If you care about queer erasure, abelism, and canon in Mass Effect… BOMB THE RETAIL REVIEWS

You’re probably going to want to say a big Fuck You to the newest novel in the series, Deception. 

For a list of innacuracies, check out this fan list of 50+ things you need to know about why this book is more than just bad. Other than the fact it’s  destroying our canon plenty of the content is just downright offensive. Queer erasure. Fridging. ‘Growing out’ of autism.

WHAT CAN YOU DO: Check out the MassEffectWiki’s letter to Casey Hudson, found here. Send them your outrage. Tweet project lead Casey Hudson, who approved Deception for release. Ask for a change. Demand it - say it more eloquently than me. Tell them a person doesn’t just grow out of autism like an inconvenient tick. Tell them your biotics don’t work at ‘levels’, your ME-verse canon should remain intact, your quarians don’t breathe ammonia, for fuck’s sake. And most of all DON’T BUY THIS BOOK. BOMB THE AMAZON REVIEW. BOMB THE BARNES & NOBLE REVIEW. Tell them what you think. Fight back now. Get pissed. You should be.

The character in question: Hendel. Here’s a succinct summary, courtesy of nikopolipalooza:

Holy mother of god, Hendel is badass. If you haven’t read the books - you should stop what you’re doing and immediately go to your nearest not-closed-down-yet Borders and pick up a copy of Drew Karpyshyn’s (head writer for Mass Effect) Ascension. Go. I’ll wait. 

Welcome back. So, do you remember that scene where Hendel gets nailed 3 times with a stunner and then gets up and does CPR on a dying girl? Pretty awesome huh? How about where he gets thrown 20 feet across the room into a wall, gets up and does that bioticy-throwy-kicking-ass-thing, wins the day, then makes dinner for the little girl? Amazing. How about where he beats the snot out of a bunch of Cerberus agents after being drugged? Yeah. I liked that one too. How about where he’s the only openly gay character in the universe? Or how he’s basically a single dad? Living with the quarians? All of the above?

Yeah. Hendel.

So what happens to him? First, he’s straightwashed. Then he’s murdered. Guess who many out homosexual males there are in the mass effect universe? Pre-ME3 content? There’s Hendel. Or there was. But he’s ‘clean’ now. Just in case anyone feels like arguing Hendel’s sexuality is the result of a catty comment, here’s the original content:

 ”You’re kidding right?” he asked, incredulous. “I hardly ever see you. You’re always working… or spending time with Hendel.” 

“He likes to keep tabs on the students,” she explained. Especially Gillian.  

“I’m starting to think you two are more than just friends,” Jiro said darkly. 

Kahlee laughed out loud. She saw Jiro stiffen, and he turned away from her. 

“I’m sorry,” she said, wrapping a comforting arm around his shoulder. “I didn’t mean to laugh. But trust me, I’m not Hendel’s type. You might be though.” 

For as second he seemed puzzle [sic], a look of confusion on his boyish face.  ”Ohhh,” he said after a moment, grasping what she meant.

Here’s the switch. 

 Kahlee tipped the server again and settled back

to enjoy her drink. Anderson and Hendel were busy

ogling the asari dancers, the music was good, and if it

hadn’t been for the task at hand she would have been

able to enjoy herself.

And here’s the murder.

Fighting raged all around and Hendel was dimly

aware of a ground- shaking BOOM as he propped

himself up on his elbows. “Marisa? Was she your

girlfriend?”

“Yes, damn you … We were going to get married.”

308 William C. Dietz

“I’m sorry,” Hendel said. “But you brought this on

yourself. Remember what Kahlee and I taught you?

Those who use their biotic powers to hurt people will

pay. It’s just a matter of time.”

“You bastard,” Nick said through gritted teeth.

“You rotten bastard. First you kill Marisa and then

you have the balls to claim that it’s my fault. Goodbye,

Mr. Mitra. You can preach to the people in hell.”

“Where is Gillian,” Hendel demanded. “Is she

alive?”

He saw the spark, but didn’t live long enough to

hear the report, or feel the projectile smash into his

forehead. Nor did Hendel see one of T’Loak’s Level 3

adepts smash Nick to the ground. Their bodies lay

two meters apart.

If this isn’t enough for you, if it’s arguable, the endless list of inaccuracies should be offensive enough. The hack-job writing should be enough. If you care about the mass effect continuum blacklist this book. For more posts on why this is awful, please read (and add on as you will) the following:

 http://zetarays.tumblr.com/post/16850490562/joining-the-mass-effect-deception-hate-wagon

http://zenjestr.tumblr.com/post/16769175805/before-you-buy-mass-effect-deception

http://zenjestr.tumblr.com/post/16659843118/wow-there-are-so-many-goddamn-lore-inconsistencies

http://zenjestr.tumblr.com/post/16667571732/omg-there-are-more-deception-inconsistencies

UPDATE: BIOWARE RECANTS BOOK, PROMISING NEW ADDITION WITH CHANGES. We’ll see how much is actually ‘fixed’, but it’s a start.