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[Heimdall]

Actually i didn't like The Masked Empire that much. The book was written a bit too gamey, by which i mean the constant battles that are thrown into the book at every possible opportunity. They break the flow of reading quite a bit. 
But it has way better written characters and characterisation in general than last flight. I understand if people like the story and lore-specific descriptions of last flight. But the poor quality of the characters is pretty much a deal breaker for me. I have to care about the characters in a story in order to be invested in the story and that's just not happening in Last Flight. They don't have to be good characters, but they at least have to be interresting. Valya is pretty much a blank slate and Issaya is just not very interesting.

I would probably agree as to the quality of the characters, though suppose it didn't bother me as much because I eventually started approaching them as windows into the events of Thedas' past rather than a focus of the story. I am given to understand that the author is a fan of Dragon Age, so I tend to think Last Flight was written by a Dragon Age lore nut for Dragon Age lore nuts. From that perspective, I guess it would be a success.

[pdusen]

I loved this book. For me, it's right up there with The Masked Empire as two of my favorites in the series (although for completely different reasons). It took a few chapters to hook me, but once it did I could hardly stop myself from reading what happened next.

 

Spoiler

I liked that, because the "past" sequences frequently skipped time to basically cover the entirety of the Fourth Blight, we got a glimpse of the true horror that is a "full" blight (not the rather abbreviated experience we got from DA:O), including the effects it had over time on both the people of Thedas and the Wardens themselves, and the truly terrible lengths to which the Wardens needed to go to defeat the Darkspawn.

 

Finally, I liked that because of what Isseya did at the end, the story ended on a hopeful note. As much as I liked Asunder and The Masked Empire, I found both of their endings somewhat unsatisfying, as they basically lead into the story of DA:I and don't get much resolution on their own. Last Flight didn't have that problem, because its story was largely tangential the the issues going on in Thedas surrounding DA:I.

[Morroian]

I rate the book below Masked Empire and Asunder. Probably on the same level as The Stolen Throne, which doesn't seem to get much regard these days. As others have said the characters are flat and unengaging, however the depictions of the griffons are done very well and their fate was very moving. Another issue I had was Valya and the others were supposed to be looking for mentions of intelligent darkspawn and wardens acting strangely, this was never followed up on in the present day and indeed there are mentions in Isseya's diary of intelligent darkspawn that she doesn't even follow up on and tell the warden's about. This could have been the thread to make the present day story more compelling.

[KC_Prototype]

Only part of it is in 9:41. At least the last chapter is 9:42.

Damn, so DAI takes place in 9:42? How long did it take Leliana, Cassandra and Varric to get to the Frostbacks??!

[KC_Prototype]

The only inconsistency that really pinged with me was about how it seemed as if the nature of the Joining was commonplace knowledge.

Among Wardens? Isn't that how it's suppose to be?

[Darth Krytie]

Among Wardens? Isn't that how it's suppose to be?

 

That's not what I meant, no. It was a few phrases here and there that made it seem like it was known outside of the already-joined wardens. I'll have to re-read to get the exact quotes.

[ev76]

I enjoyed the book, really liked sekah, although they could of fleshed the characters out (from the present) a little more.
The orlesian wardens are suspect, will be very interesting.

[keightdee]

BUT GRIFFONS, YOU GUYS

[Heimdall]

That's not what I meant, no. It was a few phrases here and there that made it seem like it was known outside of the already-joined wardens. I'll have to re-read to get the exact quotes.

Might just be the Anderfels

[nightscrawl]

That's not what I meant, no. It was a few phrases here and there that made it seem like it was known outside of the already-joined wardens. I'll have to re-read to get the exact quotes.

 

I thought the same thing. The same knowledge seemed to exist regarding the killing blow on the Archdemon as well. I chalked it up to the fact that certain non-Warden members of their little group had been with them for so long that they were almost Wardens in terms of knowledge and experience fighting darkspawn.

 

Scratch that... the new recruits in the present day seemed aware that the Joining carries the risk of death. Wtf, what happened to secrecy?!

 

 

Oh and did anyone else find it refreshing that...

Spoiler

there was no major romance content in the novel? (I'm not counting the relationship between Garahel and Amadis.)

[Darth Krytie]

I thought the same thing. The same knowledge seemed to exist regarding the killing blow on the Archdemon as well. I chalked it up to the fact that certain non-Warden members of their little group had been with them for so long that they were almost Wardens in terms of knowledge and experience fighting darkspawn.

 

 

Oh and did anyone else find it refreshing that...

Spoiler

there was no major romance content in the novel? (I'm not counting the relationship between Garahel and Amadis.)

 

Yes! Me! I am not overly big on romances. I loved it especially that the main characters did not have time for that ****. It was one of my favourite bits.

 

Also, yes! I noticed that about the Archdemon. There was SO much secrecy about the Wardens in Origins and even a bit in DA2, and then this book that made it seem like...seekrit? what seekrit? About all the hush-hush stuff. Twas a bit weird.

[Kantr]

Heres the authors reasoning on the joining

 

 

 

re: Joinings -- that's another topic where it's a teeny bit inconsistent as to who knows what, because it's true that at the beginning of DA:O it seems like nobody knows that particular internal mystery of the Wardens, but then later other characters act like they do know.
 
My impression was always that the PC's ignorance at the beginning of DA:O was just to give the NPCs a reason to explain information that we-the-players needed to have (and it makes sense for pretty much all the origin stories that your PC wouldn't have that info, so it was a completely reasonable and warranted storytelling choice). Afterward it wasn't necessary to rehash the information, so the level of NPC background knowledge seemed to vary depending on what offered the best dramatic potential (for example, Morrigan not only knows a lot of Warden lore but has new and interesting ways of manipulating the magic with the old god baby).
 
So given that there was some precedence for in-game characters having different levels of information about Warden lore, I opted for what best fit the story I wanted to tell. It was more streamlined to have the Hossberg mages already semi-familiar with Warden lore, and I felt like there was enough canon justification to make that work (they're politically aligned, plus Wardens and mages do have some shared interests when it comes to lyrium supplies, magical research, defenses against darkspawn, etc.), and then after that all the characters have been sitting around Weisshaupt studying up on Warden history and lore for a while, so I was like "good enough! rock on."
 
That, on the other hand, is a straight-up oversight for which I have no excuse. I just plain missed that one.

[Jagaro]

My question:

The elf warden in the present day portion of the book. Based on his 'abilities' at the end of the book, was he a knight enchanter?

[Heimdall]

My question:
The elf warden in the present day portion of the book. Based on his 'abilities' at the end of the book, was he a knight enchanter?

I'm not sure what 'abilities' you refer to. Wasn't he a rogue?

[nightscrawl]

I don't agree at all that "later other characters act like they do know." Which characters?? If this is simply a reference to Morrigan and ONLY Morrigan, then I don't really accept that. Her (Morrigan's) knowledge is not general knowledge, but knowledge that is unique to her and Flemeth because of who they are.

[Jagaro]

I'm not sure what 'abilities' you refer to. Wasn't he a rogue?

I thought so too but there was mention of his sword 'glowing with spiritual energy' which could just be an enchanted weapon. But at one point I thought he used an ice spell on a demon while helping another character.

[nightscrawl]

Spoiler

Up until the cave I had thought he was a rogue or something. But he had a magical shield (of energy), an energized sword, and healed some wounds. I certainly thought that he was some sort of battle mage. Also, it does make more sense that a mage would be sent to "evaluate" other mages.

[Heimdall]

I thought so too but there was mention of his sword 'glowing with spiritual energy' which could just be an enchanted weapon. But at one point I thought he used an ice spell on a demon while helping another character.

I think you might be confusing him with another character. I'm guessing he either had enchanted equipment or he was buffed by another character or less likely, he's a spirit warrior.

[Darth Krytie]

I don't agree at all that "later other characters act like they do know." Which characters?? If this is simply a reference to Morrigan and ONLY Morrigan, then I don't really accept that. Her (Morrigan's) knowledge is not general knowledge, but knowledge that is unique to her and Flemeth because of who they are.

 

Perhaps, "other characters" are referring to the Seneschal at Vigil's Keep, who wasn't a Warden, but knew of the Joining as did, apparently, everyone at the front of the room.

[Heimdall]

Perhaps, "other characters" are referring to the Seneschal at Vigil's Keep, who wasn't a Warden, but knew of the Joining as did, apparently, everyone at the front of the room.

With characters in direct service to the Wardens, I'd say that knowledge is quite explainable.

[Kantr]

I don't agree at all that "later other characters act like they do know." Which characters?? If this is simply a reference to Morrigan and ONLY Morrigan, then I don't really accept that. Her (Morrigan's) knowledge is not general knowledge, but knowledge that is unique to her and Flemeth because of who they are.

Yeah I found myself wondering that too

 

With characters in direct service to the Wardens, I'd say that knowledge is quite explainable.

He says the Wardens oath though like he was one of them. Although I suppose it's because the PC doesnt speak

[Morroian]

I'm not sure what 'abilities' you refer to. Wasn't he a rogue?

 

He appears to be an arcane warrior, there's mention of his shimmering shield in combat.

[Darth Krytie]

With characters in direct service to the Wardens, I'd say that knowledge is quite explainable.

 

It's not about whether it's explainable. I completely get why it's explainable. I was merely suggesting that he was the person to which the author was referring in regards to non-Wardens knowing about the Joining.

[veeia]

Interesting. I think TME & TLF are pretty equal in terms of characterization. I do think TME's characters stand out a bit more, but I think that's a function of the design of the books. Those characters have more agency/power/etc, and the book itself is very focused on manipulations and power and competing interests. It's much smaller in scope than TLF, which is about an organization and a war....and more specifically the loss of power and degradation of agency. Hard to compare when your'e looking at two such very different things...but I loved Isseya and thought she was fabulous and interesting. 

 

I would say that TLF/Asunder/TME are all about on the same level...each excelling in different areas and falling short in others. 

[Herky]

So there was 13 griffon eggs, and each was big enough to fill both of Valya's hands. Isseya must have looked goofy carrying all that under her cloak.