God of War by Robert E. Vardeman and Matthew W. Stover

This game-based novel tells the same story in the first installment of the game series. The book gives a different perspective of the gods and Kratos plus more that only written material can offer which the experience of playing Kratos cannot.

Anyone who's played the game will be familiar with Kratos' background and his motives for serving the gods --- that is to rid himself of the terrible visions of his monstrous acts. In this book, Kratos will follow the same path that the Kratos in the video game took; he will battle the same foes and use the same weapons and magic. This time however, the reader gets more intimate with Kratos' thoughts and emotions.

The authors did a great job in explaining things that we usually take for granted in the game such as the acquisition and carrying of the items (how does he keep all the weapons), Kratos' ability to absorb orbs (of course this is to replenish health, mana and rage meter in the game but how to explain that in a book?), and Kratos' thoughts and expressions whenever he has to fight or kill enemies and civilians. One great addition in the story that was not very clear in the game is Athena's motives. The other characters' roles are highlighted as well. Whereas the game focused more on Ares' role as the antagonist, the book is a reminder that there's more to Athena's plans of stopping Ares' destruction of her city as will be seen in the next two games. The Olympians are more than just elusive patrons and helpers of Kratos, but are more involved in his adventures than was hinted at in the game. One important line also points to one crucial detail that caused tension between the gods and Kratos, that's when Athena told Zeus that "Kratos was always meant to be the weapon that killed a god."

Overall, the portrayal of Kratos' character is consistent with that of the game except for a few disturbing moments that he smiled.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Dante's Inferno (Divine Edition)

Dante Alighieri's Inferno is given a different twist in this bloody game of one man's quest to save his wife's soul. The game did justice to the description of hell in this adaptation of the first part of the Divine Comedy epic. In this game however, Dante has a different motivation for going to hell. In order to rescue Beatrice's soul from Lucifer's grasp, he fights demons, saves or damns souls, and goes through a series of recollections of his life, in particular the events that led to the breaking of his vow to Beatrice. In the process, he not only tries to save Beatrice but is also seeking her forgiveness and the salvation of his soul. Why Dante was allowed to gain power in his quest and constantly provoked by Lucifer will make sense at the end of the game.

This game is not for the squeamish type. It's very bloody; filled with hellish creatures from women who use their uterus as weapons, well not really just the uterus but the entire female reproductive system, to babies sporting blades in their arms. The music help set the mood. It's easy to see that Dante feels desperate, isolated, and remorseful. 

The idea of going through the nine circles of hell is promising and yet getting from one stage to the next becomes predictable and repetitive as the game progresses. The usual pattern goes like this: get past obstacles to get to the other side or another circle, battle the small fry, and finally a boss fight. It would have been more interesting if they included the puzzle in the Dark Forest DLC at the start of the game. The Malebolge stage broke the pattern too but the level of difficulty of the challenges is not a good warm-up for the fight with Lucifer.

Some of the good points of this game are Virgil's commentaries, the inclusion of some famous damned souls, and Dante's characterization. Virgil's commentaries will help the player appreciate the book from which the game took its inspiration. Although Dante's life was given a twist, the story still stays true to what was written in Inferno. The description of the damned souls are also part of the book and also includes some historical and mythological figures. It makes the player ask why they were sent to hell and might be curious enough to look them up later. Keep in mind though that the game is still about Dante and not religion, that is why there are several references to his life to help create tension in the story. Why Beatrice ended up in hell is revealed piece by piece through flashbacks of Dante's activities in the Crusade.

I like the bonus features like the video on Dante's (the real author) life and the transcription of the poem. A game based on a classic like Inferno from Divine Comedy is not easy to pull off. However there's already plenty of good material in the poem such as the description of hell and its denizens and I think this game did a good job in creating that.

Rating: 7 out of 10

The Golden Fleece and the Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles by Padraic Colum

Padraic Colum not only provides a retelling of the adventures of Jason and the Argonauts but also of some of the Greek heroes and gods that most readers would recognize. The book is divided into the following three major parts:

Part 1. The Voyage to Colchis
Part 2. The Return to Greece
Part 3. The Heroes of the Quest

Colum is not only a narrator of the events in the heroes' quest to retrieve the fleece and return home safely, but he also made an attempt at characterization. Jason is no longer just a famous hero and the readers voyeurs, but instead are involved in the emotional struggles of the characters. First time readers of this tale will not find the book difficult to understand. Several stories told or sung by Orpheus are also very helpful for readers who are new to Greek mythology. These stories include the beginning of things and Titanomachy, Demeter and Persephone, Atalanta's Race, The Golden Maid, Prometheus, and Perseus.

The final part of the book features stories that highlight the Argonauts. These are Atalanta, Peleus and His Bride From the Sea, Theseus and the Minotaur, The Life and Labors of Heracles, Admetus, How Orpheus the minstrel went down to the world of the dead, and Jason and Medea. The conclusion of Jason's fate is told in Jason and Medea; what he did with the prized fleece and where he went. This happened after he had obtained the fleece and therefore the continuation of part 2 of the book will have to wait until the reader gets to this part. The closing lines tried to compensate for the Jason's shortcomings that led to several deaths although Colum did not include his personal views.

I had fun reading this book not only for its main story but for the other tales that were included. Since most of the famous heroes of Greek mythology were involved in the quest of the golden fleece, this book is a good starting point for further reading of the adventures of great men like Theseus and Hercules. Keep in mind however that there are some characters and instances which were not included in the story but are present in some versions of Jason's tale.

Rating: 10 out of 10

Maha-bharata: The Epic of Ancient India Condensed into English Verse (Translated by Romesh Dutt)

The book is a condensed and translated version of the Hindu epic of a war of the kingdoms in Northern India caught in a scheme of a jealous cousin and five brothers struggling to reclaim their kingdom.

Mr. Dutt provided introductions and summary for each chapter. The summary might spoil the story for the first time readers of the epic but keep in mind that this is a condensed version. Some of the less important scenes were omitted. The contents of these chapters are in English verse form. The translator explained in the epilogue his method in selecting the passages and included here as well as his approach to its translation. This gives the reader an idea how much information was not included in this book. The translator was able to pick out the story of the Pandavas and Kurus buried in all the material added to the original epic. The information provided by Dutt in the epilogue is an excellent guide and introduction to the entire epic itself. There is also a glossary of terms at the end of the book which is very important because the translator retained some names and did not provide notes or translations within the chapters.

I recommend this book for first time readers of the Maha-bharata epic and those who think that all the additions to the original epic make reading it a daunting task. It's a beautiful story about family, friendship, love, and bravery. Although it has plenty of characters the author (or authors) were able to create distinct characters, each with unique traits.

Rating: 9 out of 10