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Diablo #0
Diablo: Demonsbane
Since the beginning of time, the angelic hosts of the High Heavens and the demonic hordes of the Burning Hells have been locked in a struggle for the fate of all creation. That struggle has now come to the mortal realm...and neither Man nor Demon nor Angel will be left unscathed....
What was to have been a victorious last stand against the demonic invasion of Entsteig has instead become a massacre. Only Siggard remains, a warrior unable to remember the final hours of the battle, driven by the carnage he experienced and the void in his mind to avenge those slain by the army of darkness. As he hunts the demon lord who butchered everything dear to him, Siggard also pieces together the truth of that terrible battle...and finds that his nightmare is only just beginning.
An original tale of swords, sorcery, and timeless struggle based on the bestselling, award-winning M-rated electronic game from Blizzard Entertainment. Intended for mature readers.
What was to have been a victorious last stand against the demonic invasion of Entsteig has instead become a massacre. Only Siggard remains, a warrior unable to remember the final hours of the battle, driven by the carnage he experienced and the void in his mind to avenge those slain by the army of darkness. As he hunts the demon lord who butchered everything dear to him, Siggard also pieces together the truth of that terrible battle...and finds that his nightmare is only just beginning.
An original tale of swords, sorcery, and timeless struggle based on the bestselling, award-winning M-rated electronic game from Blizzard Entertainment. Intended for mature readers.
121 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 31, 2000
12 people are currently reading
1114 people want to read
About the author
Robert B. Marks
29 books1 followerRobert B. Marks is an author, editor, researcher, and publisher. He is the author of Diablo: Demonsbane, the e-book that launched the entire Blizzard fiction line back in 2000, as well as The EverQuest Companion, the Garwulf's Corner pop culture columns, and he is the co-author of The Eternity Quartet with Ed Greenwood.
As a non-fiction author and historian he is the co-author of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Agora: Ancient Greek and Roman Humour, with R. Drew Griffith, as well as the translator of Grandmaison's Training of the Infantry for Offensive Combat, the French doctrine of 1913, and Moltke the Younger's Memories, Letters and Documents.
Put another way, he wears many hats. One is a Stetson, and the other a Tilly. He lives in the area of Kingston, Ontario, with his wife and children.
As a non-fiction author and historian he is the co-author of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Agora: Ancient Greek and Roman Humour, with R. Drew Griffith, as well as the translator of Grandmaison's Training of the Infantry for Offensive Combat, the French doctrine of 1913, and Moltke the Younger's Memories, Letters and Documents.
Put another way, he wears many hats. One is a Stetson, and the other a Tilly. He lives in the area of Kingston, Ontario, with his wife and children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
April 14, 2023
Not bad!
The Diablo series of video games is my all time favorite series! The dialogue and storylines are fantastic! This is the first Diablo novel, and though it was far from perfect, it definitely felt like a Diablo story. I will definitely read the next book in the series at some point. I'll give this book 3.5 stars and round it up to 4!
The Diablo series of video games is my all time favorite series! The dialogue and storylines are fantastic! This is the first Diablo novel, and though it was far from perfect, it definitely felt like a Diablo story. I will definitely read the next book in the series at some point. I'll give this book 3.5 stars and round it up to 4!
October 17, 2020
با اینکه مجموعه دیابلو رو نخونده بودم ولی فضاش و مخصوصا پایانشو دوست داشتم.
April 17, 2016
Not bad at all! I´ll read the whole series and play the games.
"Siggard slowly reached forward, placing his hands on the ancient leather of the hilt. As he touched it, the sword came to life, singing to him of glory and battle. It sang of armies of angels and demons, and battles at the gates of Heaven itself. And throughout the song there was a single name, a name that Siggard only had to say once, and the blade would serve him forever."
"Siggard slowly reached forward, placing his hands on the ancient leather of the hilt. As he touched it, the sword came to life, singing to him of glory and battle. It sang of armies of angels and demons, and battles at the gates of Heaven itself. And throughout the song there was a single name, a name that Siggard only had to say once, and the blade would serve him forever."
March 13, 2021
The prose here is workmanlike and often clumsy, the narrative structure concerns too much of plodding through darkness and from one defeat to another, but the last couple chapters save some of it. There's a cute twist there.
July 23, 2021
It’s just bad. And this is not another one of those “I read a video game novel but I feel guilty about my mundane tastes so am gonna trash it”.
I have read a few VG novels that I thoroughly enjoyed; Warcraft novels come to mind in contrast to this one. Both being inspired by IPs of the same company. I still have hope for the rest of the Diablo novels though, we’ll see.
The only redeeming quality of this novel is it’s fidelity to the Diablo atmosphere, themes and in-game lore. It’s pretty clear the writer had good knowledge of the game. It builds on, as well as references, in-game trivia, just not in a more than mildly amusing way. The crude, gory, and uncompromising juxtaposition of the demonic forces battling common folk as well as forces of light is still entertaining.
However, it’s redeeming qualities are not strong enough to distract from glaring mistakes and utterly uninspired dialog. And I’m not just talking about lack of refinement. I counted at least two times that the word “literally” was used incorrectly, yep, you know what kind of mistake I’m talking about. Scene transitions are choppy, and sometimes, even in a single scene there are inexplicable blanks between actions that force the reader to make assumptions.
In conclusion, for the Diablo fans interested in absorbing all about the lore and story this universe offers, just read the summary of this novel and it will be more satisfying, and you’ll save 1-2 hours.
I have read a few VG novels that I thoroughly enjoyed; Warcraft novels come to mind in contrast to this one. Both being inspired by IPs of the same company. I still have hope for the rest of the Diablo novels though, we’ll see.
The only redeeming quality of this novel is it’s fidelity to the Diablo atmosphere, themes and in-game lore. It’s pretty clear the writer had good knowledge of the game. It builds on, as well as references, in-game trivia, just not in a more than mildly amusing way. The crude, gory, and uncompromising juxtaposition of the demonic forces battling common folk as well as forces of light is still entertaining.
However, it’s redeeming qualities are not strong enough to distract from glaring mistakes and utterly uninspired dialog. And I’m not just talking about lack of refinement. I counted at least two times that the word “literally” was used incorrectly, yep, you know what kind of mistake I’m talking about. Scene transitions are choppy, and sometimes, even in a single scene there are inexplicable blanks between actions that force the reader to make assumptions.
In conclusion, for the Diablo fans interested in absorbing all about the lore and story this universe offers, just read the summary of this novel and it will be more satisfying, and you’ll save 1-2 hours.
December 2, 2014
Head I read this the year it was published, I would have been impressed. I learn English playing that game back when it was firstly available to me, and I loved it. Stories like this, just ripped of your most recent D&D adventure used to be what I love.
Yeah, have a hero, big sword, throw in some popular names (who doesn't like Tyrael, right), get us big bad demon to slay. Author tried, but it just didn't do. It felt immature, like a first draft. Unless somebody insists on having read everything from certain series, you can skip this. I certainly understand why this book was not translated into Czech unlike the rest of Diablo-themed ones. But author tried, and if you are not judging much, you might possibly like it.
Plus: it's really short.
Yeah, have a hero, big sword, throw in some popular names (who doesn't like Tyrael, right), get us big bad demon to slay. Author tried, but it just didn't do. It felt immature, like a first draft. Unless somebody insists on having read everything from certain series, you can skip this. I certainly understand why this book was not translated into Czech unlike the rest of Diablo-themed ones. But author tried, and if you are not judging much, you might possibly like it.
Plus: it's really short.
July 27, 2024
to bylo naprawde typowe fantasy cliche i jestem pewna ze bylabym w tym samym miejscu w ktorym jestem teraz gdybym zwyczajnie przeczytala podsumowanie tego klocka... w ogole nie czulabym tego diablo vibe gdyby nie dwukrotne objawienie sie aniola i wzmianka o paru miastach!!! its bad!!! not satisfying!!! and im happy it's been dismissed as canon after the franchise developed into what it is today!!!
November 21, 2016
Fun, but little more.
Demon's Bane is not without a measure of creativity, and as I sead above is fun, in its way, but it lacks any sort of depth, either from the characters or the plot. I can forgive this though, because sometimes all you want is some action and atmosphere, and on those points Demon's Bane delivers, at least enough to keep me reading for the short time it took to finish.
Where Demon's Bane really falls flat is in its reliance on a final twist to give the story weight. I can't say I saw it coming, but once it happened, it felt more like a device to explain the story rather than something earned and built to.
Still that blemish aside, I did enjoy this, probably not enough for a reread down the line, but I do not regret the time spent.
Pick it up if you're a fan of the Diablo franchise or if you like your fantasy fast moving and a little grim.
Demon's Bane is not without a measure of creativity, and as I sead above is fun, in its way, but it lacks any sort of depth, either from the characters or the plot. I can forgive this though, because sometimes all you want is some action and atmosphere, and on those points Demon's Bane delivers, at least enough to keep me reading for the short time it took to finish.
Where Demon's Bane really falls flat is in its reliance on a final twist to give the story weight. I can't say I saw it coming, but once it happened, it felt more like a device to explain the story rather than something earned and built to.
Still that blemish aside, I did enjoy this, probably not enough for a reread down the line, but I do not regret the time spent.
Pick it up if you're a fan of the Diablo franchise or if you like your fantasy fast moving and a little grim.
May 16, 2009
2.5 stars. There are many corny lines and fantasy story cliches throughout, but there are also moments of surprising creativity and genuine drama. I feel like there was a great story here that was rushed along to fit a shorter e-book format. There were too many events that weren't given the time and (for lack of a better word) drama they deserved.
The character of Sarnakyle is a bright spot here, with a complex personality and entertaining demeanor and story.
From reading bits of his gaming column, I know Marks is a talented and intelligent writer, but this story doesn't let those things shine. I imagine a longer, fuller novel from him in the future would be a much more satisfying read.
The character of Sarnakyle is a bright spot here, with a complex personality and entertaining demeanor and story.
From reading bits of his gaming column, I know Marks is a talented and intelligent writer, but this story doesn't let those things shine. I imagine a longer, fuller novel from him in the future would be a much more satisfying read.
March 3, 2025
مطابق با روایت داستانی کتاب، سیگارد چشم که باز می کند، خود را در جنگلی خوفناک می بیند؛ جنگلی که فضایی اسطوره ای و روح آمیز دارد. چالش اصلی داستان که همراه با تعلیقی جدی است، در همین ابتدای داستان ظاهر می شود. او که سعی می کند راهی برای خروج از آنجا پیدا کند، با جنازه هایی مواجه می شود که به دار آویخته شده اند. نمی داند چرا سر از این جنگل در آورده است. بعد از مدتی سرگردانی، با مردی به اسم تیرایل روبرو می شود. مکالمه ای بین آنها صورت می گیرد و تیرایل می گوید که خبر خوبی از جنگ بلک مارچ به گوشش نرسیده است و سپاه نور شکست خورده است. سیگارد در فکر فرو می رود که نکند قوای اهریمن به زادگاه و خانواده اش هم یورش برده است. این فکر او را اذیت می کند، اما نمی داند چه کار باید کند. او بار دیگر مردی را به اسم سارناکایل می بیند. سارناکایل جادوگر است و از نیروهای خیر و خوبی است و از سیگارد می خواهد تا او نیز در نبرد با اهریمن همراه او باشد. سیگارد می پذیرد و آنها راهی زادگاه سیگارد می شوند تا قبل از اهریمن به آنجا برسند؛ اما دیر به مقصد می رسند و زن و بچه و اهالی روستای سیگارد توسط اهریمن کشته و نابود شده اند؛ چالشی حزنانگیز برای شخصیت اصلی داستان. سیگارد عصبانی می شود و همراه با سارناکایل به شهر می آید تا شاهزاده تیلگار را از هجوم مه اهرمن باخبر کند. مه اهرمن چون طلسم شده است، هیچ کس نمی تواند او را بکشد و سارناکایل معتقد است که جنگ را خواهند باخت، اما سیگارد به مبارزه ادامه می دهد و با شجاعت می جنگد. جنگ که به تنگنا می رسد و سپاه نور در معرض نابودی قرار می گیرد، شاهزاده، همراهان و عده ای از مردم از طریق یک تونل فرار می کنند. آنها وقتی به نقطه ای امن می رسند، سیگارد دوباره به محل جنگ برمی گردد تا اهریمن را بکشد و در مبارزه ای سخت، طلسم را پاره می کند و اهریمن را می کشد و شهر برنور را نجات می دهد. تیرایل از راه می رسد و می گوید آفرین بر تو که جهان را نجات دادی، تو مایه افتخار همه هستی. سیگارد می گوید با این حال من آرامش ندارم. تیرایل پرده از حقیقتی برمی دارد و به او می گوید که تو در همان بلک مارچ کشته شدی، اما دو هزار سال یکبار انسانی نامیرا می شود و بین مرگ و زندگی قرار می گیرد و مردنش دست خودش است. تو را من به این مسیر هدایت کردم تا نیروهای اهریمنی را شکست دهی و برای اینکه به آرامش برسی، باید دلت را از نفرت و انتقام پاک کنی و عاشقانه به خیر و نیکی خدمت کنی. سیگارد نیز این نصیحت را پذیرفت و به شاهزاده تیلگار مدتها خدمت کرد و در جنگها شرکت نمود، اما بعد از گذشت چندین سال هنوز معلوم نیست که سرنوشت او چه شده است. فقط گهگاه در شهر برنور، سایه ای از یک مرد دیده می شود که داغدار خانواده اش است.
March 5, 2025
- The writing level was not very good, felt like a 12th grader's attempt at smart vocabulary many times, not the level of authorship I am used to seeing in the universe after having previously read Legacy of Blood and the Sin War trilogy
- Lots of cliches in the writing, seems out of place in the Diablo universe
- Story line was too transparent, it was quite obvious what was happening from the first few pages, the final few pages also beat this in to the reader with zero subtlety at all
- No character development except for Siggard, and his development is not that good in general
- Too much hand-waving away at things that would seem to need more explanation, events just happen, there is no allusion to divine providence, a backstory, a reason for certain things happening
- Repetitive descriptions of battle scenes
Final thoughts: I understand that this was a new sort of project for Blizz/Diablo at the time of publishing, but it does not seem to hold up in terms of quality over the years. You should read this as more of a novelty short story if you are a Diablo fan, not as an impactful piece of Diablo lore or an in-depth adventure.
- Lots of cliches in the writing, seems out of place in the Diablo universe
- Story line was too transparent, it was quite obvious what was happening from the first few pages, the final few pages also beat this in to the reader with zero subtlety at all
- No character development except for Siggard, and his development is not that good in general
- Too much hand-waving away at things that would seem to need more explanation, events just happen, there is no allusion to divine providence, a backstory, a reason for certain things happening
- Repetitive descriptions of battle scenes
Final thoughts: I understand that this was a new sort of project for Blizz/Diablo at the time of publishing, but it does not seem to hold up in terms of quality over the years. You should read this as more of a novelty short story if you are a Diablo fan, not as an impactful piece of Diablo lore or an in-depth adventure.
May 9, 2021
The first bit of fiction set in the world of Blizzard's Diablo games, this is a pretty short novel, but it's also a fun one. It isn't really directly related to the events in the games, although some characters appear such as Tyrael, who has a minor role as well as a chapter epigraph by Leoric.
It's a fun little story where we follow a man waking up after a battle against demons as he tries to reconstruct his life and get some revenge for the things that were done to him. More than anything the book is a little mood piece for the series and it works pretty well as that.
The world of Diablo is a pretty fascinating one, a medieval horror universe, drawing a lot from medieval representations of hell as it encroaches on the world of the novels. Full of walking dead, cannibalism, torture and demons, it's a really bleak universe but feels pretty original for all that. A nice little read.
It's a fun little story where we follow a man waking up after a battle against demons as he tries to reconstruct his life and get some revenge for the things that were done to him. More than anything the book is a little mood piece for the series and it works pretty well as that.
The world of Diablo is a pretty fascinating one, a medieval horror universe, drawing a lot from medieval representations of hell as it encroaches on the world of the novels. Full of walking dead, cannibalism, torture and demons, it's a really bleak universe but feels pretty original for all that. A nice little read.
April 10, 2021
Man, I really want to give this 4 stars because of the ending, but the first maybe 80% of the book just didn't quite pull it off.
In this book set somewhere between the Sin War trilogy and the numbered Diablo novels, we learn of Siggard, Sarnakyle, and their valiant efforts to stop a demonic host from terrorizing the mortal world. It's a very short book, more of a novella, but it does set up some background lore for some characters that almost hold a mythological status in the realm of Diablo. We also get to see some fairly decent fight scenes as well as some mounting intrigue in the events following the fall of the two major religions in books previous.
Overall, this book is worth a read if for no other reason than it's so short. If you don't like it, you're not out anything. If you do, great!
In this book set somewhere between the Sin War trilogy and the numbered Diablo novels, we learn of Siggard, Sarnakyle, and their valiant efforts to stop a demonic host from terrorizing the mortal world. It's a very short book, more of a novella, but it does set up some background lore for some characters that almost hold a mythological status in the realm of Diablo. We also get to see some fairly decent fight scenes as well as some mounting intrigue in the events following the fall of the two major religions in books previous.
Overall, this book is worth a read if for no other reason than it's so short. If you don't like it, you're not out anything. If you do, great!
October 1, 2019
My first foray into the Diablo novels, and a refreshing change from the heavy, flowery Anne Rice novels I've been reading recently.
This was a nice gentle introduction to the world of Diablo - those that have played the games will recognise much of what's described, but those with no knowledge of Blizzard's vast, lore-filled Diablo universe will not find themselves bewildered, as Mr. marks makes sure that no knowledge is assumed.
It's easy to read (only took me a few hours, spread over my lunch breaks at work), and is clearly intended for people who aren't "big readers". Which isn't a bad thing - it's a fun, fast-paced novel, and I'd recommend it to fans of Diablo, dark fantasy, or those looking for something to read on their commute!
This was a nice gentle introduction to the world of Diablo - those that have played the games will recognise much of what's described, but those with no knowledge of Blizzard's vast, lore-filled Diablo universe will not find themselves bewildered, as Mr. marks makes sure that no knowledge is assumed.
It's easy to read (only took me a few hours, spread over my lunch breaks at work), and is clearly intended for people who aren't "big readers". Which isn't a bad thing - it's a fun, fast-paced novel, and I'd recommend it to fans of Diablo, dark fantasy, or those looking for something to read on their commute!
September 15, 2023
70
Every once in a while I pick a cheesy brain candy novel that I can read on my phone when I don't have a book around. This ended up being way better than I expected for a Diablo tie-in story from before very much of the universe had been established. It's a safe and simple fantasy novella that reads more like a long fairy tale than anything, but it just ends up working to the story's benefit. It functions well as a good palette cleanser between books or something that you can get through quickly and still enjoy.
Every once in a while I pick a cheesy brain candy novel that I can read on my phone when I don't have a book around. This ended up being way better than I expected for a Diablo tie-in story from before very much of the universe had been established. It's a safe and simple fantasy novella that reads more like a long fairy tale than anything, but it just ends up working to the story's benefit. It functions well as a good palette cleanser between books or something that you can get through quickly and still enjoy.
March 18, 2022
This was good, short but still worth the read. It's the first event leading into the sin wars which all the other have been dancing around either before or after. This is also the first story to introduce Tyreal, which is the only angelic figure I knew of before reading any of the books.
Does feel like the big picture is being stitched together now. Though I did enjoyed these as individual stories as well.
Does feel like the big picture is being stitched together now. Though I did enjoyed these as individual stories as well.
June 3, 2025
The writing is as abhorrent as Diablo's terror over Tristram. The protagonist loots an epic sword several levels higher than the mob difficulty, which is Diablo alright. The fact that the final fight lasted barely for 18 lines of writing shows how fucking OP the sword is. Meanwhile, Tyrael is having a smooth shroom trip during the Night of Souls, being as useless as the Angiris council should be. Loved it, 5/5 recommended to any Diablo fan.
January 31, 2022
It wasn't bad, just short and predictable. There's nothing really special to it, as it only covers very fundamental aspects of the Diablo universe, something which makes sense since the novel is written around the same time as the first game was released. A decent read.
October 10, 2024
Really love media-tie-in properties and this one was a good read. Really set up the tone and flavor of the world something I like to call chunky fantasy. No hard magic systems and pretty loosey glossy rules. Can’t wait to continue with the novels.
August 31, 2025
Read the entire story in one day, it definitely wasn’t my favorite in the Diablo novels franchise, maybe because it was so short and if they expanded on it I would have had more time to appreciate and bond with the characters, but all in all it’s a fun read. I give it a solid 3 stars.
January 7, 2020
A lot more pirate an sea fare tilting than the other books. But a great demon story and fighting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2020
Very enjoyable for such an early work in the Diablo universe.
June 21, 2023
Demonsbane captures the atmosphere of Diablo's game world. The tone, the ambient, and the feeling of dread with mystery were on point. My only complaint is that it felt rushed, short but good.
December 3, 2023
Demonsbane is short and generic. There are hints of the engaging world of the computer game but ultimately the whole affair feels bland outside of a few shocks and one telegraphed twist.
August 25, 2024
Great easy read
September 22, 2013
Diablo: Demonsbane è il primo libro (risalente al 2000) derivato dall'universo del videogioco Diablo. L'ho trovato solo in formato elettronico quindi ho dei dubbi che esista cartaceo.
Che dire... come primo romanzo di Diablo mi aspettavo di meglio. Demonsbane è così breve da sembrare un racconto, cosa che non sarebbe nemmeno un male, se non fosse che la storia appare fin troppo condensata (quasi tagliata); il protagonista ha troppo l'aria da "predestinato", riuscendo a superare certi ostacoli in maniera eccessivamente semplice; la verosimiglianza in alcuni punti vacilla e infine, essendo rinvenibile solo in formato elettronico, si è costretti alla non sempre agevole lettura a schermo.
Per contro, è scritto in un linguaggio semplice e scorrevole e questo, per un lettore non uso a leggere romanzi in lingua inglese, non può che essere un bene; la conclusione mi è piaciuta facendomi rimpiangere la brevità del romanzo che, sviluppato meglio, avrebbe fatto ben altra figura e infine è pur sempre una storia ambientata nel mondo di Diablo: i rimandi sono pochi (alcuni nomi e il cameo di un personaggio che tutti i giocatori di Diablo 2 conosceranno), ma gli appassionati sicuramente apprezzeranno.
In conclusione: vale i 5 dollari richiesti per il download? Mah non so, sinceramente comincerei dai romanzi di Diablo scritti da Knaak e poi al limite alla fine, quando si fosse già letto tutto...
September 17, 2013
This is the first novel is the first novel of the Diablo series and was written by Robert B. Marks who started his professional writing career with this short immersion into Diablo's realm of darkness, terror and gore.
It's an easy reading and it's suitable for those who played Diablo for a little while and want to get to know the realm a little better. If you're a hardcore fan you will probably be disappointed by the style of writing.
Since it's the first novel of the series, the style it's very simple, images aren't full of details like you could expect from a Diablo book and the action is quite predictable.
Overall, for me as a big Diablo fan, it was a pleasure reading it.
It's an easy reading and it's suitable for those who played Diablo for a little while and want to get to know the realm a little better. If you're a hardcore fan you will probably be disappointed by the style of writing.
Since it's the first novel of the series, the style it's very simple, images aren't full of details like you could expect from a Diablo book and the action is quite predictable.
Overall, for me as a big Diablo fan, it was a pleasure reading it.
August 3, 2017
What can I say about this book, well to start I feel as though this was Robert Marks first novel it defiantly felt sloppy he tries to have some big M. Night Shyamalan type of revile but its plain as day from chapter One what has happened. I also don't know if he was ever in contact with anyone from the Diablo team or if Blizzard just didn't know at the time of his writing this, but he totally bombs on Tyrael's looks a blonde white dude lol. The only saving grace was the book had the decency to be short it really felt more like a fan fiction than anything else.
July 17, 2012
Very short but I can say I kinda liked it. However I wouldn't recommend to anyone. It started out with a Diablo feel to it. But it had it's times where I was wandering why it had certain parts and got extremely bored with it. A lot of it was also very very predictable. If you want a better book about Diablo I would recommend The Black Road. But if you were thinking about getting this to read I wouldn't. I'd either just borrow from a friend or try and find it online.
September 30, 2011
The book was too simple for Diablo's world and my imagination had to improvise a lot. Far too little details in descriptions and overall.
I appreciate the writer's work as this was the first Diablo novel.
I appreciate the writer's work as this was the first Diablo novel.
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