to stop you from attaining victory? What about your other companions?

How far will you go to save humanity? What will you sacrifice?

What did I think of it:
I'm a big fan of the SF game Mass Effect, and because several other fans of that game talked about how much they liked Dragon Age, I decided to give this game a try.

Dragon Age: Origins is a Fantasy role-playing game. There's a story you follow, and the decisions you make along the way influence certain outcomes. There's also a lot of fighting.

I love how this game starts with a short story how your character ends up being thrown into the role of hero. Depending on what race and background you give your character there are six different starting stories that make you familiar with the world and your character.

I played all six starting stories and most of them I found really cool. They make that you immediately get a bond with your character and care about the story. My favorite starting stories were the dwarven commoner and the human noble.

When this starting story is completed you are on your way to become a Grey Warden, and no matter what character you play, you then get the same main story.

I will confess I played this game on casual, and mostly this made that the fighting was fun and not frustrating. I did discover that the mage is very difficult to play. A mage works best on long range, but there were some fights where my mage got swarmed and I was toast. The warrior was the character that I liked playing the most.


The story is really engaging and filled me with a feeling of urgency. Still it also is fun. You can interact with the companions you pick up along the way, and even start a romance with some of them. Depending on the choices you make your companions will either like you or show disapproval. Alistair, a fellow Grey Warden, will cheer when you're doing good, while Morrigan, an apostate mage, will mock you for it for example.

I will confess I had my clear favorite for the romancing, so can't tell you much about all the different kind of romances you can start up, but the romance I played was fun, although at one point I had to make a very difficult (and evil, imo) choice.

Speaking about making choices: Along the way you have to make some other difficult choices as well. Not everyone can be saved: so who do you save? Do you kill all your enemies, or do you show mercy? What if your decisions will come back to bite you in the ass?

I very much got addicted to this game fast! There are so many cool characters, the story is really compelling, and the game play fun. As you might have guessed from my comments on playing both mage and warrior: I've played it several times by now, and still want more.

There are several DLCs for this game. Some of the downloadable content is playable during the main game and some can be played separate from the main game. I downloaded some of the DLCs and really enjoyed the extra content during the main game. The separate DLCs are fun as well, but have one major fault in my opinion: most of your companions from the main game aren't available in the DLCs. There are other companions you can pick up in these DLCs, but I missed my favorite companions from the main game.

All in all this is a really cool and fun game, that I most certainly will play again (and again) in the future. I can really recommend it to anyone who loves Fantasy role-playing games. I decided to purchase Dragon Age II as well, and will be reviewing that later this week. I also decided to pick up a Dragon Age novel, to combine my gaming with my reading.

Why should you play it:
It's a very enjoyable and fun Fantasy RPG