If you’ve ever spent hours questing through Azeroth, wondering what really happened to Sylvanas before the Shadowlands, or how the Dragonflights first gained their power, you’ve probably thought about diving into the official WoW books. A lot of fans new to the expanded lore ask the same question first: how many World of Warcraft books are there. The answer isn’t as straightforward as a single number, because Blizzard has released everything from full-length novels to digital short stories, comics, and graphic novels over the past 20 years, split between official canon and non-canon “alternate universe” content. This guide breaks down all the counts, what counts as official lore, and how to pick which books to read first if you’re just getting started.
Breaking Down How Many World of Warcraft Books Are There (By Type)
First, we can split the official Warcraft print and digital releases into a few distinct groups, so you can decide which count for your own collection or lore deep dive. If you only count full-length, officially canon print novels, the number sits at 39 as of the latest Dragonflight-era releases. If you add in officially canon graphic novels, digital novellas, and short story collections, that number jumps to 87. If you count all releases including non-canon alternate timeline stories, comic one-shots, and licensed children’s books, the total goes up to over 110.
The difference between these counts matters a lot, depending on why you’re looking for WoW books. A lot of older releases from the early 2000s were retconned after Blizzard updated the official canon ahead of the World of Warcraft launch, so if you’re reading to understand current in-game lore, you’ll want to stick to the 87 officially sanctioned canon works. I made the mistake of picking up a random 2004 Warcraft novel first, only to realize half the events in it don’t line up with what’s in the game now, so it’s worth knowing the difference before you spend money on a book that won’t fill in the lore gaps you care about.
If you’re only looking to count full-length novels when someone asks you how many World of Warcraft books are there, you can safely say 39, that’s the number most casual fans reference when talking about the official book lineup. Here’s a full breakdown of the different release types and their counts:
- Official full-length canon novels: 39 books, covering events from 10,000 years before the first Warcraft game up to the end of the Dragonflight expansion
- Canon graphic novels and comic series: 21 releases, including popular runs like the World of Warcraft ongoing comic and the Dark Riders mini-series
- Canon digital novellas and short story collections: 27 releases, most released for free or as pre-order bonuses for new WoW expansions
- Non-canon and alternate universe releases: 23 books, including the Warcraft movie tie-in novel and early 2000s stories that were retconned out of official lore
Which WoW Books Count As Official Canon?
Blizzard formalized their canon policy in 2016, ahead of the Legion expansion, to clear up decades of confusion for long-time lore fans. Any book released after 2016 is automatically considered canon, unless explicitly marked as alternate universe. Books released before 2016 were reviewed by the internal lore team, and some were kept as canon while others were dropped, usually because their events conflicted with newer storylines being developed for the game.
You don’t have to read every single canon book to understand current in-game lore, but the core 39 novels cover all the major events that shape the world you play in. For example, if you want to understand the full origin of the Lich King, you’ll want to read Rise of the Lich King, which is part of the core canon. If you’re only interested in Dragonflight lore, you can skip the older books about the Burning Crusade or Wrath of the Lich King eras if you want, no one is going to call you a bad fan for skipping content that doesn’t interest you.
That means you can tailor your reading list to the parts of Azeroth’s history you care about most, instead of forcing yourself to read 80+ books just to get the full picture. I usually recommend new lore fans start with books tied to their favorite expansion first, because it makes the connections to the content you already know feel more meaningful. Blizzard regularly updates their official canon list on their website, so you can check if a book you’re interested in counts before you buy it, if that’s important to you.
Tips for Building Your WoW Book Collection
If you’re ready to start collecting WoW books, there are a few things to keep in mind to save money and avoid picking up books you won’t enjoy. First, decide if you care about physical copies or digital copies first. Most of the core canon novels are available on Kindle for under $10 each, which is a great way to build your collection without spending a fortune. Physical hardcovers of older, out-of-print books can cost $50 or more on resale sites, so don’t splurge on those unless you’re a serious collector who cares about displaying physical copies.
Many of the short stories and novellas are available for free on Blizzard’s official website, so you don’t have to pay for those at all if you don’t want to. They’re usually posted alongside new expansion announcements, so you can catch up on relevant lore before a new patch drops without spending any extra cash.
Another tip: Look for box sets of the core novels. You can often find 3-4 book box sets focused on a specific era or character for around $20, which is much cheaper than buying each book individually. If you’re a completionist who wants to own every single release, be prepared to hunt for rare copies. Some of the early 2000s comic one-shots were only printed in small runs, so they can be hard to find even on large resale sites. But don’t let that discourage you if you’re just reading for lore: All of the important story beats from those rare releases have been incorporated into newer canon books or in-game lore, so you won’t miss any critical information if you can’t track them down.
I’ve been collecting WoW books for 12 years, and I still don’t have every single rare release, and that’s fine. I prioritize the books that cover the parts of lore I care about most, and I leave the rare collectibles for people who care more about the physical collection than the story content.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Reading WoW Books
A lot of new lore fans make the same mistakes when they first start reading WoW books, and they end up confused or frustrated as a result. The biggest mistake is reading the books in release order instead of chronological lore order. Release order jumps between different time periods constantly, so you might read a book set during Shadowlands first, then a book set 10,000 years before the first game, which can make it almost impossible to follow how the story connects across eras.
Always look for a chronological reading order list for canon books if you want to follow the story from the earliest events to the latest. There are tons of fan-made lists online that are updated regularly as new books come out, so you don’t have to figure out the order yourself. Another mistake is assuming every book ties directly to current in-game content. Some books cover side stories or minor characters that never show up in the game, so if you’re only reading to understand the latest expansion’s plot, you can skip those side stories entirely.
A lot of fans also forget that audiobook versions exist for almost all of the core WoW novels, which is a great option if you don’t have time to sit and read. I listen to them while I’m farming mounts or doing daily quests in-game, and it makes the grind feel a lot more interesting. The last common mistake is forcing yourself to finish a book you don’t like. There are over 80 canon WoW books, so if you don’t like the writing style or the characters in one, you can skip it and move to the next one without missing too much critical lore. You don’t have to be a completionist to enjoy WoW lore, so don’t pressure yourself to read every single book just because it’s canon.
At the end of the day, the answer to how many World of Warcraft books are there depends on what kind of content you’re looking for. Whether you’re just looking for a few novels to fill in gaps in your favorite expansion’s lore, or you’re a diehard collector looking to track down every rare release, there’s something for every type of WoW fan in the expanded book lineup. Take it slow, pick books that cover the parts of Azeroth you care about most, and don’t be afraid to skip content that doesn’t interest you. The best part of exploring WoW lore is getting to dive deeper into the world you already love playing in, so enjoy the journey.
