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The Original Shannara Trilogy #2
The Elfstones of Shannara
Ancient Evil threatens the Elves: The ancient tree created by long-lost Elven magic, is dying. When Wil Ohmsford is summoned to guard the Amberle on a perilous quest to gather a new seed for a new tree, he is faced with the Reaper, the most fearsome of all Demons. And Wil is without power to control them....
576 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 12, 1982
1636 people are currently reading
24721 people want to read
About the author
Terry Brooks
420 books77.8k followersTerry 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.
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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,061 reviews
January 6, 2016
This was so much better than book one, but I still didn't love it. I do think it'll be translated well into a television show and I'm looking forward to seeing how it's adapted. Unfortunately I do think this will be the last Terry Brooks book I read. It wasn't a terrible read and I actually enjoyed the story! I just don't think his writing style is for me.
September 22, 2008
I don't think you can possibly understand what a formative impact this book had on me.
Picture it: I was nine years old. We were at this massive used book sale, and I was bored silly of all the books at the children's table. I wandered around a bit, and ended up in adult SF/F. And there, like a shining beacon of fascinating glory, was a gorgeous hardcover copy of The Elfstones of Shannara.
Of course I bought it, even though my parents thought I wouldn't understand it. And they were right. I didn't understand it. I didn't pick up on half of the subtext, the subtleties.
But I loved it. I loved the sweeping adventure and the epic feel and the heroic yet human characters. I loved the magic and the loss and the battles and the struggles. I loved every single page of it.
And that's how I became a fantasy addict.
I know this book isn't perfect. I've heard people say it's derivative, and it probably is. But for me, this book, this series (because of course, as soon as I discovered that there were more, I read all of them--Sword of Shannara, Wishsong of Shannara, and my favorite, the Heritage of Shannara quartet--which, by the way, was how I discovered that there was a whole SECTION of fantasy books in the bookstore--so much more to read, so many more adventures to explore!) captivated my imagination and lured me into fantasy.
In my mind, this book is perfect. And for me, yes, it does stand the test of time. Every time I reread it--every few years--I find that while I am rereading the story, I am also reliving that magical experience as a nine-year-old of discovering magic and adventure and wonder. I now own a paperback edition for easy carrying around, but I still have that beautiful old hardcover, with its maps and line-drawings and solid presence in my lap.
For me, this book will always be perfect.
Picture it: I was nine years old. We were at this massive used book sale, and I was bored silly of all the books at the children's table. I wandered around a bit, and ended up in adult SF/F. And there, like a shining beacon of fascinating glory, was a gorgeous hardcover copy of The Elfstones of Shannara.
Of course I bought it, even though my parents thought I wouldn't understand it. And they were right. I didn't understand it. I didn't pick up on half of the subtext, the subtleties.
But I loved it. I loved the sweeping adventure and the epic feel and the heroic yet human characters. I loved the magic and the loss and the battles and the struggles. I loved every single page of it.
And that's how I became a fantasy addict.
I know this book isn't perfect. I've heard people say it's derivative, and it probably is. But for me, this book, this series (because of course, as soon as I discovered that there were more, I read all of them--Sword of Shannara, Wishsong of Shannara, and my favorite, the Heritage of Shannara quartet--which, by the way, was how I discovered that there was a whole SECTION of fantasy books in the bookstore--so much more to read, so many more adventures to explore!) captivated my imagination and lured me into fantasy.
In my mind, this book is perfect. And for me, yes, it does stand the test of time. Every time I reread it--every few years--I find that while I am rereading the story, I am also reliving that magical experience as a nine-year-old of discovering magic and adventure and wonder. I now own a paperback edition for easy carrying around, but I still have that beautiful old hardcover, with its maps and line-drawings and solid presence in my lap.
For me, this book will always be perfect.
September 22, 2017
Literally sobbing...
That ending killed me.
Love this series, my review to come on YT.
That ending killed me.
Love this series, my review to come on YT.
August 6, 2007
I notice that everyone's favorite lists are riddled with the literary classics like Great Expectations or modern smartness like Middlesex.
I bet far more people prefer to sit down with some Dean Koonz or a bodice ripper. So I'm going to stand up and say: I like fantasy. I read it. And I think it's good!
I bet far more people prefer to sit down with some Dean Koonz or a bodice ripper. So I'm going to stand up and say: I like fantasy. I read it. And I think it's good!
January 6, 2016
[1 Star] Starting off 2016 with a bang. I hope that's not indicative of how this year will go for me.
This book is definitely not for me. At first, I was intrigued. The world was cool enough. The story, promising. But soon I started to like the book less and less as I read it. The writing was not for me. It is insanely repetitive. The same story is told over and over and over. The same story is told over and over and over. The foreshadowing is clunky and blatant. Watch out! This character has something mysterious that he will reveal in two chapters. You would only have to read the dialogue and one sentence per paragraph to know exactly what was happening which if we're being honest, isn't that much. It is predictable and so cheesy. The characters are very flat to me. I did not care about a single one of them. Overall, not a very enjoyable book, and I started skimming toward the end to just be done.
I don't recommend this book.
This book is definitely not for me. At first, I was intrigued. The world was cool enough. The story, promising. But soon I started to like the book less and less as I read it. The writing was not for me. It is insanely repetitive. The same story is told over and over and over. The same story is told over and over and over. The foreshadowing is clunky and blatant. Watch out! This character has something mysterious that he will reveal in two chapters. You would only have to read the dialogue and one sentence per paragraph to know exactly what was happening which if we're being honest, isn't that much. It is predictable and so cheesy. The characters are very flat to me. I did not care about a single one of them. Overall, not a very enjoyable book, and I started skimming toward the end to just be done.
I don't recommend this book.
January 5, 2024
As with the Sword of Shannara, I must preface this review by stating that I do not know why there is so much loathing of this series. I find these books to be well-written, nicely paced, epic fantasy that work well together or even as stand-alone entries.
One of the coolest things to me about this series is that you always get a new set of main characters. The stories relate to one another, but they are separated by many years and a new generation has to step up to face the current threat. While I do enjoy tales that follow the same main character or characters, I find this to be a refreshing departure from normal fare. I enjoy Mr. Brooks' writing quite a bit and find his world building to be top notch.
If you haven't given the Shannara Series a chance because of all of the negative vibe concerning its similarities to The Lord of the Rings, you really owe it to yourself to give it a shot. You may end up not liking it and that is fine, but I find the series to be very enjoyable and have plenty of its own unique merit to be able to stand on its own.
One of the coolest things to me about this series is that you always get a new set of main characters. The stories relate to one another, but they are separated by many years and a new generation has to step up to face the current threat. While I do enjoy tales that follow the same main character or characters, I find this to be a refreshing departure from normal fare. I enjoy Mr. Brooks' writing quite a bit and find his world building to be top notch.
If you haven't given the Shannara Series a chance because of all of the negative vibe concerning its similarities to The Lord of the Rings, you really owe it to yourself to give it a shot. You may end up not liking it and that is fine, but I find the series to be very enjoyable and have plenty of its own unique merit to be able to stand on its own.
August 16, 2023
I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand the characters and premise was great, but I struggled with the pacing and the plot dragged at times. The world building was really interesting and descriptive, but there was a great deal of info dumping in the beginning. The world was full of very interesting beings including elves, trolls, demons, dwarfs, sorcerers and more. I really liked the characters, especially Wil, Amberle, and Eretria. I liked Wil, he is courageous, strong, determined, loyal, and kind. Amberle was an interesting character, she is kind, compassionate and brave, but I wish more time was spent on her backstory. I felt that the character development was a bit lacking and I wished that the backstory of the characters was explored more. The pacing in the beginning and middle was very slow and it didn't pick up until the second half. The plot was interesting but there were several times were I was bored and wanted more from the storyline. The ending was great, I'm glad that there was closure.
August 30, 2016
Every bit as fascinating, fantastical and phenomenal as the first book!
I was initially disappointed that this did not feature the same characters from the first installment in the trilogy, and that we would not get to see how their lives had continued to develop after the close of the book. So much time had passed between the two, in fact, that this felt more like a companion novel than a continuation of the series.
I soon forgot the prior adventure had even existed, however, as I was sucked into this new surreal and incredible journey. This current set of characters became just as beloved, the world just as awe-inspiring and the adventures just as hair-raising and incredulous.
Brooks has well-and-truly proven himself a new favourite of mine!
I was initially disappointed that this did not feature the same characters from the first installment in the trilogy, and that we would not get to see how their lives had continued to develop after the close of the book. So much time had passed between the two, in fact, that this felt more like a companion novel than a continuation of the series.
I soon forgot the prior adventure had even existed, however, as I was sucked into this new surreal and incredible journey. This current set of characters became just as beloved, the world just as awe-inspiring and the adventures just as hair-raising and incredulous.
Brooks has well-and-truly proven himself a new favourite of mine!
December 9, 2015
Yeah I read this because of the TV show that's about to come on... Sue me! so happy I did too! Can't wait to see it all play out on the big screen!
4.5
Please don't be a flop... please don't be a flop... because this could be amazing.
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4.5
Please don't be a flop... please don't be a flop... because this could be amazing.
READ THIS REVIEW AND OTHERS OVER ON OUR BLOG:
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July 23, 2020
A much better read than book one in the trilogy. I don't know why I never got to this when it was released originally.
February 20, 2008
I REALLY disliked this book. Not to give anything away, but the main female character TURNS INTO A TREE at the end and the main male character (who apparently is in love with her) can only go and look at her and sigh. DUMB DUMB DUMB. I think there should be a rule against main characters turning into trees.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2010
I loved this book. I was a bit disappointed at the beginning when I realized that I wouldn't be reading about Shea, Flick, and Balinor, but I quickly became used to Wil and Amberle, and frankly, I found them to be much more believable and relatable characters. Shea and Flick were a bit annoying at times, and the other characters were too close to LoTR characters for me to really get close to them. This book could stand on its own, and it was a good story.
I enjoyed the character development of Ander. I think he is a wonderful replacement for Eventine. I think most people can relate to him because most of us are just normal people who rise to the occasion when responsibility is thrust upon us. Ander carried that burden well, and I think he will be as beloved as his father before him.
However, I do have a couple of complaints about Brooks' writing style: he's a bit repetitive and a bit too descriptive at times. I have read about hundreds of battles and been introduced to so many new fantasy worlds—but I think Brooks was one of the most descriptive writers, which is saying a lot. However, the writing in this book was better than the writing in the first book, though I did find a couple of grammatical errors.
The ending was very satisfying. For me, an ending isn't great unless it comes with that bittersweet feeling. The love story between Wil and Amberle enjoyable, and it was just heart-wrenching to see it end the way it did. I wanted them to hook up, partly so that the Ohmsfords could start adding a bit more Elven blood to the Shannara line. However, it is good that Eretria went home with Wil. She was a good match for Wil, even if I was rooting for Amberle the entire time. All in all, a very satisfying ending.
I hope the next end-of-the-world crisis doesn't happen too far into the future; I'm not ready to say goodbye to these characters yet.
I enjoyed the character development of Ander. I think he is a wonderful replacement for Eventine. I think most people can relate to him because most of us are just normal people who rise to the occasion when responsibility is thrust upon us. Ander carried that burden well, and I think he will be as beloved as his father before him.
However, I do have a couple of complaints about Brooks' writing style: he's a bit repetitive and a bit too descriptive at times. I have read about hundreds of battles and been introduced to so many new fantasy worlds—but I think Brooks was one of the most descriptive writers, which is saying a lot. However, the writing in this book was better than the writing in the first book, though I did find a couple of grammatical errors.
The ending was very satisfying. For me, an ending isn't great unless it comes with that bittersweet feeling. The love story between Wil and Amberle enjoyable, and it was just heart-wrenching to see it end the way it did. I wanted them to hook up, partly so that the Ohmsfords could start adding a bit more Elven blood to the Shannara line. However, it is good that Eretria went home with Wil. She was a good match for Wil, even if I was rooting for Amberle the entire time. All in all, a very satisfying ending.
I hope the next end-of-the-world crisis doesn't happen too far into the future; I'm not ready to say goodbye to these characters yet.
October 5, 2016
Es ist schon erschreckend, was für Ähnlichkeiten diese Geschichte mit Tolkiens Herrn der Ringe hat. Dementsprechend war diese High-Fantasy Geschichte wenig originell und hat es auch nicht geschafft, irgendeine Verbindung aufzubauen. Klar war es hier und da spannend und unterhaltsam, mehr als 'ganz nett' aber leider nicht.
September 23, 2019
The worst thing about this book is not that it's a Tolkien rip-off; it's that it's a tedious, badly-written Tolkien rip-off. It reads as if a young writer read a few fantasy novels, maybe played a little D&D, and then proceeded to write what he thought a fantasy novel should sound like. In other words, the style is very affected and pretentious. He also repeats himself a lot. At least Stephen King will wait a few pages before reminding you of something you already read; Terry will keep going over it until he is sure that you got it the first time. Maybe the publisher asked for a longer book and Terry didn't understand that he was supposed to add more story, so he just went through and reiterated everything.
Not only does the plot feel strangely familiar, but Terry's version is terribly contrived. There's no sense of danger after a while because whenever the protagonists get into a fix they are saved by one deus ex machina after another. If it's not the book's third-rate Gandalf, it's a never-before-mentioned earth spirit that relocates them to safety, or it's the Elfstones whose power is to do whatever is needed to save the protagonists in any situation.
The characters are completely uninteresting. When one slightly interesting character shows up who might make things a bit sexier, she is left behind. (Those fools!) I think she might turn up again later, probably at just the right moment to miraculously save our protagonists, but I didn't get that far.
Not only does the plot feel strangely familiar, but Terry's version is terribly contrived. There's no sense of danger after a while because whenever the protagonists get into a fix they are saved by one deus ex machina after another. If it's not the book's third-rate Gandalf, it's a never-before-mentioned earth spirit that relocates them to safety, or it's the Elfstones whose power is to do whatever is needed to save the protagonists in any situation.
The characters are completely uninteresting. When one slightly interesting character shows up who might make things a bit sexier, she is left behind. (Those fools!) I think she might turn up again later, probably at just the right moment to miraculously save our protagonists, but I didn't get that far.
September 25, 2018
Brooks was finding his own voice with this one, probably because there wasn't much left to crib from Tolkien after he wrote The Sword of Shannara (although we still get a Shadowfax-type horse, giant flying birds, and tree people).
I felt that this volume was much slower than the last one, with long stretches of not much happening. When something does happen, however, Brooks really knows how to write a gripping scene.
For as many complaints that I have with Terry Brooks, I can't deny that his books make me feel like a kid discovering epic fantasy for the first time. This is true old school fantasy, which is rarely done well anymore.
I felt that this volume was much slower than the last one, with long stretches of not much happening. When something does happen, however, Brooks really knows how to write a gripping scene.
For as many complaints that I have with Terry Brooks, I can't deny that his books make me feel like a kid discovering epic fantasy for the first time. This is true old school fantasy, which is rarely done well anymore.
April 7, 2016
Buena ambientación, buenos personajes y con ritmo.
Quizá la única pega sea ese exceso de narración que tiene a veces.
Lo que sí recomiendo es leer el libro sin a ver visto la serie antes.
Yo ya había visto la serie, y eso ha hecho que pierda su gracia en algunos momentos.
¡Wiiilllllll!
Quizá la única pega sea ese exceso de narración que tiene a veces.
Lo que sí recomiendo es leer el libro sin a ver visto la serie antes.
Yo ya había visto la serie, y eso ha hecho que pierda su gracia en algunos momentos.
¡Wiiilllllll!
dnf
January 27, 2016Alright. I held out as long as I could, but I'm just so bored and I've got about 90 unread books on my shelf I'd rather be reading than trudging through this.
This has a very Tolkien writing style (in that it's much longer and explainy than it really needs to be) but is lacking the intrigue for me. I think this book could definitely lose about 100-200 pages and I'd not find myself missing them. Typically I don't mind a lot of world building and explanation but ultimately I just didn't care what was going on. Honestly I only picked this up so I could go into the TV show with some knowledge, so I'm not that upset by it. If the show is good perhaps I'll listen to the rest of this on audio book.
This has a very Tolkien writing style (in that it's much longer and explainy than it really needs to be) but is lacking the intrigue for me. I think this book could definitely lose about 100-200 pages and I'd not find myself missing them. Typically I don't mind a lot of world building and explanation but ultimately I just didn't care what was going on. Honestly I only picked this up so I could go into the TV show with some knowledge, so I'm not that upset by it. If the show is good perhaps I'll listen to the rest of this on audio book.
October 9, 2025
3.5⭐️
February 24, 2016
It took me almost a month to read this one! Not because it was awful, or difficult writing to wade through, but because I've been working 50-70 hrs a week. And I also wanted to take my time and enjoy the story. Believe it or not, of the three Terrys (Pratchett, Brooks, & Goodkind) I hadn't read anything by Brooks before. I attempted "Sword of Shannara" first but it was such a blatant ripoff of Tolkien that I didn't bother past the first chapter. As a cohesive story that is mostly original and stands on its own, Elfstones fares very well. It's really different from the MTV show based on it, but I like them both in different ways. I loved Amberle most of all, even with all her fears and limitations -- she still managed to do the right thing. I feel like the Dagda Mor got defeated far too easily, but the truly creepy Mallenroh & Morag made up for it somewhat. Overall, I'm going to say it was interesting. I didn't expect the twist with the Ellcrys and I'm going to read Wishsong to find out what happens next.
February 21, 2019
4.5 - Voto
.
Eccoci al secondo capitolo dedicato alla prima trilogia di Shannara.
Come per il libro precedente anche questo è auto-conclusivo, e malgrado ci siano dei riferimenti al primo racconto si può leggere in maniera autonoma.
Per chi ama il fantasy, per chi ama le storie complicate, piene di colpi di scena, di paura, di lotta e sudore, per chi sa apprezzare i guerrieri e i loro sacrifici, questo libro è imperdibile!!
Ma è imperdibile anche per chi ama le storie d’amore, di rispetto, di amicizia e valore, e per chi sogna che il bene trionfi sempre a qualsiasi costo, ma soprattutto per chi ama chiudere i libri con una lacrima che gli solca il viso.
L’etica elfa, l’ideale che aveva governato la sua vita… bisogna restituire alla terra qualcosa di sé.
Inutile dire che questo libro è meraviglioso, malgrado lasci una traccia di amaro profondo nella sua conclusione del tutto inaspettata.
Siamo abituati ai lieti fini, ai tutti vissero felici e contenti, ma malgrado il lieto fine effettivamente ci sia, malgrado le cose vadano come dovrebbero, la conclusione lascia il lettore insoddisfatto e con la voglia di prendere per il collo Allanon che ci ha nascosto la verità e Terry Brooks, lo spietato scrittore, in grado di creare un vortice emotivo impressionante.
“Stai arrivando a delle conclusioni affrettate, Will. Eppure ti avevo messo in guardia. Ora devi ascoltarmi. C’è dell’altro in questa faccenda. Qualcosa che il druido nasconde. Me lo sento”
Dalle prime pagine in poi ecco che il mondo di Shannara prende vita autonoma, si espande, si amplia, diventando un universo con le sue regole e stranezze, spazzando via, in maniera definitiva, qualsiasi pensiero o accusa di plagio verso il “Signore degli Anelli.”
Ho riletto questo libro dopo molti anni, con l’ansia e la curiosità di scoprire cose che ai miei occhi di ragazzina erano sfuggite, situazioni che ho imparato ad amare ancora di più con l’esperienza della vita vera, perché come alcuni sanno è in lavorazione la serie televisiva tratta proprio da questo racconto…
Serie che presto vedremo, e che sono sicura colpirà i vostri cuori proprio come questo romanzo del tutto imprevedibile e pieno di colpi di scena…
“A presto, mio signore… e che la forza sia con te e con il popolo elfo”
E un saluto da parte mia anche a tutti voi, e che la forza delle pietre magiche vi accompagni lungo i sentieri della vostra vita…
.
Eccoci al secondo capitolo dedicato alla prima trilogia di Shannara.
Come per il libro precedente anche questo è auto-conclusivo, e malgrado ci siano dei riferimenti al primo racconto si può leggere in maniera autonoma.
Per chi ama il fantasy, per chi ama le storie complicate, piene di colpi di scena, di paura, di lotta e sudore, per chi sa apprezzare i guerrieri e i loro sacrifici, questo libro è imperdibile!!
Ma è imperdibile anche per chi ama le storie d’amore, di rispetto, di amicizia e valore, e per chi sogna che il bene trionfi sempre a qualsiasi costo, ma soprattutto per chi ama chiudere i libri con una lacrima che gli solca il viso.
L’etica elfa, l’ideale che aveva governato la sua vita… bisogna restituire alla terra qualcosa di sé.
Inutile dire che questo libro è meraviglioso, malgrado lasci una traccia di amaro profondo nella sua conclusione del tutto inaspettata.
Siamo abituati ai lieti fini, ai tutti vissero felici e contenti, ma malgrado il lieto fine effettivamente ci sia, malgrado le cose vadano come dovrebbero, la conclusione lascia il lettore insoddisfatto e con la voglia di prendere per il collo Allanon che ci ha nascosto la verità e Terry Brooks, lo spietato scrittore, in grado di creare un vortice emotivo impressionante.
“Stai arrivando a delle conclusioni affrettate, Will. Eppure ti avevo messo in guardia. Ora devi ascoltarmi. C’è dell’altro in questa faccenda. Qualcosa che il druido nasconde. Me lo sento”
Dalle prime pagine in poi ecco che il mondo di Shannara prende vita autonoma, si espande, si amplia, diventando un universo con le sue regole e stranezze, spazzando via, in maniera definitiva, qualsiasi pensiero o accusa di plagio verso il “Signore degli Anelli.”
Ho riletto questo libro dopo molti anni, con l’ansia e la curiosità di scoprire cose che ai miei occhi di ragazzina erano sfuggite, situazioni che ho imparato ad amare ancora di più con l’esperienza della vita vera, perché come alcuni sanno è in lavorazione la serie televisiva tratta proprio da questo racconto…
Serie che presto vedremo, e che sono sicura colpirà i vostri cuori proprio come questo romanzo del tutto imprevedibile e pieno di colpi di scena…
“A presto, mio signore… e che la forza sia con te e con il popolo elfo”
E un saluto da parte mia anche a tutti voi, e che la forza delle pietre magiche vi accompagni lungo i sentieri della vostra vita…
July 29, 2024
4.25 stars
April 2, 2016
I read this specifically because I wanted to compare it to the television series, which I recently watched. Otherwise, I really had no intention of returning to Shannara. I read LOTR 2.0 -- I mean, The Sword of Shannara, and was bored. Were it not for the fact that I was actually watching paint dry at the time (repainting my kitchen) and being entertained by my co-blogger, Tiara, who had recently undertaken the same journey, I am not sure how I would have survived the trip. But what actually turned out to be a respectable show, despite being housed on MTV, was enough to inspire me to revisit this post-apocalyptic world to, well, see what new apocalypse was on the way.
This time, Shay Ohmsford's grandson is doing Allanon's manipulative bidding to save the world from evil. The Ellcrys, the great tree that holds back the demon hordes, is dying. To save it, its seed must be replanted by a chosen one. But conveniently, the demons have slaughtered the chosen ones--save for the young elven princess, Amberle, with whose care Allanon charges Wil Ohmsford, the current bearer of the elfstones. Can Wil and Amberle make it to Safehold and figure out what to do with the seed and the bloodfire? Will the elf army be able to hold off the demon horde until they do?
I'm not going to lie. Watching the show greatly enhanced what is otherwise an interesting, but still pretty dull journey. It's like playing an RPG video game and slogging through all those grind-y moments with characters I just didn't care about. Amberle and Wil are just plain dull, no matter how much life and emotion Brooks tries to infuse into them and their growing relationship with each other. Thankfully, the Rover girl Eretria adds some much needed fire to the threesome, which the show plays up for good reason. Wil and Amberle alone fizzle, but with Eretria in their midst, there's a bit more potential which the show takes advantage of by aging up the characters and letting them have of the sex, and, more importantly, allows them to form a strong bond of friendship between the three of them.
It also helps that the show gives me lovely visuals of Allanon to work with, in the form of Manu Bennett. I was pleasantly surprised to meet the eleven prince, Ander Elessedil as well. Many characters get more face time in the Chronicles of Shannara in order to express themselves (including the bad guy, the Dagda Mor, who is little more than a named end boss in the book). I didn't expect, when watching the show, that Ander would play such a prominent role in terms of screen time, but I am glad this focus on his character remained true to its source as Ander struggles with his potential as heir to the throne, and leader of the elven army against the demons threatening to destroy everything.
Did Brooks' writing improve in the second book? His prose is a bit tighter, but his plotting still relies on letting his main characters plod along, with their journey frequently interrupted by the monster of the week. This is, of course, what plays nicely into the hands of a television station that needs to entertain an audience on a weekly basis. I think though, I prefer his later books, the ones that actually take place prior to these events. I'll rely on the show to take me through its interpretation of The Wishsong of Shannara in season two, but I think I will finally get back to reading The Gypsy Morph, the final book in his Genesis of Shannara series to see how this once earth comes to be.
www.bibliosanctum.com
This time, Shay Ohmsford's grandson is doing Allanon's manipulative bidding to save the world from evil. The Ellcrys, the great tree that holds back the demon hordes, is dying. To save it, its seed must be replanted by a chosen one. But conveniently, the demons have slaughtered the chosen ones--save for the young elven princess, Amberle, with whose care Allanon charges Wil Ohmsford, the current bearer of the elfstones. Can Wil and Amberle make it to Safehold and figure out what to do with the seed and the bloodfire? Will the elf army be able to hold off the demon horde until they do?
I'm not going to lie. Watching the show greatly enhanced what is otherwise an interesting, but still pretty dull journey. It's like playing an RPG video game and slogging through all those grind-y moments with characters I just didn't care about. Amberle and Wil are just plain dull, no matter how much life and emotion Brooks tries to infuse into them and their growing relationship with each other. Thankfully, the Rover girl Eretria adds some much needed fire to the threesome, which the show plays up for good reason. Wil and Amberle alone fizzle, but with Eretria in their midst, there's a bit more potential which the show takes advantage of by aging up the characters and letting them have of the sex, and, more importantly, allows them to form a strong bond of friendship between the three of them.
It also helps that the show gives me lovely visuals of Allanon to work with, in the form of Manu Bennett. I was pleasantly surprised to meet the eleven prince, Ander Elessedil as well. Many characters get more face time in the Chronicles of Shannara in order to express themselves (including the bad guy, the Dagda Mor, who is little more than a named end boss in the book). I didn't expect, when watching the show, that Ander would play such a prominent role in terms of screen time, but I am glad this focus on his character remained true to its source as Ander struggles with his potential as heir to the throne, and leader of the elven army against the demons threatening to destroy everything.
Did Brooks' writing improve in the second book? His prose is a bit tighter, but his plotting still relies on letting his main characters plod along, with their journey frequently interrupted by the monster of the week. This is, of course, what plays nicely into the hands of a television station that needs to entertain an audience on a weekly basis. I think though, I prefer his later books, the ones that actually take place prior to these events. I'll rely on the show to take me through its interpretation of The Wishsong of Shannara in season two, but I think I will finally get back to reading The Gypsy Morph, the final book in his Genesis of Shannara series to see how this once earth comes to be.
www.bibliosanctum.com
May 31, 2020
2020 re-read review. The Elfstones of Shannara is the 10th book chronologically in the Shannara series. There isn’t much I can add to my previous review, so I’ll just say I really love this book. Highly recommended!
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2019 re-read of The Elfstones of Shannara.
This is probably at least my 6th reading of Elfstones, and I loved every minute of it. What a great way to kick off my 2019 reading journey!
I have been a fan of the Shannara series and Terry Brooks for 30 years now, and his books will always be special to me. This is one of the books that really started my life-long love of reading, and I have to say that I love this story just as much now as when I first read it probably 30 years ago.
The Elfstones of Shannara and especially this version of the novel is a labor of love in two parts. I've read interviews of Mr. Brooks and he explains in his book Sometimes the Magic Works: Lessons from a Writing Life how much time, effort, and re-work he had to do to get this story right. After his publication (and success) of his first book, The Sword of Shannara in 1977, readers wanted a follow up/sequel to Sword. Mr. Brooks wrote one which was originally titled the Song of Lorelei, but his editor basically made him re-write the whole thing over, because the plot just didn't work. Brooks recalls in How the Magic Works that he had to re-write and edit this numerous times. I can only imagine how frustrating that must have been to him. The end result of that additional re-work effort is this wondrous novel. I for one, am thankful for it. This book is magical.
This version is a special limited edition, leather-bound copy printed by Shawn Speakman by Grim Oak Press. Being such a loyal, practically life-long fan of the Shannara series, I had to have this version. Shawn is a super fan of Terry Brooks and the Shannara series, and he also operates Terry's website: Terry Brooks' website. This version has new illustrations by Marc Simonetti, and a beautiful fold out map of the Four Lands. It is one of my prized possessions in my personal library and I'm thankful for Shawn and Grim Oak for publishing this version.
I won't go into a synopsis of the plot, because people who have read the book will already know it, and potential readers can get it from the book cover. I'll just say that it is epic fantasy at its finest. It is an extremely satisfying fantasy story with believable, relatable, characters, an unforgettable setting, and a plot that is very well devised and executed. 5 stars all the way!
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2019 re-read of The Elfstones of Shannara.
This is probably at least my 6th reading of Elfstones, and I loved every minute of it. What a great way to kick off my 2019 reading journey!
I have been a fan of the Shannara series and Terry Brooks for 30 years now, and his books will always be special to me. This is one of the books that really started my life-long love of reading, and I have to say that I love this story just as much now as when I first read it probably 30 years ago.
The Elfstones of Shannara and especially this version of the novel is a labor of love in two parts. I've read interviews of Mr. Brooks and he explains in his book Sometimes the Magic Works: Lessons from a Writing Life how much time, effort, and re-work he had to do to get this story right. After his publication (and success) of his first book, The Sword of Shannara in 1977, readers wanted a follow up/sequel to Sword. Mr. Brooks wrote one which was originally titled the Song of Lorelei, but his editor basically made him re-write the whole thing over, because the plot just didn't work. Brooks recalls in How the Magic Works that he had to re-write and edit this numerous times. I can only imagine how frustrating that must have been to him. The end result of that additional re-work effort is this wondrous novel. I for one, am thankful for it. This book is magical.
This version is a special limited edition, leather-bound copy printed by Shawn Speakman by Grim Oak Press. Being such a loyal, practically life-long fan of the Shannara series, I had to have this version. Shawn is a super fan of Terry Brooks and the Shannara series, and he also operates Terry's website: Terry Brooks' website. This version has new illustrations by Marc Simonetti, and a beautiful fold out map of the Four Lands. It is one of my prized possessions in my personal library and I'm thankful for Shawn and Grim Oak for publishing this version.
I won't go into a synopsis of the plot, because people who have read the book will already know it, and potential readers can get it from the book cover. I'll just say that it is epic fantasy at its finest. It is an extremely satisfying fantasy story with believable, relatable, characters, an unforgettable setting, and a plot that is very well devised and executed. 5 stars all the way!
June 1, 2018
Nell'ombra del Divieto
Buona prova quella di Terry Brooks, finalmente capace di restituire al lettore antagonisti accattivanti contrapposti al classico manipolo di eroi con l'inedita missione di salvare il mondo.
L'intreccio narrativo e l'introspezione rimangono piuttosto basilari e non offrono particolari guizzi; molto meglio la parte action e l'assedio finale, quest'ultimo godibile e ottimamente descritto.
Ripescaggio dai ricordi nebulosi d'infanzia: l'occhio truce del Camaleonte sotto le spoglie del cane e l'inarrestabile Mietitore sul ponte sopra l'abisso.
Buona prova quella di Terry Brooks, finalmente capace di restituire al lettore antagonisti accattivanti contrapposti al classico manipolo di eroi con l'inedita missione di salvare il mondo.
L'intreccio narrativo e l'introspezione rimangono piuttosto basilari e non offrono particolari guizzi; molto meglio la parte action e l'assedio finale, quest'ultimo godibile e ottimamente descritto.
Ripescaggio dai ricordi nebulosi d'infanzia: l'occhio truce del Camaleonte sotto le spoglie del cane e l'inarrestabile Mietitore sul ponte sopra l'abisso.
February 16, 2021
Let me be honest here, this series got popular only because there weren't a lot of high fantasy books/writers at the time.
➜The first book was an obvious copy of Lord of the rings with less worldbuilding and underdeveloped characters. This book still took some elements from Lord of the rings like a mage taming a wild horse(reminiscent of Gandalf and Shadowfax), a small weird creature that repeats certain words and talks about himself in the third person(Eh, a less corrupt Gollum), a mysterious character that is rarely seen to the outside world, infinitely old, but sometimes provides shelter to certain travelers(Tom Bombadil).
➜The second is the obvious white knighting and an underlayer of misogyny. I am not saying Brooks did this with intent because he contradicts himself in some words Eretria says, but it comes off as both female characters being helpless all the time and waiting for Wil to save them. Even though they both have their own survival instincts and traits - Eretria is resourceful and a good negotiator, Amberlie is observant and intuitive plus has knowledge of herbs and similar. But Brooks decided for both of them to act helpless in certain situations(not to mentioned all the scenes where all he had to say to describe both girls is their beauty like "Sea-green eyes" and "tiny hands") and let Wil act heroically. Also, in certain scenes, Wil is blatantly lying and not being honest to either of the girls(even not letting Amberlie tell her story to Eretria when all three of them were in the room, like excuse me, she can speak) and in the end, they both want to be with him?? Brooks obviously still hasn't learned to write female characters.
➜In conclusion, this series is outdated and there are far more really good high fantasy series out there, read this one only for the significance it has rather than the plot/characters/writing because it is mediocre at best.
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Oh boy. Why is this series so underwhelming? RTC.
➜The first book was an obvious copy of Lord of the rings with less worldbuilding and underdeveloped characters. This book still took some elements from Lord of the rings like a mage taming a wild horse(reminiscent of Gandalf and Shadowfax), a small weird creature that repeats certain words and talks about himself in the third person(Eh, a less corrupt Gollum), a mysterious character that is rarely seen to the outside world, infinitely old, but sometimes provides shelter to certain travelers(Tom Bombadil).
➜The second is the obvious white knighting and an underlayer of misogyny. I am not saying Brooks did this with intent because he contradicts himself in some words Eretria says, but it comes off as both female characters being helpless all the time and waiting for Wil to save them. Even though they both have their own survival instincts and traits - Eretria is resourceful and a good negotiator, Amberlie is observant and intuitive plus has knowledge of herbs and similar. But Brooks decided for both of them to act helpless in certain situations(
➜In conclusion, this series is outdated and there are far more really good high fantasy series out there, read this one only for the significance it has rather than the plot/characters/writing because it is mediocre at best.
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Oh boy. Why is this series so underwhelming? RTC.
June 7, 2016
I first read this in middle school (cough cough) years ago, but apparently forgot every single plot point. It wasn't until I watched the tv adaptation (fantasy 90210, not bad, quite glossy) that my interest was sparked again.
From reading Brooks's "The Word and the Void" series, I did know these take place in a post-apocalyptic Earth. But with all the massive backstory I missed between then and now, I was worried I'd be lost. I was pleasantly surprised at how I was able to enjoy it as a stand-alone, though, even with all the references to what must have taken place in the immediately prior book, "The Sword of Shannera."
It was just what I needed to rekindle my love of epic fantasy. Elves and demons, magic and nature, sacrifice and courage, all hallmarks of the genre. So hallmark, in fact, that it could have easily slipped over into cliche. What I forgot is that Brooks is, under it all, a darn good writer, who knows how to weave humanity into his characters and physicality into every setting. I will absolutely read further.
Thanks for the free book table at Emerald City Comicon for giving me this tome, and extra special goodness for the decrepit Space Needle on the cover.
From reading Brooks's "The Word and the Void" series, I did know these take place in a post-apocalyptic Earth. But with all the massive backstory I missed between then and now, I was worried I'd be lost. I was pleasantly surprised at how I was able to enjoy it as a stand-alone, though, even with all the references to what must have taken place in the immediately prior book, "The Sword of Shannera."
It was just what I needed to rekindle my love of epic fantasy. Elves and demons, magic and nature, sacrifice and courage, all hallmarks of the genre. So hallmark, in fact, that it could have easily slipped over into cliche. What I forgot is that Brooks is, under it all, a darn good writer, who knows how to weave humanity into his characters and physicality into every setting. I will absolutely read further.
Thanks for the free book table at Emerald City Comicon for giving me this tome, and extra special goodness for the decrepit Space Needle on the cover.
January 8, 2016
2.5 stars.
Very old-fashioned, trope-y kind of fantasy. I enjoyed about the last 30 percent, the rest was super slow. I found the characters to be flat and stereotypical, and many difficulties were just solved too conveniently. Still, I did not entirely dislike it. There is something comforting in this sort of fantasy tale that you feel you just know, and I will always enjoy a good quest story. And some of the battle scenes played out like an action movie in my head (and I usually just get confused when reading about battles) so thumbs up for that.
Very old-fashioned, trope-y kind of fantasy. I enjoyed about the last 30 percent, the rest was super slow. I found the characters to be flat and stereotypical, and many difficulties were just solved too conveniently. Still, I did not entirely dislike it. There is something comforting in this sort of fantasy tale that you feel you just know, and I will always enjoy a good quest story. And some of the battle scenes played out like an action movie in my head (and I usually just get confused when reading about battles) so thumbs up for that.
March 21, 2021
Visiting fond memories of the youth is sometimes not such a good idea ...
I used to adore the Shannara books when I was younger, I even got amazon prime cause of the TV adaptation of the series (which was a hot mess btw ... but whatever). But quite honestly, I have to really judge the taste of my younger self. The story is overwritten, way too melodramatic in times, bordering on the ridiculous (which at least gave some fun moments when I was reading it to my boys - who, btw, are much more critical of the book than I was at their age), plus repetitive and too much exposition - two of my most hated pet peeves in books.
Lets just say, we had fun with reading it aloud, but none of the fun was intented by the author. After the first two books of the series, my boys begged me to read to them something else in the future. I will concede. But I still will hold a bit of nostalgia for the series in my heart.
I used to adore the Shannara books when I was younger, I even got amazon prime cause of the TV adaptation of the series (which was a hot mess btw ... but whatever). But quite honestly, I have to really judge the taste of my younger self. The story is overwritten, way too melodramatic in times, bordering on the ridiculous (which at least gave some fun moments when I was reading it to my boys - who, btw, are much more critical of the book than I was at their age), plus repetitive and too much exposition - two of my most hated pet peeves in books.
Lets just say, we had fun with reading it aloud, but none of the fun was intented by the author. After the first two books of the series, my boys begged me to read to them something else in the future. I will concede. But I still will hold a bit of nostalgia for the series in my heart.
May 5, 2016
Cover: es handelt sich hierbei um das Filmcover welches Emberle zeigt: es ist nicht das hübscheste aber nunja - Geschmackssache ;)
Geschichte: wirklich eine tolle High Fantasy Geschichte die mich wirklich in ihren Bann gezogen hat, auch wenn sie an manchen Stellen ihre Längen hatte und dadurch stellenweise etwas langweilig war. Doch trotzdem konnte mich die Geschichte überzeugen und obwohl ich die Sereie geschaut habe wollte ich einfach wissen wie es mit der Geschichte weitergeht und auch wo die Unterschiede zur Serie liegen!
Der Schreibstil von Terry Brooks ist zwar kein besonders raffinierter, aber er lies sich sehr schnell und angenehm lesen, und ich finde für High Fantasy sind die vielen ausführlichen Beschreibungen sehr gut, ich konnte mir alles sehr gut vorstellen und in die Welt eintauchen!
Charaktere: mein liebster Charakter: Allanon - mit großem Abstand! Er ist einfach cool, und auch der Charakter der mir auf dauer am sympathischsten war da er immer Herr der lage war und einfach nicht so viel gejammert hat wie andere.
Amberle/Will zum Beispiel haben mir manchmal etwas zu viel gejammert oder waren sehr blauäugig in manchen Situationen, was ich einfach gar nicht verstanden habe, da ja nicht nur ihr Leben sondern alle Leben aus dem Spiel standen.
Letzten endes hat es mir trotzdem viel Spaß gemacht das Buch zu lesen und hat mir viele schöne Lesestunden beschert :) Also wenn ihr die Serie mögt kann ich euch das Buch nur ans Herz legen :)
Geschichte: wirklich eine tolle High Fantasy Geschichte die mich wirklich in ihren Bann gezogen hat, auch wenn sie an manchen Stellen ihre Längen hatte und dadurch stellenweise etwas langweilig war. Doch trotzdem konnte mich die Geschichte überzeugen und obwohl ich die Sereie geschaut habe wollte ich einfach wissen wie es mit der Geschichte weitergeht und auch wo die Unterschiede zur Serie liegen!
Der Schreibstil von Terry Brooks ist zwar kein besonders raffinierter, aber er lies sich sehr schnell und angenehm lesen, und ich finde für High Fantasy sind die vielen ausführlichen Beschreibungen sehr gut, ich konnte mir alles sehr gut vorstellen und in die Welt eintauchen!
Charaktere: mein liebster Charakter: Allanon - mit großem Abstand! Er ist einfach cool, und auch der Charakter der mir auf dauer am sympathischsten war da er immer Herr der lage war und einfach nicht so viel gejammert hat wie andere.
Amberle/Will zum Beispiel haben mir manchmal etwas zu viel gejammert oder waren sehr blauäugig in manchen Situationen, was ich einfach gar nicht verstanden habe, da ja nicht nur ihr Leben sondern alle Leben aus dem Spiel standen.
Letzten endes hat es mir trotzdem viel Spaß gemacht das Buch zu lesen und hat mir viele schöne Lesestunden beschert :) Also wenn ihr die Serie mögt kann ich euch das Buch nur ans Herz legen :)
January 14, 2016
A classic and you can see why. It hasn't really stood the test of time, but when you read it with the mindset of someone who hasn't read fantasy before, you can see why it is so popular. It is full of charm and envelopes you into the comfort of the standard fantasy tropes we have come to know and love in the thirty or so years since this was written. A must read for any self respecting fantasy fan.
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