Assassin's Creed (book Series)

The ''Assassin's Creed'' series is a collection of novels by various authors, set within the fictional universe of the ''Assassin's Creed'' video game franchise created by Ubisoft. The books are set across various time periods and, like the games, revolve around the secret war fought for centuries between the Assassin Brotherhood and the Templar Order. The series includes both direct novelizations of several ''Assassin's Creed'' games, and books that function as standalone narratives, although some of these tie-in with one or more of the games in the franchise. British publishing house Penguin Books versions, until 2020, when Aconyte Books took over as the main publisher of the series.

Novelizations and tie-ins

''Renaissance'' (2009)

The first official ''Assassin's Creed'' novel, ''Assassin's Creed: Renaissance'', was written by Anton Gill (under the pen name Oliver Bowden) and is a novelization of ''Assassin's Creed II''. It was published by Penguin Books on 20 November 2009 in the United Kingdom, and on 23 February 2010 in the United States. While the novel follows the game's events involving Ezio Auditore da Firenze (with the modern-day aspect entirely excluded), it changes much of the dialogue, the appearances of certain characters, and how some events occurred. It also omits certain events, while including others not featured in the game (some of these, such as Ezio's relationship with his first girlfriend, Cristina Vespucci, would later be adapted in '' Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'').

''Brotherhood'' (2010)

''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'', the second novel in the series, was also written by Anton Gill and is based on the video game of the same name. It was published by Penguin Books on 25 November 2010 in the United Kingdom, and on 30 November in the United States. Like ''Renaissance'', the novel changes some elements from ''Brotherhood'', including an entirely new sequence of events set during the time skip from 1503 to 1507 in the game, but is overall a much more faithful adaptation.

''The Secret Crusade'' (2011)

''Assassin's Creed:'' ''The Secret Crusade'' is the first novel in the series written by Andrew Holmes (using the same name pen name of Oliver Bowden), and depicts the story of Altaïr Ibn-LaʼAhad, as told by Niccolò Polo in his journal. It was published by Penguin Books on 23 June 2011 in the United Kingdom, and on 28 June in the United States. While the book adapts the events of ''Assassin's Creed'', '' Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines'', and the Altaïr sequences from '' Assassin's Creed: Revelations'', it is primarily a standalone narrative that covers Altaïr's entire life, from his childhood to his death in 1257. The novel is written in an in-universe style, with Niccolò describing Altaïr's life from a third-person perspective, before later switching to a first-person perspective when he talks about his own life. The epilogue reveals the narrator to be Ezio Auditore, who recovers and reads through Niccolò's journal while on his way to Constantinople during the events of ''Revelations''.

''Revelations'' (2011)

''Assassin's Creed:'' ''Revelations'' is the final novel in the series written by Anton Gill and is an adaptation of the video game of the same name, focusing on Ezio Auditore's side of the story. The novel also describes the final years of Ezio's life, after the events of the game, and includes a novelization of the short film '' Assassin's Creed: Embers''. It was published by Penguin Books on 24 November 2011 in the United Kingdom, and on 29 November 2011 in the United States.

''Forsaken'' (2012)

''Assassin's Creed:'' ''Forsaken'', again written by Andrew Holmes, is based on ''Assassin's Creed III'', but is not a direct adaptation. Instead, it tells the story of Haytham Kenway, the game's main antagonist, from his childhood to his death in 1781, showing a mirrored perspective to what the game portrays. Similarly to ''Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade'', the novel is written in an in-universe style, being presented as Haytham's journal, which his son Connor (the game's main protagonist) recovers and reads through following his father's death in order to learn more about his life. ''Forsaken'' was published by Penguin Books on 4 December 2012 in both the United Kingdom and the United States.

''Black Flag'' (2013)

''Assassin's Creed:'' ''Black Flag'', again written by Andrew Holmes, is based on '' Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag''. It was published by Penguin Books on 7 November 2013 in the United Kingdom, and on 26 November in the United States. The novel, written in an in-universe style, is presented as the journal of protagonist Edward Kenway, and covers his entire life up until his return to England in 1723, after the events of the game.

''Unity'' (2014)

''Assassin's Creed:'' ''Unity'', again written by Andrew Holmes, is based on the video game of the same name. It was published by Penguin Books on 20 November 2014 in the United Kingdom, and on 2 December in the United States. Similarly to ''Assassin's Creed: Forsaken'', the novel presents the events of the game from the perspective of a different character (in this case, Élise de la Serre), as well as the experiences of protagonist Arno Dorian after the game, who recovers and reads through Élise's journal.

''Underworld'' (2015)

''Assassin's Creed:'' ''Underworld'' was again written by Andrew Holmes and is based on ''Assassin's Creed Syndicate''. It was published by Penguin Books on 5 November 2015 in the United Kingdom, and on 1 December in the United States. The novel primarily focuses on the character of Jayadeep Mir, son of the Assassin Arbaaz Mir, before he adopted the identity of Henry Green and instead operated as "The Ghost" in London. The first two thirds of the book are mainly set in 1862, six years before the events of ''Syndicate'', and alternate between the perspectives of Henry and several other characters, such as Detective Frederick Abberline and Henry's mentor Ethan Frye. The final third includes a novelization of ''Syndicate'''s storyline, from the perspectives of Henry and Evie Frye.

''The Official Movie Novelization'' (2016)

''Assassin's Creed: The Official Movie Novelization'', written by Christie Golden, is a novelization of the live-action ''Assassin's Creed'' film. It was published in the United States by Ubisoft's in-house publishing company, Ubisoft Publishing, and in the United Kingdom by Penguin Books on 21 December 2016, the same day as the release of the film. In addition to retelling the film's events, the book also includes an anthology of short stories from Nathan, Emir, Moussa, Lin, and their respective ancestors, and an excerpt from ''Assassin's Creed: Heresy'', also authored by Golden.

''Origins – Desert Oath'' (2017)

''Assassin's Creed Origins: Desert Oath'' is the final novel in the series written by Andrew Holmes, and is a prequel to ''Assassin's Creed Origins'', telling the story of a young Bayek of Siwa and his father Sabu in Ptolemaic Egypt. It was published in the United States by Ubisoft Publishing and in the United Kingdom by Penguin Books on 10 October 2017.

''Odyssey'' (2018)

''Assassin's Creed Odyssey (The Official Novelization)'', written by Gordon Doherty, tells one of the possible story paths of ''Assassin's Creed Odyssey'' featuring Kassandra, one of the two protagonists of the game. It was published on 30 October 2018 by Ace Books.

''The Ming Storm'' series (2019–present)

''Assassin's Creed: The Ming Storm'' is a planned trilogy of non-canon novels written by Yan Leisheng that focus on the Chinese Assassin Shao Jun. Thus far, only the first two books in the series have been released.

''The Ming Storm'' (2019)

The first installment of the trilogy, ''Assassin's Creed: The Ming Storm'', was published by New Star Press in China on 31 March 2019, by Mana Books in France on 1 October 2020, and by Aconyte Books in the United States on 1 June 2021, and in the United Kingdom on 2 September 2021. The book primarily functions as a novelization of '' Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China'', following Shao Jun as she returns to China to rebuild the Assassin Brotherhood and exact revenge on the Templar group, the Eight Tigers.

''The Desert Threat'' (2021)

The second installment, ''Assassin's Creed: The Desert Threat'' (known in China as ''Storm in the Desert'') was published by New Star Press in China on 4 October 2021, and by Aconyte Books in the United States on 18 October 2022. The plot follows Shao Jun as she travels to Mongolia to recover the Precursor box, taken by the Templars, and becomes entangled in a web of political intrigues and shadowy conspiracies.

''Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga'' (2020)

''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga'', written by Matthew J. Kirby, is a tie-in novel to ''Assassin's Creed Valhalla''. It was published by Penguin Books in the United Kingdom on 10 November 2020, and by Aconyte Books in the United States on 23 March 2021. The book does not follow the events of ''Valhalla'', although they are occasionally referenced and several characters from the game make appearances in the novel. Instead, the plot centers on the Viking Geirmund Hel-hide as he tries to prove his worth to the Great Heathen Army during their invasion of the British Isles.

''Valhalla – Sword of the White Horse'' (2022)

''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Sword of the White Horse'', written by Elsa Sjunneson, is a tie-in and sequel to ''Assassin's Creed Valhalla''. It was published by Aconyte Books on 26 April 2022 in the United States, and on 7 July in the United Kingdom. The plot is set in 878 and follows witch-warrior Niamh of Argyll, who infiltrates the Hidden Ones to learn about their intentions in England and recover the legendary sword Excalibur, which is sacred to her people, from the Raven Clan.

''The Golden City'' (2023)

''Assassin's Creed: The Golden City'', written by Jaleigh Johnson, is a tie-in novel to ''Assassin's Creed Mirage''. It was published by Aconyte Books on 2 May 2023 in the United States, and on 22 June in the United Kingdom. The plot is set in 867 and follows the Hidden One Hytham, who joins his mentor Basim Ibn Ishaq in Constantinople to help him thwart a murderous scheme by the Order of the Ancients. Unbeknownst to Basim, however, Hytham's mission has an ulterior objective: to test where his mentor's true loyalties lie.

''Mirage – Daughter of No One'' (2023)

''Assassin's Creed: Mirage – Daughter of No One'', written by Maria Lewis, is a tie-in novel and prequel to ''Assassin's Creed Mirage''. It was published by Aconyte Books on 7 November 2023 in the United States, and is set to release on 18 January 2024 in the United Kingdom. The plot is set in Cairo in 824 and follows Roshan during her early years before joining the Hidden Ones and becoming Basim Ibn Ishaq's mentor.

Other

''Last Descendants'' series (2016–2017)

''Assassin's Creed:'' ''Last Descendants'' is a trilogy of young adult novels written by Matthew J. Kirby and published by Scholastic, set in the ''Assassin's Creed'' universe. They are the first novels in the series to tell a completely original narrative, unrelated to any of the ''Assassin's Creed'' games.

''Last Descendants'' (2016)

The first installment in the trilogy, ''Assassin's Creed:'' ''Last Descendants'', was released on 30 August 2016. Set in 2016, the plot follows a teenager named Owen Meyers who attempts to prove his late father's innocence of a crime he did not commit. Using an Animus device, Owen relives the memories of his ancestors and discovers the existence of an artifact called the Trident of Eden, catching the attention of both the Assassins and Templars. Hoping to find the artifact before they do, Owen teams up with other teenagers to dive into a simulation of memories they all share in their DNA, set during the 1863 New York City draft riots, with their experiences in the past having consequences on the present.

''Tomb of the Khan'' (2016)

The second installment, ''Assassin's Creed: Last Descendants – Tomb of the Khan'', was released on 27 December 2016. The plot follows the same teenager protagonists as the first novel, who have joined up with either the Assassins or the Templars and are now searching for the second fragment of the Trident of Eden, believed to have been buried with Möngke Khan. To this end, they use the Animus to relive the memories of their ancestors during the Mongol conquest of China, while also contending with a mysterious third party known as the Instruments of the First Will, who seek the Trident for themselves.

''Fate of the Gods'' (2017)

The final installment, ''Assassin's Creed: Last Descendants – Fate of the Gods'', was released on 26 December 2017. The plot follows the teenager protagonists on both sides of the Assassin-Templar war, who have formed an uneasy alliance to find the final fragment of the Trident of Eden by reliving the memories of their ancestors during the Viking Age in the 10th century. They must accomplish their mission before the Trident is assembled by Isaiah, a rogue Templar and former member of the Instrument of the First Will, who wishes to use the artifact to bring about the end of the world to allow humanity to start anew.

''Heresy'' (2016)

''Assassin's Creed: Heresy'', written by Christie Golden, follows the Templar Simon Hathaway as he relives the memories of his ancestor Gabriel Laxart, who fought by Joan of Arc's side during the Hundred Years' War. The novel was published on 15 November 2016 in the United States by Ubisoft's in-house publishing studio, Ubisoft Publishing, and on 4 May 2017 in the United Kingdom by Penguin Books.

''Fragments'' series (2021–2022)

''Assassin's Creed: Fragments'' is a collection of three standalone stories written by French authors and published by 404 Éditions. Each novel revolves around a pair of siblings and Assassins in the making, at various points in history.

''The Blade of Aizu'' (2021)

The first novel, ''Assassin's Creed: Fragments – The Blade of Aizu'', was written by Olivier Gay and released in France on 4 March 2021. An English-language version was released on 14 March 2023 by Titan Books. The plot takes place in 19th-century Japan, during the Boshin civil war of 1868–1869, and focuses on siblings Shiba and Ibuka Atsuko.

''The Highlands Children'' (2021)

The second novel, ''Assassin's Creed: Fragments – The Highlands Children'', was written by Alain T. Puysségur and released in France on 16 September 2021. An English-language version was released on 14 November 2023 by Titan Books. The plot is set in 13th-century Scotland, during its invasion by King Edward I of England in 1296, and focuses on twins Fillan and Ailéas.

''The Witches of the Moors'' (2022)

The final novel, ''Assassin's Creed: Fragments – The Witches of the Moors'', was written by Adrien Tomas and released in France on 20 January 2022. An English-language version will be released on 16 January 2024 by Titan Books. The plot is set in 17th-century France, during the Labourd witch-hunt of 1609, and focuses on sisters Margaux and Ermeline.

''The Silk Road'' (2021)

''Assassin's Creed: The Silk Road'', written by Mathieu Rivero, is a choose your own adventure book that follows Oisel, a Frankish Hidden One who travels to the Levant upon receiving a mysterious letter from Basim Ibn Ishaq, the mentor of the Brotherhood in Constantinople. It was published in France on 8 September 2021 by Hachette Heroes.

''The Engine of History'' series (2022–present)

''Assassin's Creed: The Engine of History'' is a planned trilogy of novels written by Kate Heartfield that revolve's around the titular device, which both the Assassins and Templars hope to use to influence the course of human history. Thus far, only the first two books in the series have been released.

''The Magus Conspiracy'' (2022)

The first instalment in the trilogy, ''Assassin's Creed: The Engine of History – The Magus Conspiracy'', was published by Aconyte Books on 2 August 2022 in the United States, and on 27 October in the United Kingdom. The plot is set in London from 1851 to 1862 and follows Pierrette Arnaud, a French acrobat who becomes caught in the Assassin-Templar war after saving the life of mathematician Ada Lovelace. Together with Lovelace's childhood friend, the Assassin Simeon Price, Pierrette attempts to find the Engine of History before the Templars can, and in the process the pair uncover a web of political assassinations destabilizing Europe.

''The Resurrection Plot'' (2023)

The second instalment, ''Assassin's Creed: The Engine of History – The Resurrection Plot'', was published by Aconyte Books on 4 July 2023. The plot is set in 1869 Cairo and follows Pierrette Arnaud and Simeon Price as they join forces once again to thwart a series of Templar terrorist attacks in Egypt and recover the Engine of History.

See also

* List of novels based on video games

References

{{Assassin's Creed

Book series introduced in 2009
Novels based on video games
Novels set in Italy
Byzantine Empire in art and culture
Assassin's Creed