Tinjauan Buku Kain: "Kronik Waktu"
*Ehei, my good ones, hello everyone! I'm rushing to you with a delicious detailed report, which, it seems, has not yet been boasted about by any Russian-speaking devilish fan site. I want to draw your attention to the fact that this is indeed a report, not just a couple of photos with the caption "Good! Take it!". The letters, as you might have guessed from the title, will tell you what is so good about the Book of Cain [Book of Cain], why it is useful to have in your arsenal, and how this device will help you with the history part. In general, the Book, Cain, and everything in action. Let's go!*
I apologize in advance for the photo quality; the camera cannot fully convey the level of the publication and its awesomeness.
WONDERS BY MAIL
The book is the readers. The readers are the book!
First, I will tell you how the cause for celebration made its way to us from the lands of the basurmans. It is a whole song. The release of the Book was postponed a few times: at first, it was supposed to be released in early November, then it was pushed to the 23rd, and then to December 13th. I even despaired of receiving it before the New Year.
The pre-order for the Book was placed by my husband and me and Karharot (just me, without my husband \_) a few weeks apart. Seryozha pre-ordered the Book from the UK Amazon around October 8, while we ordered it from the US two weeks later, on October 22. So when the first batch of Books was snatched up, I was terribly upset: we were sure that we would be moved to the second stage with delivery after the New Year holidays. And it was immensely pleasant to learn that this was not the case. As I said, we ordered the Book from Amazon's US branch, which had only one type of delivery directly to Russia - the most advanced one. This ultimately worked in our favor, but we learned that only afterwards.
So imagine the situation. On December 13, the Book goes on sale, and on December 14, we receive a letter about shipping delays. And on December 19, a cheerful boy from DHL asks us to sign for the box. I personally experienced a cultural shock, and it later turned out that Amazon had a super-fast delivery promotion that we stumbled upon (completely by chance, without any ulterior motives!). Nothing had arrived this quickly from overseas before, and I was convinced that the Book would only arrive after the New Year. And here it was! Wonders, in a word. Without a second thought, I get to the packaging and pull the Book out of there. It’s fabulous, guys, just exactly what I need!
BIBLE DIABLO
Cover of the Book. Front and back view.
Before I start talking directly about the publication, let me say a few words about why Blizzard needed it. The thing is, while thinking through the game's story, the developers realized that the plot lines of the first three parts are, to put it mildly, chaotic and require thorough refinement and bringing to a common denominator. To this end, they sat down to refine the story and fill in the gaps in it so that it could be logically integrated into the overall chronology and justify the events of all three games. Thus, the idea of the Book of Cain was born, later realized in the corresponding publication.
So, the Book. It is an artifact measuring 20 cm by 26 cm, in a sturdy embossed hardcover with a narrow matte dust jacket. The dust jacket can theoretically be removed, but in practice, it is glued to the endpaper at the back, so it won’t go anywhere (unless you tear it off). The binding is styled to look ancient, with a devil with horns, embossing, evil (and so cute!) eyes, and a crooked grin on the cover. The cover feels very pleasant to touch, but I would definitely remove the dust jacket. Just in case, you know. :)
One of the first pages of the Book.
The Book contains 148 pages, also styled to look ancient. All the pages are yellowed, with uneven "frayed" edges. The Book is, in theory, Cain's diary, a collection of all his works and research about the world, demons, and more. Everything he ever learned and found is recorded in the Book. Essentially, it is an immersive textbook on the history of Sanctuary [Sanctuary]. Therefore, the pages that seem to be worn by time greatly contribute to creating the desired atmosphere while reading. The paper is thick, matte, and the pages are very pleasant to flip through. This is one of those publications that you really need to hold in your hands.
The pages are very beautifully designed. A good dozen masters worked on the illustrations found throughout the Book, not just historians but also artists. Among them are Victor Lee [Victor Lee], Brom [Brom], and Christian Lichtner [Christian Lichtner], who worked on the pictures that appear here and there in the Book. Some are full-page illustrations or even entire spreads; others include skulls, scrollwork, and similar designs. Occasionally, there are handwritten notes on the pages of the Book. Some things are underlined; there are notes in the margins. All this together creates the impression that this is indeed Cain's diary. At times, he even directly addresses his niece Leah [Leah], urging her to pay attention to certain details.
Such little illustrations abound in the Book!
According to the creators, this Book is written by Cain specifically for Leah, as he plans to place the burden of knowledge and responsibility on her in the future. He gathers all the information about demons, their plans, and ways to fight them for her. The Book begins with an address to Leah and ends with one as well.
Here is a brief description of what awaits you on the pages of this publication:
• Address to Leah
• Origins [The Dawn] - this chapter tells about how the Universe came to be and what lies at the foundation of the conflict between angels and demons.
• The Burning Hells [The Burning Hells] - here we will learn about the seven main demons, their traits, plans, and thoughts.
• The High Heavens [The High Heavens] - here we will be told about the archangels, their world, the heavens, and the monuments.
• Sanctuary, the Mortal Realm [Sanctuary, the Mortal Realm] - this chapter discusses the emergence of Sanctuary, its history, and the nephalem.
• Ancient History [Ancient History] - this is one of the most extensive chapters. Here, we discuss the emergence of humans, the history of certain clans and religions, the history of the Sin War [The Sin War] and The Dark Exile [The Dark Exile].
• Modern History [Modern History] - this is the history that we know from the games. This will cover Tristram [Tristram], Leoric [Leoric], The Dark Wanderer [Dark Wanderer], the battles with the Triad, and ultimately, the destruction of the Worldstone [Worldstone].
• Sanctuary: Lands and Cultures [Sanctuary: Lands and Cultures] - here we briefly talk about the geographical regions of the world and the peoples inhabiting them.
• Final Word (also addressed to Leah)
The world map is also included.
Having flipped through the Book to the end, we discover another pleasant surprise: a envelope with a seal sticker, which contains a map of Sanctuary. And not just any map, but one printed on thick paper with uneven (looks atmospheric, aged) edges. The map is folded in quarters, but I think if desired, it can be smoothed out, or you can buy a corresponding poster: they are sold; you just need to search for them. In this specific case, the fact that the map is folded only benefits it. I doubt that Deckard Cain would carry it rolled up in a plastic tube to prevent any dust from landing on it. Therefore, this is only a plus, in my opinion.
In general, the Book leaves the best impressions, and I am very glad that I stumbled upon this pre-New Year gift.
THE END
It’s all atmospheric like this.
Here are the pastries, gentlemen. Right now, I'm slowly reading this artifact of the book world and preparing for translation and editing. The Book has met my boldest expectations, and I am, by the way, a very demanding customer. So, everything in it is perfect and done at a very high level. The embossed cover, thick paper, aged pages, even the map at the end... everything in the Book is perfect. The quality of the publication and printing, the design, the content, attention to detail - everything in the Book is done well, sensibly, and with love for the world and the game. These are the qualities that set Blizzard apart from their competitors. The other companies might as well be advised to choke on envy: the Book overwhelms a bunch of gaming-related publications, and there is simply no one to compete with it. As Karharot said, this is the true Bible of the Diablo world, and I can't disagree with him.
To everyone who cherishes the game's history, loves Diablo, and appreciates great collectibles, I highly recommend acquiring it. This book will definitely become a worthy exhibit in your collection. Happy reading! ;)