Assassin’s Creed Fans Get a Sneak Peek at Last Descendants Novel at Comic-Con

As the audience settled into their seats and the cosplayers retracted their Hidden Blades, Matthew J. Kirby, author of “Last Descendants,” began to read aloud. Fans in attendance hung on every word; when Kirby made reference to a character from a previous Assassin’s Creed game, they gasped in astonishment, discovering an all-new story arc in the franchise they knew so well. That moment contained another kind of discovery: “Last Descendants” was written by someone who respected the brand, understood the lore, and collaborated with key Assassin’s Creed team members to craft the caliber of story they’d come to expect from the series.

Aymar Azaizia, brand director of Assassin’s Creed, smiled proudly beside Matthew as the passage ended to thunderous applause from Comic-Con attendees. Azaizia has worked on Assassin’s Creed from the very beginning, and his role is to watch over and guide the brand as it extends beyond the games and into books, comics, graphic novels, and the movie.

Kirby, a former school psychologist with a degree in history, is an award-winning author whose works include “The Clockwork Three”, “A Taste for Monsters”, and “Icefall.” When the opportunity to write a young adult novel within the Assassin’s Creed universe came to his attention, he immediately knew it was a perfect fit for him, both as a fan of video games and as a history buff.

Attendees were curious how Assassin’s Creed, a brand that’s primarily known for Mature-rated games, could be written for a younger audience and if it would have to make any sacrifices in order to reach this age group. Kirby explained that, while there were some aspects from the games that were excluded, the story still has all the core elements that make Assassin’s Creed so appealing: the overarching conspiracy, the present-day characters, the Templars and Assassins, and the fast-paced action and fight sequences.

Azaizia added that the brand has had Teen-rated Assassin’s Creed games before, including the recent Assassin’s Creed Chronicles, and that the brand’s core pillars are present in each manifestation, whether it’s a book, comic, or video game.

The book revolves around a new protagonist, Owen, who along with five other teens explores a shared memory within their DNA: the 1863 Draft Riots in New York City. The two opposing secret organizations, the Brotherhood of Assassins and the Templar Order, want to take possession of a powerful artifact, and Owen needs to find it before it falls into the wrong hands.

“Last Descendants” will release in August 30, in collaboration with Scholastic. Check back soon for a Q&A with Matthew J. Kirby and a thorough preview of the first book in the new Assassin’s Creed novel series.

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