Terry Brooks

**tyriseus** · April 20th, 2010, 02:54 PM

I read the Sword of S. when I was in high school and was not impressed. I read it again about five years ago convinced I must have missed something. My second read solidified my opinion and I have not been able to bring myself to read anything else by him. My wife tried him as well and reached the same conclusion.

**Hyperstorm** · April 20th, 2010, 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by CodanOfCanada

Well I ended up getting the first two Shannara books for free, so I may at some point end up picking them up and reading them.

If you like, you can directly read the Second book "The Elfstones of Shannara" which unlike the first, had an original plot and is the book most liked by TB fans as well.

It has as a standalone plot and is one of TB's books which I still like.

Mihir

**Khale** · April 20th, 2010, 04:14 PM

I don't see Shannara as any more of a ripoff of LOTR than other light fantasy series out there. Just because it has dwarves, elves and a main quest doesn't mean it's a bad story or an unacceptable ripoff.

Personally, I really enjoyed the entire series. It's not epic, deep and/or hardcore like some of my favorites (Erikson, Martin, Abercrombie etc.) but I still found the series very entertaining (easy reading).

**johnkarr** · April 20th, 2010, 04:15 PM

It's been a while but I enjoyed Sword of Shannara. I wanted another Tolkienesque tale since the Grand Master had passed on, and that one worked well.

**Werthead** · April 20th, 2010, 05:05 PM

Originally Posted by Khale

I don't see Shannara as any more of a ripoff of LOTR than other light fantasy series out there. Just because it has dwarves, elves and a main quest doesn't mean it's a bad story or an unacceptable ripoff

It goes a lot further than that. Shady Vale is the Shire with the serial numbers sawn off, and Tyrsis is a clone of Minas Tirith (except with four concentric circular walls rather than seven, IIRC), whilst Allanon is Gandalf with a different-coloured beard and the Skull Kingdom is Mordor except in the north rather than the east.

The second book is a lot less derivative of Tolkien and more in the line of acceptable MOR generic fantasy. There's a reason why the in-development film adaptations are starting with the second book rather than the first.

**murf99** · April 20th, 2010, 06:52 PM

Originally Posted by Werthead

The second book is a lot less derivative of Tolkien and more in the line of acceptable MOR generic fantasy. There's a reason why the in-development film adaptations are starting with the second book rather than the first.

Hmmm I heard thats because the first book doesn't have any female characters while the second book has two strong female protagonists.

**CodanOfCanada** · April 20th, 2010, 06:55 PM

I hadn't heard they were making a film adaptation, interesting.

**Cymric** · April 20th, 2010, 10:40 PM

Terry Brooks has developed quite alot as a writer since the sword of shannara was first released.

While not one of the brightest stars in the Fantasy Genre he is a solid entertaining writer, who has imagined a very unique world.

I would reccomend him to anyone looking to start the fantasy genre

**Loerwyn** · April 21st, 2010, 03:48 AM

So perhaps I should drop Sword and go into Elfstones?

**Rulkez** · April 21st, 2010, 05:30 AM

I found Word and the Void and Genesis of Shannara to be really quite good. Brooks is another author who seems to get a load of internet hate , but sells a ton of books.

**murf99** · April 21st, 2010, 09:09 AM

Originally Posted by Dwagginz

So perhaps I should drop Sword and go into Elfstones?

Nahhh I wouldn't. If u can look past it being a derivative of LOTR I think you'll really enjoy it. It's still a fun book. I enjoyed the first three novels about equally. I particularly liked the character of Menion Leah in the first book. Although each of the first three books can be read as stand alones, they do have aspects that link them together.

If I had to rank the Shannara books from fav to least fav it would go:

The Hertiage of Shannara (tetralogy)
The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara (trilogy)
Genesis of Shannara (trilogy)
Original Shannara (SoS, ESoS, WSoS)
The First King of Shannara (stand alone prequel)
The High Druid of Shannara (trilogy)

**Diane** · April 21st, 2010, 10:58 AM

Terry Brooks is one of those authors that for some reason I shun though never having read a single sentence of any of his books. I'm that way with a few authors. It's like the more people that swear by a book the less I want to read it and back in the day Brooks was praised. I feel a sense of boredom with it though I don't even know anything about it. I don't suppose anyone else has felt that way about a particular author?

**DailyRich** · April 21st, 2010, 11:25 AM

There's nothing wrong with Tolkien immitators if they're entertaining Tolkien immitators, and, at least in the Shanarra books I've read (the original trilogy and the Heritage series), Brooks falls firmly in that category. Nothing earth-shattering, but solid pleasant diversions that are pretty quick reads.

**Seak** · April 21st, 2010, 12:09 PM

I've only read First King of Shannara, but it's made it hard to go on with anything else Brooks has written.

I know it's not a huge deal if you don't always show rather than tell, but this book was all tell and it got annoying.

I own The Sword of Shannara but we'll see if I ever get there especially when there's so much other good stuff out there. Maybe if I'm really in the mood for LotR, but not for another reread.