The quest that leads to a crown isn’t always easier than dealing with the responsibilities that come with it.
What They Say:
Available in print for the first time, Dragon Age: The Silent Grove is the perfect introduction to BioWare’s dark fantasy universe! In this essential, canonical story from David Gaider, lead writer of the games, King Alistair, accompanied only by rogues Isabela and Varric, embarks on a quest deep inside the borders of Antiva—a nation of assassins! Together, they will encounter a prison break, dragons, the mysterious Witch of the Wilds, and one of the greatest secrets in the history of the world!
The Review: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
Set around a decade after the events showcased in the original Dragon Age game and written by the game series lead writer, this story unites some characters from both the first game and its sequel in an all new quest that will deepen the tale begun in the games with these familiar faces, though this arc is written in such a manner that new readers won’t be alienated along the way either.
The story follows the path of King Alistair who had ascended to the throne of Ferelden after the death of its previous king, his half brother Cailan, who himself had gained the throne after the disappearance of the previous king (and father to both men) Maric. There is an old saying that “Heavy is the head that wears the crown” but in Alistar’s case he has the additional burden of having not wanted anything to do with the crown since he learned the truth about who his father was. Though circumstances forced the role on an unwilling man he has carried out the duties to the best of his abilities, which has been at least well enough to bring about the reconstruction of the land he now rules.
But the passage of time hasn’t made him anymore comfortable in his role and when a rumor that hints to the location of his father reaches his ears he immediately abandons his position to go looking for the man as Alistair has a question he wants answered very badly. His search though will lead him into some very dangerous territory controlled by a widely feared murderous group whose reputation is well warranted and in order to have any chance on his quest Alistair hires the talents of the pirate captain Isabela and the dwarf Varric Tethras whose skills may be just up to the task ahead if they are all lucky.
But when the events shift and the trio find that they may be up against a Witch of the Wilds they may just discover that their luck has reached its limits. That may not be the only surprise ahead however as machinations run deep and there is no better person to use as a set up patsy than someone who is so desperate they are blinded to the shadows that may surround them and who don’t think to question the motives that may lurk in even the most seemingly of helpful gifts. Is Ferelden going to lose another king, this time into an unknown darkness, or are Alistair and company going to find the ability to climb up once more a seemingly impossible cliff to gain victory from the jaws of defeat…or worse yet, perhaps have to pry it from the jaws of a dragon?
I admit I came into this comic with almost no knowledge of the storylines from the franchise that this tale is based off from. That isn’t to say I hadn’t heard of the franchise as I in fact own the first game but have just never gotten around to playing it but I have seen talk from others here and there. The only knowledge I really had first hand came from the Dragon Age: Dawn of the Seeker feature and that was enough to give me a sense of pause, one which turned out to be unwarranted for this release.
While the comic is set post the events that appear in the game series its author (as well as head writer for the games) David Gaider does a masterful job of presenting a tale that fully acknowledges it has a history without burdening the tale under the weight of having to build too much off the particulars from the past. To do this he uses a simple page set up to explain very briefly the recent events in Ferelden that left Alistair as king and then let the characters carry the story through dialogue and action.
And carry it they do as the additional injection of humor to events helps provide an intriguing mix to the action that takes place and helps give those new to the series a place to grab on to in the character’s personalities as they dance with death while also showing some irreverence to the perilous situation while still acknowledging its importance, a mix that the feature version from the franchise failed to accomplish. There is a danger to this as too much humor can cause a story to become unbalanced but Gaider makes sure to imbue his cast with some grounding principles which helps keep things from getting to out of hand and throwing the balance of seriousness of them as individuals and how they deal with their lives into a disproportionate state with the lighter tones used to keep things from becoming morose. In Alistair’s case that means balancing his reticent relationship with the throne while Isabela has to confront a character from her past which brings up the less than savory moments that she has tried to put behind her, albeit with not as much success as she would have liked it appears and the levity they seem to use in part to mask their innermost states. When adding in these grounding elements to a rather well illustrated adventure the final result is a tale that has elements that will appeal both to franchise veterans as well as someone just pulling the release off the shelf somewhere that is looking for a fantasy story with some dragons mixed in.
*One important note*- The material was provided in PDF format which created a bit of confusion on a couple pages as the series does use a couple multipage splashes to tell the tale. I don’t know if the comic will be appearing on other digital services or if these services adequately adjust for this but I would strongly urge one to pursue the physical release over digital (if offered) if this has been an issue in the past on a particular reader.
In Summary:
Going into the Dragon Age: The Silent Grove volume 1 I was apprehensive as my only previous foray into the franchise was the incredibly lackluster feature length film adaptation which created some dread as to what might be discovered. Luckily this particular offshoot provided an entertaining journey that was far more interesting as it presented its world in a way that highlighted the events that veterans of the series will recall and which pays tribute to what came before but which didn’t form a barrier to those who were making their first venture into the series continuity here. What readers will find are some flawed yet very appealing characters that may not always do the smartest thing and are certainly are not perfect but who recognize both their shortcomings as well as limitations which provides for a fantastic blend of characters, action and a good deal of intrigue. Those looking for a fantasy series that has a lot of action in a broad world with some imaginative beings who dwell there but which doesn’t get dragged down in overly serious and drab tones would be well advised to keep their eyes open for this release as it very well may be exactly what they are hoping for.
Grade: B+
