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Diablo #0-3
Diablo Archive
Since the beginning of time, the angelic hosts of the High Heavens and the demonic hordes of the Burning Hells have been locked in a struggle for the fate of all Creation. That war has now come to the mortal realm...and neither Man nor Demon nor Angel will be left unscathed....
LEGACY OF BLOOD: Norrec Vizharan has become a living nightmare. While on a quest for magical treasure, he discovers an artifact beyond his wildest dreams: the ancient armor of Bartuc, the legendary Warrior of Blood. But the mysterious armor is cursed, channeling a malevolent power into Norrec's tortured soul. Pursued by demons who covet the dark armor for their own purposes, Norrec must overcome a bloodlust he can scarcely control and learn the truth about his terrifying curse before he is lost to darkness forever.
THE BLACK ROAD: Darrick Lang is coming home. Years ago he left the town of Bramwell to walk the wide world as a champion of the realm. But Bramwell is not as he left it. Something dark and terrifying has ensnared the townsfolk, something very old and very patient, tangling innocents in a web of malice and profaning the very earth itself. Now that same power calls to Darrick...and his only hope may be to walk the same perilous path of damnation.
THE KINGDOM OF SHADOW: Legend speaks of a long-dead city known as Ureh, thought by many to have been a gateway to the High Heavens. It is said that every two thousand years, Ureh is reborn -- and all its lost riches are revealed to those brave enough to seek them out. Now the Vizjerai sorcerer Quov Tsin has come to witness Ureh's rebirth for himself with Kentril Dumon and his band of mercenaries in tow. But what awaits them is like nothing they imagined.
DEMONSBANE: What was to have been a victorious last stand against a demonic invasion of Blackmarch has instead become a massacre. Only Siggard remains, a warrior unable to remember the final hours of the battle. As he hunts the demon lord who butchered everything dear to him, Siggard pieces together the truth of that terrible battle...and finds that his nightmare is only beginning.
LEGACY OF BLOOD: Norrec Vizharan has become a living nightmare. While on a quest for magical treasure, he discovers an artifact beyond his wildest dreams: the ancient armor of Bartuc, the legendary Warrior of Blood. But the mysterious armor is cursed, channeling a malevolent power into Norrec's tortured soul. Pursued by demons who covet the dark armor for their own purposes, Norrec must overcome a bloodlust he can scarcely control and learn the truth about his terrifying curse before he is lost to darkness forever.
THE BLACK ROAD: Darrick Lang is coming home. Years ago he left the town of Bramwell to walk the wide world as a champion of the realm. But Bramwell is not as he left it. Something dark and terrifying has ensnared the townsfolk, something very old and very patient, tangling innocents in a web of malice and profaning the very earth itself. Now that same power calls to Darrick...and his only hope may be to walk the same perilous path of damnation.
THE KINGDOM OF SHADOW: Legend speaks of a long-dead city known as Ureh, thought by many to have been a gateway to the High Heavens. It is said that every two thousand years, Ureh is reborn -- and all its lost riches are revealed to those brave enough to seek them out. Now the Vizjerai sorcerer Quov Tsin has come to witness Ureh's rebirth for himself with Kentril Dumon and his band of mercenaries in tow. But what awaits them is like nothing they imagined.
DEMONSBANE: What was to have been a victorious last stand against a demonic invasion of Blackmarch has instead become a massacre. Only Siggard remains, a warrior unable to remember the final hours of the battle. As he hunts the demon lord who butchered everything dear to him, Siggard pieces together the truth of that terrible battle...and finds that his nightmare is only beginning.
738 pages, Paperback
First published March 15, 2006
34 people are currently reading
529 people want to read
About the author
Richard A. Knaak
283 books1,478 followersRichard A. Knaak is the bestselling author of Dragonlance novels, the Dragonrealm and Black City Saint series (his own creations), six novels for Blizzard Entertainment's Diablo series, and six works in the Warcraft universe. He has also written several non-series fantasy books.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 15, 2016
LEGACY OF BLOOD.
I'm a big fan of the Diablo game franchise and can happily while away the hours levelling up my Rogue to go on a monster-killing spree in some dank dungeon, distracted only by the need to pursue the occasional treasure goblin. I also read much of this first story accompanied by the music from the game - the Tristram village is so evocative of the first in the game series, I thought it would add to the enjoyment.
Thus far I've read only the first tale; Legacy of Blood. Norrec, a wandering warrior and his two cohorts come across the armour of the legendary warlord of Blood, Bartuc, as they search for more ordinary treasure. Or rather, the armour finds them. Using poor Norrec as a puppet, the sentient armour (which cannot be removed, I imagine a bit like lace-up boots you put on before you got super-drunk) seeks to be reunited with the one missing piece, the helm, which is worn proudly by the formidable and cruel General Malevolyn, who also desires the full ensemble of armour so that he can become the new living incarnation of Bartuc himself. As Norrec is taken unwillingly along by the suit (which does at least help him in out in a couple of tricky situations), he is caught up in the betrayals and ambitions of those aligned with Malevolyn, including the witch Galeona and the hideous mantis-demon Xazax. Luckily for Norrec, his now very much changed treasure-hunting companions, a necromancer and the mad brother of Bartuc, Horazon, are there to make make a stand against Malevolyn and his hellish ambitions.
The quality of the writing wasn't amazing, but it wasn't bad either and did at least have me rooting for Norrec and hoping for the downfall of Malevolyn. There were no amazing twists and turns but pretty much what you'd expect from such a 'quest' type of story. I'll be interested to see how the other three stories measure up. (When I eventually get around to reading them ..)
I'm a big fan of the Diablo game franchise and can happily while away the hours levelling up my Rogue to go on a monster-killing spree in some dank dungeon, distracted only by the need to pursue the occasional treasure goblin. I also read much of this first story accompanied by the music from the game - the Tristram village is so evocative of the first in the game series, I thought it would add to the enjoyment.
Thus far I've read only the first tale; Legacy of Blood. Norrec, a wandering warrior and his two cohorts come across the armour of the legendary warlord of Blood, Bartuc, as they search for more ordinary treasure. Or rather, the armour finds them. Using poor Norrec as a puppet, the sentient armour (which cannot be removed, I imagine a bit like lace-up boots you put on before you got super-drunk) seeks to be reunited with the one missing piece, the helm, which is worn proudly by the formidable and cruel General Malevolyn, who also desires the full ensemble of armour so that he can become the new living incarnation of Bartuc himself. As Norrec is taken unwillingly along by the suit (which does at least help him in out in a couple of tricky situations), he is caught up in the betrayals and ambitions of those aligned with Malevolyn, including the witch Galeona and the hideous mantis-demon Xazax. Luckily for Norrec, his now very much changed treasure-hunting companions, a necromancer and the mad brother of Bartuc, Horazon, are there to make make a stand against Malevolyn and his hellish ambitions.
The quality of the writing wasn't amazing, but it wasn't bad either and did at least have me rooting for Norrec and hoping for the downfall of Malevolyn. There were no amazing twists and turns but pretty much what you'd expect from such a 'quest' type of story. I'll be interested to see how the other three stories measure up. (When I eventually get around to reading them ..)
February 22, 2015
Enjoyed this book - but it would be unfair to rate it as a whole, considering it is a compilation of four shorter novelas.
Although, as I understand it, Richard Knaak is the prolific, popular author in this compilation, I find that the other two authors - Mel Odom and Robert Marks - are the ones that shine. The Diablo universe is fresh - it brings a sort of hopelessness or darkness that is missing from mainstream literature: and the reason that I find the lesser authors more interesting is because they take that universe and mold it into something better than an expose an advertisement for a video game series.
In short, Legacy of Blood and the Kingdom of Shadow read quickly: their target audience being young fans of the video game. The diction is mediocre - I think the reading level for which it is written is lower than the typical fair that I see on this site - and, as mentioned above, these to come off as an advertisement for the video game franchise.
The Black Road, however, introduces us to a part of the world that we might not have known about before: it humanizes the inhabitants of Westmarch, it treats the nation as though it is more than a backdrop, and it works as an independent read: you do not have to enjoy Diablo to enjoy this story. It introduces depth into the setting world in the way that peripheral literature is supposed to: by building on its own merits - by treating itself seriously and conveying an encapsulated plot independent of prior cannon. Does this book throw out the prior cannon? No - it does not - but flows seamlessly into the feel and atmosphere, contributing cannon on its own.
Demonsbane, the shortest of the four stories, also builds its own story. It draws on the Diablo universe as a setting, but again, you do not need to appreciate Diablo beforehand, nor do you need to have read through the canon, to be able to follow the main character, to understand the storyline, and to immerse yourself as the reader into the experience of the main characters. It does a good job of conveying the atmosphere and has a refreshing premise that I will not spoil by repeating.
All in all, I enjoyed this compilation - some more than others. Despite the thickness of the tome, it is a quick read, and I rate it highly as a sort of intermediary: the sort of book you read for fun between books you read for the challenge.
Although, as I understand it, Richard Knaak is the prolific, popular author in this compilation, I find that the other two authors - Mel Odom and Robert Marks - are the ones that shine. The Diablo universe is fresh - it brings a sort of hopelessness or darkness that is missing from mainstream literature: and the reason that I find the lesser authors more interesting is because they take that universe and mold it into something better than an expose an advertisement for a video game series.
In short, Legacy of Blood and the Kingdom of Shadow read quickly: their target audience being young fans of the video game. The diction is mediocre - I think the reading level for which it is written is lower than the typical fair that I see on this site - and, as mentioned above, these to come off as an advertisement for the video game franchise.
The Black Road, however, introduces us to a part of the world that we might not have known about before: it humanizes the inhabitants of Westmarch, it treats the nation as though it is more than a backdrop, and it works as an independent read: you do not have to enjoy Diablo to enjoy this story. It introduces depth into the setting world in the way that peripheral literature is supposed to: by building on its own merits - by treating itself seriously and conveying an encapsulated plot independent of prior cannon. Does this book throw out the prior cannon? No - it does not - but flows seamlessly into the feel and atmosphere, contributing cannon on its own.
Demonsbane, the shortest of the four stories, also builds its own story. It draws on the Diablo universe as a setting, but again, you do not need to appreciate Diablo beforehand, nor do you need to have read through the canon, to be able to follow the main character, to understand the storyline, and to immerse yourself as the reader into the experience of the main characters. It does a good job of conveying the atmosphere and has a refreshing premise that I will not spoil by repeating.
All in all, I enjoyed this compilation - some more than others. Despite the thickness of the tome, it is a quick read, and I rate it highly as a sort of intermediary: the sort of book you read for fun between books you read for the challenge.
March 28, 2022
Fantasy tie-in to the Diablo PC games that helps flesh out more of the lore and setting in the Diablo universe. The novels themselves are okay, they're not stand-out enough by themselves but for fans of the games looking to delve back into that world they can be what you're after.
April 14, 2025
A collection of three novels and a novella set in the old-skool Diablo world. Enjoy the journey of mysterious armor that attaches itself to Norrec Vizharan (completely ignoring elimination or the growth of fingernails and toenails)! Struggle with Darrick Lang as he gropes with the death of a lifelong friend! Relish the Indiana Jones-esque city of Ureh! Finally, live in the world of Demonsbane!
Overall an entertaining read with "The Black Road" being a surprisingly poignant tale of friendship lost. Robert B. Marks, author of "Demonsbane," seems to be the most talented of the trio of authors.
Overall an entertaining read with "The Black Road" being a surprisingly poignant tale of friendship lost. Robert B. Marks, author of "Demonsbane," seems to be the most talented of the trio of authors.
October 17, 2015
Предразсъдъците са наистина много дразнещо нещо, особено когато ти спестяват някои заглавия, иначе съвсем не лоши, но към които до момента съм се обръщала с някак меко презрение в стил – това е игра бе човек, какъв ти смисъл ще им търсиш в сценария, че и книги да пишеш по темата , освен някои практически наръчници в стил Как да махнеш главата на Диабло с най-малко писъци от страна на жалкия ти герой, или Развитие на уменията на диабло мъртъвците за dummies примерно. Но забравих една основна част от геймплея, свързана с намирането на разни свитъци и торби с книги, които ти дават така нужните мъдрост и опит като ги цъкнеш , докато събираш френетично жълтици и ножки, разпръснати от поредния гад, и естествено – никога не слушаш, щото не ти трябва да знаеш колко е древна гадта , която току що се е нахлузила на меча ти, де. Но някои играчи, вероятно по-интелектуално настроените, наистина слушат всички тези частици вълшебна информация, помагаща да се потопиш по-качествено в атмосферата на близардските адски кошмари. И естествено на някой му е хрумнало, че от тая работа с франчайзинга може да се изкарат и нелоши пари, събира няколко приятни писатели като Кнаак и Одом – и ей ти на -резултатът са почти самостоятелни книжки , свързани със Диабло вселената, и каращи те да се чувстваш все едно си току-що изровил древен ръкопис из катакомбата на някой особено зловещ пиксел по безкрайната карта на недружелюбния нов свят за изследване.
Лично аз не усетих някаква конкретна връзка с действието на играта, освен естествено градовете и имената на босовете, споменати като изначалните злини, сред които се отличава сериозно батко Диабло, за когото аз лично за пръв път разбрах, макар и частично , що толкова не могат да го дишат ангели и хора. Но освен него се подвизават и немалко по-незначителни демони, правещи си купчинки от трупове и привличащи сума ти порочни поддръжници за не по-дълго време от самия червен кокален пришълец, дал името на майката и бащата на ръгащо-удрящото рпг. Историите са наистина много тематични, приятни и зловещи, богати на ходещи скелети, зомбита и древни окултисти. Главните герои са откачено малко – в сравнение с Мартин или Кук да речем, и даже не умират всичките в мъки, което си е направо глътка чист въздух за почитателите на добрия край като мен. Сюжетите се развиват пълноценно, без да се разливат на няколко хиляди страници. Лошите са си лоши, често объркани от демонични влияния, и си получават боя и смъртта по доста кинематографично – предизвикателен начин. Добрите често ги поосакатяват и поопухват в движение, но това е просто за събиране на опит и вдигане на левъла, а не заради някаква гнусна реалистичност, каквато тук е направо скверно да се търси.
Много добри битки изцяло в Диабло енджин, малко романтика в кът сцените и впечатляващи сетинги и декори, които биха накарали всеки себеуважаващ играч да спре да пуца или ръга за момент, и да се огледа благоговейно от год-лайк погледа си относно хубостта на съзиданието. Това изречение е както за играта, така и за книгите – в един момент визуализацията на думите се покрива с ефектите на играта, и усещането е истински пълноценно 6Д, ако ме питате. Очакват ви омагьосана броня – демон; гигантска богомолка с келяв характер; цял град вампири , живеещ под сянката на магия; истински култ към зловещ-бог, който може да цери и убива с еднаква ужасяваща усмивка; паяковиден дявол, изливащ своите мили дечица върху целия свят; обсебено от ангел човекоподобно йети, и въобще всеки откачен сайдкик и мини-бос, които не са влезли в основния плот на играта, а са се вмъкнали в алтернативните ръкави на Диабло-магията. Нищо гениално, нищо драматично, или животопроменящо – просто много разтоварващо екшън фентъзи, с особен чар за фенове на играта, и подходящо за всеки почитател на жанра, без ограничения във възраст. Ако сте от по-елитарния тип с вкус към реализма или Мартин обаче – ще ви се стори съвсем логично посредствено- елементарно преживяването. Аз, оказва се, съм доста по-смирен читател, идващо може би от факта , че на много моменти в книгите усещах как дясната ми ръка се опитваше да се набира тендовагинично на невидима мишка като в доброто старо време на безкрайните нощни в Студенски град. Определено съкровище за фенове с много носталгична нотка.
Лично аз не усетих някаква конкретна връзка с действието на играта, освен естествено градовете и имената на босовете, споменати като изначалните злини, сред които се отличава сериозно батко Диабло, за когото аз лично за пръв път разбрах, макар и частично , що толкова не могат да го дишат ангели и хора. Но освен него се подвизават и немалко по-незначителни демони, правещи си купчинки от трупове и привличащи сума ти порочни поддръжници за не по-дълго време от самия червен кокален пришълец, дал името на майката и бащата на ръгащо-удрящото рпг. Историите са наистина много тематични, приятни и зловещи, богати на ходещи скелети, зомбита и древни окултисти. Главните герои са откачено малко – в сравнение с Мартин или Кук да речем, и даже не умират всичките в мъки, което си е направо глътка чист въздух за почитателите на добрия край като мен. Сюжетите се развиват пълноценно, без да се разливат на няколко хиляди страници. Лошите са си лоши, често объркани от демонични влияния, и си получават боя и смъртта по доста кинематографично – предизвикателен начин. Добрите често ги поосакатяват и поопухват в движение, но това е просто за събиране на опит и вдигане на левъла, а не заради някаква гнусна реалистичност, каквато тук е направо скверно да се търси.
Много добри битки изцяло в Диабло енджин, малко романтика в кът сцените и впечатляващи сетинги и декори, които биха накарали всеки себеуважаващ играч да спре да пуца или ръга за момент, и да се огледа благоговейно от год-лайк погледа си относно хубостта на съзиданието. Това изречение е както за играта, така и за книгите – в един момент визуализацията на думите се покрива с ефектите на играта, и усещането е истински пълноценно 6Д, ако ме питате. Очакват ви омагьосана броня – демон; гигантска богомолка с келяв характер; цял град вампири , живеещ под сянката на магия; истински култ към зловещ-бог, който може да цери и убива с еднаква ужасяваща усмивка; паяковиден дявол, изливащ своите мили дечица върху целия свят; обсебено от ангел човекоподобно йети, и въобще всеки откачен сайдкик и мини-бос, които не са влезли в основния плот на играта, а са се вмъкнали в алтернативните ръкави на Диабло-магията. Нищо гениално, нищо драматично, или животопроменящо – просто много разтоварващо екшън фентъзи, с особен чар за фенове на играта, и подходящо за всеки почитател на жанра, без ограничения във възраст. Ако сте от по-елитарния тип с вкус към реализма или Мартин обаче – ще ви се стори съвсем логично посредствено- елементарно преживяването. Аз, оказва се, съм доста по-смирен читател, идващо може би от факта , че на много моменти в книгите усещах как дясната ми ръка се опитваше да се набира тендовагинично на невидима мишка като в доброто старо време на безкрайните нощни в Студенски град. Определено съкровище за фенове с много носталгична нотка.
February 18, 2014
I've dragged this poor book with me for at least five apartments since I purchased it back in 2010/2011. After finally finishing some other stuff, I pulled it out from behind the couch or under the bed (it's been some strange places) and read it.
The four books are all pretty entertaining. The third one (Kingdom of Shadow) could probably stand alone on its own merit and length. I can't say which one was my favorite, as they were all pretty much stories about white dudes with horrible vices they had to work through to win the day. While it was the most predictable of the books plot-wise, I thought the final and shortest book, Demonsbane, was entertaining, if only for the fact that it was so short and condensed.
Unless you have a soft spot for tie-in fiction and/or Blizzard, you can probably skip these, though.
The four books are all pretty entertaining. The third one (Kingdom of Shadow) could probably stand alone on its own merit and length. I can't say which one was my favorite, as they were all pretty much stories about white dudes with horrible vices they had to work through to win the day. While it was the most predictable of the books plot-wise, I thought the final and shortest book, Demonsbane, was entertaining, if only for the fact that it was so short and condensed.
Unless you have a soft spot for tie-in fiction and/or Blizzard, you can probably skip these, though.
September 28, 2015
This review is applicable only for Diablo fans. As most of you know, Diablo as a whole is special among games of its genre. Why? None can tell, one say you can feel the hits, one say the atmosphere, the music, the background. This everything is in the stories that Richard A. Knaak wrote. The easy and fast readable style with the atmosphere only a Diablo player can feel, can see. Closing his lids between the chapters shows the darkness or the light, most if the time both. The Diablo universe is what its background tells us, it is love. The love of a demon and an angel, fused together, but unable to ever be together cause it is not something that was meant to be.
July 3, 2009
A worthy expedition into the Diablo universe, the stories aren't exceptional but are all solid and don't overstay their welcome. A good way to fill some empty time or a craving for the angels, demons, and magic of the Diablo 'verse. A final note: the fourth story in this collection is diminutive in comparison to the other three, a gnome traveling in the company of three giants.
February 12, 2011
I liked the three big'' stories in this book. Though i think everyone of them lacked something. One lacked personality in their characters, the other lacked the epicness of a good story. But overall they're all okay to read if youre just looking for some average adventures. I usually prefer ''bigger/more epic'' storys.
April 25, 2014
It is intimidating for me to pick up a book with 700 pages or more. I am so glad that read all of this one. Each story was well written and I enjoyed most of my time with it. I never really knew what to expect with them and am glad that this is my first book (or first four) in the Diablo universe. I am anxious to see what is next.
August 18, 2011
It's flat out awesome. I love dark fantasy and this is as dark as it gets!!
November 7, 2013
This book is a group of four different stories set in the "Diablo" universe, I'd recommend this book to any who like fantasy, or to any who have played any of the "Diablo" games.
August 22, 2014
Hehe... I love the setting. Plus, there is something cool in the title... "Diablo" it makes one quiver with excitement.
March 31, 2016
Great collection and nice way to start with the Diablo Universe.
February 11, 2016
Some good stories
April 8, 2016
Interesting if you love spooky stuff, and off course if you played Diablo.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews