title: World of Warcraft: The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm
author:  Christie Golden 
description: <i>New York Times</i> bestselling and award-winning author <b>Christie Golden</b> has written more than forty novels and several short stories in the fields of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Among her many projects are over a dozen <i>Star Trek</i> novels and several original fantasy novels. An avid player of <i>World of Warcraft</i>, she has written two manga short stories and several novels in that world (<i>Lord of the Clans, Rise of the Horde, Arthas: Rise of the Lich King</i>, and <i>The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm</i>, and <i>Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects</i>).She has also written the <i>StarCraft Dark Templar Saga: Firstborn, Shadow Hunters</i>, and <i>Twilight</i>, as well as the most recent hardcover, <i>Devils Due</i>. Golden is also the writer of three books in the major nine-book <i>Star Wars</i> series <i>Fate of the Jedi</i> (in collaboration with Aaron Allston and Troy Denning). Golden lives in Tennessee. She welcomes visitors to her website: ChristieGolden.com.
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  **EPIGRAPH**
  
  
  **CONTENTS**
  
  
  Epigraph
  
  
  
  
  
  Prologue
  
  
  Chapter 1 - Return to Widdershins
  
  
  Chapter 2 - The Orrery Chamber
  
  
  Chapter 3 - Forgotten Geography
  
  
  Chapter 4 - The Dwindling Box
  
  
  Chapter 5 - Furrowman’s Hat
  
  
  Chapter 6 - Cutthroats and Villains
  
  
  Chapter 7 - The Land Beyond
  
  
  Chapter 8 - Hearth and Home
  
  
  Chapter 9 - A Sting in The Tail
  
  
  Chapter 10 - The Crowns of Power
  
  
  
  
  
  About the Author and Illustrator
  
  
  Credits
  
  
  Copyright
  
  
  About the Publisher
  
  
  **PROLOGUE**
  
  
  **T** he legends say that once, long, long ago, there was a single round
  world, like a ball floating in space, and that it was ruled over by six wise
  badgers.
  
  
  The legends also tell of a tremendous explosion, an explosion so huge that it
  shattered the round world into a thousand fragments, a vast archipelago of
  islands adrift in the sky. As time passed, the survivors of the explosion
  thrived and prospered and gave their scattered 