Product Description
A year had passed since Ben Holiday bought the Magic Kingdon from the wizard, Meeks. But unbeknownst to him, he has been the victim of a trap by Meeks, who has succeeded in stealing the Paladin and appropriating his face. Suddenly none of Ben's friends know him, but all of his enemies do. He must win it all back again--only this time on his own!


From the Paperback edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (48)

Book review
This book is sweet. Its the 2nd book of Landover. Used Book was received in near mint condition. Couldn't be happier.

Leftovers, anyone?
I was excited to get a hardback edition of this sequel to Kingdom for Sale as I enjoyed exploring this new land with its new king.

The problem is that I'd been to this land already and Brooks didn't show me any new places nor anything about his land that I didn't already know.
It was a fairly hackneyed plot placed in the setting of what had once been novel.

It didn't freshen the plot, it killed my nostalgia for the setting.

This is the only book I have ever destroyed because I did not want anyone to waste their precious leisure time reading it.
It is a thoroughly mediocre tale that ruins the enjoyment of the first book.

Try a different author or series.

Not everything as it seems...sometimes it's better
The second book in the Landover series starts out (after a brief prologue) with our cast of characters sitting around at breakfast talking about dreams.Don't worry, this is indeed a fantasy adventure novel and not some Freudian Interpretation of Dreams textbook.However, there is a lot of psychological exploration of character and motivation that happens in this book.In fact, that's one of the elements of Brooks's writing that I often enjoy...the internal conflict that many of the characters go through as they try to sort out their own identity and/or motivations.

In this book, we get into the semi-standard "quest" formula often found in fantasy and commonly used in Brooks's books.A series of dreams have suggested individual quests for three of our main characters.Ben needs to return to his non-magical hometown of Chicago to help his old friend who is in danger.Questor (the eccentric and comical wizard) has been shown the location of the secret lost books of magic which he must set out to recover.And Willow (the beautiful sylph who has fallen in love with Ben) has been prompted to seek out the mystical Black Unicorn, find a magical golden bridal that can capture it, and return to Ben.

As each member of the party sets off on their individual quests, it quickly becomes apparent that the dreams were not as straightforward as they appeared.Most of the action follows Ben but we are given occasional chapters that keep us up to date with the other characters.Ben's return to Earth and his subsequent return to Landover unlocks a series of events that lead to his downfall from power and recognition as King of Landover.The result is his exile from his own castle and a new quest to find Willow (who still hasn't returned from her quest) and seek to protect her and to somehow solve his own problems along the way.

The adventure aspect of this book is engaging enough.There are a couple of rather exciting and intense scenes (such as when Ben is with the River Master who is trying to summon the Black Unicorn...or the later confrontation between the witch Nightshade and the powerful dragon Strabo) but a lot of the novel involved inner monologue or strings of dialog in which Ben tries to unravel the mystery of his downfall.

Ben's narrative explores the psychological question of "Who am I?" and "What's my motivation/passion/purpose?"Ben has "lost himself" in more ways than one.The questions and thoughts explored in the book are intriguing and thought provoking, but they dragged on a little too long, in my opinion.Page after page we wander along with Ben as he tries to find answers to these questions.He gains a magical companion in Dirk, the mystical prism cat who poses thought provoking questions and enigmatic explanations.

After a short time, I was so frustrated with Ben that I wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake him to just "snap out of it"...tell him that the answer was so very obvious and he was an idiot for not seeing it and for asking the same stupid questions over and over without making any progress.This to me was a major disconnect.Ben is supposed to be a very bright lawyer with a quick mind for problem solving and evaluating the situations.I will gladly admit that it's generally harder to see something clearly that's right in front of you...easier to solve someone else's problems than your own.But truly, Ben should have been able to figure things out by halfway through his journey rather than at the last possible moment for salvation.Even if he wasn't fully able to unlock the magic spell that held him bound, he should have at least been able to see the nature of the problem.

Apart from that character disconnect, I liked the general message of the psychological exploration.That we need to admit our own passions if we ever hope to achieve them...that the truth we see and understand may not be the real truth and that we should be willing to pull back the layers of illusion to better understand ourselves, others and the world.

I felt like the story was fun and the characters developed a bit more than they had in the first novel.It still isn't an overly deep series with spanning epic proportions, but then it doesn't set out to be.This is another entertaining read.

***
3 out of 5 stars

Interesting continuation; tale of good v. evil, well read by Mr. Dick Hill
Let me preface my remarks by saying this is for an out of print audio cassette. (They [Amazon] don't have a listing for this format).This is a tale of good v. evil, with Ben Holiday, and a host of odd creatures, seeking to find the Black Unicorn, and to destroy the books of magic.As part of the Kingdom of Landover series, by Terry Brooks, it creates a magical world; where the final battle between Ben, and Questor Thews, one of the two wizards, and half brothers, battle over the destruction of the magic books.Also, there are a talking dog, a fairy like creature, who Ben loves, and a talking cat.Mr. Brooks has created a whimsical, but fine story.The audio cassette, out of print, is well read by Mr. Dick Hill; whose ability to create various voices, and express a wide range of emotions, speaks to his credit as a reader.Fine story.

Return of the Wizard
The Black Unicorn (1987) is the second fantasy novel in the Magic Kingdom of Landover series, following Magic Kingdom for Sale - Sold.In the previous volume, Ben and his friends faced the demons in a fight to the death.Ben called the Paladin and defeated the Iron Mark.Then he took pledges of fealty from his Lords and others.

In this novel, Ben Holiday is a founding partner of a rich and well-known law firm.Then he buys the Magic Kingdom of Landover and leaves his friend Miles Bennett in sole charge of the firm.Ben spends the next year restoring the kingdom.

Willow is a sylph, the daughter of the River Master and a wood nymph.She is now Ben's lover.But Ben still cannot overcome his residual feelings for Annie, his deceased wife.

Questor Thews is the court wizard of Landover.He is the half-brother of the former court wizard, now known as Meeks.Questor is getting better at wizardry, but still has many misapplications of his magic.

Abernathy is the court scribe.He is also a talking dog.He had once been a human, but had been transformed by Questor.Then the wizard had not been able to restore his human form.

Bunion and Parsnip are kobolds.Both are retainers of the kingdom.Bunion is the court runner and Parsnip is the cook.

In this story, Ben, Questor and Willow have dreams.When they discuss them at breakfast, there seems to have been an urgency to each dream.Despite warnings from Abernathy, all three set out to follow the dreams.

In Ben's dream, Miles is having some difficulty.So Ben returns to Chicago to check.He encounters visions of Meeks twice during his visit, once at the end of the time tunnel and once outside the elevator on the fifteenth floor near the offices of his law firm.Miles tells him that his fears are unfounded and Ben hurries back to Landover.

In Questor's dream, the hiding place of the lost magic books is revealed.So Questor and Bunion travel to the ruined fortress of Mirwouk.There they find the lost books and return to the castle.

In Willow's dream, a black unicorn appears in Landover.So Willow and Parsnip search for the unicorn.

Ben returns first to Sterling Silver.Shortly thereafter, Questor arrives and shows the magic books to Ben.Then Ben goes back to bed, but has a strange encounter in the night.

Suddenly Meeks appears before him.This time he is not an illusion, but the real wizard.He paralyzes Ben with magic and them replaces his clothes with those of a common man.When Ben tries to use his Paladin medallion, he finds it changed to an image of Meeks.And Meeks has the Paladin medallion.

Somehow Ben no longer looks like himself to others and Meeks looks like Ben.Ben tells his friends that he is the High Lord, but they deny him and have him ejected from the castle.After stewing a while, Ben realizes that Willow will bring the Black Unicorn to Meeks in his guise as the High Lord, so he heads south to intercept her.

After he stops for the night, a cat appears in the clearing.It tells Ben that it is named Edgewood Dirk and that it is a prism cat.After it transforms itself to start a campfire, Ben accepts that it is from fairy.

Ben soon discovers that it may talk and shoot flame, but it is still a cat.It refuses to answer his questions, but decides to accompany Ben as a guide. Ben wants to strangle it on several occasions.

This tale forces Ben to face some of his buried fears and other emotions.Dirk keeps telling him about self-deception, but Ben doesn't understand.Finally, Dirk leaves him on his own.

The story brings out the history of unicorns within Landover.Black unicorns have been seen before and are believed to be demons.Everyone knows that it is dangerous to touch a unicorn.

The story of Landover continues with Wizard at Large.Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Brooks fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of magic kingdoms, desperate quests, and true romance.

-Arthur W. Jordin ... Read more

Product Description
After Ben Holiday purchased Landover, he discovered the magic kingdom had some problems. The Barons refused to recognize a king and the peasants were without hope. To make matters worse, Ben learned that he had to duel to the death with the Iron Mask, the terrible lord of the demons--a duel which no human could hope to win....


From the Paperback edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (156)

Fun, Easy-Going Fantasy
Ben Holiday is a successful lawyer, with a certain emptiness in his life.His wife is dead and his life has sunk into depression and loneliness.One night he receives an interesting Christmas catalog in the mail, containing an advertisement for a legitimate magical kingdom.Ben decides that he needs a change in his life, and even though the people in his life think he's nuts - Ben decides to purchase the strange item.Before he knows it Ben is in real live land of magic and adventure, full of dragons and fairies.The kingdom is in rough times, and Ben is the new King.He has a lot of work to do in order to rebuild his kingdom.Check out this book to see how things go down.

The book is the first in a series, but it works great as a standalone read.Highly recommended for some fun fantasy!

Magic Kingdom for Sale:SOLD!
I am a very (8/30/2010)new Kindle 3 buyer/subscriber, and I am just getting a feel for the whole ebook thing, and although I have already purchased or downloaded several novels/reference/sample books, the above novel is the first that I have really begun reading.As a matter of fact, I have already read about a quarter of this novel in just under a day!

I would have to say that although I have really not delved much into Terry Brook's fantasy series world, I am enchanted with this novel.It is perhaps not the most sophisticated book I have ever read, but from what I HAVE read so far, I do not think that some of the reviews on this book have been accurate.I would not say that this is a novel for the truly sophisticated fantasy novel reader (Terry Brooks is no Terry Goodkind in my book) but it seems to be a good read for the young adult or beginner fantasy novel reader.

The premise of a normal average-Joe modern man delving into the fantasy world via purchase of a magical kingdom does have appeal to most persons, I think.I know that as for myself, it would seem a fun thing to do in my own life, after dealing with all of the modern life problems most of us face on a daily basis.

I have been a total bookworm most of my 35 years (although mostly in the horror genre) and I have always been the sort to "get lost" in my reading.People have different ways of de-stressing from the toils of daily life, but for me, it has always been books....LOTS of books...now maybe that makes me a nerd, but if so, I am a proud nerd....in short, its my strong recommendation that (thus far, at least) this book presents a very entertaining and liberating
experience for the reader who is more interested in entertainment and stress release, than for educational purposes.I think it unfair that some reviews put this novel akin to being juvenile.The way I see it, if you want something educational and mind-expanding, pick up a college textbook.If you are looking for simple entertainment and diversion, then this is the novel/series for you.Happy Reading!!

Fun, lighthearted fantasy adventure
Last fall, Princess of Landover was released...a new book in the Landover series after more than a decade.I had read the Landover books back in the 90s but had largely forgotten many details of the story, so I decided I may as well catch back up before reading the new book.

In Magic Kingdom For Sale -- Sold, we follow a meandering lawyer in his quest to find purpose in alife that has become dull and unfulfilling.On a whim, he responds to an advertisement selling the right to be king in a fantasy realm called Landover.He initially expects some sort of special effects or other technological wizardry but is shocked to quickly discover that this magical world is real and with it come all sorts of dangers and adventures.

Ben Holliday is officially king, but the kingdom is a mess, thanks largely to the neglect caused by the continual sale of kingship and the lack of successful kings doing the job.Although set up for failure in many ways, Ben decides to give it his all and actually try to succeed at the job that many before him had run away from.

The concept itself is intriguing and a lot of fun.It's the sort of fantasy I remember from my youth and wanted to experience...the idea that if you found the right path, took the right turn, or moved a certain rock, there would be a passageway to an amazing land where magic was real, fantastic creatures and races flourished and anything was possible.Instead of merely happening on the kingdom, the adventure is taken up a notch by making Ben king (even if his power is largely limited due to lack of political recognition in the land).

The writing is solid and I could really visualize a lot of what was going on.The characters are fun and well crafted, though sometimes not quite as three-dimensional as I would have liked.Ben himself is a good full character though I often found myself frustrated with his perceptions and doubts.

The plot is enjoyable and believable.We wander the land with Ben and his new found friends as they try to show citizens of Landover that he, Ben, is in fact king and he deserves to be recognized as such.All of the factions have natural doubts but slowly they set up specific conditions under which they'll recognize his authority.And those conditions set up a variety of fun adventures.

The fantasy action itself isn't anything terribly revolutionary or exciting in terms of the Fantasy genre.However, the intriguing characters, the well constructed plot tension, and the solid writing make this a worthwhile read.

One note that put me off a little bit because I had forgotten about it, is the fact that Ben Holliday swears.In Brooks's Shannara series, the language is very subdued.They have their own form of swearing (Shades) but generally the language is very "G" rated.Landover's language is still mild by comparison but would be "PG" rather than "G."While this did strike me as odd, it was realistic when considering that Ben is an American lawyer from the heart of Chicago in the 19080s.

I look forward to re-reading the series and getting back into the heart of Landover.Most people I talk to don't really consider the Landover series to be Brooks's best work.Many even shun then.While I agree that he has many books that are better, Magic Kingdom is well worth reading and is a lot of fun as long as you go into it not expecting some sprawling fantasy epic with deep reaching effect.

***
3 out of 5 stars

Much better than I expected!
I'm not usually into Terry Brook's books. I read one of the Shannara books, and it seemed like a shortened version of "Lord of the Rings" - in order to find this magic object we have to walk through a dangerous forest, make our way under a mountain where we'll face supernatural enemies and so on. This book isn't like that at all. The main character is a quite normal person who's frustrated with his life and sees an ad for a Magic Kingdom for sale. He assumes that it's a joke, it has to be, but he still can't stop thinking about it. And, eventually, he finds himself the new King of Landover. In trying to deal with this new world of his, he has great help of a clumsy wizard and a talking dog... The book is funny and takes some unexpected turns, and I really enjoyed reading it.

Recommended for teens in the mid to late 80's
I pretty much read any fantasy I could get my hands on when this book came out in the late 80's, but never picked this title up for some reason.I did read Sword of Shannara back then however.Read everything from the Conan series, to LOTR (multiple times), Piers Anthony (gah!I don't even LIKE puns!), Dragonlance, etc et al.

Just now reading this as a 30 something, and it's truly forgettable if not downright bad.Definitely fantasy pulp, which was fine when I was 13, but don't have as much patience/tolerance for poor writing these days.

The concept is pretty good, to be fair.So points for originality here, but the writing, oh god the writing.There were some instances where I was literally cringing as I read, it was so bad, unbelievable (not "dragons don't exist!" unbelievable, but "they would NEVER say/do that!" unbelievable) or just inconsistent enough to pull me out of the world.

The world was interesting enough, but with characters so tired and cliched now (maybe not as much when this was written) that the stereotypes of good and evil were just plain boring.

Muuuuch better fantasy out there than this if you are just now getting around to it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Terry Brooks Books
Terry Brooks books are the best! Our whole family loves these books. Now he has combined books into one book, so you don't have to change books they are all there.

Read the Shannara books they are also very good Books.

A nice departure from elves and orcs
I bought this novel on the recommendation of a website I trust.However, I had no idea it was fantasy set in the modern world.This is not the typical type of novel I read and I have no interest in the lycans and vampires that seem to dominate such novels.If you want typical fantasy, this is not your novel.If you are looking for something different, this will broaden the palate.

On one hand, the plot of this novel seems to have lots of Christian themes.The good guy is a knight of the Word.The good is the Word and the bad is the Void, harkening to the first chapter of Genesis.The main bad guys are demons.There are demons working behind the visible scene to create evil in the world.These themes harken back to Frank Parettis books like This Present Darkness.However, these novels are by no means Christian allegory.In fact, the struggle between the good and evil is more yin and yang, with neither able to get the upper hand.The Word is not omnipotent or omnipotent.It is an interesting application of Christian themes, using them to place a fantasy novel into the modern world, and blending those themes with more Eastern ideals.

The first novel in this omnibus is by far the best.It is the best because it is the richest in its characterization.While the two main protagonists are the same throughout the three novels, this first novels contains two fantastic characters in grandpa and grandma.They have secrets.They are loving.They are dysfunctional.A huge portion of the first novel is spent on these two characters and the story is made because of it.The other wonderful strength of this novel is its depiction of small town America.The depiction rings spot on and was fantastic.

Unfortunately, grandpa and grandma are gone for books 2 and 3.In this, these two novels suffer.Whereas the 1st book is rich and deep and primarily a character driven novel, books 2 and 3 read more like a summer blockbuster movie: lots of action but little substance.So if I had bought these as the three separate novels as written, book 1 would have been 4 or 5 stars, and the latter books only 3 stars.

Making my way through the series....
I got hooked on the Shannara series and have been reading all the books in the order Terry Brooks recommends.I have burned through reading all of his previous works but just cannot get interested in The Word & the Void book.I'm not sure what the problem is but it just doesn't hold my interest enough to turn the pages.I'm going to skip this trio of stories and go onto the next, The Voyage of Jerle Shannara.

Excellent read!
This included all three books in one, the only thing stopping this from being a 5 star was that the cover was a little worn, and that's all.I am pretty particular about my books and this was great fast shipping and great condition! Awesome read!

Very solid story with an unexpected protagonist.
When I first purchased this omnibus, I got it because of Terry Brooks "Shannara" series, i.e. an author with a deep experience in sci-fi fantasy who, for some reason, I've never read.Little did I know, these books were a prequel to the Shannara series which I never picked up and had no good reason not to.After "The Word and the Void", they are next on my reading list to be sure, even if it is over 20 years later.

Hopefully this isn't a spoiler-- it shouldn't be.Several score of pages into "Running with the Demon" I was a bit discouraged-- who seemed to be the main protagonist ("John Ross") I was not connect with.Who ended up not being *that* character was the character who I could become attached to ("Nest Freemark").Once I knew the story revolved around Nest, the pages flew by without me even noticing.It's classic good and evil, without all the cliches and stereotypes.The story of Nest, from naive and frail teenager to a mature 20-something who has always struggled with who she is was what drives the story.

From me, this comes highly recommended.I can't wait to start the Shannara series now. ... Read more

Product Description
The fate of a world rests on an unlikely hero. . . .

Tucked away in peaceful Shady Vale, the young half-elf Shea Ohmsford gives little thought to the outside world. Yet far to the north, the evil Warlock Lord has dispatched shadowy Skull Bearers, creatures twisted by dark sorcery, to hunt him down. At the same time, a black-cloaked giant of a man appears in Shady Vale. He claims to be the mysterious Druid known as Allanon, a wizardly wanderer of vast knowledge and power–and he has come to see Shea. For Shea, he says, is the last descendant of an ancient Elven king. Only he, in all the world, can wield the fabled Sword of Shannara. And only the Sword can stop the Warlock Lord from destroying all that lives.

The Sword lies far from Shady Vale, in the Druid castle of Paranor. And Paranor has fallen under the shadow of the Warlock Lord. Yet all is not lost. Shea will rise to the challenge. Together with Allanon and a handful of brave companions, he begins a desperate quest into the very heart of evil. . . .

The Sword of Shannara Part 1: In the Shadow of the Warlock Lord is the newest addition to the Del Rey Imagine program, which offers the best in classic fantasy and science fiction for readers 12 and up.



From the Trade Paperback edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

rip-off - break a single book into multiple and earn more
As somebody else noted - this is the same Sword of Shannara broken down into a number of parts and sold separately presumably to fool people into spending more.

The story is good and I would not hesitate recommending it to any fantasy fan but I'd rather have them read the original single book.

Class Time!
Instead of writing a typical review like I normally do, I will instead attempt to educate you, internet user who picked to worst review to read (I'm not kidding, read the others) on what makes a person gullible.Ready? Good. Okay, late 70's Sword of Shannara first published and it sells.Dude writes sequals, they sell, and so on.As I write this Amozon sells this book new for $7.99 or used for as low as a penny.But his review isn't about Sword of Shannara, it's about Sword of Shannara : In the Shadow of the Warlock Lord aka what happens if a six year old manages to rip a book in thirds.This sells for $6.99, as do the second and third, which makes the grand total $20.97 a difference of $12.98, as compared to buying the actual book.QUIZ TIME! finish this famous quote, "a fool and his money are ... "

good beginning... next books are much better
To me this book was an almost unbelievable rip off of the Lord of the Rings series... reading about Terry Brooks he even says that he was influenced by Tolkien in his younger days. That being said, if you can tough it out through this book, ALL of the other Shannara books and series are well worth reading. There are some direct parallels and some original ideas, it wasn't quite all a copy of Lord of the Rings... The writing is good, though maybe a bit unoriginal. This was my least favorite Shannara series book just because it seemed to be such a ripoff of Tolkien. I still enjoyed the book and would recommend it, just be warned that it is similar to LOTR. It does set the stage for the other books in this series and the other Shannara series books, and is worth reading just for that. None of those are anything like Lord of the Rings and Terry Brooks' creativity shines through in those. I also went on to read the Magic Kingdom of Landover series which are also good.

Half and half
Terry Brooks jump-started the realm of derivative fantasy with "Sword of Shannara," an unoriginal but pleasant fantasy adventure with your basic elves, dwarves, druids gnomes and medieval humans. While the book itself is fairly enjoyable, there's a not-so-pleasant surprise in store for fans who purchase "In the Shadow of the Warlock Lord."

Shea Ohmsford is not like the other inhabitants of Shady Vale -- he's part Elf. Despite this, he's always been one of the boys in his sheltered village with his adopted family, until the day the Druid Allanon arrives to tell him of his destiny; he's the descendant of the legendary Jerle Shannara, and the one who can use the Sword of Shannara against the Warlock Lord. Dark forces are clustering around Shady Vale, and soon Shea is forced to leave with his brother Flick, on a quest to find the sword.

The problem with this book is... it's not a new book. It's not even a complete book; rather, it appears to be half of the preexisting "Sword of Shannara" novel. In the manner of the split Robert Jordan novel, the first book of the Shannara series has been cut into parts and is being sold as separate volumes. Aside from this detail, those intimidated by the size of the complete novel may prefer this book. Others may be severely disappointed by the lack of conclusion in this book.

... His writing is descriptive, a bit overblown, but not too badly. His characters, while not earth-shattering, are pleasant and likable, such as the reluctant hero Shea and his more suspicious brother Flick.

While the concept of repackaging the Shannara books for kids and young adults is an interesting one, there is little warning that this is not a new story, but merely a preexisting one split into parts. Give it a miss if you already have it. ... Read more

Product Description
Although some of the goals to keep Shannara safe had been met, the work of Walker Boh, Wren, and Par was not yet done. For The Shadowmen still swarmed over the Four Lands, poisoning all with their dark magic. Each Shannaran had a special death waiting for him- at the hands of The Shadowmen-unless Par could find a way to free them all with the Sword of Shannara.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (48)

Great sum of the prevoius books
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3JEGR0W4JPSA7 I was glad to see the final outcome and what was really attacking and killing the earth.Great final story in this series

Fast-paced, good read
The conclusion to the four-book series wraps up the quests of all three main characters and their quests. Par has the Sword of Shannara...only he can't use it. Wren, now Queen of the Elves, has returned the Elves to Westland...only Arborlon is about to be attacked by a Federation and Seeker army ten times its size. And Walker Boh has transformed into a Druid and restored Paranor. The quests Allanon set for them have been fulfilled. Only problem? The Federation is still in power, the Shadowen are still killing people and the land is still dying. The charges have been met, but none of the characters actually know what fulfilling them was supposed to do to help. And now they have new sets of problems to deal with. Rimmer Dall, nonplussed about the fact that the trio completed their charges, has decided to send all three a special gift. For Walker, he releases the Four Horsemen (War, Pestilence, Famine and Death--VERY cool monsters!) who trap him in his castle at Paranor. For Wren, who lost her best friend Garth, he sends a Shadowen guised as a new "friend." And for Par he sends, let's just say, a sort of mental manipulation basically intended to drive the poor boy nuts. So all three not only have to overcome these obstacles, but at the same time also figure out what, exactly, their talismans are supposed to do to stop the Shadowen. And even worse, none of the three knows if the other has even completed their quest, as they've been separated this entire time.
As the final book in the series, this is definitely a good one. Now that we're back to covering all the different characters again, the pace is generally fast. Characters are captured and recaptured within pages of each other. Battles are fought, lost, refought and won in relatively short span. It gives less time for characters to brood and whine and overthink and spends a lot more time with the action.
All in all, I have to say, I do like Brooks work. He's definitely not my favorite fantasy writer, and I do need a break now after reading seven in a row, but I'm very excited to get started on his "modern" books and see how those are.I think any lover of fantasy should give Brooks a try if you haven't already, and I don't think you could be disappointed. I'd be curious as to why he'd be anyone's favorite, but certainly not why he'd be amongst the collection of authors you'd, at the very least, read and recommend.

great end, but i didnt think we got all our answers
I thought the "stolen magic" was a little stupid and the shadowen we not explained as well as i would have liked. The battle with the Elves and the Federation was rushed, i did not feel i got all the answers but it was still a great book.

Decent book but you're glad the series is over when it's done
I overall enjoyed this series (I did prefer SofS triology a lot better though). However, I felt it went on a little long; by the time you're done with this book you'll be more than ready.

Brooks does a wonderful job tying everything together. The characters, plot etc. was interesting enough and the book and series are entertaining. I did think the ending was a little weak (with how they destroyed Rimmer Dahl and the Shadohaven) and I think the series would have been better if he cut a few things out and condenced it to three books.

The book and the series overall are pretty clean although there is lot of disturbing talk in this book and especially the Druid of Shannara (with Pel El) about murdering people and the joy or pain they get from doing it that could be disturbing for some people.

Overall, a good book, a good series.... one I will probably read again in a few years.

"Some of Us Listened to the Earth's Whisper..."
The forth and final installment in "The Heritage of Shannara" quartet, preceded by the "Scions", "Druid" and "Elf Queen" of Shannara. The premise is that the Four Lands are dying under both the totalitarian Federation and the sinister Shadowen, and the shade of the Druid of Allanon has called together three scions who can put an end to the entropy. Par is sent in search of the Sword of Shannara, Walker to bring back the Druid Keep of Paranor, and Wren to discover the missing race of Elves and restore them to the Four Lands. As the story starts, all these tasks have been completed, though with a heavy toll. Walker is trapped in Paranor by four Shadowen assuming the shape of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse; Wren is now the untested Queen of the Elves, facing an approaching army; and Par still believes he is responsible for the death of his brother, unaware that Coll is alive and well, but under the control of the Federation-leader and Shadowen Rimmer Dall.

Now our heroes are gradually reunited (sometimes in rather ingenious ways, such as Morgan and Wren's serendipitous meeting ) in order to join forces against the Shadowen once and for all. There is a strange power growing in the undergrounds of the Federation Tower that may be the key to their undoing. Slowly the pieces of the puzzle fit together as the Four Lands gradually unite under the Scions.

The problem is, there is a lot of exposition and action leading up to this main event. The characters have to be re-established and to meet up with each other and in this regard Brooks is in danger of running out of ideas. This volume in particular suffers from an excess of main characters getting captured by the bad guys and the need for elaborate escape plans to be drawn up by those who've managed to escape the authorites: there's five examples of this throughout the book (count `em: Damson, Par, Coll, Padishar and Wren all managed to get kidnapped throughout the course of the book). Apart from getting repetitive, it also holds off the climatic ending, causing it to seem somewhat rushed by comparison.

There is one other major problem, that in hindsight, stretches over the entire series: the nature and purpose of the Shadowen. In my opinion, they make for weak antagonists. Admittedly, some are genuinely scary. Others, not so much. None of them - not even Rimmer Dall - become three-dimensional characters. Their origins (explained in "Elf Queen" and elaborated on here) are not particularly original, interesting or properly explained. Although there is a half-hearted attempt to explain why there are so many different types of Shadowen, it ultimately rings false. The weirdest example of this is when Walker is held captive in Paranor by four Shadowen who take on the form of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Read carefully; they are not the Biblical Horsemen, but simply Shadowen taking on their form. If this is the case, then why only send four? Why not a whole army? Why don't all Shadowen take this form and by doing so imbue themselves with the power of the Four Horsemen?

My point is that the Shadowen come across as too arbitrary, too random. Brooks gives himself the power to make them whatever he wants them to be, whether humanoid, animalistic, or mythological and they only as powerful as they need to be to defeat/be defeated by the protagonists - whatever the story calls for at that particular moment. Furthermore, the origins of the Shadowen is painfully plagiaristic of Tolkien (something I had hoped the Heritage series was drawing away from) as well as reminiscent of his own work in the original Shannara trilogy.

But for all of this, "Talismans" is a satisfying end to the story that was started way back in "Scions". All the major plot threads are wrapped up and all the questions answered (though some better than others). By now the characters are established enough for their personalities and actions to really shine, and the reader is fully invested in their fate. Par, Coll, Walker, Wren, Damson, and newcomer Matty are nice, normal people who do extraordinary things, a concept that never fails to entertain. ... Read more

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He will face the ultimate battle of dark against light. . . .
The flame of hope is flickering throughout the Four Lands. But thanks to Brona, the evil Warlock Lord, a cloud of dark magic is sweeping south, spreading fear and death. Already Brona’s savage armies have crushed the forces of the Elves and their king. Now nothing stands between them and the fair city of Tyrsis. And if Tyrsis falls, the whole Southland will follow, plunged into an endless night of slavery and worse.

The Druid Allanon has dispatched Menion, the Prince of Leah, to aid in the defense of Tyrsis while he himself continues to search for Shea Ohmsford, the young half-elf who bears the awesome burden of wielding the only weapon capable of destroying Brona: the mysterious Sword of Shannara. Yet magic of the fabled weapon makes it as dangerous to Shea as it is to the Warlock Lord. Now, in the very heart of the Dark Lord’s domain, Shea is about to unlock the deadly secret of the Sword–and come face to face with his destiny. . . .

The Sword of Shannara Part 3: The Secret of the Sword is the newest addition to the Del Rey Imagine program, which offers the best in classic fantasy and science fiction for readers 12 and up.
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Customer Reviews (2)

Stands the test of of time.
I read this book in it`s original complete form when it was first published.Recently re-read as seperate volumes after having read The Word and Void trilogy,The Genesis of Shannara Trilogy,and The First King of Shannara.Having read those made reading TheSword of Shannara so much more enjoyable.I recommend that everyone read these books in this order.

DO NOT BUY THIS
I must apoligize for my previos review.I accidentally stated Sword of Shannara was hacked into two parts, but in reality it was three.In all honesty, splitting up LOTR was a good idea but this? now? It was published late 70s and is only 700ish pages long, which makes dividing this up (insert inappropriate word here)'d up ... Read more

Product Description
THE SCIONS OF SHANNARA - A dire message from the Druid Allanon sends Par and his brother on an impossible task: to recover the long-lost Sword of Shannara - or the Four Lands will be destroyed. THE DRUID OF SHANNARA - Evil forces remain in control of the Four Lands. To restore Druid Allanon's keep, Walker Boh journeys to find the black Elfstone. He must venture into perilous lands with a strange band of fellow travellers - 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 taken to an island where they might still exist. Even if by some miracle she locates the Elves, will they follow her? 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. The charges are doomed to failure - unless Par can unlock the Sword of Shannara's power. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

All around good read
Four books in one? GOT IT
Deep story line? GOT IT
TONS of characters, places, and battles with fiends? GOT IT
Dont have a copy yet? GET IT ... Read more

Product Description
Fantasy fans, rejoice! Seven years after writer and editor Robert Silverberg made publishing history with Legends, his acclaimed anthology of original short novels by some of the greatest writers in fantasy fiction, the long-awaited second volume is here. Legends II picks up where its illustrious predecessor left off. All of the bestselling writers represented in Legends II return to the special universe of the imagination that its author has made famous throughout the world. Whether set before or after events already recounted elsewhere, whether featuring beloved characters or compelling new creations, these masterful short novels are both mesmerizing stand-alones—perfect introductions to the work of their authors—and indispensable additions to the epics on which they are based. Beyond any doubt, Legends II is the fantasy event of the season.

ROBIN HOBB returns to the Realm of the Elderlings with “Homecoming,” a powerful tale in which exiles sent to colonize the Cursed Shores find themselves sinking into an intoxicating but deadly dream . . . or is it a memory?
GEORGE R. R. MARTIN continues the adventures of Dunk, a young hedge knight, and his unusual squire, Egg, in “The Sworn Sword,” set a generation before the events in A Song of Ice and Fire.
ORSON SCOTT CARD tells a tale of Alvin Maker and the mighty Mississippi, featuring a couple of ne’er-do-wells named Jim Bowie and Abe Lincoln, in “The Yazoo Queen.”
DIANE GABALDON turns to an important character from her Outlander saga—Lord John Grey—in “Lord John and the Succubus,” a supernatural thriller set in the early days of the Seven Years War.
ROBERT SILVERBERG spins an enthralling tale of Majipoor’s early history—and remote future—as seen through the eyes of a dilettantish poet who discovers an unexpected destiny in “The Book of Changes.”
TAD WILLIAMS explores the strange afterlife of Orlando Gardiner, from his Otherland saga, in “The Happiest Dead Boy in the World.”
ANNE McCAFFREY shines a light into the most mysterious and wondrous of all places on Pern in the heartwarming “Beyond Between.”
RAYMOND E. FEIST turns from the great battles of the Riftwar to the story of one soldier, a young man about to embark on the ride of his life, in “The Messenger.”
ELIZABETH HAYDON tells of the destruction of Serendair and the fate of its last defenders in “Threshold,” set at the end of the Third Age of her Symphony of Ages series.
NEIL GAIMAN gives us a glimpse into what befalls the man called Shadow after the events of his Hugo Award–winning novel American Gods in “The Monarch of the Glen.”
TERRY BROOKS adds an exciting epilogue to The Wishsong of Shannara in “Indomitable,” the tale of Jair Ohmsford’s desperate quest to complete the destruction of the evil Ildatch . . . armed only with the magic of illusion.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Terry Brooks fans-Get this book!
I bought Legends II for the short story by Terry Brooks. I started reading his books at 11 years old, starting with Elfstones of Shannara and have been hooked every since. I thought it was great that he decided to revisit some of the characters from his first trilogy. I often wondered what happened to Brin and especially Jair. I was intrigued with the wishsong, (probably because I am a singer and I break glass with my voice.) Well now I know what happened to Brin and Jair:) You will too when you buy Legends II.

Jaime Vendera
World Renonwed Glass Shattering Vocal Coach
Author of Raise Your Voice

Great collection of short novels.
I got this collection of stories just for George R. R. Martin's 'The Sworn Sword,' but after reading all of the stories I am now interested in a few new authors. This is a solid collection and I recommend it to any fans of the fantasy genre.

Interesting and Pleasing
I must admit that I was completely drawn in to The Sworn Sword, the first story by George R. R. Martin.I could not seem to put the book down, I was mesmerized.As I continued to read on and focus on the next few stories, I found myself missing the first, but, that was soon to fade away upon reading Threshold by Elizabeth Haydon.That work was also beautiful and seemingly flawless.This book in general, every story, runs your mind around these authors vivid imaginations and turn your world upside down for the moment!Great read, highly recommended! ... Read more

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Armageddon’s Children and The Elves of Cintra are the first two novels in the trilogy, Genesis of Shannara by bestselling author Terry Brooks— a gripping chronicle of a world now spun shockingly out of control, in which an extraordinary few struggle to salvage hope in the face of terrifying chaos.

Logan Tom’s family was slaughtered when the forces of madness and hate swept our world and led to civilization’s downfall. 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, 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 . . .

Meanwhile, 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. In time, all their paths will cross. Their common purpose will draw them together.

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. ... Read more

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Ben Holiday, Chicago lawyer and mere mortal turned monarch of enchanted Landover, has grappled with scheming barons, fire-breathing beasts, diabolical conjurers, and extremely wicked witches. None of whom have prepared him for the most daunting of challengers—a teenage daughter. Sent by Ben and his beloved sylph bride, Willow, to an exclusive girls’ prep school, headstrong (and half-magical) Mistaya Holiday has found life in the natural world a less than perfect fit. And when her latest rebellious antics get her indefinitely suspended, she’s determined to resume her real education—learning sorcery from court wizard Questor Thews—whether her parents like it or not.

But back home in Landover, Mistaya’s frustrated father is just as determined that the precocious princess learn some responsibility, and he declares her grounded until she successfully refurbishes the long-forsaken royal library. Mortified by the prospect of salvaging a king’s ransom in moldy books—and horrified by word that repulsive local nobleman Lord Laphroig 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 to the last place she expected to go, and into the thick of a mystery that will put her mettle to the test—and might bring the kingdom to its knees. ... Read more

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Episode 1 of a new STAR WARS trilogy, the saga that captured the imaginations of millions, turns back in time to reveal its cloaked origins, the story of a legend, a tale of good & evil, of myth & magic, of innocence & power. Based on the screenplay by Lucas this novel provides rich detail and insight into the minds & motives of the characters. ... Read more

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3 New Hardcover Books ... Read more

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In Sometimes the Magic Works, New York Times bestselling author Terry Brooks shares his secrets for creating unusual, memorable fiction. Spanning topics from the importance of daydreaming to the necessity of writing an outline, from the fine art of showing instead of merely telling to creating believable characters who make readers care what happens to them, Brooks draws upon his own experiences, hard lessons learned, and delightful discoveries made in creating the beloved Shannara and Magic Kingdom of Landover series, The Word and The Void trilogy, and the bestselling Star Wars novel The Phantom Menace.

In addition to being a writing guide, Sometimes the Magic Works is Terry Brooks’s self-portrait of the artist. “If you don’t think there is magic in writing, you probably won’t write anything magical,” says Brooks. This book offers a rare opportunity to peer into the mind of (and learn a trick or two from) one of fantasy fiction’s preeminent magicians.Amazon.com Review
In Sometimes the Magic Works, author Terry Brooks mixes advice on writing with stories from his personal experience in publishing. A seasoned fantasy writer with 19 books under his belt, including the New York Times bestseller The Sword of Shannara, Brooks began his second career in middle age when he gave up his law practice to pursue writing full time. His move was fueled by an obsession with writing, ("If I don't write, I become restless and ill-tempered"), inspiration from J.R.R. Tolkien, and constant encouragement from publisher Lester del Rey. Some of Brooks's advice is specific and useful, such as the chapter he dedicates to the importance of outlining. However, the lessons he tries to tell through his own adventures tend to be self-serving. Still, Brooks's experiences could be particularly interesting and valuable to fans of his fantasy novels--and aspiring authors of their own. --Lacey Fain ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

Friendly Memoir, Shallow Writing Guide
This is a difficult book to review since it's not quite clear what it is.The back cover calls it a "writing guide" in which Brooks "shares his secrets," his website calls it "200 pages of sage writing advice for the beginning and expert writer alike," and the introduction tells you what a craftsman Brooks is and how "Terry Brooks is going to tell you about craft."But in truth less than a third of the chapters are about craft, and Brooks actually apologizes for them.In fact, there's just one example of writing in the entire book.

It's also not a full memoir, but simply a collection of essays on his experiences with the writing life.In that it's fine.It's very similar (though not as lyrical) as Bradbury's Zen in the Art of Writing: Releasing the Creative Genius Within You in that it combines memoir with encouraging people to dream.It doesn't, though, come close to the depth or usefulness of King's On Writing or Lamott's Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, both of which Brooks praises.

So the strange thing is, while I expected a book on craft, I actually looked forward to reading each day's chapter.Hardly ever dry or dull, Brooks comes across as sincere, smart, and humble.There's none of the arrogance of Sol Stein's books, but simply someone who got lucky doing the work he loves, and I enjoyed these essays.

In short, if you're totally new to writing and want a nice introduction to one author's experiences, it's fine.You don't need to be a fan of his work (I haven't read any) or even wish to write fantasy.(By the way, after I read the book, I found Brooks' website has a Q&A with 25,000 words just on Writing alone, so you can check that out to see what kind of advice he offers.)

If you've already read a few books on the craft of writing, though, and are looking to learn more, this book tells you very little, and you'd be much better off with something like Lawrence Block's Telling Lies for Fun & Profit: A Manual for Fiction Writers.

To give you a better idea of whether this book is for you, I've included a look at each chapter in the Comments.From looking at that, it'd seem as though there's a lot there about writing, but Brooks skims over most everything.For instance, in the chapter about how Lester Del Rey critiqued his second book with pages and pages of notes pointing out all his mistakes, Brooks writes: "What he had given me was the kind of education young writers can only dream about - the kind you hope and pray you might find in college writing programs, writing conferences, or even from editors, but seldom do."

But what does Brooks share of it?Nothing.Not one word.Even though "I learned more about the craft of writing and about being a writer through that one experience than I learned from all the other writing experiences of my life combined," all we're left with is that - how grateful he was.

In contrast, Stephen King's "On Writing" shows you exactly how a newspaper editor corrected his story and what he learned from it, and Lamott's book details how her own second novel was rejected and every step she took to improve it.

So again, it's a nice collection of reminiscing by a likable guy, but there's many better books on writing.

Writers Take Hope!
As an aspiring writer, I nearly despaired about my prospects of becoming an author after reading Stephen King's book on writing, which struck me as demeaning, but this book not only offered me great technical and artistic ideas, it gave me back my hope.Brooks makes a cohesive argument for doing the tough pre-work of writing up front, which many would say takes away from a story's creativity and spontaneity.Given his excellent body of work, though, his methods were nothing less than compelling for me.I was no more successful in putting this book down than I have been with any of his novels.

Great insights
Brooks gives an insightful look at being a fantasy writer, both in regards to the craft and the business.If you're a fantasy writer or interested in the process, this is a nice title to read.

Easy to read, insightful
I find most of Terry Brooks's work to be hit-and-miss, but this one was a definite hit.He lets us in to his head during the creating process.While there is nothing particularly ground-breaking here, his style is very conversational and easy to read.He doesn't get bogged down in mechanics but tries to convey that writing is a process and a craft, not just a hobby.

Wonderful Book!
"Sometimes the Magic Works" is a wonderful book for aspiring authors and fans of best-selling fantasy author Terry Brooks alike.Mr. Brooks has created a truly delightful blend of personal memoir and writing guide that offers a rare peek behind the curtain at the life of a successful writer.In revealing what it takes to "make it" in this incredibly competitive field (discipline, perseverance, creativity, and LOTS of luck, among other things), Mr. Brooks provides the kind of invaluable advice and insight that any young writer would consider themselves lucky to happen upon. ... Read more