Even many of those who haven't played World of Warcraft are familiar with the name Sylvanas. Sylvanas Windrunner, The Banshee Queen, and leader of the undead Forsaken of the Horde. In this authorized book Sylvanas hopes that her life story will persuade the human king Anduin to join her and the mysterious Jailor in ending the circle of life and death. Her prominent role in WoW's ongoing storyline has often seemed quixotic if not outright insane but in her own words she reveals her reasons for acting as she did. Christie Golden strings together the bits and pieces of WoW lore with added details to give players the full story behind this legend. Sylvanas is just as mercurial, driven, and insane as you always thought, if not more so. Anduin is a surprisingly good listener but maintains that everything she tells him could as easily argue that she shouldn't help the Jailor. Love and logic are pitted against rage and grief as two old enemies fight a mental battle for the fate of Azeroth.

Sylvanas begins her story as she is reaching adulthood. The first third of the book centers on the Windrunner family drama as well as the trouble Sylvanas gets into because of her temper and disdain for the Quel'dorei courtiers.  Amid concerns about the blood thirsty orc Horde that has just come to Azeroth, Sylvanas finds herself falling for a human man. But things take a darker turn when her parents are killed in an ambush and Sylvanas becomes Ranger-general of the Farstriders and the Horde attacks the Quel'dorei. From there the story intertwines with WoW's main storyline. The pace picks up as Sylvanas is slain by the infamous Arthas and he enslaves her spirit as a banshee. In some ways the faster action is a shame given the import these events have in creating the Azeroth experienced by millions of gamers and shaping a prominent legend like Sylvanas. This is where her determination, grief, and hatred are combined with the banshee's lack of empathy to create the fanatic Banshee Queen who remembers having felt love but can now only experience rage and hatred. She describes the founding of the Undercity and her uneasy alliance with the Horde. From there the book follows Sylvanas through the history of Azeroth as seen in WoW's many expansions. 

Golden's Sylvanas is unapologetic and firmly believes that she has always done what was in the best interest of her people even as she furthered her own dreams of vengeance. This is definitely written for those already familiar with the details found in WoW. While not a profound novel, its still satisfying to understand where Sylvanas came from and why she sometimes acts as her own worst enemy. The story is rough in spots but the nature of MMO expansions tends toward convoluted plots. Not to mention the unnamed adventurers who wander into the story from time to time and do things like depriving her of killing the Lich King. Ugh, kill-stealers. Sylvanas, I feel your pain. Overall, I liked it for making sense of what I saw in the game and for bringing such a legendary character to life. For myself I would have liked more about the war that led to her death and transformation as well as the founding of the Undercity and their relationship with the Horde. Golden alludes to the other races of the Horde seeing the undead Forsaken as lesser and using them as shock troops in battle but provides little detail. Since Sylvanas uses that as an excuse for some of her actions it seems like it deserved more emphasis.

Christie Golden has authored many game and television tie-ins including other books about the people and history of World of Warcraft. Although the book has 4.5 stars to its credit there plenty of negative reviews. Many note that issues with the storyline can be blamed on the game expansions. Few actually like what happened with Sylvanas along the way. For the narrator Patty Mattson there is nothing but praise and comments about her style improving upon the written book.