WithDragon Age: The Veilguardjust around the corner, now might be the time to revisit the world of Thedas and brush up on the ancient lore of the Chantry and the old gods that preceded it.
If there’s one thing BioWare always does in the superlative, it’s worldbuilding. The world ofDragon Age, while certainly inspired by many fantasy works that came before it (including Tolkien’sThe Lord of the Ringsand Robert Jordan’sThe Wheel of Time—especially the latter) is sprawling with riveting stories, compelling characters, and a fantastic history going thousands of years back.
Dragon Agehas also branched out into other mediums over the years, comprising not only three amazing games with dozens of hours of content, but also several books, more than ten comic series, a few tabletop games, and recently, an anime adaptation on Netflix.
But as we know, the beating heart of every great fantasy universe is in its books. EvenDragon Age, originally conceived as a video game series and despite taking full advantage of RPG elements to world-build, can’t help but fall under the same enchantment. If you want lore and details, you’ll have to inevitably approach theDragon Agebooks and comics, and since most of them have been written by BioWare’s own writers who also worked on the games, they are must-reads for ardent fans of Thedas.
Barring the two-volumeWorld of Thedas, which is little more than a companion encyclopedia with entries detailing different characters, factions, countries, and events, here is everyDragon Agebook and comic ranked worst to best.
All Dragon AgeBooks
There have been seven major books in theDragon Ageseries, all of them canon. Some expand on the lore already established in the games, and some give fans much-needed context on the inner workings of Thedas and what goes on behind the scenes in this politically-charged high fantasy world. Here we’ve ranked them from worst to best based on significance, the quality of the narrative, and the overall community reception.
7.Dragon Age: Hard in Hightown
We all know that Varric is an accomplished and best-selling author renowned across Thedas, but have you ever wondered what it would be like to read a book penned by him?Hard in Hightownexpands on the character’s noir detective story found in theDragon Age: Inquisitioncodex entries, and BioWare has also marketed the book as being written by Varric himself. The other contributing author is Mary Kirby, who worked in the studio from 2006 to 2023 and is credited for her writing chops in all fourDragon Agegames, including the upcomingVeilguard.
6.Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne
The first novel by David Gaider as well as the firstDragon Agebook,The Stolen Thronetakes place before the events ofOriginsin the country of Ferelden. We follow the tale of the rebel queen Moira, who has just been assassinated through a plot orchestrated by the nobles in her court. Her son Maric escapes unharmed, and now with Ferelden under occupation by the Orlesian Empire, Maric has to fight for the revival of his nation with the help of Loghain, whom fans will recognize as one of the main characters inOrigins. If you always found Loghain intriguing and were desperate to learn more about his past and motives, thenThe Stolen Throneis a must-read, even if it’s not exactly the bestDragon Agebook out there.
5.Dragon Age: The Calling
Taking place eleven years after the events ofThe Stolen Throne, this is David Gaider’s second literary outing in theDragon Ageuniverse. The story chiefly revolves around the Grey Wardens, who had been exiled from Ferelden for 200 years, before King Maric revoked that ban and welcomed them back. The Grey Wardens come to the king’s court with dire news, however, of one of their rank escaping into the Deep Roads and aligning himself with the Darkspawn. The Grey Wardens ask the king to lead them through the Deep Roads, which he traversed years before, to save the kingdom from peril, little realizing the dangers that lurk in these uncharted dwarven territories.
4.Dragon Age: Asunder
The Mage-Templar War is one of the defining conflicts in the entireDragon Agechronology, and it is explored in depth inDragon Age: Asunderby David Gaider. This is arguably the author’s best novel in the series, and his nuanced storytelling, whether it be compelling character arcs or even a deft hand at weaving political intrigue together, shines inAsunder. Other than explaining in detail why the Seekers of Truth and the Circle of Magi broke off from the Chantry, the story also features Wynne, who is one of the fanbase’s favorite companions inOrigins.
3.Dragon Age: Last Flight
Last Flightby Liane Merciel is arguably one of the best stories in the multi-mediaDragon Agefranchise. The narrative once again brings the Grey Wardens to the forefront. After the events ofOrigins, this ancient group of warriors are once again being hailed as heroes across Thedas. The Darkspawn has been driven underground and the threat of extinction has been snuffed out. Not all is well in the continent, however. A young elven mage named Valya, who has recently been recruited into the organization, is tasked with studying historical records to gain insight into previous Blights, research that leads her to question what she knows about the so-called heroic Grey Wardens and learn the truth about the fate of griffons.
2.Dragon Age: The Masked Empire
Trick Weekes wrote for the threeMass Effectgames as well asDragon Age: Origins,Dragon Age: Inquisition, and the forthcomingDragon Age: The Veilguard.The Masked Empireis a tie-in novelization forDragon Age: Inquisitionreleased in April 2014, and it deals with the Orlesian Civil War. The events of the novel paint a starkly different picture of Orlesian politics for fans, and many of you might end up regretting the decisions you made duringInquisition, or replaying the game so that you can change it. Some of the characters inThe Masked Empireinclude Briala, Celene Empress of Orlais, Felassan, Gaspard de Chalons, and our own bard-turned-spymaster Leliana.
1.Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights
Tevinter Nightsis an anthology series written by nine different BioWare staff writers, and some fans already consider it to be a tie-in toDragon Age: The Veilguard. You’ll find many familiar faces in the course of reading this novel, which consists of fifteen short stories mostly set in the Tevinter Imperium, as well as other areas like Nevarra, Rivain, the Anderfels, Orlais, and the Free Marches. The novel also goes into events such as the Qunari invasion and Solas’ defection from the Inquisition. If you don’t want to bother with the rest of theDragon Agebooks beforeThe Veilguard,Tevinter Nightscan thrust you back intothe political and historical landscape of Thedasbefore the fourth main entry comes along.
All Dragon AgeComics
Dragon Agehas maintained a steady and prominent line of comic strips since the release ofOriginsin 2009. Some might even argue that becauseDragon Ageis a video game, comics are an even more congruent medium for expansion. There are close to a dozen comic book series in Thedas, and we’ve ranked them all in this list. Here are which publications you should prioritize before October 31.
8.Dragon Age: Until We Sleep
This three-issue comic series focuses on Varric and gives fans more insight into his past life. It is written by David Gaider and illustrated by Chad Hardin, featuring amazing artwork and a grim story that chooses BioWare’s own canon, meaning that inUntil We Sleep’stimeline, Alistair is the king of Ferelden.
7.Dragon Age
There’s something irresistibly charming about the first properDragon Agecomic strip, which came out monthly in 2010 in six issues. The story expands on the lore already established inOrigins, and deals with the inner workings of both the templar and mage orders in Thedas. The art style is very unique, perfectly fitting that dark aesthetic the franchise had going for itself back in the old days, even if there are also lore inconsistencies abound, something that eagle-eyed fans will no doubt pick up on with ease.
6.Dragon Age: Magekiller
Released in five issues from December 2015 to April 2016,Magekillertells the story of Marius, the titular mage killer, and his handler Tessa Forsythia. It’s set during the events ofInquisitionand centers around the rise of the Venatori cult. The art style is pretty neat, but for pacing issues as well as a shallow storyline,Magekilleroften finds itself very low in the list of fan-favoriteDragon Agestories.
5.Dragon Age: Those Who Speak
Following the events ofThe Silent Grove, King Alistair continues to travel across Thedas to learn what happened to his father. On this journey, he’s assisted by everyone’s favorite pirate Isabela, and second-favorite novelist Varric Tethras. The journey is wrought with danger, but nothing that the trio can’t handle, especially when you realize that they’ve been through worse than a band of cultists hindering their way.
4.Dragon Age: Wraiths of Tevinter
This is actually a compilation of threeDragon Agecomic series released in a single volume. It includesDeception,Blue Wraith, andDark Fortress, all involving the Tevinter Imperium to one degree or another. InDeception, we follow a failed actress turned con artist who targets the heir of a wealthy family in Tevinter. The second and third series are more closely linked, with the former dealing with a Qunari plot against Tevinter and featuring Fenris, and the latter starring her as the main character as she’s joined by a band of Inquisition agents to assault a seemingly impregnable fortress. All great short stories in the sprawlingDragon Ageuniverse.
3.Dragon Age: The Silent Grove
The firstDragon Agecomic series to be published by Dark Horse, and arguably one of the best even now,The Silent Grovedepicts the Alistair, Varric, Isabela trio in another era-defining adventure. The party travels to Antiva City, and there they attempt to stage a prison break, getting swept up in a tale that ends up unveiling one of the darkest secrets in the history of Thedas.The Silent Grovewas originally published in 2012 in six issues.
2.Dragon Age: Knight Errant
What is aDragon Agestory without the universe’s meta storyteller around to shake things up?Knight Errantis the tale of an elven thief named Vaea, who arrives in Kirkwall just in time to witness the appointment of its latest viscount, Varric Tethras. The artwork inKnight Errantis very enthralling, and you’ll find yourself drawn to look at the pages even if you’re not a fan of the story itself. Still, there have been theories in the community circles aboutKnight Errantpossibly tying intoThe Veilguard, so the title is worth picking up for that reason alone.
1.Dragon Age: The Missing
The Missingdirectly ties intoThe Veilguardand features Varric Tethras and Lace Harding (who is going to be a companion in the upcoming game) as they descend into the Deep Roads in pursuit of Solas. We already know Solas and his shenanigans are going to play a huge part inThe Veilguard, andThe Missingnot only serves as a story that bridges the gap between this fourth entry andInquisition, but also a perfect primer to get you into the mood for someDragon Agein November.
