The Weapons Master's Choice

Paladins of Shannara #2

by Terry Brooks

A city besieged by a powerful warlock seeks salvation from a fabled warrior in the second of three gripping new stand-alone eBook short stories set in the world of the fantasy-fiction phenomenon that is Shannara—by beloved New York Times bestselling author Terry Brooks.

His extraordinary—and deadly—skills have earned Garet Jax renown and infamy as the man called the Weapons Master. Rootless, solitary, and endlessly sought after, he roams the Four Lands, loyal to none but himself . . . and whomever can afford his services as warrior, assassin, and avenger for hire. But Lyriana is unlike any who have come to him before: as beautiful as she is bold, as enigmatic as the distant city she is desperate to save, and possessed of an intangible, irresistible allure that entices even the hardened Garet Jax more than any amount of gold or silver ever could.

But the challenge she comes bearing may give even the celebrated Weapons Master pause. The remote city of Tajarin, Lyriana’s home, is being laid to waste by an immensely powerful and boundlessly evil warlock of the deadliest order. With the populace enslaved and no champion to stand against the invader, Tajarin will soon be wiped from the map—perhaps only the first city to fall. Whatever hope exists rests in the deft hands, lethal blades, and unerring instincts of Garet Jax. With righteous fury in his blood, and feelings he has never before known in his heart, he will face the most dire of enemies, and dare the blackest of fates, for the mysterious woman at his side—whose deepest secrets have yet to be revealed.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Ebooks, Short Stories, High Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy, Adventure

39 pages, ebook

First published January 28, 2013

About the author

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.

Reviews

[Artemas · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with the previous Terry Brooks short story; my only complaint is that it wasn't long enough. I could read an entire book about Garet Jax and not get bored, but I thought this short story offered a nice window into a different side of a beloved character from Shannara. This story makes me want to re-read "Wishsong of Shannara"....for the 6th time. :)

[Thea Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with the previous novella in the Paladin's Of Shannara series, Allanon's Quest this is a tiny novella of less than 40 pages but it's full of lush imagery and re-introduces us to one of the more intriguing characters (in my opinion) from the world of Shannara and that is weapons master extraordinaire Garet Jax.

We find Jax at the beginning of this novella in the woods minding his own business. It is there that a strange woman stumbles upon him, a strange yet very attractive woman named Lyriana who is in desperate need of help. Her people are under attack by a 'dracul', a magical being that can literally suck the life force out of person, leaving behind nothing but a dry husk. After some considerable thought Jax agrees to help her and travel to her home but, unknown to Jax, her people are not what they initially seem but he helps them nonetheless.

This is a brilliant story about the simple prejudices we, as people, carry about with us on a daily business and about how you should never, ever judge a book by it's cover.... a lesson that Jax is forced to learn firsthand. This story fits firmly and neatly into the Shannara series and gives us further insight into Garet Jax and shows him to be much deeper personality that I previously thought. This is a tale of doing the right thing for the benefit of other without prejudice or fear, it shows that everyone is still just a human being at the end of the day regardless of their circumstances, a lesson we should all learn from!


Final Thoughts:

The Weapons Master's Choice is a superb addition to the Shannara timeline and while it had no firm basis anchoring it into the series like Allanon's Quest does that doesn't mean that it doesn't have it's place as it does, it just means that this novella can sit as a standalone by itself if needed.

Brooks has written a lovely lush and rich novella, he doesn't skimp on the detail even in a piece as short as this is and that shows a deft hand at writing to the extreme to cram so much into such a small space. Fans of Shannara will love this but hopefully those who want to take their first steps into Shannara without having to face the heavier tomes in the series can use this novella as a springboard into one of the best and one of the most expansive fantasy series out there. Worth a go at least don't you think?

[Max · Rating 4 out of 5]

Garet Jax is one of my favourite characters in the Shannara world (I also loved the character in the TV series, seen years after reading the books, the actor did well). So, this was an enjoyable read for me. Nothing new, nothing groundbreaking, very Terry Brooks. I wish it was longer, or it needs a follow-up! :-)

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

this novella is only about 40 pages and I wish it were longer. I great new tale in the Paladins of Shannara The Weapons Master's Choice is another treat for Brooks's followers.

[Tracy Hieb · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked the idea of a short story based on Garet Jax. He was a really memorable character from the early Shannara novels and one of my favorites. This book attempts to have all the cool stuff of a fantasy novel shoved into a small package: I don't think it worked. It showed me that I like the struggle and eventual overcoming of impossible odds aspect a lot. This was also way short. Even considering it is a short story, it was half the length that I expected. Garet walked away with regrets and I did too.

Here's the story in a nutshell...

"Hey Garet, instead of moping around in forest being depressed, do you think you could um, like, kill this bad guy for me? He's like really bad and stuff. "
"Hmm.. well, I guess it is Wednesday and I haven't killed anyone this week and you are pretty hot. Sure. What the hell?"

*** Walking ***
"You're kind of weird."
"My Mom/Sister says I'm special."
"Special? That's a good word for it."

*** More walking ***
"We're here!"
"What? This place sucks."
"Oh don't worry; you get used to the smell."
"I'm bored. Where's this 'evil' guy?"
"Oh, right. He's in there."

*** 5 minutes elapse***
"Alright. He's dead."
"Thanks."
"So... do I at least get a courtesy bang for saving this shit-hole town?"
"No. I have the worst STD ever. Did I forget to mention that?"
"Uh, yeah. You kind of did."
"Oh, my bad. Tell you what. You can either have this big bag of gold or we can hook up and start a pool about how long it will be before your penis falls off."
"Just the gold please."

[Wrecker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Neat little story. I was pretty disconnected with it though. We'll see how it ties in with the rest of the stories. (I'm reading chronologically.)

[Ryk Spoor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admit it: I've been a Garet Jax fan ever since I read Wishsong of Shannara, and always wanted to see more of this character. I didn't want him brought back -- that would be cheap -- and I didn't want to see his ultimate battle, since Terry made the entirely correct decision that whatever we might imagine for the battle of the Weapons Master versus The Jachyra would be vastly more awesome than anyone could write.

But I did want to see something of him BECOMING the legend, and this story delivers. It is a Terry Brooks version of a classic Sword-And Sorcery tale, with a beautiful woman coming to the lone wanderer asking for help that no other will give. It would stand well in the company of masters of this subgenre such as Howard and Leiber.

Thanks, Terry!

[Chris Haught · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here's a short story featuring one of the most popular characters from The Wishsong of Shannara, Garet Jax.

As short as it is, Brooks manages to pack a cool fight scene and a beautiful woman into the story. Not bad.

[Carole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great story but over so quickly! It was nice to have a little peek into the life of Garet Jax though. One of the best characters in the Shannara series.

[Little Timmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

very nice prequel story to the first Shannara s book. Recommended

[M.A. Kropp · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short i piece written as an add-on to the overall Shannara series, this story concerns Garet Jax, the Weapons Master from Wishsong of Shannara. Here, Jax is camped in the wilderness where he is approached by a beautiful woman who asks his help in freeing her people from an evil wizard/dracul who has her town captive and is feeding on the residents. Jax is suspicious and his gut feeling is that Lyriana is not telling him the whole story, but he agrees to help her, in part because he feels a deep attraction to her. They travel to her remote home where Jax not only finds the dracul as Lyriana told him, but a crumbling ruin of a town that no one ever approaches any more. The reasons for all of it are part of what Lyriana didn't tell Jax, but in the end, he does kill the dracul and save the townspeople. Jax must also face his growing attraction to Lyriana in relation to the rest of her secrets.

This was a pretty good story. Of course, it doesn't have the sweep and depth of a novel, but it moves along nicely. The plot might be a bit thin in spots, but it holds well enough. We get to see a bit more of Jax's character and learn a few tidbits (not nearly enough!) about him. There is a fair amount of tension, the fight scene is good even if it seems a bit rushed, and there is just a touch of magic. I would say it is definitely worth the short time it takes to read it.

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lone, mysterious woman enlists the help of Garet Jax, the Weapons Master, to free her people from a malevolent adversary.

This short story precedes, but is not directly tied to, the events of The Wishsong of Shannara. As a Shannara fan, any story that adds on to the original Shannara trilogy is a treat!

While this does not have the rushed feel that The Black Irix has, a lot happens in a short time span; having said that, I'm starting to realize that this is necessary in order for a short story to have a beginning, middle, and an end. The Weapons Master's Choice (as well as the other shorts in the Paladins series) has a bit of a twist ending.

Go read the Wishsong first - if you haven't already - to have a better appreciation for the master of weapons to which there is no equal, Garet Jax!

[Dan Snyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Garet Jax was not a character I would have really remembered, even for his role in the Wishsong Of Shannara, not because he was a character I disliked, but because it's been so long. However, reading this tale of his, a tale of love, loss, and more, I come to remember how much of a great "character he is!
This story came as a surprise to me, as most of the Paladins Of Shannara short stories have, but this one hit me rather hard, even for a short story. After reading it, however, it instills in me a desire to have more stories about the famous Weapon's Master!
Come on, Terry, we need more Garet Jax! We need a trilogy, or something!
If you've read most of the Shannara books, but passed these by, I highly recommend you change that, because this story is great. Sad, but oh so great!

[Remy G · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this short story by Terry Brooks set before the final main entry of the original Shannara trilogy, The Wishsong of Shannara, the titular Weapons Master, Garet Jax, is camped when a woman named Lyriana comes to his encampment, telling of the warlock Kronswiff who killed her people, wanting Garet to come to her home city of Tajarin. Soon after, mercenaries from Varfleet known as Het attack them, after which they set off, having a confrontation with the warlock and his cronies. The story ends satisfactorily with some twists, although some connection with the book that precedes it chronologically would have been welcome.

[Joe Pranaitis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Terry Brooks brings us another Paladin story where we meet Weapon's Master Garet Jax who is approached by a young woman to help her defeat a warlock who controls her village. Jax says that he will do it for a price and follows her to her village where the warlock who is a dracul (Vampire) has complete control. Jax sees this and knows what to do to free the village from the warlock. The twist at the end is heart breaking but this is a good short read in the Shannara series of which I am looking forward to third in this trilogy. I highly recommend picking up a copy for any Fantasy fan.   

[Gilda Felt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set before Wishsong, as in Allanon’s Quest, there’s no real suspense, as we know the main character will be alive at the end. Still, it’s a good, solid story, and does give us a look into the character of Garet Jax, the Weapon’s Master, who was a favorite of mine from Wishsong. And I liked the new character of Lyriana. In that regard, I would have preferred this having been written as a novel. I would have loved a story that delved more into the relationship between these two characters.

Again, the Paladin stories seem to be out of sequence, as this is the second in the series, yet is set after the third.

[Alessandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simple tale which introduces, a long time after its first apparition in The Wishsong of Shannara, Garet Jax, the Weapons Master. A woman appears while Garet is making camp for the night, and asks for his help to liberate her village from the evil warlock (called even a dracul, a sort of sorcerous vampire) which has taken hold of it aided by a big band of mercenaries. Jax accepts, of course, even if he feels that the woman has something mysterious (of course…) about her. And the story is interesting indeed, with a coup de theatre really unexpected.

[Steve Martinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent little side story far a Shanarra character that had no spoilers for the regular series. Garet Jax, the weapons master, is asked to come and help a tortured people against their tormentor. Of course, he goes to see what he can do. What he finds out about the people, and about himself, make this an awesome story. If you are a Shanarra fan, you will probably enjoy this alot. If you're not a fan, this is still a good tale with a great message for us all, today.

[Zdravko · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not reading the series by Terry's suggested reading order just because I bought all three Paladins of Shannara stories and I don’t think I will ever read all Shannara books. So, why waste time and money. And space on my Kindle. I'm not familiar with Garet Jax. All I know he is one of the beloved characters in The Wishsong of Shannara. This story was okay and I will read The Wishsong. Not sure about the rest.

[Joy Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good short story regarding Garet Jax

This is a very good short story that provides insight to the mentality of Garet Jax. Although I would have liked a whole story on him, this story does provide some interesting looks into his life. Worth taking the time to read if you are a Shannara fan.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was excited to see this Shannara short ("Kindle Singles Exclusive") as I thought I had read all of Terry Brooks' Shannara series. Ultimately, due to the length of the novella/short story, it really is one basic story with a pretty simple plot line. So, certainly not as engrossing as the traditional novels. Still, it's nice to see some familiar characters back in action.

[Paul Hathcox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fans of the Weapons Master, Garet Jax, can rejoice. You get another adventure with him.

Go along on an quest with one of Shannara's most formidable and kick ass characters as he fights to save a people from the clutches of an evil magic user and his followers.

[Ian McGaffey · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting to get another look at the weapons master. The story subtly leads to how he came to be in search of the purpose we saw him finding later in life. The story was good but a touch underwhelming.

[Bernard Lewellin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Too short

This is a good genesis for a much better and more in depth story. The lack of development of the female protagonist is disappointing. Nevertheless, it is a good short story.

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read
The Weapons Master's Choice is an excellent novella with interesting interesting well developed characters. The story line is fast moving with an emotional conclusion. I would recommend this novella too anyone who is looking for a quick read. Enjoy reading 2016

[Marc Chénier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good short story from Terry Brooks. Revisiting Garet Jax didn't bring anything new to the character but was still entertaining. What more can I say?

Next Kindle book: Paladins of Shannara: The Black Irix by Terry Brooks (2013).

[James Norton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A shrt stry

These short stories should have been worked into a rerelease of the main book. The B list heroes never get any background stories and just magically appear while the main characters get everything about them analyzed every chapter.

[Khari · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit more of a look into Garet Jax and how he lived.

This one wasn't quite as good as aftermath, but I still enjoyed it, which was a breath of fresh air from absolutely hating everything Terry Brooks I've read lately.

[Rose Boyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this little short story. It's about a chapter's worth.

[Kristen Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Garet Jax

I didn't like this short story as much as the previous 2 because Garet Jax is not someone that I know - yet.