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WARNING: The following thread contains several spoilers for the novel in question.
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Full Article.
WARNING: The following thread contains several spoilers for the novel in question.
Any recommendations on where to find this book, or would the local Borders likely have it? I finished the first two books recently, and look forward to reading the third.
Meh. My bookstore (Borders) takes weeks to get it in its inventory. I just have it shipped from Amazon.
It was an honor to review the Saga with you guys, even if 33% of it was done posthumously. ^_^.
Seriously, if you don't want spoilers and don't wanna read the review, here's the bottom line - READ THIS BOOK IT EXPLAINS A LOT.
i thought the review was pretty much dead-on. pretty accurate description of the book, good succinct summary as well. in general, perfect prequel/novelization/lead-in to starcraft II. here's hoping beta starts soon...
spoilers and questions:Hidden Content:
God I hope not...Quote:
Adun returning, this will be very interesting if he indeed returns but I think he will most likely return (if he ever does) in Legacy of the Void. Could Tassadar return as well? ohhh the possibilities
Stukov was more than enough people coming back from the dead thank you very much.
This thread has plenty of warnings on it now so you guys don't have to use hide tags anymore.
I just finished the book & it was awesome! Despite the similar "final battle" as from Shadow Hunters, Twilight is still my favorite SC book so far! Also, I enjoyed the talk about "first contact" (woot!) and hearing about Tassadar's experiences after the events of SC:L's cinematic.
First, despite the passive retcon on the SC manual which makes these kinds of things hard, let me do a little gloating & point out all the things I got right in my Xel'Naga Storyline Projection. :D
Close, but not quite.Quote:
Another theory is that the Xel’Naga were trying to speed up their own evolution by attempting to create a ‘perfect’ race to use as host bodies.
I suspected that the seemingly malevolent things the Xel'Naga were doing in the caverns beneath Aiur were a red herring. Indeed, Zamara confirms that while the Xel'Naga were not as benevolent as the Protoss before the Aeon of Strife suspected, neither would they go to such extremes as Duran is with the hybirds. I'm still holding out hope that the events described my latter paragraph will come to fruition in StarCraft II. So now what do you guys think their involvement in StarCraft II will be like? Will they be direct allies or will we just see them in in-game cinematics, etc?Quote:
An alternative is that the Xel’Naga might not be coming here as enemies, but instead as allies. The Xel’Naga have been described as peaceful, so it seems kind of strange that they would want to initiate this kind of experiment in the first place. Zeratul’s apocalyptic warning didn’t necessarily indicate that the Xel’Naga are coming here as enemies.
Just imagine, the Xel'Naga would return to heal the racial wounds they inflicted upon the Protoss those many eons ago. The Protoss morale would sky-rocket, to be able to fight alongside their ancient progenitors. It would also be a total surprise, since many of us were expecting the Xel'Naga to be evil.
Well it turns out that it was the Zerg spirit, not the human spirit that broke the cycle this time around. :PQuote:
The Xel’Naga are hundreds of millions of years old; they most likely evolved when the universe was starting to take shape. When Duran said, “It’s role in the cosmic order was preordained when the stars were young.” he could have been referring to this method of control that the Xel’Naga may have set up. Perhaps this time around, as in many pieces of literature, it will be the human spirit that will be the determinant in irrevocably destroying this cycle.
That's the big question now - we have to wait for SC2.Quote:
Now that we know that Duran is not serving the Xel'naga, what is he serving? was Ulrezaj serving Duran or was he serving the same master as Duran and who or what is this master? An enemy of the Xel'naga?
She "sped up Duran's progress". I'm guessing that it's something as simple as killing everyone, which makes it easier for Duran to acquire specimens amongst the discord.Quote:
What does Kerrigan have to do with this?
I had a theory that Adun's spirit was reborn in Tassadar. This "Anakh Su'n" then, would be a Protoss who continually taps into both khala & void powers, then disappears, and is reborn again & again to save the Protoss when they need him most.Quote:
Adun returning, this will be very interesting if he indeed returns but I think he will most likely return (if he ever does) in Legacy of the Void. Could Tassadar return as well? ohhh the possibilities
Final questions:
- Is Zamara engaged with an eternal struggle with Ulrezaj inside the crystal? That seems like a cruel fate. It's a crystal - so you'd think that the memories, Zamara & Ulrezaj would simply be downloaded & that's it.
- Since Kerrigan expressed interest in heading towards the caves beneath Aiur, could those caverns be what we see in the Zeratul/Kerrigan cinematic trailer from BlizzCon? "I knew you'd find your way here, eventually..."
- I'm going to assume that Xel'Naga lifespans are thousands & thousands of years then?
- What in the world are those energy creatures? Are they the essence of the Xel'Naga? Locked away for millenia & waiting to take host bodies?
- It was still part of the Xel'Naga's plans for the Protoss to become infested/assimilated then? The two species are supposed to join via their natural evolution and this is the only way I see for them to join that way. So perhaps the Xel'Naga are evil, as far as the Protoss are concerned.
- Why do Hybrids have to be created to prevent Xel'Naga from being reborn? Presumably, the Hybrids fill up a space that would have normally been taken by the Xel'Naga. But the destruction of either Zerg or Protoss would accomplish the same goal. So the Hybrids serve two purposes then? They are being created to be used as both an army to destroy the Zerg/Protoss and to fill the gap the Xel'Naga would fill?
Without reading into the spoilers here, I'm happy to say I bought the book yesterday. Couldn't find I, Mengsk, but that can wait.
Now that I looked back in I, Mengsk, there's was a quote that Duran said that I hadn't paid much attention until after reading Twilight.Quote:
Now that we know that Duran is not serving the Xel'naga, what is he serving? was Ulrezaj serving Duran or was he serving the same master as Duran and who or what is this master? An enemy of the Xel'naga?
Samir Duran (and Ulrezaj) could have some personal hated toward his Xel'naga masters. Why? Maybe being a 'servant' of the greatest power in the universe made him power hungry over the millennia. (Who wouldn't be.) Somewhere in Twilight, Ulrezaj mention about glory that was soon/will be granted to him.Quote:
"Believe me, I understand hatred very well."
Questions:
- Where did Zamara learn of the xel'naga's Cycle.
- Did she reveal all the xel'naga secrets.
- Will surviving Preservers try to find Shakuras after learning the memories of the dead protoss (Amur) whom knew the Cycle.
- What happen to Ulrezaj's xel'naga spacecraft. Are there more of them hidden on Aiur than we know.
- Are the uncovering temples (Eggs) and the 'new' awakening xel'naga (Seeded Hybrids) are the hybrids that Duran discussed with Zeratul in Dark Origin.
- Did the protoss learn anything thing of the Cycle from the crystal Zamara and Ulrezaj inhabit. A reason why Artanis sending protoss in recovering xel'naga artifacts/temples.
- Are the resent uncovered xel'naga artifacts protoss discover guarding them fanatically causing protoss becoming more tribal/fanatical. Extreme version of the ancient Shelak tribe in Firstborn.
Might have been forbidden knowledge that the Shelak learned in studying the artifacts, and as usual, the Conclave restricted access to this knowledge.Quote:
Originally Posted by LordArreat15
You'd have to assume that they would already have went to Shakuras if they could. I think the preservers are all gone.Quote:
- Will surviving Preservers try to find Shakuras after learning the memories of the dead protoss (Amur) whom knew the Cycle.
Nay. Zeratul also asks "this is your secret then?" and she replies "partially."Quote:
- Did she reveal all the xel'naga secrets.
Probably.Quote:
- What happen to Ulrezaj's xel'naga spacecraft. Are there more of them hidden on Aiur than we know.
The hybrids Duran/Zeratul discussed are a gene splice of Protoss & Zerg (they're not energy creatures).Quote:
- Are the uncovering temples (Eggs) and the 'new' awakening xel'naga (Seeded Hybrids) are the hybrids that Duran discussed with Zeratul in Dark Origin.
What do you mean? Are you asking if they used the knowledge afterwards? If so, then we don't know yet.Quote:
- Did the protoss learn anything thing of the Cycle from the crystal Zamara and Ulrezaj inhabit. A reason why Artanis sending protoss in recovering xel'naga artifacts/temples.
Actual Protoss fanatics are guarding Xel'Naga artifacts on planets such as Monolyth. I don't think the Protoss on Shakuras should be affected.Quote:
- Are the resent uncovered xel'naga artifacts protoss discover guarding them fanatically causing protoss becoming more tribal/fanatical. Extreme version of the ancient Shelak tribe in Firstborn.
With all due respect I think you need to read the book, one of the main secrets Zamara reveals is that the Hybrid is exactly *not* what the Xel'Naga experiments would have produced.Quote:
Originally Posted by LordArreat15
I haven't finished yet, so if I'm wrong in this assumption, let me know. But going along with that last thought, I still hold that Duran and his Hybrid project are the product of 1) a fanatical sect of Xel'Naga, 2) fanatical small remainder of Xel'Naga, or 3) another ancient race who are enemies of the Xel'Naga, finishing their work of a perfect race in their own way for their own devious purposes.
I was browsing Barnes&Noble last night when I came across this. I started reading it and was fifty pages in by the time I looked up from the pages a few minutes later. Now, being a starving art student, I rarely buy anything. I made this one exception.
Besides, I'm taking it back tonight to get my money back. :)
At any rate, I enjoyed it. I didn't pay much attention to the series until now, only gleaning what I could from StarCraft wiki. But I jumped all over this one.
When it comes to Duran, I have a hypothesis. Perhaps he is what remains from the Xel'Naga's previous reincarnation. That is to say, he is a survivor of a species that evolved into the 'Naga, and now wants revenge for the "destruction" of his people. He/his faction sabotaged the cloaking technology of the Zerus expedition, leading to their assimilation by the Overmind. He now wishes to destroy the legacy of the 'Naga by corrupting their magnum opus -- by creating a Hybrid borne not of Protoss Form and Zerg Essence; but of Protoss Essence and Zerg Form! Hey, who knows?
It was nice to get a glimpse at the Hierarchy and the interplay of tribal leaders. I was disappointed no more tribes were represented, however. Is that because these are simply the most dominant -- or are they the last of the tribes? Sargas, we'll miss you.
Alright I haven't read the book yet but I couldn't bring myself to resist this thread any longer.
Duran doesn't work for the Xel'Naga? That's so awesome.
Got a question after reading a bit of the article. If the Xel'Naga were doing this cycle for SO long, wouldn't they have host bodies that would immeasurably own the Zerg in battle?
Presumably, but the cultivation of the species seemed to begin as their current bodies grew older. Thus, they were likely too old at that point. And, as established in the lore the Overmind had hidden itself and basically blindsided them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pandonetho
Another thing which has me confused.
If they've been doing this cycle of rebirth for eons, why call the Protoss, the Protoss?
Clearly, they aren't really the first born that have the purity of form, since there have been many before them.
Also, why keep repeating the process over and over again? Can't you just create one perfect species and continue to transfer yourself into the same species by taking in new host bodies?
Although, to be honest there's definitely less pressure on the appearance of the Xel'Naga due to this rebirth cycle. Meaning that they have had many many different forms over the millenniums, so there will be less disappointment if the Xel'naga don't look totally like what everyone was expecting.
Perhaps Xel'Naga's previous incarnations were not as well made as their latest creations? Maybe the Protoss and the Zerg are the pinnacle of their genetic experiments? Perhaps the previous Xel'Naga incarnations did not have purity of form and essence?
Apparently they weren't because they were considered failure.Quote:
aybe the Protoss and the Zerg are the pinnacle of their genetic experiments?
They were doing it for eons, already. There have been plenty before them already that have had the purity of form and essence merge.Quote:
erhaps the previous Xel'Naga incarnations did not have purity of form and essence?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pandonetho
Technically, the Zerg were never considered a failure. The Xel'Naga never had a chance to claim that. One moment the Zerg disappear from all of their sensors, and the next the Zerg are swarming their worldships.
And according to the storyline, the Xel'Naga engineered many worlds and created many creatures. Watching over them, to see which evolved and grew, is how they were looking for what could be/become the perfect race they desired. The Protoss were the first, thus why their name means Firstborn. There weren't any "perfect" races found before them.
This is what the article said. What is it about the Protoss that is so great that for eons the Xel'Naga haven't managed to make before?Quote:
The Xel’Naga sought out to engineer two species: one with purity of essence; one with purity of form. Throughout the natural course of their growth, the two species would come together and merge. The Xel’Naga would be reborn in this perfect combination. They did this successfully for eons, and this time the Protoss and Zerg were chosen.
I'm also still wondering why they would continually repeat the cycle instead of just using the same species to replace their host bodies when they grew old. Unless they just did it for kicks, or wished to keep improving themselves every time. Which means that having done it for eons they would of had a pretty killer species to take host bodies from if that were the case.