World of Warcraft: Vol'jin: Shadows of the Horde

Wonderfully written really captures what it means to be a troll in the Warcraft universe. Vol'jin is a beast. Mr. Stackpole did a great job showing the range of emotions that Vol'jin went through after Garrosh started slipping into madness.

I had been looking forward to this book ever since hearing Vol'jin would get his own punch into the storyline. I've always played trolls and to be honest I've always identified with the race more than others. So naturally my impressions are biased. But one can never truly escape bias.

The pace of the book was spot on. The slow unfolding of the philosophizing pandaren likened to sakura in Spring. The match pace of the love story between not only lovers but comrades. There is definitely a slow growth to this story but I believe it does it nothing but justice.

Steep some tea, sit back and relax as you read through it on a Sunday afternoon. A "long dark teatime of the soul" as Douglas Adams once said. This is a great book and happened to come to me when I most needed a lot of the messages contained within. Stackpole is wonderful and I look forward to seeking out more of his work; after I finish reading this one a third time.

Emotions were written to a point where you could feel it. I know it's a Warcraft book, but in any book that is hard to do. The characters were represented well and I once again fell in love with Chen.

I found this book interesting in content, as all WOW books that I have read, but Stackpole is positivly NOT one of my favorite writers. I found his style inconsistent, and the verbage is sometimes correctly accented, but mostly not as per the WOW Troll accents. this makes it rather hard reading and hard to understand at times. it was so inconsistent that you had to imagine HOW Vol'jin or other characters talked. This is not what I expect when I read a World Of Warcraft Book
The storyline is boring at some points because it is too predictable. The were no surprises and twists to keep the reader active in the story. The descriptions of Pandaria and the monks were fairly accurate and convincing, but again, boring. The interaction between the main characters could have been explored a bit more, especially between Vol'jin and the man. Stackpole leaves much out and depends on the readers knowledge of the game to fill in the blanks.
Overall, I read it all the way through, but it was not as captivating as a Christie Golden or Richard Knaak book. I would recommend this book ONLY as a way to get background for the upcoming upgrades and storylines in the game. I hope that the Powers-That-Be do not ask him to write another WOW book... I may be tempted to NOT read it at all.

Lot's of things have already been said about this book. Having read pretty much every novel about WOW, I can say this was a definitely a deviation from the norm. It had more philosophy than action, but it was still very satisfying.

I don't regret reading it. It's good addition to the series.

IF you ever want to know more about the background lore & origins of the Troll race, than this book is for you! It does a very good job of explaining many aspects of Troll culture as well as it's history.

The Mogu and pandaren culture is also well describe here too.

The storyline immersed me into the book almost immediately!

I have never read anything from Michael A. Stackpole before. But from the looks of it, he certainly ranks up there with Richard Knak & Christy Gohlden as far as World of Warcraft books.

This book did the Leader of the Darkspear justice. It showed great insight into the mind of Vol`jin. It also gave great information into the lore and theology of the trolls. The fight scenes within the book were descriptive enough to get a visual picture of combat. I enjoyed the seeing the character development of Chen in this book. It helped give more dimension to him besides having an obsession with brewing and adventuring.

I have always liked Vol'jin, being a troll player in Warcraft myself, so when I heard this novel was coming out I held my breath hoping that it would be good and do the character justice.

And for the most part it did, and it did it amazingly.

The novel is heads and shoulders above the others in the Warcraft library in terms of writing ability. Stackpole (this is the first time I have read his work) is a great author who not only creates and draws characters well, but who gets nuances of culture clashing in a way that is delightful.

However, this book does have some sticking points. The first quarter or so of the book leaves a bit to be desired in properly setting up character realizations and inner growth. Revelations come quick and fast to Vol'jin, whereas if there were a bit more hints as to Vol'jin's state leading up to the realizations it would have had a better impact I think. However, the more action that is introduced to the story, the more this problem sorts itself out and the more set up we have. I think I'll chock it up to him still getting to know the characters at that point.

At the end, although it was a good ending, it felts a little quick and the battles had too much of the redshirt syndrome I felt. I feel like there should have been at least a couple of redshirts who graduated (so to speak) and another page at the very end to set up Vol'jin's vision of the Horde and what his plans were.

But outside of that, the book is written incredibly well and the characters are developed properly. Whereas past writers like Golden I consider to be decent writers who at least don't distract from the story they tell (though with Golden there are times she repeats the same word too many times or has awkward phrasing), I actually feel like I would read Stackpole's original works and I hope he writes more for Warcraft in the future.

I also appreciated the attention he paid to the races and the continuity, where past authors would make quite a few mistakes (Trolls don't have black hair! Gah!), so I appreciate that he has obviously done his research.

*spoilers*

One minor quibble is that I felt like the Troll Captain, though awesome, really did not need to be infatuated with Vol'jin. It was unnecessary when there were other very good reasons she had to wish to keep Vol'jin alive, and it really never came up outside one page. There was also at times a little too much stereotypical female/male dynamics, but his women characters were strong enough that it wasn't too annoying to me and it wasn't done in a way that limited them in their actions.

As always, I love reading the lore behind the game. When I feel burned out on the game I can take a break and read a book and peek my imagination spiking my desire to go back into the world of warcraft and play.

Great addition to the World of Warcraft lore. it's nice to finally get a peek into Vol'jin's headspace. All my toons are trolls and it's wonderful to see them get their due. Well-paced, with the right mix of action and insight.

The story line is very easy to follow. Going into the book I thought I'd be reading a Jamaican version of English the entire time. That couldn't be further from the truth. I'd encourage WOW readers and players to dive into this adventure and get more informed of the history of Panderia and Vol'jin's contribution.

-Chris

This book caught me by surprise, I was not expecting this book to be as deep and rewarding to read as it was, it actually made me think a bit about myself and my own self-view of my own image.

Many awesome battle scenes and thrilling adventures fill this book and I just love to also delve deeper into the rich history of the Trolls.

I give Stackpole's novel a perfect because she paints Vol'jin's and Stormstout's characters so well. There are many surprises and you won't be left questioning anything, but what happens next! Awesome read!

Since the beginning of WOW, Vol'gin has always been a great leader, but a bit of a mystery. Questions are answered and depth is added. Exciting and fulfilling.
Stackpole did a great job, just as he did for Star Wars.
A must for true Horde.

This book was as contrived as blizzards most recent expansion. I've never heard of Michael A. Stackpole before, and I can tell you after this book, I won't lose any sleep if I never see another one of his books again. Character in this book are cliche, lack development, the story has more holes in it than swiss cheese when you try and line it up with events in the game. It is supposed to cover the time between the Vol'jin Scenario and the start of the rebellion, but when you are actually doing those quests in the game, you do things with and for Chen that aren't even in the book.

Leave the warcraft books to Richard Knaak/Christie Golden. Why they would pass the buck to someone else when both of those authors have made books in the series that have seen huge success is beyond me. Please do not buy this hunk of crap unless you need a door stop or your reader's digest subscription is up.

I was severely disappointed by this book. I have read every Warcraft book there is and found this severely lacking. The characters are poorly set up and very shallow. The epicness is not there at all for any part of the book. Voljin is made out to be actually very average. His human counterpart seems to be just as skilled. It is never explained what it means to be a shadow hunter. What magic does he is? This book was essentially a setup to buy the game. There is no resolution at the end and the battle simply continues. Wish I never bought this book.

During the course of the Warcraft series we've seen some epic and some pretty bad novels. I haven't been disappointed since "Wolfheart" and I was pretty amazed by how good "Jaina: Tides of War" turned out to be. Unfortunately, "Vol'Jin : Shadows of the Horde" is one of the worst novels and I'm rating it worse than even the worst Warcraft books by Richard Knaak. I bought the book with a great interest, then I turned out I was annoyed when I was halfway, and in the end I was just forcing myself to fully complete it.

The storyline is dumb, boring and uninteresting. There's basically no conflict. Before the book was released, we knew that we were going to see how Vol'Jin copes with the company of Tyrathan, a member of the Alliance. I was expecting to see the conflict in the light of the huge Alliance - Horde war. Instead, we see Vol'Jin and Tyrathan playing a stupid board game and talking... endlessly talking.

I am giving it one star, but it doesn't even deserve that. You can play through the scenarios of WoW to see how the storyline develops in-game and safely skip the book - and I promise you won't miss much.

I've been playing World of Warcraft since January 2006 and have of course read every book written thus far by the panoply of authors commissioned by Blizzard over the years. As Warcraft lore, this story is the most boring one that I have encountered, and I regret having invested the time to read it.

While there is some action, most of it occurs at the end of the book, and what remains is too little and too scattered amongst endless discussion about the inside of Vol'jin's head, generally the tiresome inner struggles to discern his spiritual identity, topped with heaps and mounds of pseudo-Eastern philosophy. Talk, talk, talk, blah, blah, blah, and yadda, yadda, yadda.

Most Warcraft books are page-turners--typically, one is reluctant to put the book aside and take a break--but I fell asleep nearly every time I sat down to read this one. I suspect that the author was more interested in impressing the reader with his deep thinking rather than in delivering an engaging, epic story.

Vol'jin: Shadows of the Horde is Michael A. Stackpole's first World of Warcraft book, and it doesn't disappoint. In the far off land of Pandaria, an outcast troll, a Pandaren brewmaster, and a deadly human archer join together to stop a ruthless invasion. Yet the story dives far deeper than simple warfare. Against long odds, the characters must fight battles within themselves as they struggle with identity and balance. Alongside bloody battle scenes and amazing feats of combat, there's a rich exploration of the characters. If fan's of World of Warcraft have been waiting for a book that would do Vol'jin justice, then the wait is over.

The premise of the story revolves around Vol'jin and his examination of just who he is and where he should be heading. For those new to setting, Vol'jin is the leader of the Darkspears, an elite tribe of trolls allied with the Horde. The current leader of the Horde is an orc named Garrosh. Unfortunately Garrosh and Vol'jin don't see eye to eye, and the orc tries to assassinate the troll. But Vol'jin is no ordinary troll. He's a shadow hunter. Think of him as a mystical figure head for his people, a role model they look to for wisdom and guidance. He has a strong relationship with the troll spirits and in turn, he's a rather powerful figure. His near death experience, however, causes him to reevaluate his life. Why is he wasting his time serving a group that tried to kill him? What reason is there in following the will of his bloodthirsty gods? Who is he really? These questions and more are thoroughly explored through the novel. Stackpole does a great job of diving into the character's head and providing insight on Vol'jin's reasons and questions. But Vol'jin is not alone in this novel.

Alongside the mighty troll is a human named Tyrathan. Like Vol'jin, Tyrathan is seriously injured at the beginning of the story and forced to recuperate. During that rehabilitation, he too questions his purpose in life. Stranded in Pandaria, both characters have the opportunity to start over, to remake themselves as new people. In his past life, Tyrathan was a skilled archer for the Alliance. Yet he is haunted by his apt skill on the battlefield. When it comes to killing, he has a true knack for it. But that talent has driven a wedge between him and his family.

Then there is Chen. Chen is a Pandaren, a brewmaster and an adventurer. As his people like to say, he has chased the turtle, for the world rides on the turtle's back, and he has traveled across it to see what else is out there. Still, he has found himself back in Pandaria, and now he's thinking about making a home and settling down. With the arrival of Vol'jin, Tyrathan and unforeseen threats, Chen's plans get sidetracked. His serene conflict between adventure and taking roots is supplanted by a new dilemma: maintaining one's soul in the carnage of warfare.

Throughout the entire book, all three characters struggle through self-discovery and maintaining balance. Those themes often touch on philosophy. Early on, two concepts are introduced in the story. First there is the philosophical way of the Huojin, people who are quick to action, practical and adventurous. Then there is the Tushui, a practice of contemplation and measuring acts against ideals of justice and morality. For the Pandaren, they strive to find a balance between the two. For each of the three main characters, they have their Huojin and Tushui traits, and they must strive to find a balance if they wish to persevere.

For readers who aren't so concerned about rich character explorations or philosophical puzzles, there's plenty of intense action in the later chapters of the book. Ancient enemies invade Pandaria, and it's up to Vol'jin, Chen and Tyrathan to stop them. But for readers who like a bit more meat to their stories, you'll find plenty to dine upon in this one. Stackpole shows that there is plenty of storytelling potential left in the World of Warcraft franchise, and I dare say he breathes new life into it. Readers should be prepared to have some new favorite characters after reading this story. For exceeding my expectations and raising the bar for what a World of Warcraft novel can do, I give Vol'jin: Shadows of the Horde a five out of five.

Bookworm Speaks!

World of Warcraft: Vol’jin: Shadows of the Horde

by Michael A. Stackpole

****

The Story: War is coming. Vol'jin, courageous leader of the Darkspear tribe: his strength and cunning are unmatched even among the Horde's most exalted champions. Now on the legendary continent of Pandaria, the troll chieftain faces his greatest trial yet, one that may redefine his purpose in the World of Warcraft. Warchief Garrosh's assassins strike at Vol'jin, leaving him at death's door. But fate smiles on the wounded Darkspear leader when renowned brewmaster Chen Stormstout transports him to the safety of an isolated mountain monastery. There, Vol'jin wrestles with old hatreds between the Alliance and the Horde as he struggles to recover alongside a mysterious human soldier. Yet this is only the beginning of Vol'jin's worries. Soon, he becomes embroiled in an invasion of Pandaria launched by the Zandalari, revered trolls driven by dreams of conquest and power. This ancient tribe offers Vol'jin a chance to seize the glory that is the birthright of all trolls . . . an offer made even more tempting after Garrosh's brazen treachery. Amid these troubling events, Vol'jin is rocked by intense visions depicting his race's grand history. As he questions where his loyalties lie, he knows he must make a choice about his own destiny that could save his people or damn them to languish under Garrosh's heel in the Shadows of the Horde.

The Good: A recurring theme, not only in this novel, but in the variety of short stories and other that surround the Mists of Pandaria expansion is the theme of change. Characters travel to Pandaria looking for something and they end up experiencing some deep insight that changes their outlook on life. Part of this extends that Pandaria and the Pandaren been absent from the world at large for quite some time and as a result have no knowledge of the alliance and the horde and their worldview has not been tainted by the perpetual war between the two. We see this in the novel about how Vol’jin experiences things quite differently from his past.

That leads to another of the book’s strengths. With all of the game’s races, one of the main criticism of the books and comics is that they tend to focus almost exclusively on either Night Elves, Humans, and especially orcs. The expansion Warlords of Draenor, is practically proof of Blizzard entertainment’s fetish for orcs. That being said, it is great to see the focus lying on two different races such as the Pandaren and the Trolls. We are treated to an exploration into the character of Vol’jin, which we have not seen a lot of, the focus largely being on Thrall, the former leader of the horde. The book show’s the reader that Vol’jin is a much deeper character than previously suggested and it is nice to see a character be treated with such respect.

Another great thing about this book is the motif of the Pandaren. World of Warcraft utilizes a variety of cultural motif’s in its various races, cultures, and environments, and Asian cultures have been notably absent. To see a race and land influenced by Ancient China, a rich and wonderful culture is extremely refreshing and breaks away from a lot of modern fantasy tropes.

The action, of course, is excellent. The character’s utilize realistic tactics that take into account the enemies superior numbers and the terrain. The fact that the defenders of the monastery know they are outnumbered and will probably die lends all the more poignancy to the narrative.

The Flaws: A common flaw in many World of Warcraft novels is that there a simply too many characters. A phenomenon called head hopping occurs frequently where the perspective hops between different characters, sometimes in the same chapter. This can get very confusing at times and make it hard to keep track of the plot. A little more restraint in the future would be greatly appreciated.

As stated above, the theme of personal changes and experiences is common in Mists of Pandaria, as a result, much of the text takes place inside the character’s heads or when they are sitting around talking with other characters. This makes a great amount of the book very much about feeling rather than action. While this is not a deal breaker, abstract concepts such as thought and feeling can seem out of place in a media franchise known for its action. Characters sitting around talking about life and love can get boring if the writer is not careful.

Finally, we have the problem of the character of Li Li Stormstout, Chen Stormstout’s niece. We have seen her several times in comics and in short stories but she is demoted to a background character in this novel. It is given a good explanation but Li Li is a personal favorite and to see here treated as such is a big disappointment.

Final Verdict: Shadows of the Horde is unique among Warcraft books and is definitely worth a read by any fan of the franchise.

Four out of Five Stars

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