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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 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.

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

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About the author

Terry Brooks

424 books77.9k followers
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 his graduate degree from the School of Law at Washington & Lee University.
A writer since high school, he wrote many stories within the genres of science fiction, western, fiction, and non-fiction, until one semester early in his college years he was given The Lord of the Rings to read. That moment changed Terry's life forever, because in Tolkien's great work he found all the elements needed to fully explore his writing combined in one genre.
He then wrote The Sword of Shannara, the seven year grand result retaining sanity while studying at Washington & Lee University and practicing law. It became the first work of fiction ever to appear on the New York Times trade paperback bestseller list, where it remained for over five months.

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5 stars
976 (44%)
4 stars
760 (34%)
3 stars
371 (17%)
2 stars
56 (2%)
1 star
18 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Profile Image for Emmy.
426 reviews
September 30, 2015
It was good. I don't reccomend taking such a break between the parts/books such as I did. It took a bit for me to remember who went where.

It is similar to lord of the rings. So if you liked that, you will like this.
Profile Image for Ambrosia.
22 reviews2 followers
January 31, 2017
The last part of the book was the best. Splitting it up into three parts didn't do well for the story line so after finishing the final part I revised my review in the entirety of the Sword of Shannara to five stars. One of my new fantasy favorites. I can't wait to read more.
Profile Image for Dilosh.
157 reviews
December 17, 2023
Büyük savaşa doğru...
Gruptaki herkes bir yere dağıldıktan sonra; büyük savaş için aslında hepsinin kendine düşen görevi yapmasıyla ve bu savaştaki rolüyle nihai sona doğru ilerlemiş oluyoruz. Savaş olduğundan bu kitap çok daha akıcıydı ve daha heyecanlıydı. Lakin Shannara'nın kılıcının etkisi bence çok yavan ve havada kaldı. Çok anlamadım yani orda ne olup bittiğini! Belki The LOTR'daki yüzük gibi bir etkisi yoktu ama yine de ona yapılan bu vurguyla ki kitabın ismi bu(!) biraz daha 'vay be' etkisi beklerdim.
İyi okumalar..
Profile Image for Freyja.
121 reviews
March 1, 2025
A Worthy Continuation of the Epic Saga

The Secret of the Sword is a strong third installment in the Sword of Shannara series. Terry Brooks continues to build on the world he’s created, offering more magical depth and character development. The story picks up with a sense of urgency and keeps the pace moving forward with plenty of action, twists, and suspense.

The characters are well-developed, and I particularly enjoyed seeing the progression of those who were introduced earlier in the series. The stakes feel higher in this book, and there’s an emotional intensity that makes the reader more invested in the outcomes. Brooks does a fantastic job of blending personal stakes with the larger, world-altering events unfolding around them.

While the plot does feel a bit predictable at times, and there are moments that could’ve been fleshed out a little more, the overall journey is gripping. Brooks’ world-building remains a highlight, and the combination of magic, adventure, and family loyalty keeps the reader hooked.

Overall, The Secret of the Sword delivers a satisfying continuation of the saga. It doesn’t quite reach the highs of its predecessors, but it’s a solid addition to the Shannara series that fans will enjoy.

Profile Image for Vader.
3,853 reviews35 followers
June 7, 2021
5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
Profile Image for Trish.
90 reviews11 followers
April 22, 2016
I was a bit disappointed. It might have been better if I had read the first book in the series
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews

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