Cycle of Hatred World of Warcraft World of Warcraft

Customer Reviews

A good read

2008-05-17
This was a good book, and well worth reading, but I didn't like it as much as the other Warcraft Novels.

A great book for getting into the WoW book series and Warcraft lore in general

2008-05-04
As a semi-casual WoW player, I probably would never have picked this up, if I hadn't been absolutely book-less a few minutes before a 10-day at-sea cruise. I saw this book, and the War of the Ancients trilogy. The WotA books just looked, well, boring, and daunting. So I got this book.

I'm so very glad I did. I enjoyed it immensely! The inaccuracies mentioned in other reviews, while existent, didn't really take away from the story, in my humble opinion.

This book is really what sparked my love of Warcraft lore. I loved reading about the places and people that I'd visited and seen in the game, and even now, two-plus years after reading it, passages still stick in my mind as I gallop through Azeroth, four characters later.

As a Warcraft newcomer, I felt that I got a better grasp and a better love of the virtual world my characters inhabited by reading this book.

On a slightly unrelated note, I thought it was great how the publishers highlighted Jaina on the back cover of this book, thought it would have been nice if, you know, the front cover reflected the book's main focus at all. I suppose that the publishers felt that they needed a fight on the front to sell a book.

Really, though, I've recommended this book to people who don't know or like WoW, and they've loved it, just as I did. In fact, this book is what convinced my cousin and my roommate to start playing WoW with me. They play Horde, but created Alliance alts just so I could show them Jaina.

Yeah. It's that good of a book. Well, it's no Chaucer, and perhaps it's more of a marketing tool than a book, but it's enjoyable, none the less. :)

Adds nothing memorable to the Warcraft World

2007-12-25
I've read all of the Warcraft novels released thus far, played all the games, and spent 2 years playing World of Warcraft. Knowing all that coming into this book, I was left with feelings of disappointment when I finished.
The book really brings nothing to the table concerning the major characters of Jaina and Thrall. As other reviewers have noted, they just don't seem like themselves in this book compared to how we've seen them characterized in the past. The main villain is hardly memorable and just seems to be thrown in as a plot device rather than fleshed out into something evil and interesting.
The saving grace for this book is a deeper look into the history of the Guardians of Tirisfal and Aegwynn. Other than Jeff Grubb's The Last Guardian, there doesn't seem to be much out there on this chapter of Warcraft's history. Even that isn't enough to justify purchasing the book though.
This book is only for hardcore fans who can tolerate a bad book, or for those who absolutely have to experience all things Warcraft. I'd recommend Richard Knaak's Warcraft novels if you're just looking at diving into Warcraft books.

Couldn't Finish it..

2007-11-18
I tried reading it twice...read for a bit and decided i didnt like it and put it back on my shelf, decided a few weeks later to try it out again...still couldn't finish it let alone get past where i stopped reading the first time (which wasn't far)..completely uninteresting...

World of Warcraft: Cycle of Hatred

2007-09-17
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was an easy read, with a good plot. If you are looking for a book with a lot of World of Warcraft history, you won't find it in this book. What you will find is a good fantasy story set in the World of Warcraft universe involving "big name" characters.

Good History

2007-08-09
The Burning Legion has been defeated, and eastern regions of Kalimdor are now shared by two nations: the orcs of Durotar, led by their noble Warchief, Thrall; and the humans of Theramore, led by one of the most powerful mages alive -- Lady Jaina Proudmoore.

But the tentative peace between orcs and humans is suddenly crumbling. Random attacks against Durotar's holdings suggest that the humans have renewed their aggression toward the orcs. Now Jaina and Thrall must avert disaster before old hatreds are rekindled -- and Kalimdor is plunged into another devastating war.

Jaina's search to uncover the truth behind the attacks leads her to a shocking revelation. Her encounter with a legendary, long-lost wizard will challenge everything that she believes and illuminate the secret history of the world of...

Only for the most die hard WOW fan 2007-08-02
This is without a doubt, the worst warcraft novel ever written. I have read and own all the warcraft novels ( and the manga as well), and for the most part they are well done and greatly add to the richness of the Warcraft universe.
The plot is flat, easily guessed in advance and reveals no new lore. The characters are stale, and worst and most unforgivable of all, the staple characters in the novel don't act at all as they should. I wonder if DeCandido did any research at all before writing. He makes Jaina look stupid and severely downplays her power as a wizard, while increasing her importance to the alliance. He makes Thrall even stupider and a woman hater, which is laughable considering he of all members of the horde actually fights for womens rights.
If we are lucky DeCandido, will never be allowed to pen another Warcraft novel. Do yourself a favor and stay away from this one, unless you can bear to see your favorite characters butchered ( personality wise) in an effort to glean what little lore this novel possesses.

Fantastic if you're a 14 year old girl 2007-04-30
While I do not mind the concept of a female character being the primary heroine of any story, I was extremely vexed while reading this particular piece of tripe.

Male characters, short of Thrall, are presented as cowardly, conniving, emasculated rags of filthy flesh, too stupid and dishonest to be of much use to Azeroth. If a male character is not flawed on some mental or spiritual level, he is lame or unfit, a mere shell of man when compared to near goddess-like images portrayed by the women in the story. Even a mere soldier is said to wield his sword better than his father ever did but worse than his mother. There is not a single male character in the book who is noble, upright, brave, or the best at anything.

Even Warchief Thrall is seen to blow-up at Jaina Proudmoore at their first meeting in the story. This is not the noble and wise Warchief of the Horde that those who play the MMO are accustomed to; this is one author's seriously flawed perception of the male of the species.

Again, I have no problem with a female heroine in ANY story. But what is present here is NOT the magnification and elevation of women for their own merits, but by the degradation and emasculation of their male counterparts. Even when a female character exhibits deep flaws (Magna Aegwynn) she is allowed the opportunity to redeem herself while males (Major Davin) never achieve salvation but rather slink off, victims to their own insurmountable neuroses.

Further, character and plot development take a back-seat to repetition of the basic lore prior to Jaina's becoming the leader of Theramore. Yes, Jaina betrayed her own father to keep a promise to Thrall. Yes, Thrall and the other orcs were corrupted by the Burning Legion, brought to Azeroth to fight for the demons, defeated and enslaved by humanity, and ultimately freed by the young Warchief. Yes, Magna Aegwynn defied the Order of Trisfal, was inhabited by the soul of Sargeras, and was responsible for the evil that was Medivh. But when these points are repeated over and over, ad nauseum, one begins to wonder if there is more to the story than this? A lot of padding here to support what, in truth, is very little substance.

Further, the author seems to know exceedingly little about the world of Azeroth as it manifests in its most elaborate and versatile medium: the MMORPG that is The World of Warcraft. At one point, a demonic ritual is performed which leaves behind the apparent stench of sulfur and thyme. While a seemingly trivial detail that might be overlooked, ardent fans of the Warcraft universe would wonder, "Why thyme?" Why not one of the herbs found in Azeroth such as Silverleaf, Plaguebloom, or (more appropriately, given its proximity to areas of demonic manifestation) Gromsblood? Did the author of this book even play the game prior to writing it or did he just research the lore of the world and hope for the best?

If you're a 14 year old girl, still prone to thinking of boys as "icky" then this is the book for you. If you're an adult who enjoys all that Azeroth has to offer and finds the lore of the world compelling, you may skip this tome safely.

Two stars because I'm feeling generous today.

Disappointed, but Decent 2007-02-09
I was excited to start reading this book when I got it. I was a little disappointed though. It's not a BAD book, it's just not good. The plot is not strong and there isnt enough character developement. Most of the book is people standing around talking about who did what and discussing the past. I thought the book started strong and there are some high points and interesting characters, but when I finished the book I remember thinking... "that's it?"

Really, really, really bad. 2007-02-05
Before we start, I'd like to confess that I only made it to Chapter 7 before throwing this book against my wall, to lie forever alone and dejected beneath the chair it slid under. This book is a travesty of both the English language and the Warcraft universe it purpotedly takes place in.

Why do the orcs and humans have Southern accents? Why is Thrall a mysoginist who considers women unfit for a warrior's duty, despite his strong, heroic mother? Why did Blizzard actually allow this book to be published?

I'm a Warcraft geek, as you probably are, too, if you're considering buying this novel. I love the universe, and the heroic characters within it. I've argued that certain races should be affiliated with one side or the other, and whether the Horde of the Alliance are the true "good guys" of Warcraft. I even edit the Wikipedia entries. And so, as a fellow geek and fan of the setting, let me warn you: do not waste your money on this garbage.

This book sucks. I'm embarassed to have owned it.