If you’re both a reader and a gamer, as I am, you’ve undoubtedly had the experience of finishing a novel, setting it down and thinking to yourself, “Dang. Someone should really make a video game out of that.” I think we can all agree that the following books fall under that category.
The Book(s):
Book 1
The Year of Rogue Dragons trilogy by Richard Lee Byers, which includes The Rage, The Rite and The Ruin. A forgotten realms story in which a group of professional dragon hunters are called upon to save the world by doing the one thing they would never have dreamed of doing; save the race of dragons. While working alongside dragons, no less.
In the world of the Forgotten Realms the dragons are periodically overcome by an affliction called the Rage wherein they lose all their higher faculties and go on a merciless killing spree. In The Year of Rogue Dragons an evil necromancer is intentionally making the Rage worse in a bid to force the dragons to become an unstoppable army of undead. Working alongside benevolent dragons, our heroes must find a way to put an end to the dragons’ curse and take away the necromancer’s power to manipulate them.
Book 2
These books are a fast, fun read. Our main hero, Dorn, is a half-golem, made as such when he was partially eaten as a child by the dragon who ate his parents. This lead to him being given a metal leg and arm enchanted for combat by a wizard who then enslaved him as a gladiator. Needless to say, Dorn is not exactly a fan of dragon kind. Which makes things difficult when he finds himself falling in love with the benevolent song dragon Kara, whom he first meets in her human body. He deals with issues of self loathing, depression, and feelings of isolation that many readers can relate to and lets him grow in some interesting ways as the story progresses.
Why It Should Be a Game:
There is so much action and combat in these books that its almost too much at times. The battle scenes are rendered in a detail and style that lends itself to being translated to an action game. With characters sporting multiple unique styles of combat, a plethora of potential combat situations, and powerful bad guys just waiting to be turned into boss battles, how could you not want to have this on your console or PC right now?
Book 3
Imagine it. Play through once as Dorn the half-golem, using your golem strength to carve through demons and inflict punishment on dragon foes, while firing oversized arrows to keep certain enemies at a distance. Then play it again as Taegan, the winged elf and bladesinger who uses peerless skill with a fencing blade, a unique assortment of spells that enhance himself and his weapon, and the undeniable advantage of his flight capabilities to keep enemies guessing and land the perfect strike. Even play as Kara the song dragon, who in human form uses powerful bardic magic to manipulate the minds of her foes and in dragon form can cast powerful spells and breathe lightning to cook her enemies.
All of this on top of a fun story too. What a game it would be. To be honest I’m surprised The Year of Rogue Dragons story line doesn’t already have a place among the canon of Forgotten Realms games.
Do you know a book that should definitely be a video game? Tell us about it in the comments!
