Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages! Welcome back to the Assassin's Den!
Today, I tackle Mass Effect: Retribution. This is the final novel written by Drew Karpyshyn, and the final contribution he made to the Mass Effect Franchise, because shortly after this was written, he moved to the Dallas Bioware office to work on SWTOR.
This book takes place between the ending of the Arrival DLC(or the ending of ME2 if you either didn't play it after the credits rolled, or didn't play it all. Either way, Shepard is still in Alliance lock-up.), and the beginning of ME3. This book once again stars Kahlee Sanders, but Admiral David Anderson(Yes, Admiral. This follows Bioware's internal canon regarding the choice for human Councilor, but still allows for player choice regarding saving/sacrificing the council.) returns as the second main character. The Illusive Man is also a main character, and this book also introduces Kai Leng, a former N7 marine who is a psychopathic racist; he hates all aliens in every way, and will happily kill every one he meets if he can get away from it. He's also the Illusive Man's right hand, to be deployed whenever he needs something done. Nick Donahue is also brought back, now 15, and no longer a bully; he looks out for the younger students and wants to help any way he can. (Though his contribution to the story is important, however minimal it is.)
Paul Grayson returns as well, and is the point which all the events of the novel revolve. The Illusive Man has Kai Leng capture Grayson for experimentation. Grayson is implanted with Reaper tech, so the Illusive Man can learn to control the Reapers. Problem is that the Reapers cannot be controlled; they control you. And Grayson learns this the hard way as soon as the Reapers begin restructuring his body for their purposes.
Kahlee's part in the novel is tied into Grayson's romantic feelings for her; he contacts her about his daughter Gillian, as well to talk, every so often, and the Illusive Man and the Reapers manage to use that against him. Grayson sends Kahlee data just before he is captured, and she contacts Admiral Anderson for help, which begins their adventure to rescue him.
All stories converge when the Reapers bring Grayson to the Grissom Academy for information on the Alliance, among other things. I won't spoil the ending, but the story gets intense as all involved try to stop Grayson, for their own reasons.
As for the in-between comics, you've got Inquisition, which shows how Bailey gets to his position in ME3, Conviction, which introduces to James Vega, a companion in ME3, and Invasion, which shows how Aria T'Loak loses Omega to Cerberus. As with the others, I have no read these, and have no opinion on them.
Oh, and the Homeworlds series tells you more about certain characters. Vega's story is about how Vega became a soldier, Tali's story tells you the events from when she got the Saren's betrayal geth data to the moment she shows up in ME1, Garrus' story is about his backstory both before he meets Shepard and after the events of ME1 to the point when he sees Shepard in his recruitment mission in ME2. Liara's story takes place after she becomes the Shadow Broker, and is about her preparing to fight the Reapers and the Cerberus assault on her base. Evolution starts during the First Contact War, and is about how the Illusive Man becomes the Illusive Man. And finally, He Who Laughs Best is about Joker's attempt to become the Normandy's pilot. As with the others, I have not read them, and have no opinion on them.
Next up, I tackle the final game in the series, as well as the DLC. Until then, Happy Reading!
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