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katyanaish's review against another edition
4.0
A solid intro to the events of BfA, for the most part I enjoyed it. I've been playing WoW since launch weekend of vanilla - on both horde and alliance side, because I'm a story nerd and wanted the story from both sides - and so I'm admittedly not a generic audience member for this book. So YMMV.
I do want to touch on Sylvanas, because she was the toughest thing to swallow in this book. Firstly, prior to Legion, I found her to be a complicated yet compelling character. Someone I had great sympathy for, because of the events with Arthas... even if sometimes that sympathy gets stretched thin. My heart broke for her, when Vareesa decided not to join her in undeath, after Garrosh's trial (these things aren't in spoiler tags because they are events that way pre-date this book).
I was excited, at the start of Legion, to see what she would do as Warchief. And then Legion happened, and I was ... immensely disappointed. Firstly, Sylvanas was just utterly absent, aside from her own personal quest in Stormheim, to capture more val'kyr (and Eyir) so she could live forever. I was disappointed that the Warchief of the whole damn Horde would, when they are facing their gravest threat (the Burning Legion), just head off on her own to hunt down personal business. Like, really, fuck off with that. And then on Argus, with Vareesa and Alleria (her sisters) right on the front lines, she felt conspicuously absent. It felt wrong. Furthermore, I hated her handling of Varian's death (and not only hers... don't get me started on Jaina). Here's the deal. She didn't abandon Varian to his death on purpose. The Horde were overrun, Vol'jin was dying and he ordered her to retreat and save the Horde. She had to make a horrible choice, to save as many as she could. And of ALL people, Anduin would understand that - in this book, Sylvanas calls him a starry-eyed dreamer, and Anduin has always pushed for peace. He would understand why they had to retreat. But rather than talk to him, and mend this divide ... she said not a word and let it fester, so that all Anduin was hearing was Genn and Jaina's tales of betrayal. And here's the deal: it makes Sylvanas a shitty leader. She has done nothing to stabilize a very shaky alliance with the Alliance as they were dealing with the biggest threat ever... and has virtually guaranteed war with them after the Legion was dealt with. It is DUMB. And Sylvanas has never been dumb. So yeah, I very much disliked Sylvanas's arc in Legion.
And I very much disliked it in this book. I feel like Blizzard is having her go this horrible megalomaniac route... she's basically becoming Arthas, in some horrible irony. I mean, in the very beginning of this book, She's gone from being one of my favorite characters, to one I despise. Because between that opening and the events at the end of this book, she is appalling.
And to be clear,
So there. That's my 2 cents on the ongoing Sylvanas debate.
I do want to touch on Sylvanas, because she was the toughest thing to swallow in this book. Firstly, prior to Legion, I found her to be a complicated yet compelling character. Someone I had great sympathy for, because of the events with Arthas... even if sometimes that sympathy gets stretched thin. My heart broke for her, when Vareesa decided not to join her in undeath, after Garrosh's trial (these things aren't in spoiler tags because they are events that way pre-date this book).
I was excited, at the start of Legion, to see what she would do as Warchief. And then Legion happened, and I was ... immensely disappointed. Firstly, Sylvanas was just utterly absent, aside from her own personal quest in Stormheim, to capture more val'kyr (and Eyir) so she could live forever. I was disappointed that the Warchief of the whole damn Horde would, when they are facing their gravest threat (the Burning Legion), just head off on her own to hunt down personal business. Like, really, fuck off with that. And then on Argus, with Vareesa and Alleria (her sisters) right on the front lines, she felt conspicuously absent. It felt wrong. Furthermore, I hated her handling of Varian's death (and not only hers... don't get me started on Jaina). Here's the deal. She didn't abandon Varian to his death on purpose. The Horde were overrun, Vol'jin was dying and he ordered her to retreat and save the Horde. She had to make a horrible choice, to save as many as she could. And of ALL people, Anduin would understand that - in this book, Sylvanas calls him a starry-eyed dreamer, and Anduin has always pushed for peace. He would understand why they had to retreat. But rather than talk to him, and mend this divide ... she said not a word and let it fester, so that all Anduin was hearing was Genn and Jaina's tales of betrayal. And here's the deal: it makes Sylvanas a shitty leader. She has done nothing to stabilize a very shaky alliance with the Alliance as they were dealing with the biggest threat ever... and has virtually guaranteed war with them after the Legion was dealt with. It is DUMB. And Sylvanas has never been dumb. So yeah, I very much disliked Sylvanas's arc in Legion.
And I very much disliked it in this book. I feel like Blizzard is having her go this horrible megalomaniac route... she's basically becoming Arthas, in some horrible irony. I mean, in the very beginning of this book,
Spoiler
she's planning to attack Stormwind - unprovoked - and murder everyone, to raise them as Forsaken. That IS Arthas. She is LITERALLY him now.And to be clear,
Spoiler
I'm not talking about killing Calia. Honestly... what Calia did was dumb, and I feel that Sylvanas killing her ... it falls fairly in that morally gray window. Calia was the rightful heir to Lordaeron, and she was there on the field encouraging her people to betray Sylvanas. Killing Calia was fair ... and Sylvanas could have used her presence to start a war with Anduin (something even he recognized - he was pretty pissed about it, in the Temple, afterwards), because it would have been fair to accuse him of conspiring to foment rebellion. He didn't do that, we know, but it pretty easily gives that appearance. So no, I don't hate Sylvanas for killing Calia Menethil. I hate her for wiping out her own people. Killing Elsie - who was utterly loyal to Sylvanas - and being fucking thrilled to have the excuse to wipe out the Desolate Council. It was disgusting, something utterly tyrannical ... and it takes the one core truth I thought I knew about Sylvanas - that she loves her people - and makes it into something abusive. She doesn't love them. She requires their worship, and loathes their happiness because she feels it undermines her. And that's gross. Evil. Unforgivable.So there. That's my 2 cents on the ongoing Sylvanas debate.
powercakes's review against another edition
3.0
This book is almost as disappointing as the expansion it lead into. Starts out strong, then dives into petty politics that really had no real explanation for happening. Blizzard and Golden had their cake and wanted to eat it, too.
lindetiel's review against another edition
2.0
The story itself was ok, nothing too engaging, but not boring either. The main letdown was the Polish translation.
pipsqueak00's review against another edition
4.0
4⭐️
God I’m so deep down in the lore of wow, might as well read all the books at this point
God I’m so deep down in the lore of wow, might as well read all the books at this point
starbuck1210's review against another edition
4.0
For whatever reason this book had a slow start for me and I found the sections with the goblins to be hard to read.
However on the whole I’m really glad I took the time to read this. I have already started BfA and I’m glad that I now have a little more context behind the expansion. I am very excited to see what will come of Calia, and what sort of a role she will have in game. I think I caught wind of her in a quest or two but I’m anxious to see more. This book really I feel explains more of Anduin’s story than Sylvanas. Which I think was okay, I just am still looking for some context on what has pushed her to this point of destruction.
I’m excited to play more and see some of this book in the context of the game. Overall a really quick and good read. I, as always, recommend these books to people who play the game looking for more background and lore.
However on the whole I’m really glad I took the time to read this. I have already started BfA and I’m glad that I now have a little more context behind the expansion. I am very excited to see what will come of Calia, and what sort of a role she will have in game. I think I caught wind of her in a quest or two but I’m anxious to see more. This book really I feel explains more of Anduin’s story than Sylvanas. Which I think was okay, I just am still looking for some context on what has pushed her to this point of destruction.
I’m excited to play more and see some of this book in the context of the game. Overall a really quick and good read. I, as always, recommend these books to people who play the game looking for more background and lore.
yerin's review against another edition
5.0
This book made me feel feels. Very unexpectedly too... it was great to read a book set in a world with characters that I have loved for so many years now. Time to get a subscription again it seems!
runehallow's review against another edition
2.0
sighs. one star because i'm deeply invested in these characters and will be until my death. another star for the goblin/gnome couple.
more later, ON THE BLOG.
more later, ON THE BLOG.
eirikvii's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5