Starting in 1994 with the release of Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, the Warcraft franchise has blossomed into the titanic genre-defining MMORPG that we know today. Through its three RTS titles, World of Warcraft’s nine expansions, and spin-offs like Hearthstone and Warcraft Rumble, (and a hefty number of retcons), picking apart the lore can be tough. With the recently announced World Soul Saga, many new fans are looking to learn the lore ahead of its release.
The novels are a great way to learn some of the lore that’s bounced around the franchise. While some books have had later retcons or added-in auxiliary stories, most have remained fully canonical. Here are our choices for the best World of Warcraft books in 2024.
Updated June 20, 2025, by Kenny Kimberly: With the upcoming release of The War Within, the recent release of World of Warcraft Classic: Cataclysm, there’s no shortage of WoW content out right now. We’ve come back to dust off this piece and add the newest edition of Chronicle. Enjoy!
World Of Warcraft Chronicle: Volume 4
July 16th, 2024!
For lore fiends, this newly released book is one of the most important grabs available. This Chronicle brings together the lore from five separate expansions!
The Chronicle series is one of the most important series for lore fans, as well as one of the franchise’s most popular. That’s very much the case with the newest Chronicle, the recently-released fourth volume. As of writing this, this book has only been out a couple weeks, so it’s hot off the press!
Volume 4 draws together the lore of Mists of Pandaria, Warlords of Draenor, Legion, Battle for Azeroth, and Shadowlands. That’s quite a long time, and those are some dense expansions story-wise, so you’ll have your work cut out for you! Every page is full of beautiful artwork and ancient myths for you to help make sense of.
Christie Golden’s Arthas: Rise of the Lich King
Witness the justice of the grave
Beloved author Christie Golden brings new life to the undead menace Arthas. Showing his earliest, most promising moments and leading up to his full corruption, this fan favorite is a can’t-miss story.
There’s little to be said about this phenomenal novel that hasn’t already been said since it’s release, but we’ll give it a shot. Christie Golden is arguably the most notable and beloved author to ever help extend theBlizzard canonto the written page - a fact that makes her recent separation from the company all the more painful.
But nothing compares to the raptly-written pain within the pages of this fan-favorite novel. Following Arthas’s story from his early childhood to the prologue of the Wrath of the Lich King expansion, this story brings new light to a character shrouded in agony and tragedy. It’s a sobering tale that shows that not even a paladin is invincible.
Warcraft: War of the Ancients Book One - The Well of Eternity
Deathwing, Azshara, Ronin, Broxigar - the whole crew’s here!
Taking place roughly ten thousand years ago, the War of the Ancients trilogy follows the schemes of Earthwarder Neltharion, the ambition of Queen Azshara, and the rise of heroes to meet their corruption. With notes of time travel, druidic magic, and the origins of some of the franchise’s most important characters, this novel is a can’t-miss.
Many of the problems that players face throughout Warcraft and World of Warcraft can be traced back to a single canon event: The War of the Ancients. This story occurs ten thousand years ago, when Highborne society is rocked by the decision of their entrancing Queen Azshara to summon and accept the demonic Burning Legion to their planet. As the society shifts, many people find themselves unhappy with Azshara’s rule and the actions of her advisor, Xavius.
The story begins as three modern-day heroes investigate a time anomaly. The red dragon Korialstrasz, ambitious mage Rhonin, and Orcish combat veteran Broxigar Saurfang the Red are hurdled back through the timeline to the events of the War of the Ancients. There, they cooperate with the young Stormrage twins, Illidan and Malfurion, as well as the future Kaldorei leader, Tyrande Whisperwind, to ensure that time continues as it should. This novel is the first in the trilogy, but by the time you’re near the end, you’ll already be wanting to get the next two to see how the rest of the story goes. The trilogy continues to involve the Legion, the Dragonflights, and more integral factions to the franchise’s story.
Warcraft: Legends Vol. 5
Including the gripping tale of the Headless Horseman
The Legends volumes are closer to graphic novels than novels, each containing a collection of shorter in-universe tales. We’ve chosen Volume 5 for its inclusion of some interesting canon that would be difficult to find in-game.
Not all the books that focus on Warcraft’s canon are novelizations. There are many graphic novels and visual novels throughout the franchise that help to expand and clarify canon. One series, Legends, takes the form of short anthologies of in-universe stories told throughout the world. Some of these are minor in lore, such as Volume 1’s An Honest Trade, tell the stories of people living out their lives in the universe. Other stories focus on canon events and expand on them to help bring more life to the world.
Legends Volume 5 fits into the latter. We recommend this volume for two of the stories in particular, The First Guardian and A Cleansing Fire. The former tells the story of the foundation of the Council of Tirisfal and their role in the world of Azeroth as protectors, culminating in the creation of the long-standing role of Guardian. The latter tells the story of Sir Thomson, a famed knight turned zealot whose corruption led to the creation of the Headless Horseman, revealing the lore of the beloved Hallow’s End figure. One downside is that two of the other stories in this collection are sequels to earlier volumes, making them harder to understand in this volume.
Warcraft: The Last Guardian
Mages, apprentices, Orcish assassins, and demonic possession
Did you know that the Orcs - and several other species - are essentially off-world aliens that were brought to Azeroth by demonic magic? Warcraft: The Last Guardian explains their arrival, as well as giving more information on the instrumental figure Medivh.
In the Warcraft franchise, before World of Warcraft was created, players witness a Prophet flying to the major leaders of Azeroth’s factions. Urging them to travel across the ocean to the far continent of Kalimdor to save their people, this mysterious prophet is eventually revealed to be Medivh, the Last Guardian. An enigma shrouded in mystery and legend, Medivh’s role on Azeroth was that of Guardian, the tutor of future archmage Khadgar, and son of former Guardian and great sorcerer Aegwynn.
In Warcraft: The Last Guardian, Medivh’s role in adulthood is shown in full. Taking an apprentice for the first time in the young budding mage Khadgar, Medivh’s peculiar ways eventually spur an investigation into his acts and the figures he’s surrounded himself with. Leading up to the opening of the Dark Portal and the ushering of the demon-corrupted Orcish Horde, this twist-filled story helps lay out the foundation of some of Azeroth’s most fundamental characters and events.
World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1
Helps to explain and tighten up the spread-out lore
Released in 2016, Chronicle Volume 1 is the first of four volumes meant to help tighten up and solidify the lore where canon had become murky. This is an excellent starting point for new fans of the lore and helps avoid the problem of learning a novel worth of story just to find out it’d been retconned.
By 2016, lore in the Warcraft universe had become a bit fuzzy in some parts. Future expansions began to cast shadows across previous storylines and quests, broadening some events while blurring others. To help solidify the canon, the Warcraft writers released Chronicle Volume 1, the first in a series. Originally intending for there to be three Chronicles, there’s now a fourth on the horizon awaiting a release later this year.
The first volume looks into some of the first events in Azeroth’s timeline, highlighting the forces that would shape the planet in its infancy. This volume focuses on the cosmology and mythos that surrounds the planet, from the Old Gods of the Void to the Titans of Order. Focusing in on a primordial time for Azeroth and the ancient rise of civilizations in Kalimdor, this is an ideal way to understand the solid canon around the creation of Azeroth and the forces within.
World of Warcraft: Exploring Azeroth - Kalimdor
Follow along with Rexxar across Kalimdor
The Exploring Azeroth series focuses on the universe of World of Warcraft a continent at a time. This volume takes a look at the western continent of Kalimdor, following the Mok’nathal hunter Rexxar on his journey.
Exploring Azeroth is less of a story and more of a world-building novel. This book in particular focuses on the western continent of Kalimdor, where much of civilization began. It’s an ideal way for newcomers to the lore to experience the wilderness of the world, akin to spending a night flying around Kalimdor and seeing the sights.
One interesting point of this volume is the narration of the figure Rexxar. Last of the Mok’nathal and a trusted friend to Thrall, this hunter travels Kalimdor’s wildest reaches and both befriends and masters the untamed nature within.
Warcraft: Lord of the Clans
Following the Orcish fight for freedom from internment camps
Taking place after the collapse of the Orcish Horde, this novel focuses on the kidnapping, enslavement, and gladiatorial career of the future founder and Warchief of the Horde, Thrall. This story is integral for anyone seeking the story of the franchise before World of Warcraft’s events unfold.
The story of Thrall, founder of the Horde and son of Durotan and Draka, is crucial to the universe of Warcraft that would follow it. Taking place after the Orcish invasion of Azeroth, the book opens with internment camp leader Aedelas Blackmoore finding an orphaned, stranded infant Go’el in the snow.
Adopting the infant and naming him Thrall, he teaches the future warchief the way of gladiatorial combat. Treating him as a slave and a beast of battle, the story follows Thrall’s eventual escape and reformation of the Horde, setting the stage for the future of Azeroth. Not only is this one of the best foundational texts for the franchise, but it’s also a thorough dive into one of the most popular characters in thefantasy genre.
World of Warcraft: New Flavors of Azeroth - The Official Cookbook
And you get to make dinner along the way, too!
What better way to learn more about the culture and world of the peoples of Warcraft than to see their cuisine? Working as a functional cookbook, this resource also helps readers see what cultures the different races of the franchise are influenced by.
From Native American-inspired Tauren dishes to the seafood-heavy cuisine of Kul Tiras, from rich meaty Orcish dishes to the variety of Asian influences on Pandarian cuisine, this book is indispensable. While it’ll help you learn the cultures and influences of Azeroth’s races, it’ll also help you plan your next dinner! This introduction to the franchise makes for one of the most thorough and usefulvideo game cookbookson the market.
FAQ
Yes and no. Many of the stories are not chronological and exist to retroactively explain past events or expand the canon. Reading them chronologically can make them easier to understand, but they were never released with that expectation.
Where Can I Find The Warcraft Books?
The biggest and most obvious retailers are Amazon and Walmart, as they continue to carry books that some establishments have stopped carrying. But you should also check your local bookstore. Pick up one of the popularanime cookbookswhile you’re there!
Are The World Of Warcraft Books Canon?
Mostly, yes. Some have been unofficially or officially retconned, such as the comics that feature Med’an. Others expand on canon, while still others are novelized adaptations of in-game events. A good example of the latter is the stellar novel Arthas: Rise of the Lich King by Christie Golden, which is primarily a text adaptation of the campaign of Warcraft III and Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne.
