Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
362nd out of 1,585 books
—
10,563 voters
Ilse Witch (Voyage of the Jerle Shannara #1)
by
Terry Brooks (Goodreads Author)
When a half-drowned elf is found floating in the seas of the Blue Divide, an old mystery resurfaces. Thirty years ago, an elven prince led an expedition in search of a legendary magic said to be more powerful than any in the world. Of all those who set out on that ill-fated voyage, not one has ever returned. Until now. The rescued elf carries a map covered with mysterious...more
Mass Market Paperback, 456 pages
Published
August 28th 2001
by Del Rey
(first published January 1st 2000)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
3,000)
mi scuso per il disordine dei titoli non ordinati bene per saga per saga.... tutte le edizoni si sottointendono di lusso... ma la Shannara che preferisco si ferma ai primi 8 libri!
Per chi non conoscesse i libri di Terry Brooks, metto di seguito la cronologia di Shannara (fonte: wikipedia):
Cronologia [modifica]
Per chi non conoscesse i libri di Terry Brooks, metto di seguito la cronologia di Shannara (fonte: wikipedia):
Cronologia [modifica]
-Il ciclo di Shannara
La Spada di Shannara (The Sword of Shannara, 1977)
Le Pietre Magiche di Shannara (The Elfstones of Shannara, 1982)
La Canzone di Shannara (The Wishsong of Shannara, 19
Tra le onde dello Spartiacque Azzurro, un cavaliere alato sul suo Roc s’imbatte in un naufrago in fin di vita che reca con sé una mappa e un braccialetto della casata degli Elessedil.
Walker, l’ultimo Druido, sembra convinto che la mappa conduca a un tesoro inestimabile: un nuovo tipo di potere, una magia fatta di parole, che condurrebbe le Quattro Terre a una nuova era. In seguito a un accordo con il re degli elfi, che spera di recuperare, oltre alla magia, le pietre magiche appartenute al frate...more
Walker, l’ultimo Druido, sembra convinto che la mappa conduca a un tesoro inestimabile: un nuovo tipo di potere, una magia fatta di parole, che condurrebbe le Quattro Terre a una nuova era. In seguito a un accordo con il re degli elfi, che spera di recuperare, oltre alla magia, le pietre magiche appartenute al frate...more
I was ready for some light reading after dredging through David Copperfield for the better part of November and December, and thought, "why not read some more of those Shannara books I used to read back in Jr. High?" So I did. The result? Lukewarm at best.
While I certainly purchased "Isle Witch" as part of a trilogy, I still expected it to be largely a stand-alone novel. So it wasn't until after nearly 300 pages of the druid gathering the group together for an epic quest in search of some all-p...more
While I certainly purchased "Isle Witch" as part of a trilogy, I still expected it to be largely a stand-alone novel. So it wasn't until after nearly 300 pages of the druid gathering the group together for an epic quest in search of some all-p...more
1 like · like · see review
view 2 comments
SUMMARY:
It has been 130 years since the events of the Heritage of Shannara series, and the Free-born and the Federation are still at war. The story follows a quest organized by Walker Boh, the last surviving Druid. Thirty years ago, the Elven prince Kael Elessedil led an expedition in search of a legendary magic which was said to be the most ancient and powerful in the world.
Thirty years later, Kael is found floating in the sea of the Blue Divide; a map is found with him, covered with mysterious...more
It has been 130 years since the events of the Heritage of Shannara series, and the Free-born and the Federation are still at war. The story follows a quest organized by Walker Boh, the last surviving Druid. Thirty years ago, the Elven prince Kael Elessedil led an expedition in search of a legendary magic which was said to be the most ancient and powerful in the world.
Thirty years later, Kael is found floating in the sea of the Blue Divide; a map is found with him, covered with mysterious...more
I suppose I was due for something like this—a sci-fi fantasy. I think I was focused on the "Ilse Witch" part of the title when I put it on hold at my library's web site.
If I had known that there were flying ships in the story I might have cringed, but these are given credibility by description of operation. Sure, the description seems fulfilling, but it is vague nonetheless. The sails are light sheaths, the lines running from them are called radian draws which send the captured heat to parse tub...more
If I had known that there were flying ships in the story I might have cringed, but these are given credibility by description of operation. Sure, the description seems fulfilling, but it is vague nonetheless. The sails are light sheaths, the lines running from them are called radian draws which send the captured heat to parse tub...more
This is one of my least favorite Shannara series - I think because Bek is just about the most boring protagonist. I like seeing Walker's struggle with becoming the same sort of Druid as Allanon, what he goes through as he fights against that. I also like seeing the "new world" fantasy characters discover the "old world" science and computers - a nice inversion on the trope of a modern person going back to a fantasy world. The Ilse Witch herself is an intriguing character, the enemy who needs to...more
For those who love Terry Brooks this book does not dissapoint. The entire series takes the reader on a journey to the far reaches of the fourlands and beyond, and displays some of the most provocative writing in this series to date. The basic elements of a good Shannara tale abound, but the twists its twists and turns definately keep the reader from dozing off into rehersed repetition. It is a wonderful storyline, and it brings to light some of the practical dilemmas of a character whose persona...more
I've always been a fan of Terry Brooks. This novel mixed some of my favorite things, magic, airships, druids, swashbuckling action! This had a little bit of steampunk elements to it, but it is most certainly a fantasy novel. I've read other Shannara series, and have really enjoyed them all.
It was recommended on Terry's site to first read The First King of Shannara and the Word and the Void Trilolgy before reading this. I have not read either of these, but I did read the Sword of Shannara Series...more
It was recommended on Terry's site to first read The First King of Shannara and the Word and the Void Trilolgy before reading this. I have not read either of these, but I did read the Sword of Shannara Series...more
First, this is book 1 of 3. If you're going to take the time to read this, be sure to have the next 2 on hand or you'll be quite disappointed (as I am at the moment).
Terry Brooks easily weaves us into this alternate world where men ride large birds called Rocs from one location to another, where ships don't sail the seas but the air, and where Elves and Dwarves exist.
I'm not a huge fan of fantasy, but enjoyed the world I was transported to. We begin with Hunter Predd, a Wing Rider, who spots a...more
Terry Brooks easily weaves us into this alternate world where men ride large birds called Rocs from one location to another, where ships don't sail the seas but the air, and where Elves and Dwarves exist.
I'm not a huge fan of fantasy, but enjoyed the world I was transported to. We begin with Hunter Predd, a Wing Rider, who spots a...more
May 02, 2011
La Stamberga dei Lettori
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
sakura87
Tra le onde dello Spartiacque Azzurro, un cavaliere alato sul suo Roc s’imbatte in un naufrago in fin di vita che reca con sé una mappa e un braccialetto della casata degli Elessedil. Walker, l’ultimo Druido, sembra convinto che la mappa conduca a un tesoro inestimabile: un nuovo tipo di potere, una magia fatta di parole, che condurrebbe le Quattro Terre a una nuova era. In seguito a un accordo con il re degli elfi, che spera di recuperare, oltre alla magia, le pietre magiche appartenute al frat...more
This is a good fantasy book, it is very fun to read and has good imagery. If you enjoy fantasy then you'll most likely like this book. It is fairly easy to read but to not easy for advanced readers.I recommend reading any of Terry brooks' books. They are all very interesting and all throughout will keep you glued to the pages. In my opinion it is much better then a lot of fantasy books and if you're looking for a good series to read then this is a book for you. This is the first book of the Voya...more
We caught a glimpse of Brooks awesome writing abilities in The Wishsong, but now it is truly unveiled. (A touch to dramatic I know, I know) In this sweeping adventure. We are taken aboard a flying ship, that soars towards a distant island, intent on finding a treasure to which nothing can compare. But hot in pursuit is the Ilse Witch, a killer of great power, bent on destroying its contender and finding the treasure. But soon, that is not the only danger. Aboard the ship, it is determined someon...more
Brooks really took a change of pace with this novel, as it's pretty clear from the outset that the trilogy is more or less an adventure on a whim. Sure, there are reasons for all the characters to be involved in the journey, but it's not an immediate need as in almost all of Brooks' other novels. It was quite refreshing to see the characters conduct a bit more planning and have a bit more preparation - as the successes seem more earned rather than luck. That, and Walker, one of my favorite chara...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Since it's been 24 years since I last read a fantasy from this popular author, I thought I'd give him another go. This is the first book of a trilogy which finds a motley crew of adventures on a mission to find out what happened to an earlier mission and to recover some artifacts and hopefully get their greedy little hands on some new magic. There are elves, a druid, a seer, "Rovers" (like a gypsy), and all sorts of magic aboard the airship Jerle Shannara. It's an easy read but moves at a glacia...more
1 like · like · see review
As usual, Terry Brooks entertains his fans with another spectacular tale. He keeps you wanting to turn the pages to find out more. This is a great first book in the beginning of the series.
Thirty years ago, the elves sent an expedition to retrieve a powerful legendary magic that would aid the four lands in the fight with the Federation and the Free-born. An Elven prince led the expedition with the aid of the Elfstones. The Elfish people thought all was lost when one member from the expedition i...more
Thirty years ago, the elves sent an expedition to retrieve a powerful legendary magic that would aid the four lands in the fight with the Federation and the Free-born. An Elven prince led the expedition with the aid of the Elfstones. The Elfish people thought all was lost when one member from the expedition i...more
Currently re-reading while on vacation in Canada.
This book brings me back to why I love Terry Brooks and it makes me excited to re-read the rest of the Shannara books.
Ilse Witch is slow to develop, but moves along, I believe, quickly after that. Brooks draws you in, getting you close to all the main characters and heavy foreshadowing of events to come. If you are a fan of Shannara, it is great to get to know the newest generation of Leahs, Rovers, Elves, and stay connected with Druid Walker Bo...more
This book brings me back to why I love Terry Brooks and it makes me excited to re-read the rest of the Shannara books.
Ilse Witch is slow to develop, but moves along, I believe, quickly after that. Brooks draws you in, getting you close to all the main characters and heavy foreshadowing of events to come. If you are a fan of Shannara, it is great to get to know the newest generation of Leahs, Rovers, Elves, and stay connected with Druid Walker Bo...more
I have been reading all of the Shannara series for a couple years now. Every book has the same style and general storyline but retold in ways to keep my interest. You become real familiar with the history and the lands. Whereas nowhere near the magical writing of Tolkien, you can still picture the scenes and the world. The drawback of this book is that it appears to be only one third of the story as this one had no natural ending. All prior books at least had an ending with more to come for the...more
For me, it was a slow beginning with a lot of build that didn't really give a satisfying result. All the action seemed to be held off, even though there were lots of places to put in good action.
Also, other than Walker and Bek Rowe, I really don't care if any of the other characters die. I don't feel anything for them. There were also far too many of them. I get that it's an ensemble cast, but if I can't care about any of them, then their dangers and victories are meaningless.
The plotline itsel...more
Also, other than Walker and Bek Rowe, I really don't care if any of the other characters die. I don't feel anything for them. There were also far too many of them. I get that it's an ensemble cast, but if I can't care about any of them, then their dangers and victories are meaningless.
The plotline itsel...more
I was expecting this book to be better then it was, even though it was still a good book. I read the original Shannara trilogy and I really hoped that this book would be comparable to the trilogy. It was different in many ways, but still had similarities. The book had the adventure you'd expect from Brooks, but it had a Sci-fi part to it which was actually good. It had air ships and it was in the future. Overall, a good book.
I avoided most of the books in the seemingly endless stream of Shannara prequels/sequels, but for some reason I picked this one up. I found it much better than most of its predecessors, but maybe that was just because sufficient time had passed since I read all the Shannara books in a weekend and was completely Terry Brooks-ed out.
Sets the stage for a whole new direction, and takes the reader along for the ride. The first novel in this series is highly more engaging that the others (which read more like short-stories than full novels). This is also my only signed copy of any of Brooks' works, and mostly because the cover art is so stunning.
Book one of the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara series. A young man joins an expedition to find magic talismans that were stolen from his people many years ago. Travelling on a ship which sails in the air (the Jerle Shannara), they encounter forces led by the Ilse Witch, who has a curious connection to the young man.
A good blending of magic and modern science. This is a great shift into how the old world "our modern world" interacts with our favorite heros. The war between free-born and federation is still used to create conflict, but magic vs. the ancient world is enough to make this series a good read.
A great continuation of the Shannara books with a new spin too it. Very interesting. If your not interested in fantasy I don't think that you will like this series. This series so far is a bit different (in a good way) from his first book he wrote in high school (the sword of shannara).
It's Terry Brooks. You know you'll be in safe hands when you read a fantasy novel by him. A bit of whimsy, wonder, magic, & daring adventure await. Elves, dark-beings, stones of power, a mysterious Druid, they're familiar and yet Brooks makes them entirely his own with each series he continues to write. :)
Grade: B
Entertaining read. The same old good versus evil scenario, but still worth the time. Did not appreciate the cutoff at the end, would rather have had it be a longer book than a book that ends on a cliff hanger that is more suited to the end of a chapter.
Entertaining read. The same old good versus evil scenario, but still worth the time. Did not appreciate the cutoff at the end, would rather have had it be a longer book than a book that ends on a cliff hanger that is more suited to the end of a chapter.
This book is really boring. I know Brooks plot is is signature (it never changes), so I was prepared for the whole 'druid turns up out of the blue etc etc'. but the storytelling is monotonous, the characters are boring and the whole thing drags on and on.
This book took me a long time to really get into it. The first 3/4 of the book is development of the characters. Then the end leaves you hanging so now I'm going to have to read to sequel to finish the story. I will admit that by the end I was drawn into the story and now I really do want to know what happens. I'm hoping that the next story will just start right where this one left off and keep me captivating the entire way through the book.
Jan 18, 2010
Amanda The Book Slayer
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommended to Amanda by:
josh
Shelves:
1st-books-in-must-read-series,
fantasy
First book I read of any of the Shannara series and loved it. It is about a brother and sister separated when they were young. Both posses magical powers and end up of different sides of the on going war. Once you read one you will read the next 2 and so on.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Terry Brooks was born in Illinois in 1944, where he spent a great deal of his childhood and early adulthood dreaming up stories in and around Sinnissippi Park, the very same park that would eventually become the setting for his bestselling Word & Void trilogy. He went to college and received his undergraduate degree from Hamilton College, where he majored in English Literature, and he received...more
More about Terry Brooks...
Share This Book
2 trivia questions
More quizzes & trivia...
