Best Inns in World of Warcraft

Legerdemain Lounge

Tired of sleeping in makeshift tents in Kun Lai? So am I. A bunch of pillows on the ground does not an inn make. Therefore, I am giving you a list of the best inns in WoW and explanations for why they are my favorite spots to hang out. 

Review: WORLD OF WARCRAFT: WAR CRIMES by Christie Golden

Amazon | Book Depository | B&N | Goodreads

I meant to read this slowly, I really did. I had a final exam the next day, and like it happens every quarter, I always crack up a "fun book" right before an exam. Not that it hurt me so much in the end--this brief vacation into Azeroth may have preserved my sanity for the following day. I savored it the night before the exam in between reviewing flashcards, and then right after I finished the exam early, I went to the college cafe and read through the novel. IT FELT SO GOOD.

Anyway, my procrastination aside, War Crimes is the thirteenth book in the World of Warcraft novel franchise, transitioning us from the Mists of Pandaria expansion to Warlords of Draenor. Lore-wise, this takes place after the the Siege of Orgrimmar, after the Alliance, Horde, and Pandaren have united to defeat Garrosh after he has poisoned the Vale of Eternal Blossoms, a place that was not even open to the world until recently. 

Before and After: Vale of Eternal Blossoms
(Credit: Tenton Hammer)

...And this is why the Horde can't have nice things.

Book Review: WORLD OF WARCRAFT: ASHBRINGER by Micky Neilson, Tony Washington, and Ludo Lullabi

Amazon | Book Depository | B&N | Goodreads

World of Warcraft: Ashbringer

by Micky Neilson (author), Tony Washington (illustrator), and Ludo Lullabi (illustrator)

Published: June 9, 2009

Genres: Comics / Fantasy / World of Warcraft

Read this one on my tablet - the colors are gorgeous!

NEWS: World of Warcraft: War Crimes by Christie Golden

Release Date: May 6, 2014

Hey all! A teaser has been posted on the Amazon page for Christie Golden's upcoming World of Warcraft: War Crimes. 

This novel, in which Garrosh is charged with the crimes that have been committed beneath his power, is intended to transition the lore between the expansions Mists of Pandaria and Warlords of Draenor. During the trial, the Bronze dragonflight will use their powers to give the audience a close-up flashback vision of what Garrosh did. 

Christie Golden has stated that she takes some of the ideas for the war crimes from research into our world history (Earth, that is). Here's her response to someone who criticized her for borrowing from the war violence in our own histories:

Top Five Fictional Worlds I Would Never Want To Live In

For this week, I'll be sharing the top five (couldn't come up with ten, hah) fictional worlds that I would never want to live in - in short, anything dystopian-like in the oppressive sense.

1. Menzoberranzan 

Home of the Dark Elves, Forgotten Realms

Menzoberranzan, by dangercook. Photo Source

Speculation: World of Warcraft: War Crimes by Christie Golden

Warning: Spoilers

The official cover hasn't been released yet, but there has been talk about the next World of Warcraft novel, War Crimes, which will be written by Christie Golden. 

Release date: June 3, 2014

2013 Holiday Gift Guide for the World of Warcraft Fan

Are you acquainted with an hardcore WoW fan in your life? Maybe they talk about the game all the time, or you just know that they play and love it. Or, maybe you're a fellow WoW player. Here are some awesome Azerothian goodies that would make great gifts. 

This is the first gift guide of a bunch that I'm planning to make. 

(Disclaimer: This is an educational guide. This is not my wish list!)

"Waiting On" Wednesday: World of Warcraft: Dawn of the Aspects by Richard Knaak

Hey all, "Waiting On" Wednesday is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases that we're excited about. 

This week, the release that I'm totally excited about is the hard-copy release of World of Warcraft: Dawn of the Aspects by Richard Knaak. It was first released serially online as separate e-books, adding up to a total amount of five mini-books. I didn't hear much buzz about it but had discovered it by surprise. I kept up with it, and am very pleased to see it released in paperback! 

Knaak is one of my two favorite authors who have written the WoW series. His battle scenes give me goosebumps all over my arms just because they are so epic. This book is about the dawn of the race of dragons. In present-times, they are an old, intelligent race, but the plot of the story takes us back to when some proto-dragons started to develop self-consciousness that distinguished them from the rest of the pack. Here, we will also see the rise of undeath at its ancient origin. 

Genre: Fantasy / Adventure / Dragons

World of Warcraft: Dawn of the Aspects

by Richard Knaak

Amazon | Goodreads

Release Date: November 19, 2013

From Amazon: 

THE AGE OF DRAGONS IS OVER. 

Uncertainty plagues Azeroth’s ancient guardians as they struggle to find a new purpose. This dilemma has hit Kalecgos, youngest of the former Dragon Aspects, especially hard. Having lost his great powers, how can he—or any of his kind—still make a difference in the world? 

The answer lies in the distant past, when savage beasts called proto-dragons ruled the skies. Through a mysterious artifact found near the heart of Northrend, Kalecgos witnesses this violent era and the shocking history of the original Aspects: Alexstrasza, Ysera, Malygos, Neltharion, and Nozdormu. 

In their most primitive forms, the future protectors of Azeroth must stand united against Galakrond, a bloodthirsty creature that threatens the existence of their race. But did these mere proto-dragons face such a horrific adversary alone, or did an outside force help them? Were they given the strength they would become legendary for . . . or did they earn it with blood? Kalecgos’s discoveries will change everything he knows about the events that led to the Dawn of the Aspects.

Thanks for reading! What are you looking forward to this week?

BLIZZCON 2013 : Where I've Been This Weekend

I was quiet this weekend, but part of it was because I spent Friday and Saturday in Anaheim. Blizzcon was great. My sister-in-law, husband, and I were in it for the World of Warcraft stuff, but there were also panels and competitions for Starcraft and Diablo. 

With Sodah (left), one of the best WoW healers in the game. A great thing about his team is that they can play under pressure and adapt to circumstances. His team, Skill-Capped, eventually won.

 There were evangelists outside the convention for both of the days we were there. They hoisted yellow banners, so on the second day, a couple of guys stood outside with the Horde banner too. 

Truth or Dare: (Truth) Share One Book You Hate and One Book You Love

Hi! This is a relatively new meme hosted by Jenna does books. Every Friday, participants will post up their responses to the two prompt choices: TRUTH or DARE. 

This week, I choose:

One book I hate:

Cycle of Hatred (World of Warcraft #4)

by Keith R.A. DeCandido

Despite the exciting cover, the book fails to deliver anything interesting. Most of the characters are flat and boring, and somehow Thrall has turned into an openly sexist orc. 

Nothing happens that really progresses the plot - it's a self-contained story where something bad ALMOST happens, but is prevented just in time. This book could have just not existed at all, and the WoW universe would not change. 

And why do the "bad" humans have American southern accents?