Need any more evidence that
World of Warcraft has gone mainstream?
Arthas, the latest expanded universe novel about none other than our own Lich King (that got rave reviews
from our own writers), has reached number 16
on the New York Times bestseller list for hardcover fiction. We're sure that makes
Christie Golden happy -- I don't believe that any
Warcraft-related novels have ever made the list before.
Rise of the Horde is the most popular one I can think of, and I don't think that appeared there on first release. It's not the only videogame-related book of fiction to make the NYT, though --
the latest Halo novel did that a few years ago.
At any rate, just shows you how popular the
Warcraft universe really is, even outside of the videogame audience. You can pick up the
Arthas book at a bookstore near you, or
order it up from Amazon as well.
[via
WorldofWar]
Tags: arthas, bestseller, christie-golden, expanded-universe, fiction, halo, halo-novel, hardcover, lich-king, new-york-times, rise-of-the-lich-king, videogames, warcraft, world-of-warcraft
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Blizzard
May 6th 2009 at 11:00AM 
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Arras May 6th 2009 11:03AM
I'm not surprised it's on the bestseller list, it's very well written and a great story. I'm about halfway through it now and loving every page
lsschwartz May 6th 2009 11:08AM
My husband and I bought it, he's reading it now. I'll start it once he's finished, it seems he's enjoying it.
Hellscreamy May 6th 2009 11:15AM
I am still waiting for mine, I recently ordered it but it still hasn't arrived.
Outis May 6th 2009 12:13PM
Same =(
Tehjagerbomb May 6th 2009 11:27AM
Yeah, I read this book in two sittings. It definitely deserves to be on the bestseller list.
Adaph May 6th 2009 11:27AM
Still waiting aswell, ordered it around 2weeks ago, last week I got a message that the delivery will be delayed. :
Shade May 6th 2009 11:35AM
I still need to get around to picking up this thing.
Bubsa May 6th 2009 11:42AM
It wouldn't at all surprise me if this was down to WOWInsider, given all the damn coverage it got.
We get it. Go buy Arthas.
Mike Schramm May 6th 2009 1:42PM
Chicken/egg. Did we post about it because fans were interested or were fans interested because we posted about it? I'd say the first one, you might say the second.
Regardless, I wouldn't put too much power in our hands. Rossi has a book out, too, and we couldn't get that one on the NYT bestseller list. :)
Bubsa May 6th 2009 1:49PM
Good sir, I do believe you've missed the sarcasm in my statement.
Mike Schramm May 6th 2009 1:59PM
Yeah maybe but we do hear this all the time -- people complain because we post about The Guild or the comic book or the TCG or any other subset of the WoW community that not everyone is interested in. Fact is that we post this stuff because people are interested in it, not because we're trying to convince you to buy stuff or like something that you don't. That's all. You just hit a sore spot, I guess.
I would like to get Rossi's book on the NYT list, though. He's a good writer and a good guy.
Remen May 6th 2009 2:29PM
Bubsa,
I missed the sarcasm as well, most likely due to the nature of many comments posted on WI. I think the only way to get sarcasm across here is to add "/sarcasm" and "/end sarcasm" to any sarcastic comments. It help you stand out as not being one of the many trolls that dwell inside of WI.
Wulf May 6th 2009 11:47AM
I haven't had the chance to read it yet, but the collector's edition is a thing of beauty.
The quality of the box is superb and it looks great with my WoW 'shrine' (The three Collector's Edition boxes together on a bookshelf with a couple figurines).
It's also nice to have one of the initial 10,000 signed copies (1041), though I'm sure she'll be autographing more at booksignings, given the success.
I'm sure WoWInsider helped, but having it on the launcher and Blizz's homepage reached a lot more potential purchasers.
Kerberos May 6th 2009 11:50AM
I don't know that this shows Warcraft is popular outside the
video-gaming community, just that it was well marketed on the WoWwebsite and other fansites such as this. Need to see if it can stay on the list or just a spike from the pre-orders.
I wasn't greatly impressed with the writing style from what I readin that snippet for the contest, but guess I will take a look at it
next time I'm at Border's or B&N.
Thander May 6th 2009 12:58PM
Video game type stuff will just continue to be more mainstream. It's easy to see the first video game generation has grown up(mid 30s), with later generations already immersed in video games as kids. My parents are just bewildered at the popularity (they are baby boomers). They think the world is going to end when video gamers control the country (politicians, CEOs of companies, etc.).
I've never been successful with getting them into regular games. They still see them as something for a child, and not something they could do as a hobby. They only play the quick little internet ones occasionally.
Forro May 6th 2009 1:05PM
Sorry I will never ever read a book by Golden again. I've read he previous Warcraft books and those were the worst fantasy books I've had. Boring and primitively written, like children's books.
Having said that I will have to make an exception for her Star Wars books, and I hope she won't ruin Star Wars for me.
Graham May 6th 2009 1:14PM
I will be reading it this summer, along with (hopefully) the third Dark Templar novel (also by Christie Golden). Good stuff.
"At any rate, just shows you how popular the Warcraft universe really is, even outside of the videogame audience."
Really? I think the videogame audience itself is big enough to get the book on the list, but it would be interesting to know how many people who are reading this don't play WoW.
On that note, geeks do rule the world, after all. Check out this article: http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/05/06/geeks.pop.culture/index.html?eref=rss_topstories
Makes me happy.
J. May 6th 2009 1:18PM
These fantasy type books are ALWAYS on the bestsellers lists. Been that way for decades.
Wes May 6th 2009 1:36PM
I was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed how she explored the relationship between Jaina and Arthas. It was great!
AyaJulia May 6th 2009 2:22PM
Truth be told, I didn't like it.
Don't get me wrong. I adored the first half of the book. You know, the new content? But once Arthas and Jaina started out on their search for the source of the plague, it seemed like I was just reading a novelization of WC3. I already played WC3 through my fair share of times. :s I realize it's integral to the story, but I really wish the author could've kept it a bit more fresh than adding a word or two describing a speaker's emotion to the same old lines from the cinematics.
Am I alone in this? Ehh.
Though seeing/hearing/reading Sylvanas's line of "What are we if not slaves to this torment?" ALWAYS gives me chills. XD