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    Dragon Age: The Masked Empire
    Dragon Age: The Masked Empire
    Dragon Age: The Masked Empire
    Audiobook13 hours

    Dragon Age: The Masked Empire

    Written by Patrick Weekes

    Narrated by Gildart Jackson

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Empress Celene of Orlais rose to the throne of the most powerful nation in Thedas through wisdom, wit, and ruthless manipulation. Now, the empire she has guided into an age of enlightenment is threatened from within by imminent war between the templars and the mages even as rebellion stirs among the downtrodden elves. To save Orlais, Celene must keep her hold on the throne by any means necessary.

    Fighting with the legendary skill of the Orlesian Chevaliers, Grand Duke Gaspard has won countless battles for the empire and the empress. But as the Circle fails and chaos looms, Gaspard begins to doubt that Celene's diplomatic approach to Orlais's problems will keep the empire safe. Perhaps it is time for a new leader, one who lives by the tenets of the Chevalier's Code, to make Orlais strong again.

    Briala has been Celene's handmaid since the two of them were children, subtly using her position to help improve the lives of elves across Orlais. She is Celene's confidante, spymaster, and lover, but when politics force the empress to choose between the rights of the elves and the Orlesian throne, Briala must decide where her true loyalties lie.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateMay 10, 2016
    ISBN9781515974567
    Dragon Age: The Masked Empire
    Author

    Patrick Weekes

    Patrick Weekes was born in the San Francisco Bay Area and attended Stanford University, where he received a BA and an MA in English literature. In 2005, Patrick joined BioWare’s writing team in Alberta, Canada. Since then, he’s worked on the Mass Effect trilogy as well as Dragon Age: Inquisition. He wrote Dragon Age: The Masked Empire, a novel set in the Dragon Age universe. Patrick lives in Edmonton with his wife, Karin, his two Lego- and video-game-obsessed sons, and far too many rescued animals. In his spare time, he takes on unrealistic Lego-building projects, practices kenpo karate, and plays video games, often badly.

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    Reviews for Dragon Age

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    • 5/5
      One of the quests in DA: Inquisition involves Empress Celeste, her servant/spy, the elf Briala, and her cousin Gaspard who is in a civil war with her to gain the Orlais throne. The Masked Empire provides the backstory for that quest, how the three became involved in a deadly dance of political games and war. The empress's champion, Michel de Chevin, also gets some backstory for his quest in Inquisition.Orlais is a country of political intrigue where the courtiers wear masks a la Carnival all the time. Celeste has ruled for years, expertly playing the game and aided by her lover and spy, Briala. Briala is an elf, which is one step above a slave in Orlais, but she has been trained since childhood as Celeste's best friend to help her. It's a fascinating dynamic as both lovers are hiding secrets from the other that is gradually revealed as the traumas of war strain Celeste's grip on her throne. Meanwhile, Gaspard and Michel are chevaliers who live by a knightly code despite Gaspard starting a civil war to grab the crown and Michel hiding a secret that would cause him to lose his place at Celeste's side. It's a great story with intriguing characters and some twists I didn't see coming. There's also some hints for an upcoming DA game; Felassan is a Dalish mage and mentor to Briala who seems to have a connection with Solas, the possible antagonist for that game.
    • 4/5
      Books based on videogames are not the most respected pieces of literature. And while most in this genre are deserving of scorn, Patrick Weekes brings a refreshing breath of air to the fantasy genre with Dragon Age: The Masked Empire. I devoured this book. Not only is it an interesting addition to the Dragon Age IP, it's a good read, with well-rounded characters and environments, and a plot bursting with intrigue, war, romance, and magic.Empress Celene's perch on the throne is vulnerable, despite her proficiency in politics. She has maintained control of the Orlesian empire with the subtle help of her servant and lover, the elf Brianne, but Orlais is plagued by racism and classism and their enemies are happy to exploit both to weaken Celene's reign. An elven uprising is the catalyst for full rebellion and Celene and Brianne are forced to make deals that they may regret in the future.I loved Celene and Brianne's relationship. A canon same-sex relationship? Written respectfully? Involving two smart, resourceful, and occasionally devious women? Yes, excellent. I also liked the way Weekes wrote the magic system. Translating the in-game mechanics to prose couldn't have been easy, but he makes it work. The spies, machinations, and conspiracies were also fascinating - Weekes did a great job weaving the complex plots together.I recommend this to anyone who's played games and would like to learn more about the world of Thedas. Even if you aren't familiar to DA, it's an enjoyable read and I encourage you to give it a try.