All Dragon Age books and comics (ranked worst to best)

With Dragon Age: The Veilguard just around the corner, now might be the time to revisit the world of Thedas and brush up on the ancient lore of the Chantry and the old gods that preceded it.

If there’s one thing BioWare always does in the superlative, it’s worldbuilding. The world of Dragon Age, while certainly inspired by many fantasy works that came before it (including Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time—especially the latter) is sprawling with riveting stories, compelling characters, and a fantastic history going thousands of years back.

Dragon Age has also branched out into other mediums over the years, comprising not only three amazing games with dozens of hours of content, but also several books, more than ten comic series, a few tabletop games, and recently, an anime adaptation on Netflix.

But as we know, the beating heart of every great fantasy universe is in its books. Even Dragon Age, originally conceived as a video game series and despite taking full advantage of RPG elements to world-build, can’t help but fall under the same enchantment. If you want lore and details, you’ll have to inevitably approach the Dragon Age books and comics, and since most of them have been written by BioWare’s own writers who also worked on the games, they are must-reads for ardent fans of Thedas.

Barring the two-volume World of Thedas, which is little more than a companion encyclopedia with entries detailing different characters, factions, countries, and events, here is every Dragon Age book and comic ranked worst to best.

All Dragon Age Books

There have been seven major books in the Dragon Age series, all of them canon. Some expand on the lore already established in the games, and some give fans much-needed context on the inner workings of Thedas and what goes on behind the scenes in this politically-charged high fantasy world. Here we’ve ranked them from worst to best based on significance, the quality of the narrative, and the overall community reception.

7. Dragon Age: Hard in Hightown

We all know that Varric is an accomplished and best-selling author renowned across Thedas, but have you ever wondered what it would be like to read a book penned by him? Hard in Hightown expands on the character’s noir detective story found in the Dragon Age: Inquisition codex entries, and BioWare has also marketed the book as being written by Varric himself. The other contributing author is Mary Kirby, who worked in the studio from 2006 to 2023 and is credited for her writing chops in all four Dragon Age games, including the upcoming Veilguard.

6. Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne

The first novel by David Gaider as well as the first Dragon Age book, The Stolen Throne takes place before the events of Origins in the country of Ferelden. We follow the tale of the rebel queen Moira, who has just been assassinated through a plot orchestrated by the nobles in her court. Her son Maric escapes unharmed, and now with Ferelden under occupation by the Orlesian Empire, Maric has to fight for the revival of his nation with the help of Loghain, whom fans will recognize as one of the main characters in Origins. If you always found Loghain intriguing and were desperate to learn more about his past and motives, then The Stolen Throne is a must-read, even if it’s not exactly the best Dragon Age book out there.

5. Dragon Age: The Calling

Taking place eleven years after the events of The Stolen Throne, this is David Gaider’s second literary outing in the Dragon Age universe. The story chiefly revolves around the Grey Wardens, who had been exiled from Ferelden for 200 years, before King Maric revoked that ban and welcomed them back. The Grey Wardens come to the king’s court with dire news, however, of one of their rank escaping into the Deep Roads and aligning himself with the Darkspawn. The Grey Wardens ask the king to lead them through the Deep Roads, which he traversed years before, to save the kingdom from peril, little realizing the dangers that lurk in these uncharted dwarven territories.

4. Dragon Age: Asunder

The Mage-Templar War is one of the defining conflicts in the entire Dragon Age chronology, and it is explored in depth in Dragon Age: Asunder by David Gaider. This is arguably the author’s best novel in the series, and his nuanced storytelling, whether it be compelling character arcs or even a deft hand at weaving political intrigue together, shines in Asunder. Other than explaining in detail why the Seekers of Truth and the Circle of Magi broke off from the Chantry, the story also features Wynne, who is one of the fanbase’s favorite companions in Origins.

3. Dragon Age: Last Flight

Last Flight by Liane Merciel is arguably one of the best stories in the multi-media Dragon Age franchise. The narrative once again brings the Grey Wardens to the forefront. After the events of Origins, this ancient group of warriors are once again being hailed as heroes across Thedas. The Darkspawn has been driven underground and the threat of extinction has been snuffed out. Not all is well in the continent, however. A young elven mage named Valya, who has recently been recruited into the organization, is tasked with studying historical records to gain insight into previous Blights, research that leads her to question what she knows about the so-called heroic Grey Wardens and learn the truth about the fate of griffons.

2. Dragon Age: The Masked Empire

Trick Weekes wrote for the three Mass Effect games as well as Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age: Inquisition, and the forthcoming Dragon Age: The Veilguard. The Masked Empire is a tie-in novelization for Dragon Age: Inquisition released in April 2014, and it deals with the Orlesian Civil War. The events of the novel paint a starkly different picture of Orlesian politics for fans, and many of you might end up regretting the decisions you made during Inquisition, or replaying the game so that you can change it. Some of the characters in The Masked Empire include Briala, Celene Empress of Orlais, Felassan, Gaspard de Chalons, and our own bard-turned-spymaster Leliana.

1. Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights

Tevinter Nights is an anthology series written by nine different BioWare staff writers, and some fans already consider it to be a tie-in to Dragon Age: The Veilguard. You’ll find many familiar faces in the course of reading this novel, which consists of fifteen short stories mostly set in the Tevinter Imperium, as well as other areas like Nevarra, Rivain, the Anderfels, Orlais, and the Free Marches. The novel also goes into events such as the Qunari invasion and Solas’ defection from the Inquisition. If you don’t want to bother with the rest of the Dragon Age books before The Veilguard, Tevinter Nights can thrust you back into the political and historical landscape of Thedas before the fourth main entry comes along.

All Dragon Age Comics

Dragon Age has maintained a steady and prominent line of comic strips since the release of Origins in 2009. Some might even argue that because Dragon Age is a video game, comics are an even more congruent medium for expansion. There are close to a dozen comic book series in Thedas, and we’ve ranked them all in this list. Here are which publications you should prioritize before October 31.

8. Dragon Age: Until We Sleep

This three-issue comic series focuses on Varric and gives fans more insight into his past life. It is written by David Gaider and illustrated by Chad Hardin, featuring amazing artwork and a grim story that chooses BioWare’s own canon, meaning that in Until We Sleep’s timeline, Alistair is the king of Ferelden.

7. Dragon Age

There’s something irresistibly charming about the first proper Dragon Age comic strip, which came out monthly in 2010 in six issues. The story expands on the lore already established in Origins, and deals with the inner workings of both the templar and mage orders in Thedas. The art style is very unique, perfectly fitting that dark aesthetic the franchise had going for itself back in the old days, even if there are also lore inconsistencies abound, something that eagle-eyed fans will no doubt pick up on with ease.

6. Dragon Age: Magekiller

Released in five issues from December 2015 to April 2016, Magekiller tells the story of Marius, the titular mage killer, and his handler Tessa Forsythia. It’s set during the events of Inquisition and centers around the rise of the Venatori cult. The art style is pretty neat, but for pacing issues as well as a shallow storyline, Magekiller often finds itself very low in the list of fan-favorite Dragon Age stories.

5. Dragon Age: Those Who Speak

Following the events of The Silent Grove, King Alistair continues to travel across Thedas to learn what happened to his father. On this journey, he’s assisted by everyone’s favorite pirate Isabela, and second-favorite novelist Varric Tethras. The journey is wrought with danger, but nothing that the trio can’t handle, especially when you realize that they’ve been through worse than a band of cultists hindering their way.

4. Dragon Age: Wraiths of Tevinter

This is actually a compilation of three Dragon Age comic series released in a single volume. It includes Deception, Blue Wraith, and Dark Fortress, all involving the Tevinter Imperium to one degree or another. In Deception, we follow a failed actress turned con artist who targets the heir of a wealthy family in Tevinter. The second and third series are more closely linked, with the former dealing with a Qunari plot against Tevinter and featuring Fenris, and the latter starring her as the main character as she’s joined by a band of Inquisition agents to assault a seemingly impregnable fortress. All great short stories in the sprawling Dragon Age universe.

3. Dragon Age: The Silent Grove

The first Dragon Age comic series to be published by Dark Horse, and arguably one of the best even now, The Silent Grove depicts the Alistair, Varric, Isabela trio in another era-defining adventure. The party travels to Antiva City, and there they attempt to stage a prison break, getting swept up in a tale that ends up unveiling one of the darkest secrets in the history of Thedas. The Silent Grove was originally published in 2012 in six issues.

2. Dragon Age: Knight Errant

What is a Dragon Age story without the universe’s meta storyteller around to shake things up? Knight Errant is the tale of an elven thief named Vaea, who arrives in Kirkwall just in time to witness the appointment of its latest viscount, Varric Tethras. The artwork in Knight Errant is very enthralling, and you’ll find yourself drawn to look at the pages even if you’re not a fan of the story itself. Still, there have been theories in the community circles about Knight Errant possibly tying into The Veilguard, so the title is worth picking up for that reason alone.

1. Dragon Age: The Missing

The Missing directly ties into The Veilguard and features Varric Tethras and Lace Harding (who is going to be a companion in the upcoming game) as they descend into the Deep Roads in pursuit of Solas. We already know Solas and his shenanigans are going to play a huge part in The Veilguard, and The Missing not only serves as a story that bridges the gap between this fourth entry and Inquisition, but also a perfect primer to get you into the mood for some Dragon Age in November.