Dark Ages: Assamite

Rating:
Summary: They are not just a clan of Assassins
Review: Many years ago I was introduced briefly to WoD Vampire lore by a friend who actually participated in the roleplaying game. As a layman I only retained a fraction of the information I was exposed to .... however a one of the things I remembered was that the Assamites were a clan of Vampire assassins. Period. End of lesson. Well, in this installment of the Vampire Dark Ages Clan series - you will learn that they are much more than simple killers for hire. You will learn that Assamite sorcerors exist and they are given a grudging level of respect as well as suspicion by their own clanmates. There are viziers, who appear to be the scholars of Alamut. Then there are the commonly known warriors, of which there are further classifications within this caste that denote status and level of skill in the deadly arts. Another interesting element of this book, is a Ventrue knight who struggles to reconcile his devout faith and chivalry with his vampiric nature. Gifted with the charisma and presence of his bloodline, this Cainite Crusader builds an army destined to reclaim the Holy Land. A group of Assamites are dispatched to ensure this does not happen. Paths cross and the unexpected results. It is a well-written story that could be used as a template for any genre, but uses the threads of human history, the struggle to find meaning and faith, and compelling characters to weave a story that is engaging and illuminating. In my opinion, these novels far surpass the previous series in quality and content. Do not let your experience with those books prevent you from reading these. If you are interested in Medieval history, this book and the other in the series will definitely prove worthwhile.