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Every great war story has two sides. This limited edition hardback version collects two new World of Warcraft novellas from the point of view of the Alliance (Elegy, by Christie Golden) and the Horde (A Good War, by Robert Brooks). These two tales explore the Horde and the Alliance versions of a fateful event, but only you can decide which faction tells it best. Each story includes original artwork exclusive to this edition.
91 pages, Hardcover
First published August 14, 2018
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467 people want to read
About the author
Christie Golden
173 books1,878 followersAward-winning author Christie Golden has written over thirty novels and several short stories in the fields of science fiction, fantasy and horror. She has over a million books in print.
2009 will see no fewer than three novels published. First out in late April will be a World of Warcraft novel, Athas: Rise of the Lich King. This is the first Warcraft novel to appear in hardcover. Fans of the young paladin who fell so far from grace will get to read his definitive story.
In June, Golden’s first Star Wars novel, also a hardcover, sees print. Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi—Omen is the second in a nine-book series she is co-authoring with Aaron Allston and Troy Denning. Also in June comes the conclusion of Golden’s StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga with the release of Twlight, the third book in the series. The first two are Firstborn and Shadow Hunters.
2004 saw the launch of an original fantasy series called The Final Dance, from LUNA Books. The first novel in the series, On Fire's Wings, was published in July of that year. The second, In Stone’s Clasp , came out in September of 2005. With In Stone’s Clasp, Golden won the Colorado Author’s League Top Hand Award for Best Genre Novel for the second time. The third book, Under Sea’s Shadow, is available only as an e-book
Golden is also the author of two original fantasy novels from Ace Books, King's Man and Thief and Instrument of Fate, which made the 1996 Nebula Preliminary Ballot. Under the pen name of Jadrien Bell, she wrote a historical fantasy thriller entitled A.D. 999, which won the Colorado Author's League Top Hand Award for Best Genre Novel of 1999.
Golden launched the TSR Ravenloft line in 1991 with her first novel, the highly successful Vampire of the Mists , which introduced elven vampire Jander Sunstar. Golden followed up Vampire with Dance of the Dead and The Enemy Within . In September of 2006, fifteen years to the month, The Ravenloft Covenant: Vampire of the Mists enabled Jander Sunstar to reach a whole new audience.
Other projects include a slew of Star Trek novels, among them The Murdered Sun , Marooned , and Seven of Nine , and "The Dark Matters Trilogy," Cloak and Dagger , Ghost Dance and Shadow of Heaven .
The Voyager novel relaunch, which includes Homecoming and The Farther Shore , were bestsellers and were the fastest-selling Trek novels of 2003. Golden continued writing VOYAGER novels even though the show went off the air, and enjoyed exploring the creative freedom that gave her in the two-parter called Spirit Walk, which includes Old Wounds and Enemy of my Enemy .
Golden has also written the novelization of Steven Spielberg's Invasion America and an original "prequel," On The Run , both of which received high praise from producer Harve Bennett. On The Run, a combination medical thriller and science fiction adventure, even prompted Bennett to invite Golden to assist in crafting the second season of the show, if it was renewed.
Golden lives in Loveland, Colorado, with her artist husband and their two cats.
2009 will see no fewer than three novels published. First out in late April will be a World of Warcraft novel, Athas: Rise of the Lich King. This is the first Warcraft novel to appear in hardcover. Fans of the young paladin who fell so far from grace will get to read his definitive story.
In June, Golden’s first Star Wars novel, also a hardcover, sees print. Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi—Omen is the second in a nine-book series she is co-authoring with Aaron Allston and Troy Denning. Also in June comes the conclusion of Golden’s StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga with the release of Twlight, the third book in the series. The first two are Firstborn and Shadow Hunters.
2004 saw the launch of an original fantasy series called The Final Dance, from LUNA Books. The first novel in the series, On Fire's Wings, was published in July of that year. The second, In Stone’s Clasp , came out in September of 2005. With In Stone’s Clasp, Golden won the Colorado Author’s League Top Hand Award for Best Genre Novel for the second time. The third book, Under Sea’s Shadow, is available only as an e-book
Golden is also the author of two original fantasy novels from Ace Books, King's Man and Thief and Instrument of Fate, which made the 1996 Nebula Preliminary Ballot. Under the pen name of Jadrien Bell, she wrote a historical fantasy thriller entitled A.D. 999, which won the Colorado Author's League Top Hand Award for Best Genre Novel of 1999.
Golden launched the TSR Ravenloft line in 1991 with her first novel, the highly successful Vampire of the Mists , which introduced elven vampire Jander Sunstar. Golden followed up Vampire with Dance of the Dead and The Enemy Within . In September of 2006, fifteen years to the month, The Ravenloft Covenant: Vampire of the Mists enabled Jander Sunstar to reach a whole new audience.
Other projects include a slew of Star Trek novels, among them The Murdered Sun , Marooned , and Seven of Nine , and "The Dark Matters Trilogy," Cloak and Dagger , Ghost Dance and Shadow of Heaven .
The Voyager novel relaunch, which includes Homecoming and The Farther Shore , were bestsellers and were the fastest-selling Trek novels of 2003. Golden continued writing VOYAGER novels even though the show went off the air, and enjoyed exploring the creative freedom that gave her in the two-parter called Spirit Walk, which includes Old Wounds and Enemy of my Enemy .
Golden has also written the novelization of Steven Spielberg's Invasion America and an original "prequel," On The Run , both of which received high praise from producer Harve Bennett. On The Run, a combination medical thriller and science fiction adventure, even prompted Bennett to invite Golden to assist in crafting the second season of the show, if it was renewed.
Golden lives in Loveland, Colorado, with her artist husband and their two cats.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
August 19, 2018
This story was included in the Collector's Edition of Battle for Azeroth and tells a bit more information about the events of the Pre-Patch before the release of the newest expansion. It was slightly repetitive from what you see in game, but I liked the increased emotional connection that I had to my characters after reading this story. It actually sparked off some ideas to use in my own role play in the game itself! A nice bonus to playing the actual game!
August 15, 2018
Did well to show how tragic the burning of Teldrassil would have been for the people in the tree. Much more impactful than the game can depict.
September 27, 2018
This one brought tears to my eyes. I've always been a fan of Golden's work with the World of Warcraft novels. She does it again here though it tells the same story as A Good War but from the Alliance POV. For the Alliance! For Teldrassil!
August 8, 2018
It's really hard to rate this book. The writing is 5 stars material, the content however hardly deserves 3 stars.
This book is a clear victim of writing around the plot. It's painstakingly obvious that Golden was given a plot and she had to fill the gaps. I mean, she even makes fun of Sylvanas stupidity by Anduin's line: "No one had thought [Sylvanas] would put her cruelty before her cleverness. There was no strategic purpose, no possible reason to destroy the tree."
Other painfully obvious events that only serve the plot include:
1. Anduin giving Tyrande his Hearthstone so she can save Malfurion by bringing him to Stormwind. Malfurion is possibly the strongest being on Azeroth, why would Anduin talk to Tyrande in a way to imply that Malfurion is losing the battle? This conversation obviously had to happen because we know from in-game that Malfurion loses to Sylvanas.
2. Malfurion taking Saurfang's ax in the back. Malfurion can bring forth a thunderstorm and kill everyone in the vicinity of a small town. He can command the forces of nature to root and squash anything in his path. His skin is tough as the toughest bark on Azeroth, and he gets owned by a fucking ax throw from a warrior. Imagine Broxigar killed Sargeras by scraping his knee, as he did scrape it in the War of the Ancients. That's how stupid Malfurion getting owned by Saurfang is.
3. Tyrande, thanks to Anduin's Sherlock Holmes ability of reading the script, returns Malfurion to Stormwind, and then decides to stay in Stormwind instead of using the portal to Darnassus to get back and literally obliterate every single Horde member by Elune's light, as she freaking implies literally 1 page before!:
>The light she had summoned had re-formed into radiant, deadly spikes of illumination that hung over Saurfang’s white head. "I can strike him down with a thought. And yet he meets my eyes and does not plead for mercy."
WoW never had perfect plot logic, but this is simply insulting how stupid it is. Hopefully Blizzard will atone themselves in the next expansion.
This book is a clear victim of writing around the plot. It's painstakingly obvious that Golden was given a plot and she had to fill the gaps. I mean, she even makes fun of Sylvanas stupidity by Anduin's line: "No one had thought [Sylvanas] would put her cruelty before her cleverness. There was no strategic purpose, no possible reason to destroy the tree."
Other painfully obvious events that only serve the plot include:
1. Anduin giving Tyrande his Hearthstone so she can save Malfurion by bringing him to Stormwind. Malfurion is possibly the strongest being on Azeroth, why would Anduin talk to Tyrande in a way to imply that Malfurion is losing the battle? This conversation obviously had to happen because we know from in-game that Malfurion loses to Sylvanas.
2. Malfurion taking Saurfang's ax in the back. Malfurion can bring forth a thunderstorm and kill everyone in the vicinity of a small town. He can command the forces of nature to root and squash anything in his path. His skin is tough as the toughest bark on Azeroth, and he gets owned by a fucking ax throw from a warrior. Imagine Broxigar killed Sargeras by scraping his knee, as he did scrape it in the War of the Ancients. That's how stupid Malfurion getting owned by Saurfang is.
3. Tyrande, thanks to Anduin's Sherlock Holmes ability of reading the script, returns Malfurion to Stormwind, and then decides to stay in Stormwind instead of using the portal to Darnassus to get back and literally obliterate every single Horde member by Elune's light, as she freaking implies literally 1 page before!:
>The light she had summoned had re-formed into radiant, deadly spikes of illumination that hung over Saurfang’s white head. "I can strike him down with a thought. And yet he meets my eyes and does not plead for mercy."
WoW never had perfect plot logic, but this is simply insulting how stupid it is. Hopefully Blizzard will atone themselves in the next expansion.
October 8, 2018
I just couldn't finish this. I tried twice to get farther than halfway through, but it was just...too, too much heartache to handle. So I skimmed the rest, felt rather sick for a short while, and am setting it aside to read more thoroughly later. Perhaps when the purpose behind the events is explained and resolved with more depth in the game? Perhaps when the atrocities committed by my chosen faction's leader are answered for? Perhaps never.
The writing is superb. Golden has outdone herself, though considering she seems her best when writing things too painful to wade through with any shred of sanity left over at the end, that's not surprising. (Backhanded compliment? So it would seem...though with the content given to her, I suppose she isn't entirely to blame for that. If only she didn't appear to enjoy it so.)
As always, I will remain hopeful that someday writers of all large and intimidating franchises will realize good, compelling storytelling does not always have to revolve around tragedy, horror, and inexcusable atrocities committed entirely to shock a response out of the audience. Villains are all well and good, but there's a limit one should not push.
The writing is superb. Golden has outdone herself, though considering she seems her best when writing things too painful to wade through with any shred of sanity left over at the end, that's not surprising. (Backhanded compliment? So it would seem...though with the content given to her, I suppose she isn't entirely to blame for that. If only she didn't appear to enjoy it so.)
As always, I will remain hopeful that someday writers of all large and intimidating franchises will realize good, compelling storytelling does not always have to revolve around tragedy, horror, and inexcusable atrocities committed entirely to shock a response out of the audience. Villains are all well and good, but there's a limit one should not push.
August 16, 2018
The story of the Invasion of the Horde starting with Darkshore and the burning of Darnasses from the Alliance’s POV as seen by the Night Elf rangers. Found in HB book included in the Battle for Azeroth Collectors’ edition.
Has several wonderful B&W illustrations of related events.
Footnote: 1) elegy: a poem of serious reflection, typically for the dead.
2) What I don’t understand is if SW was so crowded with refugees why they didn’t send some to Ironforge. There must have some druids there and they could have just as easily open a portal or two to there and gotten more out.
Fave scenes: Cordessa and Dalaryn’s farewell and Terryn’s fall.
Has several wonderful B&W illustrations of related events.
Footnote: 1) elegy: a poem of serious reflection, typically for the dead.
2) What I don’t understand is if SW was so crowded with refugees why they didn’t send some to Ironforge. There must have some druids there and they could have just as easily open a portal or two to there and gotten more out.
Fave scenes: Cordessa and Dalaryn’s farewell and Terryn’s fall.
August 29, 2020
*** FOR ANYONE LOOKING FOR THIS NOVELLA IT’S FREE ON THE WORLD OF WARCRAFT WEBSITE ***
Holy shit this was insanely good. I could not put it down and sobbed my way through majority of the book. My heart is broken. Definitely my favourite of the series so far! You thought the short or the quest line was impactful? They’ve got nothing on this story.
Holy shit this was insanely good. I could not put it down and sobbed my way through majority of the book. My heart is broken. Definitely my favourite of the series so far! You thought the short or the quest line was impactful? They’ve got nothing on this story.
August 9, 2018
The novella fills in some gaps of the Horde invasion in the Ashenvale Forest. I really liked it but for a complete story the other book (A Good War) should also be read. Limited WoW time event and cinematics help as well.
August 9, 2018
The writing here is much better than in Before the Storm, probably because Golden has always been best at "small", character-driven stories rather than grand statements, battles or political intrigue.
April 28, 2019
This was a good tie in novel to the video game World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth. It was a little slow to start but once it got going, it never stopped. Good to read if you play the game and enjoy the story.
May 24, 2020
The writing is just WoW. It will leave you wanting more. I’m all about the Horde but I’m feeling for the Alliance right now. Christie puts you in their shoes and does not disappoint. What an ending, be prepared! Also The graphics and design of this book is just marvelous definitely a collectors.
August 10, 2018
Another background novella from the Alliance view of Battle for Azeroth.
August 27, 2018
Even know how this ends, my heart still broke.
August 11, 2018
It's an OK story giving one half of the emotional weight behind WoW's next expansion.
April 30, 2019
I'M CRYING. YET AGAIN. WHY DOES THIS HAVE TO BE SO SAD?!
September 3, 2021
As someone who played through the BFA Prepatch from the Horde perspective but a Night Elf at heart, this was heart breaking. I legit cried when Teldrasil burned and I'm still upset about it
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2024
This made me cry. Very well written.
August 20, 2018
Read this 13 August 2018 but don’t want it to count towards me reading challenge.
April 28, 2025
(Copy pasted from the original Escapist review)
Elegy was one of two prequel novellas written as prequels for Battle for Azeroth. Reading it, it's a bit of a weird experience, as someone who's never really got into WoW, but tried to follow it because WC3 (and to a lesser extent, WC1/2) got me into the setting. Because on one hand, the writing itself is reasonably well done. Horde is invading northern Kalimdor, outnumber the night elves, most of the Alliance is on the wrong side of the world to help them, so what follows is a campaign that utilizes proper tactics, or at least, tactics that are easily recognisable to a ley person. It certainly feels a bit weird in a setting where a lot of what's done seems to be down to the individual rather than the faction - the difference between an MMO and an RTS.
On the other hand, every so often, there's an irritating reminder of the quirks of the setting. Night elves act like night elves and have night elf names. Dwarves act like dwarves and have dwarf names. In case you're wondering, this isn't because of the "Not All Orcs!" 'controversy' on Twitter, but it's quite telling, and if anything, does show the drawbacks of having fantasy races, because those races are expected to act a certain way. Also, this is a Christie Golden work, so of course there's going to be romance, even if it's unneeded in the story itself.
Still, it's a decent read. However, the problem is that the longer WoW goes on, the harder it is for me to follow without diving into it, and I really don't want to have to spend hours of my life on a single game, and why I have to rely on Wowpedia for a lot of stuff. But, thanks to the Reforged debacle, WC4 is almost certainly never going to happen, so take what I can get I guess.
Elegy was one of two prequel novellas written as prequels for Battle for Azeroth. Reading it, it's a bit of a weird experience, as someone who's never really got into WoW, but tried to follow it because WC3 (and to a lesser extent, WC1/2) got me into the setting. Because on one hand, the writing itself is reasonably well done. Horde is invading northern Kalimdor, outnumber the night elves, most of the Alliance is on the wrong side of the world to help them, so what follows is a campaign that utilizes proper tactics, or at least, tactics that are easily recognisable to a ley person. It certainly feels a bit weird in a setting where a lot of what's done seems to be down to the individual rather than the faction - the difference between an MMO and an RTS.
On the other hand, every so often, there's an irritating reminder of the quirks of the setting. Night elves act like night elves and have night elf names. Dwarves act like dwarves and have dwarf names. In case you're wondering, this isn't because of the "Not All Orcs!" 'controversy' on Twitter, but it's quite telling, and if anything, does show the drawbacks of having fantasy races, because those races are expected to act a certain way. Also, this is a Christie Golden work, so of course there's going to be romance, even if it's unneeded in the story itself.
Still, it's a decent read. However, the problem is that the longer WoW goes on, the harder it is for me to follow without diving into it, and I really don't want to have to spend hours of my life on a single game, and why I have to rely on Wowpedia for a lot of stuff. But, thanks to the Reforged debacle, WC4 is almost certainly never going to happen, so take what I can get I guess.
October 3, 2019
I'm surprised but I liked this one better than A Good War (even though I'm a Horde player). Very good piece, depicting the Alliance POV of War of Thorns. There were even moments when I thought I would cry... truly moving story of the cruel times to come.
Read
August 8, 2018A bit more detail in the retreat from Ashenvale and Darkshore, especially when it comes to the involvement of some characters compared to what is shown in-game. While the main focus is on what's happening in the war zone, the parts that felt more important is what was happening in Stormwind: despite the bad situation, the Alliance leaders are working together - even if there's no really good option, they are doing their best instead of going against each other as Sylvanas planned.
Let's hope they show her who's better.
(mandatory battle cry) For the Alliance!
Let's hope they show her who's better.
(mandatory battle cry) For the Alliance!
August 8, 2018
Ok this is probably the first Warcraft book that made me actually cry. Well played, Christie Golden.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews