The World of Warcraft universe has 33 novels as of August 2026, plus comics, art books, short stories, and a new Dungeons & Dragons crossover sourcebook announced for November 2026. Two reading orders exist for these novels: chronological order (following Azeroth’s timeline) and release order (following publication dates). Both are covered below. If you do not plan to read everything, skip to the “Where to Start” section for tailored recommendations.
From this guide you will learn:
- All Books in Chronological Order
- Books by Release Date
- Where to Start
- Best Books
- Who Wrote the World of Warcraft Books
- World of Warcraft Comic Books
- Art Books
- Books Inside World of Warcraft
- Where to Read
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All World of Warcraft Books in Chronological Order
This is the full list of Warcraft and World of Warcraft novels arranged by the timeline of Azeroth’s history, from the earliest events to the most recent. Books marked with an asterisk (*) involve time travel and are listed twice in some guides; for new readers, they are placed where their frame story occurs.
| Era / Period | Title | Author | Year | Setting |
| Ancient Azeroth | World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 | Chris Metzen et al. | 2016 | Creation to 45 years before the Dark Portal |
| World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2 | Chris Metzen et al. | 2017 | Draenor origins to end of the Second War | |
| War of the Ancients | War of the Ancients: The Well of Eternity | Richard A. Knaak | 2004 | 10,000 years before the First War |
| War of the Ancients: The Demon Soul | Richard A. Knaak | 2005 | War of the Ancients continues | |
| War of the Ancients: The Sundering | Richard A. Knaak | 2005 | End of the War of the Ancients | |
| Pre-First War | Rise of the Horde | Christie Golden | 2006 | Orcs’ fall on Draenor before the First War |
| Unbroken (short story) | Micky Neilson | — | Nobundo’s transformation into a shaman | |
| The First War | The Last Guardian | Jeff Grubb | 2001 | Medivh, Khadgar, and the opening of the Dark Portal |
| The Second War | Tides of Darkness | Aaron Rosenberg | 2007 | Events of Warcraft II from the Alliance perspective |
| Beyond the Dark Portal | Aaron Rosenberg & Christie Golden | 2008 | Aftermath of the Second War | |
| Lord of the Clans | Christie Golden | 2001 | Thrall’s rise to leadership | |
| Of Blood and Honor | Chris Metzen | 2000 | Tirion Fordring’s story | |
| Day of the Dragon | Richard A. Knaak | 2001 | The dragonflights and the orcs | |
| Post-Second War | Road to Damnation (short story) | — | — | Kel’Thuzad’s path to the Scourge |
| Warcraft III Era | Arthas: Rise of the Lich King | Christie Golden | 2009 | Arthas’s fall and the Scourge |
| Cycle of Hatred | Keith R.A. DeCandido | 2006 | Jaina Proudmoore and the Horde | |
| War of the Shifting Sands (short story) | Micky Neilson | — | The Ahn’Qiraj war | |
| Post-Warcraft III | Night of the Dragon | Richard A. Knaak | 2008 | Return to the dragon isles |
| Illidan | William King | 2016 | Illidan Stormrage’s story in Outland | |
| Stormrage | Richard A. Knaak | 2010 | Malfurion’s return from the Emerald Nightmare | |
| Cataclysm Era | The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm | Christie Golden | 2010 | Events leading to Deathwing’s return |
| Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects | Christie Golden | 2011 | Thrall and the Dragon Aspects | |
| Wolfheart | Richard A. Knaak | 2011 | Genn Greymane and the worgen | |
| Mists of Pandaria | Vol’jin: Shadows of the Horde | Michael A. Stackpole | 2013 | Vol’jin’s journey in Pandaria |
| War Crimes | Christie Golden | 2014 | Garrosh Hellscream’s trial | |
| Warlords of Draenor | Hellscream (short story) | — | — | Garrosh’s backstory |
| Legion | World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3 | Chris Metzen et al. | 2018 | Aftermath of Second War to Cataclysm |
| Battle for Azeroth | Before the Storm | Christie Golden | 2018 | Anduin and Sylvanas before the Fourth War |
| Shadows Rising | Madeleine Roux | 2020 | Post-Battle for Azeroth | |
| Shadowlands | Sylvanas | Christie Golden | 2022 | Sylvanas Windrunner’s complete story |
| World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 4 | Chris Metzen et al. | — | Mists of Pandaria to Shadowlands | |
| Dragonflight | Dawn of the Aspects | Richard A. Knaak | 2013 | Origins of the Dragon Aspects |
| War of the Scaleborn | Courtney Alameda | 2023 | The war of the dragons before Dragonflight | |
| The War Within | The Voices Within (short story collection) | Various | 2025 | Lead-up to The War Within expansion |
| Midnight | Blood Ties | Christie Golden | 2026 | Ties directly into the Midnight expansion |
Why chronological order is not the same as release order. Chronological order follows Azeroth’s internal timeline, which jumps between ancient history and modern events. Release order follows the books as they were published. Chronological order works best for deep lore immersion from the beginning. Release order works better if you want to experience the story as the fan community did, growing alongside the game.
World of Warcraft Books by Release Date
This is the same list of novels, but arranged by publication date from the first Warcraft novel to the most recent.
| Year | Title | Author |
| 2000 | Of Blood and Honor | Chris Metzen |
| 2001 | The Last Guardian | Jeff Grubb |
| 2001 | Lord of the Clans | Christie Golden |
| 2001 | Day of the Dragon | Richard A. Knaak |
| 2004 | War of the Ancients: The Well of Eternity | Richard A. Knaak |
| 2005 | War of the Ancients: The Demon Soul | Richard A. Knaak |
| 2005 | War of the Ancients: The Sundering | Richard A. Knaak |
| 2006 | Cycle of Hatred | Keith R.A. DeCandido |
| 2006 | Rise of the Horde | Christie Golden |
| 2007 | Tides of Darkness | Aaron Rosenberg |
| 2008 | Beyond the Dark Portal | Aaron Rosenberg & Christie Golden |
| 2008 | Night of the Dragon | Richard A. Knaak |
| 2009 | Arthas: Rise of the Lich King | Christie Golden |
| 2010 | Stormrage | Richard A. Knaak |
| 2010 | The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm | Christie Golden |
| 2011 | Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects | Christie Golden |
| 2011 | Wolfheart | Richard A. Knaak |
| 2013 | Dawn of the Aspects | Richard A. Knaak |
| 2013 | Vol’jin: Shadows of the Horde | Michael A. Stackpole |
| 2014 | War Crimes | Christie Golden |
| 2016 | World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 | Chris Metzen et al. |
| 2016 | Illidan | William King |
| 2017 | World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2 | Chris Metzen et al. |
| 2018 | World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3 | Chris Metzen et al. |
| 2018 | Before the Storm | Christie Golden |
| 2020 | Shadows Rising | Madeleine Roux |
| 2022 | Sylvanas | Christie Golden |
| 2023 | War of the Scaleborn | Courtney Alameda |
| 2025 | The Voices Within (short story collection) | Various |
| 2026 | Blood Ties | Christie Golden |
New and upcoming books. The most recent novel is Blood Ties (2026), which ties directly into the Midnight expansion. A new Dungeons & Dragons: World of Warcraft sourcebook has been announced and will release on November 17, 2026. On average, Blizzard publishes 1-2 new novels per year, with additional short stories and comics released between major expansions.
Where to Start With World of Warcraft Books
For a complete newcomer to Warcraft lore, start with Rise of the Horde by Christie Golden or The Last Guardian by Jeff Grubb. These two books are universally recommended as entry points because they cover the foundational events of the Warcraft universe without requiring prior knowledge.
If you play retail WoW and want to understand the current storyline: Start with Sylvanas (2022) and The Voices Within (2025), then read Blood Ties (2026). These books bridge the gap between Shadowlands, The War Within, and Midnight.
If you are playing WoW Classic or revisiting old expansions: Read Rise of the Horde, The Last Guardian, Tides of Darkness, Beyond the Dark Portal, and Arthas: Rise of the Lich King. This covers the story from the First War through Warcraft III.
If you only want the best books and nothing else: Skip to the Best World of Warcraft Books section below for the top-rated novels.
Best World of Warcraft Books
The five strongest World of Warcraft novels, according to community consensus and critical reception, are Arthas: Rise of the Lich King, Rise of the Horde, The Last Guardian, War Crimes, and Sylvanas. These books consistently receive the highest ratings on Goodreads and are frequently cited as the best entry points for new readers.
- Arthas: Rise of the Lich King by Christie Golden (2009). This New York Times bestseller tells the complete story of Arthas Menethil’s fall from prince to the Lich King. It is the definitive Warcraft tragedy and a must-read for any fan of the Scourge storyline.
- Rise of the Horde by Christie Golden (2006). This book covers the orcs’ corruption by the Burning Legion on Draenor. It is widely considered the best entry point for new readers because it explains the Horde’s origins and motivations without assuming prior knowledge.
- The Last Guardian by Jeff Grubb (2001). This novel tells the story of Medivh, Khadgar, and Garona during the First War. It is a tightly written mystery and one of the earliest and most beloved Warcraft novels.
- War Crimes by Christie Golden (2014). This book covers Garrosh Hellscream’s trial after the events of Mists of Pandaria. It is a courtroom drama that ties together many major characters and sets up the Warlords of Draenor expansion.
- Sylvanas by Christie Golden (2022). This is the definitive story of Sylvanas Windrunner, covering her entire arc from Ranger-General to the Maw. It is a National Bestseller and essential reading for understanding the Shadowlands expansion.
Are the World of Warcraft books good? The quality of the series is uneven. Some novels are straightforward game tie-ins, while others stand alone as excellent fantasy fiction. This is normal for a franchise spanning over two decades and multiple authors. The five books listed above are the ones that rise above the rest.
Who Wrote the World of Warcraft Books: Christie Golden, Chris Metzen & Others
The Warcraft book series does not have a single author. Christie Golden has written the most novels, while Chris Metzen laid the foundational lore as Blizzard’s creative director.
Christie Golden has written more Warcraft novels than any other author. Her books include Rise of the Horde, Lord of the Clans, Arthas: Rise of the Lich King, The Shattering, Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects, War Crimes, Before the Storm, Sylvanas, Blood Ties, and contributions to The Voices Within. She is widely considered the primary novelist of the Warcraft universe.
Chris Metzen is the lore architect of Blizzard Entertainment. He co-authored the Chronicle series (Volumes 1-4), wrote Of Blood and Honor, and contributed to the Warcraft RPG series. He returned to Blizzard in 2024 and continues to shape the direction of the Warcraft story.
Other notable authors:
- Richard A. Knaak wrote the War of the Ancients trilogy, Day of the Dragon, Night of the Dragon, Stormrage, Wolfheart, and Dawn of the Aspects.
- William King wrote Illidan (2016), the novel covering Illidan Stormrage’s story in Outland.
- Aaron Rosenberg co-wrote Tides of Darkness and Beyond the Dark Portal with Christie Golden.
- Jeff Grubb wrote The Last Guardian, one of the earliest and most acclaimed Warcraft novels.
- Michael A. Stackpole wrote Vol’jin: Shadows of the Horde.
- Madeleine Roux wrote Shadows Rising (2020).
- Courtney Alameda wrote War of the Scaleborn (2023).
World of Warcraft Comic Books
World of Warcraft has an extensive line of comic books, graphic novels, and manga, some of which are available for free on Blizzard’s official website.
Major comic series:
- World of Warcraft (2007-2009) – a 25-issue series published by WildStorm
- World of Warcraft: Ashbringer (2008-2009) – a four-issue mini-series
- World of Warcraft: Curse of the Worgen (2012) – a five-issue mini-series
- World of Warcraft: Pearl of Pandaria (2012)
- World of Warcraft: Dark Riders (2013)
- World of Warcraft: Bloodsworn (2013)
Manga series:
- The Sunwell Trilogy (Dragon Hunt, Shadows of Ice, Ghostlands) – set after Warcraft III
- Warcraft Legends (Volumes 1-5) – a collection of short stories
Digital comics. Blizzard has released several ebook comic series for free on their website, including Warlords of Draenor (2014), Legion (2016), and Battle for Azeroth (2018). The World of Warcraft Comic Collection: Volume 1 (2020) collects all digital comics from these eras.
How comics relate to the novels. The comics are considered canon alongside the novels. They often fill in gaps between expansions or provide backstory for major characters. The digital comics are particularly valuable because they are available for free directly from Blizzard.
Art Books & the Old Warcraft RPG Books
Beyond the novels, there are art books for every expansion and a discontinued line of tabletop RPG books that are no longer considered canon.
Art books. The Art of World of Warcraft series covers each expansion with concept art, character designs, and environmental paintings. The Exploring Azeroth series (five books covering Eastern Kingdoms, Kalimdor, Northrend, Pandaria, and Islands & Isles) is a more recent addition that combines art with lore travelogues.
The Warcraft RPG books. These were tabletop role-playing game sourcebooks published in the early 2000s. Blizzard has officially declared them non-canon because they sometimes diverged from the video game canon to provide a better tabletop experience. Nine books were published as part of the Warcraft and World of Warcraft RPG lines. They are collectibles for fans but should not be used as authoritative lore sources.
Books Inside World of Warcraft (Readable In-Game Books)
In the game itself, there are hundreds of readable books scattered across Azeroth, ranging from lore tomes to humorous titles. These are physical items you can find and read in the world.
Where to find them. Major libraries like the Royal Library in Stormwind, the Athenaeum in Dalaran, and the Scholomance instance contain many readable books. They also appear as loot drops, quest rewards, and world objects.
Examples of funny in-game books: The Big Book of Bears, The Chronicles of Nessingwary, The Emerald Dream: A Field Guide, The Orcish Cookbook, and The Tauren Compass are among the humorous titles players have discovered. These books often contain jokes, Easter eggs, or references to real-world pop culture.
Achievements and collecting. There is no single achievement for collecting all readable books, but certain books are required for specific achievements, such as The Loremaster (which requires completing many quests, some of which involve reading books). The Bookworm achievement tracks how many books you have read.
Where to Read World of Warcraft Books (Legally)
Free official PDFs of the novels do not exist. Legal ways to read World of Warcraft books include print, Kindle, Audible, and library services.
Formats and where to buy. All major novels are available in paperback, hardcover, Kindle, and Audible formats. Retailers include Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the Blizzard Gear Store.
What is legally free. Blizzard publishes some short stories and digital comics for free on the official World of Warcraft website. These include Unbroken, Road to Damnation, the Legion digital comics, and the Battle for Azeroth digital comics.
Library services. Many public libraries offer digital lending through apps like Libby and OverDrive. You can borrow Kindle versions of World of Warcraft novels for free with a library card.
What is not available. There are no legal free PDFs of the full novels. Any website offering free PDF downloads of the books is distributing pirated copies and should be avoided.
FAQ
How many World of Warcraft books are there?
There are 33 novels as of July 2026, plus numerous short stories, comics, art books, and the new Dungeons & Dragons: World of Warcraft sourcebook releasing November 17, 2026.
What is the first World of Warcraft book?
By release date, the first book is Of Blood and Honor by Chris Metzen (2000). By chronological order, the earliest story is covered in World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 (creation of Azeroth).
Do I need to read the books to understand the game?
No. The books enhance the lore but are not required to play or enjoy World of Warcraft. The game explains its story through quests, cutscenes, and dialogue.
Are the books canon?
The novels are canon. The old Warcraft RPG books are not canon – Blizzard has officially declared them non-canon.
What should I read before Midnight?
Read Sylvanas (2022), The Voices Within (2025), and Blood Ties (2026) to understand the lead-up to the Midnight expansion.
Is it worth playing WoW after reading the books?
Yes. The story of the books continues directly into the game. Midnight and the Worldsoul Saga are the current major story arcs, and starting now is a great time to jump in. If you want to level up quickly to experience the latest content, consider our WoW leveling boost services to get your character ready for Midnight.
