"Astarion" by T. Kingfisher – A Spoiler-Free Review
I evaluate this novel in two ways: separately as a story set in the world of "Baldur’s Gate 3" and as a standalone novel within the "Dungeons & Dragons" universe. Its protagonist is not a character created by T. Kingfisher, but rather Astarion—originally conceived for "Baldur's Gate 3" by the Larian Studios team, including Stephen Rooney. "Astarion" is an adventure novel that presents a week in the life of the character, set approximately 50 years before the events of Baldur’s Gate 3. It also includes flashbacks to his mortal life, spanning from his early years to his career as a magistrate in Baldur’s Gate.
I approached the book with considerable enthusiasm, hoping that the consultations with Stephen Rooney would result in a faithful portrayal of Astarion within the game's established world. Unfortunately, I was deeply disappointed. Personally, I dislike the depiction of Astarion as hypersexual and sexually liberated; this approach loses sight of the essence of the character's sexual trauma as portrayed in the game. He is not compelled to be intimately close with every victim he procures for Cazador. A crucial detail from the game was that such coercion served as a tool to humiliate and break the proud elf. I also believe that a narrative focusing so heavily on this period of Astarion's life should have better reflected the attraction to both genders shown in the game—especially given that this aspect remains a subject of debate to this day. In my view, the book places significantly more emphasis on Astarion’s interest in men than in women. This impression stems primarily from my expectations regarding official Dungeons & Dragons material. Another issue lies in the discrepancies between what Astarion tells us in the game and what the book conveys. One example is the moment a devilish pact appears on his back—a detail that might jar readers well-versed in the game's dialogue. Another aspect I dislike is the sanitization of the story and the characters' behavior. Interestingly, we know that at least one change from the game's narrative was not the author's own decision; T. Kingfisher confirmed that, at the request of Wizards of the Coast, the Gur—who were originally meant to feature in Astarion’s story—were removed from the book. As the author explained, WotC justified this decision by noting that the Gur could be perceived as a group based on stereotypes regarding the Roma people. Consequently, a significant element of Astarion’s backstory from Baldur’s Gate 3 was lost. This gives the impression of a corporate approach to established franchises, where prioritizing a more inclusive message comes at the expense of the story's distinctiveness.
Setting aside the book's fidelity to the game, it fares only averagely as a standalone novel. That said, I do recognize its merits; care was clearly taken to research vampire lore within the Dungeons & Dragons universe. References to Baldur’s Gate 3 can be found at every turn—something fans of such literary touches will surely appreciate. Despite the aforementioned inconsistencies, the book retains certain key details from Astarion’s in-game backstory. One example is the absence of Leon among Cazador’s spawn at a point when only 150 years have passed since Astarion’s own transformation. The toxic nature of Astarion’s relationship with his "siblings" rings true. Like Stephen Rooney, the author portrays Astarion as a flirtatious rogue with a knack for thievery and exploiting legal loopholes. The depiction of Astarion’s suffering under Cazador’s rule moved me toward the end, and the story itself was genuinely engaging at times.
Ultimately, the book may prove a major disappointment for those who want to see justice done to the Astarion known from the game. Here, he is made a laughingstock, portrayed as gullible and lacking in character depth—traits particularly evident in his primary motivation for winning Cazador’s contest. For me, the Astarion of Baldur’s Gate 3 remains the only true version. Personally, I’ll be sticking to fanfiction on AO3—and I suggest you do the same, rather than spending money on a book about "Notstarion." 😉
~ Patricia Ancunín