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Gears of War books on the way News

Xbox 360 News by Robert Purchese

21 July, 2008

Epic Games has hired British author Karen Traviss to write three Gears of War novels.

The first story is subtitled The Battle of Aspho Field. It is not about children that break off Mercedes badges but events that happened before the first Gears of War game. Epic feels there are many questions still to be answered, apparently.

Marcus' and Dom's relationship will be put under pressure as the truth about Dom's brother Carlos comes out. Dun dun DUNN.

"After finishing the first Gears of War game, players were left wanting to know more about Delta Squad and the events leading up to Emergence Day," said Epic boss Michael Capps. "This trilogy of novels opens up whole new worlds of storytelling opportunities, and will add even more context to the upcoming comic book series, game sequel and motion picture."

Karen Traviss has previously written some Star Wars books as well her own Wess'Har series of stories. She has nothing to do with Gears of War 2 or the Gears of War film, incidentally.

The Battle of Aspho Fields is due in the US at the end of October. Orbit UK will be publishing the books here, although a date is yet to be sorted out.

Gears of War 2 is released worldwide on 7th November.

Pop over to our E3 hands-on with Gears of War 2 and chat with Cliff Bleszinski to find out more.

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Comments: 1-31 of 31 in total

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kinky_mong
21/07/08 @ 16:21
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"After finishing the first Gears of War game, players were left wanting to know more about Delta Squad and the events leading up to Emergence Day"

Really? All I was left wondering was "Why was this piece of crap given all-round brilliant reviews?"
effinwooly
21/07/08 @ 16:28
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i think your name sums you up ^^^

i dont mind you disliking the game (wasnt a massive fan myself) but at least explain your reaons
Lexx87
21/07/08 @ 16:37
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It wasn't given all round brilliant reviews, check out the EG review you idiot.
penhalion
21/07/08 @ 16:41
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Gears was a fun game to play but, not many real people i.e. non-reviewers thought it was brilliant. Worth the purchase? Yes. Brilliant? No. Will most of us buy gears 2? yes.

LeD
21/07/08 @ 16:46
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I thought it was brilliant. I really enjoyed it, and it wows me even now whenever I put the game disc in. EG gave it an 8, incidentally.
retr0gamer
21/07/08 @ 16:56
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Gears of War had a story?
Zomoniac
21/07/08 @ 16:57
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I thought it was brilliant, but the story was a load of bollocks. Currently doing my second playthrough on insane and am skipping the cut-scenes, they do nothing for me, and I would never, ever skip a cut-scene on Halo.
Xerx3s
21/07/08 @ 17:04
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RWAAAAA!!! *SNORT* /chainsaw AWWW MAN!! /chainsaw /red page signifying blood *SNORT* THIS MY KINDA SHIT!!! /chainsaw HELL YEAH! /end
Xerx3s
21/07/08 @ 17:06
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GoW was brilliant in a nobrains/semi tactical/slowpaced shooter that was awesome in coop/MP. Not exactly the stuff for good literature.
mattigan
21/07/08 @ 17:06
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I would, they didn't make any sense either
neilka
21/07/08 @ 17:08
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There's no way they'll be able to top the touching and poetic masterpieces that are the Doom books.
the_dudefather
21/07/08 @ 17:11
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"F YEAH!!" exclaimed Marcus, after killing another locust
GamesConnoisseur
21/07/08 @ 17:44
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Gear of War ...a great narrative game with a very absorbing multi-layers plots? Never thought it was so!!

It was and still is a great visually game with a strong injections of macho, a sort of a rich man's Army of Two but with a great co op and tight fights.

There is nothing like this before it came along, and cover system being emulated in other games since, I look forward to the Gear of War 2 to let out my primitive male ego, but dont think would appreicate the books that much!
Setaro
21/07/08 @ 18:08
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As some one said, Gears of War had a plot?

Honestly, I got like half-way through the game and gave up. Half way through I still didn't know whether the game was set on Earth, Mars, Planet Hicksville or what. I didn't know who the Locust were or why they had invaded. Despite the fact the gameplay was entertaining, without ANY narrative to speak of I couldn't be bothered to play anymore. Plus the quasi-Fascist overtones didn't sit well with me, as they're only ever good if you do it Starship Troopers-style and make it a satire.
penhalion
21/07/08 @ 18:14
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@Setaro

Your probably the only other person to notice the quasi-Fascist overtones to the games. A while ago I pointed out that the new shield had strong Nazi overtones to it for some strange reason, even incluing a black cross in the center. It's strange because the game is clearly meant to be all american in feel.

I'll still get Gears 2 but, I must admit it's made me very wary of just what message the game is trying to send.
kinky_mong
21/07/08 @ 19:34
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i dont mind you disliking the game (wasnt a massive fan myself) but at least explain your reaons

Well here's the reasons I gave in the Left 4 Dead release date comments...

"Who am I kidding, there was lots of things that put me off Gears of War! A cover system that rarely worked (Cover and run should be on seperate buttons!) Supposedly brilliant HD graphics presented in a wide range of greys and browns, and for one level gold was added! A plot and cast of characters so moronic it makes Starship Troopers look like Citizen Kane! And although it's unfair to judge the game on the people who make it, the fact that Cliffy B is a grade A self-satisfied shithorn makes me hate it even more."

It wasn't given all round brilliant reviews, check out the EG review you idiot.
EG gave it an 8, incidentally.

Well there we go, I'm pretty sure the general consensus is that an 8 is a great, pretty much must buy game.

Chupakun
21/07/08 @ 19:41
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Perhaps Marcus will ponder about the true meaning of war and realize that behind his muscular exterior he is a gentle soul and looks towards Dom for brotherly guidance.

Or it'll be a narrow tome consisting mostly of pages full of gore and swearing.
crazyhorse174
21/07/08 @ 21:29
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And explain about the ''quasi-facist'' over tones. Because I didn't see that at all. But then europeans are little pansies today and don't really like the macho types that Gears of War had, and would no doubt prefer emo, uber liberal ''soldiers'' who keep trying to get the locust to sign a peace treaty despite the fact they keep horribly murdering their ''peace emiissarys'', because god knows you might have to fight and get violent.

And that would be compared to what, the gung-ho, friendy-fire antics of "Team" America?
Xerx3s
21/07/08 @ 21:49
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Threads like these are a good way to supplement the ignore lists.
@KiLLiNg_SpReE@
21/07/08 @ 21:56
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nice dude
Carrybagma
21/07/08 @ 22:37
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How awful.

Come back Trekkies - all is forgiven.
oef!
22/07/08 @ 06:53
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At least it wil be better than the Killzone 2 book :D
aldo_14
22/07/08 @ 07:01
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And explain about the ''quasi-facist'' over tones. Because I didn't see that at all. But then europeans are little pansies today and don't really like the macho types that Gears of War had, and would no doubt prefer emo, uber liberal ''soldiers'' who keep trying to get the locust to sign a peace treaty despite the fact they keep horribly murdering their ''peace emiissarys'', because god knows you might have to fight and get violent.

Ooooh, oooh, it's spot the numpty time!
Edited 1 times, most recently on 22/07/08 @ 08:02
Darren
22/07/08 @ 07:39
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Books based on... you mean Gears of War actually had a plot?!? :P
DrR0b3rts
22/07/08 @ 07:50
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Why did we have to go to his Dad's house?
mingster
22/07/08 @ 08:08
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Homo-Erotic Fiction
Farzlepot
22/07/08 @ 09:34
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"Honestly, I got like half-way through the game and gave up. Half way through I still didn't know whether the game was set on Earth, Mars, Planet Hicksville or what. I didn't know who the Locust were or why they had invaded."

I felt the same, Setaro. Apparently if you were one of the lucky ones who got a collector's/special edition, there was a book in there explaining some things. Which left the rest of us screwed so far as the plot was concerned...
BillyBrush
22/07/08 @ 10:58
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if you didn't like it, you are too much teh dick

whoo yeah bring it on baby kicks down a door and all that jazz

touchdown!
mukki
22/07/08 @ 18:07
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geee wiz

I will read these over and over...

NOT

even my geekdom has limits... :/
m0thr4
22/07/08 @ 18:12
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Who am I kidding, there was lots of things that put me off Gears of War! A cover system that rarely worked (Cover and run should be on seperate buttons!) Supposedly brilliant HD graphics presented in a wide range of greys and browns, and for one level gold was added! A plot and cast of characters so moronic it makes Starship Troopers look like Citizen Kane! And although it's unfair to judge the game on the people who make it, the fact that Cliffy B is a grade A self-satisfied shithorn makes me hate it even more.

I found the cover and run system really clunky too, but I still enjoyed playing Gears in online co-op with my friends. Even then, we lost interest during the level after the 'gold' one (which did look quite pretty). The graphics seemed to by getting increasingly more interesting up until then, but after you get out of those gold caves, it's back to "Dullsville in ruins".

Knocking "Starship Troopers" for its moronic characters is kind of missing the point though - the film was a satire on the plastic superficiality of what the writer thought modern-day facist America would become in the future.

Cliffy B is a bit of a twat though, I'm with you there...
kinky_mong
23/07/08 @ 09:05
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Knocking "Starship Troopers" for its moronic characters is kind of missing the point though - the film was a satire on the plastic superficiality of what the writer thought modern-day facist America would become in the future.

Yeah sorry that was a bad analogy. Replace "Starship Troopers" with "any bullshit Michael Bay film" for a better analogy.

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