Before the Storm, the latest World of Warcraft novel by Christie Golden, isn’t crucial Warcraft reading. However, that should not stop you from reading it. The book is set during a moment in time that has already passed in the World of Warcraft universe. If you’ve already been enjoying the Battle for Azeroth expansion then nothing that takes place in Before the Storm will surprise you very much. The story begins after Argus was defeated, after he impaled his sword through Silithus and into Azeroth, and after the survivors of the war against the now-extinguished Burning Legion have returned home.
Anduin Wrynn, freshly orphaned and enthroned as the king to replace his slain father, returns to a grieving kingdom. Sylvanas Windrunner, leader of the Forsaken, finds herself similarly elevated to a leadership role she was arguably not anxious for as Warchief of the Horde. Both leaders must face their people, and their own apprehensions about one another, as Azeroth’s next problem literally surfaces in the form of Azerite.
When Argus’s sword penetrated the planet, a mysterious ore, which locals began calling Azerite, arose from the earth. The Speaker of Azeroth, Magni Bronzebeard, warned the world’s leaders that Azeroth is horribly wounded, but both Anduin and Sylvanas find themselves intrigued by the raw power that they see in the Azerite. Power that seems to entice those that view it like a moth to a candle.
Beyond the issue of the Azerite is a far more interesting issue: can humanity find acceptance for their loved ones the Scourge stole life and death from? Anduin’s people fear their fallen friends and family who were returned to life by the necromancy of the Scourge and who now serve Sylvanas as cognizant members of the Forsaken. Sylvanas fears that her people long for their lost relations and she sees her firm grip of power begin to crack when members of the Forsaken come to her about the possibility of a meeting between the living and the dead. Anduin, ever the optimist, believes that if his people can see the Forsaken not as monsters, but as victims of the Scourge, perhaps they can can accept the undead as neighbors and prosperity can return to Loderan.
I found this plot line extremely interesting. It did not matter to me that the novel’s story wasn’t advancing the core story in the game very far (no Deathwing Juniors pop up, nor does Guldan III crash the party) but as someone whose first character was a member of the Forsaken, it was incredibly interesting to see how, or even if, characters like my undead rogue or warrior, could ever find a sustainable existence alongside their former relations.
Golden, as usual, absolutely nails the characteristics of every character she utilizes, and creates some excellent new personalities in Before the Storm. While reading the dialogue I could practically hear Genn Greymane snarling to Anduin about Sylvanas, as I could hear Nathanos Blightcaller’s melancholy responses to Sylvanas’s commands. Some of the opening scenes suffer because it seems that the cinematics team heavily borrowed from them, word-for-word at times, but those scenes are mere pages and the book quickly moves to fresh content.
Overall, Before the Storm doesn’t exactly bridge the gap between the Legion and Battle for Azeroth expansions. It’s more of a filler story, but I don’t mean that in a bad way. Before the Storm is a thoughtful look at two of Azeroth’s most important characters, a young king who strives for peace and an old (she is likely thousands of years old) queen desperate to retain the loyalty of her people. Their two ideologies clash amidst a cast of wonderfully unique characters and a surprisingly deep storyline that doesn’t physically change much in Azeroth, but has changed the way I think about two of Azeroth’s youngest races. Whether you’re rooting for the Alliance or for the Horde, I believe you’ll find something enjoyable in Before the Storm.
