Video Game World

Inspired by the groundbreaking A History of the World in 100 Objects, this book draws on the unique collections of The Strong museum in Rochester, New York, to chronicle the evolution of video games, from Pong to first-person shooters, told through the stories of dozens of objects essential to the field’s creation and development. Drawing on the World Video Game Hall of Fame’s unmatched collection of video game artifacts, this fascinating history offers an expansive look at the development of one of the most popular and influential activities of the modern world: video gaming.

With all the whiz, bang, pop, and shimmer of a glowing arcade, volume 1 of The Ultimate History of Video Games reveals everything you ever wanted to know and more about the unforgettable games that changed the world, the visionaries who made them, and the fanatics who played them. Starting in arcades then moving to televisions and handheld devices, the video game invasion has entranced kids and the young at heart for nearly fifty years. And gaming historian Steven L. Kent has been there to record the craze from the very beginning.

To save the world, one must play video games. Sounds ridiculous, right? But in reality, many people are looking to video games to tackle many of the world's problems. Take a closer look at the ways in which video games can help save the world.

Conan the Barbarian, the world’s most famous fantasy hero, returns in an all-new novel tied directly to the famous works by his legendary creator, Robert E. Howard. Set early in his life, Conan has left his northern homeland to cut a bloody swath across the legendary Hyborian Age. A mercenary, a soldier, a thief, and a pirate, he faces conquering armies, malicious sorcerers, and monstrous creatures—against which he wields only the sword held in his powerful grasp.

The car crash was the last thing I remembered...then I woke up here. Where "here" was felt like an impossible nightmare. I died, but this wasn't what I'd expected to find when they said I'd meet my maker. The afterlife is just like a video game, except I didn't start in a noob world like everybody else. I started out on one of the most challenging dungeon worlds meant only for ancient souls who've been dead much longer than I have.... Welcome to Epoc.

Presenting the book World of Warcraft fans have been clamoring for - the true story behind one of the Warcraft universe’s most terrifying villains, Arthas the Lich King.

The New York Times bestselling author of The Shattering and Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects delivers a sensational tie-in to the newest World of Warcraft game expansion. What does it take to turn the peacekeeper into a warmonger? Jaina Proudmoore: Tides of War gives World of Warcraft fans the opportunity to see what happens when a beloved peacekeeper is pressed to the limit by an inconceivable horror. Will it change her forever? Break her? Or redefine her role on Azeroth?

When Una Chin-Riley and Christopher Pike meet at Starfleet Academy after one of his lectures, they immediately become friends. A stellar student, Una is the “poster girl” of her class, and Pike is determined to become a Starfleet captain with his own ship, rhetorically assembling his dream crew. As their friendship evolves, Pike also suspects Una is involved with the Euxhana, a Chionian cultural minority, who are seeking asylum in Federation space, leading to more questions than answers.

Alliance and Horde forces have stripped Garrosh Hellscream, one of the most reviled figures on Azeroth, of his title as warchief. His thirst for conquest devastated cities, nearly tore the Horde apart, and destroyed countless lives throughout the World of Warcraft. Now, on the legendary continent of Pandaria, he will stand trial for his transgressions.

When an experimental shuttlecraft fails, Captain Christopher Pike suspects a mechanical malfunction—only to discover the very principles on which Starfleet bases its technology have simply stopped functioning. He and his crewmates are forced to abandon ship in a dangerous maneuver that scatters their party across the strangest new world they’ve ever encountered.

The aging orc shaman Ner'zhul has seized control of the Horde and reopened the Dark Portal. His brutal warriors once again encroach upon Azeroth, laying siege to the newly constructed stronghold of Nethergarde Keep. There, the archmage Khadgar and the Alliance commander, Turalyon, lead humanity and its elven and dwarven allies in fighting this new invasion. Even so, disturbing questions arise.

Grim Batol: Its dark legacy stretches back into the mists of Azeroth's past. But most know it as the site of a terrible tragedy - where the vile orcs corrupted the hatchlings of the noble Dragonqueen, Alexstrasza, and used them as weapons of war. Though a band of heroes, led by the enigmatic mage, Krasus, defeated the orcs and freed the captive dragons, the cursed mountain stands as another ravaged landmark within the....

This audiobook includes four Spongebob Squarepants stories: Tea at the Treedome, Naughty Nautical Neighbors, Hall Monitor, and The World’s Greatest Valentine.

It's been years since 12-year-old Aramar Thorne, a clever boy who is never without his precious sketchbook, has seen his father. So when Captain Greydon Thorne comes ashore and asks his son to join him at sea, it feels as if someone has redrawn Aram's entire world. At sea Aram struggles to get along with the Wavestrider's crew - especially second mate Makasa, a tough teenage girl who has been reluctantly placed in charge of him.

It's 1942. America have just joined the war. Greyhound, an international convoy of 37 allied ships, is in operation. As Captain Ernest Krause leads his first command of a US destroyer, the convoy ploughs through icy, submarine-infested North Atlantic seas. All the while hotly pursued by wolf packs of Nazi U-boats. Grappling with his newfound superiority and haunting self-doubt in 48 hours of desperate peril, Captain Krause's hopeless mission is doomed to fail. But armed with extraordinary courage and grit, hope may just be on the horizon.

Sniper Elite: Origins is three original stories set in the world of the hit video game that explore the beginnings of Karl Fairburne, the Sniper Elite. In Water Line, Karl Fairburn is a new recruit fighting on the front line. Battle weary, low on morale and holding a bridge in a rear-guard action to delay the German onslaught. This is where he comes to understand his place in the war. The beginning of his training for life behind the lines starts in Home Ground. Karl is recruited into the SOE to learn sabotage, espionage and assassination.

Charles' crazy wager paid off. After facing near annihilation, he managed to upend Nicos the warmonger and secure a new strip of land near the coast. With Tine growing steadily, he can now turn his attention to developing this new village and turning it into a new powerhouse. But as always, nothing ever goes as planned. For one, the borders of his new territory do not quite reach the water, so he cannot build a Seaport until he levels up his village. He cannot even access the resource tiles such as the fish, making this place completely depend on Tine for food.

By fang and feather, explore the vibrant lands of Kalimdor! Join famed hunter Rexxar, his animal companions, and Horde Ambassador Zekhan as they make the perilous journey across the lush and vivid reaches of Kalimdor to learn the secrets of the realm. Leave no stone unturned and no tracks unfollowed as Rexxar and Zekhan reveal lore, insights, equipment, and breathtaking landscapes from the ramparts of Orgrimmar to the golden plains of Mulgore to the wilds of Un’Goro Crater—and share one final kindness with a friend along the way.

Uncertainty plagues Azeroth’s ancient guardians as they struggle to find a new purpose. This dilemma has hit Kalecgos, youngest of the former Dragon Aspects, especially hard. Having lost his great powers, how can he―or any of his kind―still make a difference in the world?

Saul Indian Horse is in critical condition. Sitting feeble in an alcoholism treatment facility, he is told that sharing his story will help relieve his agony. Though skeptical, he embarks on a heartbreaking journey from the present - and into the woods of Northern Ontario, where his life began in a snowy Ojibway camp. The tale that follows is one of great pain and great determination from Richard Wagamese, an author who "never seems to waste a shot" ( New York Times).