Joystiq

Halo: Silentium concludes Greg Bear's Forerunner trilogy in March 2013

Richard Mitchell — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 19:00:00 EST

Originally slated for January 2013, the third installment in Greg Bear's series of Halo novels will now drop in March 2013, Tor Books has announced. Entitled Halo: Silentium, the novel wraps up Bear's Forerunner trilogy, which appropriately details the story of the Forerunners, the mysterious, extinct race that ruled the galaxy thousands of years prior to the events of the Halo games.

Curiously, Master Chief also runs into Forerunners in Halo 4. How does that work, you ask? Sounds like you have some reading to do.

Continue reading Halo: Silentium concludes Greg Bear's Forerunner trilogy in March 2013

Halo: Silentium concludes Greg Bear's Forerunner trilogy in March 2013 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Oct 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Assassin's Creed: Forsaken novel out Dec. 3, will tell story of Connor

Mike Schramm — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 01:00:00 EST

Ubisoft has announced a new novel set in the Assassin's Creed universe, coming about a month after Assassin's Creed 3 hits stores on October 30. Assassin's Creed: Forsaken will be written by Oliver Bowden, and will focus on "the story behind who Connor really is and how he has become a deadly killer."

Sales of the Assassin's Creed novels, at around 380,000 copies, haven't come very close to the games' 38 million sales, but there's clearly an audience for the historical fiction. Assassin's Creed: Forsaken will be out for $9.99 on December 4.

Continue reading Assassin's Creed: Forsaken novel out Dec. 3, will tell story of Connor

Assassin's Creed: Forsaken novel out Dec. 3, will tell story of Connor originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 19 Jul 2012 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Diablo 3: The Order novel shares the game's May 15 date

JC Fletcher — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:30:00 EST

Come May 15, your pent-up Diablo-purchasing desire will be unleashed. Perhaps your furious buying will be so explosive that it also wings a couple of collateral purchases, like the Diablo 3 novel coming out the same day.

Diablo 3: The Order, written by Nate Kenyon, follows longtime Diablo character Deckard Cain on his search for the other members of the Horadrim, accompanied by an eight-year-old girl who may be cursed.

The book is up for pre-order now on Amazon, and Blizzard posted an excerpt on its community site, for those of you who aren't sure you're at the "tie-in novel" stage of your relationship with Diablo.

Diablo 3: The Order novel shares the game's May 15 date originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fans find shiploads of errors in latest Mass Effect novel

Jessica Conditt — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 01:00:00 EST

Mass Effect: Deception is riddled with canonical errors, fans have found, and they're not content with letting them go under the guise of "artistic liberty." Some have started a shared Google document to chronicle every error, and have so far added more than 80 infringements, arranged by "Lore," "Timeline," "Characters" and "Oddities," complete with clarifying descriptions.

Some of the most egregious errors include Nick and Gillian aging six years in the three years since Ascension, two volus wearing clothes that would cause their immediate deaths, and [spoiler] "Anderson thinking that the Citadel trap had been sprung 'so successfully' they were still reparing damage -- The entire point of the first game was that you prevented that particular Reaper plan from succeeding."

There are plenty more on the list, which is available for public editing. The author of Mass Effect: Deception, William C. Dietz, is a video-game-novel veteran, having written Halo, Hitman and Resistance novels. He is not, however, the writer of the previous three Mass Effect novels (Drew Karpyshyn), nor is he J.K. Rowling, thus forbidding him this handy excuse whenever canonical inconsistencies spring up: "It's magic."

Fans find shiploads of errors in latest Mass Effect novel originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darksiders novel supplements the story in May

JC Fletcher — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:10:00 EST

When you're looking at trailers for Darksiders 2 or you see character art of skull-faced Death riding his zombie horse, wielding an enormous transforming scythe to murder countless monsters, do you ever think "I wonder what's going on in his head? How does Death feel about all this?"

You'll find out in May, when Del Rey Books releases Darksiders: The Abomination Vault, a novel by Ari Marmell. Set long before the games, it follows Death and War as they attempt to foil a plot to "resurrect ancient weapons of unimaginable power."

As part of this deal, The "Random House Worlds" IP development group will handle the official IP "bible" for the Darksiders universe. We could have sworn there was already a bible about these guys.

Continue reading Darksiders novel supplements the story in May

Darksiders novel supplements the story in May originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stay awhile and read! Diablo 3: Book of Cain announced

Richard Mitchell — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 19:00:00 EST

You might have been laboring under the misapprehension that the Diablo series is only about clicking monsters and watching them die. The truth is it's only mostly about that, as revealed by the newly announced book, Diablo III: Book of Cain.

The book tells the story of Sanctuary - the world of Diablo - from the perspective of none other than series stalwart, Deckard Cain. The book is "designed to look like an in-world artifact from the Diablo universe" and chronicles "the eternal war that rages between the High Heavens and the Burning Hells." Furthermore, the book will contain artwork by "some of the world's most renowned fantasy artists," including Alan Lee, Adrian Smith and the man known as "Brom."

Diablo III: Book of Cain will be released in North America on December 13, with an international release planned for February 7. Think of it as pre-Diablo 3 warm-up for your mouse-clicking finger - assuming that's also your page-turning finger, of course.

Stay awhile and read! Diablo 3: Book of Cain announced originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 Nov 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mysterious Battlefield 3 paperback/eBook spotted online

Jordan Mallory — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 16:15:00 EST

Listings for a book (potentially) based on Battlefield 3 have started cropping up at various literary outlets around the web, in both paperback and eBook flavors. Amazon lists the book as a 400-page "Mass Market Paperback" by Andy McNab, an author and war-vet who, according to Gamersbook, has been advising BF3 developer DICE on their motion-capture techniques. Barnes & Nobel also has a listing for Battlefield 3, this time in as a Nook eBook, with both McNab and BF3 Executive Producer Patrick Bach cited as authors.

We can also assume that these listing aren't for a strategy guide, as the "Mass Market Paperback" classification is reserved for novels and the like, whereas strategy guides are classified as "Paperbacks." The tremendously tantalizing tome is available for pre-order at both outlets, with Amazon listing the release date as October 25 and B&N reporting a November release window. We've reached out to the book's registered publisher, Grand Central Publishing, for more information.

Mysterious Battlefield 3 paperback/eBook spotted online originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 17 Jul 2011 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Halo: Glasslands novel arrives this October

Richard Mitchell — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 21:00:00 EST

Announced last year, the sequel to the Halo novel Ghosts of Onyx has been given both a name and a release date. Halo: Glasslands, penned by Star Wars and Gears of War novelist Karen Traviss, will hit bookshelves later this year on October 25. Glasslands marks the first in a new trilogy -- separate from the Forerunner trilogy by Greg Bear -- and will "explore the Halo Universe in the wake of the final events of Halo 3."

In addition to the release date, publisher Tor Books has also revealed the cover for Glasslands. You might have noticed that the image is dripping with subtext. It's clear there's something going on between this Spartan and Elite, but what is it? What are they thinking? We've taken a few liberties and created our own version of the cover to fill in some of the missing pieces. Find high resolution versions of both images in the gallery below.

Gallery: Halo: Glasslands cover

Continue reading Halo: Glasslands novel arrives this October

Halo: Glasslands novel arrives this October originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Dragon Age: Asunder' is latest franchise novel, available late 2011

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 03:00:00 EST

Dragon Age: Asunder, BioWare Lead Writer David Gaider's third novel set in the fantasy realm, will arrive in "late 2011." Gaider had previously chronicled the world of Thedas with Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne and Dragon Age: The Calling -- oh yeah, and both games. Asunder will jump off from Dragon Age 2, with a killer loose in the White Spire, a templar stronghold in the Orlesian Empire.

With any luck, Gaider's Asunder novel won't be perceived as neglecting the "straight male" demographic in the same way Dragon Age 2 was accused of doing. To compensate, expect vivid descriptions of Orlesian breasts and a coupon for Domino's pizza hidden in the novel's pages (not confirmed).

Continue reading 'Dragon Age: Asunder' is latest franchise novel, available late 2011

'Dragon Age: Asunder' is latest franchise novel, available late 2011 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Jun 2011 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ico: Castle in the Mist novel excerpt makes us hungry for more

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 20 May 2011 21:00:00 EST

Avid North American readers won't get their hands on the English translation of Miyuke Miyabe's Ico: Castle in the Mist, a follow-up novel to Ico, the beloved PS2 classic (and soon to be PS3 remaster), until August 16. However, thanks to the Japanese book printer Haikasoru, you can now get a taste of the story online.

The short excerpt gives an excellent sense of the novel's atmosphere, which is to say, Ico's atmosphere. We expect that you already have an inkling of what the setting is going to feel like, considering you should have already played Ico. Heck, even if you haven't, the book's title tells you everything you need to know: There is a castle. It is adjacent to mist.

Ico: Castle in the Mist novel excerpt makes us hungry for more originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 May 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fourth Mass Effect novel, 'Deception,' coming this fall

James Ransom-Wiley — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 14:20:00 EST

When you need a game-related sci-fi novel -- like, stat! -- you call William C. Dietz. The man's something of a legend, churning out at least a book a year since the mid-80s, and in recent years adapting the likes of Halo, Hitman, Resistance and StarCraft into those neat little paper-filled rectangles you see piled into shelves at your folks' place or stacked by the toilet.

This is why William C. Dietz was hired to get a fourth Mass Effect novel in to publisher Del Rey early this year, so it could be released ahead of Mass Effect 3. (That, and Drew Karpyshyn, lead writer of the first game and author of the existing three companion novels, has made a galactic shift to The Old Republic.)

Right on schedule, Del Rey today announced the title of this latest work of fiction, Mass Effect: Deception. Due out this fall, Deception will continue the story of Gillian Grayson, who was introduced in the second book, Ascension -- in case you've been reading along. We're not sure if William C. Dietz has or not, but then he's pretty adept at making stuff up.

Fourth Mass Effect novel, 'Deception,' coming this fall originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rage to be prefaced by tie-in novel

Richard Mitchell — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 01:00:00 EST

It seems that even a prequel comic book isn't enough to flesh out the universe of id Software's upcoming mutant blaster, Rage. Bethesda has announced that Del Rey will publish a novel based on the first-person shooter.

The novel -- conveniently penned by Matt Costello, one of the game's writers -- will retain the game's title and tells the story of Lt. Nick Raine. It seems that poor Nick has emerged from stasis to discover "a new society where might is right, mutants plague the Earth, and 'friend' is a term for the person who hasn't stabbed you in the back."

We're going to hazard a guess that, at some point, the plot will also involve shooting. Rage, the novel, is set to hit book shelves on August 30. The game is due out in mid-September.

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Rage to be prefaced by tie-in novel originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crysis 2 adapted for 'Legion' novel in March 2011

Ludwig Kietzmann — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 21:00:00 EST

Vindictive aliens descend upon New York. A malicious plague cripples the shaken city's human inhabitants, who can only fall backwards into the outstretched arms of a cyborg saviour. (He had to put his guns down for just a moment.)

So, pretty out there material for a video game, but perhaps the gloomy premise could be better explored in an older medium? Set to debut in March 2011 under the Del Rey banner, Crysis: Legion will adapt Crytek's upcoming first-person shooter into a novel, written by Hugo Award-nominated author (and ex-marine biologist) Peter Watts. Watts' characters and tone haven't been known to elicit smiles -- if you want a sample of his dark science-fiction you can read Blindsight online, thanks to its Creative Commons license.

Peter Watts is the second well-known sci-fi author to be associated with Crysis 2, which is being written for the high-definition screen by Altered Carbon's Richard Morgan. Watts will be seen as the real genius, though -- he's getting Crysis to run on a Kindle.

Crysis 2 adapted for 'Legion' novel in March 2011 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original Uncharted novel in the works from Del Rey Books

Griffin McElroy — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 23:31:00 EST

Would the action-packed plotline of the Uncharted series be quite so thrilling without all that pesky interactivity? We'll get our chance to find out next fall, when Del Rey Books publishes Uncharted: The Fourth Labyrinth, a novel based on a completely original Nathan Drake adventure. We're praying that the book's title is alluding to an eventual meeting between Drake and the Goblin King.

The novel will be penned by Christopher Golden, whose work includes a handful of comic books and novelizations based on Angel and Buffy the Vampire Slayer -- he even wrote the script for the two video games based on the latter of those two franchises. He certainly sounds qualified to write an Uncharted book, though we suppose that depends entirely on how he'd fill out this sentence:

"Nathan Drake drove the [form of motor vehicle] off of the [tall surface], causing a [adjective describing size] explosion."

Continue reading Original Uncharted novel in the works from Del Rey Books

Original Uncharted novel in the works from Del Rey Books originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Oct 2010 23:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Homefront novel announced, part of 'vast transmedia strategy'

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 09:55:00 EST

The Homefront novel, which was passively mentioned last week during THQ's Montreal Studio presser, has officially been announced, with an "early 2011" publishing date. Written by John Milius (Red Dawn and Apocalypse Now) and Raymond Benson (Metal Gear Solid and James Bond novels), the novel is designed to flesh out the world of Homefront, which finds United States citizens dealing with a North Korean occupation.

The novel is part of the "vast transmedia strategy" for the franchise -- according to THQ's Danny Bilson -- so expect the standard graphic novels and coloring books to follow. Okay, maybe not the latter, unless it's bundled with a big red crayon for all the blood.

Although no further transmedia projects have been announced, let's be clear about how ambitious THQ can get in these situations: Red Faction is getting a TV movie on SyFy that could potentially turn into a full series.

Homefront novel announced, part of 'vast transmedia strategy' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 09:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Halo: Cryptum novel by Greg Bear launching in Jan. 2011

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Halo: Cryptum, the first Halo novel in a planned trilogy exploring the Forerunners, will be published in January 2011. Announced in April of 2009, the novel will be written by acclaimed, hard science fiction author Greg Bear, who is best known for his novels Eon, Darwin's Radio and The Forge of God.

Bear's trilogy will be the first major work to take on the story of the Forerunners, the species responsible for the Halos and controlled galactic genocide. An unabridged audio book will also be available at the same time as the novel, so go ahead and play Reach while your ears read the book. The full cover of Halo: Cryptum can be found after the break.

Continue reading Halo: Cryptum novel by Greg Bear launching in Jan. 2011

Halo: Cryptum novel by Greg Bear launching in Jan. 2011 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Former SAS op Chris Ryan handling Medal of Honor prequel novel

Mike Schramm — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

EA has tapped British author Chris Ryan to write a prequel novel to Medal of Honor, which will use in-game missions as the basis for "an authentic and respectful account of an elite soldier fighting in Afghanistan." Ryan is the author two bestselling novels, in addition to The One That Got Away, a narrative account of his time as a Special Forces operative on the Bravo Two Zero patrol in Iraq. Presumably he'll use both his combat experience and storytelling prowess to do the game franchise right. Hopefully his first line will be better than the one we came up with: "They loaded their guns carefully, knowing that soon, they'd be shooting a lot of people."

The creatively named Medal of Honor: The Book will be offered as a bonus with preorders of the game from UK retailer HMV, but we're not sure if it will be available for sale elsewhere -- we've contacted EA for comment and will update if we hear more. We sure hope it sees print in the US, if only to find out what a former British operative thinks of the Medal of Honor, a uniquely American military decoration.

Former SAS op Chris Ryan handling Medal of Honor prequel novel originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 29 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fable novel announced, includes in-game weapon for Fable 3

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Your friendly neighborhood bookstore's shelves will soon be stocked with yet another game-to-prose adaptation -- this time around, it's a completely original story set in the Fable universe, titled The Balverine Order. The book will be penned by Peter David, who has written roughly a billion novels and comic books, one of the most recent of which being the five-part Halo: Helljumper series.

According to Amazon, The Balverine Order is set to ship on October 5. As an added bonus, the book will include a redeemable code which unlocks a heretofore unrevealed in-game weapon in Fable 3. We really hope it's powerful, so when we're playing with our friends, and we're killing stuff with greater efficiency than them, we can say "we guess the pen really is mightier than the sword," and then we'll both share a brief, polite laugh.

Fable novel announced, includes in-game weapon for Fable 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 14 Aug 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Halo novels to continue Ghosts of Onyx story

Richard Mitchell — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 20:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Tor Books has announced that a new series of Halo novels are on the way. Not to be confused with the upcoming trilogy by Greg Bear, these will be penned by Karen Traviss, author of the Gears of War novels as well as the short story "Human Weakness" from the 2009 Halo Evolutions collection.

The first new novel to be penned by Traviss will serve as a sequel to Ghosts of Onyx, and will reveal the fate of its team of Spartans. The series promises to "explore the Halo Universe in the wake of the final events of Halo 3." Presumably, the novels will also contain a heavy does of alien murder. We've contacted Tor in hopes of pinning down a release window for the new novels. Meanwhile, Bear's trilogy is set to debut this year.

Find the press release after the break.

Continue reading New Halo novels to continue Ghosts of Onyx story

New Halo novels to continue Ghosts of Onyx story originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Jul 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Mass Effect novel penned by sci-fi writer William C. Dietz

Griffin McElroy — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 21:25:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

In a recent interview with our PC-centric sister site Big Download, science fiction novelist and experienced game-to-book adapter William C. Dietz revealed he was recently "hired to write a Mass Effect tie-in." When pressed for details about the project, Dietz, who has also written books for the Resistance, Hitman, Halo and StarCraft franchises, could only reveal that it was due to his publisher in early 2011.

So, we've got Mass Effect: Ascension, Mass Effect: Revelation and, out next week, Mass Effect: Retribution -- and now Dietz is going to throw another piece of literature on the pile? Had we known that falling in love with the Mass Effect franchise would require us to do this much reading, we probably would have skipped the whole darn thing.

New Mass Effect novel penned by sci-fi writer William C. Dietz originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 21:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dead Space: Martyr novel out today

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 20:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

If your hunger for fiction set in the Dead Space universe hasn't been slaked by two games, an online animated comic and a straight-to-DVD feature film, you might want to sink your teeth into Dead Space: Martyr, which hit bookstore shelves today in paperback for $15.

Continue reading Dead Space: Martyr novel out today

Dead Space: Martyr novel out today originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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God of War novel ravages retail May 25, first chapter online

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 11 May 2010 22:30:00 EST

The official God of War novel, based on the "thrilling video game," will spill its entrails of words all over bookstore shelves May 25, 2010. In the meantime, the prologue and first chapter of the book are available for Medusa's gaze online [PDF link]. Be warned, however, Kratos' transition from video game to literature may be a little tough to swallow. An excerpt:

"His only dream now is of oblivion.
He has been called the Ghost of Sparta. He has been called the Fist of Ares and the Champion of Athena. He has been called a warrior. A murderer. A monster.
He is all of these things. And none of them.
His name is Kratos, and he knows who the real monsters are."

If you're comfortable with that, then the rest won't feel like a grueling Olympic event.

God of War novel ravages retail May 25, first chapter online originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 May 2010 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dead Space: Martyr novel tells story prior to Dead Space

David Hinkle — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 16:00:00 EST

Click to necromorph image to full size

Looking to bone up on your knowledge of the Church of Unitology? Tor Books, in collaboration with Visceral Games, will release Dead Space: Martyr this July -- a book that will not only explain the origins of the fanatical church, but also that of the "Black Marker," the powerful alien artifact discovered on Earth in Dead Space's fictional future universe. The book stars Michael Altman, the geophysicist who first discovers the potential for crazed-out hallucinations from alien artifacts.

Steve Papoutsis, Dead Space 2 executive producer, hopes that Martyr is "the first of many books to let fans dive deeply into Dead Space's secrets and immersive lore." Dead Space: Martyr by B.K. Evenson will retail for $14.99 when it releases this July.

Dead Space: Martyr novel tells story prior to Dead Space originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Star Wars: The Old Republic universe expanded with tie-in books

JC Fletcher — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:30:00 EST

If the unique, fresh setting of BioWare's upcoming Star Wars: The Old Republic interests you, you may want to check out the three books just-announced books, which will offer additional stories in the game's universe.

Star Wars: The Old Republic Volume 1: Threat of Peace, out this April from Dark Horse, is a collection of Threat of Peace webcomics originally posted on The Old Republic's website. It'll be followed in July by a hardcover novel (of the non-graphic variety), Star Wars: The Old Republic: Fatal Alliance by Sean Williams. Paul Kemp is planning another novel.

If the game turns out to be a hit, this "Star Wars" storyline invented for it could turn into a big multimedia franchise! With its sci-fi action and "light sabers," we could see this turning into a decent movie series.

[Via Big Download]

Star Wars: The Old Republic universe expanded with tie-in books originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Random House teases first few pages of Elder Scrolls novel

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST

Are you in the mood for some reading that's a bit heavier than the video game news post you're currently digesting? We suggest you check out this Random House page to read an excerpt from the first chapter of the Elder Scrolls-based novel, The Infernal City. The few pages of text introduce us to what will likely be the book's plucky protagonists, Annaïg and Mere-Glim.

It's a pretty intriguing kick-off for the novel's plot -- however, the excerpt doesn't exactly sound like our usual experience in the Elder Scrolls world. See, in our version, the heroes would systematically rob everyone on the planet blind, and then, once bored with that, would just start killin'. It may not win any Pulitzers, but at least it's authentic.

Random House teases first few pages of Elder Scrolls novel originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Halo: Evolutions book cover, authors revealed

Richard Mitchell — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:45:00 EST

It's been a while since the Halo: Evolutions story collection was announced. Now, just a month away from its November 24 launch, Tor Books has revealed both the book's cover art and all of the authors who will contribute to the compilation. Contributing to the book will be John Goff, Frank O'Connor and Kevin Grace of 343 Industries, as well as authors B.K Evenson, Jeff Vandermeer, Tessa Kum and Fred Van Lente. As previously announced, Eric Nylund, Tobias Buckell and Karen Traviss will also be penning stories for the book.

Tor editor Eric Raab promises the collection will appeal to "every kind of Halo fan from straight up action with the Master Chief to glimpse [sic] into the Elite mindset post Halo 3" and will also delve into characters like Cortana, the Gravemind and Admiral Cole. One thing's for sure: If you like teabagging and reading, this book is for you.

Click the book cover to the right to check out a Spartan-sized version.

Halo: Evolutions book cover, authors revealed originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Elder Scrolls novel listing mentions next game, set 200 years after Oblivion

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 22:00:00 EST

Though Bethesda's bigwigs have gone back and forth on the existence of another installment in the Elder Scrolls franchise, an excerpt from online book retailer Waterstone's product listing for Elder Scrolls: The Infernal City seems fairly certain of the series' continuance. The listing -- which was recently edited to remove the following savory quote -- mentions that the novel takes place 45 years after Oblivion, adding that "it partly bridges the gap for the next game, which is set 200 years after the Oblivion crisis."

As promising as this sounds, we find a major flaw with this claim -- see, we've already clocked over 200 years of playtime into Oblivion (and still haven't beaten it!), meaning we're technically playing the sequel right now. We've contacted Bethesda to ask them about the book listing, and to see if 200 years of technological progress will bring about unimaginable advances in equestrian fortification.

Elder Scrolls novel listing mentions next game, set 200 years after Oblivion originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Del Ray announces first God of War novel for March 2010

Jem Alexander — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:50:00 EST

Sure, Kratos isn't exactly the most eloquent of game characters, but, much like the Greek heroes on which he's based, his exploits will soon be chronicled using the written word. Del Ray has announced more video game novels, this time based on the God of War games. With a film -- whose story is rumored to be uncannily similar to that of the first game -- in the works, it makes sense for Sony to attempt to suck more money out of the franchise with a few books.

Matthew Stover will pen the first 320-page novel, which will be available on March 23, 2010 for $15, according to the pre-order website. That's just in time for the release of the third game. What impeccable timing! We're always happy to be taken deeper into our favorite gaming universes through new media, so we're hoping it's only a matter of time before an Uncharted novel is announced (to be released alongside the movie, of course).

Del Ray announces first God of War novel for March 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Greg Bear writing new Halo Forerunner trilogy

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:30:00 EST

Winner of multiple Hugo and Nebula awards, author Greg Bear is about to come face to face with his greatest challenge yet: writing a Halo trilogy about the Forerunners, largely to an audience who may not know him enough to respect his previous work. Bear is the prolific science-fiction author of the Eon and Darwin's Radio series, but his "hard science fiction" style will likely receive a workout under the cruel magnifying glass of the Halo fanboys -- those who aren't too busy fragging each other online, anyway.

The first novel is scheduled for early 2010, with an unabridged audio book to release simultaneously. Bear seems like a classy choice for the author in charge of making up and filling in the mythos of the Forerunners.

Greg Bear writing new Halo Forerunner trilogy originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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100 Classic Books for under 20 British Pounds

Chris Greenhough — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: News, Imports

Nintendo plans to confront the ailing economy head-on ... by making 100 Classic Book Collection really cheap! As with many of its Touch! Generations titles, Nintendo has confirmed a budget price point of £19.99 for the game, and a UK release date of December 26.

If, like us, you've been keeping one eye on the game's Amazon listing (which has had that date for a while, but it's nice to get official confirmation, right?), you'll know you can get it even cheaper: just £14.99 (just over $22). That's under fifteen pence a book! Fifteen pence for portable copies of Sense and Sensibility, Treasure Island, Moby Dick, and a wealth of Shakespeare and Dickens (there's a full list after the break) sounds like a bargain to us.* The pound is currently weak, so anybody thinking of importing?

Continue reading 100 Classic Books for under 20 British Pounds

100 Classic Books for under 20 British Pounds originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Peek inside the latest Halo novel, The Cole Protocol

Dustin Burg — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:15:00 EST

Filed under: News

Now available in fine book stores around the globe is the latest Halo universe novel penned by Tobias S. Buckell, Halo: The Cole Protocol. And for those interested in getting their Halo read on, but want a sampling of Mr. Buckell's writing style, we advise making the jump over to Bungie.net to read the novel's prologue. We're especially fond of the prologue's description of an encounter with some Jackals and their "spiny quilled mohawks." How we wish we could grow a spiny quilled mohawk ...

Peek inside the latest Halo novel, The Cole Protocol originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DS Daily: Novelty

JC Fletcher — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: DS Daily

Nintendo finally got around to showing off the UK release of their book compilation, now called 100 Classic Book Collection. Some of us are way into it, while others see it as cashing in on the public domain.

If 100 Classic Book Collection hasn't already captured your attention, what features would elevate it in your estimation? Is there a certain function or interface element that would make Book Collection more useful or more tempting? Or is your disinterest simply related to the selections on the cartridge?

If you are eagerly anticipating the collection, what about it attracts you? Specific inclusions in the catalog? Something about the interface? Pure portability?

DS Daily: Novelty originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DS Novel coming to UK as 100 Classic Book Collection

JC Fletcher — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: News, Imports

DS Novel was hanging out on European release lists for over a year without so much as a word about when it's coming out or what it is. It seemed likely that the title would be a localized version of the hit literature collection DS Bungaku Zenshuu -- and it is!

Rather than translating 100 Japanese novels, which would have been pretty dang cool, the UK release of 100 Classic Book Collection (as it is now known) features works from writers like Jane Austen, all three Brontes, Charles Dickens, Shakespeare, and other favorites whose works happen to be in the public domain. The full list of novels is available at the cart's Amazon listing. 10 more books will be made available over Wi-Fi.

100 Classic Book Collection also features book search, custom recommendations, and a bookmarking feature. It should be interesting to see if Nintendo polish (implemented by developer Genius Sonority) can make this competitive with the free Moon Books Project (a project which, by the way, has had a pretty rough time lately).

[Via GoNintendo]

DS Novel coming to UK as 100 Classic Book Collection originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kimi no Yuusha comes to life in Famitsu

Candace Savino — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:15:00 EST

Filed under: News

The latest issue of Famitsu revealed a new game for the DS, which releases in Japan this winter. Called Kimi no Yuusha, we don't know much about the title other than it looks absolutely adorable. It was also revealed that SNK Playmore is the developer behind the game, and it's some sort of light novel and RPG combination.

The two main characters are a blue-haired girl named Wanda (pictured right) and a blond-haired girl named Tio. The 2D battle graphics in the scans aren't all that pretty, but the rest of the art seems very pleasing. When we find out more details about this cute-looking game, we'll be sure to let you know.

Kimi no Yuusha comes to life in Famitsu originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Halo novel this fall: The Cole Protocol

Terrence Stasse — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 01:30:00 EST

Filed under: News, Fan stuff

Alright folks, time to demonstrate our nerdiness for all the internet too see. After the most recent Halo novel, Contact Harvest, we really hoped that if there was to be another that it would be by penned by either Eric Nylund or Bungie institution Joseph Staten. While we aren't quite getting the thing we really would have wished for, (Staten is likely hard at work on the secret Project Phoenix, and Nylund is likely writing stuff for Microsoft Game studios) we will be seeing another Halo novel before the year is out.

Entitled The Cole Protocol the next novel is going to be penned by Tobias S. Buckell, an up and coming sci-fi writer, and is going to deal with a supposedly new perspective and the Spartan Gray team. So far the only mention of other Spartans (warned ya 'bout the nerdiness) in the books are a few passing references. There was this from Ghosts of Onyx: "And what had ever happened to Gray Team on a mission far outside the confines of UNSC space, now missing for over a year?" and then this from Fall of Reach: "Assembled here tonight, are all surviving Spartans save three, who are otherwise engaged on fields of combat too distant to be easily recalled."

The book is set for a fall release and more about it should be revealed as the final date inches ever closer. You are all now that much closer to being Halo otaku. Glad we could help. (Also, to avoid any confusion, that cover isn't real, it's a 'shop.)

New Halo novel this fall: The Cole Protocol originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Jun 2008 01:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WRUP: She shouldn't have eaten the pizza rolls edition

David Hinkle — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:15:00 EST

Filed under: What are you playing?

Seriously, she only brought it on herself. Sharing is caring.

In all seriousness, we were looking forward to the release of Jake Hunter: Detective Chronicles this weekend for some crime-solving fun, but after checking out the reviews and discovering our localized version would only get half the game the Japanese currently enjoy, we're doubting if the man is as tall as he's said to be.

With that said, we don't know how this weekend will unfold for us, from a game-playing perspective. So, what will we play? Wait, who cares! We're just some jerks who blog. Let's find out from more important people what they'll be enjoying this weekend.

What will you be playing?

WRUP: She shouldn't have eaten the pizza rolls edition originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Star Wars: The graphic novel unleashed

Candace Savino — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 22:34:00 EST

Filed under: News

We love Star Wars as much as the next geek, so we found the news about a graphic novel of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed to be only a good thing. It's set to come out this summer, which means it will be released before the game. We suppose if you're worried about spoilers, then you should probably avoid it for a while. If you want a heads-up on the storyline of the upcoming Wii title, though, the book will probably be useful. There will be a regular novel available, too, for those who prefer straight-up words; but, as you probably know, those are neither as nerdy nor as fun.

The novel is set to be written by Sean William, who's been on the best-seller list of the New York Times before, while the graphic novel will be the work of Haden Blackman.

As you might have guessed, the story involves something about the Jedi, Vader, and the fate of the galaxy hanging in the balance. Sounds good to us.

[Via GoNintendo]

Star Wars: The graphic novel unleashed originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Feb 2008 22:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Halo: Contact Harvest lands #3 on NY Times list

Ross Miller — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:55:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Microsoft Xbox, Microsoft Xbox 360, First Person Shooters

See, mom? Video games do encourage reading. The novel Halo: Contact Harvest, which was released October 30, has this week landed on The New York Times' Best Sellers list for Paperback Trade Fiction, just behind Gabriel García Márquez's Love in the Time of Cholera and Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants.

Contact Harvest was written by Bungie's Joseph Staten and tells of the human race's first encounter with the Covenant. Next week's bestseller list has already been tabulated it seems, as the Paperback Trade Fiction list for November 25 places Contact Harvest in the number four slot, swapping places with Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner.

Halo: Contact Harvest lands #3 on NY Times list originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Halo novel Contact Harvest cover art exposed

Dustin Burg — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 12:45:00 EST

Filed under: News

This week's Bungie Weekly Update is full of witty banter between Luke and Frankie, a lack of Mister Chief and the cover art for upcoming Halo novel Contact Harvest. The novel's cover art, as seen above and even larger after the break, features Sgt. Johnson sporting some badass shades, his iconic cigar and is looking more ripped than ever. Indeed, the cover may be one of our favorites coming oh so close to our Ghosts of Onyx and its bubbly Spartan helmet dude. Contact Harvest will be available this October and is a a prequel to the previous novels telling the story of how the covenant came to be and how war on humanity began.

Halo novel Contact Harvest cover art exposed originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 15 Jul 2007 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gears of War novelization coming, Steven Kent at the helm

Christopher Grant — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Microsoft Xbox 360

While trolling some online book retailers, as video game bloggers are often wont to do, VH1 Gamebreak stumbled across a listing for a novelization of video game-cum-horror movie-cum-science fiction cliché fest, Gears of War. Now, don't get us wrong, we don't mean to imply that we didn't like Marcus Fenix's touching tale of redemption -- in fact, it was our favorite game of last year -- but we never considered the story to be the game's strong point. Why was Marcus Fenix going back to his Dad's house again?

Sure, they're making a movie based on it, but those often show a similar disregard for plot consistency. However, a novel .... The good news is, former games journalist Steven Kent (he wrote this) will be handling the adaptation. But what good is he at communicating the fraternal bond between Marcus and Dom you ask? Well, he also wrote this, which just so happens to be about space marines and was also well received. To be honest, we're just excited to discover why Marcus' childhood home also happened to be the nexus of the battle against the Locust. What are the chances?

[Via VH1 Gamebreak]

Gears of War novelization coming, Steven Kent at the helm originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Jun 2007 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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