Excited for Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred? You might want to read this book first

Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred is officially getting a prequel novel called The Lost Horadrim. Starring Lorath Nahr and Askari leader Adreona on the isle of Skovos decades ago, this book is perfect for players hoping to dig a little deeper into the lore of the next Diablo 4 expansion pack.

Leading up to The Game Awards, Geoff Keighley’s mysterious statue led many fans to believe Diablo 4 was planning on revealing its second expansion pack. Though the idol ended up being related to Larian Studios’ Divinity, Diablo 4 revealed its next DLC as well. Titled Lord of Hatred, this exciting expansion will finally let players square off with Mephisto, the eldest Prime Evil and father of Lilith, once it releases on April 28, 2026.

Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred Prequel Novel – The Lost Horadrim

Image via Penguin Random House

However, fans don’t have to wait until then in order to start exploring some of the lore of Lord of Hatred. On April 21, Diablo 4 will release The Lost Horadrim, an official prequel novel to Lord of Hatred that features several characters and locations central to the expansion’s story. Taking place nearly 50 years before the expansion, shortly after the events of Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls, the story stars a younger Lorath Nahr as he ventures forth alongside Tyrael and Donan in search of a group of Horadrim who went missing on the legendary isle of Skovos.

While there, the trio meets the Askari Amazons and their captain, Adreona. Though Skovos, known as the place where Inarius and Lilith created the Firstborn Nephalem in the Diablo series, seems to have evaded the devastation of the Reaping, the isle is not as peaceful as it seems. Lorath and Adreona, both of whom are featured on the cover, must fight the Drowned and other threats “lurking just beneath the surface” in order to save both of their people.

Image via Blizzard

Both Lorath and Adreona play major roles in Lord of Hatred. Lorath, the Horadric sage who left on a quest of his own at the end of Diablo 4, was absent during Vessel of Hatred, but he is back as a prominent ally in Lord of Hatred. Meanwhile, Adreona was a prominent captain during the prequel novel, but has become queen of the Askari since then. The Lost Horadrim will explore the relationship that exists between these two characters, as players will see in Lord of Hatred – and if the hints from Gamespot’s interview with lead narrative designer Matt Burns and narrative designer Eleni Rivera are any indication, the two may have some sort of romantic entanglement during the book.

What’s in Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred’s Prequel Novel, The Lost Horadrim?

Image via Blizzard

• 272-page prequel novel releasing April 21, 2026
• Available in hardcover ($30), ebook ($15), or audiobook ($15-$22)
• Features Lorath Nahr, Donan, Tyrael, and Adreona, Queen of the Amazons on Skovos, the new region in Lord of Hatred

The Lost Horadrim is being written by Matthew J. Kirby, the award-winning author behind original novels including The Clockwork Three, Icefall, The Lost Kingdom, A Taste for Monsters, and Star Splitters. Kirby is no stranger to Sanctuary or Lorath Nahr himself, as he was also responsible for the Book of Prava and the Book of Lorath Diablo 4 lore codices. Outside Sanctuary, he has also done franchise work for Assassin’s Creed in the past, including the Last Descendants series and Geirmund’s Saga.

Image via Blizzard

Interested readers can pre-order the hardcover or ebook versions of The Lost Horadrim on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and most other retail booksellers. Fans looking for the audiobook version of this novel can alternatively pre-purchase it from Apple Books, Audible, Spotify, or just about anywhere else audiobooks are sold.

Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred itself is also available for pre-purchase right now in three separate editions. In addition to gaining access to the expansion once it releases, players also instantly receive the Vessel of Hatred expansion, early access to the Paladin class that released with Season 11, tons of cosmetics for Diablo 4, and even some Housing decor items for World of Warcraft.

Released

June 5, 2023

ESRB

Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact