This was originally slated to be an editorial in the Escapist, but never made it up on the site for some reason. I figure it’s been long enough, and I think I put together words okay here, so … here you go. Not MMOG related, but I feel like I’ve been ignoring MN recently. I can assure you that given a return to more ‘normal’ writing schedules and such this week I should be paying more attention here. I hope.

I’ll own up to it: I’m a sucker for trashy nerd books. I’ve read extensively from the Star Trek and Star Wars novels. In my youth I had an almost-complete set of the abysmal “Worlds of Power” Nintendo novels; I’ve even put down money (a whole dollar) to buy the right to read the Star Trek: TNG book X-Men Planet X. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept behind the book, a publisher actually ok’d the crack-addled team-up of the X-Men and the crew of the starship Enterprise. Thankfully Professor X is not one of the dimension jumping superheroes, so there’s no uncomfortable Patrick Stewart vs. Patrick Stewart action.

That’s why, when my copy of Mass Effect: Revelation arrived last week, I was ready for for anything. It was billed as a prequel story set in the world of this year’s upcoming AAA single-player RPG by Bioware, and my curiosity got the better of me. Nearly every Bioware game I’ve played has been a watershed moment in my gaming life. From the sublime and lengthy adventuring of Baldur’s Gate to the beautiful plot twist at the end of Knights of the Old Republic, the purveyors of Northern bounty consistently leap the genre forward. This year’s outing into an original science fiction setting has been at the forefront of my thoughts since I downloaded the demo video during last year’s E3 event. The gripping scene with Commander Shephard speaking to a reluctant bartender convinced me that they have another winner on their hands, and I’ve been anxious for additional details ever since.

Details are plenty in Revelation, which I can happily say up front is not another Worlds of Power or Planet X style cash grab. The book was written by Drew Karpyshyn, Bioware’s lead writer for both KOTOR and Mass Effect, and is an officially supported product from the company. A lot of care was obviously put into crafting the story in a certain way, and what results is a pleasantly diverting three hundred pages of pulpy sci-fi adventure. The world of Bioware’s title is not ‘hard’ sf by any stretch of the imagination, and the focus of the game appears to center around the adventures of the Normandy’s crew; likewise, Revelation keeps the science light, the action brisk, and interpersonal relationships at the forefront of the title’s storyline.

Generally, the book’s story centers around Humanity’s first interstellar gaffe. A potential PR nightmare threatens the emerging power of our species on the galactic stage, as a vicious mercenary attack disrupts a secret research base in a contested part of the galaxy. The research the base was conducting is verboten, and any beings found pursuing that line of inquiry are subject to terrible consequences. The base’s destruction is bad enough, but to complicate matters a morally disquieted researcher left the facility before the attack. The researcher is now a prized commodity, sought after by a number of parties, and the entire affair is being investigated by the notorious Spectre agent known as Saren. Humanity’s highest authorities have to move quickly to ensure that the damage is minimized; Spectres have but one goal - ensure galactic peace at any cost. Most of the book, then, is something of a race between Saren and Humanity’s chosen agent: an N7 special forces soldier named David Anderson.

Our point of view flits from protagonist to protagonist as it follows the researcher’s flight to safety, Saren’s cold-hearted search for answers, and Anderson’s desperate attempt to make sure facts about the case don’t become well-known. Through the gestalt of multiple points of view, the vision we get of the Mass Effect universe is dangerous, grim, and sometimes out and out depressing. Totally unlike the hopeful tone of Star War or the optimistic outlook of Star Trek, Mass Effect imagines a universe with more conveniences and technological enhancement, but commensurately more dangers, political intrigue, and cruelty. If nothing else, the book succeeds in proving that Bioware has created a uniquely original setting.

While the entire tome is informative in that regard, the prologue for the book is probably the most revealing. Details are offered on Humanity’s discovery of alien technologies on the surface of Mars and the interstellar conflict known as the First Contact War. Given the position Humanity will be in once the game releases this fall, it’s incredibly instructive to see what the state of the world is like years prior to the events of the game. The prologue also grounds the game firmly in reality by discussing the repercussions that alien technology have on human society. Religious upheaval, socio-political changes, and some good old fashioned capitalistic greed are all lenses through which the advanced technology are viewed. For a simple title based in a videogame’s backstory, there’s a surprising amount of thoughtfulness on display in the early pages of the book. It’s reassuring, and sets the quality level high for the rest of the title’s story.

Intriguingly, it seemed to me as though Karpyshyn made a point to seed gameplay elements throughout the book as well. At several points I recognized hallmark Bioware game features on display: two characters taking on a single task in markedly different ways, a definite sense of morality affecting the outcome of a character’s actions, and perhaps even a taste of what combat will be like at advanced levels. Though it was done obviously enough to take note, there were never discussions of mechanical elements or anything that broke the mood of the story. Revelation was obviously meant as a sort of literary game demo, and it would be interesting to see if such an approach would work for other titles.

If you’re looking forward to Mass Effect picking up this paperback is a no-brainer. From small details like the strange insect-like custodians of the Citadel structure, to galaxy-spanning mysteries about the robotic Geth, Revelation opens the door for SF enthusiasts who like their future less optimistic, more realistic. Mixing action set-pieces with interesting characters and an intriguing backstory, Revelation does exactly what it is supposed to do. I kept the pages turning quickly during a single three-hour reading session, and left the experience with a grounding in the history of the setting and an appreciation of what might be at stake in Mass Effect proper. It’s certainly not high literature or likely to win any awards, but you can pick up Revelation secure in the knowledge that this is not just a cheap cash-in on an anticipated game. The folks at Bioware obviously wanted to convey some information and setting feel with this offering, and Mr. Karpyshyn succeeded admirably at doing just that. If you just can’t wait for your first chance to call someone a ‘pissant bartender’, Reveleation will keep you steeped in lore for the time being.