SarahK
04-17-2006, 11:02 PM
I hope they do her justice :) :)
http://www.gamingreport.com/article.php?sid=20339 :
Aaron Rosenberg discussed details surrounding STARCRAFT: QUEEN OF BLADES, book based on Blizzard Entertainment's #1 bestselling RTS-game. The book focus in-depth into the events of the first game where Sarah Kerrigan, the Terran ghost operative, emerges from the chrysallis transformed as the Queen of Blades and the training of Tassadar into the Dark Templar teachings with Zeratul as mentor.
The book also digs into the plans of the Zerg Overmind behind the creation of the Queen of Blades. The book is written from the perspective of Jim Raynor and is expected to set the foundation for new books, expanding the storyline. Could this mean Blizzard is expanding the lore because Starcraft 2 is in the horizon?
http://www.blizzplanet.com/content/436/ :
"Former marshall-turned-rebel Jim Raynor has broken away from the power-crazed Emperor Arcturus Mengsk. Enraged over Mengsk's betrayal of the powerful telepath, Sarah Kerrigan, to the ravenous Zerg, Raynor has lost all faith in his fellow humanity.
Yet, in the aftermath of Mengsk's treachery, Raynor is plagued by strange visions of Char -- a deadly volcanic world haunted by horrifying alien creatures. As the nightmares grow in intensity, Raynor begins to suspect that they may not be figments of his imagination -- but a desperate form of telepathic contact. Convinced that the woman he loves is still alive, Raynor launches a mission to rescue Kerrigan from Char. But deep beneath the planet's smoldering surface, Raynor finds a strange chrysalis . . . and is forced to watch in horror. as a terrible, all-too-familiar entity arises from it.
Before him stands a creature of malice and vengeance . . . Sarah Kerrigan : The Zerg Queen of Blades."
.........
Aaron Rosenberg:
"Basically they wanted a follow-up of sorts to Starcraft: Liberty's Crusade. That book, of course, covers the events of the first story arc in the game. They wanted a novel to cover the second major arc, the Queen of Blades storyline."
--
"I had played Starcraft a little bit beforehand, so I knew the basics. But once I started talking to Chris Metzen and to Pocket Books, I boned up on it. They also gave me some excellent details, including a lot of the in-game dialogue, which helped considerably to have it all in one place."
--
"I love Raynor, he's the POV so I was inside his head the most, but I also really like Tassadar. He's just such a noble figure. I think my favorites may have been some of the smaller characters, though, like Matt Horner, who's the captain and pilot of the Hyperion. He doesn't have as much "screen time" but he was a lot of fun to write.
I was told to stick close to the established details. But in at least one case I did something a little different than what they'd had or expected and they decided to use what I'd done.
One of the great things about writing a book like this is the chance to peek behind the scenes, and take the readers with you. We knew that Raynor met Tassadar and Zeratul on Char. But we didn't know what exactly happened between them. I got to develop that.
It's a challenge to flesh things out in a way that makes sense and is exciting while sticking to existing details, but that makes it more exciting, esp. when it goes well."
--
"Duke is in there. So are the Cerebrates Zasz and Daggoth. And of course the Overmind. I don't think it's a secret. Mengsk doesn't appear, which is a shame -- I'd love to write him! But he wasn't anywhere near Char. And Reporter Michael "Mike" Liberty has a very brief cameo at the start."
--
"Kerrigan, Raynor, Tassadar, and Zeratul all have attitude changes and mindset-shifts through the course of the book. Kerrigan goes from being stunned and overwhelmed to really accepting her new situation and even reveling in it. At the same time, there are hints of regret and lingering desire, even occasionally hope for something different."
--
" I think-- I hope --it'll still be fun for people who don't know the Starcraft universe beforehand. The Protoss and the Zerg Brood are such great races, and of course I mention previous events in passing, so new readers will be able to pick up what's going on and why. Even without knowing anything about the game, it's a book about three races struggling against one another--and within themselves."
--
Medievaldragon: "The plot you provided us last week, has it displayed from Raynor's point of view. Raynor is an iconic hero character. He is impulsive, and would give his life for a friend - even if it is an alien Protoss. How does your book deal with Raynor's guilt?"
"Sarah Kerrigan was left behind. Sure, Arcturus Mengsk handed out the order to retreat, but Raynor obeyed. I am sure your book will go in-depth on Raynor's feelings letting down a friend. Specially someone he has deep feelings for."
AaronR: "Absolutely. That's a large part of why Raynor's there on Char -- he's trying to expiate his guilt. But he winds up with new things to feel guilty about, and of course he comes face to face with Kerrigan and what she's become. She doesn't make it easy on him, either."
"Raynor also has to come to terms with the Protoss and some of their actions before this. So he and Tassadar have some interesting moments as well. And both Tassadar and Zeratul have their own guilt to confront."
Medievaldragon: "wowradio0357 says: Will you go in detail about Kerrigans loyalties? Was she loyal to the Overmind before he died?"
AaronR: "Heh. Yes, that's a big question throughout the novel of exactly where Kerrigan's loyalties lie. I do answer that, though as much by showing her interactions as by coming out and saying whether she's loyal or not. I also mention why there's a question at all, because the Overmind set things up that way for reasons of his own."
--
Karrius: "Nub4o asks: "Does Kerrigan use any of her psionic powers, such as her storm or entangle in the book?""
AaronR: "She does indeed. We get to see her in her full glory as the Queen of Blades. We also get to see both Tassadar and Zeratul flexing their mental muscles."
click to enlarge (no hand cursor but it will still resize!):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/xolademoness/queenofblades.gif
buy:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/0743471334 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0743471334)
www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0743471334 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0743471334)
www.simonsays.com/content/book.cfm?sid=33&pid=517558 (http://www.simonsays.com/content/book.cfm?sid=33&pid=517558)
http://www.gamingreport.com/article.php?sid=20339 :
Aaron Rosenberg discussed details surrounding STARCRAFT: QUEEN OF BLADES, book based on Blizzard Entertainment's #1 bestselling RTS-game. The book focus in-depth into the events of the first game where Sarah Kerrigan, the Terran ghost operative, emerges from the chrysallis transformed as the Queen of Blades and the training of Tassadar into the Dark Templar teachings with Zeratul as mentor.
The book also digs into the plans of the Zerg Overmind behind the creation of the Queen of Blades. The book is written from the perspective of Jim Raynor and is expected to set the foundation for new books, expanding the storyline. Could this mean Blizzard is expanding the lore because Starcraft 2 is in the horizon?
http://www.blizzplanet.com/content/436/ :
"Former marshall-turned-rebel Jim Raynor has broken away from the power-crazed Emperor Arcturus Mengsk. Enraged over Mengsk's betrayal of the powerful telepath, Sarah Kerrigan, to the ravenous Zerg, Raynor has lost all faith in his fellow humanity.
Yet, in the aftermath of Mengsk's treachery, Raynor is plagued by strange visions of Char -- a deadly volcanic world haunted by horrifying alien creatures. As the nightmares grow in intensity, Raynor begins to suspect that they may not be figments of his imagination -- but a desperate form of telepathic contact. Convinced that the woman he loves is still alive, Raynor launches a mission to rescue Kerrigan from Char. But deep beneath the planet's smoldering surface, Raynor finds a strange chrysalis . . . and is forced to watch in horror. as a terrible, all-too-familiar entity arises from it.
Before him stands a creature of malice and vengeance . . . Sarah Kerrigan : The Zerg Queen of Blades."
.........
Aaron Rosenberg:
"Basically they wanted a follow-up of sorts to Starcraft: Liberty's Crusade. That book, of course, covers the events of the first story arc in the game. They wanted a novel to cover the second major arc, the Queen of Blades storyline."
--
"I had played Starcraft a little bit beforehand, so I knew the basics. But once I started talking to Chris Metzen and to Pocket Books, I boned up on it. They also gave me some excellent details, including a lot of the in-game dialogue, which helped considerably to have it all in one place."
--
"I love Raynor, he's the POV so I was inside his head the most, but I also really like Tassadar. He's just such a noble figure. I think my favorites may have been some of the smaller characters, though, like Matt Horner, who's the captain and pilot of the Hyperion. He doesn't have as much "screen time" but he was a lot of fun to write.
I was told to stick close to the established details. But in at least one case I did something a little different than what they'd had or expected and they decided to use what I'd done.
One of the great things about writing a book like this is the chance to peek behind the scenes, and take the readers with you. We knew that Raynor met Tassadar and Zeratul on Char. But we didn't know what exactly happened between them. I got to develop that.
It's a challenge to flesh things out in a way that makes sense and is exciting while sticking to existing details, but that makes it more exciting, esp. when it goes well."
--
"Duke is in there. So are the Cerebrates Zasz and Daggoth. And of course the Overmind. I don't think it's a secret. Mengsk doesn't appear, which is a shame -- I'd love to write him! But he wasn't anywhere near Char. And Reporter Michael "Mike" Liberty has a very brief cameo at the start."
--
"Kerrigan, Raynor, Tassadar, and Zeratul all have attitude changes and mindset-shifts through the course of the book. Kerrigan goes from being stunned and overwhelmed to really accepting her new situation and even reveling in it. At the same time, there are hints of regret and lingering desire, even occasionally hope for something different."
--
" I think-- I hope --it'll still be fun for people who don't know the Starcraft universe beforehand. The Protoss and the Zerg Brood are such great races, and of course I mention previous events in passing, so new readers will be able to pick up what's going on and why. Even without knowing anything about the game, it's a book about three races struggling against one another--and within themselves."
--
Medievaldragon: "The plot you provided us last week, has it displayed from Raynor's point of view. Raynor is an iconic hero character. He is impulsive, and would give his life for a friend - even if it is an alien Protoss. How does your book deal with Raynor's guilt?"
"Sarah Kerrigan was left behind. Sure, Arcturus Mengsk handed out the order to retreat, but Raynor obeyed. I am sure your book will go in-depth on Raynor's feelings letting down a friend. Specially someone he has deep feelings for."
AaronR: "Absolutely. That's a large part of why Raynor's there on Char -- he's trying to expiate his guilt. But he winds up with new things to feel guilty about, and of course he comes face to face with Kerrigan and what she's become. She doesn't make it easy on him, either."
"Raynor also has to come to terms with the Protoss and some of their actions before this. So he and Tassadar have some interesting moments as well. And both Tassadar and Zeratul have their own guilt to confront."
Medievaldragon: "wowradio0357 says: Will you go in detail about Kerrigans loyalties? Was she loyal to the Overmind before he died?"
AaronR: "Heh. Yes, that's a big question throughout the novel of exactly where Kerrigan's loyalties lie. I do answer that, though as much by showing her interactions as by coming out and saying whether she's loyal or not. I also mention why there's a question at all, because the Overmind set things up that way for reasons of his own."
--
Karrius: "Nub4o asks: "Does Kerrigan use any of her psionic powers, such as her storm or entangle in the book?""
AaronR: "She does indeed. We get to see her in her full glory as the Queen of Blades. We also get to see both Tassadar and Zeratul flexing their mental muscles."
click to enlarge (no hand cursor but it will still resize!):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/xolademoness/queenofblades.gif
buy:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/0743471334 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0743471334)
www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0743471334 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0743471334)
www.simonsays.com/content/book.cfm?sid=33&pid=517558 (http://www.simonsays.com/content/book.cfm?sid=33&pid=517558)