Mass Effect: Ascension Review!
By zgreenwell 4 Comments
Please leave positive feedback for this review at Amazon.com Well written, but doesn't add to Mass Effect series If you're a fan of Mass Effect then you're probably picking up this book hoping for some insight on what's next for the series. In that regard, this book fails to deliver. Though it is a well written and enjoyable story, it doesn't give any information on our favorite Mass Effect characters. Commander Shepard is only mentioned briefly once, and Captain Anderson is brought up on a couple of occasions. Ambassador Undina is also mentioned once. The main character the book focuses on is Kahlee Sanders, who was the prominent character in the first book.
As much as I was disappointed to gain no new information on Shepard, I was still enthralled by the book. Like the first Mass Effect novel, there is plenty of action and its exhilarating to read. The story never feels flat or boring so I should be any easy book to finish, for even the less than avid reader. Another thing the book does really well is developing its characters. Given the lack of familiar faces the book makes a lot of introductions and does so well. Every character fits into the story and is developed to a level where you understand their motivation.
As well written as the book is, it is still hard to recommend. Its hard to imagine that anyone looking to buy this book have not had some other encounter with the Mass Effect Universe. If you had only read the first novel then it would be better to take the money you would spend on this title and put it towards the PC or 360 game (if you don't have a 360 or a nice PC I'm sorry). For people who have played through the game and are undoubtedly looking for clues to Mass Effect 2, the only insight you gain is that Mass Effect 2 will focus a lot on the criminal organization Cerberus. Don't be waiting for an appearance of Wrex, Garrus, Liara, or even Tali (despite the fact the book focuses on the Quarians), they're not even in there in cameos.
Its possible that this could be more of an introduction to Mass Effect 2 than I realize. Obviously it is hard to tell since the game isn't out yet. The book fails to live up to ending of the game though, and really fails to live up to the ending of the first book. Unlike those stories, it doesn't leave you wanting more. That was the greatest success of the first two stories, their ability to close out open plot-lines while leaving us knowing there's more to come. Its obvious this book was released to tide fans over until the next game and it does not do that.
As much as I was disappointed to gain no new information on Shepard, I was still enthralled by the book. Like the first Mass Effect novel, there is plenty of action and its exhilarating to read. The story never feels flat or boring so I should be any easy book to finish, for even the less than avid reader. Another thing the book does really well is developing its characters. Given the lack of familiar faces the book makes a lot of introductions and does so well. Every character fits into the story and is developed to a level where you understand their motivation.
As well written as the book is, it is still hard to recommend. Its hard to imagine that anyone looking to buy this book have not had some other encounter with the Mass Effect Universe. If you had only read the first novel then it would be better to take the money you would spend on this title and put it towards the PC or 360 game (if you don't have a 360 or a nice PC I'm sorry). For people who have played through the game and are undoubtedly looking for clues to Mass Effect 2, the only insight you gain is that Mass Effect 2 will focus a lot on the criminal organization Cerberus. Don't be waiting for an appearance of Wrex, Garrus, Liara, or even Tali (despite the fact the book focuses on the Quarians), they're not even in there in cameos.
Its possible that this could be more of an introduction to Mass Effect 2 than I realize. Obviously it is hard to tell since the game isn't out yet. The book fails to live up to ending of the game though, and really fails to live up to the ending of the first book. Unlike those stories, it doesn't leave you wanting more. That was the greatest success of the first two stories, their ability to close out open plot-lines while leaving us knowing there's more to come. Its obvious this book was released to tide fans over until the next game and it does not do that.