For most people, November means Thanksgiving and family. For
the writers, it might also be about Nano WriMo. For me, November also equals Assassin’s
Creed. At least, it had for the last eight years.
I work full-time and write on the side, so my free time is
nonexistent. But in 2007 for Christmas my fabulous hubby gave me a Playstation
and the first Assassin’s Creed game. He’s smart. I love swords and all things
medieval, so yep. I was hooked, and every year since, smart hubby brings me the
newest Assassin’s Creed on release day, Christmas or not. For the month of
November, chores are left undone. Writing slows to a snail crawl. Dinner? Grab
a box of cereal, people.
Except for this year.
No new game. Ubisoft says, “It will be back when it’s ready.”
People are guessing 2017, but all I know is…moping, whining, and longing to
play an assassin. To be fair, fans aren’t completely let down. There’s a new
Ezio collection out this week and an Assassin’s Creed movie out in December.
Even so, I’m longing for my new game!
So, in honor of my Assassin’s Creed yearning, I'm celebrating a
few of my favorite literary assassins.
Kylar Stern from the Night Angel series by Brent Weeks. I
loved, loved, LOVED Kylar. We get to
grow up with him, watch him change from starving street rat to the best
assassin ever. Yet, he holds onto his compassion and honor somehow, and never
stops hoping for a better future. The moment he finds love and realizes he’s
accepted as is…sigh. This series is one of my all-time favorites.
Celaena from the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas. I
haven’t read the entire series yet, but Celaena is one tough chickie. She’s survived
a year of slavery in the salt mines and is selected to enter a competition to
become the king’s assassin. She rocks. While she’s snarky and testy
(understandably so), she still manages to see goodness in the people she once
thought of as enemies, and she’s not afraid to fight for the people she cares
for. Another assassin with honorable shards. Must be a theme. J
Vitala Salonius from Assassin’s Gambit by Amy Raby. Vitala was also groomed from childhood to become an assassin. She believes in her cause and
will do whatever it takes for the resistance to gain the upper hand. She’s
smart, talented, and doesn’t believe in love…until her target knocks her socks
off. Nothing better than an assassin falling for her target.
So there are three of my favorite assassins. Who’s your
favorite, and if you’re an Assassin’s Creed fan feeling the pain, please feel
free to join in my woe.
