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WarCraft #0.5
Of Blood and Honor
In the mist-shrouded haze of the past, the world of Azeroth teemed with wondrous creatures of every kind. Mysterious Elves and hardy Dwarves walked among tribes of man in relative peace and harmony -- until the arrival of the demonic army known as the Burning Legion shattered the world's tranquility forever. Now Orcs, Dragons, Goblins, and Trolls all vie for supremacy over the scattered, warring kingdoms -- part of a grand, malevolent scheme that will determine the fate of the world of Warcraft.
The noble Paladin, Tirion Fordring, had always believed the savage Orcs to be vile and corrupt. He had spent his life fighting ceaselessly to protect humanity from their foul treachery. But an unexpected act of honor and compassion sets in motion a chain of events that will challenge Tirion's most fundamental beliefs, and force him to decide once and for all who are the men -- and who are the monsters.
An original tale of magic, warfare, and heroism based on the bestselling, award-winning electronic game from Blizzard Entertainment.
The noble Paladin, Tirion Fordring, had always believed the savage Orcs to be vile and corrupt. He had spent his life fighting ceaselessly to protect humanity from their foul treachery. But an unexpected act of honor and compassion sets in motion a chain of events that will challenge Tirion's most fundamental beliefs, and force him to decide once and for all who are the men -- and who are the monsters.
An original tale of magic, warfare, and heroism based on the bestselling, award-winning electronic game from Blizzard Entertainment.
128 pages, ebook
First published December 1, 2000
53 people are currently reading
2824 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
April 22, 2015
The days of war against the Horde are over. Relative peace now reigns throughout Azeroth. It is in this time that we meet Tirion Fordring, a renowned paladin of the Order of the Silver Hand. While out in the woods one day, Tirion suddenly faces a deadly challenge, and a bond of friendship that will turn his existence upside down.
Written by the creator of the Warcraft universe himself, Of Blood and Honor is a mediocre, but enjoyable addition to it. Both in length, plot and number of characters it is more like a novella than an actual novel, but it nevertheless is a fine tale. It does not add much to the Warcraft lore, but explores the character of Tirion and includes appearances by some very well-known other characters. In fact, another appropriate title for this book would be ”Why Tirion Fordring is more awesome than all the other paladins alive”.
I would recommend it to all you Warcraft fans out there. Like I said, it does not add much, but it takes almost no time at all to read.
Written by the creator of the Warcraft universe himself, Of Blood and Honor is a mediocre, but enjoyable addition to it. Both in length, plot and number of characters it is more like a novella than an actual novel, but it nevertheless is a fine tale. It does not add much to the Warcraft lore, but explores the character of Tirion and includes appearances by some very well-known other characters. In fact, another appropriate title for this book would be ”Why Tirion Fordring is more awesome than all the other paladins alive”.
I would recommend it to all you Warcraft fans out there. Like I said, it does not add much, but it takes almost no time at all to read.
September 2, 2009
More of a Novella than an actual novel, this is one of the better books in the Warcraft universe. It takes place shortly after the events of Lord of the Clans, and is a nice background for one of the main characters in Wrath of the Lich King, Tirion Fordring.
February 13, 2018
This short story was entertaining but some what hard to ingest considering I’m for The Horde! The book takes place during very dark days turning anew. There was a glimpse of hope during a turmoil time of war.
January 12, 2012
One of the best books I have ever read, right under Arthas: Rise of the Lich King, by Christie Golden. Chris Metzen has some extremely great writing skills, and reading this book inspired me to write my own 50 page fan-fiction dedicated to my WoW Character named Brunden Valorwind. Great book, and I recommend it to any fantasy lover and especially any Warcraft Lore-hound! :D
January 13, 2021
I wasn't overly fond of the writing style, it just felt awkward. Too much telling and not enough showing. The story itself though was good. I look forward to digging more into the world of World of Warcraft, but hopefully with some better writers.
Full review can be found on my blog:
http://rantsnscribbles.blogspot.com/2...
Full review can be found on my blog:
http://rantsnscribbles.blogspot.com/2...
March 16, 2016
A well written story about Tirion. A quick read but definitely a worthwhile book for Warcraft fans.
October 8, 2020
Leí este libro para la Lectura Conjunta que estoy organizando en mi Instagram.
La verdad que me gustó mucho poder reencontrarme con el juego que me acompañó durante casi toda mi adolescencia y aún está conmigo.
Es un libro bastante corto, que se centra en un solo personaje y un lugar específico del universo del WoW. No tiene una gran historia, y no es mucho lo que sucede. Nos pone en contexto en un mundo que acaba de ser azotado por la Primera Guerra, a manos de los malvados y horribles orcos. Sin embargo, ¿qué son las personas sin un poco de compasión? Siento que es un libro bueno para poder adentrarse en el universo.
Al principio hay demasiada info-dump, que aunque parezca necesaria para poder poner al lector nuevo en contexto, sentí que podía reubicarse y darse de otra manera. Además de eso, el estilo de escritura es bastante básico y normal. No tiene muchos decorados, ni profundiza mucho, sino que cuenta lo que tiene que contar. Se nota que Chris es un excelente desarrollador y creador de historias, pero como escritor a mi parecer deja mucho que desear.
Conociendo a Tirion de los juegos y sabiendo todo lo que hace y le pasa luego, me es casi imposible poder juzgar este libro ciegamente. Sin embargo, hacia la mitad de él me pareció bastante exagerado y a veces incluso molesta la actitud del Paladín. Sin embargo, se que el honor es una de las cosas más importantes del juego y un cuestionamiento que no va a ser ni la primera ni la última vez que voy a ver atravesando a los personajes principales. Incluso los secundarios.
La verdad que me dejó con muchas más ganas de leer los demás libros de la saga.
La verdad que me gustó mucho poder reencontrarme con el juego que me acompañó durante casi toda mi adolescencia y aún está conmigo.
Es un libro bastante corto, que se centra en un solo personaje y un lugar específico del universo del WoW. No tiene una gran historia, y no es mucho lo que sucede. Nos pone en contexto en un mundo que acaba de ser azotado por la Primera Guerra, a manos de los malvados y horribles orcos. Sin embargo, ¿qué son las personas sin un poco de compasión? Siento que es un libro bueno para poder adentrarse en el universo.
Al principio hay demasiada info-dump, que aunque parezca necesaria para poder poner al lector nuevo en contexto, sentí que podía reubicarse y darse de otra manera. Además de eso, el estilo de escritura es bastante básico y normal. No tiene muchos decorados, ni profundiza mucho, sino que cuenta lo que tiene que contar. Se nota que Chris es un excelente desarrollador y creador de historias, pero como escritor a mi parecer deja mucho que desear.
Conociendo a Tirion de los juegos y sabiendo todo lo que hace y le pasa luego, me es casi imposible poder juzgar este libro ciegamente. Sin embargo, hacia la mitad de él me pareció bastante exagerado y a veces incluso molesta la actitud del Paladín. Sin embargo, se que el honor es una de las cosas más importantes del juego y un cuestionamiento que no va a ser ni la primera ni la última vez que voy a ver atravesando a los personajes principales. Incluso los secundarios.
La verdad que me dejó con muchas más ganas de leer los demás libros de la saga.
December 27, 2021
O poveste minunată despre onoare şi despre prețul pe care trebuie să-l plăteşti pentru aceasta.
January 15, 2010
This book, while short, did not lack the grandeur that those of longer length may have. It was an incredible story that gave you a more in depth explanation of Tirion Fordring's life than was given to you by the MMORPG, World of Warcraft. The characters had much depth, and the reader will likely find them self loving certain characters and hoping they succeed, and hating others. The theme of honor was also interestingly explored, creating a perspective which one might not expect to have. All in all, this was an incredible book, which every Warcraft lore-lover should read.
April 24, 2011
Good stuff. I like Metzen's writing a lot.
January 23, 2025
Of Blood and Honor er en av de tidligste Warcraft-bøkene, og Metzen har skrevet en spennende og innholdsrik kortroman med rom for bl.a. oppbygning og karakterutvikling.
Resten av omtalen finner du på bokkjellden.com.
Resten av omtalen finner du på bokkjellden.com.
March 3, 2020
Esarus thar no “Darador”
...After many trials of faith, the Legendary Paladin finally fulfilled his oath
Great book for those who want to learn about the lore of the Warcraft universe, or simply love the fantasy genre
...After many trials of faith, the Legendary Paladin finally fulfilled his oath
Great book for those who want to learn about the lore of the Warcraft universe, or simply love the fantasy genre
November 18, 2024
Quick novella accompanying the 3 Warcraft books I previously read, following the paladin, Tirion Fordring, I really enjoyed the pacing of this shorter story. It’s also clearing up some confusion I had with the characters story in the actual Warcraft games, looking forward to more.
April 2, 2024
Good soup
June 12, 2025
I'll go ahead and give this a 5, because I enjoyed the story so much.
There were a few issues, mainly that the author appeared to forget how big orcs are in comparison to humans and then some story elements that couldn't have been done better like
There were a few issues, mainly that the author appeared to forget how big orcs are in comparison to humans and then some story elements that couldn't have been done better like
Read
February 5, 2010 Of Blood and Honor takes place in the Warcraft universe, where the events of World of Warcraft takes place. This story is a reletively short one, and takes place prior to the times after Warcraft 3. The main character in this story is Tirion Fordring, a paladin in the human and dwarf meeting called Knights of the Silver Hands. Tirion Fordring has grown up to believe that orcs have no sense of mercy, and since a paladin has always protected his village from them. However, in an unexpected act of honor and compassion, he was saved by the orc Eitrigg. This book mostly focuses on ignorance, and trust. Ignorance has been shown throughout the book as Tirion defends his newfound friend, but he has been even exiled from his own village due to protecting Eitrigg and preventing the orc from being executed in the city. I would definitely recommend this book to people who love the World of Warcraft series, because this gives a lot of information about the character Tirion, who is a huge character that must be looked upon in the expansion Wrath of the Lich King.
August 9, 2020
While this is hard to get your hands on, I would definitely suggest that people read it. Finding it as an online pdf is most likely the best way to read it.
Written by Chris Metzen who is sadly now not with Blizzard anymore and being his first step in writing a book on his own, he did a very good job of it. Though really it is more like a short story than a book.
It takes place just after Lord of the Clans by Christie Golden.
Following Lord Tirion Fordring and his journey to bring exiled due to his meeting and protecting of Etrigg, an old orc warrior. Tirion plays a large part in Wrath of the Lich King and is a key character within Warcraft lore. Learning more backstory of such an influential character is important as it helps flesh out said character. This short story isn't necessary for Warcraft lore and can easily be skipped however I would definitely recommend reading it.
Written by Chris Metzen who is sadly now not with Blizzard anymore and being his first step in writing a book on his own, he did a very good job of it. Though really it is more like a short story than a book.
It takes place just after Lord of the Clans by Christie Golden.
Following Lord Tirion Fordring and his journey to bring exiled due to his meeting and protecting of Etrigg, an old orc warrior. Tirion plays a large part in Wrath of the Lich King and is a key character within Warcraft lore. Learning more backstory of such an influential character is important as it helps flesh out said character. This short story isn't necessary for Warcraft lore and can easily be skipped however I would definitely recommend reading it.
January 13, 2013
I wanted to like this book especially since I paid money for it despite it being available online for free. Don't make the same mistake. It's not well written and doesn't add enough to Warcraft lore to be worthwhile. The characters are unbelievable and they live in an old fashioned world more like medieval earth than Azeroth (the main character's 1960s wife makes me want to cry.)
The ideas in the book--honour, mostly--are interesting but not well represented by this novella.
The ideas in the book--honour, mostly--are interesting but not well represented by this novella.
August 23, 2014
A decent pally story. Even Arthas the paladin makes an appearance.
October 7, 2014
It's a pleasure to know about the story line of the game that I currently playing . It is obviously World of Warcraft (MMORPG) .
June 20, 2016
Heck to the yes.
May 24, 2020
Fascinating book, but too short
October 27, 2025
Somewhat longer than a short story but a little shorter than a novella, Chris Metzen's Of Blood and Honor tells the story of the Paladin Tirion Fordring meeting a lone, old orc in the forest near his keep. It was the first Warcraft book to be published, and is sort of a primer on the general early story of Warcraft. It accomplishes what it sets out to do, introducing some major characters in the lore and letting the reader know how they got to this point. The story itself, though short, is a powerful one that is important not only in the overall lore of Warcraft, but even here in the real world. A story of honor and doing the right thing even when everyone around you begs you to do something different.
Chris Metzen is a major architect of Warcraft lore, and he's come up with some of the most enduring ideas in the Warcraft universe, but to be quite honest, I don't particularly love him as a writer. I feel like even if the story is deep, his writing style is shallow and paint-by-numbers. This is a book your average fourth-grader would probably not struggle to read, and Metzen trots out several tired tropes during the story (the small boy wanting to be just like his noble dad, the ambitious, arrogant upstart gunning for his superior's position, the head-in-hands wife who can't understand anything her husband does), complete with stilted dialog. It's the kind of story that could have been so much better in the hands of a truly competent author (I realize Metzen has written many books, mostly in the Transformers series; I'm not saying he should quit and join the circus, but he's hardly George R.R. Martin).
That said, it was generally a breezy read and one that I did enjoy, ultimately. The setting, main characters, and story are all integral to the Warcraft universe and revisiting them here is fun. Metzen has had some great ideas and his contribution to the lore cannot be overstated. I'm rather glad he hasn't written more Warcraft books himself, but he has to be given credit for writing the very first one.
Chris Metzen is a major architect of Warcraft lore, and he's come up with some of the most enduring ideas in the Warcraft universe, but to be quite honest, I don't particularly love him as a writer. I feel like even if the story is deep, his writing style is shallow and paint-by-numbers. This is a book your average fourth-grader would probably not struggle to read, and Metzen trots out several tired tropes during the story (the small boy wanting to be just like his noble dad, the ambitious, arrogant upstart gunning for his superior's position, the head-in-hands wife who can't understand anything her husband does), complete with stilted dialog. It's the kind of story that could have been so much better in the hands of a truly competent author (I realize Metzen has written many books, mostly in the Transformers series; I'm not saying he should quit and join the circus, but he's hardly George R.R. Martin).
That said, it was generally a breezy read and one that I did enjoy, ultimately. The setting, main characters, and story are all integral to the Warcraft universe and revisiting them here is fun. Metzen has had some great ideas and his contribution to the lore cannot be overstated. I'm rather glad he hasn't written more Warcraft books himself, but he has to be given credit for writing the very first one.
May 29, 2025
Chris Metzen’s Of Blood and Honor is a gripping and heartfelt tale set in the rich, war-torn world of Azeroth, a world where allegiance, duty, and personal code often collide. What struck me most deeply was the powerful theme of staying true to one's word, even when doing so puts a character at odds with their assigned duty. It's a story that dives headfirst into the gray areas of morality, refusing to paint its central conflict in simple black and white.
At the heart of the novel is Tirion Fordring, a paladin whose choice to honor a promise, regardless of race, allegiance, or consequence, forms the emotional core of the narrative. His journey is not just one of giving up one’s physical accomplishments, but of spiritual reckoning. Tirion loses everything: his title, his family, his standing. Yet through all that loss, he holds fast to what he deems most sacred, his honor. That unwavering commitment makes his arc both tragic and profoundly inspiring.
What I particularly appreciated was how the story challenges the reader to consider the cost of doing what is right versus what is expected. It's not a clean or easy answer, and the novel doesn’t pretend otherwise. We are shown over and over just how much Tirion loses for his choice. That moral complexity gives Of Blood and Honor a resonance that lingers well beyond the final pages.
That said, the story is not without its weaknesses. While Tirion is rendered with nuance and depth, the antagonist falls somewhat flat by comparison. The antagonist serves their narrative function, but feels more like a symbol of narrow-minded prejudice than a fully fleshed-out person. A bit more complexity on that side of the moral spectrum would have added to the novel’s overall impact.
Of Blood and Honor delivers a compact but emotionally potent experience. It’s a tale that reminds us that honor isn't given, it's chosen, tested, and, sometimes, all one needs.
At the heart of the novel is Tirion Fordring, a paladin whose choice to honor a promise, regardless of race, allegiance, or consequence, forms the emotional core of the narrative. His journey is not just one of giving up one’s physical accomplishments, but of spiritual reckoning. Tirion loses everything: his title, his family, his standing. Yet through all that loss, he holds fast to what he deems most sacred, his honor. That unwavering commitment makes his arc both tragic and profoundly inspiring.
What I particularly appreciated was how the story challenges the reader to consider the cost of doing what is right versus what is expected. It's not a clean or easy answer, and the novel doesn’t pretend otherwise. We are shown over and over just how much Tirion loses for his choice. That moral complexity gives Of Blood and Honor a resonance that lingers well beyond the final pages.
That said, the story is not without its weaknesses. While Tirion is rendered with nuance and depth, the antagonist falls somewhat flat by comparison. The antagonist serves their narrative function, but feels more like a symbol of narrow-minded prejudice than a fully fleshed-out person. A bit more complexity on that side of the moral spectrum would have added to the novel’s overall impact.
Of Blood and Honor delivers a compact but emotionally potent experience. It’s a tale that reminds us that honor isn't given, it's chosen, tested, and, sometimes, all one needs.
November 10, 2020
Por si no lo saben, Warcraft comenzó allá por 1994 como un juego de PC que luego se extendió a toda una franquicia de la empresa Blizzard Entertainment que hoy en día incluye juegos, libros y contenido de todo tipo.⠀⠀
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Of Blood and Honor es el primer libro dentro de este universo y nos relata la historia del Paladín Tirion Fordring, uno de los Caballeros de la Mano de Plata y señor de la Fortaleza de Mardenhole, quien está convencido que los Orcos son los seres más viles sobre la tierra. La cuestión es que a nuestro protagonista le van a pasar un par de cosas que pondrán en duda esta convicción y con un sentido del honor exageradamente elevado, superará varias dificultades buscando dejar sus valores en lo más alto.⠀⠀
⠀
Siendo un libro corto - con sus +50 pgs aplicaría más a ser un relato - no vamos a encontrar una gran cantidad de detalles ni tramas en paralelo. La historia sigue un único hilo conductor, el del protagonista, y a través de algunas cosas que le ocurren nos vamos enterando sobre el conflicto histórico entre humanos y orcos. Estos aspectos creo son los más destacables del libro: una trama sencilla, lineal pero a su vez concisa, lo que hace de esta una lectura amena y veloz.⠀⠀
⠀
De todas maneras, creo que esta simplicidad le juega en contra. La trama se vuelve demasiado plana y la consecución de eventos hasta incluso medio infantil.⠀⠀
⠀
Honor es por lejos la palabra más usada del libro, y de las más molestas. Entiendo que el honor sea un valor importante para el género pero no parece creíble que los personajes hagan cualquier cosa para en pos de este. Por más que sea fantasía, los sentimientos de los personajes tienen que mantener cierta coherencia con el mundo donde se desarrolla e incluso también con el mundo real porque es lo que conecta con los lectores.⠀
⠀
Of Blood and Honor es el primer libro dentro de este universo y nos relata la historia del Paladín Tirion Fordring, uno de los Caballeros de la Mano de Plata y señor de la Fortaleza de Mardenhole, quien está convencido que los Orcos son los seres más viles sobre la tierra. La cuestión es que a nuestro protagonista le van a pasar un par de cosas que pondrán en duda esta convicción y con un sentido del honor exageradamente elevado, superará varias dificultades buscando dejar sus valores en lo más alto.⠀⠀
⠀
Siendo un libro corto - con sus +50 pgs aplicaría más a ser un relato - no vamos a encontrar una gran cantidad de detalles ni tramas en paralelo. La historia sigue un único hilo conductor, el del protagonista, y a través de algunas cosas que le ocurren nos vamos enterando sobre el conflicto histórico entre humanos y orcos. Estos aspectos creo son los más destacables del libro: una trama sencilla, lineal pero a su vez concisa, lo que hace de esta una lectura amena y veloz.⠀⠀
⠀
De todas maneras, creo que esta simplicidad le juega en contra. La trama se vuelve demasiado plana y la consecución de eventos hasta incluso medio infantil.⠀⠀
⠀
Honor es por lejos la palabra más usada del libro, y de las más molestas. Entiendo que el honor sea un valor importante para el género pero no parece creíble que los personajes hagan cualquier cosa para en pos de este. Por más que sea fantasía, los sentimientos de los personajes tienen que mantener cierta coherencia con el mundo donde se desarrolla e incluso también con el mundo real porque es lo que conecta con los lectores.⠀
May 11, 2021
A short novel by Christ Metzen, the main guy behind Blizzard who conceived of the games and lore for the Warcraft, Starcraft and Diablo universes, this is a tight little book. It focuses on a personal story of Tirion Fordring, a paladin of the Silver Hand who comes into contact with an exiled Orc and realises that Orcs are more than the animals that he had always seen them as.
Coming before Warcraft III, which was probably in development at the time, the story deepens the comparatively "light on story" first two games. Metzen brings issues of racial discrimination and how an honorable man must act which will become central to Warcraft. Unlike previous lore, the Alliance shows its horrible faults, it is a chauvinistic empire who dehumanizes their enemy and is completely blind to evidence to the contrary. This inversion of the classic fantasy formula, making the underdog Orcs and Horde profoundly more sympathetic than the aloof Alliance races like the Humans and Elves was really original at the time.
Another great thing here for those into Warcraft lore is the fact that this marks the first appearance of many central characters in the series including both Thrall and Arthas in cameo roles, before they would become central to Warcraft III. Good stuff for all you nerds out there.
Coming before Warcraft III, which was probably in development at the time, the story deepens the comparatively "light on story" first two games. Metzen brings issues of racial discrimination and how an honorable man must act which will become central to Warcraft. Unlike previous lore, the Alliance shows its horrible faults, it is a chauvinistic empire who dehumanizes their enemy and is completely blind to evidence to the contrary. This inversion of the classic fantasy formula, making the underdog Orcs and Horde profoundly more sympathetic than the aloof Alliance races like the Humans and Elves was really original at the time.
Another great thing here for those into Warcraft lore is the fact that this marks the first appearance of many central characters in the series including both Thrall and Arthas in cameo roles, before they would become central to Warcraft III. Good stuff for all you nerds out there.
November 17, 2020
2.5 stars.
Definitely not the peak of literary fiction; its a novella by a game developer expanding on WoW (a game)'s universe. (Which is why I read it, I'm a big fan of the game). Meaning, it may not appeal to people who aren't reading for that reason, since it isn't very strong on it's own merit. The arguements/conversations, despite being with high-ranking members of prestigious communities, all sound like 15 year olds arguing on the phone with their first girlfriend over something dumb, like not being texted back or something, when the characters are well into adulthood and belong to an order in a fantasy setting where people typically sound more like RPG/fantasy characters (because that's what they are. They break their own character, if that makes sense).
Chris Metzen is a game developer, not an author by trade, but for an early attempt, and moreover, for expanding on WoW's game universe and lore, I enjoyed it. I was familiar with the characters and liked learning more about them and their backstories. It was nice seeing where certain characters, like Barthilas, came from when you know where he ends up.
It's short and sweet. That tacky arguing language really took me out of it, though.
Definitely not the peak of literary fiction; its a novella by a game developer expanding on WoW (a game)'s universe. (Which is why I read it, I'm a big fan of the game). Meaning, it may not appeal to people who aren't reading for that reason, since it isn't very strong on it's own merit. The arguements/conversations, despite being with high-ranking members of prestigious communities, all sound like 15 year olds arguing on the phone with their first girlfriend over something dumb, like not being texted back or something, when the characters are well into adulthood and belong to an order in a fantasy setting where people typically sound more like RPG/fantasy characters (because that's what they are. They break their own character, if that makes sense).
Chris Metzen is a game developer, not an author by trade, but for an early attempt, and moreover, for expanding on WoW's game universe and lore, I enjoyed it. I was familiar with the characters and liked learning more about them and their backstories. It was nice seeing where certain characters, like Barthilas, came from when you know where he ends up.
It's short and sweet. That tacky arguing language really took me out of it, though.
October 7, 2023
4.5⭐ overall
For a short little novel I wasn't expecting much to be honest, but what was accomplished here in these short pages was impressive.
I felt attached to Tirion as a character and I felt the struggles of doing the right thing with him. Even though it can be hard to do the right thing sometimes because you know everyone is going to be against you. And because of that I found it easy to root for Tirion.
The struggle between Orcs and Humans is so well done. Not just in this book but in this Warcraft World throughout. There are bad guys and good guys on both sides and the human part of the reader is to just want everyone to get along. You see the good and the bad and it touches something deep in my core. I can't quite explain why.
Overall this book is very short. Most people would wrap it up in a day and move about their business. And if you are at all interested in the Warcraft books, then this is a perfect place to start. Which is where I was supposed to start and I messed that up, but oh well. I got a cool little easter egg in this book because I read Lord of the Clans first.
Excited to read more Warcraft after this one!
For a short little novel I wasn't expecting much to be honest, but what was accomplished here in these short pages was impressive.
I felt attached to Tirion as a character and I felt the struggles of doing the right thing with him. Even though it can be hard to do the right thing sometimes because you know everyone is going to be against you. And because of that I found it easy to root for Tirion.
The struggle between Orcs and Humans is so well done. Not just in this book but in this Warcraft World throughout. There are bad guys and good guys on both sides and the human part of the reader is to just want everyone to get along. You see the good and the bad and it touches something deep in my core. I can't quite explain why.
Overall this book is very short. Most people would wrap it up in a day and move about their business. And if you are at all interested in the Warcraft books, then this is a perfect place to start. Which is where I was supposed to start and I messed that up, but oh well. I got a cool little easter egg in this book because I read Lord of the Clans first.
Excited to read more Warcraft after this one!
April 23, 2025
C'est plutôt axé ado des années 2000s, donc faut pas avoir d'attentes côté inclusivité.
Bechdel test : y'a une meuf. C'est la femme du personnage principal, et elle n'a pas d'autre rôle que d'être une femme de et une maman (oui si on remet en contexte de l'époque où ça a été écrit c'est pas choquant) mais je préfère prévenir, pcq certaines personnes voudront peut être pas lire ça en l'état.
Niveau du Lore de l'univers Warcraft : ça permet l'immersion à un instant donné de l'histoire de Wow, et en ça c'est intéressant.
Pis on croise un personnage que j'aime du lore de Warcraft et ça m'a mise en joie :D
L'histoire en soi : on se doute de comment ça va se passer. C'est au même niveau qu'un blockbuster, la structure de l'histoire respecte des règles bien connues, avec les péripéties, les dénouements et les émotions qu'on sait que ça va venir, mais qui accompagné de la bonne musique pourrait nous faire pleurer même si on trouve ça un peu abusé et vu et revu. Mais on apprécie quand même.
Un bon livre rapide pour faire une pause entre deux gros livres prenants.
Bechdel test : y'a une meuf. C'est la femme du personnage principal, et elle n'a pas d'autre rôle que d'être une femme de et une maman (oui si on remet en contexte de l'époque où ça a été écrit c'est pas choquant) mais je préfère prévenir, pcq certaines personnes voudront peut être pas lire ça en l'état.
Niveau du Lore de l'univers Warcraft : ça permet l'immersion à un instant donné de l'histoire de Wow, et en ça c'est intéressant.
Pis on croise un personnage que j'aime du lore de Warcraft et ça m'a mise en joie :D
L'histoire en soi : on se doute de comment ça va se passer. C'est au même niveau qu'un blockbuster, la structure de l'histoire respecte des règles bien connues, avec les péripéties, les dénouements et les émotions qu'on sait que ça va venir, mais qui accompagné de la bonne musique pourrait nous faire pleurer même si on trouve ça un peu abusé et vu et revu. Mais on apprécie quand même.
Un bon livre rapide pour faire une pause entre deux gros livres prenants.
August 9, 2021
Of Blood and Honor is a short story about Tirion Fordring, set in between the events of the Warcraft II and Warcraft III games (and, therefore, well before the events of World of Warcraft: Classic).
In terms of links to the video-game lore, this book does a good job of describing the hostility between orcs and humans in between the Second and Third War, and it has some interesting bits about Tirion Fordring and the Order of the Silver Hand (the Paladin order).
What it does not do a great job of, however, is being an interesting and exciting story all on its own. This feels like a book that was written to describe the ingame characters' thought processes and feelings first, and be a good book at a distant second.
If you're a fan of World of Warcraft, it might be an interesting read for you. If you're not, I wouldn't recommend it.
In terms of links to the video-game lore, this book does a good job of describing the hostility between orcs and humans in between the Second and Third War, and it has some interesting bits about Tirion Fordring and the Order of the Silver Hand (the Paladin order).
What it does not do a great job of, however, is being an interesting and exciting story all on its own. This feels like a book that was written to describe the ingame characters' thought processes and feelings first, and be a good book at a distant second.
If you're a fan of World of Warcraft, it might be an interesting read for you. If you're not, I wouldn't recommend it.
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