Blizzard has given me countless hours of enjoyment through its games. WarCraft and StarCraft were captivating not only because of their engaging gameplay but also due to the well-thought-out worlds behind them. The creators went beyond the typical “good vs. bad” battle. Even the seemingly evil orcs had their own goals and code of honor. Blizzard meticulously crafted the lore, and the later novelizations of these games were written under the company’s close supervision. Incidentally, their official website explicitly states that writing fan fiction about these game worlds is strictly prohibited.
When I learned about the release of books based on these beloved worlds, I was eager to buy and read them. However, none of these books had ever been published in Russian up to that point. So, without hesitation, I bought the original English versions of the novels. I must admit, I had little experience reading fiction in English before that.
Jeff Grubb’s novel Liberty’s Crusade is the first of three books set in the StarCraft universe to be published in print. The main character, reporter Michael Liberty, is not someone players would be familiar with from the game. By a twist of fate, he finds himself on the front lines of the war between humans and the mysterious Protoss and Zerg. To survive, he has no choice but to take up arms.
Overall, the plot of the book closely follows the storyline of the first StarCraft game. While not covering every event, certain key episodes from the first part of the game are present. Familiar characters also make appearances throughout the novel. Readers will encounter Marshal Jim Raynor, the “ghost” Sarah Kerrigan, rebel leader Arcturus Mengsk, and the cowardly General Edmund Duke. In the game, we knew them through a few cutscenes and missions that involved their participation. However, to Jeff Grubb’s credit, he successfully brings these characters to life—not just as familiar names with hollow bodies, but as real people. People with their own feelings, ambitions, and personal codes of honor and duty. All of the main characters feel fully fleshed out, which sets the book apart from many other novelizations and “inspired by” works. You don’t have to look far—just think of the famous character Conan the Barbarian. In most of the “continuation” books, he’s portrayed as nothing more than a mindless brute, without any sense of intelligence or emotion.
Grubb doesn’t focus too much on describing territories or the specific weapons being used. These elements are there but mentioned in passing as needed. Much more interesting and enjoyable is how Grubb adds new details and layers to the lore. For example, as the story progresses, we learn some of the hidden secrets behind the training of “ghosts”—elite telepathic warriors.
Unfortunately, despite the fact that you can empathize with the characters and the events are familiar, the book has its drawbacks. The author’s language is rather simplistic; if he does happen to craft a beautiful sentence, he’ll often reuse it in a similar situation later. (It’s quite surprising, then, that the characters didn’t end up feeling flat.)
Another downside is that the book lacks a clear goal. It ends at a very exciting point, just as the events are really starting to unfold. Even from the game, we know there is much more to come. The novel only covers a small part of the interspecies conflict—the part where humans first become involved. The story demands continuation, and there are two more books that follow, but they were written by different authors and likely focus on different aspects of the war.
Still, I expected worse from the book, so it ended up being a pleasant read. Next up is the continuation. In the meantime, I’ll be doing my best to try to get this book published in Russian, since alongside reading, I’ve also started translating the novel. I hope I’ve succeeded, and that my work will catch the interest of publishers.
My rating: 4/5
