[RohanMan]

Do you know what Shannara series i should start witrh first. I have never read any of them

[Eventine]

Start with The Sword of Shannara, followed by Elfstones of Shannara then Wishsong of Shannara (each standalone novels).
If you're still keen after that then there is the heritage of Shannara series:
Scions of Shannara
Druid of Shannara
Elf Queen of Shannara
Talismans of Shannara

Published after that was a prequel to all of these books, First King of Shannara. Don't read it before you have read all of the above - it will lose it's impact otherwise.

If you manage to persevere this far, then comes the Voyage of the Jerle Shanara books, so far in this series is :
Ilse Witch
Antrax

[Shef]

I believe that none of them would be a fine idea. but if you persist I reccomend starting with the first, Sword of Shannara

[Elan Morin Tedronai]

I think you should start with the first book: "the Sword of Shannara" and after that "the Elfstones of Shannara" and "Wishsong of Shannara"

[allanon]

With the "Sword"! Not with the "First King".
BTW, congrats, it is good choice.

[Silvertongue]

Do you know what Shannara series i should start witrh first. I have never read any of them

I went with the order suggested by Terry Brooks himself:

NEW READERS - Terry's Suggested Reading Order

The Original Shannara Trilogy

The Sword of Shannara
The Elfstones of Shannara
The Wishsong of Shannara
A Shannara Short Story

Indomitable – An epilogue to The Wishsong of Shannara
A Shannara Graphic Novel

Dark Wraith of Shannara (forthcoming March 25, 2008)
The Heritage of Shannara

The Scions of Shannara
The Druid of Shannara
The Elf Queen of Shannara
The Talismans of Shannara
A Shannara Prequel

First King of Shannara
The Word/Void Trilogy


Running with the Demon

A Knight of the Word

Angel Fire East
The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara

Ilse Witch
Antrax
Morgawr
High Druid of Shannara

Jarka Ruus
Tanequil
Straken
Genesis of Shannara Trilogy

Armageddon's Children
The Elves of Cintra
The Gypsy Morph (forthcoming late August 2008)


REVISITING READERS - Terry's Chronological Order

The Word/Void Trilogy


Running with the Demon

A Knight of the Word

Angel Fire East
Genesis of Shannara Trilogy

Armageddon's Children
The Elves of Cintra
The Gypsy Morph (forthcoming late August 2008)
A Shannara Prequel

First King of Shannara
The Original Shannara Trilogy

The Sword of Shannara
The Elfstones of Shannara
The Wishsong of Shannara
A Shannara Short Story

Indomitable – An epilogue to The Wishsong of Shannara
A Shannara Graphic Novel

Dark Wraith of Shannara (forthcoming March 25, 2008)
The Heritage of Shannara

The Scions of Shannara
The Druid of Shannara
The Elf Queen of Shannara
The Talismans of Shannara
The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara

Ilse Witch
Antrax
Morgawr
High Druid of Shannara

Jarka Ruus
Tanequil
Straken

I figure no one knows the books as well as their author. Hope that helps.

[NO-F.X.]

Sword of Shannara is in my opinion the worst of them (but still good) even if you don't like it PLEASE read Elfstones and Wishsong anyway as they are much better and IMO the two best books Brooks ever wrote.

[sic's mom]

Well I am in a way new to Brooks and finding that I really like the books. A few years ago I had read the Word and Void series without realizing the Shannara series was around. {Have to excuse me sort of new to fantasy). Well recently for some reason I reread W&V and looked up Brooks on the ol' internet. To my suprise I found out about the Genesis series and this was right before Gypsy Morph was scheduled to be released. I read Armageddon's Children and flew through Elves of Cintra. Loved both. Am on the waiting list at the library for GM, and the wait is going to kill me. So I picked up SoS and am really enjoying it. I know it is not the reading order that Terry says to read them in but for me I think this is going to work better. I just always love it when I find a new author with a ton of books out to keep me out of trouble.:)