Product Description
For more than three decades, New York Times bestselling author Terry Brooks has ruled the epic fantasy realm with his legendary Shannara series. With each new novel the mythos has deepened, ever more fascinating characters have arisen, and increasingly breathtaking vistas of magical adventure have emerged. Now the evolution of one of imaginative fiction’s most beloved worlds continues in the first book of the new series Legends of Shannara: Bearers of the Black Staff.

Five hundred years have passed since the devastating demon-led war that tore apart the United States, leaving nothing but scorched and poisoned ruins, and nearly exterminating humankind. Those who escaped the carnage and blight were led to sanctuary by the boy savior known as the Hawk—the gypsy morph. In an idyllic valley, its borders warded by powerful magic against the horrors beyond, humans, elves, and mutants alike found a place they believed would be their home forever.

But after five centuries, the unimaginable has come to pass: The cocoon of protective magic surrounding the valley has vanished. When Sider Ament, the only surviving descendant of the Knights of the Word, detects unknown predators stalking the valley, he fears the worst. And when Panterra Qu and Prue Liss, expert Trackers from the human village of Glensk Wood, find two of their own gruesomely killed, there can be no doubt: The once safe haven of generations has been laid bare and made vulnerable to whatever still lurks in the wasteland of the outside world.
   
Together, Ament, the two young Trackers, and a daring Elf princess race to spread word of the encroaching danger—and spearhead plans to defend their ancestral home. But suspicion and hostility among their countrymen threaten to doom their efforts from within—while beyond the breached borders, a ruthless Troll army masses for invasion. And in the thick of it all, the last wielder of the black staff and its awesome magic must find a successor to carry on the fight against the cresting new wave of evil. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (55)

Filling in more of the back story
Although I read the first three Shannara books many years back, I haven't read the various related books which have come out since, so I can't speak to how Bearers of the Black Staff fits in that regard. As the "Legends" series name implies, it does look back in time, and there are certainly elements of the story which a reader of the of original books can latch on to as "this is how we got here" elements of the bigger Shannara sweep. That said, though, Bearers doesn't require an experience with the earlier books to be read. I won't call it strictly a stand-alone text, as there's a definite "to be continued..." ending, but it's pretty close.

Overall, I found Bearers a compelling read. The characters are interesting and "human" in that they have everyman type faults and weaknesses. There are no superheros here. The backstory of the world's evolution, the races, the elf stones, and perhaps the Druids is fleshed out to a degree, but not in a specific narrative fashion. Rather they are just elements of the story, which is one of transition and the clashing of worlds. This isn't a big epic tale, though. It actually only covers a few weeks or perhaps a couple months in time, but the events are clearly important ones.

Shannara 0.2?
Terry Brooks's Genesis of Shannara Series marked an interesting fusion of science fiction and fantasy as Brooks linked his Knight of the Word series to Shannara. I also found this trilogy more compelling than many of his last few Shannara Trilogies, which often suffered from underdeveloped characters that were thrust into quests just complicated enough to make it through the end of the trilogy.

One thing I've always loved about Brooks's Shannara series is that magic always has high stakes and a high cost. Using it alters the magic user and often many of the evil characters are often ruined by overusing magic and poor choices. This magic and magic items are also on the verge of extinction. Of course most of this comes from Tolkien, but it is still a fairly unique trait, though the more verbose Robert Jordan and Terry Goodkind often pick up this theme as well.

Bearers of the Black Staff takes place five hundred years after the end of The Gypsy Morph, as humans, elves and mutants survive in relative isolation from the rest of the ruined world, protected by a magic barrier. The druid like outcast Knight of the Word, Sider Ament, discovers this barrier is failing as two creatures from the outside world have broken through. Fate brings him in contact with two elfin scouts he enlists to spread the word to the various races of this discovery. The three of them face conflict in and out of the barrier in what sets up the sequel with somewhat smaller stakes that I would imagine.

Still, of all the various series Brooks has done, Shannara has always been my favorite. I hope he will keep writing novels in this prequel Shannara era.

Something old, something new...
I'm a long-time fan of the Shannara stories and was looking forward to this one. I'm not a fanatic, mind you, so I won't just give something 5 stars because it was penned by Terry Brooks.

Taking this book as a standalone story would probably leave someone pretty disappointed.Someone who has followed the series for many years might see this is the next step along the path, but I think it needs to be considered in a slightly different light: this is the first of a new series (of 2).Consequently, this one is full of exposition and explanation -- it is a bridge between the Genesis of Shannara series and whatever comes next -- and that tends to be a little dry.This one isn't fantastic, but it is a very good start.

We start 5 centuries since Hawk led his group of people to the valley and sealed them away from the nastiness of the world.People (even Elves, Spiders, Lizards) are still people and doing what they do.Although there isn't much in the way of big, bad predators or demons, greed for power never really goes away and large groups of people just can't seem to live together happily. I like that the exposition is handled by introducing conflict into the little valley so that the reader can be incrementally exposed to the environment as they have grown and changed (or not!) over the past 500 years.It is interesting to see more gluing together of the worlds occurring like the origin of the Trolls, and I expect a lot more of that in the conclusion of this series, "The Measure of the Magic," set for August 2011.

Storytelling is typical Brooks: I found this one difficult to put down and was disappointed when it ended.There are multiple simultaneous storylines occurring, and one that happens via flashbacks, so I think there is plenty going on to keep the reader interested.With murder, mystery, intrigue, battle, politics and infidelity, there is a lot to take in.It may not be a great place to jump into the world of Shannara, but is good to see for those of us who have been following the convergence of the Word and Void and Shannara worlds.

Disenchanting and unbelievable
Why? Because the characters make it a point to avoid the obvious.

**SPOILER ALERT**

I don't understand how in a rough and tumble world like the one painted here someone can hire an assassin to kill two teenagers and NOBODY feels that killing the orchestrator, the Seraphic, is not only a good move, but easily accomplished? He's an old man with a silver tongue; take him out. Instead, knowing full well this guy tried to kill people for speaking out against his beliefs, all the characters proceed to involve him in major decisions. This is dumb. An army capable of destroying or enslaving the entire population is knocking at the valley's door, why keep a viper in the nest? All this happens AFTER the Gray Man explains to Pan that the good of the many totally outweighs the good of Prue, basically telling him to think rationally and do whatever it takes to protect the most amount of people from harm. So obviously we shouldn't do anything about the guy everybody knows is either strong-arming people or killing them outright when they don't follow his zealotry.

Reading this I was actually rooting for the Trolls. They were actively looking to make their situation better. It seemed like everybody in the valley was just being stubborn without good reason.

Also, I totally agree with the others that have stated writing half a book or a portion of a larger story in a single book is annoying. It was annoying when Tolkien did it and it's more annoying now. Give the reader a complete and self-contained tale. Where are the ways of the Elfstones, Wishsong, and Sword? Those were a generational trilogy, all engaging reads, all their own unique stories. PLEASE bring that level of writing and respect back for your readers!

Brilliant
I have followed the Shannara and the Heritage of Shannara series, and this novel is just as great.You would think that the author would tap out the last bit of excitement and novelty...but this whole series of Shannara novels are alive....they change, grow and "become" as each new novel is published.I will not go into details..that would be a spoiler...buy the book....sit...read....and enjoy the adventure. ... Read more

Product Description
Terry Brooks won instant acclaim with his phenomenal New York Times bestseller The Sword of Shannara. Its sequels earned Brooks legendary status. Then his darkly enthralling The Word and the Void trilogy revealed new depths and vistas to his mastery of epic fantasy. Armageddon’s Children and The Elves of Cintra took Brooks’s remarkable mythos to a breathtaking new level by delving deep into the history of Shannara. And now, The Gypsy Morph rounds out–with an adventure of unforgettably imaginative scope–the first phase of a new chapter in this classic series.

Eighty years into the future, the United States is a no-man’s-land: its landscape blighted by chemical warfare, pollution, and plague; its government collapsed; its citizens adrift, desperate, fighting to stay alive. In fortified compounds, survivors hold the line against wandering predators, rogue militias, and hideous mutations spawned from the toxic environment, while against them all stands an enemy neither mortal nor merciful: demons and their minions bent on slaughtering and subjugating the last of humankind.

But from around the country, allies of good unite to challenge the rampaging evil. Logan Tom, wielding the magic staff of a Knight of the Word, has a promise to keep–protecting the world’s only hope of salvation–and a score to settle with the demon that massacred his family. Angel Perez, Logan’s fellow Knight, has risked her life to aid the elvish race, whose peaceful, hidden realm is marked for extermination by the forces of the Void. Kirisin Belloruus, a young elf entrusted with an ancient magic, must deliver his entire civilization from a monstrous army. And Hawk, the rootless boy who is nothing less than destiny’s instrument, must lead the last of humanity to a latter-day promised land before the final darkness falls.

The Gypsy Morph is an epic saga of a world in flux as the mortal realm yields to a magical one; as the champions of the Word and the Void clash for the last time to decide what will be and what must cease; and as, from the remnants of a doomed age, something altogether extraordinary rises.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (75)

Great book
The seller was a pleasure to do business with. I got the book just as it was explained.

Genesis of Shannara Series
Terry Brooks first hooked me with his original classic"The Sword of Shannara" Since then I've been on a mythical ride to enchanting lands every since.Mr. Brooks has done it again.Combining two of his best series to take us on a trip through a post-apocalyptic world in true "Brooks" fashion. Wonderful characters along with plot twists heroes and heart ache. Few do it as well and none do it better.

Excellant
Book was used but like new, delivered promptly and at a very reasonable price. It was a gift for my grandson and he could hardly put it down so I think that would classify it as a good read.

A touching finish to a gripping trilogy
As the tale of Gypsy Morph Hawk comes to a close, the story brings many emotional story lines to a touching end.Logan Tom finally finds and kills the demon who killed his family, with help from a new found love.Hawk and his girlfriend discover that she is pregnant, but are torn by Hawk's duty as the Gypsy Morph.The unlikely love story between Cat and Panther is confirmed.The location of what will become the Four Lands is finally found.The trilogy still leaves loose ends as to what becomes of Hawk's human side.We know that he emerges from the magic shield his Gypsy Morph part created as a fully grown man, but we don't know whether he returns to his "wife" Tessa and their child, or if he becomes an important character in the "First King of Shannara."We don't know what becomes of the Knights of the Word in the Four Lands.All we do know is that the old world we know is destroyed in a final nuclear exchange, the Four Lands survive shielded by the Gypsy Morph's magic.It leaves a tantalizing cliff-hanger for Terry Brooks' next work, "Bearers of the Black Staff."

Great conclusion to the trilogy
The Gypsy Morph is the final book in The Genesis of Shannara trilogy, finishing the story began in Armageddon's Children and continued in The Elves of Cintra.Will the boy, Hawk, lead the children to safety?Will the elves survive their journey in the Loden?Will the Knights of the Word survive at all?How does the world end?

Brooks again masterfully weaves together the separate tales that he has created for each main group of characters, finally connecting them so the reader can gain a different perspective of the whole picture.Although, in a way, we know the outcome of this story, Brooks now fills in the details along the way.Each character is carefully crafted and has a unique personality that fits the role they must play.Brooks builds his world with so much detail that it is almost another character in the story, impacting the choices the other characters must make.Emotions run high in this book with fear and doubt only slightly tempered by hope.

The Gypsy Morph is a a satisfying conclusion to The Genesis of Shannara trilogy.It contains much darkness but finally begins the journey into the light.The Genesis of Shannara books do a great job at bridging the gap between The Word and The Void series and the rest of the Shannara story. ... Read more

Product Description
Terry Brooks is one of a handful of writers whose work defines modern fantasy fiction. His twenty-three international bestsellers have ranged from the beloved Shannara series to stories that tread a much darker path. Armageddon’s Children is a new creation–the perfect opportunity for readers unfamiliar with Brooks’s previous work to experience an author at the height of his considerable storytelling powers. It is a gripping chronicle of a once-familiar world now spun shockingly out of control, in which an extraordinary few struggle to salvage hope in the face of terrifying chaos.

Logan Tom is doomed to remember the past and determined to rescue the future. Far behind him lies a boyhood cut violently short by his family’s slaughter, when the forces of madness and hate swept our world after decadent excesses led to civilization’s downfall. Somewhere ahead of him rests the only chance to beat back the minions of evil that are systematically killing and enslaving the last remnants of humanity. Navigating the scarred and poisoned landscape that once was America and guided by a powerful talisman, Logan has sworn an oath to seek out a remarkable being born of magic, possessed of untold abilities, and destined to lead the final fight against darkness.

Across the country, Angel Perez, herself a survivor of the malevolent, death-dealing forces combing the land, has also been chosen for an uncanny mission in the name of her ruined world’s salvation. From the devastated streets of Los Angeles, she will journey to find a place–and a people–shrouded in mystery, celebrated in legend, and vital to the cause of humankind . . . even as a relentless foe follows close behind, bent on her extermination. While in the nearly forsaken city of Seattle, a makeshift family of refugees has carved out a tenuous existence among the street gangs, mutants, and marauders fighting to stay alive against mounting odds–and something unspeakable that has come from the shadows in search of prey.

In time, all their paths will cross. Their common purpose will draw them together. Their courage and convictions will be tested and their fates will be decided, as their singular crusade begins: to take back, or lose forever, the only world they have.

In Armageddon’s Children, Brooks brings his gifts as a mythmaker to the timeless theme of the unending, essential conflict between darkness and light–and carries his unique imaginative vision to a stunning new level. Prepare for a breathtaking tour de force. To those who are new to Terry Brooks, welcome. And to those who have read him for many years: prepare for a dramatic surprise.


From the Hardcover edition.Amazon.com Review
If you have never read anything by beloved fantasy writer Terry Brooks, take your chance with Armageddon's Children, a rich and absorbing epic in which the world lies in ruins as the powers of darkness and light battle for control. Want to learn more? Watch our video featuring Terry Brooks:

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Customer Reviews (133)

Really not that great at all...
Ever since the encounter with the giant abandoned robot thingy in The Sword of Shannarah I have wanted to know what happened to this world.Unfortunately I have grown up and recognized Brooks for the bore that he is.There is not nearly enough dialogue in his books, and his paragraph structure is so predictable that you can get by with reading the first and last sentence of a paragraph and know exactly what was said in it.This truly is a disjointed tale with very little to draw the reader in - and as soon as something interesting starts to develop Brooks cuts it off and starts a new chapter dealing with different characters in a different setting.Over halfway through the book a new storyline dealing with elves is started.There should be a rule in writing - all new subplots and "main" characters should be introduced as soon as possible.If this isn't done, the reader is confused.Wait a minute, who are these people?Where are they?Ellcrys?Isn't that from some different, later book of his?Oh, he's talking about the elves.Wait a minute, there are elves in this book?I thought this was supposed to be set in America... I don't know of any elves in America. And so on.This entire section of the book is so random and comes out of nowhere that it seems like it was part of a different book that accidentally got slipped into this one.I like the story's that Brooks tells, but getting through them is a chore.Not sure if I will be finishing this series, or reading any of his books again.

Bait and Switch Shannara
My introduction to Terry Brooks was in the "Magic Kingdom" series.They were entertaining enough, so I picked up the first Shannara novel (in terms of publication order) to see if his master series was any good.And it wasn't for me.No harm, no foul.

When I found "Armageddon's Children" in the bargain section, I decided to give it a chance specifically because (a) it bore no mention of Shannara, and (b) was mentioned in the text as a good introduction to Terry Brooks for someone who hasn't read Shannara.

Only when I finished the book (with an ending that felt more like a stopping place than a conclusion) did I realize that (a) it was part of a series, and (b) that the series was entitled "Genesis of Shannara."In other words, a story that had originally appeared to be a standalone, post apocalyptic novel without any relationship to Shannara turned out to be a mere prequel.

And let me say, it is no place for the uninitiated.Too many characters and concepts are introduced without making the reader care about them.Perhaps in other novels that came before, we are told what is at stake and why we should care, but it is conspicuously absent from this volume.

I gave the book two stars instead of one because I can't blame Brooks for the way the book was marketed.I gave it two stars instead of five because the book was poorly written.

I'm sure there are those for whom Brooks' style is intended, but it is not for those with any attention to detail.Foreshadowing is layered in heavily, and when it pays off, it is done so with a giant finger pointing backward to the setup.It is as if the author has no faith in the ability of the reader to remember something that happened even a few pages back.

The plot was trite, the characters one-dimensional archetypes with no personality of their own, and the introduction of elves halfway through led me to abandon the book for months, before forcing my way to the end.

If you're a Terry Brooks fan, then this review only made you mad.If you're not, let it stand as a warning--if you want to be a Terry Brooks fan, this is simply not a good place to start.

Great book
The seller was a pleasure to do business with. I got the book just as it was explained.

Moving from Earth to Shannara in measured steps
The nightmares that John Ross had in the series "The word and the Void" have become reality. The United States and the world have gone from what we currently know to an apocalyptic future in which the side of evil has won and the world has gone mad. Bands of once-men are lead by demons that go around the countryside killing and enslaving humankind and taking their children and converting them to demons, while the poisons that were unleashed in humanity's unbridled fall are causing various mutations to take place and bizarre creatures roam the cities and the lands.

However, not all is lost and bad. There are still Knights of the Word around and in this initial novel of a three piece set, we meet two of them. They are each sent on missions by the Lady which are intended to support the movement of a small group of humans from this awful reality that they are in, to the future world where the side of good will have the upper hand. If you thought (like I did) that the Word and the Void series ended up unfinished, this new series takes the author's concepts forward and continue the movement towards the fantasy of Shannara which were the earlier books in Brooks's body of work. As an example, the Gypsy Morph was a major element of the previous storyline, yet we did not find out what happened to it. In this book, we move forward about 100 years and find out what its purpose appears to be.

As is normal with Terry Brooks, this initial book in the trilogy introduces us to the characters and sets the stage in which they operate. In this case we meet Logan Tom who is a Knight of the Word - interesting that he always introduces himself as Logan Tom, never referring to himself as Logan! - who was rescued as a young child by a band of human fighters from the demons. He is now travelling the countryside destroying the slave camps where humans are kept and their children subjected to horrifying experiments intended to breed demons. Logan Tom has demons of his own which we learn about during the course of the book. We also meet Angel Perez, another Knight of the Word who saves the children when she can from the armies of demons. She also has some emotional baggage that she wrestles with. We meet a band of street kids who have come together in the streets of what used to be Seattle to scratch out a living by hiding in the ruins of the city. My favorite demon from the Word and the Void returns to lead armies of once-men, and finally, the elves from Shannara turn out to be living in Oregon in some very well hidden forests and they have their own issues, but they are already guarding their special tree.

This last twist of plotting was one that I did not life. Not that I mind elves, but it was a bit too much of a suspension of the imagination to believe that a whole race of faerie creatures are living for millennia in the world, and they do not do anything to stop the rise of the evil that now surrounds them and will likely consume them. I was tempted to take one star off of this review for that reason, but decided not to, as I am sure that the author was struggling with the problem of how to introduce the elves into the world that he is evolving, and this was his ultimate choice. So, while I disagree with it, it is his book, and his series. Thankfully, the parts devoted to the elves in this volume are pretty small and so they do not detract too much from the rest of the developing storyline.

If you've read other Terry Brooks novels, then the general arc of this trilogy will be familiar to you and you know what to expect in the next two books. I will not spoil it for those of you who perhaps have not read him before. However, it should be noted that this trilogy is part of the author's efforts to tie together our world with his Shannara world and the whole set of his books (with the exception of the Landover series) are falling into a sequence that should probably be read in order. In other words, you should read the Word and the Void series before starting on this one. Several characters that are key characters in this book, are introduced and their stories told in that other series. That is the reason that I did take one star off of this book. It is definitely not a standalone novel, nor should it be read first, and that is not indicated anywhere on the cover. Otherwise, this is a typical Terry Brooks book with his imagination, writing style, and characterizations as we all know and like them. Enjoy!

Awesome beginning
Not sure why some reviewers have an issue with this book, but whatever.Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I respect that.I have been a fan for many many moons.I have read everything by Brooks so far (with the exception of books 2 and 3 in this series and the new Landover) and absolutely love it.Not sure how big a fan of bridging this with Shannara I am, but I'll figure that out after I finish the series.I don't know that I would make this the first Brooks novel I read.I would recommend at least Sword of Shannara and the Word and Void trilogy before wrapping an eye around this.Elfstones and Wishsong would be recommended as well, or at least Sword and Elfstones before starting the Word and Void.It would just help clarify certain things.I think you can come in not having read any of the books and like it, pick up some of it, etc, but if you're familiar with at least the idea of the Elfstones and maybe the Ellcrys, things will make more sense as to why they are mentioned.The Knight of the Word concept is easily picked up as there is a certain amount of rehash; that was probably done for those who are maybe coming in cold.
To be honest, when I saw "genesis of shannara" I almost cringed.It's sorta akin to Tolkien having done "genesis of middle earth."And maybe he did; I'm not a huge Tolkien fan.I mean, I read the Hobbit and LotR, but didn't ever get into the expanded universe stuff.LotR didn't capture me enough to want to go deeper.And yet I loved Sword of Shannara, which is in some respects a retelling of LotR.There are a lot of comparisons anyway.But I digress a little.I wasn't sure about bridging the W&V series, which is a great series in its own right, with Shannara.I don't know, it may end up being a "chocolate in my peanut butter" moment (if you are old enough to remember those commercials, I say HUZZAH!!), so we'll see.
Any rate, we pick up after we've royally screwed ourselves over.And the KotW are still trying to keep us normals safe from the boogeymen.Enter the gypsy morph who is our charge.At this point, I am not venturing a guess how the series is going to turn out despite the fact I know what happens several centuries or so down the timeline.It will be interesting to see the Ellcrys's full role in this as she in theory is already holding back the demons in the Forbidding.Are the rest getting thrown into the Forbidding when she gets moved? I do vaguely get the feeling we will be changing Ellcrys's in the series, could be wrong though.
So, is this worthy of Brooks's other stuff?Yes.I think so anyway.A lot of his fans, or maybe those who aren't too familiar with his work, forget that his subsequent Shannara series (after the first three) have their stories spread out over three or four books.Each book in the series isn't really meant to be one encapsulated story.The original three Shannara novels were spread out.There was a generation or two between stories.By their nature they had to be self-contained stories and have their resolution by the end of the book.The Word and Void series was like that as well to an extent.There was a passage of time, be it a few months or a few years, between stories, yet they were all part of the same overall story.
In the end, I thought the story was just paced just about right.You got what you were supposed to get out of the book.And "part 1 of..." storys don't always have the character depth everyone likes. I think Brooks goes at it this way:you don't need to know the entire life story of a character, only what is relevant for the story at hand.You get the character fleshed out as he needs too, so that at the end of the overall story, you know the character.I don't like knowing the character better than I know me when I first meet them.It makes their actions too predictable.You know they are going to do this or that.Even when you don't know much about the character, there is a certain predictability because you know what their job is and by extension what they are going to do.
So now that this review has pretty well rambled on about both everything and nothing, this was a good read start to finish and I cannot wait to get started on part 2. ... Read more

Product Description
Now in one thrilling volume–experience the magic, the intrigue, and the excitingescapades of the final two novels in Terry Brooks's spellbinding Magic Kingdomof Landover seriesAll appears well with Ben Holiday. He's finally secured forhimself the throne of Landover, and he and his wife, the exquisite sylph Willow,are expecting their first child. But their peaceful days are numbered.Theconjurer Horris Kews returns to Landover and inadvertently releases an evilsorcerer from the Tangle Box, a magic chest used by the fairy folk to imprisonwayward spirits. Now free, the sorcerer traps Ben inside the box’s labyrinthinepassages and plots to wreak havoc in Landover using Horris as his pawn. ButBen's greatest challenge comes when Rydall, a foreign king, issues Ben anultimatum: defeat seven deadly champions, or Rydall’s armies invade Landover.Complicating matters is the devastating fact that Ben and Willow's youngdaughter has been kidnapped–and her fate lies in Rydall's dangeroushands.Relying on his loyal friends, his steadfast wife, and no small amount ofendurance and enchantment, Ben risks his life to save everything he loves. Butthis time, black magic may prove too powerful for even the most devoted heart. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great book.
Great book but read the first book.The first book is slow at first but stick with it and it will get you hooked.I won't talk about the book since others have done so and to keep it short.

Landover Series
Terry Brooks is an awesome writer and his Landover series is very engaging.I totally recommend reading this series!

Terry Brooks Kingdom of Landover
I love Terry Brooks & his writing a new installment to the Landoer series urged me to pick up the complete series to be brepared for the new book.

More Adventures of the High Lord
The Magic Kingdom of Landover Volume 2 (2009) is an omnibus edition of the Landover series, following The Magic Kingdom of Landover Volume 1.In the previous omnibus, Ben became the King of Landover, learned how to invoke the Paladin -- the king's champion -- and foiled attempts to overthrow his rule.

The following is compiled from my more complete reviews of these books, which are also posted on Amazon.

The Tangle Box (1994) is the fourth fantasy novel in this series.Ben has been King of Landover for about three years.

Horris is very angry at Biggar for blowing his con.Biggar might have magically enhanced intelligence, but he is still a birdbrain at times.This time, the bird claims that Skat Mandu contacted him and told him to confess all.Since Horris had created Skat Mandu out of his own imagination, the scammer cannot believe Biggar.

Horris takes the tangle box and escapes from his irritated victims.He is not really sure what the box is, but he conjured it up one day and is very certain that it is the most valuable thing that he possesses.Biggar tells him a sequence of magic words and Horris pronounces them.The box lid disappears, mists arise from the box and they flee through the mists.

They find themselves back in Landover.Then Horris and Biggar are confronted by the Gorse.It tempts them with promises of power over the whole kingdom.The Gorse has Horris write three notes and sends Biggar to deliver them.

Meanwhile, Willow informs Ben of her pregnancy.He is astonished and joyful.He quickly dresses and bounds down the stairs to tell the news to his friends.When he arrives in the dining room, his announcement is delayed by the arrival of Horris and Biggar.

Questor recognizes Horris and is adamant that he should be thrown into a cell in the dungeons.Even Abernathy is against listening to Horris.Yet Ben invites Horris into the chamber and hears his supplication, but only promises to consider the request.

Willow goes on a quest at the invitation of the Earth Mother.She tells Ben that she has to go alone.When she reaches the elemental spirit, the Earth Mother gives her certain instructions.

Ben receives a note under his pillow and goes to meet Strabo at the Heart, but finds Nightshade instead.She too had received a note that she believed came from Ben.Strabo appears after receiving a note from Nightshade.Then Horris triggers the trap and all three are sucked into the tangle box and trapped within the Labyrinth.

Witches' Brew (1995) is the fifth fantasy novel in this series.Ben has been King of Landover for about five years.

In this story, Nightshade has been observing Misty for the past two years.One day, she lets Misty find her hiding in a tree as a white crow with red eyes.After Ben calls Misty back to the picnic, the witch flies away to the Deep Fell to initiate her plans.

The next morning, Willow awakens with a premonition of great harm.Then Abernathy tells them that someone is outside the gates of Sterling Silver.Ben finds a black knight and a hunched companion on the other side of the moat and a black gauntlet thrown down on the causeway as a challenge.

Naming himself Rydell, the knight claims to be the King of Marnhull, an empire on the other side of the fairy mists.He threatens Landover with a huge army of conquest.He asks Ben to relinquish the throne of Landover to save countless deaths from the invasion.

When Ben refuses, Rydell offers an alternative to invasion.He will send seven creatures to fight with Ben or his champion.If Ben wins all seven conflicts, Rydell will leave Landover.Otherwise, Rydell will take the throne from Ben.

Ben finally accepts the challenge.He and Willow send Mistaya to her grandfather, the River Master.But Nightshade attacks the escort and tries to kill Questor and Abernathy.Yet her deadly magic is nullified by Haltwhistle and the court wizard and scribe are translated to Earth instead.

Rydell announces the abduction of Misty and produces her pony as evidence.Willow recognizes the pony and scarves as belonging to her daughter.Ben sends Bunion to check whether Misty had arrived in the Elderew.When Bunion confirms that Mistaya had never reached the Lake Country, Ben starts searching for his daughter elsewhere in Landover.

Meanwhile, Nightshade convinces Misty that she has been rescued from an abduction attempt by Rydell and that her parents know where she is.Then Nightshade offers to teach her magic and Mistaya accepts the offer.Nightshade soon begins her first lesson.

This omnibus is the last of the original series.But another volume has recently appeared:A Princess of Landover.Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Brooks fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of magic kingdoms, perilous adventures, and young magical princess.

-Arthur W. Jordin ... Read more

Product Description
Ben Holiday, mere mortal turned monarch of the magic kingdom of Landover, has grappled with numerous contenders for his throne, but nothing could have prepared him for the most daunting of challengers: his headstrong teenage daughter, Mistaya. After getting suspended from an exclusive private school in our world, Mistaya is determined to resume her real education—learning sorcery from court wizard Questor Thews—whether her parents like it or not. Then, horrified that a repulsive Landover nobleman seeks to marry her, Mistaya decides that the only way to run her own life is to run away from home.

So begins an eventful odyssey peppered with a formidable dragon, recalcitrant Gnomes, an inscrutable magic cat, a handsome librarian, a sinister sorcerer, and more than a few narrow escapes as fate draws Landover’s intrepid princess into the thick of a mystery that will put her mettle to the test—and possibly bring the kingdom to its knees.
  ... Read more

Customer Reviews (36)

A headstrong princess gets comeuppence
Princess Mistaya gets kicked out of the earth school her parents chose for her and returns home. She battles her father over her future then runs away from his decisions about it, thinking she knows best. Then things get interesting. An evil lord wants to marry her, her grandfather sides with her father about her future and she takes refuge in the place her father wanted to put her. Here a forgotten wizard takes over and Mistaya tries to fight him. Up until this point Brooks has done a good job in presenting Mistaya's side, now he lets the wizard Crabit play as the all knowing, all scheming evil doer, brings in the evil lord suitor and a power fight develops andwe get a development involving Nightshade which seems to presage future action. The early parts ofbook were written at a high level profiling of Mistaya but the later part is much more juvenile. Brooks seems to involve Edgewood Dirk and Haltwhistle both to lenthen the story and to get Mistaya out of a jam, also Strabo and her father's aids, Questor Thews and Abernathy for the same reason, not let Mistaya do it as he had done earlier. Still I thought it was a good read.

Terry Brooks is--without a doubt--the reason WHY I got into reading
The entire reason why I began reading in the first place was a friend of mine literally INSISTED that I check out the 'Sword of Shannara' back in 1978, about a year after it had come out. Now you have to realize at this time I wasn't even a CASUAL reader, and faced with such a thick book was not something I was familiar--or comfortable with...and yet I followed through on my agreement and finished the book which would eventually transform my entire thought-process regarding reading for 'fun'. At this point I read because my teachers in school required it. I hadn't found ANYTHING that entertained me enough to want to do it 'just 'cuz'. I went on to devour the next 2 Shannara novels as quickly as I could. It took me YEARS before I took the gamble and plunged into the Landover series. I recall with absolute clarity seeing 'Magic Kingdom For Sale: SOLD!' on the bookshelf at a Waldens Bookstore in San Diego back in 1986. Already a HUGE fan of Terrys, I initially thought it was another Shannara tale...and as I was waiting in line--with the book IN hand waiting to pay for it I made the discovery that this was a brand NEW series. I slowly stepped OUT of line and after a few minutes of what I thought was careful thought, placed the book BACK on the shelf and walked out. I remember this very clearly.

Jump ahead to 2002, when I was in a slump trying to find something to read, I stopped on a whim at a used bookstore on my way home from work and long story short, I picked up a rather tattered copy of the first Landover novel, and decided to give it a try after all. As I finished that first book I felt a sudden rush of many different things...everything from anger to guilt. I had cheated myself ALL these years simply because I didn't want to read a Fantasy other than Shannara. How stupid of me.

Leap ahead yet again to 2007 when I had the opportunity to interview Terry for the 6th time, and he revealed to me that he had an idea for another Landover book...it immediately propelled my attention from good all the way to absolute. Oh really?? He has said over the years that he had ended the Landover series and had worked hard to sew up the loose-ends enough that he never really felt the need to ever re-visit Landover again...but a spark hit him from out of the blue and the entire plot of a new story began to emerge and before long, he revealed the plan to his publishers, who immediately thought it was a great idea.

The wait was long and harsh for many, but the question now was this: was it WORTH it? Let me say this: absolutely. Some will argue with my opinion, while others may agree and ultimately the decision will be yours as to whether or not the story lived up to YOUR expectations. Terry can't please everyone--nor should he try. All he can do is reap the fertile imagination that he was blessed with and write what he alone has invested so many years in developing. I used to be quite harsh on some authors after finishing up specific books and being very disappointed in how they turned out--especially when I had loved the previous novels so much...but after interviewing several of them myself, I began to understand one very critical, important thing: these stories are THEIRS, as long as they continue to write and allow me the privilege of immersing myself into THEIR world, I ought to have at least a LITTLE respect for what they chose to do with the world of their own creation. Sure, some books have been better than others, but I still try to respect their imagination which--lets be honest: is absolutely boundless for the most part. And so it is with A Princess of Landover. I enjoyed getting back INTO the series that I had ignored for so long unnecessarily, and it was a very pleasant experience. It wasn't as deep and action-filled as the typical Shannara storyline, but then again, it isn't MEANT to be. The Landover series was always meant to be more light-hearted and even funny at times (which they are). I personally believe that this novel fits perfectly within this particular series and while not everyone will feel the same, needs to read the book for themselves in order to make their own opinions, and after all, please remember: Opinions Vary.

Thank you Terry once again for allowing me the opportunity to have a tiny glimpse into your amazing imagination. As always, you impress me and above all, make me feel as though EVERY novel you write that I purchase will most assuredly be money well spent.

A really great read!!
Terry Brooks did it again with his great imagination for the Landover series.It was a great continuation of the story.I recommend this book for any fantasy reader!

Holden Caulfield goes to Landover. Not quite.
This is Mistaya's story. The familiar denizens of Landover all make cameo appearances, but are peripheral to the main storyline, Mistaya's search for independence. I kept thinking, Holden Caulfield goes to Landover. Not quite. The book is even paced, too even. There is not as much action or suspense as in the other books. The story is well written. There is enough background exposition to allow someone new to the series to understand what is going on, although I would rather someone new to the series to start with the first book because it is a much better story. The other books in the series should not be read out of order.

Fans of the series waited many years for another book. While grateful for the continuation, I hope the next volume will continue the trend of increasingly complex storylines that was so evident in the first five books. Mr. Brooks has definitely left a setup for book seven.

Misty Angst
A Princess of Landover (2009) is the sixth Fantasy novel in the Magic Kingdom of Landover series, following Witches' Brew.In the previous volume, Rydell threatened Landover with a huge army of conquest.Nightshade convinced Misty that she has been rescued from an abduction attempt by Rydell and that her parents knew where she was.Then Nightshade offered to teach her magic and Mistaya accepted the offer.

In this novel, Mistaya is the only daughter of Ben and Willow.Misty was gestated by soil from Landover, Earth and the fairy mists.She grew into a human looking infant, but developed more quickly.She has the body and emotions of a fifteen year old and the mind of someone in the mid twenties.

Ben Holiday is a former trial lawyer.He has been King of Landover for about eighteen years.He is married to Willow.

Willow is a sylph, the daughter of the River Master and a wood nymph.She is also Ben's wife and the mother of Mistaya.

Questor Thews is the court wizard of Landover.He was the half-brother of the former court wizard.His wizardry has improved somewhat, but he still cannot return Abernathy to his human body.

Abernathy is the court scribe.He is also a talking dog.He had once been a human, but had been transformed by Questor.

Strabo is a dragon, a huge fire-breathing magical creature.He likes young women, but doesn't care for Ben.

Edgewood Dirk is a Prism cat.He is a Fae creature of the mists, with several magical powers and the personality of a cat.

Haltwhistle is a mud puppy.He serves the Earth Mother and has his own form of magic.

Poggwydd and Shoopdiesel are G'home Gnomes.They live in burrows, so are generally dirty.And they assume that any unwatched animal is fair game.They particularly like to dine on family pets.

Nightshade is the Witch of Deep Fell.She came from the fairy mists long ago.She has been trapped in the form of her crow familiar within the Seattle zoo for the past few years.

In this story, Misty is attending Carrington Women's Preparatory, a posh academy for pre-college students.She is called into the office of the headmistress about an escapade involving an illusion of Strabo, which scared some of her fellow students into leaving her alone.This is her third transgression of the rules, so she is suspended from classes.

Misty is more upset with the school's unfair policies than saddened by the suspension.She decides to leave school immediately and return to Landover.She is met by Strabo, who warns her never to use his image without asking his permission.Then she finds Haltwhistle waiting for her.

On the way to Sterling Silver, Misty discovers Poggwydd wrapped in rope and hung from a tree.She releases the G'home Gnome and takes him with her to the castle.Her parents are surprised to see her and even more surprised by the suspension.

Ben tries to convince Misty that she had been in the wrong, but to no avail.Questor and Abernathy come up with a plan to send Misty to Libiris to restore the old library.Then Laphroig of Rhyndweir asks permission to court Misty.

Her parents seem so unfair to Misty, particularly her father.He sides with Carrington's policies, wants to marry her to the ugly Laphroig, and is trying to send her off to a musty, dusty and decrepit library. So Misty leaves home and travels to her grandfather, the River King.When he sides with her parents, she runs away again.

This time she -- and the G'home Gnomes -- accompany Edgewood Dirk out of Elderew.His magic shields her from detection, but he insists that Misty choose the destination.With some hints from the Prism cat, she decides to go to Libiris.

Meanwhile, Nightshade is perched on the highest limb in the avian cage, observing everything with her red eyes.She had appeared suddenly in the cage, seemingly out of nowhere.Now she is thinking about her revenge and watching for a way to escape.

This tale takes Misty into a very dangerous situation, involving a rogue wizard, demons from Abaddon, and a mysterious young man.Her parents are frantic about her disappearance, but resolve to wait for her to surface on her own.Naturally, Ben looks for her every day with the Landview.

The story reintroduces us to Landover, from the surrounding mists to the demons underneath.All the major characters are shown or mentioned in this novel.And the plot is not much different from the previous novels.

Yet this tale has its own charms.Of course, a rebellious teenager is not really charming, but it does remind me of my five daughters.One suspects that the author also has a daughter or two.

Yet the situation continually rubs Misty's nose in her less delightful aspects.The G'home Gnomes surely brings some introspection from their self-centered and self-serving attitude.The Prism cat forces her to think ahead rather than act out of impulse.And then she meets some really horrible examples of such behavior.

This novel better have a sequel.The conclusion solved the immediate difficulties, but the number of dangling threads would greatly please a playful kitten.And Misty is a truly delightful character.Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Brooks fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of magical kingdoms, maturing adolescents, and parental frustrations.

-Arthur W. Jordin ... Read more

Product Description
Eight centuries ago the first Knight of the Word was commissioned to combat the demonic evil of the Void. Now that daunting legacy has passed to John Ross--along with powerful magic and the knowledge that his actions are all that stand between a living hell and humanity's future.

Then, after decades of service to the Word, an unspeakable act of violence shatters John Ross's weary faith. Haunted by guilt, he turns his back on his dread gift, settling down to build a normal life, untroubled by demons and nightmares.

But a fallen Knight makes a tempting prize for the Void, which could bend the Knight's magic to its own evil ends. And once the demons on Ross's trail track him to Seattle, neither he nor anyone close to him will be safe. His only hope is Nest Freemark, a college student who wields an extraordinary magic all her own. Five years earlier, Ross had aided Nest when the future of humanity rested upon her choice between Word and Void. Now Nest must return the favor. She must restore Ross's faith, or his life--and hers--will be forfeit . . . Amazon.com Review
John Ross, the tortured, conflicted Knight of the Word from Terry Brooks's Running with theDemon, finally gets a good night's sleep in the sequel. He buysthis moment's peace at the cost of his sacred oath to be a champion of theWord, renouncing that pledge after failing to prevent the slaughter ofa group of schoolchildren. Duty and destiny are difficult to elude, though,and soon his former charge Nest Freemark, now a college student and Olympichopeful, arrives to warn him of his imminent destruction, or, worse, hisunwitting fall into the service of the Void.

The story winds lazily through sleepy, wet Seattle like a tour bus,steadily building. Everything eventually converges on the homeless shelterwhere John works with his new sweetie Stefanie Winslow for über-activistSimon Lawrence, a man his dreams tell him he is fated to kill. A thinmysteryclouds the identity of the demon conspiring to deliver John unto evil, butthe book's real focus is John's fitful, foot-dragging attempts to fulfillhis destiny. Knight doesn't provide the suspenseful energy ofRunning, abook that followed Nest through the dramatic loss of her childhood, but itrejoins her as she assumes the responsibilities of young adulthoodand--like that period in life--still manages to deliver satisfying, ifmore subtle, rewards. --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Customer Reviews (80)

Terry Brooks conquers modern fantasy too
Move aside Shannara.Terry Brooks brings his masterful writing to the everyday world.Demons and a very unusual knight errant decide the fate of the world in Seattle.John Ross is the perfect image of a tortured soul and a man seeking to do good for its own sake on his own terms.The only one to help him see the truth of his sacrifice is the girl he was sent to kill and sees him as a father figure.Brooks bring a new spin on good and evil and the unseen war they wage in our safe seeming everyday world.Nothing is at seems in this new fantasy of of dreams and demons.Brooks has outdone himself.

Great Book!!
This is a great book. If you have already read Running with the Demon you will love this. Much faster start then Running with the Demon and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I couldn't put the book down.

Loved it!
I love this book as much as every other book in the series and wish there were more than three.

Unfortunately Predictible
I have read more than a dozen Terry Brooks novels, and I believe that this to be his weakest effort.The climactic revelation of the demon at the end is predictable, and one of Brooks' main weaknesses is on full display.He has a habit of writing a climactice scene, then those involved have a meeting with someone and retell the whole story, usually it is less obvious, but in this novel, it jumps right off the page and kinda bores you.

As a fan of the Shanarra universe, I felt the need to read the word and void trilogy, already knowing that this one is connected to shanarra is pushing me along. The first novel, Running With the Demon, is far Superior, and I can only hope the finale, Angle Fire East, gets better.

In this novel, John Ross loses faith in the word and gives up.However, as a knight, that is not his choice to make.The entire novel centers on Nest trying to convince Ross that he can' quit, and if he doesn't start acting like a Knight soon, then the word will have him eliminated so that the void cannot use him to its end.

Oh well, I am looking forward to the final book, which i will read sometime in 2010.

T

Knight of the Word Review
Having read this a second time now, I find that I still rather like this book and series.

As many others have pointed out, it's now five years later, Nest is now off to College and drifting a bit as many of her friends from childhood have moved on.

And this time, Nest is called upon by the Word to go save/warn John Ross where he'd helped save her earlier.

It's very easy to spot who the demon is, especially early on. A comment they make tells you from the get go.

I'd have liked to have known what became of Jared Scott and his sister Bennitt from the first book. But that's minor. And if the book suffers, its from the Black & White dichotomy of good & evil and feeling like Christian views are being crammed at you from a Fantasy book. Regardless, I really have enjoyed Brook's Word and the Void series far better then any of his Shannara books. ... Read more

Product Description
With his groundbreaking New York Times bestseller The Sword of Shannara and its acclaimed sequels, Terry Brooks brought a new audience to epic fantasy. Then he gave the genre a darkly compelling contemporary twist in his trilogy of the Word and the Void. Last year, in Armageddon’s Children, Brooks undertook the stunning chronicle that united two unique worlds. Now that story of clashing forces of darkness and light, of Shannara’s beginnings and the human race’s possible end, marches forward into an unforgettable second volume full of mystery, magic, and momentous events.

Across the ruined landscape that is America–hopelessly poisoned, plague-ridden, burned, and besieged by demon armies bent on exterminating all mortal life–two pilgrims have been summoned to serve the embattled cause of good. Logan Tom has journeyed to desolate Seattle to protect a ragged band of street urchins and the being known as “the gypsy morph,” who is both mortal and magical, and destined to save mankind unless he is destroyed. Likewise, Angel Perez has her own quest, one that will take her from the wreckage of Los Angeles to a distant, secret place untouched by the horrors of the nationwide blight–a place where the race of Elves has dwelled since before man existed. But close behind these lone Knights of the Word swarm the ravening forces of the Void.

As the menacing thunder of war drums heralds the arrival of the demons and their brutal minions in Seattle, the young survivors who call themselves the Ghosts are forced to brave the dangerous world of gangs, mutants, and worse to escape the invasion. And Logan Tom must infiltrate a refugee compound to rescue Hawk, the leader of the street urchins, who has yet to learn the truth about who and what he is. Meanwhile, Angel Perez has joined an equally urgent mission: to find the Ellcrys, a fabled talisman crucial to protecting the Elven realm against an influx of unspeakable evil from the dread dimension known as the Forbidding. But Angel and her Elf allies must beware–for a demon spy, with a monstrous creature at its command, walks among them.

As the legions of darkness draw the noose tighter, and the time of confrontation draws near, those chosen to defend the soul of the world must draw their battle lines and prepare to fight with, and for, their lives. If they fail, humanity falls.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (69)

Doesn't need to be a trilogy
I enjoyed this book more than I did the first one in the series.I still have a problem with 8 and 10 year olds as the main characters in the story but at least with the elves we got a little bit away from them.

I was told Brooks should be in the young adult category for writers and there might be some truth to that but he can still be entertaining.I am getting tired of the characters moral dilemmas and how he is constantly bringing it up.Logan Tom has an issue keeping the kids safe and wants to leave them...got it.I don't need him to have a drama moment every time it presents itself.That's why I think Terry should make these "trilogies" into one book epics like he started out doing.You end up cutting all the fat out and you don't need filler which is what all these moral dilemmas feel like to me.

Storywise it was a quick read.Not even 400 pages (hardcover) and there is a lot going on.Sometimes the traveling from one place to another can get a little long winded (see my comment about filler) and some of the action he threw in there just for the sake of throwing in some action (again, see my comment about filler) but if you've come this far then I recommend finishing the off this trilogy.

Plot continues to develop
In the Elves Of Cintra, the storyline that was started in the Armageddon's Children continues and develops. It starts out with nary a pause as the final chapter of the previous book is reprinted in whole. Logan Tom tries to save Hawk (the Gypsy Morph) while he is being thrown from the walls of the Seattle compound only to get there too late, and after some sort of magic whisks the boy and his girlfriend away. From this point on we follow three threads with Logan Tom and his Ghosts charges coming down from Seattle towards the Columbia River, Angel Perez and her Tatterdemalion friend Ailie continue their escape from the demon by riding north of Los Angeles towards the Elves, and the Elves themselves are trying to figure out what to do about the stunning realization that the Ellcrys is feeling threatened and is asking for help.

All three threads continue in this story with the most emphasis being placed on the Elves and their stories. The lead characters are young elves who find it difficult to get anyone in the elf hierarchy to believe them. However, all proceeds as one would expect with the young elves figuring out what needs to happen and moving their part of the plot along. One of the weak points of this particular book is that it feels somewhat recycled and obvious as only one elf youngster seems to have the power that has been lost for thousands of generations and manages to find not only the seeking elfstones, but also the Loden Stone within a matter of days.

Evil is also a part of the story as the armies of once-men and the demons stalk the various groups and seem to always know what the various people and elves are planning on doing. You always wonder - when reading Terry Brooks - how come evil is always ahead, yet manages to lose to the good side with all that preparation time? No matter, this is a signature of Brooks's writing style and if you did not like it in any of the other books, it is no different in this one.

Because this is the second in a trilogy, none of the main threads are resolved, but clearly they are starting to take on the shape of the final resolution of the story. There are moments of brilliant writing and fun and imaginative concepts that make this worthwhile, and quite a bit of predictable action as evil looms large. Some of the more pedestrian writing involves which of the characters get killed and in what ways, and I wish there was a better way to do this - but that is why I am not a writer and Terry Brooks is a very successful one. Nonetheless, this is a good story and a fun book to read and if you are a Terry Brooks fan, then it is one that should be in your library. Enjoy.

Part Two brings intensity
While Gypsy Morph, Hawk, learns his true identity, and begins his mission reminiscent of Exodus the War between the Word and the Void is far from over.Knight Angel Perez makes contact with the elves, and 4 of the 5 Elfstones of earlier novels have their transportation to the Four Lands.There are tales of intrigue and mystery and the demonic subversion found in "The Elfstones of Shannara."There is fast and intense actions including a fight between true Knight Logan Tom and rogue Knight Krillka Koos.It keeps you turning pages, while introducing thought provoking parallels to Christian faith.

Mixed Feelings
Picking up right where Brooks left off, the literal cliffhanger as it has become to be known, EoC continues the suspenseful and dramatic scene where the children are being thrown from the walls and the army is marching toward the compound while Logan is desperately trying to reach them. It's really hard to follow such a series of events by trying to build on Angel and the Elves' storyline. Had I not been stoked from the first bits of the book, maybe it would have seemed less boring.

Nonetheless, it is still a good piece of writing. Angel's character really builds, as I had hoped at the end of AC, and the storyline of her and the Elves is believable (well, as believable as a fantasy book can get). The demon's identity is somewhat predictable, but more so if you are familiar with Brooks' writing.

I realize the point of the book was focused on Angel and the Elves, but Hawk's two brief appearances disappointed me. I think Brooks should have given him just a little bit more attention to build our expectations for book three. The introduction of the King of the Silver River, in my own opinion, was predictable, but it definitely helps bridge these pre-Shannara books with the originals.

Logan Tom's story is FRUSTRATING! Not in the sense that it's frustrating to read, but you truly feel the frustration that he feels, along with the street kids. So many hold-ups and obstacles that really don't seem to have a point other than to wear down the Knight of the Word and his charges. It really shows the post-civilization world as it could be, everyone fighting to stay alive and keep what they have. The street kids' individuality comes in handy with Fixit driving, Panther's aggression, and Sparrow's inner warrior; this really adds quality to the story.

The demons were not as well tracked by Brooks as the were in AC either. It's good to build the bad guys just as much as the good guys.

It's not often I rate Brooks below 5 stars, but this one just didn't keep the pages turning like the Word/Void series, Armageddon's Children, and the first two Shannara series.

Elves of Cintra, (Genises of shannara, Book 2)
Terry Brooks is an excelant story teller with a great imagination.You can hardly put the book down and then you must get the next book to see what happens to the chacaters.The only negative thing I have is that he takes way to much time telling us what a character is thinking, which is boring. ... Read more

Product Description
Twenty-five years ago, New York Times bestselling author Terry Brooks wrote a novel that brought to life a dazzling world that would become one of the most popular fantasy epics of all time, beloved by millions of fans around the world. Ten more Shannara books would follow. Now, for the first time in one elegant collector’s edition hardcover, and featuring an introduction by the author, here are the first three novels of that classic series: The Sword of Shannara, The Elfstones of Shannara, and The Wishsong of Shannara—the beginning of a phenomenal epic of good and evil.

The Sword of Shannara
Long ago, the wars of the ancient Evil ruined the world. In peaceful Shady Vale, half-elfin Shea Ohmsford knows little of such troubles. But the supposedly dead Warlock Lord is plotting to destroy everything in his wake. The sole weapon against this Power of Darkness is the Sword of Shannara, which can be used only by a true heir of Shannara. On Shea, last of the bloodline, rests the hope of all the races.

The Elfstones of Shannara
The magical Ellcrys tree is dying, loosening the spell that bars the Demons from enacting vengeance upon the land. Now Wil Ohmsford must guard the Elven girl Amberle on a perilous quest as she carries one of the Ellcrys’ seeds to a mysterious place where it can be quickened into a powerful new force. But dark on their trail comes the Reaper, most fearsome of all Demons, aiming to crush their mission at any cost.

The Wishsong of Shannara
An ancient Evil is stirring to new life, sending its ghastly Mord Wraiths to destroy Mankind. To win through the vile growth that protects this dark force, the Druid Allanon needs Brin Ohmsford—for she alone holds the magic power of the wishsong. Reluctantly Brin joins the Druid on his dangerous journey. But a prophecy foretells doom, as Evil nurses its plans to trap the unsuspecting Brin into a fate far more horrible than death.

Thus begins Terry Brooks’s thrilling Shannara epic, an unforgettable tale of adventure, magic, and myth. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (106)

I like this series.
The Sword of Shannara is, in my opinion, the best of the three. Excellent twists and a good fantasy. I recommend this novel.

Fantastic!
I read these books when they were first released, and Terry Brooks quickly became one of my favorite authors. His world-building skills and descriptions bring fantasy to life. Characters are three-dimensional and realistic. Having read the trilogy before did not diminish the experience. Excellent!

To heavy
This book is too heavy and thick to be enjoyable (I would guess it weights around 10-15 lbs).I would recommend that you buy the books individually.

Loved it and hated it.
I have to say this first.

The first book of this set, The Sword of Shannara is a blatant rip off of LOTR.I won't go into detail, but because it follows the storyline of LOTR so closely there were virtually no surprises in the story.It is so obvious that at every turn I could say "What would Tolkien do in this instance" and voila guess what happens.

Now that that's taken care of, the second two books are actually pretty decent.I like the world that Brooks created, and the characters are much more interesting than the LOTR clones from the first book.

After reading the first book I wouldn't have chosen to read any further Brooks material.Since I had all three in this edition, I decided to tough it out and I was pleasantly surprised.

not even close to LOTR
ugh...it pains me to see so many people comparing this series to lord of the rings. I've read both series and although they both have elves and such...the stories are nothing alike. and after 3 books LOTR is done. The Shannara series continues to grow!! I love Terry Brooks' work. I have been reading the Shannara since I was in junior high. Not to mention the Knight of the Word series also. I think he is a great author, one of the best. He has great characters, lots of action, and tons of heart! I say props to him for being a true fantasy writer! I now own every Shannara book he's written and still read them quite often, even to my children, who love them as much as I do! Good job Terry! ... Read more

Product Description
Capture the fantasy, thrills, and far-flung adventure of the first three novels in Terry Brooks’s enchanting Magic Kingdom of Landover series–now for the first time in one gripping volume.

Chicago lawyer Ben Holiday can’t fathom what lies ahead when he purchases Landover–a magical kingdom of chivalry and sorcery–from Meeks, the mysterious seller who placed the ad. Weary and jaded, Ben clings to the ad’s promise: “Escape into your dreams.” But Landover is not the enchanted idyll he expected.

The kingdom is in ruin. The barons refuse to recognize Ben as King, a dragon is decimating the countryside, and a demon lord has challenged any prospective ruler to a fatal duel. To make matters worse, the Paladin, renowned champion of the Kings of Landover, seems to be merely a legend.

Ben’s only allies are a bumbling court magician, a talking dog turned court scribe, and the beautiful Willow, who is part girl, part tree. With his friends in tow, Ben sets out to claim the throne. But when Meeks decides he wants Landover back, Ben will face supernatural foes of every stripe to prove himself worthy of the kingship. The question is: Can he survive? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Once upon a .............
If you like enchanted castles, wizards, demons, talking dragons, evil witches, love, battles, etc., etc., etc., then "The Magic Kingdom of Landover" Vol. 1 is for you.
I know it's trite and over-used but this is a page turner and a fun read.I don't want to give much of the story away, I'll just say the premise is ingenious the way our hero,Ben Holiday(a successful modern day lawyer in Chicago)ends up King of Landover, a mythical kingdom (or is it?).
I've already decided for myself that (just like Hogwarts)Landover's out there somewhere. You'll just have to read and decide for yourself.

I'm anxious to read Vol. 2, (the two remaining books in the series).

WOW just what I was looking for
I have been looking for something like this for a long time.Thank goodness a friend I work with came to the rescue with this suggestion.

I like the way Mr. Brooks writes. Does not waste words, the book is fast paced and keeps your interest with something constantly going on.If you like adventure, fiction, and fantasy then you will like this.He takes you to this never, never land and makes you believe it is the real thing.How often have you wished to just stumble across a make believe time and place, with castles, trolls, faries, the whole thing. I can't wait until Volume Two comes in the mail so I can continue on with the epic.I LOVE IT.

Magical in definiton!
I had never heard of Terry Brooks before I bought this book, but since then I have bought all of his stuff and have found that they are all equally good, but this one takes the top spot. It was so magical and a story that took me for a ride that was suprisingly enjoyable. If you like books that always keep you guessing, give you just what you're looking for at the necessary parts, and then still suprises you at the end then this book is definitely for you.

I wont go into detail about this book because that is what the product description is for and I am here to tell you about whether or not the book was good, so I'll just say that it was better than good and that it was fantastic.

I hope you enjoy it!

Slow at first but stick with it.
Slow at first but stick with it.I was going to put this book down since it was very slow for the first 1/3 of the book but it does pick up and gets good.I did end up getting all the books that follow after it.If you are looking at reading this get the first 3 books in one book so save you money he has another book that has the last 3 books so you only have to buy 2 instead of 6 books

Page turner
It's nice to read books and imagine the places and characters.This book takes this image a step further with the main character buying his way into an imaginary world cause he is sick of the real one.This was the first book I read on my kindel and could not figure out what page I was on and before I new it I was finshied. ... Read more

Product Description
The High Druid of Shannara trilogy draws to a thrilling close as a young hero nears completion of his trial by fire, a banished ruler fights for her life in a wilderness of dread, and forces of darkness and light square off in a battle unto death for the right to absolute rule. Prepare to be spellbound by the masterly hand of bestselling legend weaver Terry Brooks, conjuring at the peak of his skills.

For reasons known only to himself, the King of the Silver River has charged young Penderrin Ohmsford, barely more than a boy, with the daunting task of rescuing his aunt, Grianne, Ard Rhys of the Druid order, from her forced exile in the terrifying dimension of all things damned: the Forbidding. With the noble dwarf Tagwen and the prodigal elven princess Khyber Elessedil by his side–and with the outcome of the bloody war between the Federation and the Free-born at stake–Pen has accepted his mission without question. But not without risk . . . or sacrifice.

Because Shadea a’Ru, the ruthless Druid responsible for imprisoning the true Ard Rhys and usurping leadership at Paranor, has sent her agents and assassins in relentless pursuit of Pen and his comrades. And in securing the talisman he needs to breach the Forbidding, Pen has paid a devastating price. Now if the Free-born forces–already decimated by the Federation’s death-dealing new weapon–should fall, Shadea’s domination of the Four Lands will be assured. Nothing short of Pen’s success can turn the tide.

But Pen’s challenge grows greater when he learns that his parents, Bek Ohmsford and Rue Meridian, have fallen into Shadea’s hands. He must try to help them–but once within the walls of Druid’s Keep, where Shadea’s minions and dark magic lurk at every turn, Pen’s survival is far from assured. Yet it will all pale in comparison to the horrors that wait inside the Forbidding–horrors poised to break free upon the Four Lands when the time is right. . . .


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (72)

Straken-06/05/2010
This series has Terry Brooks back to his excellent story telling. I am enjoying this series very much.

I wish his books were Devoid of all Enigmas
As a young child I read TB's Shannara series.There were suitable for kids and young adults.Much like Tolkeen's works.The plots were very intriguing, broad, and flushed out.

He has added features to his book he was able to forgo before and they have not improved things at all.The later books are filled with regularly sexually violated women.Something never seen before.What has changed in him that he found he had to add this element to his books?

Further, these new books are shorter, not nearly written as well, and not nearly as concise as the older ones.

Finally, he needs to find some new words.Devoid and Enigma are used up, worn out, and have become distracting, at least to me.To the point of irritation.Really, how many people can be an enigma?

Getting bored...Perhaps I am just devoid of enjoyment and thus an enigma compared to the other readers.

Straken by Terry Brooks
As usual T Brooks has done a great job. I have yet to be disappointed in his work. Well worth the time to read.

wonderfully entertaining
Perfect conclusion in the this saga of 3 books, will keep you guessing till the the end.

Okay, but not thrilled
I have loved every Shannara book Terry Brooks has written; except this trilogy.While it had all the necessary components of a good story, I felt it lacked depth.It seemed like it was a story that had been edited severly in order to make it into three books.I think the story could have been expanded into a four-book series in order to tell the story in better detail.Those of you who read the third book will understand what I mean.I do have one question:What happened to Atalan?Was he killed or not?This is just one instance of many that bothered me.Good job, Terry, on your other books.Boo on this one. ... Read more

Product Description
A new novel by Terry Brooks is always a cause for celebration. For more than twenty years, the New York Times bestselling author of the classic Shannara epic has proven himself one of the modern masters of fantasy, winning the hearts and minds of devoted readers around the world. In his last acclaimed novel, Ilse Witch, a brave company of explorers led by the last Druid, Walker Boh, traveled across unknown seas in search of an elusive magic. Yet perhaps Boh and his team were lured there for sinister, unforeseen purposes . . .

Now in Antrax, as the crew aboard the airship Jerle Shannara is attacked by evil forces, the Druid’s protégé Bek Rowe and his companions are pursued by the mysterious Ilse Witch. Meanwhile, Boh is alone, caught in a dark maze beneath the ruined city of Castledown, stalked by a hungry, unseen enemy.

For there is something alive in Castledown. Something not human. Something old beyond reckoning that covets the magic of Druids, elves, even the Ilse Witch. Something that hunts men for its own designs: Antrax. It is a spirit that commands ancient technologies and mechanical monsters, feeds off enchantment, and traps the souls of men.

With the Jerle Shannara under siege and Antrax threatening the bold and unwary, the Ilse Witch finds herself face-to-face with a boy who claims to be the brother she last saw as an infant. Now a young man, Bek wields the magic of the wishsong and carries the Sword of Shannara upon his back. Unsure whether to trust Bek or to slay him, the Ilse Witch takes him prisoner. One has come pursuing truth, the other revenge. Yet both seek Walker Boh–with the fate of the Four Lands hanging in the balance.

Return to the world of beloved novelist Terry Brooks, where creatures drift up from the earth like mist, a hypnotic song can kill, a sword can cut through a veil of lies–and one man, the true heir of an ancient magic, must choose between betrayal and redemption.


From the Hardcover edition.Amazon.com Review
Antrax is the second book in the Voyage of Jerle Shannara trilogy, part of an epic started by famed fantasy writer Terry Brooks more than two decades ago with The Sword of Shannara. In this installment, we join the Druid Walker Boh and his companions in the search for Antrax--a powerful and malevolent technological guardian.Walker believes Antrax's magic is potent enough to help restore the Druid council to the Four lands, a struggle that has consumed his life.But while the unlikely heroes journey in the Jerle Shannara across the Blue Divide to the city of Castledown, the Druid's archnemesis--the Ilse Witch--and her band of Mwellrets closely follow in an airship of their own. The race is on, and the prize is the power of Antrax. Meanwhile, Bek Rowe discovers that his destiny is inextricably linked with the Ilse Witch herself.

Mixing several subplots into the main story, Brooks cooks up a satisfying stew of fantasy with just a taste of science fiction.Brooks quickly reels the reader in with nonstop action, and, in classic style, leaves the reader yearning for the third and final installment, Morgawr. --Robert Leavengood ... Read more

Customer Reviews (99)

From my point of view, not his best work
What in the world was he thinking this time? I found this book to be very different and below par from his others.It was as if he went into the world of more science fiction when he started dealing with the technology and machines of the old world.I understand he hinted at this in other books, but I never thought he would create a murdering library for heavens sakes.Not for my taste among his magic and myth point of view that his other writings attain to.

One of the Best, Most Original Fantasy Novels.
Remember that Reese's commercial from the 70s .. Hey, you got your peanut butter on my chocolate, you got your chocolate on my peanut butter ... Yes that sums up this book. Midway through another fantasy novel, a genre I am comfortable with, where little can surprise me. Out of nowhere comes a maniacal supercomputer hell bent on world domination, a matrix style battery system, and cyborgs. THIS ISN'T A FANTASY NOVEL! This is a Sci Fi novel ... no wait its both. Actually the introduction of the techno aspect was a nice refreshing change. It gave the whole Shanarra series a planet of the apes feel. I felt the book was , as with all shannara novels I have read, far more intense than the average fantasy fair. Main characters often die, the violence is intense and the situation is hopeless.

Much more fast-paced than the 1st book, one of the best Shannara books I've read
After being somewhat let-down by the first book of this trilogy, I had feared that I would have the same negative reaction to this one.Fortunately, I have discovered my fears to be groundless, as this turned out to be one of my very favorite Shannara books of all.With the character introductions, world-building, and plot set-up mostly taken care of in the first book, Brooks is able to jump right into the excitement in ANTRAX.And that excitement is intense and non-stop throughout the book.Perhaps the most action-packed of any Shannara books, this one is tough to put down.

The same excellent characters continue to develop here as well.Each of the primary characters go through some intense physical and emotional trials, as they fight to complete their purposes or simply to stay alive.The secrets behind the unique and much-loved Truls Rohk continue to be revealed, as well as those behind Ryer Ord Star and the semi-sentient Antrax.Walker, Bek, Rue, Quentin and the Ilse Witch all approach their destinies, and each of their stories are completely captivating.

Brooks has done an excellent job of thinking out the direction of this plot, and quite a few unexpected turns have severely altered the path of the story.Highly exciting and emotionally intense, this book rates as one of my favorite of Brooks' books up to this point.Very highly recommended to fans of high fantasy.Save yourself a bit of money and shelf space by getting the entire trilogy in a single volume with The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara Trilogy.

My favorite Shannara Book
This is my favorite Shannara book.I just love Antrax!The Wronk is absolutely fantastic!So creepy!If you've made it this far in the series, there is no turning back.Enjoy!

From the Author of Tales of Ancient Xenar
Yes, this is the second book I read in this series.I promised a review of it about 3 years ago, sorry I'm late.But anyways, Antrax is a very good story.The crew of the Jerle Shannara are with the dwarf tribe on Castledown and are dealing with Antrax, an ancient computer that used the elfstones and Prince Kael Elessidil to power itself.Meanwhile, Bek Rowe is being pursued by his sister Grianne, or the Ilse Witch.I like how Terry Brooks created a world where there was once advanced technology.The Antrax itself is one of the last surviving pieces of that ancient world. ... Read more

Product Description
THE FIRST-EVER GRAPHIC NOVEL SET IN THE WORLD OF SHANNARA!

Possessing an awesome power he is only beginning to understand, young Jair Ohmsford must summon the devastating yet darkly seductive magic of the wishsong on a fateful mission to save his friends . . . and protect the future from the forces of evil.

If you’ve never ventured into the wondrous world of Shannara, consider this an ideal opportunity. Prepare to enter the breathtaking realm of the Four Lands, where beings both noble and sinister have quested and clashed, crossed swords in the names of darkness and light, and engaged in adventures rich with mystery and majesty.

“Terry’s place is at the head of the fantasy world.”
–Philip Pullman, author of The Golden Compass ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Decent idea but poorly executed
I knew this was a graphic novel long before I read it. I'm a fan of both comics and Terry Brooks because they are great memories from my turbulent teen years. I haven't bought a Brooks book in ages simply because his story-telling has gone down in reverse proportion to his age. When he was younger his plots were intricate and his writing was really something to chew on. Nowadays I pick up a book of his from the library and it's a rehash of teen angst, every time. Regular comics are somewhat like that for me but I still purchase the occasional graphic novel when it's good enough.

But this one fails on both fronts. It's a good plot that could be developed into a solid story. As it is the format does nothing for either the artist or the author. The biggest glitch is that the artist used no background research to distinguish creatures from the world of Shannara. The Koden looks like an ab-buster wolf, which also resembles every werebeast in Olden Moor, that are themselves apparently only a shadowly cousin of a moor cat. That threw me right away, Whisper looks like a wolf? Shouldn't he be more, I dunno, catlike? And is the Koden pictured right after working out at the gym? Why give a bear ab muscles like that? Werebeasts are basically constantly shifting images from the victim's mind.Brooks describes them as shadows with shiny eyes mostly, yet here they look like standard werewolf trash. I gather the artist either really likes wolves or can only draw that one animal. And those are just the tip of the iceberg, the Croton Witch looks to be dying of leprosy, Kimber is shown as a steam-punk fantasy of a twelve-year-old boy, the Gnomes aren't given any real indication of size relative to Jair, the mystical protection of Paranor is a huge set of hands, etc., etc.

As for the writing it's almost non-existent. This is a plot, not a book. I read the entire thing in fifteen minutes. I guess the shade of Garet Jax infuses with Jair so that the latter is able to throw the smack down on Mwellrets, werebeasts, a Koden, and anything else that threatens him. Although I'm not really sure WHY. That's the thing, the idea is there but not an actual story or explanation. Even as a plot there is a huge hole in it. And it's in the form of a lone male living in the valley surrounding Hearthstone where Jair and Slanter drop off Kimber to heal. "I trust no harm will come to this young injured maiden out here in the woods with only a lonesome adult male for company. What could go wrong?" This guy is never explained. I thought Hearthstone was only frequented by the Bohs and Cogline but maybe I'm wrong. Not that it matters, because this guy is never given an explanation in THIS story, which as a reader is what counts most.

If you're at the library and have a spare few minutes to skim this it might appeal to Brooks fans. Then again it might irritate you to no end too. I certainly wouldn't waste money on it.

Suprised my sister
My sister was really suprised and she loved it!!!! She is a huge Terry Brooks fan and is now replacing all her paperbacks for hardcover. Thank you it was worth seeing her face when she saw the book.

Nice story
Not much into "graphic novels", but this is good.My only complaint is it isn't color.Other than that, it was worth the read.

Not For the Kindle
This one is waste for the Kindle. Download the sample first. The gray scale graphics of the Kindle are not good for this Graphic Novel.

OK
I am not much of a fan of cartoons but had to buy it as I have all of his books. ... Read more

Product Description
As a Knight of the Word, John Ross has struggled against the dark forces of the Void and his minions for twenty-five years.  The grim future he dreams each night-- a world reduced to blood and ashes--will come true, unless he can stop them now, in the present.  

The birth of a gypsy morph, a rare and dangerous creature that could be an invaluable weapon in his fight against the Void, brings John Ross and Nest Freemark together again. Twice before, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance, the lives of Ross and Nest have intersected. Together, they have prevailed.  But now they will face an ancient evil beyond anything they have ever encountered, a demon of ruthless intelligence and feral cunning.  As a firestorm of evil erupts, threatening to consume lives and shatter dreams, they have but a single chance to solve the mystery of the Gypsy morph--and their own profound connection.Amazon.com Review
Angel Fire East marks the close of Terry Brooks's NestFreemark-John Ross saga, which began with 1997's Running with theDemon. After a long layover in Seattle for the middle book,Knight of theWord, the fantasy-meets-modernity action returns to Nest'snative Hopewell, where once again Nest and John must face off againstthe Void, this time in the form of ancient demon Findo Gask, whofavors a black-clad evil preacher getup for his menacing needs.

Brooks's well-realized and likable cast from the previous books isback, from Nest (now 29) to Ross (haggard as ever) to Pick (still justa few inches tall) and even grown-up versions of Nest's childhoodfriends from Running, including Bennett, now a junkie withchild. Of course, Findo Gask has assembled a creepy little Legion ofDoom to harry these nice folks: a giant albino demon; a formless,flesh-eating ur'droch; and a knife-wieldingOrphan-Annie-gone-bad named Penny Dreadful. And Angel Fire'smain plot thread is even compelling: John Ross has caught ashape-changing, wild-magic creature of enormous power, a gypsy morph,that he and Nest must discover how to turn to the Word before Gask andhis crew can capture it for the Void.

But as with Knight of theWord, wooden pacing and unconvincing transitions keep this talefrom rising to the level of Brooks's previous masterworks, such as theexcellent Shannara and Landover series. If you've read the first twobooks, it's certainly worth seeing off your old friends in AngelFire East. But if you're--heaven forbid--new to Terry Brooks,check out his earlier work, or even his very capable novelization ofStar Wars Episode I:The Phantom Menace. --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Customer Reviews (77)

Love it!
I enjoyed every book in this series and got drawn in to the book so quickly that I was done with it before I even knew it.

Word & Void Series
Terry Brooks is an awesome writer and this series is very well written.I had already read all of the Shannara books, and the Word & the Void series fits in with that set. I totally recommend reading this series!

Angel Fire East
A must read trilogy for Si-Fi fans with an exceptional story line with believable characters.

Angel Fire East
Having gone through and reread this series again, I am once again reminded of how much I have enjoyed Terry Brook's Word and the Void series.

It was great to see what became of Bennit from the first book, even though it then becomes a tragic ending too for her.

The story moves at a good clip despite the real action only happening at the end, but when it comes, it there. Some feel it was over too quickly, I thought it was just fine given the circumstance for Nest and Ross to go in, confront their enemies, hit them fast and hit them hard given the overwhelming odds they had with Findo Gask, Penny, Twitch and the ur'droch.

Overall, this was a great conclusion to the series and if Brook should ever choose to write more, I'd be on board to read more.

"Almost" the end of the story
In Angel Fire East we find out what is happening with John Ross - A Knight of the Word - and Nest Freemark ten years after their last get-together in Seattle. In the mean time Nest has gone on to win Gold medals in the Olympics (twice) and is the reining World Champion and record holder in many middle distance running events. However, several months before, she decided to quit her running as her ingrown demon wolf (Wraith) is starting to control more and more of her and almost escapes during one memorable race. A race Nest wins, but only because of Wraith's influence.

Now Nest is living at her old house in Hopewell, IL and watches the world go by. We find out that she's been married for a while to a guy named Paul, and is involved with her church and community, but that is all we really know of her world.

John Ross has also continued with his life. He is still an itinerant Knight of the World who roves the U.S. drawn by his nightmares to places where he can affect a battle between the demons and mankind. His nightmares show him what might happen if he fails and he learns from those what to change in the situations he finds so that the nightmare does not come to pass. He is more successful than not, and his reward is always to get a new mission from the Word - or its representative The Lady.

In this volume, he is visited by a nightmare that shows him dying on a cross. It turns out that he somehow manages to capture a unique magical creature known as a Gypsy Morph, but he fails in not protecting it enough from the Void. Through this dream, Ross finds out how to capture this Gypsy Morph and he goes on to do so and then runs around the countryside to escape the hordes of demons who are attracted to it. It is kind of interesting to see how Ross - who is obviously fighting on the side of goodness - has to steal cars and cause pain to people who befriend him without a care or remorse as he does so.

Eventually, the Gypsy Morph changes into a little boy and call out "Nest" so Ross comes with him to Hopewell. On the side of the demons, a diabolically clever demon named Findo Gask has assembled a team of three other demons and is waiting in Hopewell for exactly this to take place. The four demons have the run of the town and affect an abusive Deputy Sheriff to help them as well as other townsfolks. Placing the book in Hopewell allows us to spend much time in the park that is Pick's special preserve as well as see what has happened in the 15 years since Running with the Demon featured the same locations.

I quite enjoyed reading this book and thought that Terry Brooks has regained his form for plotting and action. Since the demons are soulless and not interested in what takes place for their human victims, some of the deaths and destruction that they cause makes much sense. However, since they are supposed to feed on their victims, it was surprising not to have anyone taken in this way?

On the other hand, Terry Brooks's vision is very dark and foreboding. So, some of what we learn is not particulaly nice. For instance, Bennett Scott makes a return appearance but now she is no longer a precocious five year old but rather a 20 year old single mother who is a complete and utter loser and drug addict.

Even positive relationships like the love that springs up between Josie and Ross is left hanging. Ross's return to Hopewell rekindles the love affair, but a twist at the end of the book ensures that this love does not go on. That was very disappointing to me.

More disappointments had to do with the finish of the book. The final confrontation between the Word and the Void plays out much as one would expect, but some how Findo Gask is allowed to simply leave town with no ill effects. John Ross is given a highly problematic release from his vows and goes "home" and Nest is left with one three year old and the Gypsy Morph. Of course, since the whole point of gaining control of the Morph is to affect how it develops and affects the world, the immediate suspicion is that a fourth book in the series is imminent, yet that is not the case - there is no fourth book planned for this series. So, that is why I am taking one star away - the conclusion that isn't.

Other than that, this was an enjoyable romp in a dark world view.
... Read more

Product Description
Since the death of Allanon, life in the Four Lands has drastially changed. Yet Par Ohmsford still has some power of the Wishsong. And when a message from the ancient Druid, Allanon, reaches them, Par is ordered to recover the long-lost Sword of Shinnara, and the glory that once was the Four Lands....
... Read more

Customer Reviews (79)

Great new book to a new series
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RIF0U6WGMV7KL What an interesting history Brooks has created.He is taking this Epic far down the road, at least 300 years. It was interesting to see how the magic changed over time.

Start of something...a bit...new
This book begins a new type of series for Brooks. Three hundred years into the future from where Wishsong ended, the Four Lands have changed dramatically. The Federation, just an upstart bureaucracy when last we left them, has basically taken over, ruling the country with a repressive, quasi-Communistic fist that "outlaws" magic. The Dwarves have been enslaved, the Elves disappeared off the face of the continent and the Trolls have retreated into the harsh landscape of the north, hoping to be left alone. This series for Brooks takes a new turn--although we again have a pair of Ohmsfords leading the way, and even an ancestor of the Leahs acting as protector (and also a few more bemusing ancestral connections I'll leave for the reader to discover) -this four-book series will follow the same cast of characters throughout all the books; no more generation hopping. In the first book, the shade of Allanon summons Par Ohsmford, his "uncle" Walker Boh and his "cousin" Wren to the Hadeshorn. There he warns them that, atlhough he thought the time of magic had died with him and the shutting away of Paranor, he was wrong. The magic, it seems, is part of the Earth and cannot be banished. And once again, someone has gone mucking around in it and disaster has resulted--mainly creatures called Shadowen that are feeding off the souls of people, most especially people with magic. Allanon sends the trio in search for talismans he says can destroy the Shadowen and save the earth from turning into a post-apocalyptic hell (the Shadowen, or their magic, are also destroying the landscape). Walker, who, as it happens, really hates Druids, is charged with bringing back the Druids and Paranor (he's not too excited about this idea). Wren is told to discover what happened to the Elves and then return them to Westland. Par is charged with finding what happened to the long-missing Sword of Shannara.
This first book is, more of less, just the opening scene for the four-part series detailing how these characters go about fulfilling their charges. We mostly follow Par and his brother, Coll, through the end of this one, but the ending is open and sends you plunging directly into the next in the series. The book is, again, plagued by some of the stuff that persistently annoys me about Brooks work (mainly, the constant whining and introspection about having to use magic, and people withholding secrets), but I found the parts that focused on Federation rule, the very-scary secret police Seekers and the fate of the Dwarves fascinating and very well-done.

shannara
i love the shannara series.i bought this for my nephew in hopes he enjoys it as much as i do.

The future of the Four Lands...
Brooks returns with a great book with everything a Shannara fan is looking for. Highly reccomended to those who have finished the Sword series and are looking for more.

a real page-turner!
my first terry brooks novel, and purely by chance. since then, i was hooked. don't care if people say that brooks was a hack compared to tolkien. i like both authors--they have their own writing styles, and both are very good in their art.

what is great about brooks and his shannara series is that every chapter is riveting. there were times when i really couldn't put the book down--i just wanted to gobble up every scene, every confrontation, every revelation. besides having fantastical characters, there's also humor, romance, and even serious emotional turmoil. plus, the way brooks describes his characters and the world around them is so textured and rich: one can feel the beat of the sun on the characters' faces, the merciless twists and turns of the forests that they traverse, the pounding adrenalin as they are pursued, even the despair and exhilaration that overcomes them at salient points of their journeys. surely only something a master storyteller could execute.

i'll always be grateful that i discovered the shannara series thru the Scions--(well, after this novel, it was just romance between me and its other installments... ^_^ ) ... Read more

Product Description
More than a quarter of a century after The Sword of Shannara carved out its place in the pantheon of great epic fantasy, the magic of Terry Brooks’s New York Times bestselling saga burns as brightly as ever. Three complete series have chronicled the ever-unfolding history of Shannara. But more stories are still to be told—and new adventures have yet to be undertaken. Book One of High Druid of Shannara invites both the faithful longtime reader and the curious newcomer to take the first step on the next extraordinary quest.

Twenty years have passed since Grianne Ohmsford denounced her former life as the dreaded Ilse Witch—saved by the love of her brother, the magic of the Sword of Shannara, and the destruction of her evil mentor, the Morgawr. Now, fulfilling the destiny predicted for her, she has established the Third Druid Council, and dedicated herself to its goals of peace, harmony among the races, anddefense of the Four Lands. But the political intrigue, secret treachery, and sinister deeds that have haunted Druid history for generations continue to thrive. And despite her devotion to the greater good as Ard Rhys—the High Druid of Paranor, Grianne still has bitter enemies.

Among the highest ranks of the Council she leads lurk those who cannot forget her reign of terror as the Ilse Witch, who covet her seat of power, and who will stop at nothing to see her deposed . . . or destroyed. Even Grianne’s few allies—chief among them her trusted servant Tagwen—know of the plots against her. But they could never anticipate the sudden, ominous disappearance of the Ard Rhys, in the dead of night and without a trace. Now, barely a step ahead of the dark forces bent on stopping him, Tagwen joins Grianne’s brave young nephew, Pen Ohmsford, and the wise, powerful elf Ahren Elessedil on a desperate and dangerous mission of search and rescue—to deliver the High Druid of Shannara from an unspeakable fate.

Expect no end of wonders, no shortage of adventure, exhilaration, suspense, and enchantment, as Terry Brooks demonstrates, once again, that there is no end to his magic of invention and mastery of storytelling.


From the Hardcover edition.Amazon.com Review
With Jarka Ruus Terry Brooks embarks on yet another journey with the legendary Ohmsford family. Beginning 20 years after the conclusion of the The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara, the High Druid of Paranor Grianne Ohmsford finds herself struggling to unite the druids amid political morass risen from her prior history as the dreaded Ilse Witch. Her enemies' schemes come to fruition quickly and she is banished behind the wall of the Forbidding, the anti-demon security feature that collapsed so spectacularly in the magnificent Elfstones of Shannara. Her fate falls in the lap of the youngest Ohmsford, Penderrin, who unlike his Aunt Grianne and his parents is without the gift of magic. Pen along with Khyber and her uncle, the Elven Prince Ahren Elessedil, learn they must jump through the usual Brooks' hoops to unlock the door of the Forbidding and free Grianne.

Brooks is right at home in this formulaic addition to the Shannara franchise. All the furniture is here: the Druid Keep of Paranor, dark creatures in pursuit of reluctant young heroes and, of course, the Elfstones. The good news is that Brooks remains a master of description and the book hums along with comfortable ease. Devout Shannara fans will find their favorite magical realm exactly as they left it and no doubt anticipate this cliffhanger's sequel. --Jeremy Pugh ... Read more

Customer Reviews (83)

Seems very familiar, but well-executed as always
This one picks up 20 years after the close of the The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara Trilogy, with Griane Ohmsford leading the Druid Council and with the rest of the Four Lands in essentially the same situation it was in then.Optimally, you should read the entire Shannara series before reading this one, but minimally you should read the Voyage trilogy.Compared to the rest of the Shannara saga, Jarka Ruus stands up well.Very similar to the common Brooks' fare you've read before in many ways.We have the same-old immature and naive protagonist (Pen Ohmsford, here) caught up in events that could determine the future of the Four Lands.We have rovers, dwarves, elves, gnomes, trolls, druids, shades, and of course the King of the Silver River.And we have an ill-equipped band traveling across the Four Lands on a quest that they don't really understand and is sure to be extremely dangerous, but which will undoubtedly be accomplished with a good dose of courage and a whole lot of luck.There is also the familiar love story developing, although with not-so-familiar characters, and there is the dark and mysterious villain that has only been partially revealed by the end of this first book.BUT!All of that is delivered in the highly-pleasing, attention-keeping, emotionally-charged way that keeps Brooks' readers coming back time and again.There is no denying that Brooks is one of the most skilled writers out there, and I think the fact that he can essentially rehash these old stories time and again, but keep selling books, goes to prove that.As usual, I fully enjoyed reading this book, and look forward to continuing the series, even though I can mostly predict the form it will take.

One thing that was surprising and a bit annoying about this one was the seeming helplessness of most of the 'good' characters throughout the book.Especially Pen, who possesses the newest magic to surface in his illustrious bloodline, the ability to communicate with animals and plants.Seems like a pretty powerful ability!But it is downplayed as nearly-useless throughout this book by both the author and Pen himself.A bit strange to have such a specific ability but not to utilize it or develop it in this first book.But, whatever, this is really a minor complaint.

Overall, this is a very enjoyable read that won't let fans of Shannara down.Highly recommended.

Good
Book is good read. I have read the entire Shannara seris up to this book. They are all well written.

Great book, from a great series
If you've read other books in this series you already know what to expect.Terry Brooks continues his Shannara series and adds another great book.Highly recommended.

Another Brooks Classic
This is another classic that rivals his original Shannara series. I blew through all three books in rapid succession. If you liked Shannara you are going to enjoy the ride of High Druid. My one word review is "excellent".

standard fantasy
This is the 12th Shannara book, and the first in the High Druid of Shannara trilogy. I've been reading them since The Sword of Shannara came out in paperback, so about 30 years. Unbelievable.

It starts 20 years after the end of the last trilogy--the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara. Grianne Ohmsford is now the Ard Rhys (head druid) of the newly restored Druid Council, but she's encountering resistance, as there are those who don't trust her based on her history as the Ilse Witch, and those who want power for themselves. And there are those who would use that dissatisfaction for their own ends.

When Grianne Ohmsford is abducted, it falls to her young kinsman, Penderrin, whose only magic is the ability to communicate with animals, and Khyber, the niece of the Elven Prince, to rescue her.

There's the mystery of who abducted her and who's behind it, and the coming-of-age adventure of the two young heroes, complete with magic, spirits, creatures, and treachery. And the flying ships, which my 12-year-old is quite excited about.

Jarka Ruus is pretty much standard fantasy--or maybe it just seems that way, because this world has been part of my fantasy reading for so long. It was a fun, interesting story, with likeable characters, and if it didn't have anything I didn't expect, it also didn't lack anything I did expect. ... Read more

Product Description
The New York Times bestselling author of the classic Shannara epic, Terry Brooks, has proven himself one of the modern masters of fantasy, brilliantly creating breathtaking worlds of magic, adventure, and intrigue. Now, for the first time in one marvelous collector’s edition hardcover, here’s the complete trilogy of the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara: Ilse Witch, Antrax, and Morgawr. In these enchanting novels, a colorful contingent of characters takes to the skies aboard a magnificent airship–the Jerle Shannara–on a quest fraught with wonder and danger.

Ilse Witch
A half-drowned elf carries a map covered with cryptic symbols–and Walker Boh, the last of the Druids, has the skill to decipher them. But someone else understands the map’s significance: the ruthless Ilse Witch, who will stop at nothing to possess it–and the powerful magic it leads to.

Antrax
While in search of the elusive magic, Walker Boh is lured into a trap–caught in a dark maze beneath a ruined city, stalked by a hungry, unseen enemy. It is Antrax: a spirit that feeds off enchantment and traps the souls of men. Now the fate of the Four Lands hangs in the balance.

Morgawr
The intrepid heroes aboard the Jerle Shannara have reached their breaking point. A centuries-old sorcerer, the Morgawr, vows to find and control the fabled ancient books of magic–and he is an adversary of awesome might with a fleet of airships and a crew of walking dead men at his command.

In The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara, Terry Brooks weaves together high adventure, vividly wrought characters, and a spellbinding world into an irresistible story of heroism and sacrifice, love and honor. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Terry Brooks The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara Trilogy
Terry Brooks is a master! I have read all his books and this trilogy was one of the best. I love his style of writing. He sucks you in by the end of the 1st page. I read this trilogy before I read any other Terry Brooks books. What a opening! I have since read every book he has written. I think I would have started off closer to the start of the story. But I just back tracked from there. I would tell anyone would likes to read fantasy to read any Terry brooks book. He is the best!

This is the book that hooked me on Terry
I bought book 1 as a clearance hardback at Barnes and Noble. It sat in my bookshelf for over a year before I read it. But when I did, I was hooked. From then, over the next year, I read every book Terry Brooks ever wrote. I am now a serious fan and always look forward to his next mind-bending novel. Though sometimes his books lean towards the religious side a little too often, I've greatly enjoyed his talent and imagination. To date, The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara is my favorite Terry Brooks trilogy. His imagination stuns and amazes me.
Don't cheat the author! Go and buy the books at the book store on this one!

Voyage of the Jerle Shannara Trilogy
An excelent story.I have several of Terry Brooks publications and he never follows a canned pattern.Each story is unique and has an excelent story line.

One good, one great, one not-so-much
While this trilogy at first seems to be something new for Brooks, with no major world-threatening Dark Lord or cataclysm looming, no massive battles between elvish and demon-inspired armies, and a new and world-altering technology in the Four Lands, in the end, we still get the same old Brooks here (which isn't really a bad thing). The characters are exactly the same as in previous books, just with new names (with the exception of the excellent and original Truhls Rohk and Ryer Ord Star). We have the Druid, the highlander, the dwarf, and the reluctant and confused young hero that can't figure out his place. The Druid still finds it necessary to conceal and deceive, and hates himself for it. The heroic brothers (er.. cousins here) promise to take care of each other while you just know something will come between them. And there are plenty of other parallels between this one and past Brooks books. So while this book describes a quest to find some powerful magic from the "Old World", and not a battle with an evil force bent on world domination, the story reads much the same as the previous Shannara works.

The majority of the first book, Ilse Witch, is spent introducing the rather large company that goes on the voyage. In fact, so much time was spent in early character development that most of the book felt slow, while the end felt rushed and ill-timed. After spending close to 300 pages assembling the company and describing the huge adventure to undertake, the actual journey and the excitement therein happens in the blink of an eye. Still, the ending is VERY good, and continues on in the next book. [4-stars]

Antrax is actually one of my very favorite Shannara books of all. With the character introductions, world-building, and plot set-up mostly taken care of in the first book, Brooks is able to jump right into the excitement here. And that excitement is intense and non-stop throughout the book. Perhaps the most action-packed of any Shannara book, this one is tough to put down.The same excellent characters continue to develop here as well. Each of the primary characters go through some intense physical and emotional trials, as they fight to complete their purposes or simply to stay alive. The secrets behind the unique and much-loved Truls Rohk continue to be revealed, as well as those behind Ryer Ord Star and the semi-sentient Antrax. Walker, Bek, Rue, Quentin and the Ilse Witch all approach their destinies, and each of their stories are completely captivating. [5-stars]

Unfortunately, the third and final book in the trilogy, Morgawr, was somewhat of a let-down.After the dramatic and twist-filled ANTRAX, this book just seemed slower and predictable.Nearly everything that happened was fully expected, turning out almost exactly like you just knew it would.Besides that, all of the characters are going through personal crises, where they doubt themselves and beat themselves up mercilessly for past mistakes/regrets.I'm sorry, but reading about all of your favorite characters being depressed just doesn't make for an enjoyable experience.Sadly, this last book in the trilogy was quite a disappointment. [3-stars]

Overall, the trilogy fits in nicely with the rest of the Shannara universe, and shouldn't disappoint fans of Brooks.It also eases you right into the next trilogy, The High Druid of Shannara, which hasn't yet been published in this format.I do recommend getting VotJS in this version.Save yourself some money and some shelf space and have a nice-looking and high-quality book.

review of voyage of jerle shannara trilogy
The book reads well. The book was in excellent condition when I recieved it. The author sets up the story line well.The action in the book kept me interested from first to last, a very good read.
... Read more

Product Description
TERRY BROOKS

THE HERITAGE OF SHANNARA
The Complete Series


After New York Times bestselling author Terry Brooks completed The Sword of Shannara trilogy, millions of fans around the world clamored to immerse themselves again in his dazzling world. Brooks answered with a quartet of beloved novels—The Heritage of Shannara. Now, for the first time in one handsome collector’s edition hardcover, here are: The Scions of Shannara, The Druid of Shannara, The Elf Queen of Shannara, and The Talismans of Shannara—the thrilling continuation of the saga
that has become one of the most enduring fantasy epics of all time.

The Scions of Shannara
Since the death of the Druid Allanon, magic has been strictly forbidden in the Four Lands. Yet Par still has limited use of the Wishsong. Then a dire message from Allanon sends Par and his brother Coll on an impossible task: to recover the long-lost Sword of Shannara—or all life in the Four Lands will be destroyed.


The Druid of Shannara
Evil forces remain in control of the Four Lands. To restore the Keep of the Druid Allanon, Walker Boh sets out on a journey to find the black Elfstone. He must venture into perilous, unknown lands with a strange band of fellow travelers—one of whom is hatching his own sinister plot.

The Elf Queen of Shannara
Ordered by the Druid Allanon to find the Elves and return them to the world of Men, Wren is carried away to an island where Elves might still exist. Even if by some miracle she locates the Elves, can she convince them to follow her back through a demon-haunted jungle to the safety of the shore?


The Talismans of Shannara
The Shadowen still swarm over the Four Lands, poisoning everything with their dark magic. Their leader is determined to destroy all the Scions of Shannara. With traps cleverly laid, the charges are doomed to failure—unless Par can discover a way to harness the power of the Sword of Shannara.

So continues Terry Brooks’s enthralling Heritage of Shannara epic, a spellbinding saga that chronicles the ultimate battle of good vs. evil. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Annoying
The main characters in this book second guess everything to a fault, they just whine and whine about who they are, and what has been "done" to them... it is really tiring. They eventually step up but it is like pulling teeth... and even when doing what they are destined to do they complain the entire time and second guess themselves.

Wonderful Collection Item
No Better way to remember your teenage years than by having the hardbound copy of this on your bookshelf. Its great. you know you read it and would want your kids to read it too. Better that a movie was never made of it so that your mind can do a better job than any director ever would that is the fun of reading. Now if we could just get Stephen Donaldson to do the same.

Thumbs Way Up
I have to agree with most of the other reviews here that this is an awesome collection. I loved all the Shannara books but this really is a five star masterpiece. Do yourself a favor and take a chance on this series. You'll be glad you did.

Great Value.
A great starting piont to what is Terry Brooks and fantasy novels as a genre. Simply great value as an opion to buy.

Brooks continues to be average
This book (which is actually four separate novels combined) is another average effort by Brooks.If you have read the "Sword of Shannara" trilogy, then you won't get much new here.I won't write Brooks off as a bad writer because he isn't.However, I won't hold him up as a great writer either.His work is light, easy to read and just entertaining enough to keep you reading.There is nothing exceptional about this or any of Brooks' writings.Recommended if you're looking for a casual fantasy series; otherwise I would seek authors who deliver more substance. ... Read more

Product Description
Dark magic has opened a gateway to the Forbidding and trapped within it Grianne Ohmsford, rightful High Druid of Shannara. Rescuing Grianne will be merely the beginning of the effort to return the Four Lands to some semblance of peace. Only her young nephew, Penderrin, has any hope of returning her to power. But to breach the Forbidding and bring Grianne back to the natural world, Pen must find the fabled Tanequil . . . and the talisman it alone can provide. That means journeying into the Inkrim–a dreaded region thick with shadows and haunted by harrowing legends. And there, Pen will strike a bargain more dire than he could ever imagine.
Amazon.com Review
War threatens the Four Lands, and Shannara's only hope lies in Penderrin Ohmsford, but it's a dreadfully slim hope. To save his world, Pen must restore his aunt, the former Ilse Witch, to her rightful position as High Druid of Shannara. But first Pen must free his aunt Grianne from the Forbidding: the world of the demons. To have the slightest chance of freeing her, he must find the mystical tree called the Tanequil, and somehow craft a talisman from its wood. But Shadea a'Ru, the treacherous usurper of his aunt's position, will do anything to stop Pen--and she has alreadycaptured Pen's parents and forced them to reveal their son'swhereabouts. Sen Dunsidan, the monstrous Prime Minister of the Federation, has armed his greatest airship with a horrible new weapon. And Pen is just a boy, accompanied on his dangerous quest by only a Dwarf, a young Elf, and a blind Rover girl.

Filled with action, treachery, and sacrifice, Tanequil will enthrall Terry Brooks's millions of fans as it roars to a shocking conclusion. However, newcomers to the Shannara series should not begin with Tanequil. It's the middle book of the HighDruid of Shannara trilogy, and the thirteenth novel of acomplicated high-fantasy series with numerous characters andsentient races. Newcomers should start with Jarka Ruus, the first book of the High Druid trilogy--or, better yet, with The Sword of Shannara, the first book of the series. --Cynthia Ward ... Read more

Customer Reviews (54)

Tanequil-06/15/2010
I am eager to read this the third in the series. But I have to complete the second book first. I am in hopes that this series lasts for a while.

decent fantasy
This is the 2nd of the High Druid of Shannara trilogy, and the 13th Shannara book overall. It picks up where Jarka Ruus left off, with the young duo of Pen, who can communicate with plants and animals, and Khyber, who wields the Elfstones, set to rescue Cinnaminson, the blind Rover girl, then find the Tanequil and get a branch from it, which in turn is supposed to help Pen rescue his aunt, the Ard Rhys, who's been imprisoned in The Forbidding.

Again, it's pretty standard fantasy fare. I preferred the scenes with the Ard Rhys in the Forbidding, as she tries to understand why she's there and figure out how to save herself, and is tested by the demon lord. I also enjoyed the scenes with the conspirators, as things go awry with them, and those who thought they were in control find that maybe they're not.

The main storyline, though, fell kind of flat, as it did with Jarka Ruus, though I didn't realize what was bothering me until I read this one. It was the character of Cinnaminson. I kept expecting, then wanting, then hoping that she would end up betraying them. Otherwise, she was like the princess in The Neverending Story--weak and pitiful, but hey, at least she's pretty. Betraying them, even accidentally, would have given her some depth, but she's just bland and boring, and Pen is "in love" with her in the way only young boys are with pretty girls they think they can save. She's pretty much the sacrificial lamb of the story, and just about as interesting.

I'm hoping the third book will liven things up a bit, but it's still solid, entertaining fantasy.

Sophmore slump?Bah!
The modern world is one that is full of prejudiced expectations.We EXPECT the second book of a trilogy to fill in the gap between the exciting start and the big finale, therefore, the book itself is almost a lame duck.Not so in this case.If you expect the second book to be "typical" of sophmore offerings (usually worse than the first), how can you truly appreciate it for what it is?There are SOME things that must be true of EVERY second book of a trilogy, but if you can get past that part, then you can truly appreciate this book, which is better than its predecessor in many ways.

Tanequil starts off much the same way Jarka Ruus starts off, at a frenetic pace.This style has certainly established the series as a "plot-driven" series, which has tendency to ruin my enjoyment of a series unless it is well written.This series is well written, for the most part, and it is a very enjoyable read.The pages fly by your fingers as you get into this book, as the pacing and minimalist level of detail leaves you hungering for more.

There are two major reasons why this book is better than Jarka Ruus.Firstly, characterization is much better.There are better opportunities to develop characters in the second book of a series, so this is to be expected.The interactions between the primary characters is much more intense, personal, and well developed.Not only this, but more characters are introduced (as is typical in the second book) and each one is done quite well.These new characters greatly broaden the scope of the novel, in terms of character depth, which leaves the reader feeling more satisfied.

Secondly, the plot is much better.The Tanequil itself is much more interesting than I personally expected, as well as the other creatures they face.The plot twists are much more sinister, and have more of a "human" face on them, since the characters are developed much better.The plot itself is less straight forward, and more unpredictable than before (although the rough outline was given in the first book).Even the cliffhanger at the end feels right in pace with the rest of the book, and it is not as disconcerting as it feels in other series.

Things always get worse for the protagonists in the second book, but hopefully things don't get worse for the reader.Tanequil tells the tale of how things get worse for our heroes, just like countless sophmore books before it.This book just does it with a style that I find more compelling than most, and that is why I highly recommend this book.

ask your doctor about Tanequil...
Tanequil.Sounds like a prescription sleep aid. Reads like a prescription sleep aid.

Side effects may include dry mouth, loss of appetite, primary systemic ennui, and rickets. In clinical trials these effects were mild to moderate and comparable to placebo. If you experience blurred vision, sexual side effects, or thoughts of suicide, discontinue using Tanequil and consult a decent fantasy author immediately.

Supersize paperback book??C'mon!!
Ok, to others, it may be known as the "Trade Paperback."

To me, it's the paperback book that would look out of place with my regularly-sized paperback books on the shelf.

Del Rey, listen up!!!I REFUSE to buy this until it comes out in a regular paperback edition!End of story!I will not settle for this monstrous volume that might feel small in some NBA player's hands.

Does that mean I won't get to see how the story progresses??OH WELL!!!I'm NOT going to compromise just so you can pocket another $5-$6 on material that cost you far less. ... Read more

Product Description
In a sleepy steel-mill town, the ultimate battle between Good and Evil is about to begin . . .

Sinnissippi Park, in Hopewell, Illinois, has long hidden a mysterious evil, locked away from humankind by powers greater than most could even imagine. But now the malevolent creatures that normally skulk in the shadows of the park grow bolder, and old secrets hint at a violent explosion.

The brewing conflict draws John Ross to Hopewell. A Knight of the Word, Ross is plagued by nightmares that tell him someone evil is coming to unleash an ancient horror upon the world. Caught between them is fourteen-year-old Nest Freemark, who senses that something is terribly wrong but has not yet learned to wield the budding power that sets her apart from her friends.

Now the future of humanity depends upon a man haunted by his dreams and a gifted young girl--two souls who will discover what survives when hope and innocence are shattered forever . . .Amazon.com Review
Terry Brooks's Running with the Demon is billed as"A Novel of Good and Evil," but he could've called it"A Novel of Here and Now." The fantasy master behind theShannara series switches his focus from neo-Tolkien jungles to thewoebegone steel town of Hopewell, Illinois. Though Illinois teenagerNest Freemark (where does he get these names?) looks like your averagekid, she spends her free time in the woods asking her 6-inch pal Pickfor advice in dodging the Demon and his creepy Feeders, spirits whogobble the souls of humans. Nest is also being tailed by John Ross, ashining Knight of the Word who wants to keep her from the Feeders'jaws.

Meanwhile, in the real world that dominates the novel, NestFreemark is being stalked by a handsome, evil classmate who she hasrejected, and a pack of surly, insurgent striking steelworkers plot abombing at the company's Fourth of July picnic. The boy and thebombers are unaware that they're being subconsciously manipulated bythe Demon. The book's matter-of-fact take on the uncanny is a bit likeThe X-Files. (And if you want to compare the two, check out TedEdwards's X-FilesConfidential: The Unauthorized X-Philes Compendium.)

Brooks's plot has more strands than a plate of pasta, yet his mind islogical to a fault--he used to be a lawyer. There's something foreveryone: gory monster attacks, a dread family secret, magicalmind-game duels, even a (rather flat) teen-romance subplot. Thesetting has real grit and the countdown to the Independence Daybombing peps up the tale. Brooks sometimes prosaically explains thingsa better literary stylist would dramatize, and his minatory visions ofenvironmental apocalypse are more fun than the obvious, nagging,don't-be-a-litterbug message they exist to convey. Brooks will neverbe as deep as Tolkien, and many readers will find him less awesome astheir adolescence recedes. Still, he's the genuine article, and withthis book, he raises the stakes he's playing for. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (147)

A Love/Hate Relationship
Seeing as these books are 'prequels' to the Shannara series, I had an idea of what to expect.I find that Terry Brooks, as an author, has evolved and each book he writes you can tell his skill has improved.This is book 1 of 3 of the mini-series, and I read this one after finishing the "High Druid" cycle of books.I was very interested in hearing about how the world of Shannara was formed, but having read the other books, I know what the eventual conclusion of these series will have to be.

The character development of main character Nest Freemark was incredible, and I really enjoyed reading about her in particular.I just started book 2 "A Knight of the Word", and was quite excited to see she was in this book as well.

On the down side, I found this book to be particularly depressing in comparison with the "future" Shannara books.For example the dreams of another character, John Ross, are particularly discouraging, and while some conflict and drama is expected, I felt particularly discouraged reading these chapters and wished I could skip them entirely.

Overall a good read, and would be excellent for someone who has never picked up a Shannara book, no prior knowledge is needed, and I would dare say is almost detrimental to reading this one.I think these books would be excellent for someone just breaking into the fantasy genre as the author does an excellent job of 'making it real' for the little town of Hopewell, IL.

Not to Be Paranoid, but This Seems Rooted in Reality
Being a fan of all things Brooks, I had to read these, and only later were this series and Shannara made to connect in the lore of our world.The creepy thing is, this story of contemporary mayhem purpetrated by Void-driven monsters rooted in human form, seemingly the next door neighbors, seems all to real when reading the daily news.There isn't a single thing that happens in the books by these man-demons, that wouldn't and doesn't happen today around us in real life.How often do we read these things in the news and wonder, what would cause someone to do something like that?Maybe we have our answers, and there is a thread linking the fabric of seemingly random evil in our world.After all, where is our world heading on many dimensions; economy and planning, values, government, stewardship of planet earth, human behavior, civilization?I wonder if Mr. Brooks is trying to tell us something.

Entertaining Read
An entertaining and captivating read, once you hit the middle section. I found the characters interesting with their quirks (Gran's smokes and booze, Jared's catatonic fits), but they were also overused at times (I really only need to be told Gran drinks vodka and orange juice for breakfast a maximum of twice).

Brooks is fantastic with narrative descriptions, making you feel as if you're walking in the footsteps of the characters. He can get a little wordy and delve into minutiae, which detracts from such wonderful plot and action. I would have enjoyed the novel more had a lot of the repetition been cut.

There is a fantastic plot and Brooks has a masterful ability to skip through the heads of characters without breaking the reader's stride, not an easy task. You get a real sense for each point of view character and you grow attached to even the smallest characters. The only parts I disliked are when Brooks switched from past tense to present tense dream sequences. I found it jarring and unnecessary. I wished he would have worked the explanation of the dreams into the current plot rather than flashbacks that change tense and disturb the reading process.

All in all, a good read that keeps you turning pages. 3.5 stars for the reasons listed above. I will continue reading this series as, like I said, once I hit the middle of the book I couldn't put it down.

Good Book
I've read many of the Shannara series and decided to read The Word and Void series seeing as how Brooks new series connects everything together. Running with the Demon follows the same type of pattern as many of the Shannara series books, young main character facing challenges beyond their years and rising to meet them. Overall this wasn't my favorite of Brooks' novels but, I'd definitely recommend it. It starts slow but, once you're about half way through its hard to put the book down.

Running With the Demon
I decided to read this series because it is technically a prequel to Terry Brooks' other large series. I wasn't quite ready to delve into that monstrous series, and I'm usually a fan of urban fantasy, so this seemed like a great place to start. Unfortunately, Running With the Demon is more like a Stephen King novel then an urban fantasy. The magic is at a minimum and the suspense and action is practically non existent. The plot is very simple, if an angel type character doesn't stop a demon from touching a girl then the world will end. There is a creature trapped in a tree, emotion sucking monsters, and a talking stick figure, but not much else. I found myself skipping over how people were planning on sabotaging a company, how the main character met the stick figure, and other such things. There was simply not enough substance in this book. The plot was predictable, the characters were uninteresting, and there was no depth to this tale. I managed to finish the book, but now I'm wondering why I really bothered. ... Read more

Product Description
Horrified by the misuse of magic they had witnessed during the First War of the Races, the Druids at Paranor devoted themselves to the study of the old sciences, from the period before the collapse of civilization a thousand years before. Only the Bremen and a few trusted associates still studied the arcane arts. And for his persistence, Bremen found himself outcast, avoided by all but the few free-thinkers among the Druids.

But his removal from Paranor was not altogether a terrible thing, for Bremen learned that dark forces were on the move from the Northlands. That seemingly invincible armies of trolls were fast conquering all that lay to their south. That the scouts for the army--and its principal assassins--were Skull Bearers, disfigured and transformed Druids who had fallen prey to the seductions of the magic arts. And that at the heart of the evil tide was an archmage and former Druid named Brona!

Using the special skills he had acquired through his own study of Magic, Bremen was able to penetrate the huge camp of the Troll army and learn many of its secrets. And he immediately understood that if the peoples of the Four Lands were to escape eternal subjugation they would need to unite. But, even united, they would need a weapon, something so powerful that the evil magic of Brona, the Warlock Lord, would fail before its might... Amazon.com Review
Dark forces are on the move from the Northlands, and Bremen,an outcast Druid, learns of the huge Troll armies on the march and the Skull Bearerswho act as their spies.To save the Druids, Bremen must convince the peopleof the Four Lands that their only hope lies in uniting -- and in using the magic they fear above all else. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (154)

A great prequel
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2YLDN9A3QC1OO A wonderful prequel to a great series.Gives a lot of background info and character play

An Excellent Prequel to the Trilogy
The First King of Shannara is a prequel to the Shannara trilogy and it's superb reading.Terry Brooks weaves storytelling magic in this book which masterfully outlines a richly, detailed fantasy world in which the classic battle between good and evil drives the story.

At the center of the story is the outcast and last of the Druids, Bremen. He is the driving force to convincing the people inhabiting the Four Lands that their only hope to preventing subjugation lies in uniting and in using the magic.

The First King of Shannara is a fascinating tale and the novel answers many of the questions raised in previous books in great detail such as the origins of Allanon, the purpose of the Druids, the fall of Paranor, the forging of the Sword of Shannara, etc. Terry Brooks writes enjoyable and entertaining fantasy novels and that should be appreciated on its own.

First King of Shannara
I am not pleased with condition of my purchase. I understand it was a used item but description of seller said Like New.

Avoids the pitfalls of prequels, Successfully tells an epic tale
With FIRST KING OF SHANNARA, Brooks took a big gamble.Writing a prequel to the much-loved (and almost classic) SWORD OF SHANNARA trilogy, meant telling a story that had essentially already been told.How do you keep a story exciting when the outcome is already known to the reader?How do you dodge conflicts and mistakes when filling out a story that has largely been related as lore in previous books?And how do you avoid diluting the special mystery and legendary status of the Second War of the Races when detailing it in this form?Somehow Brooks managed all of this while creating a highly entertaining and realm-expanding epic story in this book.Readers of Shannara will be very pleased with this effort.

One of the ways Brooks was able to keep this story engaging, even though most of it was already known from reading previous books, was to introduce and develop some really great characters.Besides Bremen, Allanon, and Jerle Shannara, whom we expected, FIRST KING OF SHANNARA also stars Kinson, Mareth, Tay, and Risca.Much of this tale is told through their experiences, and comes off as being new material within the scope of the already-known larger epic.These are complex and believable characters that stand out as being some of the more memorable and original in all of the Shannara books.Between them and the more well known characters, this book is absolutely jam-packed full of heroes, each of whom serve as viewpoint characters from time to time, lending this book a nice variety of perspective and an epic feel.

As for the story itself, it does bring clarity to the Second War of the Races, and makes for a better-than-average fantasy.One drawback is that the interesting and exciting scenes are interspersed among a lot of 'traveling-from-here-to-there' sequences that can get fairly repetitive, something that Brooks has improved on in his more recent work.Descriptions of settings take up large parts of this book, and after a while begin to numb.That, with the fact that the reader IS aware of the direction of the story count as marks against this one, but luckily the superb characters redeem the book's appeal.I certainly wouldn't read this one before The Sword of Shannara Trilogy, but do recommend it for fans of Brooks' other Shannara work.

Intense Fantasy Novel
This is the first Shannara novel I have read in about 14 years. In that time I was surprised to see how graphic and violent the novel was. Most fantasy books I have read simply gloss over the fact that people die. Brooks makes sure you know that there was a loss and you feel it more. Another refreshing change was one of the main characters dies. I did not want to see the character pass, but it was nice to see that sometimes heroes fail. After being halfway through this book, I started looking at the Shannara series to see which "Trilogy" I should read next and I found out that this book contains a spoiler in reference to the Heritage of Shannnara series. Oops. I guess I will have to just act surprised. All in all I would recommend this book to any fan of fantasy, It was truly enjoyable.

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