Want a NOOK? Explore Now
In the wake of the Cataclysm, conflict has engulfed every corner of Azeroth. Hungering for more resources amid the turmoil, the Horde has pressed into Ashenvale to feed its burgeoning war machine. There, acting warchief Garrosh Hellscream has employed a brutal new tactic to conquer the region and crush its night elf defenders, a move that will cripple the Alliance’s power throughout the World of Warcraft.
Unaware of the disaster brewing in Ashenvale, the night elves’ legendary leaders, High Priestess Tyrande Whisperwind and Archdruid Malfurion Stormrage, conduct a summit near Darnassus in order to vote the proud worgen of Gilneas into the Alliance. However, resentment of Gilneas and its ruler, Genn Greymane, runs deep in Stormwind’s King Varian Wrynn. His refusal to forgive Genn for closing his nation off from the rest of the world years ago endangers more than just the summit: it threatens to unravel the Alliance itself.
Varian’s animosity is only one of many unsettling developments in Darnassus. An uneasiness creeps over the once-immortal night elves as the first of them fall victim to the infirmities of age. While they cope with their mortality, tensions flare over the reintroduction of the Highborne, formerly the highest caste of night elf nobility, into their society. Many night elves are unable to pardon the Highborne for the destruction unleashed on Azeroth millennia ago by their reckless use of magic.
When a murdered Highborne is discovered on the outskirts of Darnassus, Malfurion and Tyrande move to stop further bloodshed and unrest by appointing one of the night elves’ most cunning and skilled agents to find the killer: the renowned warden Maiev Shadowsong. Yet with all that is transpiring in Darnassus, the Alliance might be powerless to stop the relentless new warchief Garrosh from seizing the whole of Ashenvale.
A huge audience already have their appetites whetted for this adrenaline-boosting action novel: With more than 10 million monthly subscribers, the World of Warcraft video game ranks number one in its class. This battle-ready installment promises to reinforce fan enthusiasm in the Cataclysm expansion of the game. Now in mass-market paperback and NOOK Book.
Setting aside the Warcraft universe, Knaak's work is long, drawn out, bounces around, and doesn't hold the reader as well as other fantasy writers do. If you're a fan of the Warcraft Universe, be prepared for a huge disappointment. Knaak is known for turning heroes that already exist and downplays them so that Knaak's own characters outshine existing characters that are already crucial to the story. These suddenly created characters are so ridiculously powerful that it doesn't even make sense or flow with the rest of the Warcraft Universe. Stick with Christie Golden. At least she (as far as I know) plays the Warcraft games and is familiar with the characters and the story and builds upon what already exists with her own books.
7 out of 12 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.RainyReader
Posted March 17, 2010
I Also Recommend:
I play the game and that is what started me reading all the books, since there were previous warcraft games I never played. Malfurion is in the War of the Ancients trilogy, but he really isn't a talked about much afterword. This explains it all, lots of detail about the power of druids, his relatiuonship, and hints upon the next chapter of the world of Azeroth a bit but not too much. Good book.
7 out of 12 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 1, 2011
it was a good book but the writing could be simplistic at times and could drag on
4 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Elaborate
Posted February 9, 2009
First off, I've read all the warcraft novels to date and I have to say this is probably not the best one by Knaak. The plot was good, but I'm not sure how credit I can give him for that since he probably received some ideas from Blizzard to begin with. <BR/><BR/>I used to enjoy Knaak's earlier works such as The Day of the Dragon, even though they were slightly less epic in comparison. The problem I had with this one is the repetition/motifs. I understand that he's trying to establish the gravity of the situation, but repeating the same line about Black Rock Mountain being mysterious 30+(it really feels more than this) times in a novel is not going to work. What more? He uses nearly every character to process this same thought so ever 2-3 pages, you see the same idea again, The mountain is mysterious, dangerous, does not make sense, etc. Time and time again, our heros are about to meet their doom...(-_-)really, you can do better than that.<BR/><BR/>Besides that, the language has been refined very nicely by now. Props to that. As I said, good plot and character development, but the craft is lacking in this one. I want to say I enjoyed reading it, but I can't if each page after halfway through the book makes me want to chuck it at the door for bad writing.
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted December 25, 2011
Its an ok book
2 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted August 8, 2011
As an avid fantasy reader, I've come to enjoy many well-written novels that have held me spell-bound from start to finish. This isn't one of them. "Stormrage" is a disappointing tale about strong characters who've become lost and clouded. Through the first half of the novel, almost every character is just as confused as the reader in the overall plot. Pace is sluggish at best with little need to resolve any tormenting moments, save for the torment of actually reading the book itself. Terrific shelf-warmer for a much better writer in the future. Remember to dust regularly; I know I won't pick this up again.
1 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.paladin_arthas
Posted January 7, 2011
I love the warcraft lore (story) so I try to read every book possible, but reading this, I had to give it a 3/5 because it's just another fan fic.
The way it was written, **YOU NEED TO KNOW ALL THE CHARACTERS**. This isn't a book for people that want to learn about lore. There is no developing of the characters or any creative imaginative feeling. However, I did get into it because I am a die hard fan for Warcraft. I was able to stay a tuned and there was a lot of thrilling & exciting parts where I could not put it down.
It's good to know that I read the real story line, but the author, but I know Knaak could have done a lot better with his words. It feels like he tried too hard with his words & trying to get into the head of the Warcraft characters instead of enjoying his piece.
In other words, I would recommend this to any Warcraft fan.
1 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Ryanxia
Posted June 3, 2009
I recently finished this novel and it was very good. I tend to agree that this was not Knaak's best work though. Many aspects of the story felt rushed and more shaken out than having a more creative way put on them. The characters' development and scope were a bit lacking although there were some neat twists developed. This book also tended to be a bit thick on the side stories for my taste, normally I enjoy the side stories and glimpses into other books/games/etc. but either I missed a book or 3 (doubtful) or there were some stories thrown in there that were made up for the sake of 'character history' that really brought the book down a bit.
All and all Knaak is an exceptional author, and does very well with this universe. As you can see by my rating this book is still definitely worth the read and ties in pretty well with it's predessesor "Day of the Dragon".
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted April 6, 2013
Disgusting
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted April 22, 2013
Anyone who said that this wasnt a good book SUCKS F***!!!!!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 30, 2013
SEARCH UP MINECRAFT IF U WANT TO SEE AN EPIC GAME
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.JDDavis
Posted October 12, 2012
I Also Recommend:
If you are a Warcraft fan and have read some of the other books and comics, then this is a must read. Varian Wrynn is a dynamic character in this book and readers can see the conflict he is having within and how it affects his judgement.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted September 9, 2012
I play wow and have 10 lvl 85s
0 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted September 9, 2012
I play wow and I have a level 21 worgan rouge
0 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted August 2, 2012
A cool story of the nightmare that overtakes the emerald dram, a good compliment to the War of the Ancients trilogy. Brings back stories of old characters.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 18, 2012
I like it
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted April 27, 2012
Enjoyed it. However not as adventurous as Day of the Dragon, it was still exciting with action and mystery.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 8, 2012
This book is interrsting cool and informative. I recommend this book to fantasy readers world of warcraft playees warcraft players or bored people.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 7, 2012
Richard A. Knaak has made another outstanding book to add to his resume. The characters are all very well-rounded, and the plot's twists and turns keep the reader guessing whats going to happen next. Although there are some subjects that people who aren't familiar with the lore may get confused with, it's still a very good book! A definite buy!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.RainyReader
Posted December 17, 2011
I Also Recommend:
The whole story is set around the night elves and split between Darnassus and and Ashenvale. The book finally introduces Worgens. The named it wolf heart but that's miss leading since nothing happened to Varian until the end of the book!!! He popped his head in every now and then but that was fighting with the Greymane and dealing with Anduin. I was really looking forward to this book because Varian story is one of the most interesting and this book was a big disappointment!
0 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Overview
In the wake of the Cataclysm, conflict has engulfed every corner of Azeroth. Hungering for more resources amid the turmoil, the Horde has pressed into Ashenvale to feed its burgeoning war machine. There, acting warchief Garrosh Hellscream has employed a brutal new tactic to conquer the region and crush its night elf defenders, a move that will cripple the Alliance’s power throughout the World of Warcraft.
Unaware of the disaster brewing in Ashenvale, the night elves’ legendary ...