Starcraft: Dark Templar #1--Firstborn [Mass Market Paperback]

First, I'm a StarCraft gamer. I have been since SC1. I play SC2 fanatically now. I go to tournaments, can recite the lore surrounding any character or unit. I write on Wikis and generally just love StarCraft. So I write this for anyone who's wondering "Is this a REAL StarCraft book or just some spinoff and will I learn anything?" This is also more a review of the entire trilogy than any one book. If you're thinking of buying this book, just go ahead and buy them all.

*** I will not include any major spoilers, but there may be some minor ones. ***

I bought these books to learn more about the SC world. Many things in the games are not fully explained and I was hoping these novels would shed light on them. I was not disappointed. It was obviously written as a bridge between Brood War and SC2 and will explain a lot about the history of the Protoss and the Dark Templar. You'll learn a bit about the Xel'Naga (not that anyone really knows much about them) and be introduced to Valerian Mensk who will prove to be a major character in SC2: Wings of Liberty. Also, if you haven't played SC2 yet, a major theme of the game will be introduced.

Many characters from the games (mostly Protoss) are prominent figures and it is absolutely delightful to see them fleshed out as real people. The new characters are also wonderfully written and fit in well with the overall feel of the SC universe. A familiar villain from Brood War is back (no not just Kerrigan) but I will not say who. But it is great that you get to learn of his origins.

There is a very natural progression to each story. When I finished the trilogy it was almost amazing how far from the opening pages I had traveled. Yet it is very organic and smooth. Each book has its own identity but fits together into the trilogy perfectly. There is definite continuity between each book, but they still maintain their own distinction.

Overall you will learn a lot.. StarCraft is still a universe of mysteries, but enough is explained to leave you both satisfied and hungering for more. Each book leads directly into the next and could just as well be one massive book. It all concludes very well in the end, tying up every end it needs to while baiting you just enough to want to know more.

The author goes beyond knowing about StarCraft lore. She obviously knows her stuff and must have worked fairly close with Blizzard to make sure things were accurate. As a testament to her, she also authored World of Warcraft: The Shattering: Book One of Cataclysm, the introduction to Blizzard's biggest x-pac to WoW.

If you're a StarCraft or Blizzard fan you should buy all 3 of these books right now. If you're a general sci-fi fan, this trilogy will be a good introduction into the world of StarCraft. The other SC novels ranged from terrible to pretty good. The Dark Templar trilogy is excellent, easily the best SC books to date. So if you're looking at StarCraft novels and wondering what to buy or if you're a SC gamer and want to know more, buy this trilogy!

Other books in this trilogy:
Starcraft: Dark Templar--Shadow Hunters (Starcraft, Shadow Hunters, Bk. 2 of 3)
StarCraft: Dark Templar--Twilight (Starcraft: Twilight) (Bk. 3)

First and foremost, if your thinking about reading this book just go ahead and buy all 3 books in the saga. I ended up reading them as they were released, and I blew through them as soon as I got them. This series is one of the best I have EVER read. Shortly after beginning this book I was hoooked. The story is excellent and pulls you in and hold you there. I thought the balance between action & background was expertly done, I can honestly say that I never lost interest at any point of the saga. If you are a fan of the Starcraft universe like me you'll really like this saga. I especially liked the fact that there were backgound stories involving the terrans, protoss, & the zerg. Also, if your one of the people who just found out about the Starcraft universe via the new game Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty, these books are a great place to start if you want to get to know more about the races that make up the awesome world of Starcraft.

This is not the typical kind of book I read. It is the typical book for my son. He always reads books based off of video games. I made a bet with him trying to broaden his horizons. I told him that I would read one of his books if he read one of mine. So he gave me this one. I was VERY reluctant to start it but once I did, I found it was not so bad. I actually was able to read the whole book and enjoy it while doing so. I personally would of gave it 3 stars since I liked it but did not love it. My son on the other hand said he would give it 5 stars because he did love it. So I compromised and gave it 4. If you are into science fiction or books based off of video games, I am sure you'll probably like this one.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 26 reviews  4.3 out of 5 stars