On 30 November 2010, Oliver Bowden wrote and published another lame edition to the Assassin's Creed series, this time badly adapting the events of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. Synopsis: "I will journey to the black heart of a corrupt Empire
to root out my foes. But Rome wasn't built in a day and it won't be
restored by a lone assassin. I am Ezio Auditore da Firenze. This is my
brotherhood." ―Ezio Auditore. Rome, once mighty, lies in ruins. The city swarms with suffering and degradation, her citizens living in the shadow of the ruthless Borgia family. Only one man can free the people from the Borgia tyranny - Ezio Auditore, the Master Assassin. Ezio's quest will test him to his limits. Cesare Borgia, a man more villainous and dangerous than his father the Pope, will not rest until he has conquered Italy. And in such treacherous times, conspiracy is everywhere, even within the ranks of the brotherhood itself . . .
The novel opens briefly recapping the opening to Brotherhood as Ezio and Mario flee Rome for Monteriggioni. Once there, Ezio calls a war council together and tells them what happened, but Niccolò Machiavelli is displeased that Ezio spared Rodrigo's life. Later that day, Caterina Sforza and Ezio have sex to form an alliance. The following day, Cesare Borgia―son of Rodrigo―along with his sister and lover Lucrezia, banker and Cardinal Juan Borgia, French general Octavian de Valois, and Micheletto Corella, storm Monteriggioni and kill Mario Auditore, steal the Apple, then severely wound Ezio. Ezio wakes up to help Claudia (his sister) and Maria (his mother) escape, then rides off. He faints due to his wounds and wakes up in Rome. He meets Machiavelli and the two plan to take down the Borgia―though Ezio would rather use the courtesans, thieves, and mercenaries to help him while Machiavelli believes they should strike now. He helps Bartolomeo d'Alviano secure his small fortress from further attacks by Cesare's guards, helps La Volpe establish a better thieves guild in Rome, then, with anger, helps Claudia set up a better brothel for the courtesans to work in. While he does this, he frees certain parts of the city from Borgia control. La Volpe, however, believes Machiavelli to be a traitor to the Brotherhood and voices his suspicions to Ezio. Learning that his former lover, Caterina, is being held by the Borgia, Ezio sets off to rescue her, but he's told by Machiavelli to make sure that Rodrigo and Cesare die first.
Entering Castel Sant'Angelo, Ezio learns that Cesare has left for the battlefield while Rodrigo is locked in a meeting with the Cardinals. Ezio, after capturing Lucrezia, gets Caterina free, then they escape. During this, Caterina declares that she only slept with him so he would send the Assassins to help defend Forlì, but soon after she's healed, she leaves. Ezio, heartbroken, resumes his work. He meets Leonardo da Vinci―also "working" for the Borgia―and gets back many of his damaged equipment (and some of the stuff only available in game if the player completes the four Leonardo missions). From Claudia, Ezio learns that a certain senator owes the mysterious Banker money and helps him. Ezio, during a party―which Bowden describes somewhat differently than the game, with orgies instead of occurring outdoors―kills the Banker, who is none other than Juan, Cesare's uncle. Ezio then helps Bartolomeo rescue Pantasilea Baglioni, his wife, from Octavian's clutches; Ezio kills Octavian. Later that week, Ezio tails Micheletto―Cesare's right hand man―and steals costumes for his Assassin's to use during a play. At the play, Ezio prevents Micheletto from killing Lucrezia's boy toy, then notices a thief that supposedly died during the Battle of Monteriggioni. Ezio captures him, but the Borgia thief declares that the Borgia will kill the Assassins and impales himself of Ezio's hidden blade. Ezio takes a letter off the dead man and knows that it was the deceased thief, not Machiavelli, who sold out the Brotherhood.
He stops La Volpe from killing Machiavelli and the men reunite. Ezio arrives back at the brothel and finds several guards killed. Fearing for his family's safety, Ezio storms in, only to find more dead guards surrounding Claudia; he inducts her into the Italian Assassin Brotherhood. Machiavelli proclaims that Ezio is the true Mentor and allows Ezio to take over the reigns since Mario's death. Together, the Brotherhood decides to fully up their game and openly take back Rome. Ezio learns that Cesare has returned and storms Castel Sant'Angelo again, then watches as Cesare, infuriated at the loss of his funds and troops, bickers with Rodrigo. Rodrigo, however, has poisoned Cesare, and demands that his son needs to die because he brought the Assassin's down on them because of his (Cesare's) stupidity. Lucrezia informs her brother that their father has poisoned him and Cesare kills Rodrigo, then storms off to find the Apple. Ezio learns from Lucrezia what Cesare intends to do and races to find the Apple. Ezio steals it and for the next couple of days, deprives Cesare of all support, eventually leading to Cesare's arrest. Ezio, Machiavelli, and Leonardo learn that he's been freed by Micheletto in Spain and they race to stop him, but Leonardo becomes ill and he and Machiavelli depart, leaving Ezio to finish the task. Ezio watches as Cesare kills his right hand man, then departs for Viana. During the Siege of Viana, Ezio kills Cesare, then takes the second Apple and hides both away.
All in all, a mediocre book that pales next to its game counterpart. The only good thing Bowden does is explain that it took a month to rebuild Rosa in Fiore, Bartolomeo's hideout, and The Sleeping Fox Inn each. But unlike Renaissance, Bowden refuses to use the down-load content (DLC) The Da Vinci Disappearance. Though, once more, Bowden refuses to acknowledge the existence of Desmond and the gang or the real time events. All the Courtesan, Thief, and Leonardo missions are said to have been performed by Ezio's recruits. Definitely not worth reading for fans of the game.
Up next: Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade by Oliver Bowden.
The novel opens briefly recapping the opening to Brotherhood as Ezio and Mario flee Rome for Monteriggioni. Once there, Ezio calls a war council together and tells them what happened, but Niccolò Machiavelli is displeased that Ezio spared Rodrigo's life. Later that day, Caterina Sforza and Ezio have sex to form an alliance. The following day, Cesare Borgia―son of Rodrigo―along with his sister and lover Lucrezia, banker and Cardinal Juan Borgia, French general Octavian de Valois, and Micheletto Corella, storm Monteriggioni and kill Mario Auditore, steal the Apple, then severely wound Ezio. Ezio wakes up to help Claudia (his sister) and Maria (his mother) escape, then rides off. He faints due to his wounds and wakes up in Rome. He meets Machiavelli and the two plan to take down the Borgia―though Ezio would rather use the courtesans, thieves, and mercenaries to help him while Machiavelli believes they should strike now. He helps Bartolomeo d'Alviano secure his small fortress from further attacks by Cesare's guards, helps La Volpe establish a better thieves guild in Rome, then, with anger, helps Claudia set up a better brothel for the courtesans to work in. While he does this, he frees certain parts of the city from Borgia control. La Volpe, however, believes Machiavelli to be a traitor to the Brotherhood and voices his suspicions to Ezio. Learning that his former lover, Caterina, is being held by the Borgia, Ezio sets off to rescue her, but he's told by Machiavelli to make sure that Rodrigo and Cesare die first.
Entering Castel Sant'Angelo, Ezio learns that Cesare has left for the battlefield while Rodrigo is locked in a meeting with the Cardinals. Ezio, after capturing Lucrezia, gets Caterina free, then they escape. During this, Caterina declares that she only slept with him so he would send the Assassins to help defend Forlì, but soon after she's healed, she leaves. Ezio, heartbroken, resumes his work. He meets Leonardo da Vinci―also "working" for the Borgia―and gets back many of his damaged equipment (and some of the stuff only available in game if the player completes the four Leonardo missions). From Claudia, Ezio learns that a certain senator owes the mysterious Banker money and helps him. Ezio, during a party―which Bowden describes somewhat differently than the game, with orgies instead of occurring outdoors―kills the Banker, who is none other than Juan, Cesare's uncle. Ezio then helps Bartolomeo rescue Pantasilea Baglioni, his wife, from Octavian's clutches; Ezio kills Octavian. Later that week, Ezio tails Micheletto―Cesare's right hand man―and steals costumes for his Assassin's to use during a play. At the play, Ezio prevents Micheletto from killing Lucrezia's boy toy, then notices a thief that supposedly died during the Battle of Monteriggioni. Ezio captures him, but the Borgia thief declares that the Borgia will kill the Assassins and impales himself of Ezio's hidden blade. Ezio takes a letter off the dead man and knows that it was the deceased thief, not Machiavelli, who sold out the Brotherhood.
He stops La Volpe from killing Machiavelli and the men reunite. Ezio arrives back at the brothel and finds several guards killed. Fearing for his family's safety, Ezio storms in, only to find more dead guards surrounding Claudia; he inducts her into the Italian Assassin Brotherhood. Machiavelli proclaims that Ezio is the true Mentor and allows Ezio to take over the reigns since Mario's death. Together, the Brotherhood decides to fully up their game and openly take back Rome. Ezio learns that Cesare has returned and storms Castel Sant'Angelo again, then watches as Cesare, infuriated at the loss of his funds and troops, bickers with Rodrigo. Rodrigo, however, has poisoned Cesare, and demands that his son needs to die because he brought the Assassin's down on them because of his (Cesare's) stupidity. Lucrezia informs her brother that their father has poisoned him and Cesare kills Rodrigo, then storms off to find the Apple. Ezio learns from Lucrezia what Cesare intends to do and races to find the Apple. Ezio steals it and for the next couple of days, deprives Cesare of all support, eventually leading to Cesare's arrest. Ezio, Machiavelli, and Leonardo learn that he's been freed by Micheletto in Spain and they race to stop him, but Leonardo becomes ill and he and Machiavelli depart, leaving Ezio to finish the task. Ezio watches as Cesare kills his right hand man, then departs for Viana. During the Siege of Viana, Ezio kills Cesare, then takes the second Apple and hides both away.
All in all, a mediocre book that pales next to its game counterpart. The only good thing Bowden does is explain that it took a month to rebuild Rosa in Fiore, Bartolomeo's hideout, and The Sleeping Fox Inn each. But unlike Renaissance, Bowden refuses to use the down-load content (DLC) The Da Vinci Disappearance. Though, once more, Bowden refuses to acknowledge the existence of Desmond and the gang or the real time events. All the Courtesan, Thief, and Leonardo missions are said to have been performed by Ezio's recruits. Definitely not worth reading for fans of the game.
Up next: Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade by Oliver Bowden.
