I love this book as well. It's my third Assassin's Creed novel to read. Just like with Assassin's Creed Forsaken, it follows Élise through out before, during, and after the events in Assassin's Creed Unity. I love it. Assassins Creed: Unity It’s a good book, the book is from Élise’s point of view from the story of the game while telling you about her origins.
Based on the way the book is presented, it’s Arno reading Élise’s diary after the events of the game. Assassins Creed: Unity My son loved it. He plays the games and has read the last descendants books Assassins Creed: Unity Haven't finished it yet, but this is a good read so far. I will never not be on the AC bandwagon, but I enjoy this book regardless of the universe it is set in. Elise is a great character I see a lot of myself in and it is (so far) an enjoyable read hearing things from her side.
Unity may not have been the best game, but it had a good story that this book sheds light on. Assassins Creed: Unity The writer should spend some time researching the difference between a diary (which this work is purported to be) and an autobiography (which this work is). Assassins Creed: Unity
Oliver Bowden ✓ 1 READ & DOWNLOAD
A Templar and an Assassin are caught up in a quest for vengeance during the French Revolution in this novel based on the Assassins Creed video game series.
I have been beaten, deceived and betrayed. They murdered my fatherand I will have my revenge at whatever cost!
1789: The magnificent city of Paris sees the dawn of the French Revolution. The cobblestone streets run red with blood as the people rise against the oppressive aristocracy. But revolutionary justice comes at a high price
At a time when the divide between the rich and the poor is at its most extreme, and a nation is tearing itself apart, a young man and woman fight to avenge all they have lost.
Soon Arno and lise are drawn into the centuries old battle between the Assassins and the Templarsa world with dangers deadly than they could ever have imagined.
An Original Novel Based on the Multiplatinum Video Game from Ubisoft Assassins Creed: Unity
Ok, I might be in the minority, but I actually liked Unity. The story grew on me as I played it. I really enjoyed the relationship between Arno and Elise so I decided to get the book after beating the game. Great story, love hearing it from Elise's point of view. Gives you a new side to the story if you enjoyed the game like I did. Definitely worth purchasing. Assassins Creed: Unity I like the history thrown in with the fiction. My kids loved the series. Assassins Creed: Unity For a man, Oliver Bowden a.k.a. Anton Gill writes women well. Elise De La Serre is the novel's narrator as it's written in journal entries like in previous Creed books. Occasionally we hear another character's voice in the form of Arno's. Elise is a well drawn protagonist, and Bowden's efforts are successful in having the reader sympathize with her inner conflicts.
There may be the assumption in high brow circles that video game material lacks depth, but rest assured Bowden crafts complex plots with twists and surprises. In Unity perfidy lurks around every corner. It infiltrates not only the bedlam of the French Revolution, a fitting setting to such story, but the Assassin and Templar Orders as well. Supposed friends cannot be trusted and apparent enemies may be saviors. Along with the deceit and intrigue comes the unexpected. Scenes are rife with excitement and surprise a true sign of freshness and vivacity in a novel.
Warring secret societies in France during one of its most tumultuous and modernizing periods make for a fast paced and riveting read. Undoubtedly this concept has served well with its multi million dollar video game. It serves the novel well too. Assassins Creed: Unity I loved playing Assassin's Creed Unity, the game. The book filled in some of the missing gaps, such as what Elise was doing when Arno was off assassinating the bad guys. The game follows the French Revolution to a natural climax of events. The book tells the finale pages before actually describing the finale. I do not understand. The book should have allowed the events to unfold, building to the climax. The author assumed that we already knew the ending (which I did) and therefore the building of tension was unnecessary. I really liked the book until the final chapters. How disappointing that the author (who has done other Assassin's Creed books) could not allow events to build to the ending. For me, I will not waste my money buying other titles from this author. Assassins Creed: Unity I had mixed feelings regarding the story of Assassin's Creed: Unity, even if I generally enjoyed the game for its gameplay and amazing graphics. However, I'm a big fan of Oliver Bowden's other entries in the Assassin's Creed novelizations.
While some of the series are mere literary adaptations of the games, most are actually very good at streamlining the stories of expanding them into full blown historical biographies. He also invented an entire history for the character of Haytham Kenway, antagonist of Assassin's Creed 3, which I enjoyed tremendously. So, I was looking forward to his interpretation of the story of Arno Dorian and Elise de le Cerre. I should note that this review will contain spoilers for the game as the framing device reveals a fact which took many gamers by surprise.
So be warned.
The premise is Arno Dorian receives the journal of Elise de le Cerre after her death during Assassin's Creed: Unity's climax. Sitting down to read it in order to make sense of the event, Arno follows her adventures growing up as the daughter of a Templar Grandmaster up to the game's events. Because the book is from the perspective of Elise, the vast majority of gameplay is skipped over or ignored. After the final confrontation with Grandmaster Germaine, the book returns to Arno's perspective and he provides an epilogue to Elise's story.
The book gains props for me for providing a lot of context for the social changes happening in France at the time. While Arno remains aggressively apolitical throughout the game, Elise provides the context of being a anti monarchist and progressive reformer who, nevertheless, is a noblewoman in her own right. While the book's plot remains distinct from the French Revolution, Elise not really caring about the Templar conspirators reforms or motivations, this plays a small role but a significant one.
I like the depiction of Elise as a somewhat spoiled and naive woman who is still possessed of an iron willed determination. Elise's intelligence and political awareness contrast against her passionate feelings on numerous subjects. I loved her relationship with Arno as it's not a storybook relationship by any means. Several times, she decides to break it off with him permanently only for events to bring them back together.
The book is not perfect as there's a few things which are dissonant with the game. There's almost no mention of the truce with the Assassins being an ongoing consideration. Elise considers herself to be the Grandmaster of the Templars while the game indicates the Grandmaster following her father was Chrétien Lafrenière. Indeed, it's very strange to act like leadership of the Templars is hereditary since they've traditionally been a meritocracy anyone can join.
Elise's supporting cast is entertaining with Freddie Weatherhall, Ruddock, her maid, and a half dozen other minor characters giving us insight into how her mind works. While I regret the fact we didn't get any insights into the Unity characters I enjoyed like Pierre Bellic, Mirabeau, or the like, I still enjoyed reading this novel a great deal.
One of my favorite parts of the book is the discussion of Elise's relationship with the now elderly Jennifer Scott, daughter of Haytham Kenway. Jennifer provides Elise with Haytham Kenway's journals and they inspire her to believe peace between the Assassins and Templars is possible. While this doesn't really fit with the Elise who was openly contemptuous of the Assassins, I felt it was a interesting idea than the game's portrayal of the conflict. I also appreciate it as an epilogue to the events of the Kenway family. Someday, I hope Oliver Bowden will do an adaptation of Assassin's Creed: Rogue.
In conclusion, Assassin's Creed: Unity's novelization is a fun book for those who enjoy the Assassin's Creed series and I recommend it to any who like it. Indeed, I recommend this book over the game itself in terms of pure storytelling. It's not perfect but it goes above and beyond the call of adapting a video game into literature. I also think it improves on many of the video game's weaknesses as well as focuses on an enjoyable lead. What could you ask for?
9/10 Assassins Creed: Unity
