Liberty's Crusade (StarCraft, Book 1)

by Jeff Grubb

Book Overview

Far in the future, 60,000 light-years from Earth, a loose confederacy of Terran exiles is locked in battle with the enigmatic Protoss and the ruthless Zerg Swarm. Each species struggles to ensure its... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0671041487
• Release Date: March 2001
• Publisher: Pocket
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.8" x 0.8" x 4.2"

Customer Reviews

Liberty's Crusade is the best video game to book adaptation Ive read thus far.

Jeff Grubb’s StarCraft: Liberty’s Crusade serves as the inaugural novel in the StarCraft universe, providing fans with an engrossing dive into the sci-fi strategy game’s lore. It’s not just a book for avid players—it’s a solid work of military science fiction that can stand on its own, offering newcomers an accessible entry point into the StarCraft saga. Synopsis: The story is told through the eyes of Michael Liberty, a war correspondent sent to cover the conflict between the Terrans, the Zerg, and the Protoss. As Liberty embeds himself with the notorious Terran Marines and follows the infamous Jim Raynor, he’s thrust into the chaos of interstellar war. Through his eyes, readers witness the fragile politics of the Terran Confederacy, the terror of the Zerg swarms, and the enigmatic presence of the Protoss. Strengths: 1. Immersive Worldbuilding: Grubb’s writing fleshes out the universe with rich detail, expanding on elements hinted at in the games. From gritty Terran outposts to the horrifying encroachment of the Zerg, the environments feel alive and menacing. 2. Character-Driven Narration: Michael Liberty is a relatable protagonist, providing a fresh perspective on the universe. His journalistic observations add depth to the larger-than-life characters like Jim Raynor and Sarah Kerrigan. 3. Pacing and Action: The novel doesn’t linger too long on exposition, instead delivering fast-paced action sequences and tense political drama that mirror the intensity of the games. Weaknesses: 1. Predictability for Fans: For those familiar with the original StarCraft campaign, the plot closely follows events already depicted in the game, leaving little room for surprises. 2. Supporting Characters: While Liberty and Raynor shine, some secondary characters, particularly those in the Terran Confederacy, can feel underdeveloped or overly archetypal. Verdict: StarCraft: Liberty’s Crusade is a must-read for fans of the game series, providing a deeper understanding of key events and characters. For newcomers, it’s an action-packed introduction to one of the most iconic sci-fi universes in gaming. While it doesn’t stray far from the game’s storyline, Jeff Grubb’s sharp prose and Liberty’s unique perspective make this novel a thrilling read. Rating: 4/5 Whether you’re a devoted StarCraft fan or a lover of military sci-fi, Liberty’s Crusade is a compelling journey into the heart of intergalactic warfare.

Really good game->book transition.

I've read this book 5 times already, and i read it every time i don't have anything else to do. Every time i read it, it makes me play the game once more, and every time i play it, i find new links to the book. The characters' attributes are exactly those from the book, and i can almost imagine Jim Raynor being played by Brad Pitt in a StarCraft movie, and i really hope there will be one (it's the only thing that's missing).If you haven't read it yet, you should trust these reviews, not the fact that it was translated from a computer game. I'm currently trying to get my parents to read it. Conclusion: 5 star book, i have nothing wrong to say about this book.

A great viewpoint

It seems Jeff Grubb did a lot of research to get this book set up. Surprisingly to me, he knew how to describe everything from ships to weapons in the way that you could visualize the actual item. If you never played Starcraft itself, this book was a wake-up call-a book that would tell people: "Gee, this is a game? I can't believe I haven't played this". Since the entire book focused mainly on the Terran Campaign of the original game, and the use of descriptions was required to avoid it from becomming too textbook and boring, I was impressed by the way Grubb expanded on the missions; a sort of view of what you didn't play. Then there were the passages before the chapter,all comming from "the Liberty Manifesto", which made me wonder; did Grubb get this great description from imagination or did he piece together the ideas of other works? It is just that good! Describing the characters and their actions was also very much impressive. Kerrigan and Raynor's description immediatly rang a bell in my head and for those who never was introduced to these people in the game it gave them a good idea of what they may look like. General Duke immediatly came in as the villian while in this series' second installment it took a while to guess if he was good or bad. As the main idea of the book is the journey of a reporter from a Confederate loyalist to a rebel, the transition came well. I was surprised at how Grubb pieced together ideas that made you say to yourself: "oh, now I understand why this mission led to this one", or "yea, this all makes sense now, I remmeber that. Wow, this quote brings back memories". The scenes of battle were written really well too, as Grubb described all the vehicles and creatures-Zerg, Terran, and Protoss-as if he was actually looking at them. Detail apparently was important to him. Battle was created to the point that you could hear the creak of the Arclite Siege Tank moving its shock cannon, or hear the Zerg hydralisks moving about. Mainly though, this book-other than its sequel-led to the events of the expansion game: Brood War. The conclusion was very nicely created, as well as added a bit of thought to the very end. Altogether though, I would deffinetly give this book to anyone that is into sci-fi games or is a Starcraft fan-since this book alone is a must have to any fan interested in what really happened before the fall of the Terran Confederacy in the Koprulu Sector.

Sucessful Game to Book Transition

History has taught us that games don't translate well to movies, television, or books. Thankfully, Jeff Grubb's first crack at converting the award winning Blizzard Entertainment, Starcraft, into a major novel was very successful, and very enjoyable.Those who are familiar with the game and the story line between the characters throughout Starcraft and Brood War will feel right at home. Events that you played out in the game will either be mentioned, or gone into great detail, and give you a better understanding as to why things happen as they did. The real threat is watching Arctus Mengsk turn from dignitary to ruthless killer in a matter of chapters. You know it is going to happen, and you know he will betray certain characters (I won't spoil who for those who haven't played that game).The style of the writing is excellent, and Grubb wasn't pressure to, or choose not to, fold under scrutiny of the government tearing away at the entertainment business because of some incidents in schools where the perpetrators played "Doom."Grubb creates, and fleshes, out new and existing characters with grace that makes this book an easy and fun read, that you will be coming back to every now and again. Pocket Books is doing well with the established Resident Evil series, the new Starcraft series, and the fledgling Alpha Centuri and Diablo series. I can only hope Gabriel Mesta is able to continue the excellent series alive with the second Starcraft book.--Erich Becker signing out...

Excellent Novel!

If you have ever played the Starcraft game, then you will find this book simply a treat. It carefully follows the storyline played out until about the end of the Terran campaign, while throwing in some background information on the Protoss as well. If you have never played the game, the book is still an enjoyable read and an excellent start for a new series.

Simply Spectacular

Those two words completely sum up the book. If you're a fan of the StarCraft series, then READ THIS BOOK! The book is about the war with the Terrans, Zergs, and Protoss, like in the game, but from the point of view of a reporter named Michael Liberty. All your Terran favorites are in this book including Kerrigan, Raynor, Arcturus Mengsk, and Duke. It follows Episode One of StarCraft, the Terran missions. So what are you waiting for? BUY THIS BOOK.