ASTARION, by T. Kingfisher, is a media tie-in fantasy novel by one of my favorite authors, set in the world of the “Baldur’s Gate” computer game. Although I’ve never played the game, as predicted I had no trouble following the story. Over forty years of playing tabletop Dungeons and Dragons more than adequately prepared me for the setting. In fact, probably any fan of sword-and-sorcery fantasy would understand this novel even without D and D experience. Astarion, the protagonist, is a major character in Baldur’s Gate, but prior knowledge of him isn’t needed to enjoy the book, either. Kingfisher smoothly fills in the reader on essential elements of his past.
Formerly a magistrate, Astarion was attacked in revenge for an adverse trial judgment. The vampire lord Cazador “saved” him by transforming him into a vampire spawn. I get the impression from flashbacks to Astarion’s human past that he wasn’t a truly evil person when alive, though already cynical and hedonistic. Becoming undead has embittered him without eliminating his sardonically humorous view of the world. Spawn, not being full-fledged vampires, suffer all the limitations of the undead condition but don’t possess all its powers yet and are compelled to obey their makers. As a thrall to Cazador along with several others, Astarion leads a mostly miserable existence, but at least he enjoys some freedom on the nights he goes out to lure victims for his master. The spawn aren’t allowed blood from human victims, for that would elevate them to full vampire status. Instead, they’re restricted to animal prey. Cazador is capricious with his favors and creatively sadistic in punishments. The only thrall who gets much leeway is his pet alchemist. Any spawn with treasured possessions must hide them from the master (difficult in itself, given his power to read their minds over a limited distance), who would confiscate them. The thralls don’t trust each other, with good reason. Astarion has only two almost-friends, the alchemist and an older woman who’s his occasional sexual partner, and even with them trust remains only provisional.
As the inciting incident of the plot, Cazador announces a contest: Whoever brings him a sample of the most exotic and delicious blood will get changed into a true vampire. Of course, they know he’ll probably invent a reason not to bestow the award on anyone, but they have to try. Astarion decides to seek the blood of a dead god from the shrine of the deity’s obscure underground (in both senses) cult. In the process, he accidentally picks up a paladin imprisoned by the cult along with him. They agree to a reluctant truce. A paladin has a duty to destroy undead, yet they need each other to complete their escape. Astarion convinces Hahn den Suriel the latter won’t be breaking his vows if he resolves to kill the vampire at the first opportunity after they escape from the caverns and their truce ends. To add to the inconvenience of their alliance, not only does Suriel bear powers and magical objects harmful to the undead, he can cast truth spells. The only saving grace is that within the spell’s area of effect the paladin can’t lie, either. And Astarion has great skill at giving evasive replies.
Readers of books in the author’s world of the White Rat will be familiar with her talent for portraying paladins. Suriel, a devotee of the order of the Argent Badger, which hardly anybody has ever heard of, is as delightful a specimen as one would expect. The snappy dialogue between him and Astarion injects dark humor into even the direst of plights, as they battle cultists, animated skeletons, and soap mummies (not a typo) in the process of escaping. Naturally, the two become strongly attracted to each other, much against the principles of both. Back at Cazador’s lair, the double-crossing and hostility we’d expect ensue. However, Suriel’s obligatory mission to slay the vampire lord concludes with a twist that surprised me. As Kingfisher mentions in her afterword, writers of media-based fiction labor under strict constraints. They can’t alter the status quo established in canon. Therefore, since this novel takes place before the events of the game, Astarion can’t get a happy ending. Yet Kingfisher manages the difficult feat of not only winding up the quest plot in a satisfying way but allowing Astarion some measure of acceptance as he moves forward into the next phase of his undead existence.
Margaret L. Carter
Please explore love among the monsters at Carter's Crypt.
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