The Sword Of Shannara; Terry Brooks

Once again I an reading a book series because they made a Television show about it, The show however is based off the second book. I knew I needed to read the first to read the second. Honestly I could have skipped this one but that's just a 'no-no' to me

Sword Of Shannara Synopsis

Title: The Sword of Shannara (The Original Shannara Trilogy Book #1)
Author: Terry Brooks
Genre: Fantasy; Epic Fantasy; Fiction
Publication Date: July 12th, 1983

Long ago, wars of ancient Evil ruined the world and forced mankind to compete with many other races - gnomes, trolls, dwarfs, and elves. In peaceful Shady Vale, half-elfin Shea Ohmsford knows little of such troubles until giant, forbidding Allanon, with strange Druidic powers, reveals a supposedly-dead Warlock Lord plots to destroy the world.

The sole weapon against this Power of Darkness is the Sword of Shannara, only usable by a true heir of Shannara. On Shea, last of the bloodline, rests the hope of all the races. Soon a Skull Bearer, dread minion of Evil, flies into the Vale to kill Shea. To save the Vale, Shea flees, drawing the Skull Bearer after him.

Rating

Hello Fellow Readers,


I know when I started this book that I was in for some Epic adventure and it did not disappoint. In a way it sort of reminded me of Lord of The Rings considering that Brooks was inspired by Tolkien it makes sense. A Half Man/ Half Elf is burdened with a quest that only he can do to defeat the big bad. He is accompanied by a Wizard (or a Druid in this case) and several others including a bad ass Dwarf, who ended up being my favorite character.

There were two big gripes I had about this book. One was the long monologues about the History. It just seemed to go on and on and on. I understand that Brooks was trying to do he wanted the reader to have the entire backstory so there would be no questions, but man was it just so hard to get through all that reading!

The second problem I had was the major lack of females in this story. One does not even show up until the last half of the book. I'm not saying that there had to be a major female character (although that would have been awesome) but at least a couple of appearances would have sufficed.
Despite these two things the book was okay. Not the absolute best fantasy I have read and not the worst either. I am going to read The Elfstones of Shannara because I would like to compare it to the show when I watch it.

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



You can read Brooks Website HERE. The goodreads page for the Sword of Shannara HERE and if you would like to purchase the book you can do that HERE