WarCraft Archive
by Blizzard Entertainment, Richard A. Knaak
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Book Summary Information
Author: Blizzard Entertainment, Richard A. KnaakEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2006-10-24
ISBN: 1416525823
Number of pages: 624
Publisher: Pocket
Book Reviews of WarCraft Archive
Book Review: An excellent fantasy collection.
Summary: 5 Stars
=SPOILERS AHEAD=
Day of the Dragon - 3.5 Stars - While I liked the writing style, I found the constant (and sometimes pointless) action a bit tiresome. The novel is very plot-driven, and characters often act and think exactly the way they need to in order to keep the story going. Apart from this, I loved Day of the Dragon. The characterization was rather well done, and the sexual tension between the protagonists was especially enjoyable, as it was both simple and well-developed, without any of the Deux Sex Machina idiocy that tends to occur so often in fantasy novels. Finally, I found Day of the Dragon especially enjoyable because it dealt with a part of WarCraft storyline that I knew little about - that being the dragon aspects, how the Orcs enslaved Alextrasza, and the semi-peaceful period following the second war.
Lord of the Clans - 5 Stars - Kudos to Christie Golden for writing this novel. It is, by far, my favorite in this collection. It tells the tale of Thrall's life before WarCraft III, at the same time giving us an insight into what the world of Azeroth was like between the second and the third war. The writer focuses on emotions and character development, and wastes no time on unnecessary action scenes. Christie Golden shows great skill when it comes to handling her characters, even managing to present a stereotypical evil baron as a human being that elicits pity, as well as hate. After reading Lord of the Clans, I'm definitely going to buy other novels by C. Golden. Even if you have no interest in purchasing WarCraft Archive, you should consider getting standalone Lord of the Clans - it's well worth it even if you aren't a fan of the genre.
The Last Guardian - 4 Stars - While the hero of this novel is Khadgar the mage, the story itself revolves around Medivh and his gradual degeneration into "madness". It gives us an insight into the guardian's personality, and reveals his motives, as well as the outside influences that made him the man (monster) he was. The story is well done, the writing style manages to be ornate and concise at the same time, and the characters are quite believable. Sadly, The Last Guardian was probably written under a deadline, resulting in more then one language mistake, as well as word combinations that are so badly thought out ("most mighty"), that they hurt the story. The thing I dislike about The Last Guardian is the final confrontation; I expected Medivh himself would defeat the evil that corrupted his soul, and then willingly submitting to his punishment. Instead, we get to see Medivh, whose powers are such that he could single-handedly destroy an army of demons, getting stabbed to death by a frail old man. As a direct result, Medivh's pre-death redemption lacks the impact it so rightfully deserved. Overall, The Last Guardian is a very good novel, one that I recommend to any fan of epic fantasy.
Of Blood and Honor - 4 Stars - Shortest of the four novels, Of Blood and Honor concerns one paladin's fall from grace. It is a powerful story that bears a strong message; it is easy to keep to one's code of honor in times of peace, but what about the moments when one has to pick between beliefs, and material safety/social standing? The protagonist of this novel makes his choice, and suffers severe consequences at the hands of human hypocrisy, once again proving that good extremes are unacceptable just as much as bad ones are. Characters in this book are masterfully done. Chris Metzen manages to create a believable paladin, a man who lives up to extreme beliefs without turning into a complete idiot, or an inquisitor. Alas, mr.Metzen's writing style is average at best. There are way too many adverbs, and way too few strong nouns. In his fear that the reader won't understand him, the author often explains things that don't need to be explained, like telling us exactly how a character feels, even thought the dialogue, the preceding events, and what we know of the characters, already allow us to draw our own conclusions. Despite its technical flaws, Of Blood and Honor is an outstanding story that I recommend to everyone, regardless whether they play Blizzard games or not..
For those who don't know, the worlds of Azeroth and Draenor provide the setting for Blizzard Entertainment's World of WarCraft MMORPG and WarCraft RTS series. The overall setting has been running for well over fifteen years, and when it comes to depth and sheer size, it is one of the greatest fantasy settings of all time.
DISCLAIMER: I've given WarCraft Archive five stars not because each novel in the collection is a five-stars fantasy novel, but because the collection itself is a five-stars fantasy collection. Its overall quality is superb for a game-based novel series.
Summary of WarCraft Archive
In the mist-shrouded haze of past, the world of Azeroth teemed with wonders of every kind. Magical races and ancient beasts strode alongside the tribes of man -- until the arrival of the demonic Burning Legion and its baneful lord, Sargeras. Now dragons, elves, orcs, and dwarves all vie for supremacy across their scarred, war-torn kingdoms -- all part of a grand, malevolent scheme to determine the fate of the world of...DAY OF THE DRAGON: A terrifying upheaval among the highest ranks of the world's Wizards sends the maverick Mage, Rhonin, on a perilous journey into the Orc-controlled lands of Khaz Modan. What Rhonin uncovers is a vast, far-reaching conspiracy, darker than anything he ever imagined -- a threat that will force him into a dangerous alliance with ancient creatures of air and fire if the world of Azeroth is to see another dawn.
LORD OF THE CLANS: Slave and Gladiator. Shaman and Warchief. The enigmatic Orc known as Thrall has been all of these. Raised from infancy by cruel human masters who sought to mold him into their perfect pawn, Thrall was driven by both the savagery in his heart and the cunning of his upbringing to pursue a destiny he was only beginning to understand -- to break his bondage and rediscover the ancient traditions of his people. Now the tumultuous tale of his life's journey -- a saga of honor, hatred, and hope -- can at last be told.
THE LAST GUARDIAN: The Guardians of Tirisfal were a line of champions imbued with godlike powers, each one through the ages charged with fighting a lonely secret war against the Burning Legion. Medivh was fated from birth to become the greatest and most powerful of this noble order. But from the beginning a darkness tainted him, corrupting his soul and turning to evil the powers that should have fought for good. Medivh's struggle against the malice within him became one with the fate of Azeroth itself...and changed the world forever.
OF BLOOD AND HONOR: The paladin Tirion Fordring had always believed the Orcs were vile and corrupt, but an unexpected act of honor and compassion sets in motion a chain of events that will challenge his most fundamental beliefs and force him to decide, once and for all, who are the men...and who are the monsters.
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