Novels are a great source of lore information, but there are a lot of them, and it can be easy to get lost in the crowd.
I therefore propose this small chronology, going around all the books, in order to locate you a little better in the timeline of the Warcraft universe.
Note that this is not necessarily a reading order that I advise you, it is mainly reference points.
Cosmogony and before the First World War
• Warcraft Chronicles, Volume 1 : chronicles the creation of the cosmos, the Pantheon of Titans, the ordering of Azeroth and the struggle against the Old Gods. The book ends just before the Dark Portal opens in the year 0.
• Warcraft Chronicles, Volume 2 : the second volume of the Chronicles tells the story of Draenor and the creation of the Horde.
• Dawn of the Aspects : the book recounts how the five draconic aspects, then only proto-drakes, defeated a great threat and gained their powers from the Titanic Guardians.
• War of the Ancients Trilogy : the novel takes place during the War of the Ancients, where the Night Elves fought against the first invasion of the Burning Legion.
Given that there is a story of going back in time, it is better to have read " The day of the dragon beforehand, the beginning of the book taking place just after the Third War.
- The Well of Eternity
- The Dragon's Soul
- L’apocalypse
• New War of the Shifting Sands
• Rise of the Horde : where we see how the Horde was created following the manipulations of Kil'jaeden on the orcs.
• New All that is, is alive
First War (Warcraft: Orcs and Humans)
• Warcraft Chronicles, Volume 2 : this second volume recounts the events that followed the opening of the Dark Portal, thus giving rise to the First and Second Wars.
• The Last Guardian : centered on Medivh, it gives many details on the history of Aegwynn and the events around the First War.
Second War (Warcraft II)
• hour of darkness : The survivors of Stormwind have found refuge in Lordaeron after the attack of the orcs.
• Beyond the Dark Portal : As the orcs left on Draenor reopen the Dark Portal, the Alliance organizes to enter their world and close it once and for all.
• The Day of the Dragon : The mage Rhonin is sent to Khaz Modan, in the territory of the Dragonmaw clan.
• The Leader of the Rebellion : the beginnings of Thrall's story, his life as a gladiator and his fight for the liberation of the orcs.
• New The road to damnation
Third War (Warcraft III)
• Warcraft Chronicles, Volume 3 : this third volume starts at the third war and leads up to the events of Cataclysm.
• Arthas, l'ascension du Roi-Liche : the life of Arthas and especially his long descent towards damnation.
• New Vol'jin, the Judgment
After the third war
• the haine cycle : The orcs of Durotar and the humans of Theramore live in relative peace.
World of Warcraft
• New The War of the Shifting Sands
• Comics World of Warcraft, tome 1 à 4 : they tell of Varian's kidnapping and his doubling by Onyxia.
Burning Crusade
• Illidan : the story of Illidan after his 10 years of imprisonment until his fall at the Black Temple.
• The Night of the Dragon : return to Grim Batol after the events of the Day of the Dragon, with Krasus, Rhonin, Vereesa and Rom.
Wrath of the lich king
• Lor'themar Theron: In the Shadow of the Sun
• Garrosh Hellscream: Warrior's Soul
• Sylvanas Windrunner: Edge of Night
• Stormrage : a book centered on Malfurion and the threat to the Emerald Dream.
Cataclysm
• The Collapse – Prelude to the Cataclysm : The elements are disturbed and Thrall investigates, while tensions between the Horde and the Alliance are very high, after the fall of the Lich King.
• New Gelbin Mekkatorque: Careful, it's going to cut
• Short Story The Council of Three Hammers: Iron and Fire
• New Tyrande and Malfurion: The Roots of Faith
• New Gallywix: Inside the Merchant Aristocracy
• New Baine Bloodhoof: Like our fathers before us
• New Genn Greymane: Lord of the Pack
• Heart of a wolf : As the Horde continues to advance in the Ashenvale region, the Worgen begin to settle within the Alliance.
• New Velen: The Prophet's Lesson
• New Varian – The Blood of Our Fathers
• Thrall – Twilight of Aspects : Thrall sets out on a journey to meet the dragonflights to avert a major catastrophe.
• New Aspect Duties
• Jaina – The Surge : The Cataclysm has passed, but threats linger, including the Horde's new leader, Garrosh, who plans to invade Theramore.
Mists of Pandaria
• Dawn of the Aspects : Centered on the Dragon Aspects, the novel deals with the quest for Kalecgos.
• The Quest for Pandaria
- Première partie
- Second part
- Third part
- Fourth part
• Li Li's Diary
• Death from above
• Le sang du soleil
• The Red Flower Trial
• Vol'jin, Shadows of the Horde : Garrosh is not unanimous within the Horde and the resistance begins to organize.
• The blank parchment
• The strength of steel
• The jade hunters
• On the water
• The rebellious valley
• War crimes : Garrosh's trial begins, but some characters do not wish to see him imprisoned any longer.
• Hurlenfer
• The rules of art
• Apocrypha
• Dark Mirror
Warlords of Draenor
• Comics (free):
- Gul'dan and the Stranger
- Blackhand
- Blood and Thunder
Legion
• Comics (free):
- Anduin: Son of the Wolf
- Highmountain: A Mountain Divided
- The Nightborne: Dusk of Suramar
- Magni: hearts of stone
Battle for Azeroth
• Before the storm : the novel describes the events before BFA, and in particular the discovery of Azerite and what will lead to the open conflict between the Alliance and the Horde.
• Comics (free):
- Jaina: Reunion
- Magni: The Speaker
- Windrunner: Homecoming
- Mechagon
• Elegy
• An honorable war
Shadowlands
• Army of Shadows : the novel is mainly centered on the Zandalari, and in particular their new queen Talanji and her relationship with the Loa Bwonsamdi, and how Sylvanas and her loyalists will try to use them.
• A moment out of time
• Terror in the dark
• Together, overlapping
• Sylvanas : this novel narrates the life of Sylvanas, from his life as General of the Rangers to his actions in the Shadowlands, through his death by Arthas and his place as leader of the Forsaken, then of the Horde. Sylvanas gives herself up to Anduin, then a prisoner of the Jailer. Note that it is currently (at the time these lines are written) not available in French.
