Review of Clan novel: Assamite

Clan novel Assamite: Before I begin a short comment on my opinion on the Clan Assamite in general. I think it always was the worst clan White Wolf ever put out. The basic idea is blatantly stolen from a rather small incident in history that happened to became famous. The name assassin, from whence the clan name derives, is a mangled form of the arabic "haschaschin", which basically means "haschisch eater". They where drug addicted, vicious and fanatic killers.

Now the clan portrays this well enough, they are vicious, fanatic and drug addicted (to blood), but what the hell that got to do with vampire escapes my notice. Thus the clan is usually abused as stereotypical evil NPC'S (bad) or as player clan, where powermongers use it to diablerize their way up (worse).

Understandably my hopes weren't exactly high when I read this book. And I was not disappointed. The author, Gherbod Fleming, is no help here. To the content.

The book is centered around two main characters, Fatima (what an extraordinary ingenious arabic name), the Assamite and Lucita, the Lasombra. The story then leads us to a few incidents within Clan Assamite, a attack on Fatima and a few "mood"scenes. Basically the Clan Assamite is portrayed here as ruthless, highly efficient killers, that plan to kill/diablerize all other kindred - in due time. As a remark I might add, that if this was all there was to Clan Assamite it would long be extinct. Then she gets the hit on Moncada, an ancient Lasombra and Lucitas Sire. Flipping through the pages you realize that half the book is done by this.

After that, Fatima goes to Washington, to get information she will never use, and meets Lucita. A few very short scenes shows us the ongoing struggle between Camarilla and Sabbat (which doesn't advance one inch with this book).

Then of she goes to Madrid, were Moncada resides. There her Sire meets her, tell's her a lot of fantastic new secrets of Clan Assamite (No I don't want to spoil it here, but the reason the Tremere curse was lifted is revealed and there are major changes in the clan) and hands here the complete plans of Moncadas lair.

Then she has a last meeting with Lucita and the two share a passion and blood (this lesbian sex-scene was so tame it would fit into any 50's movie). Then Fatima waltzes right into the lair, never encountering any real resistance, the mystical barriers all defused by the blood partaken of Lucita (offspring of Moncada's blood). Reaching Moncada unscathed (and running out of pages) a battle ensues, where Fatima with the help of Lucita survives long enough to kill Moncada. She decides not to kill Lucita and the book is finished. That's it.

200 pages, not much happening and the damn plot is not advanced a single inch (besides the death of Moncada).

The characters read like they sprung out of a players wet dream (I bet my Rulebook that those two started off as player characters) and the storyline - well to save Gherbod here, it was handed down to him and considering what he had to deal with, he did well enough.

For anyone looking for a good book, stay away from this, if you play an Assamite, stay even further away.

After killing off Clan Ravnos, the high handed storyline now mangles the Assamite, well deserved in my opinion but alas. The clan gets even worse than before and players can now finally cut the crap and play the psychopatic killer they always wanted - ugh !

Style: 3 (Average)
Substance: 2 (Sparse)