Ubisoft has once again released a novel based on one of it’s long-running video game franchises, this time it’s the first ever novel based on the acclaimed Far Cry series. Written by Urban Waite, the novel acts as a prequel taking place a few years prior to the upcoming Far Cry 5’s main storyline. In Far Cry Absolution lead characters Mary May Fairgrave and William Boyd take on the game’s cult ‘The Church of Eden’s Gate’ whom Boyd is a former member of.

Far Cry Absolution is a 2018 novel prequel to Far Cry 5, it is written by Urban Waite, distributed by Simon & Schuster, and published by Ubisoft Entertainment. It is currently available in paperback, hardcover, and digital formats.

Editor’s Note: A press copy of Far Cry Absolution was provided by Ubisoft in support of this coverage.

Having created novels based on it’s big properties such as Assassin’s Creed & Tom Clancy in the past, Ubisoft is once again entering the printed word game with Far Cry Absolution. While most of Ubisoft’s books have been direct adaptations of the game titles they represent, they wisely chose to enter a new direction with ‘Absolution’ by providing players looking forward to the game more background into it’s world and it’s insanely charismatic cast of characters. Mary May Fairgrave, who acts as a supporting character in Far Cry 5 as a member of The Resistance group of Hope County, Montana takes center stage in the set up novel to the game’s events.

New character William Boyd also shares the lead with Mary May who’s looking for her brother Derek that’s gone mysteriously missing since his dealings with The Church. Local law enforcement refuses to aide Mary May, so Boyd; a hunter in Hope decides to lend Mary May a hand after realizing just how dark the cult truly is. Other members of The Resistance in which players will encounter in Far Cry 5 make appearances as well in the novel such as the villainous Seed family who are the leaders of The Church. Unlike the Assassin’s Creed games, Far Cry is based so much on realism where taking it to other media such as what ‘Absolution’ is doing is a great way of condensing the wait time of the actual game while still keeping the hype train going. Writer Urban Waite takes full advantage of this with his script, connecting the book with the game in an excellently directed prequel and is careful to make Boyd feel like he belongs in the game’s story.

Mary May as she appears in the game.

Far Cry Absolution is a relatively quick read at only 311 pages, so if you just want to further your education of Hope County, Montana or any of Far Cry 5’s characters it’s a great entry point to the game. Far Cry Absolution was released in digital and physical formats on February 27.