Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (novel)

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood is a novel based on the game of the same name, released on November 25, 2010. Written by Oliver Bowden, it is a direct sequel to Assassin's Creed: Renaissance.

Description

"I will journey to the black heart of a corrupt Empire to root out my foes. But Rome wasn't built in a day and it won't be restored by a lone assassin. I am Ezio Auditore da Firenze. This is my brotherhood."

Rome, once mighty, lies in ruins. The city swarms with suffering and degradation, her citizens living in the shadow of the ruthless Borgia family. Only one man can free the people from the Borgia tyranny - Ezio Auditore, the Master Assassin. Ezio's quest will test him to his limits. Cesare Borgia, a man more villainous and dangerous than his father the Pope, will not rest until he has conquered Italy. And in such treacherous times, conspiracy is everywhere, even within the ranks of the brotherhood itself...

Plot Summary

Prologue

Ezio is reminded of the event of what had just occurred in the Vault of the Sistine Chapel.

Part One

No information included.

Part Two

49- Ezio discusses with his ally, the new Pope, Julius II. Not expecting resources to be provided to him, he was told to locate somebody who was close to Micheletto and who might know something of their whereabouts.

50- Pondering why the Apple would not show Ezio where Cesare was, Ezio calls a meeting of the Brotherhood where Machiavelli states that a victory is not a victory unless absolute and then explains that Cesare is, in fact, alive and so is his former henchman, Micheletto. Ezio and Machiavelli journey to find Micheletto but soon, Claudia is kidnapped and held hostage. But is soon saved by Ezio who shows no mercy at first but in the end, ends the suffering of the Kidnapper. They soon know for sure that Micheletto is alive.

51- Ezio tracks Micheletto and scramble through his forces, from there, they imprisoned him in the same place Ezio's father spent his last days, in a cell inside the Palazzo della Signoria. Inside, he was tortured and interrogated him, the days of Micheletto as a killer were done. Ezio would not be so sure that they could break Micheletto considering he was very strong willed.

52- Pope Julius knows of the Apple, Ezio finds out this because the Pope himself asks about it's power. Ezio immediately knows who told the Pope, Leonardo's friend Salaì. Ezio explained it's powers and what the Borgia intended to do with it which the Pope understood.

53- Ezio locates Cesare's old physician, Gaspar Torella and gains some ideas of where Cesare might be. Spain is the first thing Gaspar would guess, considering Cesare's Spanish heritage.

54- Ezio finds out from Machiavelli that Micheletto has escaped and realizes that they must track him with the Apple before it's too late.

55- Ezio uses the Apple to locate Micheletto who appears to be in Navarre, then through the Apple, Ezio sees a final picture of a massive, wealthy seaport, with ships drawn up on a sea and an army which was gathering. But Ezio had know clue about any of these places.

56- Rosa, a woman whom Ezio had met in Venice, takes control of the Rosa in Fiore and is left in charge along with La Volpe to watch over Rome while Ezio and Machiavelli leave to hunt down Micheletto.

57- Ezio brings the Apple to Leonardo and tries to use it, from there Ezio hears a noise which Machiavelli and Leonardo cannot seem to hear. It seems to be the Apple communicating with him, telling him to take the Apple to a Vault under the Capitoline and leave it there. Afterwards, it tells him to go to Naples where Micheletto was trying to reach Valencia. Ezio then tells them that the next destination is Naples. They arrive in Naples on Ezio's 46th birthday, they learn much of Micheletto's destination from a lady who appeared to know much about him and soon enough they go further to hunt down Micheletto on ship.

58- One of three survivors who Ezio had not killed, is found and killed by Ezio, who showed no mercy, but as he was dying the man spoke of Micheletto who was rushing to Castillo de la Mota where Cesare was being held. From there, Ezio left and continued on with the hunt.

59- Praying that they were in time to thwart Micheletto's plan, they picked up their things from the Lone Wolf Inn and took off.

60- Micheletto makes it to the Castillo and frees his former master, Cesare Borgia who was already contemplating the slowest death possible to the Assassin.

61- Delayed because Leonardo was ill, Ezio discovers that Cesare escapes, Ezio wanted to abandon Leonardo but Machiavelli restrained. But events were to prove him right and Leonardo invaluable.

62- Killed by Cesare, Micheletto's body is discovered and knowing of where to go, Ezio and his 2 companions went their separate ways.

Part Three

63- Ezio travels across Spain and arrives at his destination and finds it under siege. While there, he needed to restock on weapons which he was kindly greeted by a man who gave him what he needs.

64- Riding his horse through the Battle, Ezio eventually lost his steed. Ezio still traverses on and witnesses a harsh action by Cesare in which he orders guards to slit a woman's throat just for showing consideration and concern for her son.

65- Ezio soon finds Cesare on the Castle walls in which Ezio scales and then battles Ezio ferociously. Ezio eventually overpowers Cesare who tries to explain how supposedly no man could murder him. Ezio then seized Cesare and threw him off the walls, leaving him to fate.

66- It's Ezio's 48th birthday in which they discuss their plans for the future. Machiavelli explaining about a book known as The Prince in which he was writing and Leonardo explains how he will journey to France. Ezio and Machiavelli offer Leonardo a place at the Brotherhood but Leonardo declines and with this, they all say Farewell and go their separate ways.

Differences in the Novel

Characters

• The novel references to how Cesare's face had been mutilated by the "New Disease" (which relates to the recent outbreak of syphilis - an affliction that plagued Cesare Borgia in reality), leading him to wear a mask. In the game, however, his face is always fully shown without any signs of such deformities.
• According to the Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood novel, Cesare excelled at bullfighting. Machiavelli believed he showed such an interest in the sport due to his aggressive nature and partly being Spanish, where the sport originated.
• It is stated by Machiavelli that Paola taught Ezio his skills in Venice but in Assassin's Creed II he clearly gets taught in Florence
• In the novel, Machiavelli does not become the Italian Assassin leader after the death of Mario Auditore, even though his in-game database suggests so. In the novel, no new leader is elected, however, Ezio and Machiavelli both act as chiefs. When Ezio begins recruiting Assassins, La Volpe suggests Ezio to be their new leader, but he is not officially elected until the initiation of Claudia, as seen in the game.
• In the book, Ezio is a Christian while in the game it is never alluded to.
• In the novel, Leonardo is offered a place in the Brotherhood, though he declines.
• The traitorous thief from Monteriggioni was said to be named Paganino and had once served Antonio in Venice, before being recruited by the Borgia.
• Some of Ezio's recruits are said to be wanting to get back to the normal life they once had, after the defeat of the Borgia.
• Maria Auditore passes away due to a long-time illness sometime between 1504 and 1505.

Relationships

• In the novel it goes into more detail regarding Ezio's relationship and feelings for Caterina Sforza, as well as his distaste for being used by her.
• At the start of the book Mario Auditore makes reference to Claudia being married and then widowed; where as in the game this is not mentioned.
• Pope Julius II is said to be allied with the Assassins upon Ezio's arrival in Rome and after the fall of the Borgia in Rome, Ezio becomes his counselor.

Equipment

• Ezio is said to have lost all of his Codex inventions at the Siege of Monteriggioni and Leonardo in Rome, rebuilds them for Ezio, as well as some additional inventions. In the game, Ezio claims that he had lost all of the Codex inventions Leonardo once fashioned for him, while only having lost his second hidden blade.
• Guns are used much more frequently by enemies in the novel; in the game they are only used by arquebusiers, Papal Guards and Cesare Borgia.
• The poison darts given to Ezio by Leonardo are not fired from Ezio's Hidden Gun like in the game, but instead they are tossed as ordinary darts.
• In the novel it is Leonardo who constructs Ezio's crossbow for him, and Ezio only uses it in one mission - while escorting Bartolomeo to 'surrender' to the French Army.
• Leonardo reveals that he used the Apple to locate Ezio in Rome, similarly to how Ezio discovers where Cesare is headed after his escape from prison.
• Ezio does not use the Apple as a weapon against Cesare.

Assassinations

• Il Carnefice, Malfatto and Silvestro Sabbatini are not mentioned at all, and Ezio does not use his recruits to assassinate any targets.
• Juan Borgia's party is not held outdoors in the Trastevere, but instead in his own palazzo in the Vatican. Ezio does not assassinate him from a bench, but corners him and a guard in a small room before finishing them both off.
• In the game, Ezio can either air assassinate the Baron de Valois or shoot him from above; in the novel Ezio corners him and kills him with his sword.
• The fight between Ezio and Cesare is a little different in the novel. They begin the battle only with their fists, however, after Cesare punches Ezio they both resort to swords. After disarming Cesare, Ezio parries an attack from his dagger by cutting Cesare's hand, almost severing it. Realizing his defeat Cesare desperately shouts that he can not die by the hands of man, to which Ezio replies "then I leave you in the hands of fate!" and seizes Cesare and pushes him from the edge, without looking down.

Other Events

• Ezio and Mario both rode horses while escaping the Vatican and did not jump into the Tiber like in the game.
• After waking up in Rome, Ezio decided to go to a doctor after the pain he felt before performing a Leap of Faith from the church unlike in the game, in which Ezio meets the doctor first.
• Mario Auditore is both shot and beheaded during the defense of Monteriggioni. Cesare then waves Mario's head at Ezio when he catches up to their escape under the tunnels, shouting "You're next!" after him.
• Ezio and Cesare meet during the Siege of Monteriggioni and Ezio is shot by Octavian de Valois. In the game, Ezio and Cesare don't meet until later, and Ezio is shot by an arquebusier.
• Leonardo da Vinci is present and stands with Cesare at the Siege of Monteriggioni, against his will.
• Ezio uses his Apprentices to destroy Leonardo's inventions, and to guard Leonardo from the Borgia. In the game, Ezio himself destroys the war machines, and it is never mentioned that he left Leonardo with any protection.
• In the game the passion play and the events concerning the distrust La Volpe had for Machiavelli take place after killing Baron de Valois. In the novel it is reverted.
• In the novel Thief and Courtesan missions are executed by Assassin recruits.
• The fall of the Borgia loyalists is covered in more detail in the novel.
• In 1504, Claudia Auditore da Firenze steps down as the Madam of the Rosa in Fiore, after being kidnapped by Borgia loyalists, and Rosa replaces her.
• Machiavelli is present when Ezio hides the Apple under the Colosseo. In the game, it is assumed Ezio is alone.
• None of the events of The Da Vinci Disappearance are mentioned.
• A more detailed account of Ezio's hunt for Cesare after he escapes from prison is given. It details Micheletto being killed, and describes Ezio in Spain with Leonardo and Machiavelli trying to find Cesare.
• In the game, all of the events, from Ezio emerging from the Vault to Cesare's arrest, take place in four years. However, due to the final scene in Assassin's Creed: Renaissance being said to take place in 1503 instead of 1499, these events only take place in a few months.
• None of the modern days events were mentioned, it's simply focused on Ezio Auditore's life.