The Sword of Shannara
by Terry Brooks
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avg 3.84
A friend who was also into fantasy insisted I read this series, and I got as far as the first three books before I stopped believing him when he told me they were magical and wonderful and would get better and better. As far as I can tell, they all have the exact same plot. Mysterious Wizard shows up at home of person. Tells person he is Chosen for an Important Quest. What follows is chapter after chapter of "I don't WANNA go on a Quest!" "You MUST go on a Quest!" Serious...more
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If you are comparing the literary value of science fiction books, I think it is best to use food as an example. Terry Brooks can be viewed as a really good bacon cheeseburger (fake meat for you veggies), it is really good and fun to eat, makes you feel full, however it is often sloppily put together in a hurried fashion, without much effort and does not give your body true fulfillment.
While Tolkien on the other hand, or C.S. Lewis, are like well planned home cooked meals, with each food g...more
While Tolkien on the other hand, or C.S. Lewis, are like well planned home cooked meals, with each food g...more
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recommends it for:
fantasy lovers
This book threw me head first into the fantasy genre. And i don't mean sci-fi but the magic, elves and dragon genre. It was in our house, no one will admit to who's book it was, but I was reading everything and anything in the house at that time and absolutely LOVED this book. It's your typical fantasy/quest type of story filled with good, evil and hope. And I found it to be a nice break from the murder/suspense stories I had been reading.
If you've never read fantasy and want to take a d...more
If you've never read fantasy and want to take a d...more
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Read in January, 2007
recommended to Susanne by:
amazon. buggers.recommends it for: no one... maybe Tolkien fans who DON'T mind a re-telling
If The Sword of Shannara was a film, it would go like this:
Mirkwood Productions proudly presents:
THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE SWORD
Directed by Meriadoc Brandybuck. Director of Photography: Celeborn. Costume Design: Arwen Evenstar. Visual Effects: Saruman the White. Sound Design: Noldor Unlimited. Starring Frodo Baggins, Samwise Gamgee, Gandalf the Grey, Sauron the Necromancer, Aragorn Arathornsson, Gimli van Gloin, and many more!
Synapsis
The Ohmsford brothers Shea (BAGGINS) ...more
Mirkwood Productions proudly presents:
THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE SWORD
Directed by Meriadoc Brandybuck. Director of Photography: Celeborn. Costume Design: Arwen Evenstar. Visual Effects: Saruman the White. Sound Design: Noldor Unlimited. Starring Frodo Baggins, Samwise Gamgee, Gandalf the Grey, Sauron the Necromancer, Aragorn Arathornsson, Gimli van Gloin, and many more!
Synapsis
The Ohmsford brothers Shea (BAGGINS) ...more
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Read in August, 2003
is this the worst book ever? yes. then probably The Secret. man, this is seriously the most overrated book in history. i was looking for a fantasy that i'd enjoy, after reading LOTR, looked at some reviews on amazon, and bought a used copy for 3 cents. maybe THAT should've clued me in. so i started reading it, and was so bored. i fell asleep while reading this book numerous times. i read about a third of the book, and after having read 150 pages of brooks describing what grass looked like and th...more
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Read in November, 2007
recommends it for:
epic adventurers
So, I've read reviews that say this is just Terry Brooks' Lord of the Rings. I do see that, but at the same time, I think he made it his own in a lot of ways. I mean, aren't all fantasy adventures just someone's take on Lord of the Rings ... anyway, other than the fact that it's 700-some pages and I thought I would never finish it .. I liked it. I wasn't happy that 2 of the characters I liked died, but, it was a battle-adventure, can't live happily-ever-after for everyone. There were some lullin...more
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Read in January, 2007
So my boyfriend's mother recommended the trilogy with Isle Witch and I was hooked. I've read almost every book he's written now and some of the other reviews are right. They're basically all the same story, a kid finds out he/she has an obligation to save the word as well as super powers/control over an item with super powers and then they need to go on a quest to save everyone and everything on earth. It involves bringing a few friends along and traveling all across the world.
But somehow...more
But somehow...more
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Read in February, 2008
recommended to Josh by:
Both of my older brothersrecommends it for: more the middle age men
This is just the beginning of what is the best series of books with the different races of characters from montain trolls to humans. I can truely compare my life style or what I would like my life style to be. Going on long journies throught mountain areas and grass plans. In the book it brings people that dont really like eachother to frinds that are as close as brothers. Well I think that if you are ready to move on with the every day books of kids having personal problem and girls that hate t...more
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Read in January, 2008
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
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Read in January, 2002
Easily one of the worst novels I've read since graduating college. It's difficult for me to fathom how this novel could have inspired so many sequels, except that I think a healthy fraction of Brooks' readership is under 18 and doesn't know any better. Hyperbolic descriptive language presents a blatantly cloned Middle Earth quest full of elves, halflings, and humans swinging swords and wielding magic to try and save the world. When the book was first published (1977, if I recall) fantasy choi...more
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Read in January, 1977
Read this when I was a wee lad, still high on an epic fantasy called The Lord of the Rings (you may have heard of it). I was hoping for more of the same, which is precisely what I got-- the EXACT same, at least plot-wise. Unfortunately, Brooks was unable to imitate Tolkien's style and storytelling ability. I've heard that his writing has gotten better, but this experience pretty much put me off him for good. I was twelve, fer chrissake. That stuff stays with you. And when a twelve-year-old fanta...more
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Read in September, 1993
recommends it for:
ppl who hate tolkien
Everyone says that you fall into one of two camps: Those who love Tolkien, and philistines. I belong firmly in the latter. It is my firm belief that the man (Tolkien) got paid by the word. Having said that, I thoroughly enjoy Brooks' Shannara series. I have read all of them, own most of the hard covers, and have spirited debates (code for a fight) with my friends about why these books are not carbon rip-offs of Tolkien's works. Great characters, epic stories with fallible heroes, and a wor...more
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Read in July, 2008
recommends it for:
Any fantasy lover and every fantasy writer.
At first it appears to be just another fnatasy sotry with unusually complex characters. Then it quickly tumbles you down a hill of surprise after surprise beginning with a terrible prediction and moving on with a twisted turn of fate, a certian amount of bravery (and stupidity), and not quite ending with the shocking power of the Sword.
Admittedly the first thrid or so of the book is difficult to read but if you have patience it is one the absolute best fantasy books out there, just half a p...more
Admittedly the first thrid or so of the book is difficult to read but if you have patience it is one the absolute best fantasy books out there, just half a p...more
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recommended to kate by:
danny, dad
my family drove to florida during my six grade spring break and on the way home i finshed the book i was reading adn got bored. my brother gave me his book to read, this one. but it also had the second and third books in it and my dad made a bet i couldnt finish the whole thing before we got home. we were already half-way and i only got to the end of the first i think but it was really good. ive read all the shannara books but this is my favorite. ive read it twice! ...or have i read it three ti...more
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recommended to Eric by:
Brendan Konrad
recommends it for: People that want to read the Cliffnotes version of LOTR
recommends it for: People that want to read the Cliffnotes version of LOTR
Terry Brooks is my friend Brendan's favorite fantasy author, and he gave me the entire set of Shannara books a while ago. Respecting his literary opinion, I read the first.
WARNING: IT IS AN EXACT COPY OF THE PLOT OF THE LORD OF THE RINGS.
And Brooks is no JRR Tolkien. That aside, it is an OK read. The storytelling isn't bad, and the story becomes more original as it goes along. I actually finished it, so it can't be terrible, but it gets two stars for its absolute lack of originality.
WARNING: IT IS AN EXACT COPY OF THE PLOT OF THE LORD OF THE RINGS.
And Brooks is no JRR Tolkien. That aside, it is an OK read. The storytelling isn't bad, and the story becomes more original as it goes along. I actually finished it, so it can't be terrible, but it gets two stars for its absolute lack of originality.
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All the other reviews I read of the this author are simply too critical. Come on, take it for what it is. Entertainment. Very good entertainment at that. If a story can capture your imagination, deliver belivable characters, and provide an exciting plot, what else do you want? Could you write this story? Give the guy his credit. The booksellers sure do.
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Read in October, 2008
recommends it for:
anyone who likes fantasy
an epic quest to save the world from evil...
short plot description: after a cataclysmic event in the past different races (dwarves, gnomes, trolls, elfs) and magic have returned to Earth and all high technology has been lost. We follow the events when Shea Ohmsford, a half-elf who lives peacefully in Shady Vale becomes aware that he is the last heir to the House of Shannara and only he can wield a weapon to destroy the evil which threatens to enslave all of Earth. Woefully unprepared and cha...more
short plot description: after a cataclysmic event in the past different races (dwarves, gnomes, trolls, elfs) and magic have returned to Earth and all high technology has been lost. We follow the events when Shea Ohmsford, a half-elf who lives peacefully in Shady Vale becomes aware that he is the last heir to the House of Shannara and only he can wield a weapon to destroy the evil which threatens to enslave all of Earth. Woefully unprepared and cha...more
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Read in September, 2008
recommended to Chris by:
No onerecommends it for: Those who ran out of wood for their fireplace
I would not recommend this book to anyone. This book is such a blatant rip off of the Tolkien's Lord of the Rings saga it is disgusting.
The plot matches the Lord of the rings virtually point for point with the characters having their mirror equivalents (ring wraiths=skull bearers Frodo=Shey Gandalf=Allanon etc) , the plot taking the same twists and turns (journey to Rivendell=flight to cullhaven, search for the Rohirrim=resurrection of the disbanded border legion etc)and the antagonists pr...more
The plot matches the Lord of the rings virtually point for point with the characters having their mirror equivalents (ring wraiths=skull bearers Frodo=Shey Gandalf=Allanon etc) , the plot taking the same twists and turns (journey to Rivendell=flight to cullhaven, search for the Rohirrim=resurrection of the disbanded border legion etc)and the antagonists pr...more
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The Sword of Shannara currently holds the title of worst book I’ve ever read. It is so bad that it swings back around to being good so long as you have the sense of humor for it. The author spends most of his time on wordy descriptions that have nothing to do with the story, while forgetting details that are important. He writes in depth about every mile that the characters trekked across the map while nothing happened. Then, when a monster finally attacked there was not description of the mon...more
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I believe I read this book back in middle school and I absolutley loved it. Besides the amazing Lord of the Rings series, this sage is definetly one of the greatest fantasy novels you'll find out their at your local bookshops. I remember buying my copy at Halfprice bookstore, a worn out front cover, and a fat yellow paged body, very intimidating. Yes, it is a long book, and small text, but for readers out there who want to escape from the world for awhile and jump into a fantasy adventure, then ...more
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