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StarCraft II: War Stories is a StarCraft II Kindle book. It is an anthology of the Project Blackstone transmedia campaign and the Heart of the Swarm short stories that were published alongside it.[2]

Description[]

As the Swarm boils in chaotic uncertainty, Arcturus Mengsk has seized this opportunity to bolster his Dominion forces. He has gathered a seasoned team of scientists—the best terran minds in the Koprulu sector—to unravel the secrets of the savage zerg and the enigmatic protoss. Because in this brutal corner of the galaxy, the human race is going to need every chance it can get.

Collected here for the first time is Blizzard Entertainment’s revolutionary Project Blackstone transmedia campaign. It is a compilation of tightly woven short stories, journals, emails, chats, and tweets from the research staff of a top-secret government facility dedicated to shedding light on the mysteries of this sector. More than a simple anthology, this volume is a target-rich environment of weapons data, exotic alien science, and faceted backstory—the lore foundations of the StarCraft universe.[2]

Synopsis[]

Main article: Project Blackstone

The novel is set over the weeks of Project Blackstone. The novel's structure alternates between the two. Each section starts by collecting the tweets of the staff involved and personal journals, then switches to the story that was released in the corresponding week. Often the events in the associated story correspond to the project (e.g. delivery of zerg specimens), but not necessarily to the events in the corresponding week.

In the Blood[]

Main article: In the Blood

When his cold-blooded master Ivan steals a trio of zerg larvae to sell for a handsome sum of money, the street urchin Vik must struggle against both his oppressor and his own cowardice and seize his chance to leave the slums of Deadman’s Port behind.

A War On[]

Main article: A War On

Virgil Caine has fought more than his fair share of nightmarish xenomorphs in his time. Memories of his many deployments still haunt his dreams, and the scars of battle run deep. So you'd think that if a chance presented itself to avoid getting recalled into service, Virgil would be the first to take it. But sometimes, the war that's raging on the battlefield is nothing compared to the one a soldier’s fighting in his own head every day.

The Teacher[]

Main article: The Teacher

Dr. Loew wants to tame the zerg to save terran lives. All past efforts to subjugate the Swarm have yielded nothing short of catastrophe, which is why Dr. Loew is pursuing a slightly... different approach. But when the Dominion takes an interest in her research, Loew realizes that the Zerg may not be the only monsters she's dealing with.

Frenzy[]

Main article: Frenzy

The backwater moon of Choss has everything: clear skies, gentle winds, deep canyons. Tourists flock there every summer. But as Marshal Rin Shearon is about to find out, this peaceful little vacation spot isn't just the perfect getaway; it's also the perfect feeding ground.

Cold Symmetry[]

Main article: Cold Symmetry

For more than a thousand years, zealots have been the sword and shield of the protoss. When they prepare to take back their homeworld after the fall of the Queen of Blades, one brave zealot warrior must overcome impossible odds to save his people from certain doom.

Icehouse[]

Main article: Icehouse

Warden Kejora knows that what the Dominion needs on the frontlines more than anything else is a steady supply of stone-cold killers... and he's more than happy to supply them. In his Icehouse training facility, the dregs of society are transformed into some of the most efficient killing machines the galaxy has ever seen. But what would happen if an innocent man were to be put through the grueling regimen that produces the Dominion’s Reapers? Can this man survive with his humanity intact, or will he become just another victim of the Icehouse?

Just an Overlord[]

Main article: Just an Overlord

It was supposed to be an easy assignment: take a squad of recruits out to the ruins of Tarsonis, make camp at the abandoned Ghost Academy, and play war games for a few weeks to prep the recruits for combat. With Kerrigan out of the picture, the zerg are just mindless animals, hardly a threat to Dominion marines... right? As Meatbag Squadron is about to find out, even the supposedly most harmless zerg can be a terrifying enemy.

Command Performance[]

Main article: Command Performance

At first, notable holo director Ottmar Drenthe balks at the idea of creating an advertisement for arms manufacturer Axiom Ordnance’s latest product... but when he realizes the assignment’s unlikely opportunity to create art, he is more than willing to become part of the story he was hired to tell. After all, he is Drenthe.

The Education of PFC Shane[]

As frontline troops who lead the way into battle, Dominion marines witness countless unsettling and terrifying sights. But the horrors of war pale compared to the ordeal Private First Class Geoff Shane is about to endure.

Great One[]

Main article: Great One

Marine platoon Torch Seven drops onto the faraway planet Vygoire to find out what happened to a science outpost there. The planet is supposed to be zerg-free, and it is... mostly. But as it turns out, Torch Seven has enemies other than zerg.

Acid Burns[]

Main article: Acid Burns

When a sleepy Dominion listening post’s tranquility is disturbed by a zerg surprise attack, the base’s forces find themselves fighting against a terrifying enemy, bringing with it a deadly sense of déjà vu for the base’s commanding officer and her husband.

Lens of the Void[]

Main article: Lens of the Void

As one of the newest and most deadly additions to the protoss fleet, there is little that can stand in the way of the void ray’s devastating prismatic beams. But when the protoss vessel Purity of Form engages a zerg hive, the ship’s crew is put to the ultimate test.

In the Dark[]

Main article: In the Dark

A runaway terran soldier finds a mysterious and exotic planet to start a new life by himself. He meets an enigmatic Dark Templar who seeks to destroy a strange breed of Zerg on the planet.

Carrier[]

Main article: Carrier

Inspiring awe in their allies and sheer, naked terror in all who stand in their way, few ships are as recognizable as the protoss carriers. Even among these massive warships, the carrier Koramund is exceptional. But when his ship comes under attack by the zerg, a lowly protoss engineer must overcome unthinkable odds to save the Koramund from destruction.

Lost Vikings[]

Main article: Lost Vikings

Erik Snabb did his time in the corps, but he got smart and traded in his wings while he still could. Going from being a fighter ace to being a loving husband and father took some getting used to, but Erik is handling it well... until the zerg threaten his home and his family once again.

Momentum[]

Main article: Momentum

Marius is a grizzled, old-school siege tank driver, every bit as tough as the neosteel shell of his vehicle. But when this hardened veteran comes face-to-face with a deadly target, his skills and his resolve are put to the ultimate test.

The Fightin' SceeVees[]

Main article: The Fightin' SceeVees

When “Pearly” Bousquette signed on with Raynor's Raiders, he knew his life was about to become much harder and infinitely more dangerous. But when he and his crew of SCV pilots are sent on a simple strip-and-rip mission, things quickly turn sour... and it'll take all of Pearly’s ingenuity to get his crew back home alive.

Trivia[]

The cover image is the same as that used for Just an Overlord.

References[]

  1. 2014, Starcraft: War Stories. Simon & Schuster, accessed on 2014-02-07
  2. 2.0 2.1 Starcraft: War Stories (Kindle Edition). Amazon.com, accessed on 2014-06-29
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