Posts Tagged ‘the novel post’

The Novel Post: World of Warcraft: Wolfheart Review

2 December 2011 | 1 Comment » | iTZKooPA

This review of the World of Warcraft: Wolfheart novel by Richard A. Knaak is of the spoiler-free variety.

The latest novel for Warcraft’s Expanded Universe sits firmly in the current timeline of the game, as most recent novels have. Readers are placed in a small window after the Cataclysm and the events of Lord of His Pack, but before the official induction of the worgen to the Alliance. This is notable because the author, Richard A. Knaak, tends to write in his own timeline. Nearly all of his work has been set in the game’s past, including a handful of plots that few living beings would have intimate knowledge of. Knaak’s other common trait is the inclusion of “his” characters, Tyrande Whisperwing and Malfurion Stormrage. Both of these characters play an integral role to the dual plot.

Yes, a dual plot. Interested?

Knaak weaves two distinct threads throughout Wolfheart. Not so shockingly, one tale features the struggles of the Alliance, while the other showcases the audacity of the reinvigorated Horde. Making this novel fully capable of playing a fantastic Benedict Arnold (overall, more Alliance focused).

Hit the cut to find out how the novel comes together and if Knaak has finally won over one of the Lore Hounds. Continue Reading

The Novel Post: Dragon Mound

24 October 2011 | No Comments » | Beararms

This review of Dragon Mound, by Richard A Knaak, contains zero calories, zero trans fats, and is completely spoiler free.

Dragon Mound begins with one of the lead characters, Evan Wytherling, traveling through forests outside of the town known as Pretor’s Hill. Evan is a knight on a quest to Pretor’s Hill to investigate the area and its people, for the citizens do not realize that the land the forefathers had built upon was once the great site of a terrible and bloody battle.

During his investigation of the town, we are introduced to another main character, Mardina Sinclair. Mardi (as she prefers to be called) is a young woman with her head constantly in her books, so when she first sees Evan, she is reminded of her stories of brave and gallant knights; unaware of Evans dark, and haunting past. Even though Evan does his best to avoid the girl for her own protection, she constantly pesters the knight.

As fate brings the two together, they are slowly enveloped by the inevitable  growing darkness that threatens to swallow not only them, but the entire region of Rundin as well. Continue Reading

The Novel Post: World of Warcraft: Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects Review

17 October 2011 | 1 Comment » | iTZKooPA

This review World of Warcraft: Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects novel by Christie Golden is of the spoiler-free variety.

Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects opens like many other recent World of Warcraft novelizations. We’re introduced to the star character, Thrall. Said character is then introduced to a challenging force known to any player that has been following the overall storyarc. Today, that’s Deathwing and the devastation his reentry left on Azeroth. Readers are quickly shown how inept Thrall is at his new craft, shamanism. An adjective rarely applied to the renowned – on both sides – leader. Despite his spiritual growth at he hands of Draka in The Shattering, he can barely keep up with his Earthen Ring brethren, leading them to dismiss him, a former Warchief.

Thrall. He’s known by many names, for many reasons. The greenskin is known by both factions, loved and hated independent of such fissures. Warcrafters know more about him than any other faction leaders, quite possibly any other figure in the decades-long universe. And yet, fans don’t know him. Fans know his deeds, the legends, what he’s created and what he has left behind. Golden rectifies this in Twilight of the Aspects. Continue Reading

The Novel Post: World of Warcraft: Wolfheart (Excerpt) Review

15 September 2011 | No Comments » | Randy Denosha

Wolfheart Novel

This excerpt-review of the upcoming World of Warcraft: Wolfheart novel by Richard A. Knaak is of the mild-spoiler variety.

For the people that don’t know Richard, he has written several novels set in the world of Warcraft before, which include The Sunwell Trilogy and the War of the Ancients. Before I get into it I will warn for some spoilers. If you want to read the excerpts before reading the review head here. I will be giving my thoughts about the two excerpts Blizzard has posted.

After reading the first excerpt, I was impressed with the writing style of Knaak. The long-time Warcraft wordsmith created a bond between common orcs and  their new Warchief, Garrosh. It was obvious that the orcs, whether brownskin or greenskin, would would do everything for Thrall’s successor. This becomes more apparent when Briln, the elderly orc captain, tells the reader that the orcs would have readily given their lives for their legendary overlord of the Warsong Offensive.

To be fair, I haven’t actually read any of Knaak’s novels yet, but these excerpts certainly caught my eye and I am looking forward to digesting his older works. This excerpt kept me intrigued throughout. I really wanted to find out what the cargo is that the orcs carry and what its purpose is. I had the idea that they captured some worgen, seeing the name of the novel, but after a second thought I am not so sure anymore. Briln informs us that they will be using this cargo against the Alliance. The worgen maybe an aggressive race, but they wouldn’t attack their own allies. More engrossing is the idea that the Cataclysm is the first sign of their “day” coming. What does Garrosh mean by that…

The second excerpt entertained from start to finish, largely due to heavy emotions. I read how disheartened Genn became with losing his land and city and how he doesn’t like having this curse. He blames himself for everything that happened. Again, the writing style remains slick (not surprising, given that it’s one book). Other staffers have routinely criticism Knaak for his dialogue and descriptions, but he made me feel the heartache and internal struggles Genn is living with. Just consider the weight of the last line, why would it be Malfurion’s fault that the Gilneans got cursed?

Before I go I really want to know what you guys think of these two excerpts? What kind of creatures do you think are in those cages? Why could it be Malfurion’s fault the Gilneans got cursed? Last but not least, are you going to buy this novel? I certainly am!

Darn previews sucking me in. LoreHound.com will have a full review shortly.

The Novel Post: Gelbin Mekkatorque: Cut Short

29 June 2011 | 2 Comments » | Mordil

This review of Gelbin Mekkatorque: Cut Short by Cameron Dayton is a mild spoiler-filled type. Be warned.

Much like the Vol’jin: The Judgement,  Gelbin Mekkatorque: Cut Short explains one of the more shadowed leaders encountered in World of Warcraft. I must admit that I, unlike iTZKooPA, cannot say that I’ve ever had a soft spot for Gnomes. Ever in the lifetime of my gaming, I’ve never cared for them in any way, shape, or form beyond the fact that they have a superior intellect and actually care for safety in their inventions, unlike their Goblin counterparts.

Being one who was always happy to jump into a “Gnome Punting” joke session, when I saw this short story released, I was slightly hesitant to read it. But, despite that, it surprised me in a few spots.

I remember it wasn’t long ago that all us Alliance players were jumping into Operation Gnomeregan. Again, like with the troll counterpart, there was some lore explained and furthered through this mini-world event — however I felt that the Troll event was done in a way that players actually understood what was going on. I felt in Operation Gnomeregan that not much was taken back – considering I still need to run Gnomeregan as a dungeon to claim it from the Troggs. The end boss has always been Thermaplugg, but I never knew why. And considering that he… disappears in the short story, it still doesn’t correlate to the dungeon changing ever.

It was to my surprise to learn in this short story that Thermaplugg was indeed a close and dear friend of Mekkatorque – akin to the Anakin / Obi-Wan construct. Thermaplugg saw a twisted view of the world and wanted to build it for himself, and Mekkatorque wasn’t willing to go along with it, so he had to be eliminated. Continue Reading

The Novel Post: Warcraft: Legends Volume 1 (Free for Download on iPad/iPhone through Thursday)

1 June 2011 | No Comments » | pixiestixy

This review of Warcraft: Legends Volume I is of the spoiler-free variety.

The five-volume Warcraft: Legends series has been out for a good while now, with the first book released in 2008 and the other volumes coming out over the course of about a year. But I had not yet had the chance to read them, and they actually had been off my radar for quite some time until last week when Cryptozoic announced that it had acquired exclusive rights to distribute digital versions of Blizzard’s extended universe manga.

Along with that announcement came the promotion of offering the first volume of Warcraft: Legends for free via the new Cryptozoic Comics app for iPhone and iPad. I jumped on that opportunity, and although it’s a bit belated, wanted to share my thoughts on the book for those of you also pondering the acquisition of free goodies while they’re still gratis.

Legends offers a diverse line of four unrelated stories set in various stages of the Warcraft universe.

The first story, Fallen is a collaboration between Richard Knaak and Jae-Hwan Kim. The first part of the Trag Highmountain story, Fallen follows up from the Sunwell Trilogy. The tauren Trag, who readers were first introduced to in Warcraft: Shadows of Ice, finds himself reborn as one of the undead after defeating the Baron Valimar Mordis. Mordis who had stolen the orb of Ner’zhul from the scourge and raised a frost wyrm, ultimately intending to spread the will of the forsaken. Trag crushed both the Baron and the orb — but in doing so cursed himself to undeath. Continue Reading

The Novel Post: StarCraft II: Devil’s Due Review

2 May 2011 | 1 Comment » | iTZKooPA

This review of StarCraft II: Devil’s Due is of the spoiler-free variety.

Devil’s Due picks up five years after the final operational by the Heaven’s Devils (review), one which forced the remaining squad members to go AWOL. James Raynor and Tychus Findlay remain comrades-in-arms, but of a different variety. Now the pair performs snatch-and-grabs, “freeing” credits from the Confederacy’s hands to spend with reckless abandon at local, often seedy, establishments. The tandem has spent a half decade performing these odd jobs, causing the local authorities and bigger fish to take notice. Before Raynor and Finlay get comfortable in their new life, their past acts come back to haunt them.

Author Christie Golden makes it immediately clear that Devil’s Due is going to be a different type of tale. We’re not going to learn about Raynor’s heroism, his bravery in the face of battle, the Heaven’s Devils’ reunion or officer attributes. This is a dangerous time in Raynor’s and Tychus’ life. They’re a criminal element, walking a fine line between Robin Hood-esque robberies and moral destitute. They frequent seedy establishments. The kind that are full of alcohol, prostitutes, recreational drugs – legal and not – and backroom deals, like Wicked Wayne’s. This is a mature look in to Raynor’s moral development. Golden paints him as an anti-hero at best and a reserved thug at worse.

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The Novel Post: Vol’jin:The Judgment Review

28 April 2011 | 2 Comments » | pixiestixy

This review of Vol’jin: The Judgment by Brian Kindregan is of the spoiler-free variety.

I’ve always been a fan of the Darkspear Trolls, a bond that was strengthened further late in Wrath of the Lich King, in Patch 3.3.5 when Horde players got to participate in an epic event leading to Zalazane’s Fall and the retaking of Echo Isles.

But long before then, before Zalazane went crazy with power and betrayed his people, he and Vol’jin — who would eventually become Darkspear Cheiftan — were friends setting out on a journey to First Home. Their aim: to convene with the voodoo Loa spirits and receive judgment on their worth to become Shadow Hunters.

Blizzard recently posted Vol’jin: The Judgment as the newest edition of its ongoing Leaders series of short stories. At 22-pages long (in PDF format), it’s a quick read that gives some great, although tragic, context to how both Vol’jin and Zalazane were aimed down their respective paths. Personally, I prefer the web version over the PDF for the illustrations and easy-to-read colors — pick your pleasure. It’s no novel, but it is a good extension to the lore and fits well into our The Novel Post heading.

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