With all that has been going on this month I fell a little behind in the Dragon Age: Silent Grove series. Not because I don’t enjoy the book because I do. Life happened and now the series is damn near complete but if you’d like to still hear my opinion I will oblige. Deep in the Tellari swamp our heroes: King Alistair, King of Ferelden, swash buckling pirate Isabela and Bianca enthusiast Verric have met with Yavana, the witch of the Tellari swamps. The group engages in a heavy question and answer session that reveals a lot of fun facts. Yavana was the one that freed Alistair’s father Meric from the Crow prison. Reluctantly, Yavana shares the reason why she helped Alistairs’s father.
The group heads deeper into the swamp until they reach the Silent Grove. The witch explains that Flemith and Maric have history being that she saved his life in the past. In return he’d become king and let the dragons be until his children are grown and then he’d return to the grove. Not content with her answer Alistair demands more of an explanation.
In her own special way (with magic and scary dragons) Yavana recommends that the heroes leave. On their way out they are ambushed by Claudio- nobleman/Crow assassin and demand Alistair comes with them but not before they kill Verric and Isabela.
Okay now this is what I’m talking about. The last issue was flat and uninspiring. This one completely makes up for that in almost every way. The art and color in the book looks and feel has vastly improved. The detail in the character’s armor and facial expressions are the most evident but the real treat is the dialog and story. Little tidbits that dip into DA lore and the dialog exchange just made me smile.
In the starts of the book, the dragon doesn’t attack Alstair and Yavana responds that it can smell the old blood in him, the son of kings. To me that was awesome. There are a few more equally epic lines in the issuing too.
Well this has single handily restored my faith in this title and with that I’m off to read five and six! Giddy up!
Score: 4/5
Writer: David Gaider, Alexander Freed Artist: Chad Hardin Colorist: Michael Atiyeh Cover Artist: Anthony Palumbo Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $ .99 (Digital Only) Released: 4/04/2012