Mass Effect Trilogy Book Review

Baby’s First Sci-Fi

I’ve always leaned more towards fantasy than science fiction. True, I grew up on a steady diet of Star Wars movies, books, and games, but the series is arguably a fantasy story set in a sci-fi universe (science fantasy, if you will). Think about it in terms of the original trilogy: Luke Skywalker is a farm boy who dreams of something bigger, then gains access to that something bigger through a mystical Force. It’s a vast oversimplification of what Star Wars is, but the sheer amount of classic fantasy stories that follow magically talented young men from small, insular villages is insane. Plus, George Lucas himself has said “Star Wars really isn’t a science-fiction film, it’s a fantasy film and a space opera.” What more proof do you need?

So, when I first picked up the Mass Effect trilogy in 2012 or 2013, I was expecting a Star Wars-esque experience: a sci-fi backdrop to a fantasy tale. What I got was closer to sci-fi, and it hit me like a ton of bricks — or like a charging krogan, I should say. It’s not like I’d never consumed sci-fi media before, but never something so… massive. Just as I’d spent time learning the intricacies of fantasy magic systems, I spent time learning alien physiology, the ins and outs of futuristic technology, and how Mass Effect is more than just a cool title. It does become more of a space opera as things…