World of Warcraft - by Christie Golden (Paperback)

About the Book

The official "New York Times"-bestselling prequel novel to "The Battle for Azeroth." A terrible discovery will test two leaders, threatening to reignite the bitter enmity between their factions and shake the very foundations of the world of Azeroth. HC; Del Rey.

Book Synopsis

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - An all-new, official prequel novel to The Battle for Azeroth, Blizzard Entertainment's next expansion to the critically acclaimed World of Warcraft videogame.

Azeroth is dying.

The Horde and the Alliance defeated the demonic Burning Legion, but a dire catastrophe is unfolding deep below the surface of the world. There is a mortal wound in the heart of Azeroth, struck by the sword of the fallen titan Sargeras in a final act of cruelty.

For Anduin Wrynn, king of Stormwind, and Sylvanas Windrunner, warchief of the Horde and queen of the Forsaken, there is little time to rebuild what remains and even less to mourn what was lost. Azeroth's devastating wound has revealed a mysterious material known as Azerite. In the right hands, this strange golden substance is capable of incredible feats of creation; in the wrong ones, it could bring forth unthinkable destruction.

As Alliance and Horde forces race to uncover the secrets of Azerite and heal the wounded world, Anduin enacts a desperate plan aimed at forging a lasting peace between the factions. Azerite jeopardizes the balance of power, and so Anduin must gain the trust of Sylvanas. But, as ever, the Dark Lady has her own machinations.

For peace to be possible, generations of bloodshed and hatred must be brought to an end. But there are truths that neither side is willing to accept and ambitions they are loath to relinquish. As Alliance and Horde alike grasp for the Azerite's power, their simmering conflict threatens to reignite all-out war--a war that would spell doom for Azeroth.

Praise for Before the Storm

"This is easily the best book in the World of Warcraft series, and I don't say that lightly. . . . It's so much more than a tie-in novel. . . . It's a beautiful book."--Blizzard Watch

Review Quotes

"This is easily the best book in the World of Warcraft series, and I don't say that lightly. . . . It's so much more than a tie-in novel. . . . It's a beautiful book."--Blizzard Watch

About the Author

Christie Golden is the award-winning New York Times bestselling author of nearly sixty books and more than a dozen short stories in the fields of fantasy, science fiction, and horror. Her media tie-in works include her first novel, Vampire of the Mists, which launched TSR's game line; more than a dozen Star Trek novels; the Fate of the Jedi novels Omen, Allies, and Ascension as well as standalone novels Dark Disciple and Battlefront II: Inferno Squad. For Blizzard Entertainment, she's contributed five StarCraft novels, including the Dark Templar trilogy, and the Warcraft/World of Warcraft books Lord of the Clans, Rise of the Horde, Arthas: Rise of the Lich King, War Crimes, Before the Storm and Exploring Azeroth: Eastern Kingdoms. In 2017, she was awarded the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers Faust Award and named a Grandmaster in recognition of thirty years of writing. She currently works full-time for Blizzard Entertainment, where she frequents Azeroth on a regular basis.