Pixel-Concept

There weren't many differences between this and the game. Perhaps a few conversations and interactions but that is about it.

The book does give you more detail around Ezio's trip to Masyaf, which took an entire year! Whereas the game starts with him having already arrived.

The writer does a good and subtle job of reminding us that Ezio is in his 50's and is growing tired of this life by describing how puffed out and achy he feels after fights and free running. There are points where we 'hear' Ezio's inner thoughts about the life that chose him. He knew it was his fate to walk this path but feels like he has missed so much.

The end of the book follows on from Revelations and covers what we saw in AC Embers. 12 years later and Ezio is married to Sofia Sartor and has 2 children. He is also a winemaker and shields his children from any knowledge of his Assassin past. Shao Jun pays him a visit, seeking wisdom of how she can help her people. Ezio doesn't want to help at first, he doesn't want anything to do with the Assassins anymore but ultimately ends up helping her, mainly because his wife tells him to 😂.

The book ends with our good-byes to Ezio. Whilst sitting on a bench in the market place, watching his wife and daughter shopping, he has a heart attack and passes away. Before this happens, a man with a scar on his lip sits next to him and tells Ezio that it is time to rest.

Absolutely loved this book! It added so much more to Altair's story.

Part 1 is the Assassin's Creed game with added glimpses into Altair's past. We learn how his father dies and why, how he and Abbas were originally inseparable and the events that eventually led to Abbas' disdain for Altair.

Part 2 continues straight from Al Mualim's death, where Altair heads to Cyprus, hot on the heels of the Templars. There, he helps a group of rebels, or so he thinks... Amusingly, the main contacts of this rebellion are called Barnabas and Markos. We also learn how Altair and Maria come to be an item. Originally, she absolutely hated him and their 'back and forth' is entertaining. Altair's thoughts about the apple are recorded in his journal and it is interesting to read about how he thinks it is somewhat evil.

Part 3 focuses on a much older Altair who has been cast out of Masyaf and returns one day. Accepted and helped by the once young children who remember him, he is put back in his place as master.

The story reads a bit odd in places. Altair has told Niccolo Polo these stories of his life and Niccolo is re-telling them to Maffeo. Effectively we are reading Niccolo's re-telling. The final pages are 'real time', where Altair entrusts the memory seals to Niccolo and Maffeo, whilst the Mongols lay siege to Masyaf, and tells them to hide them. Altair keeps the sixth memory seal and heads to his library where someone finds him, years later.