alexisthecrow's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I love this series so much! Assassin's Creed is my all time favorite video game series and this book series is amazing đź‘ŹÂ
mooluvs's review against another edition
3.0
I LOVE the assassins creed the assassins creed series and the other books aimed at adults for the series but I don't really think this series was for me. Don't get me wrong the writing was ok,i didn't hate it nor do I regret reading this book but I just don't feel a need to complete the series as I don't really care about any of the characters or the main modern story. The only two character I cared about was cudgel cormac and I only really liked him because he was related to shay (I like seriously love shay) however I am not exactly in the target audience for this series and I think that someone younger thank me or maybe a less serious reader would really like this book series.
chaos_tempest's review against another edition
4.0
I was lucky enough to receive an arc copy of "Last Descendants" through work, I started reading it the same night I got it!
I have never played or read anything before this book, so I wasn't sure I was going to understand what was going on or how everything worked, but Kirby does an excellent job introducing you to the world and concepts without ever bogging down the plot or characters.
This is definitely a series that I will pick up over and over again!
I have never played or read anything before this book, so I wasn't sure I was going to understand what was going on or how everything worked, but Kirby does an excellent job introducing you to the world and concepts without ever bogging down the plot or characters.
This is definitely a series that I will pick up over and over again!
tomberly's review against another edition
3.0
The Last Descendants was a good read. I wanted to know more about the Assassin's Creed world to get ready for the movie coming out in December. And this book did a good job in preparing me for the movie. The overall story was good I love how the story was tied back to real events in history.
sadie27's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
tokoyami23's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
krazykentreader's review against another edition
3.0
I know this is the first book in the series, but honestly I felt like there could've been more they could bring to the story.
The characters weren't all that interesting (mostly because I felt like there was no time dedicated to getting to know them or even the ancestral characters) and the story felt a bit rushed to where you can finish the book in a short amount of time.
In short, I hope things get better in the sequel books.
The characters weren't all that interesting (mostly because I felt like there was no time dedicated to getting to know them or even the ancestral characters) and the story felt a bit rushed to where you can finish the book in a short amount of time.
In short, I hope things get better in the sequel books.
queensflame's review against another edition
4.0
First off I would like to thank the publisher, Scholastic Inc, and hug you guys a million times for approving me for this ARC. I am a HUGE huge Assassin’s Creed fan. I love the games, I want an AC tattoo, like this is serious everyone. So when the book arrived at my doorstep I literally jumped around in excitement. And let me tell you, I was not at all disappointed.
I won’t lie, I WAS a bit skeptical about this book, a start to a YA AC series. The video game is just so well done, and so beautifully intricate and crafted with the mingling history and plot line that I wasn’t sure the book could live up to that. However, it definitely did.
Before I start gushing over how amazing this book was, I would like to say a few things that may creep out/push away readers who are not familiar with Assassin’s Creed.
I feel like this book only somewhat describes the history behind the Templars (who they were), the Assassin’s (who they are) that the video game goes into some more depth about. There’s really no explanation as to why they do what they do, more about their societies, so you’re kinda almost like why should I care? So all I can say is that I HOPE more is described about the Templars & the Assassin’s Brotherhood and especially where the “Pieces of Eden” come from. I still HIGHLY recommend this book to people who haven’t played the video game as it’s definitely an intriguing idea that Ubisoft has created.
The second thing was that there was how exactly these fifteen year olds get introduced to the animus. There is a tech guy working at their school who takes kids to his trailer to let them into the animus (the animus is where they go into their ancestors memories. like I said it’s super complicated). But yeah, this screamed a bit pedophile to me and I almost hope it doesn’t push away new readers. Things like this happen. Main character meets stranger in creepy place and yeah. Haha.
Alright now onto the actual review of the book. Last Descendants follows Owen, a young fifteen year old just trying to find the truth about his father’s arrest & death. He ends up trying to find answers through Monroe, the tech guy, who brings him into the animus, into the world of assassin’s and templars, and they try and find a dagger which they need to make sure doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.
Plot-wise, I felt that the beginning of the book was a little slow. After reading though, it was important so that non-video game players can get introduced to the world a little more and understand how everything works. However, as a player of the video game, I kept asking “when are we going into the animus to see these kid’s bad-ass ancestors??” When it finally happened though, it was exciting.
More characters were introduced later on, and let me tell you this is one diverse book and I absolutely LOVE that the author did this. We have Owen and Javier, Grace and her brother David (who are African American), Natalya (I believe she’s from Kazakhstan), and Sean who is disabled. Plus, one of these happens to be part of LGBTQ+. I won’t tell you who as it was a surprise (not for me, but it was supposed to be):). We’ve got a very diverse cast, with each and everyone of them having a unique personality. I love them all and desperately want to know more about them and more of their ancestors.
This series has a historical background, taking place right during the draft riots of 1863 when the kids go into their ancestor’s memories and live out what happened to them in the past to try and find this Piece of Eden. The Piece of Eden is a relic from the times before humans when gods ruled the world. They’re magical and can be used for the wrong reasons when in the wrong person’s hands. I loved the history, I love that the AC creators always tie fictional events to historical events. It makes it all seem real, even though it never actually happened.
Each and every one of the characters POVs interact in this animus and I loved watching everything unfold. My favorite part was the end though, when more information comes out about the piece of eden and how it’s only a piece of a bigger weapon. It sets up the plot for the next few books and I am BEYOND excited to keep reading.
It was a thrilling book in which once I hit a certain point I did not want to put it down. The plot thickened, more and more information. You’re never sure who to trust (cough trust the Assassin’s), who’s right, who’s wrong. It messes with your head but you fall for the characters and this first novel in this gripping series pulls you in making you craving the rest of the series. This is a wonderful series of those who like historical fiction, who like the present tying into the past, historical fantasy…it’s just an interesting world and I honestly loved every second spent reading this book.
Thank you again Scholastic for giving me the chance to read, and I will definitely be buying the finished copy & continuing this series. If you love Assassin’s Creed and young adult books, pick this up when it comes out on August 30, 2016 everyone!!
I won’t lie, I WAS a bit skeptical about this book, a start to a YA AC series. The video game is just so well done, and so beautifully intricate and crafted with the mingling history and plot line that I wasn’t sure the book could live up to that. However, it definitely did.
Before I start gushing over how amazing this book was, I would like to say a few things that may creep out/push away readers who are not familiar with Assassin’s Creed.
I feel like this book only somewhat describes the history behind the Templars (who they were), the Assassin’s (who they are) that the video game goes into some more depth about. There’s really no explanation as to why they do what they do, more about their societies, so you’re kinda almost like why should I care? So all I can say is that I HOPE more is described about the Templars & the Assassin’s Brotherhood and especially where the “Pieces of Eden” come from. I still HIGHLY recommend this book to people who haven’t played the video game as it’s definitely an intriguing idea that Ubisoft has created.
The second thing was that there was how exactly these fifteen year olds get introduced to the animus. There is a tech guy working at their school who takes kids to his trailer to let them into the animus (the animus is where they go into their ancestors memories. like I said it’s super complicated). But yeah, this screamed a bit pedophile to me and I almost hope it doesn’t push away new readers. Things like this happen. Main character meets stranger in creepy place and yeah. Haha.
Alright now onto the actual review of the book. Last Descendants follows Owen, a young fifteen year old just trying to find the truth about his father’s arrest & death. He ends up trying to find answers through Monroe, the tech guy, who brings him into the animus, into the world of assassin’s and templars, and they try and find a dagger which they need to make sure doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.
Plot-wise, I felt that the beginning of the book was a little slow. After reading though, it was important so that non-video game players can get introduced to the world a little more and understand how everything works. However, as a player of the video game, I kept asking “when are we going into the animus to see these kid’s bad-ass ancestors??” When it finally happened though, it was exciting.
More characters were introduced later on, and let me tell you this is one diverse book and I absolutely LOVE that the author did this. We have Owen and Javier, Grace and her brother David (who are African American), Natalya (I believe she’s from Kazakhstan), and Sean who is disabled. Plus, one of these happens to be part of LGBTQ+. I won’t tell you who as it was a surprise (not for me, but it was supposed to be):). We’ve got a very diverse cast, with each and everyone of them having a unique personality. I love them all and desperately want to know more about them and more of their ancestors.
This series has a historical background, taking place right during the draft riots of 1863 when the kids go into their ancestor’s memories and live out what happened to them in the past to try and find this Piece of Eden. The Piece of Eden is a relic from the times before humans when gods ruled the world. They’re magical and can be used for the wrong reasons when in the wrong person’s hands. I loved the history, I love that the AC creators always tie fictional events to historical events. It makes it all seem real, even though it never actually happened.
Each and every one of the characters POVs interact in this animus and I loved watching everything unfold. My favorite part was the end though, when more information comes out about the piece of eden and how it’s only a piece of a bigger weapon. It sets up the plot for the next few books and I am BEYOND excited to keep reading.
It was a thrilling book in which once I hit a certain point I did not want to put it down. The plot thickened, more and more information. You’re never sure who to trust (cough trust the Assassin’s), who’s right, who’s wrong. It messes with your head but you fall for the characters and this first novel in this gripping series pulls you in making you craving the rest of the series. This is a wonderful series of those who like historical fiction, who like the present tying into the past, historical fantasy…it’s just an interesting world and I honestly loved every second spent reading this book.
Thank you again Scholastic for giving me the chance to read, and I will definitely be buying the finished copy & continuing this series. If you love Assassin’s Creed and young adult books, pick this up when it comes out on August 30, 2016 everyone!!
shauniesbookshelves's review against another edition
5.0
Owen and his mum have had to move back into his grandparents' house after Owen's father was accused of robbing a bank, and died in prison. Owen's grandparents constantly lecture him on his grades, and how he doesn't want to turn into his father, now, does he, and Owen is sick of it. He knows his father is innocent, and when the IT guy at his school, Monroe, offers him a chance to go into an Animus, Owen jumps at the opportunity to go into his father's memories and prove his innocence. Only, Monroe seems to be hiding something from Owen, and when he is pulled from the Animus and Monroe disappears, things start to get weird. It turns out that there is an artefact called the Trident of Eden, and Owen, along with a few other kids, turn out to all have ancestors who have been in contact with the artefact. There are two groups warring over finding the artefacts, the Assassins and the Templars. Monroe seems to want to keep either group from finding the artefacts, but that would mean Owen and the rest of the group going into the Animus together, to see where it ended up. Will the danger of the mission turn them away, or will the thrill of being in the Animus cloud their judgement? And besides, if they do find the artefact, what will happen then?
I have to admit, before I picked this up, I was pretty sceptical. I haven't read any other Assassin's Creed books, I haven't played any of the games, and although I have watched part of the film, tea was ready before I could finish it, so I really don't know anything about the groups, the characters or the technology. The only thing I know is that the Animus is the thing with the chair, and there's a dude called Ezio. Having said that, I still managed to really enjoy this book! The characters were all teenage, and so really easy for me to relate to, and all had very clear, thought out personalities with a lot of depth. The plot was so interesting that I was almost immediately hooked! It didn't matter that I didn't know what the Animus was, or what the Assassin's and the Templars were fighting for, because neither did the characters in the book, so I learnt as they did. According to a review I found on Amazon, it is a 'Must read for any AC fan', and 'Helps you to understand the Animus and Abstergo a lot better and presents the assassins and the templars in quite an unbiased light where the reader is free to judge themselves'. (There was no name left on this review but it's the top review on the Amazon page for the book.) I did enjoy the fact that I was left to make my own decisions about the Assassins and the Templars, knowing what both sides were working for and against, which is part of the reason I am glad I read this book before the series by Oliver Bowden. I have been able to form my own opinion, which is that I would be on the side of the Assassins, with plenty of knowledge from both sides. I would definitely recommend this book to literally anyone, whether they know all or nothing about the whole franchise. This book has left me with a bit (and by a bit I mean a lot) of a book hangover, which I have never got before, even with the Throne of Glass series, or Nevernight by Jay Kristoff, which I consider to be my favourite books. Definitely, definitely worth a read.
I have to admit, before I picked this up, I was pretty sceptical. I haven't read any other Assassin's Creed books, I haven't played any of the games, and although I have watched part of the film, tea was ready before I could finish it, so I really don't know anything about the groups, the characters or the technology. The only thing I know is that the Animus is the thing with the chair, and there's a dude called Ezio. Having said that, I still managed to really enjoy this book! The characters were all teenage, and so really easy for me to relate to, and all had very clear, thought out personalities with a lot of depth. The plot was so interesting that I was almost immediately hooked! It didn't matter that I didn't know what the Animus was, or what the Assassin's and the Templars were fighting for, because neither did the characters in the book, so I learnt as they did. According to a review I found on Amazon, it is a 'Must read for any AC fan', and 'Helps you to understand the Animus and Abstergo a lot better and presents the assassins and the templars in quite an unbiased light where the reader is free to judge themselves'. (There was no name left on this review but it's the top review on the Amazon page for the book.) I did enjoy the fact that I was left to make my own decisions about the Assassins and the Templars, knowing what both sides were working for and against, which is part of the reason I am glad I read this book before the series by Oliver Bowden. I have been able to form my own opinion, which is that I would be on the side of the Assassins, with plenty of knowledge from both sides. I would definitely recommend this book to literally anyone, whether they know all or nothing about the whole franchise. This book has left me with a bit (and by a bit I mean a lot) of a book hangover, which I have never got before, even with the Throne of Glass series, or Nevernight by Jay Kristoff, which I consider to be my favourite books. Definitely, definitely worth a read.