Achievement: Well Read

So you want to have the Well Read achievement. This achievement was one of the funnest I did. Basically you need to find 42 books scattered across the world and read them. It requires a lot of running around and good planning as not to lose time. Alliance and Horde can create their own routes and avoid other faction's zone and obviously cities. But Alliance clearly has the advantage in book locations.



The level to attain this achievement is the level to enter Scholomance as some books can only be found there. Here is an optimum route I created for Alliance and Horde characters. Also while you are doing this achievement why not take the time to actually read the books? I found this to be a lot of fun...

HORDE

Start in Silvermoon
* The Betrayer Ascendant (Silvermoon, Walk of Elders, in the Shop of Valaani's Arcane Goods)

Go to Undercity
* Civil War in the Plaguelands (Undercity, Ask a guard for the stable master, the book is on a table right next to him)
* Exile of the High Elves (Undercity, Ask a guard for the inscription trainer, the book is just next to him)
* The Old Gods and the Ordering of Azeroth (Undercity, Ask a guard for the herbalism trainer and the book is next to her)
* Icecrown and the Frozen Throne (Undercity, go to Apothecarium, check the northern shop in this part of the city)
* Kel'Thuzad and the Forming of the Scourge (Undercity, go to Apothecarium, check the northern shop in this part of the city)

Go out to Trisfal Glades
* Aegwynn and the Dragon Hunt (Trisfall Glades, 2nd floor of the Inn in Brill next to the Rogue trainer)
* Charge of the Dragonflights (Trisfall Glades, Brill Town Hall, on the middle table)

Enter Scarlet Monastry
* The World Tree and the Emerald Dream (Another nuisance for the Horde. Your options are to run into Darnassus, Craftman's Terrace, into the last building on the left at the back or go into Scarlet Monastry library where the book spawn in a room with benches.)
* Aftermath of the Second War (Scarlet Monastry, Library, on the floor halfway through the instance)
* The War of the Ancients (Scarlet Monastry, Library, shortly before the final boss on a table)
* War of the Spider (Scarlet Monastry, Library OR Scholomance, The Relinquary)

Enter Scholomance
* Kil'jaeden and the Shadow Pact (Well this book is an injustice to the Horde, the only out-of-dungeon place you can find it is in Duskwood, Darkshire Inn, top floor, left most room. Your other alternative is Scholomance. The Great Ossuary is the room where all the hatchlings are flying around. When you stand facing the entrance of this room, turn right and you will see the book in the corner.)
* The Lich King Triumphant (Scholomance, when you first enter Scholomance and pass the first door, go right down the stairs and you will see the book on a table)
* The Birth of the Lich King (Yet another nuisance for the Horde. Your options are to rush to the town hall in Darkshire, Duskwood and find the book next to Lord Ello Ebonlocke OR go to Scholomance and find the book in The Reliquary)
* The Founding of Quel'Thalas (Yet another nuisance for the Horde. Your options are to rush to the inn in Darkshire, Duskwood and find the book upstairs in the middle room on a table OR go to Scholomance and find the book behind Marduk Blackpool)
* The Invasion of Draenor (Scholomance, when you first enter the instance, face NE and jump down; you will see the book in the corner. These instuctions assume that you are level 80 or above...)
* The Seven Kingdoms (Scholomance, after the first iron gate, turn left and go down the stairs. The book is on the table...)

Go to Hillsbrad Foothills
* Arathor and the Troll Wars (Hillsbrad Foothills, Outside the chapel of Tarren Mill on the ground)
* The Alliance of Lordaeron (Hillsbrad Foothills, inside the chapel in Tarren Mill, at the back)

Go to Arathi Highlands
* Rise of the Blood Elves (Arathi Highlands, Hammerfall Inn top floor, that means 3rd floor)
* Sargeras and the Betrayal (Arathi Highlands, Hammerfall Inn middle floor, that means 2nd floor)

Go to Loch Modan
* The Last Guardian (Loch Modan, Thelsamar, rush inside the building with the wanted poster outside, downstairs)

Go to Swamp of Sorrows
* The Dark Portal and the Fall of Stormwind (Swamp of Sorrows, Stonard, at the building with the Portal Trainer, on the table)

Go to Stranglethorn Vale
* Beyond the Dark Portal (Stranglethorn Vale, Booty Bay, Salty Tailor Tavern, on a table next to a dwarf named Deeg)
* The Sentinels and the Long Vigil (Stranglethorn Vale, Booty Bay, find "Sea Wolf" McKinley, exit his room, go into the building to the left, go up the stairs, cross the bridge and ta da...)
* The Twin Empires (Stranglethorn Vale, Booty Bay, find "Sea Wolf" McKinley, go down the stairs, the book is in the bookcase)
* Empires' Fall (Stranglethorn Vale, Booty Bay, find "Sea Wolf" McKinley, go down the stairs)
* Sunwell - The Fall of Quel'Thalas (Stranglethorn Vale, Booty Bay, on the second floor of The Salty Sailor Tavern in a corner)
* The Scourge of Lordaeron (Stranglethorn Vale, Booty Bay, find "Sea Wolf" McKinley, go down the stairs)
* Wrath of Soulflayer (Stranglethorn Vale, Booty Bay, find "Sea Wolf" McKinley, go down the stairs)

Find a portal to Orgrimmar and exit to Durotar
* Rise of the Horde (Durotar, SE of Razor Hill you will find the Kul Tiras Castle. The book is on the big room upstairs, near Lieutenant Benedict)

Go to the Barrens
* Mount Hyjal and Illidan's Gift (The Barrens, Ratchet, inside the inn)
* Lethargy of the Orcs (The Barrens, Northwatch Hold, it is at the first tower as you are climbing the hill)
* The New Horde (The Barrens, Northwatch Hold, it is at the first tower as you are climbing the hill)
* Archimonde's Return and the Flight to Kalimdor (The Barrens, Ratchet, in the hut directly opposite of bank, behind Liv Rizzlefix)

Go to Thunderbluff
* Ironforge - the Awakening of the Dwarves (Mulgore, if you have explored Mulgore you already know where Bael'dun Digsite is. But if you haven't; when you exit Thunderbluff from SW, keep heading SW to the mountains and you will find the book on a table surrounded by a lot of low level dwarf NPCs)
* War of the Three Hammers (Mulgore, if you have explored Mulgore you already know where Bael'dun Digsite is. But if you haven't; when you exit Thunderbluff from SW, keep heading SW to the mountains and you will find the book on a table surrounded by a lot of low level dwarf NPCs)
* The Battle of Grim Batol (Mulgore, if you have explored Mulgore you already know where Bael'dun Digsite is. But if you haven't; when you exit Thunderbluff from SW, keep heading SW to the mountains and you will find the book on a table surrounded by a lot of low level dwarf NPCs)

Go to Tanaris
* Old Hatreds - The Colonization of Kalimdor (Tanaris, Gadgetzan, near the Alliance flight master)
* The Kaldorei and the Well of Eternity (Caverns of Time, run down the cavern until you see Alexston Chrome, the book is next to him)

Go to Dalaran / Karazhan
* The Guardians of Tirisfal (Another nuisance for the Horde. If you have WotLK, you will find this book at Dalaran Horde inn 2nd floor. If you don't, well, your options are either to rush into Stormwind Royal Library or going into Karazhan. In Karazhan the book is on a table at the bottom of the ramp coming out from the Menagerie and the Curator boss.)


ALLIANCE

Start in Stormwind
* Aegwynn and the Dragon Hunt (Stormwind, Royal Library in front of Lord Gregor Vescovar)
* Aftermath of the Second War (Stormwind, Royal Library)
* Beyond the Dark Portal (Stormwind, Royal Library)
* Civil War in the Plaguelands (Stormwind, Royal Library, on the floor)
* The Alliance of Lordaeron (Stormwind, Royal Library)
* The New Horde (Stormwind, Royal Library)
* The Guardians of Tirisfal (Stormwind, Royal Library)
* Archimonde's Return and the Flight to Kalimdor (Stormwind, Ask a guard for the inscription trainer, the book is in the house next door)
* Mount Hyjal and Illidan's Gift (Stormwind, Ask a guard for the inscription trainer, the book is next to the room where the trainers are)
* The Dark Portal and the Fall of Stormwind (Stormwind, Ask a guard for the battlemasters, the book is in the same room)
* The War of the Ancients (Stormwind, in the empty bar south of the druid trainers in The Park) War of the Spider (Stormwind, on the table left of Alterac Valley Battle Master, ask a guard for directions)

Go out to Elwynn Forest
* Icecrown and the Frozen Throne (Elwynn Forest, Goldshire, in the inn second floor)
* Lethargy of the Orcs (Elwynn Forest, Eastwall Logging Camp, check the east most building, second floor, on a table)

Go to Duskwood
* Kil'jaeden and the Shadow Pact (Duskwood, Darkshire Inn, top floor left most room)
* The Birth of the Lich King (Duskwood, Darkshire, in the town hall, next to Lord Ello Ebonlocke) * The Founding of Quel'Thalas (Duskwood, Darkshire, upstairs in the middle room on a table)

Go to Stranglethorn Vale
* The Sentinels and the Long Vigil (Stranglethorn Vale, Booty Bay, find "Sea Wolf" McKinley, exit his room, go into the building to the left, go up the stairs, cross the bridge and ta da...)
* The Twin Empires (Stranglethorn Vale, Booty Bay, find "Sea Wolf" McKinley, go down the stairs, the book is in the bookcase)
* Empires' Fall (Stranglethorn Vale, Booty Bay, find "Sea Wolf" McKinley, go down the stairs)
* Sunwell - The Fall of Quel'Thalas (Stranglethorn Vale, Booty Bay, on the second floor of The Salty Sailor Tavern in a corner)
* The Scourge of Lordaeron (Stranglethorn Vale, Booty Bay, find "Sea Wolf" McKinley, go down the stairs)
* Wrath of Soulflayer (Stranglethorn Vale, Booty Bay, find "Sea Wolf" McKinley, go down the stairs)

Now fly back to Ironforge
* Arathor and the Troll Wars (Ironforge, Hall of Explorers outer room)
* Ironforge - the Awakening of the Dwarves (Ironforge, Hall of Explorers)
* The Old Gods and the Ordering of Azeroth (Ironforge, Hall of Explorers)
* War of the Three Hammers (Ironforge, Hall of Explorers)
* Charge of the Dragonflights (Ironforge, Hall of Explorers)
* The Battle of Grim Batol (Ironforge, Hall of Explorers)
* Rise of the Horde (Ironforge, Hall of Explorers)

Go to Loch Modan
* The Last Guardian (Loch Modan, Thelsamar, inside the building with the wanted poster outside, downstairs)

Go to Hillsbrad Foothills
* Kel'Thuzad and the Forming of the Scourge (Hillsbrad Foothills, Southshore, in the inn second floor, on a table)

Go to Scholomance
* The Lich King Triumphant (Scholomance, when you first enter Scholomance and pass the first door, go right down the stairs and you will see the book on a table)
* The Invasion of Draenor (Scholomance, when you first enter the instance, face NE and jump down; you will see the book in the corner. These instuctions assume that you are level 80 or above...)
* The Seven Kingdoms (Scholomance, after the first iron gate, turn left and go down the stairs. The book is on the table...)

Now find your way to Darnassus
* Exile of the High Elves (Darnassus, Ask a guard for the rogue trainers, the book is next to Erion Shadewhisper)
* Rise of the Blood Elves (Darnassus, Craftman's Terrace, on the ground floor of the empty building between the Cooking and First Aid trainers, ask a guard for either of them)
* The Betrayer Ascendant (Darnassus, Trademan's Terrace, in the little inn across the cloth merchant)
* The World Tree and the Emerald Dream (Darnassus, Craftman's Terrace, last building on the left at the back)

Go to Ashenvale
* Sargeras and the Betrayal (Ashenvale, Astranaar, at 34,49)

Go to Tanaris
* Old Hatreds - The Colonization of Kalimdor (Tanaris, Gadgetzan, near the Alliance flight master)
* The Kaldorei and the Well of Eternity (Tanaris, Caverns of Time, run down the cavern until you see Alexston Chrome, the book is next to him)