History Literature / TheShatteringPreludeToCataclysm

** Cairne wields the Bloodhoof Runespear (passed down by twenty generations of his family) in his duel against Garrosh. Sadly, it gets wrecked just prior to Cairne losing his life.

This novel contains examples of:

* AncestralWeapon: In this book, Garrosh inherits Gorehowl, his father's axe.

* PoisonousFriend: Cairne notes Magatha is this to him, only she's not really his friend.
** Later on, she also becomes this for [[spoiler:Garrosh]].

* BelligerentSexualTension: Thrall is supposed to have this with Aggra. Instead, it comes off more like Aggra just being deliberately cruel to him at every opportunity.
** Well they are orcs.
** Aggra later apologizes for treating Thrall harshly at first and for thinking ill of his motive to learn more about the elements for Azeroth's sake rather than Outland's after [[CharacterDevelopment getting to know him better]].

* ParentsAsPeople: Magni Bronzebeard, according to Moira and Rohan, was disappointed that he couldn't get a male heir, and Moira tells Anduin that she genuinly loved Dagran Thaurissan and had a child with him because he and his people treated her with respect her father didn't show her. Varian loves Anduin, but his SplitPersonality and hostile attitude toward the Horde creates a rift between the two.

* ShipperOnDeck: Eitrigg notes that it's a pity Jaina isn't an orc, otherwise she'd be a perfect mate for Thrall. This makes the Warchief laugh heartedly.

* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: Discussed. Thrall worries that many of the up and coming warriors of the Horde got their start killing undead, and are thus desensitized to violence enough to not consider the repercussions for wars between the living.

* IdiotBall: Cairne doesn't seem as wise as he usually is when he confronts Garrosh over supposedy sabotaging a peaceful druid meeting and massacring everyone there. (In fact, it was the Twilight's Hammer.) Especially since he hurls insults straight at Garrosh's face, has no evidence to back up his claims and doesn't seem to realise that Garrosh ''has no idea what he's talking about.''

* YouKilledMyFather: [[spoiler:Baine Bloodhoof]]. Subverted in that he shows remarkable mercy to both parties involved in his father's death. [[spoiler:He allows Magatha to live, in exile, and tells Garrosh that while he's partially to blame, he will work with him for the sake of the Horde. He spared Magatha, however, because he could infict more punishment on her by sending her into exile without her shamanic powers (he crushes her totems between his fingers).]]

* YouHaveToBelieveMe: Garrosh to Eitrigg about [[spoiler:the poison Magatha put on his axe]]. Subverted in that the old orc does.
-->'''Garrosh''': Eitrigg, you must believe me!\\
'''Eitrigg''': I ''do'' beieve you.

* ApologeticAttacker: Sort of. Cairne picks a fight with Garrosh, intending to oust him (and possibly kill him) from the position of warchief, but he doesn't like the idea at all, and notes several times to himself that he believes losing Garrosh will/would be a detriment to the Horde.

* DeadGuyJunior: Moira's son Dagran is named after his now-dead father, once the final boss of the dungeon Blackrock Depths and ruler of the Dark Iron clan, a position that has since transferred to Moira.

* EasilyForgiven: Averted with [[spoiler: Baine regarding Garrosh, as even in light of the new facts, Baine finds him partly to blame for his father's death.]]
* [[EvenEvilHasStandards Even Warmongers Have Standards]]: Garrosh was willing to make his duel with Cairne to the death, but does not approve of [[spoiler:coating his weapon with poison without his knowledge]]. He notes that this is largely out of a desire to not be dishonorable like the Alliance.

* ParentalSubstitute: Bolvar is noted as being one for Anduin, and to some extent, Jaina is.

* PensiveFlashback: Thrall has one on his vision quest.

* WellIntentionedExtremist: Moira wants to unite the dwarven clans, but to do so, rules Ironforge completely tyrannically.

-->'''Anduin''': "Father -- you're a king, a good one, one who wants to do the right thing. You believe in the law. In justice. You're not some-some vigilante."
* YouHaveToBelieveMe: Garrosh to Eitrigg about [[spoiler:the poison Magatha put on his axe]]. Subverted, in that the old orc does.

'''Eitrigg''': I do beieve you.
* YouKilledMyFather: [[spoiler:Baine Bloodhoof]].
** Subverted in that he shows remarkable mercy to both parties involved in his father's death. [[spoiler:He allows Magatha to live, in exile, and tells Garrosh that while he's partially to blame, he will work with him for the sake of the Horde. He spared Magatha, however, because he could infict more punishment on her by sending her into exile without her shamanic powers (he crushes her totems between his fingers).]]

''The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm'' is the name of a ''WorldOfWarcraft'' novel by Christie Golden. As her previous work, ''Literature/{{Arthas}}: Rise of the Lich King'', had done for ''World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King'', this story leads into the ''World of Warcraft'' expansion ''World of Warcraft: Cataclysm''.

* AlwaysChaoticEvil: As usual, subverted with the Dark Iron Dwarves and Grimtotem tribes. Some members of the former join the Alliance (although as World of Warcraft reveals, others are still allied with the Twilight Hammer cult), and some of the Grimtotem swear loyalty to the Tauren chieftain rather than their tribe.

* BlackSheep

* [[EvenEvilHasStandards Even Warmongers Have Standards]]: Garrosh was willing to [[spoiler:make his duel with Cairne to the death]], but does not approve of [[spoiler:using poison on him without his knowledge]]. He notes that this is largely out of a desire to not be dishonorable like the Alliance.

* LetsYouAndHimFight: When the night elves revoke the Warsong's hunting and lumber-gathering rights in Ashenvale, political tensions ensue. Hamuul Runetotem attempts to use his druidic contacts to mend the broken bridge, but the Twilight's Hammer cult veto that proposition

* [[spoiler: MauveShirt : Aerin]]

-->'''Thrall''': I look forward to meeting this Aggra.
-->'''Aggra''': You already have.

** Lampshaded when Thrall laughs at Eitrigg's suggestion that Jaina would make a good mate if she was an orc, giving the LikeBrotherAndSister speech.

* TurnOutLikeHisFather: Many people, especially Cairne, are concerned Garrosh will do this. He doesn't (in this book anyway), though he does end up looking a lot like him

* WithDueRespect: Captain Tula says this when Cairne orders her not to [[spoiler:attack the Alliance vessel]], saying that Garrosh is the one in charge of matters relating to war.

'''Eitrigg'': I do beieve you.

** Subverted in that he shows remarkable mercy to both parties involved in his father's death. [[spoiler:He allows Magatha to live, in exile, and tells Garrosh that while he's partially to blame, he will work with him for the sake of the Horde]].

* GodSaveUsFromTheQueen: Moira Bronzebeard is an unusually subdued version of this trope.

** Archdruid Renferal and any of the other named druids in the group (except Runetotem) when [[spoiler: They were slaughtered by the twilight's hammer]].

* MookFaceTurn: Stormsong, one of the Grimtotem, defects to Baine's side.

* NeverSpeakIllOfTheDead: Averted. Anduin respects [[spoiler:Magni]], but points out that he was a failure as a parent, saying "You can be an honorable man and still make mistakes."

* ObfuscatingStupidity: Gorkrak (a Twilight’s Hammer member who attacks the gathering of druids) claims that he thought the Night Elves were attacking the Tauren druids, and claims to not even know who Garrosh is. Hamuul finds his performance unconvincing.

* ParentsAsPeople: Magni Bronzebeard, according to Moira and Rohan, was disappointed that he couldn't get a male heir. Varian loves Anduin, but his SplitPersonality and hostile attitude toward the Horde creates a rift between the two.
* PensieveFlashback: Thrall has one on his vision quest.

-->'''Anduin''': "Father- you're a king, a good one, one who wants to do the right thing. You believe in the law. In justice. You're not some-some vigilante."

''The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm'' is the name of a ''WorldOfWarcraft'' novel by Christie Golden. As her previous work, ''{{Arthas}}: Rise of the Lich King'', had done for ''World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King'', this story leads into the ''World of Warcraft'' expansion ''World of Warcraft: Cataclysm''.

* ThisIsSPARTA: "Let. Them. Go."