"Wolfheart" A Review

By happy circumstance Amazon saw fit to deliver my copy of "Wolfheart" by Richard Knaak early. I will be totally honest here and state that I was not waiting with baited breath by my door like I was for Christie Golden's "Thrall: The Twilight of the Aspects" or "The Shattering". It was not due to the subject matter. King Varian Wyrnn and the Worgen are certainly topics to inspire conversation and interest. Rather it was Knaak's track record when dealing with this type of subject matter.

To often, what the reader expects to be the focus of the book (BLIZZARD's Lore and crafted characters) are instead lost or over shadowed by Knaak's own creations. Surprisingly this was not the case with this book (UNLESS you count one specific character Knaak introduced in the "War of the Ancient's Trilogy") and Blizzard decided to include within current game play. Rather what Knaak does in this volume is spends the majority of the time focused on the back drop of the story (which is the current troubles in Night Elf society) and the title character becomes secondary until the very end.

Another major issue I had with this book was time line. I found it rather difficult to figure out exactly WHEN this book was to have taken place. It is obviously AFTER the Cataclysm and Malfurion and Tyrande's wedding. Gilneas has already fallen yet is not yet considered a part of the Alliance. THIS point is made abundantly clear.  However the Council of Three Hammers has already been created or at least that is the impression given. What causes my confusion? Varian's attitude toward the Gilneans and King Genn in particular.  Those who have done the the Worgen and Forsaken starting zones know that Stormwind send the 7th to assist Gilneas. If there were the tensions that Knaak eludes to how in the world would this have come about? There are other instances of timeline flow I will discuss later.

SPOILERS TO FOLLOW

Now to the specifics of the story.

The book begins with a rather disjointed attempt at laying out the cast of characters. The veteran commander attempting to protect Ashenvale from another invasion by the Horde. An Orc Sea Captain with a special cargo to deliver to his new Warchief for an audacious plan designed to bring the Alliance to its knees. The Worgen and their King trying to find a place in the world after years of isolation. Night Elf society as it attempts to deal with mortality and all the challenges that brings, the return of the Highborn, and hosting a gathering of the Alliance under its branches.

Several story lines or questions left hanging in game are answered or at least addressed in this book which is nice. There is some continuity between this book and Ms Golden's works. First Knaak deals with where Jerod Shadowsong has been all these years and exactly why he disappeared. (In game we first see him in Mt Hyjal as a prisoner of the Twilight Hammer, again it is hard to say when exactly in the time line that event would fall.) The subject of what became of Jerod's sister Maiev after the death of Illidan is also resolved, though her present whereabouts are a mystery.  Mr Knaak also spells out WHY the Alliance, the Night elves specifically are turning to Stormwind, more importantly its troubled King during these turbulent times.

Varian's troubled past is again rehashed briefly along with his more recent difficulties regarding his son. With the help of the Worgen, he finds resolution to all the various traumas he has faced in his life. This grants the Alliance the leader they so desperately need and cementa the relationship between Gilneas and Stormwind forever.  Knaak also takes the time to further explore the significance of Varian's Lo'gosh nick name.

The Highborn have returned with all their arrogance still intact. They can not understand why the other Night Elves continue to feel uncomfortable about using Arcane Magic. They have no problems with their ALLIES using it! Not only that but instead of thinking of comfort all any one wants to do is think about the trees and wild life! It is miserable! The younger ones chafe at each slight. Only the elders who understand their precarious position keep everyone in line. Then Highborn start turning up murdered just as the Alliance summit is about to start. Suspicion is ripe.

To add to the tensions Mulfurion has insisted that the Worgen of Gilneas be granted sanctuary in Darnassas until their fate can be determined by the rest of the Alliance members. He feels responsible for them. As a result of his decision to place the Druids of the Pack within a pocket of the Emerald Dream, they were later discovered by Arugal, thus the people of Gilneas became infected in the first place.

Further more Mulfurion and his wife are feeling their age. For a race that was once immortal, they are still very long lived. Death was once a rare thing brought on by foolishness or war, now they are coming to realize, it is becoming a more immediate part of their life. After 10,000 years, bones are starting to ache, wrinkles to appear and all those signs they have seen in the "younger races", especially the humans, are staring them in the face. The burdens of leadership weigh heavily on them.

Then Tyrande has a vision. While Mulfurion is unclear how it can come to fruition he pledges himself to assisting in bringing it about. In a seeming reversal of roles Tyrande is the one who heads off to war against the Horde and to protect Ashenvale against Garrosh, while Mulfurion is left to deal with a broken King Varian, along with a murderer stalking Darnassas.

Anduin seems to be the one of the few males who isn't given to self flagellation in this book...perhaps it is because he is still to young? Thankfully Knaak kept him as strong as Ms Golden did in The Shattering. It is Anduin defying his father, abandoning him to follow his calling and seek training with Velen that pushes Varian to the breaking point. Mulfurion takes advantage of the situation and sets Varion up. Forcing him to face his past, prejudices and inner fears as this is the only way he can ever truly heal and become whole once more.

Garrosh when he is seen again is rather two dimensional. Willing to do whatever it takes to show his "worthiness" to be Warchief. Believing if he could just manage to do what neither his Father nor Thrall accomplished he will then prove beyond a shadow of a doubt he DESERVES to be heir to their Horde and remove any lingering questions about his tarnished honor. Taking outrageous risks at times bring him victory but at great cost.  Still rather single minded in his focus he continues to under estimate his opponents.  When faced with the fact that his mid battle duel with King Varian has been interrupted, it is only the fact that his guards are willing to be executed rather than have him return to the fight that forces him to change direction.

Over all I have to give this book faint praise. While it wrapped up several loose ends, they were not necessarily done neatly.  I had my suspicions about the identity about the "murderer" very early so even that came as no great shock. It served its purpose but not with any great depth.

The Shattering: Prelude to the Cataclysm Book Review

You know the game you have been playing for five plus years has hit the main stream when the newest book regarding it can be found for sale at my local super store in my poe dink town BEFORE it arrives via my special order from Amazon. (For those of you who think that Walmart came up with the idea of the Super Store you are wrong, they actually copied the idea from a local franchise we have in my neck of the woods.) WHY was it available early you ask? Because we ARE a poe dink town. They had NO clue what they had, so they put it OUT before its release date....however since I HAD special ordered it my loving spouse would not allow me to purchase it. (We have no need for multiple copies he said.) Then of course Amazon delivered it LATE....there is this WONDERFUL thing called irony.

The Shattering is Christie Golden's newest contribution to the canon of World of Warcraft. Unlike her previous works this addition doesn't take place primarily in the past but very much in the present day of the On Line Game. I would characterize this book as an introduction of the "changing of the guard" in the current political powers of Azeroth. Which is something that Ms. Golden  handles beautifully.  By that I mean the next generation of political leaders are coming into their own and making themselves known in this book. We are being introduced to each of them, learning who they are and what makes them tick. Even if you never read the book you will encounter every character at some point in the game, but reading it will give you a greater understanding of how they came to be there, WHY they are in the position they hold, as well as their relationship to the others. Lore mongers will HAVE to have this book, all others will certainly enjoy it.

One of the things I most enjoy about Golden's work is that she is able to make her characters understandable to the reader. That doesn't mean you will like or embrace them. There are MULTIPLE times I wanted to bash both Garrosh AND Varian's heads for being so fundamentally STUPID, but you can understand WHY they are making the decisions they are, even if you may not agree with WHY they are doing them. Yet she is able to make their motivations believable.  One of the problems with a GAME is that it tends to limit character development to two dimensions. Golden is finally able to give us a third demension to our characters again and restore individuals like Jaina Proudmoore BACK to something more than a sniveling hankie.

She really had her work cut out for her, especially in the area of character development for Garrosh. Here was an individual who AGAIN had to undergo RADICAL personality changes between expansions and she needed to tie it together. To explain to the reader HOW he was a whiny sniveling brat in Outland, an out of control hot head in Northrend and then SOMEHOW becomes a REASONABLE leader following the Cataclysm. She even manages to give a little more insight into why Varian is so unstable, that he is AWARE that he is unstable but also that he can't do much about it other than continue to muddle through TRYING to gain more control over his split personality problem. (It is a good thing the Horde still can't kill Anduin, otherwise his sole reason for attempting to remain sane would evaporate.)

*Spoilers to Follow*

There are TONS of reviews out about this book now that go into detail about the story so I won't even bother giving a run down of it. I just want to mention what I considered the high lights for me.

First, a remark made by Eitrigg to Thrall about Jaina Proudmoore. "To bad she isn't an orc." It is kinda a tweak at all the fans who have had this thing about Thrall and Jaina. I have never been one for the whole Jaina and Thrall romantic thing but I know that Chris Mentzen has been trying to get Thrall a romantic interest FOREVER, only to have fans pitch a FIT because they want him with Jaina. Well as Eitrigg says...."She ISN'T an Orc.." Thall needs a mate. He needs an heir. Part of the problem the Horde faces is as the direct result of the fact that Thrall DOESN'T have an heir and the only person he WOULD have chosen was killed at the Wrathgate. That whole scene was delicious. Thankfully Thrall FINALLY gets himself a girlfriend and I really like her, she is just as smart mouthed as his mother was. When I first encountered her in game not even knowing who she was I enjoyed thier interactions, so it will be nice to she her developed more.

Second, the meeting between Baine and Anduin at Jaina's. I don't think ANYONE would say this wasn't one of the BEST parts of the book. Golden herself has stated she had the most fun writing this and it shows. The conversation between these two fugitives just shows how much of an impact they will have on the future of Azeroth. Both of them questioning if they will be able to live up to the legends that are their Fathers, but at the same time knowing that even now they have a role to play in the greater scheme of things. Anduin and Baine both leave it embracing their vocations and baring gifts of very different types, one a physical item, the other the, words of power that will forever alter their factions.

Third, Garrosh's letter to Magatha. This single item lifted Garrosh in my eyes. If you have never read it...it is a sight to behold.

Unto Elder Crone Magatha of the Grimtotem, 
Acting Warchief of the Horde, Garrosh Hellscream,
Sends his most sincere wishes for a slow and painful death.

It goes on from there. The letter is a work of art. Filled with insults, death threats, torture descriptions and snide remarks. It shows that Garrosh MIGHT be worth something as Warchief. Granted he is still feeling rather sorry for himself and put upon for his own stupidity. But then Eitrigg isn't pulling any punches in pointing out that the whole reason he is IN this mess is because he WAS so arrogant and stupid that he GOT taken advantage of and as a result the Trolls think he murdered Cairne on PURPOSE. Baine at least recognizes he is an idiot (this is a good thing?) and isn't going to hold it against him no matter how much he may want to beat him to a bloody pulp. The Blood Elves and Forsaken haven't really weighed in on the matter since they were in  the Eastern Kingdoms at the time.

Fourth, Varian and The Council of the Three Hammers. Now this for me was HUGE but it is a lore thing that I don't know if many people will find nearly as big as I did. It is kinda of the case of something RIGHT being done for all the wrong reasons and in totally the wrong way. For the FIRST TIME SINCE BEFORE THE WAR OF THE THREE HAMMERS THE THREE CLANS ARE UNITED IN IRONFORGE!! And we have Varian and Moira to thank for it. The problem is that these two are TOTALLY crazy and it didn't happen because that was REALLY what they were going for.

As much as we keep calling King Varian "Varian" you discover in the book that really the "Varian" part of him got totally messed up after the incident with Lady Onyxia, so the personality that pretty much runs the show is Lo'Gosh. Not a good idea because that means he is going into a fury every time someone ticks him off. This means it is a "react first, think later" thing with King Varian, especially if it concerns his son Anduin. So when Varian decides that the best thing for the "Dwarven people" is to assassinated the new "Empress Moira". It has absolutely NOTHING to do with what is best for THEM and EVERYTHING to do with the fact that she DARED to hold Anduin hostage.

Moira on the other hand is dealing with unresolved issues of her own regarding her Father. Apparently ole Magni was a little disappointed she was born a girl and so she grew up with an inferiority complex. So she ran away and joined the Dark Iron's who fawned all over her, and told her how wonderful she was. Eventually falling in love and marrying Dagran Thaurissan their leader. Well that didn't go over well with Daddy who declared she MUST have been enchanted and sent a group of adventures off to "rescue her". Murdering her husband didn't do much to restore the Father Daughter relations, so the estrangement continued, but now Magni had an additional problem. Word had reached him that Moria had a child which meant that his Grandson would be the heir to both HIS throne as well as the Dark Iron. Magni had two choices, he could disown Moria or let things stand. He chose to let them stand in hopes that eventually he would be able to restore the relationship. But it was not to be.

There are a lot of feminist who are not happy with the treatment of the Moria character. They see her as EVIL. They are complaining that Blizzard keeps coming up with EVIL female characters. I think they need to re evaluate how Ms. Golden presented Moria. In my opinion she is very sheltered and limited in her world experience. She lived in Iron Forge under her Father and then in Black Rock with her Spouse. All she has known is the dwaves, YES she is manipulative. She IS a spoiled Princess, as much as she may or may not realize it. For the Dark Irons, especially the ruling classes, all you do is speak and everyone else rushes to do your bidding. She is entertained by Anduin, but not willing to trust him. She is understandably TERRIFIED when faced with an ENRAGED King Varian who shows up at her bedside, swords drawn declaring her a "pretender". Yet at the same time, Moria wants equality for her Dark Irons. She it tired of them being hidden away in Black Rock, reviled and rejected for no other reason than because they lost in a war of succession. (I think this shows her nievity, the Dark Irons ARE a rather bitter bunch even now about that, which didn't help her feelings towards Daddy.)

Over all it is going to be interesting to see how these play out in Cataclysm. Will there be tension between Ironforge and Stormwind because Varian has basically stated he will be closely monitoring the actions of Moira and the new council very closely? How will Garrosh deal with the distrust many of the leaders of the Horde now have towards HIM as the result of the murder of Cairne? Will we have Prince Anduin randomly showing up at Theramore taking a vacation from his Dad's temper fits? (Oh that would be HYSTERICAL!) At least Jaina is back to being a strong leader again, yeah she is still bummed she couldn't save Arthas...and Varian may rub her nose in it from time to time but she isn't balling about it every five minutes anymore either. Thank GOD!

Warcraft Legends Vol 2. Review

When ever you start dealing with sequels you run the heightened risk that it will not live up to the original. Since I have made no qualms about expressing my disappointment with the vast majority of the Manga Blizzard has commissioned I was surprised I  enjoyed the last installment of this series so much. I am beginning to detect a standard format in layout. The cover art will have little to do with the over all feel of the book. Volume 1 featured an Orc, yet the vast majority of the stories focused on Alliance characters. In this addition the cover features a Night Elf, but the focus is more on Horde characters. They also seem to start each with the stories that will be linked volume to volume and while having the third be the humor piece.

With the exception of the first chapter which is by Richard Knaak and Jae-Hwan Kim each of the authors and artists in this addition are new. The second is written by Grace Randolph, with artwork by Erie. The third was crafted by Dan Jolly, drawings by Eliza Kwon with the final piece submitted by Aaron Sparrow and In-Bae Kim. As I am unfamiliar with EACH of the new artists it forced me to consider this addition as a completely new entity and keep my expectations low.

As with the first volume there is a disharmony of artistic styles between each of the stories. One thing I noted was Jae-Hwan Kim's artwork was quite different from that I have previously seen. While his inking is still quite heavy, the characters didn't display the overwhelming effeminate characteristics of his previous works. This may however have more to do with his subjects than an actual style change. That isn't to say that I now enjoy it but it seems a step in the right direction. The other stories had so many contributing artists that it is hard to really say whose style is what. For example the second story alone was penciled by Erie, the backgrounds by Lince, layout and character designs were crafted by Young-Oh Kim, with the inks by Erie AND Lince,  finally tones were done by yet another artist Lincy Chan. It makes it hard to really get a feel for the other artists artwork.

The first chapter is titled "Fear" and reveals what happened to Trag Highmountain after he left his people to journey to Northrend, still battling the Lich King's attempts to dominate his will. This is the second installment in his story and it is not concluded in this volume. One thing of note is the vast majority of this story doesn't deal with Trag at all, but rather with Thrall. I have to say I was impressed that Mr. Knaak managed to stay true to Ms Golden's character as well as keep the focus off his own.

The second story titled "Warrior: Divided" is a stand alone entry that could appear again with a sequel. The story focuses on twin human sisters Lieren and Loarnia raised separately by non human guardians.  When the thirst for their past results in their being reunited, together they and their guardians set out to discover if they have anything left to call blood family beyond each other.

The third entry called "Miles to Go" deals with two unlikely traveling companions. The Tauren shaman Kova Broadhorn and gnome warrior Miles Corebender, have completely different agendas for their journey which further ads to the tension between them.  If there is a cliche that could be remarked on dealing with their respective size differences, racial jokes or the over all unlikeliness of their friendship, be prepared to find it in this story. Over all though it is an enjoyable read and their constant bickering is light hearted and fun enough to be believable.

The final installment of this edition is titled "Family Values" and deals with former orc Shaman Jaruk Bloodfyre on Draenor. Jaruk finds himself in direct conflict with his brother over the current policies regarding the few surviving Draenei. Sickened by the constant bloodshed of those he personally considers innocents, his repeated efforts to spare them are constantly thwarted. Everything comes to a head when Jaruk flees with a young draenei orphan girl named Leena, attempting to establish a NEW family no longer filled with hate and violence.

What follows contains spoilers so continue on at your own risk.

In "Fear" Trag flees toward Northrend, doing his level best to avoid others as his control of his behavior is in doubt. When he crosses paths with Warchief Thrall, the leader of the Horde offers assistance in overcoming the Lich King's taint. After offering his OWN story of redemption as an encouragement to fortitude, Trag is finally convinced that he can over come his personal fears and gain freedom. Still doubting his own strength Trag decides to continue on his journey, hoping that in the end he will be capable of finding peace. Thrall holds true to his pledge of aid, even if it is not in the form he originally intended, by offering Trag safe passage on one of the Horde ships currently transporting troops to Northrend.

"Warrior: Divided" begins with the human girl Lieren, being raised by the Wildhammers, and facing her feelings of disconnection. When her adopted father refuses to explain how she came to live with him Lieren takes matters into her own hands and determines to discover it truth for herself. A chance encounter results in her coming face to face with her identical twin sister, raised separately within the home of one of the local High Elves. This forces the hand of Lieren's adoptive father to share their history. What follows is a journey to discover the final fate of their parents. In the end the girls form a bond and make a vow to one day continue a legacy of honor to their fallen parents.

"Miles to Go" was a completely unexpected story for me. When Kova is unexpectedly summoned by Magatha Grimtotem to go on a quest she seems completely ill prepared for I anticipated a much more sinister story. Instead I was treated to a romp across Azeroth. Kova is an independent personality, determined to do things herself rather than rely or ask for assistance. Her traveling companion Miles is a mouthy, glory seeker not to pleased to be stuck with a "female cow". At one point enemies flee because they figure it is safer to stay out of the way of their constant arguments, believing they will end up killing EACH OTHER anyway. While much of the humor IS predictable I still enjoyed this over all light hearted tale. I was only left wondering what Magatha could want after sending THIS particular pair on this mission.

"Family Values" deals with the inner conflict faced by Jaruk Bloodfyre as he attempts to retain his honor while surrounded by a clan given over to blood lust. Disillusioned that the elements have left him he reluctantly picks up a weapon and joins with his people on a journey of genocide. In the end it becomes more than he can bear so he lashes out at his brother, the current group leader and rescues young Leena from death. Together they flee across Draenor, creating a new family. When they are finally cornered Jaruk is granted a vision of the future and reassured that eventually, with the aid of his young charge, balance will once more come to the Orcs and the elements. To be honest, I would have preferred if the girl he rescued proved to be Dornaa from Children's week.

Final thoughts on this the second installment of the Warcraft Legacy series is that I was underwhelmed by it. No new lore is really shared in this edition, rather the stories are either recaps or side lines. I can only wait to see what volume 3 has in store for us.

Warcraft Legends Vol. 1 Review

I have stated in the past that I don't care for Manga. That I prefer my stories to be crafted of words rather than black and white drawings. Yet each time I read one I am hopeful that it will stick out and show me that this genre is worthy of its avid following. I waited on the Warcraft Legends series because of all the Warcraft Manga out there this seems the BEST option to lay those hopes on.  Over all I was not disappointed.

Unlike the other Manga Blizzard has commissioned, the idea behind these is to craft a collection of short stories from a variety of writers and artists. Each volume will contain four individual offerings. Some will be linked volume to volume, while others stand alone. In this, the first installment of the series, they are brought together Richard Knaak and Jae-Hawn Kim of Sunwell Trilogy fame as well as Troy Lewter, Mike Wellman and Mi-Young No. The third is from Dan Jolley and Carlos Olivares with the final bringing back Troy Lewter now working with Nam Kim. Another feature of this series is that Blizzard has stated within each will be contained not just simple stories but additional lore which fleshes out things we encounter in the game.

Since the art work is done by several different artists, its quality varies from story to story so I am not going to take the time to discuss it overly much. Each artist is dealing with their OWN unique story so the drastic changes in art styles from heavily inked and muddy to rounded and cartoony are not quite as jarring as they could be. Of the four I enjoyed Nam Kim's crisp style the most.

The first chapter is called "Fallen" and deals with another of the supporting characters from the Sunwell Trilogy, Trag Highmountain. For those unfamiliar with his story, Trag is the Tauren who assisted in freeing Anveena (aka the Sunwell) from the twisted clutches of his former friend Baron Mordis. This act resulted in Trag's death, but it was not to last as he soon found himself raised as a Forsaken. At present players can occasionally see him wandering around the Argent Tournament with a Taunka companion.

The second chapter called "The Journey" focuses on a simple farmer and how he ends up part of an expedition to clear Andorhal of the Scourge. It is a completely self contained story with the result of that expedition and his return home all included.

The third is titled "How to Win Friends" and is the only light hearted story contained in this volume. The focus is on a Gnome by the name of Lazlo Grindwidget who is attempting to relocate from Goldshire to Kharanos with mixed success.

The final story called "An Honest Trade" deals with a member of the Thorium Brotherhood. After years of selling his wares to who ever can provide the coin, no questions asked, he is directly confronted with the result. What follows is a search for redemption.

Caution spoilers incoming.  If you want to wait until you read the book, skips the rest.

"Fallen" begins with Trag, making his way back to his clan and begging the Shaman to cure him of the curse of undeath. At first the Shaman attempts to convince Trag to accept his fate, but when Trag shares that he is having to constantly fight the whispers of the Lich King, the Shaman agrees to help. Unfortunately the "assistance" that the Shaman and the rest of his clan provide is betrayal. When Trag realizes this he fights for and regains his freedom. But when faced with the option of taking his revenge, he chooses instead to flee. This story is not completed, but rather leads into the upcoming Volume 2 of this series.

"The Journey" tells the story Halsand. When it begins two of his children are playing a clapping a game while singing a song their mother taught them.

Be wary, child, of Plaguelands Plain
Be mindful, child of the infected grain
For if throat is parched and infected water sip
Forever your soul will be in cursed scourge grip.
So heed this warning, child and if far from mother stray
Let light from home's hearth guide you back your way.

The games are interupted with the arrival of a group of adventurers on their way to Andorhal. When Halsand confesses that he grew up there one of the party prevails on him to accompany them as a guide. While at first reluctant Halsand agrees, pledging to assist in anyway he can hoping to provide a better life for his family. The expedition is a failure but Halsand eventually makes his way back home as promised, forever changed by what he has experienced. I really enjoyed this particular story as it is one that makes you consider what all the people of Lordaeron suffered with the plague. It reminded me a great deal of the Pamela quest line.

"How to Win Friends" is as I stated the one humorous story in this volume. It begins inside the Tavren with the locals singing a tale of a heroic dwarf and how he sucker punched a Dragon. Lazlo in an attempt to make friends with his new neighbors invents numerous ill fated schemes, much to the humor of competitors Togglebolt and Sprysprocket. But when a Frost Troll attacks the town looking for his lost Mojo, Lazlo is provided an opportunity to redeem himself. Of course things don't go QUITE as planned (we are talking about Gnomish engineering here after all.) However since the end result is the removal of the troll, no one really cares. I really enjoyed the "bar songs" in this story. Like the song from "The Journey" it feels authentic, something you would expect a group of half drunk dwarves to be belting out while bragging of their exploits.

The final story is the one that one that hit me the most. "An Honest Trade" begins by giving you a quick over view of the Thorium Brotherhood, then focusing on one particular Master craftsman, Nori Blackfinger. Nori realizes that his current location is limiting his clientele so he packs his bags and heads off to Booty Bay seeking fame and fortune. He finds it, but his only son Eli begins to question his business edicate. Unfortunately Nori ignores his son to the point that he is completely unaware of Eli's desire to travel and have adventures of his own. Things come to a head when Nori sells a weapon to a bandit known for his savagery against innocents. Eli leaves, setting out to seek his fortune, refusing to be a part of Nori's trade any longer. Enraged Nori strips him of all his finely crafted weapons and replaces them with junk. Shortly there after the tragic results of his actions are revealed when his son's body is delivered to his doorstep, along with the story of how he fell to the very blade his father had crafted. Devastated Nori sets out on a journey of redemption, attempting to collect every weapon he has EVER crafted and destroy them.

For once a Manga series has lived up to the hype for me. Even more it is one that contained Richard Knaak...yes I do believe hell has frozen over. After reading this particular installment I am anxious to continue on in the series. Stay tuned, it won't be long in coming.

World of Warcraft: Mage Review

Yes, it is another Manga review. I recently received a good stack of them to go through so don't be surprised to see a bunch of these in the near future. Yes, my old prejudices are still in place. I am still not a big fan of Manga and I still don't really care for Richard Knaak. However Blizzard seems quite pleased with him so he keeps popping out stories at their behest. The newest one is from their class specific series World of Warcraft: Mage. This time the artist is Ryo Kawakami. Kawakami is better known for his work in Boys-love Japanese Manga. I will try to keep the first part of this review general and give warning before going into more detail.

Lets begin with the artwork. One thing I can say for Mr. Kawakami's style is that his male characters do not display the same overwhelmingly effeminate characteristics often seen in Manga, this is something I greatly appreciate about his work. On the other hand the shading is a little muddy at times, but since the over all lines are so dark it really doesn't make to much of a difference. The divisions between panels flow well, giving clear guidance to the progression of the story. Further more his effects drawing is subtle, allowing you to see that dramatic things are going on without overwhelming the characters themselves.

Since we are of course dealing with Mages and most importantly Dalaran specifically it is no surprise that Richard Knaak was chosen to pen this particular story. Since you know how I feel about him and why from previous reviews lets just skip that. His golden boy Rhonin has about equal page time as the main character of the story, a young student by the name of Aodhan Falamar. Aodhan's story is told by flipping between current events and flash backs to give you a better understanding as to who he is exactly.


Spoiler Alert! The following is a basic out line of the book so if you don't want to know, skip it.

The book begins with Aodhan already a student at Dalaran, it quickly becomes apparent that his teachers push him harder and expect more from him that his class mates, however he is unclear as to why. You learn that Aodhan is from a family of warriors, not mages. In fact only one other family member was a mage and that was a much maligned uncle. Aodhan's older brother is a Captain in the Silver Hand. (Ok, here is where I again go off on Knaak. The Silver hand is a PALADIN organization yet Knaak is VERY clear that the Falamar's are a family of WARRIORS, so why the brother would have rank in a Paladin organization makes NO sense to me.) It is clear that Aodhan's father has no love for the Magi, considering them cowards at best, traitors at worse. Both he and Aodhan's older brother go to great lengths to express their distaste for the entire discipline. Aodhan's father also shows contempt for Aodhan himself, stating that all he is good for is to be a farmer. Only the uncle ever sees promise in him or offers words of encouragement. When the boy expresses interest in going to Dalaran to study magic like his uncle, he is disowned.

Dalaran is under attack by the blue dragon flight the entire duration of the story so all of the senior magi are focused on its defense. Rhonin is of course directing the defense, but other notable npcs like Archmage Modera are also acknowledged as taking part. Aodham and his class mates are sent to a safer area at the heart of Dalaran, but as they are relocating his teacher receives a mind to mind communication from Rhonin requesting that Aodham specifically go to the Violet Hold to aid the magi there. Bewildered by the command the instructor never the less sends Aodham on his way alone.

Awaiting Aodham in the Violet Hold is not the senior magi he was told he would find but instead his thought to be deceased Uncle. Aodham discovers that it was actually his UNCLE who called for him, deceiving the instructor.  What follows is the uncle guiding Aodham through Dalaran promising that only HE will be able to save the city. While the boy is confused by this pronouncement his reverence and respect for his uncle drives him to believe.  However it is not to long before Aodham begins to question his uncle's motivations and loyalties.

When Aodham finally realizes his uncle is in fact a servant of Malygos, using him to undermine the defenses of Dalaran it is to late. The Magi are spread to thin dealing both with the escaped prisoners from Violet Hold as well as the endless onslaught from the Blue Dragon flight. In the end Aodham is left to decide who he will follow, the once beloved Uncle or the precepts he has been taught by the Kirin'Tor. His choice could mean the difference between Dalaran literally falling from the sky or surviving another day.

As most of Knaak's stories consist of the hero being HIS character rather than the established lore figures I can't claim to be surprised that the story follows this pattern. The individual who he has come in at the last moment to "save the day" can be predicted almost from the first page. While Aodham is a likable enough kid, the idea that he would be in complete ignorance of why he is getting singled out up until this point just feels...wrong. Continuously through out the story he is over hearing hints about himself, but his response is mixed. Half the time he is displayed as precocious, determined to follow in Rhonin's and his uncle's footsteps as a maverick. The other half as a obedient child, following his elders explicitly despite his personal reservations.

Overall I wouldn't say it was a BAD book, just...not very fulfilling. There are no great surprises contained within it. No new lore that people should be aware of. Aodham just seems to be a random character that no one knows about, that saves the world as we know it from destruction. Perhaps we should think of him as similar to a player. While World of Warcraft: Death Knight dealt with fleshing out the lore of established Npcs, Aodham is a unknown element outside of his individual story, his impact only on those who take the time to read it.

Shadow Wing: The Dragons of Outland Review

Let me start out by saying that I am not a big fan of Manga. I prefer my books to be words that allow ME to visualize the story rather than having it all laid out for me in black and white pictures. Further more I don't much care for Richard A. Knaak because he has a habit of making his crafted characters the main focus rather than already established lore figures. But I keep trying, hoping that maybe the next one I read will make me a convert. So laying all my prejudices out there for you before we begin this review, know that I am rather jaded. Also, while I try to keep my reviews rather general there will be spoilers so if you want to wait until you can read it for yourself, watch for the alert and skip the rest.

Shadow Wing the first of the Dragon's of Outland series is a Manga done by the same team that did the Sunwell Trilogy, Richard Knaak and Jae-Hwan Kim. The main characters are the disillusioned human paladin Jorad Mace and Tyrygosa (Tyri), an arrogant and impulsive blue dragon. These two were supporting characters during the Sunwell Trilogy and now move on to a story of their own. The idea was this series would explain why players NOW find them in Netherstorm on the Celestial Ridge working as quest givers. In addition the delay in publication was explained as an attempt to tie what is happening currently with Malygos and the Blue Dragon flight into the series.

Lets start with the Artwork.  One thing I noticed is the facial expressions in this book are actually quite good. You have a reasonable understanding when things are being discussed in anger, frustration or despair. All that aside I STILL think this artist makes the males WAY to effeminate. To the point that there are times that if they weren't wearing hooves and spouting horns I would have mistaken some of the Draenei for Blood Elves. At least the Broken and Orcs have more rounded or square looking chins. At times the "splash" effects obscured the action for me to the point I felt it was more distracting than adding to the over all story.  The armor worn by the characters (with the exception of Tyri) looks similar to that seen in the actual game so while the head proportions are at times a little small, it isn't much different from what we see on line.

Since Knaak is responsible for the majority of the books dealing with Outland you would expect there to be some sort of flow and connection between such works as his novel "Night of the Dragon" and this. In addition since this series is just NOW getting released after much delay you expect it to pay attention to the lore established in the Burning Crusade expansion. Especially considering the explanation was that these books would be filling in some of the lore holes between Burning Crusade and the current content. While there ARE some tie ins there are also some gaping lore changes. This is something Mr. Knaak is famous for.

Spolier Alter, the following contains more detailed descriptions of the book, proceed at your own risk. 

The story begins shortly after the end of the Sunwell Trilogy when the companions of that series parted ways. Jorad joins the Alliance forces as they head into the Dark Portal attempting to push the Burning Legion back.  Interestingly he openly refers to himself as "A Knight of the Silver Hand" even though that organization would have officially been disbanded by this time. In addition to this the Alliance meets up with the Draenei shortly AFTER they enter the Dark Portal and before they even make it to Honor Hold.  Offering themselves as allies against the demons. (So lets just COMPLETELY ignore the established lore changes previously set.)

Jorad is a man with something to prove and everyone is hampering his efforts. Eventually through a series of circumstances he ends up attempting to make it to Honor Hold alone. Of course this brilliant plan doesn't work and just as it appears he will parish help arrives from an unexpected source. Tyrygosa swoops in and rescues him. Shocked to see the LAST person he expected to set eyes on, Jorad then proceeds to abandon all that he originally was so focused on that he would risk it all, to continuing the REST of the book committed to Tyri's agenda. The supposed reason for this complete turn around? He has a crush on the Blue Dragon.

Tyri it is explained is in Outland following her OWN agenda. Apparently she slipped through the Dark Portal at the same time as Jorad disguising herself as a member of the High Elf Contingent. Wait what...HIGH elf contingent? Yep, even though the High Elves are established lore as basically bordering on extinction, hiding away in just a few minor outposts with NO official connection to the Alliance at ALL, there is suppose to have been an entire CONTINGENT of them going through the Dark Portal with the Alliance AND the Horde....Riiiight. Anyway Tyri is looking for something, she doesn't really know what and she does NOT have approval from Malygos for this little expedition. That at least is true to form for this particular character. In the Sunwell Trilogy she was FREQUENTLY arrogantly following her own agenda rather than doing as directed. 

So shortly after Tyri and Jorad are reunited they are separated again due to the working of a NEW character, the apparent villain of this series, a Second War Death Knight Yep, not only are the HEROES Knaak creation but so are the VILLAINS now. Who cares about Illidan anyway? Well, maybe not, the character MIGHT be based on one mentioned in World of Warcraft: Beyond the Dark Portal, at this point it is hard to say. Jorad falls into the hands of the Broken, who consider him an enemy because his people are allied with the Draenei. Tyri ends up with two Netherdrakes, Valokui who is friendly towards her and Zzerakui who is NOT. Wait, Zzerakui...isn't that the netherdrake that Sinestra had in "Night of the Dragon"?  Yep, that is him and this book gives a hint as to just how he may have fallen into Sinestra's clutches.

So the book ends with Jorad attempting to befriend the Broken while Tyri is off discovering that the Netherdrakes are actually black dragons that have been altered by Outland. The "Villain" of the book is busy making deadly pronouncements to his ethereal supplier and object lessons of the Fel'Orcs he has acquired. At this point he has made it quite clear that the only individual he is concerned with promoting is himself. This means that Illidan, Sinestra and the others are not going to be making an appearance any time soon.

I most likely should have waited like I did with the Sunwell Trilogy and gotten the series when it was done in a single volume. As it now stands that would be my recommendation as this entire book really focuses more on introducing the various characters than pushing forward a plot. If you are working on your lore library you ARE going to want to have this book if for no other reason than to keep a reference as you try to determine what direction the CURRENT lore is going.

World of Warcraft Mag Vol. 2

So Wednesday when the mail arrived it contained something I had completely forgotten about. The newest installment of the World of Warcraft Magazine. That same day they also released an online preview. The preview is massive, 40 pages of unedited content directly from the magazine. Considering the issue is only 144 pages in length this is MORE than an adequate idea of the content contained within. Between the Plate wearer and my oldest son I didn't manage to snatch it and read it for myself until yesterday. Since Kaelynn from Azure Shadows has also done a rather extensive review I will try to avoid repeating to much of what she has already discussed. I will attempt to keep this review general but there will be some spoilers so proceed at your own risk.

As with the first installment this magazine is artistically gorgeous, with both professional and amateur full color renderings, as well as black and white sketches.  In addition it is a high quality publication more in keeping with a paperback coffee table book than a magazine. While the first volume content was dated before it was even released this one contains some information on upcoming content along with information on current endgame. They seemed to have learn some things from their first issue as well. First, while the silver embossed ink is still prevalent, it is generally used on dark backgrounds rather than light making it easier to read. By-lines are included so you know who wrote the article or at the very least credit is given within the article to the contributors . Furthermore the heavy cover is a fold out which works great as a bookmark.

Of the 27 articles contained in this issue my favorite by far was the interview with the quest design team right at the very beginning. The six designers discussed just how they each come up with the quests for the various zones, how long it usually takes them and one of the best features of the article was their discussion on both the quests they are most proud of creating (Lament of the Highborn for example) as well as quests they tell new designers to avoid because of their infamy (Fires over Skettis or The Alchemist's Apprentice stand out). They also discussed the pop culture references contained within the game and how those generally come about. It is obvious from the interview that these guys are a TEAM, collaboration is high and encouraged which helps to give World of Warcraft a cohesive feel as you journey around it. Some of the newer quests they discuss sound REALLY cool.

Another article that I enjoyed was the one discussing the Lore of the Dragons. This particular one is contained in the on line preview and is just as comprehensive. The "family trees" are particularly interesting as they show the relationships between each of the in game dragons players are familiar with. My only disappointment was it only deals with the five specific dragon flights. While the Netherdrakes and Protodrakes ARE mentioned, it is only briefly to explain their place in the over all family trees of the main five.

Two other articles of particular interest in this issue focused on the upcoming changes we with Cataclysm. The first went over each zone that Blizzard has stated will undergo massive reorganization and mentioned specific quests you may want to enjoy one last time before they are lost forever. Some of the quests they mentioned I was anticipating loosing like Mankrik's Wife and all of the Mirage Raceway. However there were a few I was surprised they DIDN'T mention like Lonebrow's Journal or Pamela. The second article presented screen shots to give you a tease of just HOW massive the landmass changes will be including Gadgetzan as beachfront property and the Blasted Lands looking more like a swamp. Of particular interest to me are the changes that the major cities will be undergoing. Orgrimmar we know is getting a massive overhaul so that it will most closely resemble the Horde keeps seen in Northrend, but Stormwind Keep will ALSO be undergoing some massive restructuring. My only disappointment with these changes is that it certainly means certain NPC's like Gamon and Hogger could be disappearing from our collective experience.

The feature recurring subjects such as Pvp, Arena, Tanking, Healing and Damage dealing are all still there, general enough as to not date TO quickly. The community article for this issue looked into FingerPrints and spoke with their CEO Ed Fries. Specifically the articles focus on the new Busts being offered and how that all came about as well as the original full scale renderings. While these are items still well out of my price range it was interesting to see such detailed photos of the final products. As well as learn a little bit more about their costumer service.

Final verdict? While this is still a rather pricey item they seem to be improving as time goes on and I am looking forward to the next installment.

World of Warcraft Mag Vol. 1

So yesterday it finally arrived, and the hubby who was sick again snatched it out of my greedy hands. I am beginning to notice a pattern of illness when things we BOTH want to read show up. Unlike the hubby who just skimmed it I spent today reading it from cover to cover. Does it hold up to the tantalizing tease we got a couple of months ago? In a word, yes.

As I anticipated the magazine actually is more like a soft cover book packed full of artwork and general information. While some of the articles are already dated (the ones dealing with Crusader's Coliseum and weapon swapping for example) the vast majority are generic enough to hold with time. They discuss everything to Deathwing's back story to general tactics for a couple of battlegrounds as well as arena.

There were a couple of things about the magazine I didn't care for. A picture of "Pengu" for the companion pets article was actually a picture of Mr.Chilly (nit picky I know but it bugged me). The other thing was the silver foil ink they used throughout. While it looks nice it was a little difficult to read in lower light, especially when the words were in white on top of it. Who wrote each article is not given anywhere as well. They have pictures of players along with their contributions but while at the beginning they list the writers, you have no idea who had input on which articles. Are they deal breakers? No, not really.

So is it worth $20 an issue? The price still seems a little steep to me. Cover to cover it is 144 pages in length not including the poster in the middle. The artwork is of course breathtaking, including both official Blizzard works along with fan art. Over all the articles are well written (just wish I knew who wrote what). They obviously did their homework on getting player participation with contributions and the writers all play, they aren't just reporting. I will look forward to volume 2 and be thankful that the hubby purchased the subscription rather than me.

Stormrage

Whenever a new WarCraft novel comes out I am usually pretty excited. Then Malfurion Stormrage was announced as the next subject which many of us took to mean that OF COURSE the next expansion would be about the Emerald Dream, we have since discovered this is not the case. So what could ole Malfurion have to do with what was coming up? How would this new novel effect the game we play?

Richard Knaak is not one of Blizzards more popular writers for a variety of reason. However he has been instrumental in shaping much of the lore we are now guided by in game. Before you sit down to read his latest offering I would strongly urge you to pick up War of the Ancients and read them FIRST. The reason is that Knaak uses a great many of the characters first introduced in those books and assumes you will already be familiar with them when reading this one. This can lead to a great deal of confusion.

The book itself has a variety of issues. The flow is rather disjointed as he is constantly shifting from subject to subject as well as character to character within each chapter. What is interesting is what he DOES with those characters. It seems that self flagellation is something he really enjoys as almost EVERY character at one point or another wastes time brow beating themselves over SOMETHING. The book is FILLED with cameos, many of which are fillers rather than adding to the story in any way. Sadly some of the cameos are more enjoyable that the main characters who are rather flat.

From a lore perspective the ultimate enemy who is introduced only vaguely and then near the very END of the book came as no great surprise. It is this that I think will translate into the rest of the game. The rest of the book? Frankly I am worried it will be like when Varian was introduced. That suddenly Malfurion will appear "in game" along with all the relationships he has with various faction leaders with little to no explanation for those who only play the on line game. While the book DOES answer some questions (such as Fandral Staghelms obsession with Morrowgrain) since it relies so much on the reader having previous knowledge of what is going on anyone who reads it with out that base knowledge may finish more confused than enlightened.

So is it worth picking up? If you want a better understanding of the lore that will be happening "behind the scenes" of Cataclysm then yes. However you could also get by fairly well with just a inclusive summery from someone else who read the book. The actions that take place in this novel are centered in present time. Arthas is defeated but the Cataclysm has not yet broken across an unsuspecting Azeroth. Hints of what are to come are not even mentioned save the introduction of what I suspect will be one of our "final raid bosses" at some point.

World of Warcraft Mag

If SOMEHOW you missed hearing about this Blizzard is having Future PLC produce a quarterly "magazine" for them. I have to admit when I first heard of this idea I was rather intrigued. That quickly turned to confusion as I learned more about the format. I would use the term "Magazine" loosely when dealing with this proposed project but that is what they are calling it. These things are about 150 pages in length EACH. An added plus, NO ADDS to distract you as you enjoy the content. (Sounds more like a quarterly series soft cover book to me but...yeah)

They recently released a 40 page "preview" to help renew interest as many had been concerned the whole IDEA was going to go belly up with the loss of its Editor and Chief just about a month ago.Since it was slated to be released before Christmas it is easy to understand people's panic.

As can be expected the art work is stunning. They have both professional AND fan art displayed through out. Many of the pieces in the preview are ones that have seen promotion before. That is what struck me the most about this preview, especially as it came to the content of the articles. They already seemed....dated? Like they would be "old news" before the magazine itself even hits our coffee tables.

Now it could just be that for their "preview" that is all they are going to show us. Information that WOULDN'T be ground breaking...but I guess it all depends on what types of customers you are planning to attract. After reading the entire 40 page preview I only saw 1 piece of information that really struck me as NEW, and even THAT was rather week in it's "spoiler strength". It was more along the lines of: "Yeah, the stuff you saw in the trailer? Expect to see more of that."

They do hint that there will be SOME discussion of dungeon and raid design. Even so far as to go into specific encounters. This would certainly be a nice feature. But the opening page is more than clear that STRATEGIES are NOT what one should expect to find within.

What we CAN expect is a great deal of Lore and history of the game itself. Even going so far as to look at the time line of the game's development. Major content patches that changed HOW we play the game and the reactions people had to them at the time seem a good portion of the first Magazine. Lots of interviews with players who PERSONALLY effect the way we play the game as well as quotes and responses from more "average" players.

So am I PERSONALLY going to invest in this? At this point I just don't know...The plate wearer in the family has expressed an interest in it so he may pick it up for himself then I can just mooch off of him. Since I am home and will always get a hold of it first sounds like a Win/Win situation to me.

World of WarCraft: Death Knight

Today it arrived and I quickly snatched it up from the delivery box and sat down to read. The newest World of WarCraft manga World of WarCraft: Death Knight. The story is by Dan Jolley with artwork provided by Rocio Zucchi. This book was suppose to deal with the story of Thassarian and provide the details of his former life. In addition to this it is suppose to "reveal the origins, motivations, and darkest secrets of Warcraft's newest incarnation of death knights."

So what did I think of it?

The book spans from when Thassarian was already a young man (minus a few flashbacks of childhood encounters with his father) preparing to leave for Northrend to present day. So lore wise it really does not give to much new information. However what new information it does provide IS interesting. While it tells you how and where Thassarian originally died it does NOT explain how he came to be a Death Knight. It DOES explain the bond between Thassarian and Koltira, even later going into detail about what happened to Koltira when HE went to Northrend. It also gives greater insight into what occurred to some of the OTHER Death Knights during the Battle at Light's Hope Chapel not just Mograine.

I don't want to go into details as it may spoil it for those who wish to read the book but in a nut shell the focus is more on Thassarian's transformation from follower to leader. From being an individual who simply did as he was instructed to one who is able to question the orders given him and make independent decisions. I am really not sure what this has to do with "the darkest secrets of the newest incarnation of death knights."

As for the artwork of the book, it lacks consistency. The human characters are so thin, pointed and cartoony that it is difficult at first to determine which are Human and which are Elves until you go searching for the ears. Frames meant to convey great emotion completely miss the mark as a result. This is interesting as once the change is made to scourge the artwork certainly seems more effective.

Over all while there were certain parts of the book I enjoyed taken as a whole I was a little disappointed.

Arthas: Rise of the Lich King

So yesterday it arrived...and was promptly snatched out of my hot little hands by my greedy husband...but he was sick so I relented and allowed him to read it first...it was agony.

Ms. Golden did a superb job on this latest entry in the World of Warcraft Lore cannon. Her pro trail of Arthas through out his life from earliest childhood to present day makes sense and is a quick and easy read. Other major lore figures such as Jaina Proudmore and Sylvanas Windrunner are fleshed out in ways that give true depth and motivation as you see how they relate to the Lich King now.

The book also gives you a better sense of time line and just how YOUNG Thrall is in comparison to the other leaders in World of Warcraft. (Jaina is stated to be age 35 at present day which would make Thrall only in his mid 20s and Varain around 40.)

The romance between Miss Proudmore and Arthas is believable and poignant. You can see how it effects decisions made by both of them even to present day. It is done is a tasteful manner that doesn't over whelm the story.

Over all I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who is looking for something to do during their next maintenance day.