Gears of War Aspho Fields

[Prod1gyXFXA]

i just got my Gears of War Aspho Fields Novel..

its 385 Pages,

And Very Nice..

im gonna start READING AWAY


:D

[chr51185]

Ah you made your own thread like me haha...nobody showed it love, so I will...it's a phenominal read!!! I had my doubts having never read any of her work before but she impressed the hell out of me with this.

[Prod1gyXFXA]

the story is simply so good..
i cant stop reading it,

[Sanjeev]

I've read most of her Republic Commando Novels and they were awesome. Should be getting this one later today.

[Prod1gyXFXA]

dang good book,
im on page 91 now..
i just got it yesterday,

there's so much story to it and "Heart" and you learn alot more about Delta Squad,
and even what keeps dom and marcus holding together through The Wars..

[victor hoffman]

its such an awesome fu$#ing book!!!!!! i love it.....EVERYONE who even LIKES gears needs to read it because it reveals, explains and raises alot more questions. Hoffman FTW!!!!!

[L3TS D0 TH155]

yeah i just got the book yesterday, i still havent read it though lol

[ryan219]

not buying it, better things to read :|

[FR MATTUU]

OMG i hate reading but i want the book so badly i read the first couple pages and it is GOOD

[The Bishman293]

yea i dont like reading either but have ordered my copy. i was sold on it when i read the word gears lol

[xXxGeArSxFrEaKxXx]

you guys have to tell me what happens when you finish please, cuz im not getting it

[Prod1gyXFXA]

ill tell you im almost on page 100, and so far everything is just running into the game and everything makes more sence and stuff,
amazing read so far.

[xXxGeArSxFrEaKxXx]

okay thanks

[ryan219]

I want this book, so bad!

[L3TS D0 TH155]

i read the first 15 pages, its pretty cool.

[Prod1gyXFXA]

i read the first 15 pages, its pretty cool.

im on chapter 9 right now..
damn good book!

[Shiloh]

just finished up the book today, was well worth the read, it gives very good info into why the Gears we all know and love are the way they are. I recommend that any one who loves Gears of War will have a ball with the book.

"Damon baby, won't you please think of the little kitties?" - As said by Cole pg. 369 LOL!

[Matt S]

I am about 100 pages from the end, and it is a darn good read. It does give excellent insight into the characters....and a broader understanding of the GOW universe...

[Gearhead95]

i don't know if i should buy it either

[||R10T M4KER||]

EVERYONE READ THIS!!!!!!!!



if at all interested in reading this, do NOT refuse to get it because of the hassel of reading. If you are truely psyched as much as all of us hardcore and softcore gears fans alike, than reading a novel about the game you love is not challenging. I honestly think I've only finished reading maybe 8 books tops, and I look forward to reading this novel. Get it quick before the actual gears comes out, because its such a good book.

[||R10T M4KER||]

I am about 100 pages from the end, and it is a darn good read. It does give excellent insight into the characters....and a broader understanding of the GOW universe...

i forgot to add that. You get a damn good idea about the characters. its almost like they've came alive and its so much more than JUST a video game. Thank you Epic!

[patchworkz7]

i forgot to add that. You get a damn good idea about the characters. its almost like they've came alive and its so much more than JUST a video game. Thank you Epic!

Yeah, I like Hoffman a lot more after reading this, and the Pesenga hill soldiers are great. I hope Bernie gets a cameo in one of the games. I loved her giving Baird crap, but the nice part was not one of the characters outshined the other. They all felt like a complete squad. Sure, they argued, but they were tight despite everything, and it was nice to see someone looking in on that from outside the group. There isn't one character that doesn't come alive.

I really wish we saw more of Anya's mom, and I hope we get more flashbacks to Dom's commando days.

[Matt S]

Bernie is my new, fav character - I do hope she makes an appearance somehow!

[||R10T M4KER||]

Cole is hella more funnier in this book.

and baird is annoying sh*t

[patchworkz7]

Cole is hella more funnier in this book.

and baird is annoying sh*t

It's like Marcus said; Baird just runs his mouth because he's scared. Actually, there's a bit in the first game where Marcus makes a similar comment.

I like the fact that they showed that Baird is more than the smartmouth. Without him they never would have gotten the truck repaired, figured out what happened to the sunken city, fixed some of their vehicles, figured out they were being ambushed, and several other moments in the novel.

Heck, all the characters really had their turn in the sun in this novel. Cole was great. He's the sorta guy you always want around and Baird is that one friend you know is a jerk but hang out with anyways because he's actually not too bad.

Hoffman was still the biggest surprise for me, and the bits about him thinking about Marcus being sent to prison were great and offered some new insight into his character. I sorta feel sorry for him, because he carries so much of the weight of Jacinto on his shoulders.

[Wade2193]

Tried to get this today with my LE copy of Gears 2. Couldn't find it WHSmith or Waterstones. I just got the LE, Dom figure and the first Gears comic which I have been searching for for ages.

[XxMarcusxX]

I've been wanting to get it. I'm gonna get it as soon as I can. I can't wait!!

[Sanjeev]

Its coming to Singapore in 2 weeks. I'll be first in line.

[XxMarcusxX]

Is this at halfpricebooks?Does anyone know of this?

[FelisLeo]

Finished Aspho Fields today and tomorrow I'm making a review of it (in Finnish). Book makes some aspects in Gears universe clear and delivers a much more deep understanding on the events that take place in the games, but still the novel left too many questions unanswered. When I finally closed the book I didn't feel satisfied.

Maybe there are more books on the way, but Aspho Fields alone can't explain everything I wanted to know as an eager fan of the Gears franchise.

[XxMarcusxX]

There is plenty of books on the way don't worry. I'm going to be getting this shortly, going to read it after my exams. GEARSGASM!

[LancerRevolution]

Um im confused, how many novels are out? im seeing 2, but i think they are the same? Theres one called Aspho Fields and another called The Pendulum Wars, are they the same?there are 2 different authors, so i dunno.

asphos

http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/18080/Gears-of-War-Aspho-Fields-Hits-Book-Store-Shelves/

pendulum

http://media.teamxbox.com/dailyposts/gow-thependulumwars.jpg

so are they the same? i dunno

[LancerRevolution]

sorry bump, really need to know before i buy the book on ebay, i dont know which one to get.

[yoomazir]

sorry bump, really need to know before i buy the book on ebay, i dont know which one to get.

They're different,with 2 authors what made you think they're the same?

[LancerRevolution]

Well i know that but they both look the same, i dont know which one to get. I think i read somewhere of a name change but i dont know if they rewrote the whole thing or what.

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/02/gears-of-war-the-pendulum-wars-the-prequel-book-treatment/

http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/15374/Gears-of-War-Novel-Update-Movie-Script-Confirmed/

so thats why im guessing they are the same?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gears-Pendulum-Battle-Aspho-Fields/dp/0345499433 ???

man this is odd, i dont know.

[Wade2193]

I think that the other author, the bloke was originally supposed to write the first Gears of War novel. But Karen Traviss has wrote it instead as Aspho Fields.

[xXSkyK1nGXx]

Well i know that but they both look the same, i dont know which one to get. I think i read somewhere of a name change but i dont know if they rewrote the whole thing or what.

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/02/gears-of-war-the-pendulum-wars-the-prequel-book-treatment/

http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/15374/Gears-of-War-Novel-Update-Movie-Script-Confirmed/

so thats why im guessing they are the same?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gears-Pendulum-Battle-Aspho-Fields/dp/0345499433 ???

man this is odd, i dont know.Get Ashpo Fields it's the official book.

[patchworkz7]

Gears of War: Aspho Fields is the only GoW book out.

There at one time was going to be one by Stephen Kent called Gears of War: Pendulum Wars, but that was canceled, as confirmed on Kent's blog, and Karen Traviss wrote the only GoW novel they made, so there's only one that you'd get; Aspho Fields. I don't know why some online retailers haven't fixed the problem. Some even had Traviss' name on the Kent novel's title, and when I googled I got confused because at least one had both names on the book. I think there was a bit of confusion, obviously. I even asked at Borders Books and they said that they showed just the one, so if you ordered Gow: Pendulum Wars, you should (hopefully) get Aspho Fields since that's the only one they made, and Traviss is the only author anything shows up under in their systems (at Borders).

[LancerRevolution]

well i went to barns and nobles today and all they had was aspho, other didnt seem to exist on their system,so i guess aspho is the only one. Ill pick it up on ebay,cheaper.

[Dizzee Collins]

I wouldn't be suprised if they released DLC concerning what happened at apsho fields...

[patchworkz7]

I wouldn't be suprised if they released DLC concerning what happened at apsho fields...

You never know, but I wish more games would make use of DLC to create expansion packs for games. Mass Effect did ONE DLC, and it was cool, and a nice new locale, but with all the talk about DLC, I wanted more.

GoW seems like a game that would take to DLC nicely, although if there was a choice between DLC and a new game, I'd hope they'd be working on the new game. DLC for expansion is still something I don't think games take enough advantage of.

However, a DLC mission of what Bernie was doing during Landown or during the Siege of Jacinto would be awesome, or maybe some story on what Cole and Baird were doing before they hooked up with Delta again.

Having a little DLC mission set back during Aspho Fields would be awesome, but I have no idea if the logistics of it even make something like that practical.

As someone who used to be a PC gamer, I miss expansion packs to games, and I wish companies would start using DLC to bring that idea back beyond just multiplayer maps.

[LocustQueen]

Let's first get Gears of War 2 fixed and then have a DLC.

[Dadenror]

i ordered my copy on thursday. Cost me 8 bucks with free 2 day shipping on amazon! expecting to start reading it tuesday night

[Blane]

Really looking forward to getting stuck in to the book!

Does anybody have any ideas as to when the book is released in the U.K? Most U.K based websites still list the publishing date as the 6th of November... I've pre-ordered it from Play (http://www.play.com) but their status for the title is still set to 'Awaiting Stock'.

Any clues would be much appreciated! Thanks.

*B*

[Dark Shadows]

i cant wait to get this book,
its gona be hell good.

[patchworkz7]

Woot! Just looked at Karen Traviss' website and it seems Gears of War: Aspho Fields is an NYT Bestseller, her fourth NYT bestseller this year, but it certainly means good things for Gearheads!

Congrats to everyone involved!

[patchworkz7]

Really looking forward to getting stuck in to the book!

Does anybody have any ideas as to when the book is released in the U.K? Most U.K based websites still list the publishing date as the 6th of November... I've pre-ordered it from Play (http://www.play.com) but their status for the title is still set to 'Awaiting Stock'.

Any clues would be much appreciated! Thanks.

*B*

Blane, ask and ye shall recieve, bro, from the front page of Karen Traviss' website:


UK readers: I've been told that the Orbit edition is at the printers now. No firm date on availability, but it's due in the stores "soon."

[MechaNecro]

Really looking forward to getting stuck in to the book!

Does anybody have any ideas as to when the book is released in the U.K? Most U.K based websites still list the publishing date as the 6th of November... I've pre-ordered it from Play (http://www.play.com) but their status for the title is still set to 'Awaiting Stock'.

Any clues would be much appreciated! Thanks.

*B*
My local bookstore says the 23rd, so it should be around then

[M4RCU5_F3N1X]

Is the novel a prequel to Gears 1? 'Cause thats what people are telling me.

[patchworkz7]

Is the novel a prequel to Gears 1? 'Cause thats what people are telling me.

Yes and no.

There are two timelines. The main story takes place right after the Lightmass bomb and before GoW2 and is about Marcus and Dom running into an old comrade who was stranded on the islands when E-Day hit. She traveled across the world for 8 years once she finally heard about the recall (she was a COG who mustered out due to injury) and she was in Marcus' and Carlos Santiago squad during the battle of Aspho Fields. She knows how Carlos died, and it's a secret that was kept from Dom for years.

The book jumps back and forth between Marcus' and the Santiago's childhood and then them joining the COG and the battle for Aspho Fields as well as a story set between the games with the Locust just beginning to move into Jacinto and threaten the food supply of the city as well as Dom beginning to learn the truth about how his brother died.

It's more of a prequel to GoW2 as well as having loads of info on how Marcus and the Santiagos became friends and grew up together.

It's very, very much worth the read for any Gearhead.

[M4RCU5_F3N1X]

Yes and no.

There are two timelines. The main story takes place right after the Lightmass bomb and before GoW2 and is about Marcus and Dom running into an old comrade who was stranded on the islands when E-Day hit. She traveled across the world for 8 years once she finally heard about the recall (she was a COG who mustered out due to injury) and she was in Marcus' and Carlos Santiago squad during the battle of Aspho Fields. She knows how Carlos died, and it's a secret that was kept from Dom for years.

The book jumps back and forth between Marcus' and the Santiago's childhood and then them joining the COG and the battle for Aspho Fields as well as a story set between the games with the Locust just beginning to move into Jacinto and threaten the food supply of the city as well as Dom beginning to learn the truth about how his brother died.



It's more of a prequel to GoW2 as well as having loads of info on how Marcus and the Santiagos became friends and grew up together.

It's very, very much worth the read for any Gearhead.

Swick! I'm def. getting this for Christmas! Thanks!

[Reyals Reign]

I started reading it about a week ago, and I really enjoy the story so far. I can picture so much of it in my head when Im reading it. It's really interesting how in depth she goes into the characters, and the life that they are starting to form. Really leads into the story for the games pretty good.

[MetalKnuckle]

Got this Friday, finished today, and instantly fell in love with it. I was already gonna love this book, then i saw it was Karen Travis writing it and i nearly salivated. Her books are always so awesome.

This book is perfect for any Gears fan; it has plenty of fluff on the Gears universe and the relationship between the characters. And it strikes you deep, it has more of an emotional impact then the Games itself (though i love the games too) Overall, one of the best books i've read (and trust me, there's a lot)

[Toxic161]

I just finished it today.

It's nice to know some details on the locust, like how it tells how they breed.

Same for Delta squad. It talks a lot about marcus' childhood, and I gotta say when little marcus punched that bully in the face it was lolworthy.

[patchworkz7]

I just finished it today.

It's nice to know some details on the locust, like how it tells how they breed.

Same for Delta squad. It talks a lot about marcus' childhood, and I gotta say when little marcus punched that bully in the face it was lolworthy.

The commando training and Hoffman as a younger man was awesome. I loved the Pengas hill soldiers.

[The WolvGambit]

It was an amazing book that I couldn't put down and managed to finish quickly. I was impressed with the detail and character study, the wonderful insight into each of the characters and some part of the extremely long war that took place. I hope in the future that they'll come up with the begining of E-Day and maybe a bit of insight into Marcus' imprisonment.

Sometimes I want to beat the sh#t out of Hoffman for being such an @$$...

[Tuscuttar]

If your in the UK, you can buy ANY Gears of War product from Forbidden Planet, cause they have plentiful supplies Gears of War, they have the Series Two Collectibles in-stock and on sale cause the have too much, lol, no lies. They even have the book you want, they ship to the US if your from there, good luck.

[LocustQueen]

It was a really good book. It gave a lot more background on the characters than the games did and it was very addicting.

[patchworkz7]

One thing that just struck me that I didn't think about; Dom shows Maria his commando knife in the book, which is a badge of honor and sign that he made it into the commando team (in the novel), and in the game there's that big knife visible at all times strapped to his chest. I couldn't even remember whether Dom had the knife in the first game, but it was a nice touch with it being so prominent in the second game, especially as people who read the book know how important it was to Dom to make it through the special training.

Yet another great little touch between the game and book.

[LocustQueen]

It was in the first one. I don't think it was as big though.

[patchworkz7]

It was in the first one. I don't think it was as big though.

Ah, thanks, I couldn't remember if it was there or not. Either way, it was a great scene with Maria in that, and once I realized what knife that probably was it really hit home. That's the thing I love now about having the book and comic books; going through the Gears games again and picking up the themes and callbacks between everything.

I'd love to see them do an audiobook version of ASPHO FIELDS with the voice actors ;)

I already "hear" the character voices in my head when reading the book, which is pretty impressive. It really feels like KT captured Delta's personalities perfectly, and she made me like Baird more than I even thought I would. Same with Hoffman.

I'm still hoping that they somehow reference Bernie in the next game. She was a great character.

[Wisdom Thumbs]

Damn, I've spent all day trying to get every last detail on the book, because I really can't find it anywhere. But no luck. :(

Bernie, however... she sounds perfect for Gears 3. In fact, I know she'll be in Gears 3. She has to be. Unless she dies in the books... Which would suck. Southern Islanders FTW.

[twistedfool420]

i cant wait to get this book

[gloom13]

The book is a great read. There were several good insights into the characters that we have come to know.

The scene that comes to mind at the moment is the one with Bernie and Cole, when Cole is "writing to his mother". That was really a tremendously poignant scene....

[patchworkz7]

The book is a great read. There were several good insights into the characters that we have come to know.

The scene that comes to mind at the moment is the one with Bernie and Cole, when Cole is "writing to his mother". That was really a tremendously poignant scene....

Anything with Bernie and Baird and all the Cole stuff is great. Actually, I don't know that there's a wrong foot anywhere as far as the character stuff goes. If people didn't know this was a media tie-in it'd be up for awards, easy, and if this was on earth or the Locust were Russians or something this would be right up with Tom Clancy style thrillers, and yet every chapter packs a good amount of adventure and action in.

Probably the most fun and thrills I've had reading in a long time.

It's cool that the author's love of the universe comes through. You can tell this isn't just a gig to her just from reading her blog. She treats the COG like real-life soldiers and people. I was scared it'd be a bit of what the haters like to think of Gears as, just mindless run and gun, but there's so much character stuff on the page and so much emotion that it's amazing.

Cole writing those letters...man, you just see him in a whole different light.

Those little unguarded moments when the characters aren't "on" are amazing, and the insight into them is crazy. Their voices just jump right off the page.

I want my ASPHO FIELD audio novel :D

[p3rfec7]

i read a few of the halo books and they were kinda lame. is the book good cause its about gears or is it actually good

[Renegade M]

My local WHsmith don't have it in stock for another 2 weeks, i should get this soon though :(

[Dizzee Collins]

Wow! Could anyone who knows where to purchase this PM me please , thanks! :D

[gloom13]

Cole writing those letters...man, you just see him in a whole different light.

Those little unguarded moments when the characters aren't "on" are amazing, and the insight into them is crazy. Their voices just jump right off the page.

I want my ASPHO FIELD audio novel :D

I couldn't agree more!

Another thing that impressed me was the amount of depth the characters have. Not only in what we have learned about them; but that we also still have a lot more to learn about them...

Another insightful scene was the dinner with Adam Fenix, Marcus, Anya, Dom and Maria...Explains a bit doesn't it.

[patchworkz7]

I couldn't agree more!

Another thing that impressed me was the amount of depth the characters have. Not only in what we have learned about them; but that we also still have a lot more to learn about them...

Another insightful scene was the dinner with Adam Fenix, Marcus, Anya, Dom and Maria...Explains a bit doesn't it.

What's great is that while the novel explains a lot, infers a lot, and hints at a lot; it really takes the same style of storytelling as the game. My old English teacher would have called it iceberg storytelling, because 90% of the story you don't see, because 90% of an iceberg is underwater.

The stuff in the GoW games, the story, is all hidden and you get it threw hints, connecting hints from dialogue, even the smallest gestures that characters make in the animations. It's not a game like MASS EFFECT (which I loved) that info dumps all the history and world-building on you.

There are all sorts of callbacks to the games in the novel, and the author must have talked a lot with the game people, because it seems like the callbacks go both ways.

That dinner scene...wow! It made me feel so sorry for Adam Fenix because he just doesn't know what to do. It's the emotions that make the book. Not like; "Oh, this will make you feel sad" or "this part will make you cry", but the way the characters become people you can relate to. They're making all these human mistakes, and things like what Carlos does at the bridge come off different ways the more I read it. I still don't know how to feel about what happened or if he messed up or if he was a hero or all of the above.

It's crazy. The whole book is a Gearhead's dream. Best of all I could see it all in my head. Even when characters are doing the wrong thing, I still know and understand why they do it, and things like the argument about how to decide what scientists to kill are great at showing all sides. I still don't know how I feel about some of the ethical arguments.

What is awesome are all the Gearheads who say they don't usually read who are praising the book. That's the best compliment any book can get. It's clear the author loves Gears by how much she talks about it on her blog.

[patchworkz7]

i read a few of the halo books and they were kinda lame. is the book good cause its about gears or is it actually good

I think it's good, dude, and I don't think I've really seen any Gearhead that was let down by it. Even peeps who don't read are raving about it.

Seriously, I don't really know a good author to compare this to, but it's more than just being Gears, it's a well written action thriller and if you changed the setting it'd still be awesome.

Because it's Gears it's just that much more awesome.

I'm happy to see peeps in the MP threads talking about wanting Bernie Mataki, an original character to the novel, as a playable multi-player character. I wouldn't mind having a Pesengas hill soldier in there too ;)

The Pesengas are a hill tribe that work willingly with the COG but aren't part of their government, and they loan out soldiers to the COG and they are basically awesome fighters with what I think are machetes.

[M4RCU5]

I'm buying it, and also writing my own, look at the signature below on my account and click the link.

[GAMBLE x hC]

Just finished reading the book and it is an awesome experiance! Def. worth every penny! Hope Traviss wrights alot more on the Gears universe cause I cant wait!

[BerserkSaw13]

I think it's good, dude, and I don't think I've really seen any Gearhead that was let down by it. Even peeps who don't read are raving about it.

Seriously, I don't really know a good author to compare this to, but it's more than just being Gears, it's a well written action thriller and if you changed the setting it'd still be awesome.

Because it's Gears it's just that much more awesome.

I'm happy to see peeps in the MP threads talking about wanting Bernie Mataki, an original character to the novel, as a playable multi-player character. I wouldn't mind having a Pesengas hill soldier in there too ;)

The Pesengas are a hill tribe that work willingly with the COG but aren't part of their government, and they loan out soldiers to the COG and they are basically awesome fighters with what I think are machetes.

I just finished this book yesterday and I loved it. It's pretty awesome how well it relates tot he game and even fills in some story for you. I recommend for any Gears fan out there, even if you don't particularly like to read on your own time.

Besides that I think it would be awesome if there was a Pesang trooper in the video game. They were sick in the book. And yes they were very long machete's that they carried with them. Straight badass!

[Wade2193]

I think its supposed to be out in the UK today. I'll have a look on Saturday.

[Durazell1]

To my surprise my original user ID (Durazell) was banned when I logged on to the forum.

The only explanation was this "You have been banned for the following reason:
Obvious

Date the ban will be lifted: Never"

I have read forum rules and abide by them. Without any more information that provided above it seems to be relating to this thread:

http://gearsforums.epicgames.com/showthread.php?t=638465

My perception is that this thread is in compliance with the forum guide lines, and is similar to threads where the original thread creator is not banned.

My thread is closed with the very subjective message "Closed due to poor behaviour". There are no personal attacks, cheating in the thread and it is on topic, so the "poor behaviour" is from my perception only from "joeGraf" who made little effort to provide any facts. As a paying customer, and one of the few who provide real name, gamertag and place of origin I find that this approach very arrogant when imposing a permanent ban. And the first I have ever received, I have never even had a warning on any site!!

This will only encourage the use of bounce email (like I have done for this one), fake information and even more "poor behaviour". If you truly want paying customers to supply "constructive criticism" like the forum rules say I think that moderators especially "joeGraf" needs more social and communication skills other than providing as reason for a ban as "Obvious". The current approach only incites more "poor behaviour".

I have written to forum admin and of course PM'ed "joeGraf". "joeGraf" has decided to exhibit very "poor behaviour" by not providing any kind of response. So this leaves me on other option than take this public. I want my user reinstated.

[Wade2193]

Why is this in this thread and why would I care whether you're banned.

[TORQUE_BOW]

I Agree.....

[iI GAMBLE Ii]

Just finished reading the book and it is an awesome experiance! Def. worth every penny! Hope Traviss wrights alot more on the Gears universe cause I cant wait!

[TheRealBigBoss]

I think it's a good video game adaptation and certainly worth a look for any Gears fan.

On the subject of Bernie Mataki, anyone do any artwork of her yet?

[Acolyte]

This book is amazing i finished it a few weeks back, she is an amazing writer and i am really enjoying where she is taking the gears franchise in these novels :)

[Acolyte]

The Pesengas are a hill tribe that work willingly with the COG but aren't part of their government, and they loan out soldiers to the COG and they are basically awesome fighters with what I think are machetes.


Pesangas (my gamertag) :D