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McBrain
BRB Face Melting
join:2010-05-06
Marietta, GA

McBrain

Member

[Lore] I've never read ANY lore...where EXACTLY should I start?

Title says it all...is there a definitive starting point, or is it more or less pick a series and start with the first book or whatever?

WoW's always been 'just a game' to me...and don't get me wrong, it still is, but the lore is so vast that I'd like to get a better understanding of it. Reading is fundamental and it'll give me something to do besides rot my brain with vidjima games. Plus, we all know what G.I. Joe told us when we were youngsters.

Adalicia
Om Nom Nom
join:2009-10-13
Lincoln, NE

Adalicia

Member

Re: [Lore] I've never read ANY lore...where EXACTLY should I sta

Somewhere there is a timeline that has all the books, comics, and games in order in terms of cannon. It isn't imparitive that you follow it. The Anthology and the War of the Ancients trilogy are good starting places, both deal with fairly large moments in Azerothian history or major lore characters.

Jobbie
Keep It Simple
Premium Member
join:2010-08-24
Mexico

Jobbie

Premium Member

I agree read the War of the Ancients trilogy and then go from there.

McBrain
BRB Face Melting
join:2010-05-06
Marietta, GA

McBrain to Adalicia

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to Adalicia
Exactly who I was hoping would answer...I seriously almost pm'ed you this, but chose instead to ask everyone.

I'm going to buy 1 book on itunes right now and I'm trying to decide where to start. 1 because who knows if I'll even like fantasy -- I don't think I've ever even read any books in the genre outside of The Hobbit when I was in high school.

Immer
Gentleman
Premium Member
join:2010-01-07
Evans, GA

Immer

Premium Member

War of the Ancients should be your one book. I'd jump from there to "The Shattering" and on to "Jaina Proudmoore: Tides of War". That will get you fully covered in the macro story of WoW.

There are lots of older books that let you dig into the history of Grim Batol, Malfurion, Illidan, Arthas, Deathwing, Varian Wrynn... but you'd have to be interested in those to enjoy them... and they don't necessarily need to be read in order.

Skittles
Premium Member
join:2011-03-31

Skittles

Premium Member

I would recommend Arthas, I just love this period in WoW.....others are good but this one strikes a chord with me.
Josof
join:2010-10-23
Virginia Beach, VA

Josof to McBrain

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to McBrain
said by McBrain:

Title says it all...is there a definitive starting point, or is it more or less pick a series and start with the first book or whatever?

WoW's always been 'just a game' to me...and don't get me wrong, it still is, but the lore is so vast that I'd like to get a better understanding of it. Reading is fundamental and it'll give me something to do besides rot my brain with vidjima games. Plus, we all know what G.I. Joe told us when we were youngsters.

War of the Ancients is a good place to start
Cptbeatstix
join:2011-12-21
Carrollton, TX

Cptbeatstix to McBrain

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to McBrain
I agree with the Arthas book. It really shows his better side than most people know. He was willing to sacrifice himself to save his people and ultimately paid the price when he picked up frostmourne. The Lich King wasn't Arthas. Arthas died once he picked up that blade. Goes to show that even the most just and heroic people can be corrupted....

Adalicia
Om Nom Nom
join:2009-10-13
Lincoln, NE

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Blizzard uses a handful of authors, the two most note worthy and frequently used being Golden and Knaak. A lot of people dislike Richard Knaak because of his style and propensity to add his own Mary Sue characters to his works, more than a couple becoming canonical characters (and bad ones at that), and because he generally writes major lore characters poorly. Golden on the other hand is some untouchable goddess when it comes to the books, and probably with good reason. Unlike Knaak she is capable of writing strong female characters, has an overall enjoyable flow to her prose, and does an exceptional job of properly representing lore characters are they should be. I prefer Golden over Knaak but I don't absolutely abhor him. If you want a good introductory book, as many have said, Arthas is a great starting point. Its relatively short, deals with probably the biggest lore character in the WoW universe, has all the standard tropes of a tragic hero, and is ultimately just well written.

footballdude
Premium Member
join:2002-08-13
Imperial, MO

footballdude to McBrain

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Just play Warcraft 3. It explains everything up until Cataclysm.

Lothario
join:2009-09-30
Ottawa, ON

1 edit

Lothario to McBrain

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Reading a song of ice and fire atm(on book 4). Very good read.
Wow books are decent and of course a lot of the RA Salvatore, forgotten realms storylines with everyone's favourite Ranger,Assassin, and mercenary..

Adalicia
Om Nom Nom
join:2009-10-13
Lincoln, NE

Adalicia

Member

The Song of Ice and Fire series is a great series, though at the pace that GRRM is taking with writing them I'm starting to worry that it'll turn into the Wheel of Time series and he'll die before it is finished.

Kulldar
Premium Member
join:2008-11-11
Warren, MI

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Salvatore is my favorite, and not because I'm a Drizzt fan boy either, he isn't even my favorite character.

What do you guys think of Christopher Paolini? His series certainly has some "resemblances" to other popular fiction, but I do enjoy the inheritance series.

So as WOW books relate, which one would chronologically be the first?

Adalicia
Om Nom Nom
join:2009-10-13
Lincoln, NE

Adalicia

Member

Technically War of the Ancients in that 99% of the book is set 10,000 years in the past. The first chapter and final chapter are set in pre-cataclysm Azeroth.

Lothario
join:2009-09-30
Ottawa, ON

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At least he's given HBO the outline of his intended storyline so they can finish the series.

Drizzt is OK, Artemis is my favorite. I haven't read any of his recent stuff.

Also the Gary Gygax books with Gord the rogue for you older folks.

McBrain
BRB Face Melting
join:2010-05-06
Marietta, GA

McBrain

Member

Got War of the Ancients #1 and #2.

Stoked to start...

Adalicia
Om Nom Nom
join:2009-10-13
Lincoln, NE

Adalicia

Member

Hopefully you'll find it enjoyable, and if not give Golden a try before tossing in the proverbial towel.

McBrain
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join:2010-05-06
Marietta, GA

McBrain

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It's a little...bleh...But, Ive had a few brewskis, getting used to kindle for PC, and been interrupted on the phone a few times. Going to pick up chapter 2 tomorrow with a fresh mind.

Immer
Gentleman
Premium Member
join:2010-01-07
Evans, GA

Immer

Premium Member

fair warning, Knaak is starting the book by changing the past... a past that was laid out in the Warcraft books. It will pick up once he's made it his own story.

Adalicia
Om Nom Nom
join:2009-10-13
Lincoln, NE

Adalicia

Member

Its been a good three years since I've read that particular trilogy but if memory serves me it is pretty brutal in terms of build up, takes a while. I do however remember that once the ball gets rolling it doesn't particularly stop.
Josof
join:2010-10-23
Virginia Beach, VA

Josof

Member

Ya WotA starts off pretty slow but then you will start recognizing some of the characters then it really starts to pick up. Knaak doesnt have a real talent for world building like Martin. I actually prefer Christie Golden.

Adalicia
Om Nom Nom
join:2009-10-13
Lincoln, NE

Adalicia

Member

Most people prefer Golden.

McBrain
BRB Face Melting
join:2010-05-06
Marietta, GA

McBrain

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The parents came in town...just left today. Picking the book back up tonight, I'll post my opinions as they come to me.
McBrain

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McBrain to Adalicia

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I'm about 1/3 through the book...Knaak's style is...interesting. He's incredibly descriptive; sometimes to excess, I think.

At this particular point, I'm most interested to see how Brox's story plays out. Knaak makes me think he's the John Wayne of orcs.

Immer
Gentleman
Premium Member
join:2010-01-07
Evans, GA

Immer

Premium Member

said by McBrain:

Knaak makes me think he's the John Wayne of orcs.

a fitting description. Bronx is my favorite Orc of all time (well... he only had to beat 2, but he is one of my favorite lore characters).

McBrain
BRB Face Melting
join:2010-05-06
Marietta, GA

McBrain

Member

Got up to the part where Tyrande, Malfurion, and now Illidan are going to try to break him out...meanwhile Krasus and Rhonin are 'guests' of Cenarius.

The wife hasn't felt well the past couple of days, so my progress is slow but steady...its impossible to read while watching a 2 year old, and nearly as difficult to do so while Real Housewives of Atlanta is blaring in the background at bed time...

I'm trudging along, Knaak increasing the pace has definitely helped out...but boy, this book started slow. For about the first 50 pages I was really having a hard time staying interested; the past 100 or so have been wonderful.
Josof
join:2010-10-23
Virginia Beach, VA

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said by McBrain:

.

At this particular point, I'm most interested to see how Brox's story plays out. Knaak makes me think he's the John Wayne of orcs.

Brox is what made the book for me, i loved his story arc. Ya Knaak has plenty of descriptive words for things like trees and bushes...long winded for sure.

Skittles
Premium Member
join:2011-03-31

Skittles

Premium Member

said by Josof:

said by McBrain:

.

At this particular point, I'm most interested to see how Brox's story plays out. Knaak makes me think he's the John Wayne of orcs.

Brox is what made the book for me, i loved his story arc. Ya Knaak has plenty of descriptive words for things like trees and bushes...long winded for sure.

Brox crested the hill and and beheld the tall, strong trunk of the great pine. Its' trunk marked with signs of the passage of time, war and disease. He knew the roots were buried deep, spreading their fingers like an old god clawing at the earth. When the wind blew, whispers of secrets passed through the needles telling of the cold winter to come as the pine cones danced in the boughs like orc children in fields of green.

As Brox walked further he spied another pine, its' trunk was much different than the last...OH SHUT THE FUCK UP AND GET ON WITH THE STORY ALREADY....

......the night was sultry...

McBrain
BRB Face Melting
join:2010-05-06
Marietta, GA

McBrain

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said by Skittles:

...OH SHUT THE FUCK UP AND GET ON WITH THE STORY ALREADY....

......the night was sultry...

Yeah, dude...sometimes I'm like, "what the fuck am I reading...".

Mostly at the parts involving Cenarius or one of the night elf chicks...I think nature might give Knaak a boner, and he might have been better suited writing novels with pics of Fabio on the front.

It's annoying to have a more detailed description of a magical flower than Brox's man-sized, bare handed beat-down of a Fel Hound.
McBrain

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McBrain

Member

Finished last night.

Reading it on an electronic device (netbook on Kindle for PC) contributed to the story ending super abruptly.

Overall I was pleased with the book. It was easy reading once I got into the flow of Knaak's writing style.

Broxigar was by-far my favorite character. Followed by Illidan. Seeing his character develop was interesting.

Edit: Starting book 2 tonight.