To oppose the gods or yield to fate?
That is the question confronting each of the characters in The Dawn of the Future. Ardyn, having saved countless lives from the Starscourge, means to become the Founder King of Lucis and instead is cast into tragic exile. On the day the Empire falls, as the imperial capital collapses around them, Commodore Aranea is entrusted with the life of a singular young girl. The Oracle Lunafreya, upon awakening from the slumber of death, discovers that her body has undergone an extraordinary transformation. And after gazing upon the eternal, Noctis, the True King, finally comes to terms with his destiny. Herein lie the stories of the dawning of a new world in Final Fantasy XV.
Review
Final Fantasy XV: Dawn of the Future by Jun Eishima is FANTASTIC!
I have always been a fan of the Final Fantasy series and when I learned about the novelization of Final Fantasy XV, I eagerly hunted high and low for a copy of the book! Fortunately for me, I was able to get an e-version. However, because I enjoyed reading it so much, I decided to buy a hard copy and I was able to find one at Virgin Megastore in Dubai Mall.
Prior to reading the book, I was initially concerned if I would be able to fully relate to the events that will take place because it has been a year since I finished the game. Because I only played through it once, I have already forgotten some parts of the game. However, these doubts were erased when I flipped through the first few pages of the book and noticed that it contained a summary of the key events that happened in-game. Those first few pages even re-introduced characters in Final Fantasy XV which you will also encounter in the novel. I think that the short summary and the re-introduction provided at the start of the book are extremely helpful. Not only does it jog the memory of readers who previously played the game it also familiarizes readers who are new to Final Fantasy XV to have a better understanding and background of Eos instead of dropping them into an unfamiliar world that is ridden with an incurable malady.
The book is split into four short stories that are interconnected. We start with Ardyn’s tale which gives readers an insight into his past. His story is the novelization of his DLC which was released by the game and the events that occur within his story are faithful to what happens in the game.
Then we move forward to Aranea’s chapter where the brave commodore tries to save the citizens in the city and during this act of heroism, she is entrusted with a young girl who later plays a key role in Lunafreya’s story.
For Luna’s story, she gets resurrected and this made me happy because I always liked her character! I’ve always admired her gentle strength and I like how Dawn of the Future celebrates women by introducing you to female protagonists who are strong in their own way. As a personal preference, I always find it refreshing to read about strong heroines who are willing to do what it takes to save the world or solve a problem over a damsel in distress.
The last chapter then ends with Noctis and it ties all of the three previous short stories together. However, the ending of Noctis’ chapter is different from how the game ends. Yet, I prefer the ending of Dawn of the Future over the game’s because I was a bit disappointed with how the game ended.
I loved reading the book! It is very well written, in every chapter, the tone changes to match the character that even though it is written in the third person, I felt that I was walking in the character’s shoes as the story progressed. It is so well-paced and incredibly gripping that I was hooked from beginning to end! I could not put the book down until I finished it!
On top of having an amazing story, Final Fantasy XV: Dawn of the Future is also filled with incredibly beautiful artwork that you can stare at for hours! It has concept art, sketches, and even photos of Final Fantasy XV inspired food that is being served in Square Enix Café.
Overall, I highly enjoyed reading Final Fantasy XV: Dawn of the Future. The stories were immensely satisfying to read and they helped me to understand the events within the game better. Furthermore, that art is a visual treat! Even if a reader isn’t a fan of the game, I think that they will still enjoy reading this book. However, I may be a bit biased with regards to this because I am a big Final Fantasy fan! I highly recommend this book and if you haven’t read this yet, you should give this book a read!
Disclaimer: Synopsis is from Goodreads.com
Audaysciously 
The artwork does look really great!!
Yes, it’s so beautiful!
This makes me want to play the game!
It’s fun!