Bookworm Speaks! - EVE Source
Bookworm Speaks!
EVE: Source
by CCP Games
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Acquired: Keith’s Comics
Series: EVE Online
Publisher: Dark Horse Books (March 18, 2014)
Hardcover: 200 pages
Language: English
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The Story: EVE: Source is your comprehensive source book and visual guide to the gargantuan universe experienced in EVE Online and DUST 514! Developed in close collaboration with the EVE and DUST 514 creative teams, this beautiful 184-page, full-color hardcover will immerse readers in the history and lore of EVE through stunning artwork and never-before-released material detailing the settings, stories, races, and factions of the EVE universe. (amazon.com)
The Review: EVE Online is MMORPG created by the Icelandic game company CCP Games. It is a science fiction, space opera universe, where the players control starships and travel the simulated galaxy, mining, exploring, battling, conquering and everything in between. The game has received renown for its almost entirely player generated economy and conflicts but there is still plenty of created stories and factions to be discovered in their journey across the stars.
Part of the appeal of EVE Online is the wide variety of factions that a player can explore while they chart their own course. This book goes into great detail about the world that was created in the game. One of the strongest appeals of New Eden, the universe in which EVE Online takes place in, are the spectacular array of starships that the players can purchase, build, and pilot. There is plenty of detail surrounding New Eden ship technology but there is also the races, the creeds they follow and the technology that powers their world. This book lives up to its title, it is a source of knowledge for EVE Online. Perhaps not everything there is to know…but it is a great place to start.
One of the best parts of this book, though are actually the short stories that are included with the main factions. While lore can be an intriguing story on its own, a lore geek like Bookworm will admit it can make for dry reading at times. Putting these little stories in breath a little bit of life into the factions. While reading about the Caldari, it helps to have a human perspective on this vast and wonderful universe. It is quite easy to forget about the little guys while starships the size of cities fly above the heads. Considering the fact that capsuleers, the player characters of EVE Online are regarding as god-like beings, this aspect of the books holds some special significance.
It is worthy to mention though, that as far as reference guides go, the reading here is not particularly dry after all. It utilizes literary nonfiction technique to make the text read more like the one the holding the book is being told a story rather than being on the receiving end of a recitation of facts.
The book itself is simply gorgeous. Science Fiction in the realm of artwork has a tendency to be quite crowded and busy. This is not in of itself a bad thing, as the images can contain a lot of color, personality, and detail. There is after all, a whole story to tell in the image. The downside to this is a lack of appreciation for the art of minimalism. While “minimalist” is not the word one uses to describe EVE Online. However, there is a sense of ‘epicness’ to the superb artwork of this volume. The image on the front cover, for all of its simplicity, is one of Bookworm’s all-time favorite images in science-fiction. The darkness of the images in context with the shiny metallic surfaces of the ships and buildings leads to a brooding atmosphere in spite of or perhaps emphasized, by the high science-fiction environment. The images alone make this book worth its full price tag.
The book feels very profound in a way that is sometimes missing in other science-fiction. This franchise not a swashbuckling fantasy like others. EVE Online is story of powerful men and grand empires. The reach of Frank Herbert seems to have reached Iceland.
The Final Verdict: Bookworm sadly does not possess the time or the financial means to commit to EVE: Online or any other MMORPG for that matter. For now at least, they must contend themselves with enjoying the lore that can be explored with such a wide and expansive universe. This book is a perfect choice for any gamer, lore geek, or fan of science fiction.
The Rating:
The Four Empire Symbols out of Five
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