Horrified by the misuse of magic they had witnessed during the First War of the Races, the Druids at Paranor devoted themselves to the study of the old sciences, from the period before the collapse of civilization a thousand years before. Only the Bremen and a few trusted associates still studied the arcane arts. And for his persistence, Bremen found himself outcast, avoided by all but the few free-thinkers among the Druids.

But his removal from Paranor was not altogether a terrible thing, for Bremen learned that dark forces were on the move from the Northlands. That seemingly invincible armies of trolls were fast conquering all that lay to their south. That the scouts for the army--and its principal assassins--were Skull Bearers, disfigured and transformed Druids who had fallen prey to the seductions of the magic arts. And that at the heart of the evil tide was an archmage and former Druid named Brona!

Using the special skills he had acquired through his own study of Magic, Bremen was able to penetrate the huge camp of the Troll army and learn many of its secrets. And he immediately understood that if the peoples of the Four Lands were to escape eternal subjugation they would need to unite. But, even united, they would need a weapon, something so powerful that the evil magic of Brona, the Warlock Lord, would fail before its might...

how Brooks' writing is very character-driven. He develops even the very minor characters into something real and believable.

is Terry Brooks who, in my humble opinion, is one of the greatest fantasy storyteller's of all time. He's the best-selling author of the other books in the "Shannara" series, which inclues his 1977 bestseller, The Sword of Shannara.

If you are a Shannara fan, this is a must. In fact, any fan of fantasy of the Tolkien-esque type, should definitely check out this book.

Although many people look upon Tolkien's influence on Brook's novels in a negative light, I see it as a postive one. Tolkien is the grandfather of the fantasy novel. Personally, I wouldn't want to read a novel by someone who didn't (or wouldn't) look back to those who built the foundations of their genre for inspiration for writing today. Although I see some minor similarities between the two, I honestly never would have equated them in such a way had not someone else pointed it out to me. That either means I'm a bit slower than the average person () or that my definition of similarities in books is different from everyone else's. Brook's has created an amazing world while still keeping the classic elements of fantasy that make the genre what it is. Tolkien its not. And personally, I don't mind one bit.On another note, I've rated this +13 (PG-13) for violence and epic battles. Its nothing huge, but parents might want to make sure its okay with them if their children read Brooks' works. While my middle school library had a copy of "The Sword of Shannara" and "The Elfstones of Shannara" they are in the adult section of most public libraries, a place I believe suits them much better.

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Created Dec 15, 2003 at 11:57am • Submit your own review...