- For the patch of the same name, see Patch 4.0.3a.
| The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm | |
|---|---|
 Blizzard Legends cover | |
| Author(s) | Christie Golden |
| Pages |
Hardcover: 352 Paperback: 432 |
| Publisher(s) |
Hardcover: Gallery Books Paperback: Pocket Star Books |
| Publication date |
Hardcover: October 19, 2010 Paperback: May 31, 2011 May 16, 2023 (Blizzard Legends) |
| Format(s) | Hardcover, Paperback, Digital |
| Retail price |
US: Hardcover: $26.00 Paperback: $8.99 UK: Hardcover: £16.99 Paperback: £5.30 |
| ISBN 10 |
Hardcover: 1416-55074-7 Paperback: 1439-17274-9 2023: 1956916164 |
| ISBN 13 |
Hardcover: 978-1416-55074-7 Paperback: 978-1439-17274-2 2023: 978-1956916164 |
The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm is a World of Warcraft novel by Christie Golden, released on October 19, 2010.[1] The story told in the novel leads up to the events of the Cataclysm expansion in a manner similar to that of Arthas: Rise of the Lich King and World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King.
Description[]
- From Blizzard[2]
Thrall, wise shaman and the warchief of the Horde, has sensed a disturbing change...
Long ago, Azeroth's destructive native elementals raged across the world until the benevolent titans imprisoned them within the Elemental Plane. Despite the titans' intervention, many elementals have ended up back on Azeroth. Over the ages, shaman like Thrall have communed with these spirits and, through patience and dedication, learned to soothe roaring infernos, bring rain to sun-scorched lands, and otherwise temper the elementals' ruinous influence on the world of Azeroth.
Now Thrall has discovered that the elementals no longer heed the shaman's call. The link shared with these spirits has grown thin and frayed, as if Azeroth itself were under great duress. While Thrall seeks answers to what ails the confused elements, he also wrestles with the orcs' precarious future as his people face dwindling supplies and growing hostility with their night elf neighbors.
Meanwhile, Varian Wrynn of Stormwind is considering violent action in response to mounting tensions between the Alliance and the Horde, a hard-line approach that threatens to alienate those closest to him, including his son, Anduin. The conflicted young prince has set out to find his own path, but in doing so, he risks becoming entangled in political instability that is setting the world on edge.
The fate of Azeroth's great races is shrouded in a fog of uncertainty, and the erratic behavior of the elemental spirits, troubling though it is, may only be the first ominous warning sign of the cataclysm to come.[3]
Characters[]
Locations[]
- Alterac Valley
- Ashenvale
- Barrens
- Borean Tundra
- Deeprun Tram
- Dun Morogh
- Dustwallow Marsh
- Mulgore
- Nagrand
- Orgrimmar
- Stormwind
Gallery[]
Cover art, depicting the Doomhammer
Thrall and Garrosh
Magni Bronzebeard's transformation
Varian Wrynn
Original cover
Notes[]
- The book reveals that canonically, the Alliance raided Blackrock Depths and killed Dagran Thaurissan, apparently rendering the Horde questline non-canon. This was later reaffirmed in the Ultimate Visual Guide[4] and Chronicle Volume 3,[5] both of which describe Dagran being killed by Alliance adventurers sent by Magni.
References[]
- ^ World of Warcraft: The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm (Hardcover). Amazon.com Accessed 2009-11-06.
- ^ https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/story/book/the-shattering
- ^ Digital Catalog - World of Warcraft: The Shattering
- ^ World of Warcraft: Ultimate Visual Guide, pg. 81
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 116 - 118
External links[]
Amazon Original Amazon 2023
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