Pixels to paper - 10 videogame novels reviewed

World of Warcraft: Cycle of Hatred

'Erik had been cleaning ale off the demon skull mounted behind the bar when the stranger walked in.
The Demonsbane Inn and Tavern didn't usually get much by the way of tourists. Rare was the day when Erik didn't know the face of one of his patrons. More common was when he didn't know their names - he only remembered their faces due to repeated exposure. Erik didn't much care who came into his tavern, as long as they had coin and a thirst.
Sitting down at a table, the stranger seemed to be either waiting for something or looking for something.'
(CourtesyAmazon.com)

What is it?
A vague socio-commentary on ingrained racism, setting up the orcs vs humans universe of World of Warcraft.

Who wrote it?
Keith R.A. DeCandido, who's also written Star Trek, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Doctor Who, Supernatural, Andromeda and Farscape novels. And he's a professional musician, too. Where doeshe get the time?

Fanboy factor?
It's hard to see how this pretty humdrum novel expects to capture the grind-happy masses of World of Warcraft's online community. It certainly doesn't echo the epic scale or thrill of adventure that makes the MMO so popular. Though it has got orcs in it, so someone will like it.

Is it any good?
It's not terrible, it's just terribly boring. Like many videogame novels, Cycle of Hatred reads like it's been written to fill a word count, with lumbering conversation and descriptions that never really go anyway or say anything. It also reads like a first draft - basic, under-developed and probably written in a matter of days.

Further reading
Perhaps avoid DeCandido's other WoW novels (he doesn't seem to have much love for the universe) and try these by other authors:Rise of the Horde,Tides of Darkness,or Beyond the Dark Portal, which is out later this year.