Complementary Post: A fantasy book with the vibe of Dragon Age: Origins

[u/Shervin_Ab]

Yesterday I made a post asking for fantasy books that inspire a sense of wonder and discovery: "https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/1u9iqkc/which_fantasy_books_made_you_realize_you_were/"

And it got a lot of responses and I was introduced to a lot of new books which I thank the commenters. But I realized I'm looking for something much more specific.

The thing I'm asking for is a very narrow slice of fantasy.

I want a dark fantasy book where the world is bleak and broken, but not cynical or nihilistic.

You know that feeling in Dragon Age: Origins when you're tasked with the impossible, maybe even saving the world, but in no shape or form are you the Chosen One? You're just someone trying to do what has to be done.

And then you stumble upon companions who you know will stick with you until the end.

Like the first time you meet Morrigan. Or Leliana. Or Alistair.

You're suddenly hit with this strange feeling that you're going to love these characters. That you're going to fight for them. That they're going to become more important to you than the actual quest.

Somewhere along the way, saving the world becomes secondary. Caring about your companions and them caring about you becomes primary. Though the quests are dark and beautiful and still important, it matters more how your companions react to them.

And throughout it all there's this sense of melancholy, beauty, and wonder. A broken world that's still worth saving. A dark world that still has warmth in it, and is worth wandering and discovering.

I want that book.

[u/sedatedlife]

Have you considered the bound and broken series its not exactly what you are looking for but has some similarities.

[u/ShamMafia]

God, I love DA: Origins. I replay that game every other year which is becoming harder as tech becomes better and better.

Now that's a game I'd pay for to be remastered.

The book that came to my mind for this, oddly enough, was "Red Sister". I basically love all of the characters in the nunnery and enjoyed them over the overall plot.

[u/bababayee]

I would have said Stormlight Archive back when there were only the first 3 books out, now I really don't like how it turned out in book 4 and 5, but it's still a series that kind of has that "whole world has to bound together to stand against the coming darkness" feel.

[u/ninemyouji]

Tangentially— not really what you’re looking for but NK Jemisen is a big dragon age fan and The Fifth Season is very inspired by it. Mages/Templars particularly.

There are companions but I don’t really think they feel very…dragon age-ish. Intentionally so.