In the constantly expanding universe of League of Legends, certain characters crossed over from digital versions into shows or books. Ambessa Medarda had a long journey from being a formidable Noxian warrior to the head of the Medarda family. Her portrayal in the Arcane series offered viewers a glimpse into her ruthless ambition and complex character.
Yet, the series merely scratched the surface of her past and motives. C.L. Clark’s novel, Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf, does it by going deeper into her lore and uncovering Ambessa’s past. We can read about her rise to power, the defining moments that made her into the formidable figure we know from Arcane, and the truth about her family.
[Note: While I am reviewing this book independently and honestly, it should be noted that I was provided a digital copy of this book from Orbit books for the purpose of this review.]
Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf: an origin story for the Noxian warrior
Ambessa’s journey starts in the dark and mystical lands of Noxus, a nation where strength, both of mind and body, is what drives people to live and conquer other regions of Runeterra. From a young age, Ambessa was pushed into understanding the harsh reality of the real world, being aggressive and unforgiving of mistakes.
At merely ten years old, her father introduced her to the Battle of Hildenard, tasking her with the collection of weapons from fallen soldiers in exchange for gold coins. This experience was not merely an introduction to the beginning of her fading sense of mortality, but also a lesson in living the Noxian ethos. The strong lives, the weak die, and those with power live forever. That’s why Ambessa is who she is because she was told to never be weak.
As she grew up, Ambessa’s skills and strategic brilliance became her path to becoming a famous and respected warrior. Her fast promotion through the military ranks was proof of her tactical genius, amazing combat skills, and undying determination. Her reputation as a powerful general was repeatedly confirmed, and with it, the influence and prestige of Medarda’s name grew.
Ambessa’s ambitions were not focused soley on battles and fighting in familiar regions. She wanted to have a legacy that would not only solidify the Medarda family’s dominance in Noxus, but also extend their influence across the entirety of Runeterra. The novel shows perfectly Ambessa’s rivalry with her own family, and goes deep into the psychological and emotional reasons of their conflict, as well as in Ambessa’s personality.
Parallel to her public life and political manipulations, Ambessa’s personal life was complicated. Her firstborn, Kino, was the personification of her ambitions. Ambessa believed that Kino would inherit her mantle, and have the same drive to power, strength, and strategic brilliance that she had. However, he was a peaceful person, the opposite of a Nexus person. Due to this fact, fate had different plans for him. Kino was killed by a secret Noxian cabal, Black Rose. This personal tragedy is an important part of the novel because it explores Ambessa’s vulnerability, her moments of grief, and the impact of loss.
In the aftermath of Kino’s death, Ambessa’s relationship with her daughter, Mel, becomes the main point of her maternal concerns and ambitions. But, as we know from the Arcane, Ambessa sees Mel as someone who has political strength and influence but is afraid to use them due to an empathetic nature.
The book delves into their interesting mother-daughter relationship, showing the moments of mutual love, disappointment, pride, and fundamental ideological differences. Ambessa was shaped by the brutal and aggressive rules and teachings of the Noxian conquest. She believes in strength and pain as the ultimate sources of power. She has spent a lifetime forging her path through bloodshed, discipline, and ruthless ambition. But Mel is someone who prefers a light touch, diplomacy over war, art over brute force, and intellect over dominance. Those differences are a perfect showcase of why, even until the end, Mel didn’t want to have anything in common with her mother in Arcane.
The book also shows what makes their relationship so important. It’s all because neither Ambessa nor Mel is completely right or wrong in their ideologies. Ambessa due to her brute force and military influence, is successful. Her power is real, her presence commands fear, and she has built an empire that many people fear. On the other hand, Mel’s ability to cleverly manipulate Piltover’s political elite through strategy and alliances, instead of fear and pain, is proof of why sometimes kids give their parents a run for their money.
Connecting the novel with Arcane and future League of Legends novels that may expand Runeterra’s lore
For those who were introduced to Ambessa through Arcane, Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf is more than just a prequel. In my opinion, this book is an important missing piece in the lore of the Medarda family. In Arcane, Ambessa’s arrival in Piltover is of huge importance. Her presence alone is enough to make a lot of people afraid of her, even the most important people in the city. However, the show provided limited information about her past and why people are so afraid of her.
The book fills these narrative holes, and it shows us Ambessa’s backstory in a way that both respects her presence from the show and explores her past. What I loved about this book is that it also expands more on the power structures within Noxus itself, giving greater insight into its military hierarchy, all the noble families, and the potential future stories.
One of the more intriguing aspects to me is that we can see the exploration of Ambessa’s past relationships. Not just with her family, but also with her allies or rivals she forged in battles, and when rising to power. In Arcane, she is shown as a woman who has authority, but the book shows the painful road she chose to take to gain it. In a small way, it humanizes her, but not forgets about her strength, and ruthlessness.
What I hope for, is that with the success of Arcane, Riot Games will continue expanding their book universe. But after reading this book, there are questions about which character deserves to have their book. Given that Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf focuses on Noxian politics and military hierarchy, a natural follow-up could be a novel focused on Swain, the Grand General of Noxus. Or the book about the Black Rose would also be a great idea. We know that the next show will be focused on Noxus, therefore a book that would be an optional entry point to this world would be amazing.
Final thoughts on Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf by C.L. Clark
Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf is more than just an origin story. To me, it’s a story that perfectly describes a rise to power, rewriting your own legacy, and paying the cost of your own sick ambition. The story provides the necessary context to Ambessa’s actions, exploring the ideology that drives her and the sacrifices she has made along the way.
My rating for this book: 7.5/10
For fans of League of Legends, Arcane, and rich fantasy storytelling, Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf is a great book to read. I can’t believe that after all these years, we can finally read an unknown story about a certain character, way before it’s revealed in the game, the game’s Wikipedia, or in another way. This book is proof that Riot Games’ commitment to exploring their worlds and proving that their characters are more than just avatars in a video game or a show is important.
Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf by C.L. Clark is available wherever books are sold. Are you planning to read this one? Let us know what you think on social media @mycosmiccircus or @TheCosmicCircus.com on Bluesky!
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