Bearers of the Black Staff is, quite simply, one of Terry's best books. The first part of a two-book set, Black Staff is set 500 years after the events in The Gypsy Morph, where the the descendants of civilization's demise re-emerge from their protected valley into a world greatly changed and far more dangerous.

But not all dangers are in the world without. Some have been festering in the valley for centuries.

Terry has done a great job developing his characters in this first book. I guarantee Terry Brooks fans will fall in love with at least two of them, as they have the same cult feeling that Allanon and Garet Jax creates in readers. The other characters are alive as well and upon reflection I think two of the periphery characters will be beloved by certain groups of readers as well.

The story is very tightly knit. Not a word is wasted in this book. Fans will see glimpses of the Old World as well as those seeds that will become the Four Lands.

The reason this book is only a 4 star review is it is a bit slow on action in its middle. It is the set up book for the climax in the second volume, where I would imagine all hellfire is going to break loose. And true to Terry Brooks, the book ends in a cliffhanging fashion that will leave readers chomping at the bit for the next book to be published.

As I told Terry upon finishing the book, The Legends of Shannara duology could be Terry's finest Shannara story since The Druid of Shannara if he can find a way to fulfill all of the promise from the first book in the second book. I think he will.