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Achievement

Well Read

Read an original version of the books listed below.

Exploration

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The highest voted Wowhead comments for this page. They are community notes, not TheWoWDB comments.

1
Venator+553via Wowhead (opens the original comment in a new tab)

Horde Guide

Here is a guide for Horde players to use to try and avoid some of the Alliance zones. I recommend that you complete it in this zone order. Click the Map Loc buttons to see where the books are in these zones. This guide intends for you to find all the books in as few locations as possible, therefore there are some books that can be found in multiple places listed below but are only listed in the first zone accessed.

Silvermoon (Map Loc)

Scholomance (Map Loc)

Scarlet Monastery (Map Loc)

Stranglethorn Vale (Map Loc)

The Barrens (Map Loc)

Stonard (Map Loc)

For the last 4 Books you have 3 options:

Option 1:
Westfall (Map Loc)

Stormwind (Map Loc)

Option 2:
Karazhan (Library after Curator)

Wetlands (Map Loc)

Option 3:
Westfall (Map Loc)

Wetlands (Map Loc)

Dalaran (Map Loc)

Further info from Liquids here

This guide will be updated if easier locations are found :)

2
220508+267via Wowhead (opens the original comment in a new tab)

This achievement isn't as hard as it looks, i was bored enough to do this on PTR (build 8982). Well, i've made list where you should go to get all of them in pretty short time, this would go like this (for Alliance ofcourse):
Darnassus -> Stormwind -> Westfall -> Booty Bay -> Barrens -> Gadgetzan -> [Hearthstone] -> Ironforge -> Scholomance
I was taking notes for this order, but alternative order would be: Gadgetzan -> Barrens -> Booty Bay -> Westfall -> Stormwind -> Ironforge -> Scholomance -> Darnassus
Westfall and Gadgetzan got one book each but but those are unique :/ You will also need to clear Scholo a bit after Rattlegore. spam inc

Darnassus - 4 (4/42)
(66,76)


  • The Betrayer Ascendant


(49,15)


  • Rise of the Blood Elves

  • The War of the Ancients (upstairs)


(56,4)


  • The World Tree and the Emerald Dream

Stormwind - 10 (14/42)
Royal Library


  • Aegwynn and the Dragon Hunt

  • Aftermath of the Second War

  • The Kaldorei and the Well of Eternity

  • Beyond the Dark Portal

  • The Guardians of Tirisfal

  • Civil War in the Plaguelands

  • The New Horde

  • Kil’jaden and the Shadow Pact (it seems it's not there, get it in scholo as someone replied)


Battlemaster’s room


  • The Dark Portal and the Fall of Stormwind

  • War of the Spider

Westfall - 1 (15/42)
Inn


  • The Last Guardian

Booty Bay - 5 (20/42)
Inn


  • Sunwell – The Fall of Quel’Thalas


MacKinley’s house (next to the inn):
-Downstairs:


  • Empires’ Fall

  • The Twin Empires

  • Wrath of the Soulflayer

-First floor:


  • The Sentinels and the Long Vigil (you have to use stairs in building next to his to get there)

Barrens - 5 (25/42)
Ratchet


  • Archimonde’s Return and the Flight to Kalimdor (first house to the left after leaving pier)

  • Exile of the High Elves (on the balcony of the building next to the inn)

  • Mount Hyjal and Illidan’s Gift (inn)

  • Sargeras and the Betrayal (inn)


Northwatch Hold


  • Lethargy of the Orcs (at the top of the 1st tower)

Tanaris - 1 (26/42)


  • Old Hatreds – The Colonization of Kalimdor (Gryphon Master)

Ironforge - 8 (34/42)
Hall of Explorers, Library


  • Charge of the Dragonflights

  • The Old Gods and the Ordering of Azeroth

  • The Battle of Grim Batol

  • Rise of the Horde

  • The Alliance of Lordaeron

  • Arathor and the Troll Wars

  • Ironforge – the Awekening of the Dwarves

  • War of Three Hammers

Scholomance - 8 (42/42)
First room


  • The Lich King Triumphant

  • The Birth of the Lich King

  • Kel’thuzad and the forming of the Scourge

  • The Scourge of Lordaeron

  • The Seven Kingdoms

  • Icecrown and the Frozen Throne


Before the Viewing Room


  • The Invasion of Draenor (North-East corner)


The Viewing Room


  • The Founding of Quel’Thalas

You may find more copies of one book scattered around tho.
Edit spam: Typoz

3
Royalblood+244via Wowhead (opens the original comment in a new tab)

Since Blizzard changed most of the book locations in 5.0.5.
Here is an updated guide for Horde players.

This was made by Lvl. 85 BE Paladin character with a 310% flying mount. Patch 5.1.
I tried to make this guide as safest as possible, Alliance Zones & Dungeons will be at the end.
* The Coords are approx and might be not 100% accurate.
* Found something incorrect/missing? please don't keep it to yourself. comment or send a message with the info, I will confirm and edit.

Kalimdor:

Ratchet, Northern Barrens:


  • Exile of the High Elves


Coords: 67.1 , 73.4
At the Blacksmith's building on the balcony in the 2nd floor.


  • Charge of the Dragonflights


Coords: 68.36 , 69.08
At the Engineer's Hut with the purple sails on either sides, up the stairs on the table.


  • Archimonde's Return and the Flight to Kalimdor


Coords: 68 , 73.54
At the little Hut next to the dock, on the table.


  • Mount Hyjal and Illidan's Gift


Coords: 66.87 , 74.65
Inside the inn on the dining table next to the bed.


  • Sargeras and the Betrayal


Coords: 67 , 75
Inside the inn on a table between the two beds behind the keg, a little tricky to notice.

Northwatch Hold, Southern Barrens:


  • Lethargy of the Orcs


Coords: 65.5 , 46.7
Inside the Western Tower, 1st floor on a chair to the left.


  • The New Horde


Coords: 65.5 , 46.7
Inside the Western Tower, 1st floor on a table to the right.

Bael'Dun Digsite, Mulgore:


  • Ironforge - the Awakening of the Dwarves



  • The Battle of Grim Batol



  • War of the Three Hammers


Coords: 32.7 , 49.5
On a table under the tent.

Gadgedtzan, Tanaris:


  • Old Hatreds - The Colonization of Kalimdor


Coords: 51 , 30.2
To the right of the anvil and Derotain in Gadgetzan. On the ground by the two yellow colored barrels. It is also the same color as the barrels.


  • Wrath of Soulflayer



  • The Twin Empires



  • Empires' Fall


Coords: 52.6 , 27.8
Inside the inn, on a table to the left by the beds.

Caverns of Time, Tanaris:


  • The Kaldorei and the Well of Eternity


Coords: 67.3 , 49.8
As you walk down the tunnel inside on foot from tanaris, you will see a little house, the book is inside.

Eastern Kingdoms:

Silvermoon City, Eversong Woods:


  • The Alliance of Lordaeron


Coords: 66.84 , 73.94
On the 2nd floor in the Wayfarer's Rest tavern. On the floor next to the little red bed and in front of the bookcase to the left.


  • The Betrayer Ascendant


Coords: 68.7, 64.2
Silvermoon at Walk of Elders in the Shop of Valaani's Arcane Goods. It's on the box in the corner.

Tarren Mill, Hillsbrad Foothills:


  • Civil War in the Plaguelands


Coords: 57.4 , 45.37
On a table outside the cook's tent.


  • Arathor and the Troll Wars



  • Kel'Thuzad and the Forming of the Scourge


Coords: 56.67 , 47.53
Inside the church on the floor behind the General Goods Merchant, next to the candles.


  • The Birth of the Lich King


Coords: 58 , 46.07
At the graveyard, inside an open grave where the first line of graves.

Brill, Tirisfal Glades:


  • Aegwynn and the Dragon Hunt


Coords: 60.9 , 52.1
Outside the inn, next to the fence in front of the barrels to the right.

Undercity, Tirisfal Glades:


  • The Old Gods and the Ordering of Azeroth



  • Icecrown and the Frozen Throne


Coords: 56.1 , 50.7
At The Apothecarium on the side that's closer to the War Quarter. On a table next to the Druid Trainer.

* It is recommended to take the zeppelin to Grom'gol Base Camp from Tirisfal Glades at this point.
Booty Bay, Cape of Stranglethorn


  • The Sentinels and the Long Vigil


Coords: 42.2 , 73.65
This is a little tricky to get.. Try to follow up..
Enter the building where the cooking trainer's at, go up the stairs till you get to the upper level, go straight ahead from the exit to the next building in front of it. The book is on a table next to the bed.


  • The Scourge of Lordaeron


Coords: 41.86 , 73.46
Enter the building where "Sea Wolf" MacKinley is(next to the inn), go downstairs till you get to the lower level. Look for a bookshelf in the corner under the stairs.


  • Beyond the Dark Portal


Coords: 40.6 , 73.8
In the 3rd floor inside The Salty Sailor Tavern(Boat Floor). On a table next to the stove.


  • Sunwell - The Fall of Quel'Thalas


Coords: 41.04 , 74.44
On the second floor of The Salty Sailor Tavern on a table in the corner.

Stonard, Swamp of Sorrows:


  • The Dark Portal and the Fall of Stormwind


Coords: 49.3 , 55.4
Inside the main building on the long table in the 1st floor.


  • Rise of the Horde


Coords: 49.4 , 55.1
Inside the main building in the upper floor on a bench next to Dispatch Commander Raug.

Darkshire, Duskwood:


  • Kil'jaeden and the Shadow Pact


Coords: 74.1, 45.4
Inside Darkshire's Scarlet Raven inn, top floor, in the room to the left. On a clothes rack next to the bed.


  • The Founding of Quel'Thalas


Coords: 73.61, 45.07
Inside Darkshire's Scarlet Raven inn, top floor, in the room to the right. On a table.

Sentinal Hill, Westfall:


  • The Last Guardian


Inside the inn(the building with the wanted poster on it), on a nightstand between the beds.
I found it easiest to go in the back door of the inn. No guards there, just a vendor and a few lumberjacks/woodworkers.

Stormwind City, Elwynn Forest:


  • Aftermath of the Second War



  • The Guardians of Tirisfal



  • The World Tree and the Emerald Dream



  • The War of the Ancients


Coords: 85 , 23
All of the books are in the library, the easiest way to do it is to fly with your mount untill you see a green garden, just go in, enter the room(1 or 2 elite guards will jump on you at this point), do a quick round and get out.

Dungeons:

Scholomance:


  • The Invasion of Draenor


Coords: 56 , 41.5
In the northeast corner of the room where you fight Lillian Voss.

Stratholme:


  • The Lich King Triumphant



  • War of the Spider


Coords: 25.5 , 70.9
Inside the room next to the room where Instructor Galford is, its the first room to the left when you enter the hallway. On the tables next to the bookshelves on either sides.


  • The Seven Kingdoms


Coords: 30.3 , 41.2
Inside the room where Commander Malor is. On a dining table.


Congratulations! you have earned the Well Read achievement!
If this guide helped you, please upvote so other player will be able to read it too.

Best Regards,
Røyalblood, Stormscale EU.

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Details

Category
Exploration
Points
10
Faction
Both factions
Requirements
42 criteria lines

Criteria

What this achievement requires, from the current game data.

  1. Aegwynn and the Dragon Hunt
  2. Aftermath of the Second War
  3. Arathor and the Troll Wars
  4. Archimonde's Return and the Flight to Kalimdor
  5. Beyond the Dark Portal
  6. Charge of the Dragonflights
  7. Civil War in the Plaguelands
  8. Empires' Fall
  9. Exile of the High Elves
  10. Icecrown and the Frozen Throne
  11. Ironforge - the Awakening of the Dwarves
  12. Kel'Thuzad and the Forming of the Scourge
  13. Kil'jaeden and the Shadow Pact
  14. Lethargy of the Orcs
  15. Mount Hyjal and Illidan's Gift
  16. Old Hatreds - The Colonization of Kalimdor
  17. Rise of the Blood Elves
  18. Rise of the Horde
  19. Sargeras and the Betrayal
  20. Sunwell - The Fall of Quel'Thalas
  21. The Alliance of Lordaeron
  22. The Battle of Grim Batol
  23. The Betrayer Ascendant
  24. The Birth of the Lich King
  25. The Dark Portal and the Fall of Stormwind
  26. The Founding of Quel'Thalas
  27. The Guardians of Tirisfal
  28. The Invasion of Draenor
  29. The Kaldorei and the Well of Eternity
  30. The Last Guardian
  31. The Lich King Triumphant
  32. The New Horde
  33. The Old Gods and the Ordering of Azeroth
  34. The Scourge of Lordaeron
  35. The Sentinels and the Long Vigil
  36. The Seven Kingdoms
  37. The Twin Empires
  38. The War of the Ancients
  39. The World Tree and the Emerald Dream
  40. War of the Spider
  41. War of the Three Hammers
  42. Wrath of Soulflayer
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Community notes from Wowhead · 349 comments

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