World Famous Comics: The Sword of Shannara Trilogy
The Sword of Shannara Trilogy
By: Terry Brooks Publisher: Del Rey Average Rating: Binding: Hardcover Label: Del Rey Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 1200 Publication Date: August 27, 2002 Release Date: August 27, 2002
Product Description: Twenty-five years ago, New York Times bestselling author Terry Brooks wrote a novel that brought to life a dazzling world that would become one of the most popular fantasy epics of all time, beloved by millions of fans around the world. Ten more Shannara books would follow. Now, for the first time in one elegant collector’s edition hardcover, and featuring an introduction by the author, here are the first three novels of that classic series: The Sword of Shannara, The Elfstones of Shannara, and The Wishsong of Shannara—the beginning of a phenomenal epic of good and evil.
The Sword of Shannara Long ago, the wars of the ancient Evil ruined the world. In peaceful Shady Vale, half-elfin Shea Ohmsford knows little of such troubles. But the supposedly dead Warlock Lord is plotting to destroy everything in his wake. The sole weapon against this Power of Darkness is the Sword of Shannara, which can be used only by a true heir of Shannara. On Shea, last of the bloodline, rests the hope of all the races.
The Elfstones of Shannara The magical Ellcrys tree is dying, loosening the spell that bars the Demons from enacting vengeance upon the land. Now Wil Ohmsford must guard the Elven girl Amberle on a perilous quest as she carries one of the Ellcrys’ seeds to a mysterious place where it can be quickened into a powerful new force. But dark on their trail comes the Reaper, most fearsome of all Demons, aiming to crush their mission at any cost.
The Wishsong of Shannara An ancient Evil is stirring to new life, sending its ghastly Mord Wraiths to destroy Mankind. To win through the vile growth that protects this dark force, the Druid Allanon needs Brin Ohmsford—for she alone holds the magic power of the wishsong. Reluctantly Brin joins the Druid on his dangerous journey. But a prophecy foretells doom, as Evil nurses its plans to trap the unsuspecting Brin into a fate far more horrible than death.
Thus begins Terry Brooks’s thrilling Shannara epic, an unforgettable tale of adventure, magic, and myth.
I've read every Shannara, Magic Kingdom, and Word/Void book out there from Brooks. I dare say he's my favorite author, I prefer his writing style. A little background for you:
The very first actual novel I ever read (not counting the Outsiders or other forced reading children's classics) was Elfstones of Shannara. I was in grade school and I saw it in the library. The cover looked appealing, so I figured I would give it a go. Mind you, I've not been grade school for 24 or so years, just to give you a perspective on how long ago I read that book.
There was something about it that caught me. I was really captured by the story and what it offered. Never having read fantasy novels like this without being forced, I immediately gained an interest. It wasn't until years later that I learned that Brooks had at least 4 other books out there: Sword (which came out before Elfstones), Wishsong (which came after), First King (after Wishsong) and then the beginning of the Heritage series (quite frankly the best of the entire Shannara set).
As for the books...
SWORD: As a side note, I did try to read LOTR after the fact, and watch the movie...I believe it was Return of the King. I couldn't stand it. There just was no character development. Sure there were similarities to characters, and I'm sure the underlying story was comparable as Brooks himself has admitted this, but the telling of Sword was just better presented than it was in LOTR. Also, I think some are losing sight of the fact that Brooks isn't going out of his way to compete with Tolkien; he admitted that Tolkien was an influence, and with this being his first foray into what would become his signature literary series, he did what most authors out the gate do: Wrote what he knew. I wrote a couple of books when I was younger and I did the same thing: wrote what I knew. So I don't fault Brooks for that, and it made him a better writer when he eventually deviated from that path and went on to create a unique storytelling experience. For those that never read Sword, it's not the most intricate of stories, it's quite basic and linear...but if you want my assessment, Sword simply sets the stage for what comes next in the series.
ELFSTONES: Arguably this is Brooks' best writing of the so-called Sword Trilogy. In it he goes a different route than its predecessor, creating an unlikely protagonist put in a very difficult position: protect a young girl. She is really the one on the quest and he her guardian. He's not fighting the great evil, she is...without any weapons. To say more would spoil it, but as I mentioned, there are good points here, from internal struggles to betrayal to love, plus an ending that sparks a slight emotional reaction from the reader (unless you're cold-blooded). Having read the book now that I'm older and a little more picky, I do have a complaint about the book...the last quarter of the book felt extremely rushed. Events that I felt should have been more detailed and expansive were relegated to a one-page affair, and it did a disservice to the characters involved. Also, some characters were introduced that really didn't serve a purpose; not a big deal, but just a minor annoyance.
WISHSONG: For those that don't know, Wishsong is yet another detraction from the old styles. This time there are two protagonists who are essentially halves of the whole. One has the full power but is vulnerable to its evils; the other has the power of illusion but undergoes a complete transformation in order to contribute to the cause. Know that the events in Wishsong are a direct result to what happened in Elfstones, and a new talisman is introduced to the series which in later stories becomes central to the journey. My biggest complaint on Wishsong is what I felt was a forced attempt to make you feel emotional about the characters. I can't really say more, but the end of the story speaks for itself.
Summary: Brooks started out emulating someone he knew and respected. He ended out with a unique angle on the fantasy genre, and anyone who judges him negatively on Sword without reading the rest of the books that came after is doing themselves dirty. His writing got better and better up until Antrax, then it started to dwindle and taper.
Excellent price for a Trilogy This book combines all three books in the Sword of Shannara Trilogy. I bought it for my son for the Kindle, and it was priced remarkable for what you get. If you love fantasy, you should love this.
Worst fantasy book I've ever read An unimaginative twelve year old could have written this. The plot is so predictable that you could skip chapters and know exactly what's going on. The writing its self is Horrible! I think the editor of this book got so bored that he couldn't even focus enough to correct the gramatical errors in every other sentence. And all the 'monsters' are so generic i actually laughed when they were being discribed. And i don't mean fantasy generic, I mean bad ninties cartoon generic (I believe that one of the monsters actually had green patches of fur and scales pfffft!) This book is ridiculous, horribly generic, predictalbe, and I still can't belive that it got published.
Love the trilogy, not fond of this edition If you have no choice, buy this collection, but frankly it's heavy and the binding isn't going to hold up... BUT... here's the thing... I love this trilogy and I bought it because my old paperbacks had fallen apart (ironic, yes?). Sinful pleasures. This isn't literature, and it isn't Tolkien, and I remember waaaaaay back when (I'll never say when), how everyone called it the "rip off of Tolkien" but you know what? Get over it! It's a fun ride, the characters while clone-like, and the epic journey while recognizable, are all still a LOT of fun. I don't know why it's not a movie, really. In some ways, the two brothers are more charming than Frodo and Sam. There, I said it. So shoot me. What's not to love? Wizards. Epic quests? Ghosts. Magic swords. Elfstones. Elves, for that matter. A clean prose style that doesn't draw attention to itself. You know you're reading a fun fantasy here, not a great masterpiece, but that's the fun isn't it? Get lost in this world. It's most rewarding.
Fun read I recently reread Sword, Elfstones, and Wishsong, and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised that they had stood the test of time and were just as fun, if not more fun this time around. It's your standard cookie cutter fantasy fare, but you can see the growth in Brooks as a writer from one book to the next. Brooks does a great job in building the Four Lands in the reader's mind and providing a nice cast of characters to complement each book. With the exception of Allanon, each book has new main characters which kept the Shannara tale fresh for me. I liked the story in Sword the best, thought that Elfstones was the best written, and Wishsong had the best characters. If you're looking for a nice, clean, easy read then give these books a try. I do have a minor complaint about this omnibus edition. It's a little bulky since it has all 3 books in it, so it makes for an uncomfortable read lying in bed.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Tony's Online Tips
Trevor
