The Sword of Shannara Trilogy (Shannara, #1-3)

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The Sword of Shannara Trilogy (The Original Shannara Trilogy #1-3 omnibus)

by Terry Brooks (Goodreads Author)

3.93 of 5 stars 3.93 · rating details · 7,186 ratings · 168 reviews

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...more 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.(less)

Hardcover, 1200 pages

Published August 27th 2002 by Del Rey

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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

Best Fantasy Series, Trilogies, and Duologies

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The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

The Best Epic Fantasy

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Nov 10, 2008 Jackie rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fantasy lovers

Shelves: fantasy, epic

The world of Shannara (the Four Lands) is reminescient of Tolkien's LOTR, not in style but in the classic struggle of good vs. evil on an epic scale. An easier read than Tolkien, Shannara has it's merits. Loveable characters, mysterious characters, characters to despise. A quest and all it's inherent dangers.
This original trilogy is by far my favorite in the enitre series.
THE SWORD OF SHANNARA: Two stories interwoven, one follows the protagonist Shea Ohmsford on his quest to obtain the Sword of...more
The world of Shannara (the Four Lands) is reminescient of Tolkien's LOTR, not in style but in the classic struggle of good vs. evil on an epic scale. An easier read than Tolkien, Shannara has it's merits. Loveable characters, mysterious characters, characters to despise. A quest and all it's inherent dangers.
This original trilogy is by far my favorite in the enitre series.
THE SWORD OF SHANNARA: Two stories interwoven, one follows the protagonist Shea Ohmsford on his quest to obtain the Sword of Shannara and confront the Warlock Lord, the antagonist, with it, while the other shadows Prince Balinor's attempt to oust his insane brother Palance from the throne of Callahorn while being under attack from the armies of the Warlock Lord.
I enjoyed reading this one and starting my journey into the Four Lands. I found myself cheering Shea on, being frightened for him when he was in peril. And rejoicing at the familar 'good wins' type of ending.

THE ELFSTONES OF SHANNARA: It provides the history of the Elves, which was only hinted at in the preceding story, and follows Wil Ohmsford, grandson of Shea and inheritor of the Elfstones.
Elfstones are powerful magical artifacts, usually found in groups of three, to symbolize the user's body, mind, and spirit. Interesting concept.
The novel intertwines two plotlines: the quest of Wil Ohmsford and Amberle Elessedil to find Safehold and create a new Ellcrys, and the attempt by the Elven army and their allies to slow the Demons to give them time to find it.
I was devastated when I realized what creating a new Ellcrys meant to Amberle, herione of the novel. Brought out emotions in me that signify a great novel.

THE WISHSONG OF SHANNARA: The story revolves around Jair and Brin Ohmsford, the children of the main characters from The Elfstones of Shannara: Wil Ohmsford and Eretria. The siblings, each possessing an inherited magic, must save the Four Lands from the evil magic within a tome called the Ildatch, a book created by demons containing their essence.
The wishsong is my favorite of all the magics in Shannara. Inherited genetically from their Ohmsford heritage, the wishsong works differently for Brin and Jair. Brin can sing anything into creation while Jair's song creates illusions. Both are very powerful and integral in thier respective journeys to destroy the Ildatch.

I still can't decide which I like better, Elfstones or Wishsong. Either way, it's an excellent read and worth the journey.

(less)

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Mar 05, 2009 Mary rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a great trilogy. The Sword of Shanarra I actully read back in 1979/1980 time frame and I have to say it drew me into the story just like it did 30 years ago.

This time I noticed that Terry Brooks seemed to like the word awesome alot. I didn't notice this so much the first time I read it probably because I was a teenager and that was literally a major part of my own vocabulary.

The use of awesome did not distract from the story at all and I mean nothing negative by it. It's just an observa...more

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May 18, 2012 Samuel rated it 1 of 5 stars

My bleeding goodness...

I was recommended this book by my sister a few years ago. I started reading it and then switched off, but I decided that must be because I was tired or something else...basically. I gave the book a second chance. I'm a school teacher; you get a second chance, but you ain't getting a third.

I started reading it, again, hoping it could be one of those books I could read a few pages a day because of my busy work schedule. I was hoping I wouldn't have to dedicate lengthy perio...more My bleeding goodness...

I was recommended this book by my sister a few years ago. I started reading it and then switched off, but I decided that must be because I was tired or something else...basically. I gave the book a second chance. I'm a school teacher; you get a second chance, but you ain't getting a third.

I started reading it, again, hoping it could be one of those books I could read a few pages a day because of my busy work schedule. I was hoping I wouldn't have to dedicate lengthy periods of time to properly get into it to appreciate and enjoy the prose. Of course, that didn't happen. It didn't happen because even on those periods when I had a few hours to kill the last thing I wanted to do was read more of the Ring/Sword of Shannara. It is that dull.

I'm not going to say it again, okay, yes I am, this is Lord of the Rings with a twist: it isn't exciting. Unlike LotR there is absolutely no backstory of interest. The Ringwraiths (called 'Skull Bearers' here) aren't threatening, you don't feel a chill or a sense of fear whenever they are mentioned. The 'Warlock Lord' (yes, everyone puke now) is more comical. You hate Sauron, you hate the betrayal of Saruman in LotR, but in SoS you spend it rooting for the Warlock Lord to win. Unfortunately, Flick finds the Sword of Shannara which means he is invincible.

I finished the firstbook with a sigh of relief. Running marathons is less effort. I gave up halfway through the second book because it wasn't getting any better. Rumour has it that it gets more original later on but there was no evidence. When I'm reading for leisure I don't want to feel like I have to earn excitement. I don't want to have to endure 600 pages just to enjoy 100 pages.

Now, one of the major things that irritated me was the names of people. The Warlock Lord was just the first of an increasingly large pile of coprolite. There are perhaps two names that I could read without feeling slightly nauseous at how bad they were. I could list hundreds. One character is even named after a country, Eretria (granted spelt differently). I think it's supposed to be lyrical...Jerle (whose sword it is) is also a stupid name. Shea is a stupid name, Menion is a stupid name...they all are. All this takes place in 'The Four Lands'. Can you guess what they are called? Northland, Westland, Eastland and...

I genuinely could keep going and going on this rant. It is SO bad and derivative that it's not even funny. Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time is also derivative but makes up for it (nearly) with half-decent prose and a deeply thought out world for it to take place in.

It joins Twilight as the most overrated novel of all time (my list anyway).

Complaints of the prose and further elaboration on everything I've just said can be read below. Actually, the other reviews on here are a thousand times more entertaining than the book. (less)

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Mar 26, 2013 Travis rated it 3 of 5 stars

I've been steadily working through the Shannara series from the beginning, starting with The Word and the Void trilogy. I have enjoyed the stories and learning the history of the world Terry Brooks has created for his epic fantasy.

I first read The Sword of Shannara in high school more than 30 years ago. Now as I complete the original trilogy with Wishsong, I realize that I had forgotten more about the stories than I remembered. It has almost been like reading the books for the first time.

The one...more

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Oct 12, 2012 Michele (Mikecas) rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

da: http://www.webalice.it/michele.castel... (dove vi sono i link ai riferimenti, che non � possibile riportare qui) Ho detto altrove in questi commenti, che se anche leggo fantascienza dai primi anni sessanta, mi sono avvicinato alla fantasy solo pi� tardi, negli anni ottanta. Questo perch� non mi piaceva la sword-and-sorcery, ma non mi piacevano nemmeno maghi, folletti, gnomi etc, specialmente in versione fiabistica. Certo ho avuto anche io i miei Conan il Cimmero, e non mi � mancato Elric di...more da: http://www.webalice.it/michele.castel... (dove vi sono i link ai riferimenti, che non � possibile riportare qui) Ho detto altrove in questi commenti, che se anche leggo fantascienza dai primi anni sessanta, mi sono avvicinato alla fantasy solo pi� tardi, negli anni ottanta. Questo perch� non mi piaceva la sword-and-sorcery, ma non mi piacevano nemmeno maghi, folletti, gnomi etc, specialmente in versione fiabistica. Certo ho avuto anche io i miei Conan il Cimmero, e non mi � mancato Elric di Melnibon�, ma ho incominciato a leggere con pi� sistematicit� fantasy con l'Eddings dei Belgariad e il Turtledove della Legione Perduta. Ho letto Il Signore degli Anelli solo dopo aver visto il film, e solo dopo tre o quattro tentativi falliti di superare quelle tremende prime cento pagine, di una noia assoluta. Non ho una grande opinione di Tolkien, che mi sembra solo un dotto professore che ha scritto un buon libro, uno solo perch� il resto � poca cosa, lontano per� dal riuscire ad appassionarmi anche a parte l'assurdit� dell'inizio. Al seguito del film non solo � diventato un caso letterario di massa, ma per moltissime persone, specialmente giovani, il fantasy � solo "quella cosa l�", e sono incominciate le imitazioni, tutte di bassissima qualit�, anche le pi� propagandate come la Licia Troisi o la Chiara Strazzulla, per rimanere a quelle che riempiono oggi le librerie. Si � cio� sviluppata la moda del baby fantasy, romanzi nel miglior caso ingenui scritti da bambini inesperti per altri bambini altrettanto sprovveduti, moda d'altronde molto redditizia e cavalcata con grandi grancasse mediatiche anche dalle case editrici maggiori. Mi sono allora chiesto se magari Brooks, che avevo fino ad ora evitato nonostante l'invasione dei suoi romanzi nei settori specializzati delle librerie perch� le presentazioni rendevano chiaro che si trattava pur sempre di "quella cosa l�", scrivendo in epoche non sospette, ed essendo riuscito a ricavare da vivere dallo scrivere, non potesse offrire qualcosa di gradevole, magari per ammazzare il tempo aspettando il prossimo volume di Martin, di cui si � persa traccia, o il seguito di Rothfuss, un altro Mieville, per non parlare di Erikson, che almeno scrive e pubblica a velocit� costante. Di fantasy di altissimo livello ce ne � ora abbastanza, ed � facile evitare i Salvatore e le tante fotocopie prese dai giochi di ruolo. Approfittando dell'uscita di questo volume che comprende l'intera prima triologia di Shannara, ho deciso di concedere a Brooks un tentativo, visto che l'avevo concesso anche alla Troisi, rimasto ovviamente unico. Non c'� dubbio che Brooks scriva infinitamente meglio delle nostre miracolose (o meglio miracolate) ragazzine, e abbia idee chiare su come dare un poco di spessore ai personaggi, come far scorrere il racconto, alternando azione a descrizione. In pi�, anche rimanendo nello strettissimo ambito di "quella cosa l�", riesce ad introdurre una sufficiente quantit� di novit� da permettere al lettore un minimo di curiosit� per lo sviluppo della storia, almeno per alcuni aspetti secondari, perch� ovviamente, essendo sempre "quella cosa l�", lo sviluppo generale � ovvio fin dall'inizio. Purtroppo questo vale solo per il primo dei tre romanzi della cosiddetta triologia, perch� gli altri due non sono un proseguimento della storia, ma una banale ripetizione della stessa, identica a parte il cambio del nome di alcuni dei personaggi principali, ma nemmeno tutti. Ogni tema, ogni spunto viene fedelmente ripetuto per tre volte, con quelle minime variazioni che, ad un lettore distratto o troppo appassionato, possono sembrare cambiare la storia, che invece � sempre identica. E' quindi chiaro che a questo punto per quanto mi riguarda tutte le altre triologie scritte da Brooks per guadagnarsi la pagnotta possono rimanere dove sono. Una sola ultima considerazione: la lettura di questi vecchi romanzi di Brooks mi ha fatto scoprire ulteriori fonti di scopiazzatura per le nostre brillanti scrittrici moderne... e non ho nemmeno letto tutto.(less)

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Jul 14, 2012 Tina rated it 3 of 5 stars

It felt horribly like lotr, I don't mean inspired I mean just rewritten and slightly changed. There were enough differences in the book to say they were different books, but to close to care to want to read the same plot over and over again unless Terry had made it his own and original....The sword of Shannara never came out and made me go wow! Or later have a colorful dream inspired by the world he created. Instead, I spent my time thinking of why I didnt re-read LOTR or go pick up The Hobbit,...more

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Nov 29, 2009 Ben rated it 4 of 5 stars

I picked up this collection to finish the series after having read Sword. I read Elfstones and, while I thoroughly enjoyed it, decided that I needed to take a break before reading Wishsong. While Elfstones was a good read and much better written than Sword, it had many of the same plot devices and many of the characters from Sword were recycled into "new" characters in Elfstones. I'm guessing that Wishsong will be similar and I'm afraid that if I read them all at once, I'll get annoyed at the si...more

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Aug 19, 2011 Zack Parks rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

I really enjoyed this ride through the Four Lands. At the very beginning, I did think it felt kinda like a Tolkien rip-off, but that fairly quickly subsided. What struck me the most was the character development. I really liked and related to the main characters in all 3 books of the trilogy. Brooks seems to really love jumping around during exciting moments though, to other story threads, to keep you reading 'till the end. I think I'm invested now in moving on to the Heritage of Shannara four-v...more

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Jun 05, 2012 Austin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: epic

I've read the first book previously and quite a bit of thesecond book, so I only had to read a bit of the second book and all of the third. I give the first book 5, the second 4, and a 4 for the third. I liked the first book the most and the third the least, even though they were all really good. This entire trilogy follows the Ohmsford family in a time span of around seventy years.

In the first book, step brothers Flick and Shea, go on a quest to stop an evil Wwarlock. This one had a lot of act...more

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Jan 01, 2010 Espresso rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

The Sword of Shannara practically screams for a copyright infringement suit from J.R.R Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy. So familiar was the story and the characters I find it tempting to interchange the character names, but in the event you have read the mentioned books I will trust that you can do this for yourself.

Shea Olunsford is the last remaining son in the Shannara line and thus must undergo a journey rife with life threatening dangers in order that the Warlock Lord be destroyed by...more

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Jan 25, 2013 Amber Vance rated it 5 of 5 stars

I picked up #2 in this series, The Elfstones of Shannara, back when I was probably about 15. These are the books that threw me head first into the fantasy genre, which I still have a deep appreciation for. I adored them then and I still adore them now. And to this day, if Terry Brooks releases any book with the words "Shannara" in the title, I have to have it!
I will say that the very first book (Sword of Shannara) is one of the hardest to get into - Terry takes descriptiveness to a whole new le...more

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Feb 02, 2010 Amy rated it 2 of 5 stars

I went specificly looking for an Epic Fantasy series that could engross me as much as A Song of Ice and Fire, The Lord of the Rings, or The Wheel of Time. I found this highly reccomended and went into it expecting to love it. I was very surpised to find it so disappointing. I am unsure why this gets listed as being on par with the other series I listed. The writting is really sub-par. You don't care about the characters, it's narrated like somone decided to write out their DnD adventure, it seem...more

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Jan 20, 2009 Robin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Difficult one this - I read these books as a teenager and really liked them. It's actually 3 books, and the first - the sword of Shannara is really just a thinly veiled knock off of Lord of the Rings. Re-reading it as an adult was a bit of a disappointment to be honest, but the next book (Elf stones) is actually really good... (still half way through the final book wish song).

Some of Brooks recent books are brilliant, but mostly seem to be based on the same world as his first book. I do think it...more

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Nov 09, 2012 Joshua rated it 4 of 5 stars

Great story, I have recently forced myself back into the world of text and gratifying realms (after not reading a book for 5 years) and I find my interests are still solid on fantasy and fiction. This book is old but the series is brilliant. It has been nearly 10 years since I have read this book ( as a freshman in high school ) and I can still recall its action drawn story and images. I would recommend this series to anyone who firstly: enjoys physical reading since there is no audio-version, a...more

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Mar 28, 2010 Kenny Cross rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: epic-fantasy, fantasy

Okay well I'm throwing in this Trilogy smack dab in the start of a new book reading order. I read these back in the mid-80's when I was just out of High School. Wishsong was still in trade paperback so I remember waiting patiently for it to come out in regular paperback. I loved this series at the time and I've been wanting to re-read for some time. So a friend of mine started reading it the other day and asked if I'd read it again with him. So here I am! Let's see if I enjoy it as much as I did...more

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Jan 21, 2011 Chris Witt rated it 2 of 5 stars

A mysterious magic user petitions a simple farming person to help save the world from the powers of darkness.

Where have I heard this story line before?

Anyhow, parts of the book were well-written, but that first line up there was just the first in many instances of what seemed to be direct rip-offs of one very famous fantasy trilogy which this author admits was a big influence on him deciding to become a writer. Witness, for example, the third book in the trilogy - in which the heroine must take...more

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Aug 23, 2010 Ami Miller rated it 5 of 5 stars

Fantastic Trilogy!! Terry Brooks' writing style appeals to the all the senses. When reading this trilogy you experience the journey and adventure along with wonderful characters. Few authors have the ability to be detailed without becoming tiresome, but Terry kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. After each book I felt a sense of loss as the adventures came to close, then I learned there is more. Look for Heritage Saga. Overall, this is my favorite fantasy trilogy. I highly recomm...more

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Jun 02, 2011 Jeremy rated it 2 of 5 stars

*Spoiler Alert*
So I re-read this trilogy recently and have to say I was very disappointed in this trilogy. It seemed like when I had read it years ago it was better, however my tastes may have improved since then. Why was I disappointed with this trilogy? There are a number of reasons. The premise is great, LoTR in the future? Give me more! Unfortunately the author's writing style kills the trilogy, and after you've read the first book, the other two are the same. Let me summarize the whole tril...more

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Apr 08, 2010 Scott rated it 3 of 5 stars

"What if Tolkien's magic and fairy creatures were made a part of the worlds of Walter Scott and Dumas? What if the story took place somewhere timeless and placeless, a somewhere that nevertheless hinted strongly of our own world in the future?" Terry Brooks

I personally believe this statement in the forward of the Trilogy puts this story line in perspective. I must admit, I contemplated burning this novel as a Tolkien rip off all the way through the Elfstones. But, in finishing the novels, I foun...more

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May 02, 2010 Shawn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-collection

I admit that it took me a few years to get around to actually reading this one all the way through—I was constantly acquiring new books and could not focus on the first book of the series; it was slower than most and had difficulty holding my attention. I recently decided to take up this famous work again, and this time I would not stray until it was completed.

The similarities between The Sword of Shannara Trilogy and another famous body of work can be found at every turn while searching the int...more

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Jul 18, 2009 Monica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

Wow - it is finished! Finally! I have been reading this book for so long that it has become a constant friend to me and I would have to say I'm a bit, yes, a bit, sad that it is finished. This is the first book of Brooks' that I have read. The awesome characters and great descriptions of them kept me reading. I loved the descriptions of the different races and the dark evil magic. It was easy to conjur images in my mind due to the descriptive details. There was constant action that always had me...more

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Feb 01, 2011 Terez rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Sword of Shannara (TSS) is considered a modern fantasy classic. Suffice to say, I was very excited by the prospect of reading this novel when I first purchased it.

However, during my reading I could not help thinking of how similar the main characters and plot were to [[book: The Lord of The Rings] (LOTR).

For instance, there were elves, dwarves, trolls and men who populate Terry Brook's fantasy realm. Again, these races are nearly identical to those of Middle Earth. The main antagonist of the...more

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Jul 28, 2008 Chad rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: people who thot Tolkien was too long winded.

This is like a weird acid-tripped reader's digest version of The Lord of the Rings. Replace "The Ring" with a sword, the wizard with a druid, and hobbits with humans and apparently that is enough to not get sued for copyright infringement.

On the other hand, even though the plot is stolen whole cloth from Tolkien, Brooks is much better at characterization. I remember Allanon and Menion Leah more fondly than Gandalf and Aragorn. The characters definitely carried me through what was an annoyingly...more

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Mar 23, 2010 Lisa (Bookworm Lisa) rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read these books as a teen. Should be interesting to read them now.

I'm going to rate this trilogy one a time just after I read them and then give an overall rating for the three.

I just finished the "Sword of Shannara" last night on Jan. 13, 2010. I would give it about 3 1/2 stars. I had a hard time getting in to this book. It was the ending that gave it the 1/2 star boost.

Shea is half human and half elf. He finds that he is the last surviving heir of the elf Jerle Shannara. It is his legacy to...more I read these books as a teen. Should be interesting to read them now.

I'm going to rate this trilogy one a time just after I read them and then give an overall rating for the three.

I just finished the "Sword of Shannara" last night on Jan. 13, 2010. I would give it about 3 1/2 stars. I had a hard time getting in to this book. It was the ending that gave it the 1/2 star boost.

Shea is half human and half elf. He finds that he is the last surviving heir of the elf Jerle Shannara. It is his legacy to use the legendary sword of shannara to bring an end to the evil Warlock Lord. It becomes a war of the races. Human, Elf and Dwarf against the Gnome and Troll.

This book is set in the distant future of Earth. We have destroyed the Earth and left a primative life for our descendants. Instead of science becoming the dominant force of research, the people turn to magic. The gnome, dwarf and troll species have always lived on earth hidden from man, the book never explains where the elves come from. Maybe that will be explained in a future story.
________________________________________________________________________
In the "Elfstones of Shannara", Wil Ohmsford, the son of Shea is called upon to take up the elfstones and save the world from the invading demons. The Ellcrys is a special tree that has long held the demons in a special holding place away from the world of man, but the tree is now dying. The caretakers, the Chosen, have all been savagely murdered by a few demons who have escaped. One of the chosen, Amberle, left service and is now the last. She must take the seed of the Ellcrys on a perilous journey and Wil must be her protector.

I liked the second book better than the first. As in the first, it becomes a story of self discovery and how best to use the magic.
________________________________________________________________________
In the "Wishsong of Shannara" brother and Sister, Brinn and Jair have been born with elven magic. They both have the wishsong. This came from their father, Wil, when he used the magic of the elfstones.

I am giving this book 4 stars. Jair and Brinn, learn the true gift of the wishsong, and that the power is more than it appreas to them. They both have their own journey, seperate, but both are parrallel. Their journeys will save the world from the dark power of the ancient book, the Ildatch. This book taught the dark villains in the past books, and this one,how to weild the destructive power.

Again, all is not how it appears, Allanon has withheld information, and makes the characters discover for themselves how to defeat the dark powers and change their lives and the world.

This book also brings to a close the age of the Druids.(less)

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Sep 06, 2008 Little Mike rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Tolkien fans, fantasy fans, people with a lot of time to read

Recommended to Little Mike by: my manager Jeremy

I gave this book 3 stars as the book itself covers the entire Sword of Shannara trilogy. Overall it rates a 3, even though some of the books were better than others within the series. It borrows way too much from Tolkien and I have had quite a few people tell me that they stopped reading after but a few pages into the first book for that same reason. With that said, it's still enjoyable, just not the greatest work of fantasy I've read.

One of the problems I had with the book (aside from the clear...more

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Nov 28, 2007 Daniel added it

I'm going to have to be completely honest here... I have only read one book in this series in its entirety, and that one, the second, I think is the best. It's fortunate, then, that the books are only loosely connected and it's not necessary to have knowlege of earlier ones to start on any book you wish.

I read a good chunk of the first one, and the thing is, even now my recolection of it is just STANDARD. Do you want to see the modern fantasy formula in pretty much its rawest state? Read Sword....more

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Dec 13, 2012 Darcy Young-stutz rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have read this series many, many, many times!! As with C S Lewis and Tolkein, (whom, I believe all influenced each other in one fashion or another) any book that can draw me in and keep me there for days and days...And to those who state that this all reads like a Tolkein,maybe so, but I don't think so. The underlying theme is good vs evil and anything with trolls, elves, magic, and high adventure is a good read. C S Lewis drew me to Tolkein which drew me to those sappy romance books about kni...more

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Oct 08, 2012 Ratforcekids rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, award-winners, fantasy, fiction, readalike-harry-potter

As a fan of the Harry Potter series, you may enjoy the fantasy novels of Terry Brooks. His Sword of Shannara series has a huge fan base and it currently has more than twenty books in the series, which should keep you reading for a while. Delve into the detailed world created by Brooks by starting with the Sword of Shannara. If you enjoy it, check out Terry Brooks' website - www.terrybrooks.net - for a reading order of the rest of the series suggested by the author.

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May 28, 2012 Erin Germain rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, kindle, 2012-reads, five-stars

I first read these books back in 1980/81. Back then, the first in the series didn't really hold my interest, and I spent more time with Elfstones and Wishsong. Maybe it was the lack of female characters or maybe it felt a little more sword than sorcery for my tastes at that age. Whatever the reason, I never gave it much attention. Coming back to the books as an adult, I found that I did enjoy Sword. Maybe not quite as much as the other two, given the familiarity I already had with them, but I li...more

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Jan 13, 2011 Preston Moore rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review contains the review for the following book in a trilogy.
#1: Sword of Shannara
Its been a while since I last read these books.

#1.
The sword of Shannara takes first takes place in a small town called the shady vale. There two young men enjoy the life of a small town communtiy, doing odd jobs, exploring the contry side, hanging out in the tavern. While this may seem like a simple life that many people may want, It wasn't for these two boys. These two friends wanted to experince the world...more

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About Terry Brooks

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

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Books by Terry Brooks

Elfstones Of Shannara (The Original Shannara Trilogy, #2)

The Sword of Shannara (The Original Shannara Trilogy #1)

The Talismans Of Shannara (Heritage of Shannara #4)

The Wishsong of Shannara (The Original Shannara Trilogy #3)

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The Sword of Shannara Trilogy (The Original Shannara Trilogy #1-3 omnibus)

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