Betrayal At Falador - A Review
In some respects, Betrayal At Falador is very much like the Runescape handbook I had purchased and talked about some time back.
Although their genres are completely different (one being a strategy guide and the other being a novel), both books seem to be targeted at a novice f2p player audience. An Adamant blade played quite a key role in the story and smithing it was even described as "beyond the skill of any human smith". There was also no mention of any "higher up" weapons such as Runite (although the metal itself makes a brief appearance in, of all things, jewellery) and Dragon. Zilch on Abyssal Whips, Barrows equipment and the like as well.
The language used in the novel also bordered a little bit on the amateurish side. There were cases of repetition of words scattered around the book; synonyms should have been used to give the writing a more sophisticated edge. The quote below is one such example:
Additionally, the titling of chapters was rather awkward, and in some instances, revealed too much and could even be considered as a spoiler. Titles such as "The warnings of Doric go unheeded" were so in-your-face.
The saving grace of Betrayal At Falador would probably have to be its storyline. There were a number of plot twists, which I am sure would surprise all but the most thorough of readers (myself included! See if you can spot the subtle hints along the way). Unfortunately, I cannot further elaborate on this point because doing so would ruin the story for interested fans.
T. S. Church had also very expertly tied in many features of the game into the novel. We get to see well known Runescape personalities such as Sir Amik Vaze, Sir Tiffy Cashien, Kaqemeex and Doric. Similarly, items from the game such as Dwarf Cannons, a vial of Guthix's Tears and Belladonna Seeds made several appearances. The entire Kingdom of Asgarnia was also covered, with the exception of Port Sarim and Rimmington which played no part in the story.
And finally, a cliffhanger was left towards the end of Betrayal of Falador, implying that fans can expect the eventual release of a sequel.
My Consensus
Given the high shipping costs (US$28.00), it'd probably be a bad idea for potential customers to purchase it individually. I recommend either waiting for part two to come out and then ordering both novels together, or perhaps buying the other merchandise available in the Jagex store along with the book. You'll end up spending more, but costs would be more worthwhile since, from what I can gather, the shipping fees are only a one time payment. Alternatively, one could always wait for prices to come down or buy a used copy.
I'd also like to add that Betrayal At Falador is strictly for RS players only. Although its storyline is commendable, its standard still falls short of some of the truly outstanding texts I've read.
Therefore, to a non-fan who is unable to appreciate the finer details of the novel, the book is like any other - a good read, but nothing more (and an overpriced one at that).
Stuff achieved today: Level 90 Crafting
Although their genres are completely different (one being a strategy guide and the other being a novel), both books seem to be targeted at a novice f2p player audience. An Adamant blade played quite a key role in the story and smithing it was even described as "beyond the skill of any human smith". There was also no mention of any "higher up" weapons such as Runite (although the metal itself makes a brief appearance in, of all things, jewellery) and Dragon. Zilch on Abyssal Whips, Barrows equipment and the like as well.
The language used in the novel also bordered a little bit on the amateurish side. There were cases of repetition of words scattered around the book; synonyms should have been used to give the writing a more sophisticated edge. The quote below is one such example:
"She stepped carefully, balancing her weight before she took a singleSpeeches and conversations between the book's characters also sometimes struck me as odd and poorly expressed, even occasionally teetering over the edge of nonsensical. The following should help illustrate what I'm getting at:
step... She stepped forward..."
"If they have good teeth they can eat. If they can eat then they have
the strength to work!"
"'Gods move in mysterious ways!' he had whispered to..."
Additionally, the titling of chapters was rather awkward, and in some instances, revealed too much and could even be considered as a spoiler. Titles such as "The warnings of Doric go unheeded" were so in-your-face.
The saving grace of Betrayal At Falador would probably have to be its storyline. There were a number of plot twists, which I am sure would surprise all but the most thorough of readers (myself included! See if you can spot the subtle hints along the way). Unfortunately, I cannot further elaborate on this point because doing so would ruin the story for interested fans.
T. S. Church had also very expertly tied in many features of the game into the novel. We get to see well known Runescape personalities such as Sir Amik Vaze, Sir Tiffy Cashien, Kaqemeex and Doric. Similarly, items from the game such as Dwarf Cannons, a vial of Guthix's Tears and Belladonna Seeds made several appearances. The entire Kingdom of Asgarnia was also covered, with the exception of Port Sarim and Rimmington which played no part in the story.
And finally, a cliffhanger was left towards the end of Betrayal of Falador, implying that fans can expect the eventual release of a sequel.
My Consensus
Given the high shipping costs (US$28.00), it'd probably be a bad idea for potential customers to purchase it individually. I recommend either waiting for part two to come out and then ordering both novels together, or perhaps buying the other merchandise available in the Jagex store along with the book. You'll end up spending more, but costs would be more worthwhile since, from what I can gather, the shipping fees are only a one time payment. Alternatively, one could always wait for prices to come down or buy a used copy.
I'd also like to add that Betrayal At Falador is strictly for RS players only. Although its storyline is commendable, its standard still falls short of some of the truly outstanding texts I've read.
Therefore, to a non-fan who is unable to appreciate the finer details of the novel, the book is like any other - a good read, but nothing more (and an overpriced one at that).
Stuff achieved today: Level 90 Crafting
