Courtesy of Larian Studios and Wizards of the Coast
I don’t know about you, but I’ve spent the early hours of every Baldur’s Gate 3 playthrough trying to romance Astarion. Somehow, I always inevitably fail because I just can’t be mean enough to other NPCs to please him, or something. But even if I’ll never experience his Baldur’s Gate 3 romance firsthand, Astarion is one of my favorite characters in the D&D video game. I know I’m not alone there, which is no doubt why we’re getting a Baldur’s Gate 3 prequel novel starring the vampire himself.
Baldur’s Gate 3: Astarion releases on September 29th. It’s written by the phenomenal fantasy writer T. Kingfisher, and the audiobook will be narrated by the voice of Astarion himself, Neil Newbon. But if you, like me, simply cannot wait to get that book in your hands (or let’s be honest, that audiobook in your ears), you need something to pass the time. Thankfully, there’s a storied history of solid Dungeons & Dragons tie-in novels to devour while we wait to learn more about Astarion in his prequel novel. Here are some of my favorites.
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Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves – The Druid’s Call by E.K Johnston
Price: $16 on Amazon
It will forever be a crime in my eyes that we don’t have a sequel to the amazing Honor Among Thieves. That movie truly captures the spirit of playing D&D, without having anyone roll a single die. I absolutely loved every minute of it, and when it was over, I wanted more, which is what led me to pick up a copy of The Druid’s Call from my local bookstore.
This is a prequel novel that centers on the Druid of the party, Doric. She is, of course, my favorite character since I am forever resisting the urge to play another Druid. It’s written for a YA audience, so it’s got a nice, clippy writing style that makes it a fun, fast read. And yes, it does explain why Doric can wild shape into an Owlbear.
Dungeons & Dragons: Ravenloft – Heir of Strahd by Delilah S. Dawson
Price: $19 on Amazon
Fun fact: The Curse of Strahd was my very first D&D campaign. Naturally, that means it has a special place in my heart… and so, I jumped at the chance to read Heir of Strahd when it came out last year. And I absolutely loved it. Whether you’ve played the Strahd campaign or not, this book is a delightful new take on the lore that will satisfy any D&D enthusiast.
This tells the story of a newly formed adventuring party that finds themselves taken in by the mysterious Count Strahd von Zarovich. If you’re familiar with Barovia, there are some winks and nods you’ll enjoy as someone “in the know” when the characters aren’t. But even if this is your first time stepping into the Mists, there’s plenty here to carry the novel on its own. It’s easily one of the best fantasy novels I’ve read in recent years, and I highly recommend it.
Dragonlance Chronicles, Volume 1: Dragons of Autumn Twilight by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
Price: $8 on Amazon
If you want to go back to the tie-in novels that started it all, you absolutely must revisit the original Dragonlance Chronicles. These novels are part of the expansive Dragonlance campaign setting in D&D, and Dragons of Autumn Twilight is the first book in the first trilogy.
This one came out back in 1984, and it’s definitely got more of a high fantasy feel than the other books on my list. But the writing is spot-on, and it’s a great way to immerse yourself in the world of Dungeons & Dragons at its beginnings. And it’s old enough to have been published as a mass-market paperback, which makes it quite affordable for the reader on a budget.
**Bonus Action is a member of the Amazon Affiliate Program. That means buying items from the Amazon links in this article will help support our writers via a small amount of money earned per purchase.**
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