Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book
Rate this book
The classic, bestselling 'Tolkien for the masses' fantasy adventure trilogy reaches its sensational conclusion.

Cut off from his friends and the Druid Allanon, Shea remains determined to continue his pursuit of Orl Fane, the crazed gnome who has stolen the fabled Sword of Shannara.

Fane's tracks suggest he is headed north to Skull Mountain, lair of the master of all that is evil. If the gnome is not stopped, and the Sword delivered into the Dark Lord's hands, all hope for the races of the Four Lands will be lost forever.

And time is already running out, for even as Fane flees with Shea in pursuit, the Warlock Lord summons a vast army of gnomes, trolls and northmen. Under the command of his dreaded Skull Bearers they begin the march south - with plans to annihilate all in their path.

And so the classic tale of magic, adventure and epic conflict that is the legend of The Sword of Shannara draws to its unforgettable conclusion.

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

Loading...
Loading...

About the author

Terry Brooks

426 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.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
977 (44%)
4 stars
761 (34%)
3 stars
371 (16%)
2 stars
57 (2%)
1 star
18 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Profile Image for Emmy.
428 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.
3,887 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