Assassin’s Creed: Heresy
by Christie Golden
Synopsis:
Simon Hathaway, member of the Templar Inner Sanctum, brings a cool head and detached manner to his new role as Head of Abstergo Industry’s Historical Research Division. But Simon also has an insatiable curiosity, and is fascinated by the thought of experiencing history first-hand through his ancestor–Gabriel Laxart, who fought alongside the legendary Joan of Arc.
When he enters the newly-designed Animus for its initial project, Simon finds himself unprepared for what he discovers: How deep the conflict between the Templars and the Assassins goes. What Gabriel will do for the woman he both loves and reveres.
And the most dangerous truth of all: Who is the heretic…and who is the true believer.
Review:
I’m not a gamer, so I wasn’t familiar with the actual story behind the series. I only know the movie is coming out and wanted to read a bit about the saga before it releases. Unfortunately, the novel is not for newbies. I definitely recommend reading up on the internet before starting this book to know what the sides are and why and what they are searching for in the past. I was completely lost until I did.
Simon is searching the past through his ancestor for history on a sword in the possession of Joan of Arc. The premise alone is intriguing, and I wasn’t disappointed. Besides the fantastic look at the past as historical fiction with science fiction thrown in the mix – the present day begins to build with suspense as well. Though I wish the fascinating worldbuilding would have been fleshed out a bit more, there is plenty of intrigue, lore, and drama that made for an exciting read. I look forward to reading more in this series (as well as the film) and seeing other time periods explored.