Assassin's Creed: Heresy
Assassin's Creed: Heresy is a novel written by Christie Golden. It was released on 15 November 2016 in the US.
Blurb
The new book set in the universe of Assassin's Creed. Reliving the memories of his ancestor who fought beside Joan of Arc, high-ranking Templar Simon Hathaway slowly uncovers secrets of the past that could dangerously impact his present . . . and that of the entire Templar order.
An endless conflict. An old wrong. A new revelation.
Simon Hathaway, member of the Templar Inner Sanctum, brings a cool head and detached manner to his new role as Head of Abstergo Industry's Historical Research Division.
But Simon also has an insatiable curiosity, and is fascinated by the thought of experiencing history first-hand through his ancestor—Gabriel Laxart, who fought alongside the legendary Joan of Arc.
When he enters the newly-designed Animus for its initial project, Simon finds himself unprepared for what he discovers: How deep the conflict between the Templars and the Assassins goes. What Gabriel will do for the woman he both loves and reveres.
And the most dangerous truth of all: Who is the heretic...and who is the true believer.[1]
Summary
Prologue
An unidentified man flees from the Templars through the woods with a Sword of Eden. He comes to a cliff edge and takes a Leap of Faith to escape his pursuers.
Chapter 1
Simon Hathaway is inducted into the Inner Sanctum of the Templar Order. Simon looks out observing his new comrades and recognizes several. Laetitia England, Mitsuko Nakamura, David Kilkerman, Alfred Stearns, Agneta Reider, along with projections of Álvaro Gramática and Juhani Otso Berg. He then convinced Alan Rikkin and his other fellow Inner Sanctum members to allow him to use the Animus to try and find a way to repair the broken Sword of Eden. Saying that he had ancestor who fought in Joan of Arc's army and she was believed to possess a Sword of Eden. Rikkin agrees, giving him a week to complete the task.
Chapter 2
Simon settles in to a new office overlooking London. A day is wasted to allow for Dr. Victoria Bibeau to fly in from North America. Day 2, Simon meets with Victoria for an evaluation before he’s allowed to use the Animus. They chat, and Simon gives Victoria a brief history of the Hundred Years' War. Getting in the elevator to go down to the Animus floor, Victoria is introduced to Anaya Chodary, a white hat hacker and Simon's ex-girlfriend. After Anaya left the elevator, Victoria asked Simon what happened to their relationship. Saying that work got in the way, Simon then asked Victoria about her own marital status. To which she confirmed that she was single.
Chapter 3
Finally cleared to use the Animus, Simon was amazed at its new non-chair-like appearance. Bibeau explains the beneficial improvements of the Animus 4.35, the need for spinal tap was removed, there is also less risk of vomiting, nausea and other side effects. Entering the Memory Corridor, Simon is reminded of his time hiking in the Scottish Highlands. He then begun reliving the memories of his ancestor Gabriel Laxart. The date is Thursday, May Day, 1428, Domrémy. Gabriel is a bastard child and has only just come to know his biological father. During the festivities, Gabriel meets his step-cousins, Pierre, Jean, and Jeanne. Simon suddenly violently desynchronizes from the Animus.
Chapter 4
Victoria rushes to Simon to check on him. She then ascertains that Simon's violent desynchronization from the Animus was a result of Gabriel's teenage romantic attraction of to Jeanette and the rush of chemicals that followed. Simon is eager to return to the Animus although disgruntled at having to deal with reliving Gabriel's crush on Jeanette. Victoria puts Simon forward a week on 12 May at Burey-en-Vaux, Jeanne is staying with Gabriel's family. During the night, Gabriel could not sleep and so walked the small streets of the village. When Jeanne found him, she confided in him that people think her strange for being overly devote. When asked if he felt the same, Gabriel reassured her, almost confessing his feelings right away but quickly restrained himself. Gabriel then recounts his experiences living as a bastard child, people have treated him differently too. Revealing how his stepfather was the only father he knew and only found out he was a bastard after his death. Jeanne comforted him by holding his hand. Jeanne then asked for his help which the boy eagerly agreed to. She had to ask his father something but could not tell him at that moment. Gabriel noticed that Jeanne seemed to glow radiantly before the girl left abruptly. This phenomenon confused the boy and Simon reliving his memories. Who at the time was getting pulled out of the Animus again, this time not as violently. After explaining how Jeanne glowed to Victoria, Simon came to the conclusion that Gabriel must have also had a high count of Precursor DNA.
Chapter 5
At Victoria's insistence, Simon had to eat before discussing anything. He also expressed his frustration at not being able to leisurely explore Jeanne d'Arc's past more. Simon enters the Animus again. The date being set to 7 January 1429, Jeanne d'Arc is faced with another failure at seeing Lord Robert de Baudricourt, captain of the royal garrison at Vaucouleurs, for permission to travel to Chinon where the Dauphin was staying. After the lord's repeated refusal to admit her, Jeanne broke down outside the hall of de Baudricourt. Her step-cousin, Gabriel Laxart who had accompanied her, comforted her. Soon after, in the residence of Catherine and Henri Royer, friends of her mother's, she lamented. It was there that de Baudricourt's squire, Jean de Metz found her. Initially arguing against her, after Jeanne delivered a rousing speech he promised to take her before his lord and also pledged his loyalty to her. While reliving the memory, Simon noticed a glint of something sharp and realized that de Metz was an Assassin.
Chapter 6
Simon desynchronizes from the Animus again after his excitement of finding an Assassin overloaded the signal. This, along with the knowledge that Gabriel Laxart also possessed Precursor DNA, was sure to interest Rikkin. Simon and Victoria also discuss the ancestor of the late Warren Vidic, Geoffroy Thérage, Jeanne's executioner. Geoffroy, upon finding Jeanne's nonburnable Heart he threw the girl's remains and the artifact into the Seine river. Learning that Geoffroy was English like Simon, he worried if he would fighting on the wrong side of history. Eager to delve deeper, he was stopped by Victoria who advised he rest, he later took her advice. Victoria notified Simon that his dreams may be muddled, and to record what he could remember. Later, in Alan Rikkin's office, Victoria makes her report. She revealed that they had found an Assassin and the discovery of a menotr was not far behind. Rikkin warns her about what happened to Robert Fraser, although Victoria reassures him that it won't happen again. Meanwhile, Anaya is back at work and spontaneously decides to apply for the position of Director of Information Security at Abstergo Entertainment Montréal.
Chapter 7
Day 3, Simon comes in early to work after a restless sleep. Victoria arrives at 9am-sharp and Simon tells her what happened when Joan was granted an audience with Robert de Baudricourt. Requesting the aid for his son-in-law, René, the lord granted her permission to travel to Chinon and had several of his men escort her. Back in the Animus, 22 February 1429. Jeanne is gearing up, and at the suggestion of de Metz - cut her hair short and wore men's clothing. De Baudricourt also gives Jeanne a sword, although comments that he hoped she not have to use it. Fast forwarding eleven days, Jeanne's group had stopped at the French-occupied village of Sainte-Catherine-de-Fierbois on their way to Chinon. During the night, Gabriel went with Jeanne to pray in the church of Saint Catherine. Jeanne confided in Gabriel again and told him of her "voices". Gabriel reaffirmed his loyalty to her. Simon, reliving the memory suddenly realized where the Sword of Eden must be.
Chapter 8
Victoria reports to Rikkin again, theorizing that Joan of Arc may have had contact with Consus. This new information interests Rikkin who asks they keep searching. During lunch, Victoria tells Simon to take a break while she does work. Simon meets with Anaya on the roof where she tells him of the new position she applied for. After congratulating her, Simon goes back downstairs and discusses his Consus theory with Victoria. He then reenters the Animus. 6 March 1429, Chinon, Jeanne's first meeting with the Dauphin. Alongside Gabriel and de Metz, Jeanne convinced the Dauphin to allow an audience. Entering the courtyard of Fort Coudray they dismounted and Jeanne was approached by Antoine Moreau, who proposed she sleep with him. Disgusted by his unholy words, she foretold his demise. Making their way through the courtyard of the second main fortress, Château du Milieu, Gabriel admired the garden. Gabriel, nervous at the prospect of meeting the Dauphin, was comforted by Jeanne.
Chapter 9
Entering the king's hall, Gabriel was taken aback from the sheer size of the place. Three hundred people showed up to hear Jeanne. Once inside the hall, Jeanne realized she could not see the Dauphin, Charles VII. Using her gift, she was able to pinpoint his location within the crown. He was wearing plain clothes, blending in completely. When Jeanne told of how she was the prophesied Maid of Lorraine, several people turned their backs on her believing her to be lying. Of those naysayers, Georges de la Trémoille the Count of Guînes was one such. Giving her the benefit of the doubt, Charles permitted a private audience. Jeanne proclaimed him the true heir to the throne. While giving her speech her radiance flared and an image of an "angel" appeared, placing a crown before Charles. Reliving the memory, Simon concludes that the apparition of the angel can only have been the Assassin mentor.
Special Edition
This premium hardcover edition features exclusive art sketches and behind the scenes interviews, as well as a special code to unlock Assassin's Creed rewards through Ubisoft Club's loyalty program.
The book was also released with a special edition that included eight exclusive artworks by Jose Holder, one of which could be accessed through the URL hidden on the book's cover; interviews with Golden, Aymar Azaïzia, and Anouk Bachman; and a Ubisoft Club code that could be redeemed for 20U, a Club badge, and 500 Club XP.
Gallery
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Hidden link in the code on the novel cover -
Early cover -
Brazilian cover -
Chinese cover
Trivia
- In Chapter 3, there is an error with "May Day", a festival celebrated on 1 May, the day is described as being a Thursday, however 1 May 1428 was in fact a Friday.
Reference
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pt-br:Assassin's Creed: Heresy
ru:Assassin's Creed: Ересь
zh:刺客信条：异端