So my first book to review is one I finished a little while ago and this is more proof of my little WoW addiction. Being the lore-nut that I am, I picked up a copy of Arthas: Rise of the Lich King by Christie Golden the last time I hit up Powell's. Usually, I'm a little skeptical about lore books (*cough cough Rhonin cough*) so I wasn't sure if I'd like this. My preconceptions were quickly laid aside as I got drawn into the tale of the fallen prince of Lordaeron. The prologue reminds you that of course this story isn't going to end happily, it's going to show you how a shining prince succumbs to darkness and becomes one of the most powerful and evil beings in all of Azeroth. After that, it dives right into Arthas' past, starting with childhood and continuing on through his years of training as a paladin, his relationship with the talented young Jaina Proudmoore, and eventually to the investigation of the Scourge which in turn sets him on the path to his future.
The novel is divided into three sections, the first is from Arthas' point of view (The Golden Boy) and it mostly details his childhood and the events that began to shape his future self; the second is from Jaina Proudmoore's point of view (The Bright Lady), following Arthas as he matures and embarks on his relationship with her and eventually the events that lead him to Northrend; the third and final section is from the eyes of the vengeful banshee queen, Lady Sylvannas (The Dark Lady) and details all the exploits of Arthas, the Death Knight and how he eventually took up the crown of the Lich King.
Lore enthusiasts like myself won't be disappointed, if you frequent the popular WoWWiki, you'll be glad to see many lore characters make appearances, such as Varian (before the big chin!), Uther, King Terenas, Muradin Bronzebeard, Taretha, Thrall (although a minor roll), and many others. All of these characters are brought to life very realistically by Ms. Golden, so that it becomes even more exciting if you come across something involving them in-game.
When judging this book, I have to look at it two ways. One, this is a lore book and lore books that are decent and actually draw you into them, seem to be few and far between. Two, as just a book, it will make no sense to someone who doesn't know anything about the Warcraft universe. As a lore book, this is absolutely fantastic, I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about the events that led up to the current expansion pack. It provides an in-depth look at the world of Azeroth, one that you won't get just by playing the game. As just a book, it's a good fantasy read, well-written, but probably a little hard to get into and understand who all the people are, where certain locations are, and to understand the total impact of the character's actions.
Arthas: Rise of the Lich King - 4.5 stars out of 5
