A collector's book and a video game: these are our two recommendations in this special Bernard Werber Christmas 2024 guide.
When someone has read everything by an author, finding a gift is tricky. And the popularity of Bernard Werber, one of the most widely read French science fiction authors, is well established. Fortunately, this year you will have a few tricks up your sleeve with a collector's item and a high-quality video game.
The Antsle collector
The quality of the collector's editions of the Livre de Poche no longer needs to be proven, as evidenced by the sublime versions of Mélissa da Costa's books. Bernard Werber's cult novel, initially published in 1991, has also benefited from a new special edition. We are of course talking about Ants.
In this work which established Werber among the most read French writers in France and in the world, we dive into an investigation between science and science fiction. If this thriller certainly begins with the biologist Jonathan Wells, it is located above all on the very tiny scale of ants and their fascinating universe. An entire civilization opens up to us, in this famous novel.
The collector's item, which we had in our hands, is entirely covered in black, including on the edges of the page where small golden ants are nicely printed. Ironically, the novel is so easily identifiable that you might not notice a funny detail: the title of the book is not written anywhere. This is a necessary work for the library of any Bernard Werber enthusiast.
The game The Ants
Transformer The Ants in video games, is this even possible? Yes, if we are to believe the very successful adaptation published by Microids this year. And the success concerns its two sides: its narrative framework and its strategic gameplay. Because there is indeed a story, and it especially follows the third volume, The Ant Revolution.
However, it is a real-time strategy game. Yes, you will have to manage and grow your empire – by launching legions, facing termites in furious wars, developing “industries”, creating ever more colonies. The entire game takes place on the scale of your character, an ant.
A constant pleasant, too, thanks to the naturalistic side of this adaptation. It is quite exhilarating to embody an ant, to evolve in the world of insects, as the approach remains rare. Especially since the pretty, very realistic graphics allow for total immersion.
The Ants is available on PS5, Xbox Series S/X, PC.
