The Kingdom of Shadow

I haven't read this in a long time but I remember loving this book. Go Zayl! (At least I think he returned in this book).

Origin aside, anyone looking for a good fantasy/adventure with very likeable characters, a dash of comedy, and an unusual plot twist, look no further. Some of Knaak's finest work, this story is well worth the read. If you haven't played any of the game(s) don't fret, the story and characters are unrelated, albeit anyone who has played the games will find it even more enjoyable.

Diablo: Kingdom of Shadow (Book 3) By: Richard A Knaak I liked this book a lot more than I did the second one. This one hid the "evil" part of the story until really late in the book, I mean, there wre evil parts to it, but unlike the first two in which the real evil parts of the story come into play really early, this one kind of built up the suspense with a couple of small evil events that took place. In this story, a group of mercenaries and a Vizjeri sorcerer are one a quest to find an ancient city that appears only every now and then. It is in this hope that the merc's hope to get rich in jewles and the sorcerer rich in knowledge from the ancient holy city. That's all I'm gonna say though because if I say too much it'l give away the story. I'm giving this book a 10/10, especially since they brought the necromancers back into play, they are my absolute favorite character in the Diablo series.

The story begins with a band of mercenaries trudging through a deadly swamp on a quest to find a lost city full of treasure. The band was hired by a powerful mage who knows how to unlock the city's secrets. Once they find the cursed city, they must battle an ancient evil to free it's inhabitants. The characters are good. The action is very good. The suspense is great. The pacing is excellent. Knaak does an outstanding job at weaving in and out of the story arcs. The book is paced well and a really fun read. (TV Reference: It's paced like one of the early seasons of 24 or Prison Break.) This book has nothing to do with the other books in the Diablo Series, so you don't have to read them to understand what's going on in this book. You also don't even need to play Diablo. It's a great stand alone adventure that will keep you frantically turning pages until the end. (Then you're sad because there's no more book to read.) Read this book if: You want an exciting fantasy adventure with some horror elements. If 'mercenaries and mages battling ghouls' excites you. If you're a huge fan of the Diablo universe. If you like plot twists and turns. Avoid this book if: You like literature, prose, and 'big words.'

Though this is the 3rd of the Diablo series, it's not considered a trilogy or anything. The story happens to be in the Diablo universe. The story takes place around the regions of Kurast. It follows a groups adventurers in search of treasure. Specifically the holy city of Ureh which is supposed to have disappeared from this realm as they were making their journey to Heaven. Now, it's back and of course, things are not as they seem. You will have to read to find out what exactly happens. I have read the 1st Diablo book and I believe this one is a little more darker, like a horror novel. Knaak's character portrayal is perfect enough for you to care for them even if you don't know much about them. It definitely throws you into the diablo universe and if you are a diablo gamer, you want to go back and play some more. Richard Knaak has definitely become one of my favorite writers and I'm glad he's involved with Blizzard in writing books on their various universes. I highly recommend reading this one, especially at night!!!! hehe