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Harrowing confrontations with the merciless Ilse Witch and the monstrous Antrax have taken their toll on the intrepid heroes aboard the airship “Jerle Shannara”. But their darkest adversary now snaps at their heels, in the form of the Morgawr - feeder upon the souls of his enemies and centuries-old sorcerer of unimaginable might with a fleet of airships and a crew of walking dead men at his command. The Morgawr's goal is twofold: find and control the fabled ancient books of magic and destroy the dark disciple who betrayed him - the Ilse Witch. Now at the mercy of those who seek vengeance against her, the use Witch's only protector is her long-lost brother, Bek Ohmsford, who is determined to redeem his beloved sister . . . and to fulfill her destiny.
415 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 2002
About the author
Terry Brooks
410 books77.6k followersTerry 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 220 reviews
May 15, 2015
Yes! When I wrote my review of Antrax, I was slightly disappointed, but eagerly anticipated an amazing conclusion to the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara trilogy. This is what I was waiting for.
The two opening chapters put together make up the best introduction I have read from Terry Brooks so far, and if the first fifty pages were representative for the quality of the book, there could be no way to give this anything below five stars. Sadly, the next two hundred pages or so are more on the level of Antrax, with lots of excitement and little of the classic Shannara brilliance; still good, but not great. But then it picks itself up once more, and the last part, with the final confrontation and the ending, is amazing.
Ultimately, this book was quite close to deserving five stars from me, but simply not close enough. Four stars is the rating I will apply to both this book and the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara in its entirety. Though not Terry Brooks' absolute best, it's another great fantasy tale from the world of Shannara, and it does make me want to jump into the next trilogy immediately...
The two opening chapters put together make up the best introduction I have read from Terry Brooks so far, and if the first fifty pages were representative for the quality of the book, there could be no way to give this anything below five stars. Sadly, the next two hundred pages or so are more on the level of Antrax, with lots of excitement and little of the classic Shannara brilliance; still good, but not great. But then it picks itself up once more, and the last part, with the final confrontation and the ending, is amazing.
Ultimately, this book was quite close to deserving five stars from me, but simply not close enough. Four stars is the rating I will apply to both this book and the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara in its entirety. Though not Terry Brooks' absolute best, it's another great fantasy tale from the world of Shannara, and it does make me want to jump into the next trilogy immediately...
March 25, 2010
There are, in my admittedly limited view of things, four kinds of Western fantasy (disregarding the urban fantasy genre that is so popular lately, I see that as just an extension of the faerie stories that every culture throughout history has created). The four kinds that I am talking about are all Tolkien derivative. None of them is like Tolkien's work but they draw inspiration from it.
There are the fantasy histories like Kate Eliot and Steven Erikson. There are the fantasy journeys like David Eddings, Tad Williams, and Robert Jordan. David Farland and Brandon Sanderson write fantasy that pays homage to Tolkien's work but don't fit an obvious mold.
The fourth is what I call Tolkien fan fiction. These are the books by authors who lacked the ability to create their own worlds and stories so they borrowed them. Sometimes this works okay (Weis and Hickman) because of interesting characters. Sometimes it doesn't work at all (Paolini, Goodkind) because it is lifted whole from other works.
Terry Brooks belongs to the fourth group, mostly.
When I was younger I loved Terry Brooks. I read every one of his novels that I could get my hands on, as many as sixteen of his books. Something changed, either me or him, I don't know which, probably both.
Perhaps I have read too many books by better authors. Maybe I've studied to much about writing.
Whatever the reason I find it hard to get through any of Terry Brooks novels in a timely manner.
Morgawr is the third book of a trilogy called The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara. The first too books I found horribly tedious and only finished them because I was assured that this third volume was significantly better.
It was, but that isn't saying much.
The story focuses on a group of characters who have survived a horrible attack by some kind of ancient computer that happens to use magic as its power source. Despite the improbability of it being able to do ... any of the things it does... it manages to kill off most of the side characters so that the third book can be more focused.
The Ilse Witch, Grianne Ohmsford, has touched the Sword of Shannara which revealed to her the truth about her past. Unable to deal with the bad things she's done she goes semi comatose – she walks around when led but otherwise she is completely unresponsive.
Because of her former nature everybody pretty much wants her dead, except her long lost brother Bek Ohmsford. Her old master, the Morgawr, is among those who wants to kill her, along with everybody else – because he's evil and his friends are lizards.
People fall in love, friends die, shapeshifters never ever change shape and Grianne stares blankly in front of her, all with almost no emotional impact. None of the characters seem different at all. In fact they don't really feel like characters so much as puppets placed in situations so that things can happen to them.
Terry Brooks has, apparently, never heard the old adage 'show, don't tell'. If you want us to believe that a characters is suffering from the effects of PTSD, don't tell us, show us. The story is so consumed with navel gazing and introspective passages explaining that this characters has this emotional turmoil – no really, he does – that the story itself probably takes up a third of the pages.
The writing is also difficult to read because Terry Brooks is quite fond of the passive voice. Every sentence is written in passive voice. The effect of this is that everything feels like events happening to characters rather than characters participating in events.
Terry Brooks has been writing in this world for over thirty years. I expected somebody with that much experience to think things out more clearly. His monsters are all huge and have lots of teeth and razor sharp claws. Or they are given ambiguous names that mean nothing. Magic has no description whatsoever. Magic users 'lash out' and 'strike' and 'trace down lines of power' without any indication what any of that means. Elves are just humans with pointed ears. They don't have any different culture, or different views. They don't live longer than humans or think differently, they only exist because Tolkien had elves in his books. (Never mind that Tolkiens elves are immortal and kind of creepy and alien and arrogant and different. Immortality changes ones views.) Dwarves are all grumpy and use axes in battle. Shapeshifters are prevalent but they never bother to change shape – maybe there were budget cuts in the special effects department. Anything that looks reptilian is evil, always.
Grianne Ohmsford spends six months in a catatonic state and never in all that time has to be fed, given water, changed or bathed. She actually sits in a chair all that time and when she does finally wake up she gets up and goes out to do battle with no stiff muscles or signs of atrophy from six months sitting in a chair. Maybe it was the lack of food that kept her fit.
Some characters survive simply because they happened to have hidden things previously that the reader was never told about (Redden Alt Mer just happened to have a single wing glider stowed on his old air ship) or just by plain design from the author (Quentin Leah 'swims' with the rock fall and comes out with only bumps and bruises, while a big animal falls on him later and nearly kills him – so that Grianne and Bek can be the heroes in the end – Quentin was obviously too capable).
Terry Brooks still sells a lot of books so there must be something that somebody likes in his writing. A lot of somebodies, apparently. I, however, have given him an honest try. The last four of his books that I read I had to force myself to get through. I enjoy my Calculus books more than these.
Whether I have changed as a reader or Terry Brooks has changed as a writer I just can't punish myself with this any longer. I am through with Terry Brooks.
(1/10)
There are the fantasy histories like Kate Eliot and Steven Erikson. There are the fantasy journeys like David Eddings, Tad Williams, and Robert Jordan. David Farland and Brandon Sanderson write fantasy that pays homage to Tolkien's work but don't fit an obvious mold.
The fourth is what I call Tolkien fan fiction. These are the books by authors who lacked the ability to create their own worlds and stories so they borrowed them. Sometimes this works okay (Weis and Hickman) because of interesting characters. Sometimes it doesn't work at all (Paolini, Goodkind) because it is lifted whole from other works.
Terry Brooks belongs to the fourth group, mostly.
When I was younger I loved Terry Brooks. I read every one of his novels that I could get my hands on, as many as sixteen of his books. Something changed, either me or him, I don't know which, probably both.
Perhaps I have read too many books by better authors. Maybe I've studied to much about writing.
Whatever the reason I find it hard to get through any of Terry Brooks novels in a timely manner.
Morgawr is the third book of a trilogy called The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara. The first too books I found horribly tedious and only finished them because I was assured that this third volume was significantly better.
It was, but that isn't saying much.
The story focuses on a group of characters who have survived a horrible attack by some kind of ancient computer that happens to use magic as its power source. Despite the improbability of it being able to do ... any of the things it does... it manages to kill off most of the side characters so that the third book can be more focused.
The Ilse Witch, Grianne Ohmsford, has touched the Sword of Shannara which revealed to her the truth about her past. Unable to deal with the bad things she's done she goes semi comatose – she walks around when led but otherwise she is completely unresponsive.
Because of her former nature everybody pretty much wants her dead, except her long lost brother Bek Ohmsford. Her old master, the Morgawr, is among those who wants to kill her, along with everybody else – because he's evil and his friends are lizards.
People fall in love, friends die, shapeshifters never ever change shape and Grianne stares blankly in front of her, all with almost no emotional impact. None of the characters seem different at all. In fact they don't really feel like characters so much as puppets placed in situations so that things can happen to them.
Terry Brooks has, apparently, never heard the old adage 'show, don't tell'. If you want us to believe that a characters is suffering from the effects of PTSD, don't tell us, show us. The story is so consumed with navel gazing and introspective passages explaining that this characters has this emotional turmoil – no really, he does – that the story itself probably takes up a third of the pages.
The writing is also difficult to read because Terry Brooks is quite fond of the passive voice. Every sentence is written in passive voice. The effect of this is that everything feels like events happening to characters rather than characters participating in events.
Terry Brooks has been writing in this world for over thirty years. I expected somebody with that much experience to think things out more clearly. His monsters are all huge and have lots of teeth and razor sharp claws. Or they are given ambiguous names that mean nothing. Magic has no description whatsoever. Magic users 'lash out' and 'strike' and 'trace down lines of power' without any indication what any of that means. Elves are just humans with pointed ears. They don't have any different culture, or different views. They don't live longer than humans or think differently, they only exist because Tolkien had elves in his books. (Never mind that Tolkiens elves are immortal and kind of creepy and alien and arrogant and different. Immortality changes ones views.) Dwarves are all grumpy and use axes in battle. Shapeshifters are prevalent but they never bother to change shape – maybe there were budget cuts in the special effects department. Anything that looks reptilian is evil, always.
Grianne Ohmsford spends six months in a catatonic state and never in all that time has to be fed, given water, changed or bathed. She actually sits in a chair all that time and when she does finally wake up she gets up and goes out to do battle with no stiff muscles or signs of atrophy from six months sitting in a chair. Maybe it was the lack of food that kept her fit.
Some characters survive simply because they happened to have hidden things previously that the reader was never told about (Redden Alt Mer just happened to have a single wing glider stowed on his old air ship) or just by plain design from the author (Quentin Leah 'swims' with the rock fall and comes out with only bumps and bruises, while a big animal falls on him later and nearly kills him – so that Grianne and Bek can be the heroes in the end – Quentin was obviously too capable).
Terry Brooks still sells a lot of books so there must be something that somebody likes in his writing. A lot of somebodies, apparently. I, however, have given him an honest try. The last four of his books that I read I had to force myself to get through. I enjoy my Calculus books more than these.
Whether I have changed as a reader or Terry Brooks has changed as a writer I just can't punish myself with this any longer. I am through with Terry Brooks.
(1/10)
April 21, 2014
4/10
A poor finish to a series I was never overly interested in. The premise of the first book sounded good to me; little did I know this was steeped in back story from the previous books in the series (of which I had read none). At times I felt lost and it almost felt like when you’re with a group of people and everyone is laughing at a joke and you missed the punch line. By the time I got to this book I was reading it more to complete the trilogy as supposed to wanting to. It didn’t take long into this one for skimming mode to be engaged.
I won’t go into the plot, as I didn’t care for it that much by this point and I won’t go into the characters. Again, I didn’t care for them much either. This became very generic fantasy with no outstanding features or gimmicks. It is series’ like this which put me off fantasy books for a long time until recently where I realised there were plenty of other things to look at which could be entertaining and differ from the mould of young hero beating big bad with group of misfits. The Lies of Locke Lamora springs instantly to mind (one of my favourite reads of 2013 – although boiled down you could say the premise is similar).
Whilst the style of writing wasn’t terrible I didn’t think it was anything special but I also put that down to my complete lack of enthusiasm in reading this. I would venture into Terry Brooks other series, Landover, as that premise sounds a little different and intriguing but it won’t be anytime soon. It would take a long time and a real lack of reading material for me to pick up any further in the Shannara series.
If you liked this try: “Lies of Locke Lamora” by Scott Lynch for a real rip roaring adventure!
A poor finish to a series I was never overly interested in. The premise of the first book sounded good to me; little did I know this was steeped in back story from the previous books in the series (of which I had read none). At times I felt lost and it almost felt like when you’re with a group of people and everyone is laughing at a joke and you missed the punch line. By the time I got to this book I was reading it more to complete the trilogy as supposed to wanting to. It didn’t take long into this one for skimming mode to be engaged.
I won’t go into the plot, as I didn’t care for it that much by this point and I won’t go into the characters. Again, I didn’t care for them much either. This became very generic fantasy with no outstanding features or gimmicks. It is series’ like this which put me off fantasy books for a long time until recently where I realised there were plenty of other things to look at which could be entertaining and differ from the mould of young hero beating big bad with group of misfits. The Lies of Locke Lamora springs instantly to mind (one of my favourite reads of 2013 – although boiled down you could say the premise is similar).
Whilst the style of writing wasn’t terrible I didn’t think it was anything special but I also put that down to my complete lack of enthusiasm in reading this. I would venture into Terry Brooks other series, Landover, as that premise sounds a little different and intriguing but it won’t be anytime soon. It would take a long time and a real lack of reading material for me to pick up any further in the Shannara series.
If you liked this try: “Lies of Locke Lamora” by Scott Lynch for a real rip roaring adventure!
January 2, 2016
So finally we get some proper fantasy from Terry Brooks. I was ready to throw Brooks into the recycle bin of fantasy, but this trilogy is definitely the best that Brooks has written. Also it's a proper trilogy, meaning that it's a consistent story simply split up into three books. You cannot read only one of the books and be satisfied, because you won't have the feeling of a completed book. And I don't know about you, but when I start something, I need to finish it - even if it's a zero-star experience and I will rip the book apart afterwards and set it aflame while hysterically laughing.
The fantasy that I said we're gonna get in this one, is the fact that finally we have MAGIC that is actually being used to create some exiting grand changes in the world and by that I mean considerably less whining from the characters and flying fraking ships!
Also we get more interesting character building, regrets and betreyal from this trilogy than all the other books put together from the beginning of Shannara. It almost seems that these books were written by someone else or Mr. Brooks went to a writing 101 class, finally.
The fantasy that I said we're gonna get in this one, is the fact that finally we have MAGIC that is actually being used to create some exiting grand changes in the world and by that I mean considerably less whining from the characters and flying fraking ships!
Also we get more interesting character building, regrets and betreyal from this trilogy than all the other books put together from the beginning of Shannara. It almost seems that these books were written by someone else or Mr. Brooks went to a writing 101 class, finally.
June 10, 2016
Book #20/29 in my Epic Shannara Quest.
Thrilling finale to The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara. It doesn't deviate from the Shannara formula (as the best Shannara books do), but it plays very well by it's own rules. There's another budding romance between an Ohmsford and a Rover girl, another Leah moves from a romantic adventurer to a sadder-but-wiser leader and several characters survive who probably shouldn't have. But Brooks gets high marks for making his later Shannara books darkly optimistic.
Thrilling finale to The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara. It doesn't deviate from the Shannara formula (as the best Shannara books do), but it plays very well by it's own rules. There's another budding romance between an Ohmsford and a Rover girl, another Leah moves from a romantic adventurer to a sadder-but-wiser leader and several characters survive who probably shouldn't have. But Brooks gets high marks for making his later Shannara books darkly optimistic.
September 9, 2020
Hmm, after the re-read I took off one star. The last part in the trilogy was disappointing compared to the second one. After the Antrax-adventure (I won't spoil), I felt the story should have ended. This book spreads the obvious finish out for 270 more pages, and it just drags on.
Our heroes are done doing their most important part of the voyage. This book basically just tells the story of Grianne redeeming herself and becoming what she was meant to be. I think after Antrax, one more chapter should have been added summarising this whole book.
If you're reading the whole Shannara series, read this for completeness, but it's by far the least interesting of this trilogy.
Our heroes are done doing their most important part of the voyage. This book basically just tells the story of Grianne redeeming herself and becoming what she was meant to be. I think after Antrax, one more chapter should have been added summarising this whole book.
If you're reading the whole Shannara series, read this for completeness, but it's by far the least interesting of this trilogy.
November 4, 2018
A nice continuation. I still felt like a lot of the action was just movement for the sake of keeping the story going. That being said...again, it was fun action, so it isn't all bad. The ending was not quite what I was hoping for....I kind of wanted something a little more dramatic, especially after the build up of Grianne being mostly catatonic for most of the book.
There were a few pieces where there weren't as much closure as you usually get from a Terry Brooks story. I'm wondering if that is because those are being set up for the next series. I will find out in a while. :)
I think what kept this series in positive territory more than anything else was some great characters. Almost the entire set of characters (there were a lot) had me caring about them. It was very character-driven.
There were a few pieces where there weren't as much closure as you usually get from a Terry Brooks story. I'm wondering if that is because those are being set up for the next series. I will find out in a while. :)
I think what kept this series in positive territory more than anything else was some great characters. Almost the entire set of characters (there were a lot) had me caring about them. It was very character-driven.
April 30, 2021
Most authors have a hard time with endings to epic stories. I wouldn't be any good with my endings either of I was an author. It's hard to have solid conclusions that are short and sweet, yet worth the time invested in the entire story to get there. This book has an amazing conclusion. But not just to this trilogy, but also to some open-ended "quest lines" from previous iterations in this series.
This was an amazing book. I loved how the entire story progressed and ended equally.
And...AND! Normally I like to take a few days to digest the entire series before I move on to the next series of the Shannara chronicles. Though I end up greatly appreciating every character he creates, still get annoyed when I have to start fresh with a new series, with new characters. But with how this book ends, I'm picking up Jarka Ruus right now!
This was an amazing book. I loved how the entire story progressed and ended equally.
And...AND! Normally I like to take a few days to digest the entire series before I move on to the next series of the Shannara chronicles. Though I end up greatly appreciating every character he creates, still get annoyed when I have to start fresh with a new series, with new characters. But with how this book ends, I'm picking up Jarka Ruus right now!
May 10, 2023
A good end to this trilogy. It sets up the next generation well. The scenarios were interesting and varied. Some parts did drag a bit but for the most part it kept me wanting to read more.
January 10, 2023
Star Rating: 5 stars
Note: This is the 3rd book in the Voyage of Jerle Shannara trilogy and the 14th in the overarching Shannara epic (at least according to the recommended list for new readers of the series that I’m using to make my way through) so this will not be an in-depth review in case of spoilers .
Since I have been an avid reader since I was little, I have pretty much nailed down what my favorite genres, subgenres, troupes, and themes I like, and my absolute favorite is classic, traditional epic science fiction and fantasy, the more complex and detailed the better. Knowing this, I have been steadily making my way through a lot of the well-known or foundational series in this genre, including Terry Brooks’s Shannara series, of which I just finished book 14, Morgawr. (If you have questions why I’m reading them in this order, refer above.) This book, in particular, completes the story of Bek Ohmsford and his friends aboard the Jerle Shannara as they struggle to recover a treasure from the ancient world and find their destiny in the process.
The first thing I want to discuss is although I am well aware that this is not the best series in this genre, it can be classified as a getaway series as it is lower stakes, less complex, and has more traditional themes than some of the others. I know it was for me as it was one of the first ones I explored when I was discovering the genre, and reading it has given me the confidence to tackle more heavyweight series such as Malazan. I also really like how quiet and relatively low stakes this series as it provides a calm in between some of the heavier volumes, while still exploring the troupes and themes I love. If you are feeling daunted by the more heavyweight in this genre, this series is a good way to ease in and give you a stable foundation, and the confidence for more complex series, at least it was for me.
When it comes to this volume of the series in particular, I really like the themes of family legacy and responsibility of power. Unless this is the first Shannara book/series you’ve read, then you know that there are certain recurring families in this series, and because of this, we can explore this themes of family legacy and responsibility as these families have had enough experiences with them. I also really enjoy how Brooks uses certain recurring motifs to convey his themes, in this one, talismans, truth, and freedom. These motifs and themes present the foundational topics in a very straightforward way, and when I read a lot of series/books that make me work a lot harder for it, this is really refreshing.
All in all, if you want a series with straightforward themes to ease your way into this genre or a lower stakes one to take a break between some of the heavier ones you may be reading, then this might be a good option for you. That’s what I’m using it for and since it fulfilled those obligations, 5 stars!!!!!
Note: This is the 3rd book in the Voyage of Jerle Shannara trilogy and the 14th in the overarching Shannara epic (at least according to the recommended list for new readers of the series that I’m using to make my way through) so this will not be an in-depth review in case of spoilers .
Since I have been an avid reader since I was little, I have pretty much nailed down what my favorite genres, subgenres, troupes, and themes I like, and my absolute favorite is classic, traditional epic science fiction and fantasy, the more complex and detailed the better. Knowing this, I have been steadily making my way through a lot of the well-known or foundational series in this genre, including Terry Brooks’s Shannara series, of which I just finished book 14, Morgawr. (If you have questions why I’m reading them in this order, refer above.) This book, in particular, completes the story of Bek Ohmsford and his friends aboard the Jerle Shannara as they struggle to recover a treasure from the ancient world and find their destiny in the process.
The first thing I want to discuss is although I am well aware that this is not the best series in this genre, it can be classified as a getaway series as it is lower stakes, less complex, and has more traditional themes than some of the others. I know it was for me as it was one of the first ones I explored when I was discovering the genre, and reading it has given me the confidence to tackle more heavyweight series such as Malazan. I also really like how quiet and relatively low stakes this series as it provides a calm in between some of the heavier volumes, while still exploring the troupes and themes I love. If you are feeling daunted by the more heavyweight in this genre, this series is a good way to ease in and give you a stable foundation, and the confidence for more complex series, at least it was for me.
When it comes to this volume of the series in particular, I really like the themes of family legacy and responsibility of power. Unless this is the first Shannara book/series you’ve read, then you know that there are certain recurring families in this series, and because of this, we can explore this themes of family legacy and responsibility as these families have had enough experiences with them. I also really enjoy how Brooks uses certain recurring motifs to convey his themes, in this one, talismans, truth, and freedom. These motifs and themes present the foundational topics in a very straightforward way, and when I read a lot of series/books that make me work a lot harder for it, this is really refreshing.
All in all, if you want a series with straightforward themes to ease your way into this genre or a lower stakes one to take a break between some of the heavier ones you may be reading, then this might be a good option for you. That’s what I’m using it for and since it fulfilled those obligations, 5 stars!!!!!
July 6, 2012
Oh my this book has it all happenin'! Action, suspense, an anticipated end but with twists and turns, great magic system, creepy foes, unexpected deaths of many - even some main characters, great -GREAT- character development. Did Terry Brooks really write this series? I enjoy the Shannara setting, it's a classic fantasy setting and I feel comfortable and at home when I'm there. This book (and this whole series) is ... Well if all the other Shannara books are a pan simmering on the stove top, this trilogy is a pan boiling out of control.
This trilogy started off formulaic. Classic Shannara. Mysterious Druid recruits two young men (any guesses who they might be related to?) and heads out on a journey. Honestly I didn't expect much beyond what I'd read in the previous books in the Shannara world. That was ok because I felt like visiting Shannara anyway so this was going to be like going on vacation to a location I'd visited numerous times in the past - there probably wouldn't be anything shocking but it would just feel good and cozy. But somewhere along the line this hotel was upgraded ... The book kept getting better and better. When the second book came up I couldn't wait to continue the story and holy cow did it deliver. So I rushed forward to this final volume hoping Brooks would somehow pull it off. I had seen a number of 2-star reviews which had me concerned that the book would just fall flat ruining the entire trilogy. That most certainly did not happen. Morgawr was outstanding.
Through the years in talking with friends who enjoy the Shannara books I've often, no scratch that, I've ALWAYS heard it said that Elfstones of Shannara is the best of the series. You won't hear me say that. This trilogy on whole outshines Elfstones and in particular Antrax and Morgawr scream "this is how a fantasy book should be". I'm rating Morgawr just a smidgen higher than Antrax because it wraps up much (not all) of the lose ends in a very satisfying way. There are no cliff hangers at the end but you will find yourself wanting more details about how certain characters resolve things ... A very sneaky way to drag me to Shannara yet again in The High Druid of Shannara trilogy that picks up the story about 20 years after the end of Morgawr. Yes Mr Brooks you've taken me on a VERY satisfying vacation here in Shannara and I thank you heatedly for that.
This trilogy started off formulaic. Classic Shannara. Mysterious Druid recruits two young men (any guesses who they might be related to?) and heads out on a journey. Honestly I didn't expect much beyond what I'd read in the previous books in the Shannara world. That was ok because I felt like visiting Shannara anyway so this was going to be like going on vacation to a location I'd visited numerous times in the past - there probably wouldn't be anything shocking but it would just feel good and cozy. But somewhere along the line this hotel was upgraded ... The book kept getting better and better. When the second book came up I couldn't wait to continue the story and holy cow did it deliver. So I rushed forward to this final volume hoping Brooks would somehow pull it off. I had seen a number of 2-star reviews which had me concerned that the book would just fall flat ruining the entire trilogy. That most certainly did not happen. Morgawr was outstanding.
Through the years in talking with friends who enjoy the Shannara books I've often, no scratch that, I've ALWAYS heard it said that Elfstones of Shannara is the best of the series. You won't hear me say that. This trilogy on whole outshines Elfstones and in particular Antrax and Morgawr scream "this is how a fantasy book should be". I'm rating Morgawr just a smidgen higher than Antrax because it wraps up much (not all) of the lose ends in a very satisfying way. There are no cliff hangers at the end but you will find yourself wanting more details about how certain characters resolve things ... A very sneaky way to drag me to Shannara yet again in The High Druid of Shannara trilogy that picks up the story about 20 years after the end of Morgawr. Yes Mr Brooks you've taken me on a VERY satisfying vacation here in Shannara and I thank you heatedly for that.
June 29, 2021
I'm not sure I can provide a reasonable review, since I was unable to find and read the two predecessor volumes in the trilogy first. I had to pick up on the situation, the characters, and the technology without the benefit of exposition or intervening storyline. It does seem fair to say that the world of the Four Lands has expanded a bit beyond its original conception, and society has technologically advanced a bit beyond the quasi-feudal system presented in the original trilogy. But the way the airships work is still mystifying, presumably some complex of magic and modern technology.
I'm providing this as a stub review simply because the review textbox came up when I indicated to Goodreads that I'd finished reading this. I'll come back and update it once I read the first two (and possibly re-read this one).
I'm providing this as a stub review simply because the review textbox came up when I indicated to Goodreads that I'd finished reading this. I'll come back and update it once I read the first two (and possibly re-read this one).
January 17, 2015
This was the third book in The Voyage of the Jerle Shanara. After reading the second one of the series, Antrax, I wanted to read the whole series even if it meant starting in the middle and then the third ending up with the first book, Ilse Witch. In this last book there was plenty of action, lots of horrible happenings, lots of psyscological thinking, learning to trust others and fantastic escapes. This is what a fantasy should be. Can't wait to finish this series.
February 20, 2018
After having thoroughly enjoyed the first two novels in the Jerle Shannara series, my expectations were quite high for this novel. Perhaps it was those high expectations that I had that led to this novel being somewhat of a disappointment. There wasn’t any one specific thing that I can point to that led me to this conclusion, other than perhaps it just wasn’t as good as either of the first two novels. The biggest flaws that I can point to is that certain points of the novel (somewhere around the middle) felt very repetitive. Also, in general, I thought this novel was fairly predictable. Whereas, other big characters were fair game to get killed off in the previous novels, in this one, the author seemed very reticent to kill off any protagonist of any consequence.
I don’t want to sound overly negative. At its heart, this was a fun epic fantasy adventure. Terry Brooks is a very accomplished and professional author and that was demonstrated here. I’m not even sure that my criticisms are fully warranted, but I came away just a bit like “Meh” from the Emoji Movie. In general, the last volume of a series has a tendency to disappoint, and although this was a solid effort and fairly enjoyable, it did not wow me. So, if you’ve read the previous two novels, you will certainly want to read this one as well, but it may not meet all of your expectations.
Carl Alves – author of Two For Eternity
I don’t want to sound overly negative. At its heart, this was a fun epic fantasy adventure. Terry Brooks is a very accomplished and professional author and that was demonstrated here. I’m not even sure that my criticisms are fully warranted, but I came away just a bit like “Meh” from the Emoji Movie. In general, the last volume of a series has a tendency to disappoint, and although this was a solid effort and fairly enjoyable, it did not wow me. So, if you’ve read the previous two novels, you will certainly want to read this one as well, but it may not meet all of your expectations.
Carl Alves – author of Two For Eternity
September 20, 2021
Terry Brooks è stato il primo autore che mi ha fatto innamorare del fantasy in tenerà età, con la trilogia si Shannara. Gli sono molto affezionato, per questo mi trovo in forte imbarazzo dopo aver terminato la trilogia dei viaggi della Jerle Shannara. Ho faticato a finirla, e l'ho fatto solo per una sorta di rispetto per un autore che ho amato.
Soprattutto l'ultimo libro della trilogia è un susseguirsi di pagine e pagine di introspezioni, stucchevoli e ripetitive, tutte uguali per tutti i personaggi. Maschi o femmine, elfi o nani tutti con gli stessi dubbi e le stesse motivazioni, tutti piatti e mortalmente noiosi.
Mi dispiace, ma non mi è proprio piaciuto, non lo consiglierei
Soprattutto l'ultimo libro della trilogia è un susseguirsi di pagine e pagine di introspezioni, stucchevoli e ripetitive, tutte uguali per tutti i personaggi. Maschi o femmine, elfi o nani tutti con gli stessi dubbi e le stesse motivazioni, tutti piatti e mortalmente noiosi.
Mi dispiace, ma non mi è proprio piaciuto, non lo consiglierei
May 10, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
June 26, 2022
A great finale for one of my favorite stories of the Shannara series so far. This book was surprising given how much I enjoyed it when so little actually happens.
April 29, 2017
Enjoyable read--a good ending to a great story, though I thought the actual ending was a little abrupt. Luckily, the preview of the next book took the edge off. I went out and got it. The one thing I didn't quite buy was the main romantic relationship in the story. It felt forced to me, but I eventually got over it and settled in for the ride. So glad I discovered Terry Brooks and his incredible world.
October 16, 2012
Intensely gripping, this spellbinding world promises just a taste of the wonders of Shannara.
Terry Brooks has to be one of the leading writers for the fantasy genre, with his Shannara series being something truly outstanding, undeniably brilliant and totally original. The voyage of Jerle Shannara is the third book in the Morgawr trilogy (consisting of Ilse Witch as book one and Antrax as book two). This exquisite hardback edition displays one of the most eye-catching and imaginative covers, that stands out on the bookshelf as a treasured volume. For fans of Terry Brooks and for those readers who enjoy fantasy at its very best, then I cannot enthuse enough about an exceptional writer who deserves as much accolade as JRR Tolkien or Robin Hobb with his works sitting alongside other greats on the shelf.
Continuing the quest in Morgawr this epic saga comes to its long awaited and dramatic conclusion, as forces of good and evil collide for that ultimate victory over all. Harrowing confrontations between a merciless Ilse witch and the menacing Antrax persist, whilst the fate of an ancient magic race hangs in the balance. But a darker and more deadly foe begins to come out of the shadows and into the light, which is all powerful and fearless. Morgawr the master of the Ilse witch and ancient sorcerer of centuries old feeds upon the tainted souls of his enemies to gain power and dominance over all. With a ship and crew of walking dead, Morgawr sets sail in pursuit of the Jerle Shannara. His goal is to not only destroy the Ilse witch, who betrayed him, but also to find and control the fabled ancient books of magic. Confronting the harsh truth whilst exposed to the power emanating from the Sword of Shannara, she flees into her own mind seeking out those who might be able to save her. The destiny predicted for her by the Druid Walker Boh rests on a knife edge as too does the future for all, both good and evil.
Memorable, distinctive characters weave together this complex and captivating adventure of a lifetime that is a story of heroism and great sacrifice, love and honor. Fans of the Shannara mythos will be entranced once more, satisfied by this explosive finale and the promise of new wonders yet to come. The last stand between good and evil has to be as exciting as the great battle of Pelennor Fields in JRR Tolkien’s masterpiece The Lord of The Rings, where the great saga that has captivated readers for so long finally comes to such an end as to be remembered for all time to come. Terry Brooks is not only one of my favorite author who never disappoints but whose highly acclaimed series reflects such dedication, time and effort and imagination as to make it so believable and real. Shannara is a place where dreams become reality, where magical beings come to life and where your mind is taken on such a rollercoaster ride that will delight, astonish and amaze.
Terry Brooks has to be one of the leading writers for the fantasy genre, with his Shannara series being something truly outstanding, undeniably brilliant and totally original. The voyage of Jerle Shannara is the third book in the Morgawr trilogy (consisting of Ilse Witch as book one and Antrax as book two). This exquisite hardback edition displays one of the most eye-catching and imaginative covers, that stands out on the bookshelf as a treasured volume. For fans of Terry Brooks and for those readers who enjoy fantasy at its very best, then I cannot enthuse enough about an exceptional writer who deserves as much accolade as JRR Tolkien or Robin Hobb with his works sitting alongside other greats on the shelf.
Continuing the quest in Morgawr this epic saga comes to its long awaited and dramatic conclusion, as forces of good and evil collide for that ultimate victory over all. Harrowing confrontations between a merciless Ilse witch and the menacing Antrax persist, whilst the fate of an ancient magic race hangs in the balance. But a darker and more deadly foe begins to come out of the shadows and into the light, which is all powerful and fearless. Morgawr the master of the Ilse witch and ancient sorcerer of centuries old feeds upon the tainted souls of his enemies to gain power and dominance over all. With a ship and crew of walking dead, Morgawr sets sail in pursuit of the Jerle Shannara. His goal is to not only destroy the Ilse witch, who betrayed him, but also to find and control the fabled ancient books of magic. Confronting the harsh truth whilst exposed to the power emanating from the Sword of Shannara, she flees into her own mind seeking out those who might be able to save her. The destiny predicted for her by the Druid Walker Boh rests on a knife edge as too does the future for all, both good and evil.
Memorable, distinctive characters weave together this complex and captivating adventure of a lifetime that is a story of heroism and great sacrifice, love and honor. Fans of the Shannara mythos will be entranced once more, satisfied by this explosive finale and the promise of new wonders yet to come. The last stand between good and evil has to be as exciting as the great battle of Pelennor Fields in JRR Tolkien’s masterpiece The Lord of The Rings, where the great saga that has captivated readers for so long finally comes to such an end as to be remembered for all time to come. Terry Brooks is not only one of my favorite author who never disappoints but whose highly acclaimed series reflects such dedication, time and effort and imagination as to make it so believable and real. Shannara is a place where dreams become reality, where magical beings come to life and where your mind is taken on such a rollercoaster ride that will delight, astonish and amaze.
February 4, 2012
So here we are! The conclusion to the most riveting trilogy of all time! I highly recommend you read my reviews on the previous two books in this series before continuing. This is somewhat of a trilogy in-and-of-itself after all.
As the trilogy progressed, we learn that a number of our primary heroes (i.e. all of them) possess some form of magic, which under normal circumstances, would establish any one of them as the resident B.A. with virtually untouchable awesomeness. So logically, when they combined their nigh-unto-invincible powers together as a team, they generally spent their time running and hiding from lizard-men or spindly robots.
To the book's credit, however, it never lacked for action and firepower. My theory, is that Brooks must have started to run out of ideas for one-upping himself, so therefore, he brought back the Sword, AND the Elfstones, AND the Wishsong (x2), AND good ol' Druid Fire, and THEN added characters who could see into the future, defy all logic through unfailing luck, and eat people's souls by touching their heads, and THEN add dozens of Jachyra (the most feared creature in all of Shannara-dom), human cyborgs with impenetrable force-shields, AND... a really mean computer!
Given the entire known (and unknown) universe of magic (and science), Brooks was free to paint virtually anything imaginable (or unimaginable) onto his canvas. A friend introduced me to the principle of "Deus ex Machina" while reading this series, which I was then able to identify again, and again, and again...
To conclude my thoughts on the full trilogy, I struggled with the world without borders concept, the bizarre marriage of magic and science, the adherence to a largely one-dimensional cast-of-characters with a lack of any real character development, and the inconsistencies of the heroes’ presumed abilities. However, the trilogy delivered exactly what I was looking for – a quick read and some therapeutic release to the endless hours at the office. I got what I expected; therefore, 3 stars.
And now, it’s back to the classics!
As the trilogy progressed, we learn that a number of our primary heroes (i.e. all of them) possess some form of magic, which under normal circumstances, would establish any one of them as the resident B.A. with virtually untouchable awesomeness. So logically, when they combined their nigh-unto-invincible powers together as a team, they generally spent their time running and hiding from lizard-men or spindly robots.
To the book's credit, however, it never lacked for action and firepower. My theory, is that Brooks must have started to run out of ideas for one-upping himself, so therefore, he brought back the Sword, AND the Elfstones, AND the Wishsong (x2), AND good ol' Druid Fire, and THEN added characters who could see into the future, defy all logic through unfailing luck, and eat people's souls by touching their heads, and THEN add dozens of Jachyra (the most feared creature in all of Shannara-dom), human cyborgs with impenetrable force-shields, AND... a really mean computer!
Given the entire known (and unknown) universe of magic (and science), Brooks was free to paint virtually anything imaginable (or unimaginable) onto his canvas. A friend introduced me to the principle of "Deus ex Machina" while reading this series, which I was then able to identify again, and again, and again...
To conclude my thoughts on the full trilogy, I struggled with the world without borders concept, the bizarre marriage of magic and science, the adherence to a largely one-dimensional cast-of-characters with a lack of any real character development, and the inconsistencies of the heroes’ presumed abilities. However, the trilogy delivered exactly what I was looking for – a quick read and some therapeutic release to the endless hours at the office. I got what I expected; therefore, 3 stars.
And now, it’s back to the classics!
January 30, 2017
First off, this book is the last book in the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara trilogy. It is a fantasy adventure novel for readers who enjoy magic and monsters, and lots of plot twists. This book finishes off Antrax as a whole, and introduces the Morgawr into the voyage as he tries to destroy the remaining members of the company. Bek runs from danger with Truls Rohk and his sister who is suffering from severe shock of what the Sword has revealed and the possibility of what it would mean, while Red Alt Mer struggles to keep the expedition together. Ryer faces her destiny while Ahren and Quentin try to become whole again.
(Spoiler Alert) This book is a good conclusion to this trilogy and will satisfy the reader with it's deep character arcs. What I liked about this book was how the writer wrote the thoughts of the characters so well that I could follow every decision they made like I was the one making it. The villain of Morgawr, Morgawr, was an excellently written antagonist because he was just pure evil, which gave the reader something to immediately dislike about him. This helped build a lot of tension towards the climax to make it even better. I liked this book very much, and even more than the last one. I also loved Alt Red Mer character because he was very interesting in the fact that he lost his fearlessness at one point, but his luck saved him at the end.
(Spoiler Alert) What I didn't like about this novel was the romance between Bek and Rue, because it was too awkward for me, and it felt very unnatural for Rue's character as an untrusting, headstrong person to break down multiple times and "to kiss Bek hard on the lips" multiple times throughout the end of the story. Additionally, I feel like when Grianne finally came back at the end, she overdid her internal conflict with her past of the Ilse Witch and it kind of felt like she was just taking up pages with her dialogue about redeeming herself. The last thing I disliked was that the Morgawr was a little too weak at the end.
Overall this is a very good finale to the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara and opens new doors for the next book, Jarka Russ, The High Druid of Shannara.
(Spoiler Alert) This book is a good conclusion to this trilogy and will satisfy the reader with it's deep character arcs. What I liked about this book was how the writer wrote the thoughts of the characters so well that I could follow every decision they made like I was the one making it. The villain of Morgawr, Morgawr, was an excellently written antagonist because he was just pure evil, which gave the reader something to immediately dislike about him. This helped build a lot of tension towards the climax to make it even better. I liked this book very much, and even more than the last one. I also loved Alt Red Mer character because he was very interesting in the fact that he lost his fearlessness at one point, but his luck saved him at the end.
(Spoiler Alert) What I didn't like about this novel was the romance between Bek and Rue, because it was too awkward for me, and it felt very unnatural for Rue's character as an untrusting, headstrong person to break down multiple times and "to kiss Bek hard on the lips" multiple times throughout the end of the story. Additionally, I feel like when Grianne finally came back at the end, she overdid her internal conflict with her past of the Ilse Witch and it kind of felt like she was just taking up pages with her dialogue about redeeming herself. The last thing I disliked was that the Morgawr was a little too weak at the end.
Overall this is a very good finale to the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara and opens new doors for the next book, Jarka Russ, The High Druid of Shannara.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2024
I am not sure how I feel about this book. Does it provide a conclusion to this trilogy while setting the reader up for the jumping-off point of the next trilogy? (Which is the Shannara way, at this point in the series.) It does. Am I particularly enthused by the ending of this trilogy? Not really.
Morgawr picks up where the previous volume, Antrax left off and y'all, shit is kind of bad for our heroes. Walker is dead. Grianne is in a coma induced by the Sword of Shannara. Bek and Truls Rohk are being pursued by Morgawr and his fleet. Quentin Leah, Panax, and company are fleeing into the mountains, trying to save the native population of Parkasia, the Rindge. Ahren and Ryer Ord Star have been captured by Morgawr and the Elfstones are missing again.
Bek, Grianne, and Truls flee into the mountains and Truls reluctantly helps save Grianne as best he can. Eventually, he is poisoned by a caull and the shape-shifters they encounter in the last book leave Bek with the choice to decide for his friend: he's got to become fully shape-shifter or he will die. Bek struggles with it, not knowing if he has the right to make the decision for his friend, but eventually decides that saving his life matters more, so Truls sheds his human form and becomes fully shape-shifter, leaving Bek and Grianne alone.
Antrax, as it turned out, controlled the weather as well, so apart from a nice rainforest (the Crake) on the other side of the mountains, it's getting cold, snowy, and downright unpleasant for everybody. In the case of Rue, Redden Alt Mer, and the Rovers aboard the Jerle Shannara, that's a good thing, because it enables them to hide from the Morgawr's forces. But it's also a bad thing because their ship crashes and they have to figure out what to do about that.
Quinten, Panax, and the Rindge are doing their best to flee- but Morgawr's forces are getting closer and closer. Eventually, Quinten makes a last stand and gets swept up in a landslide, which he survives- but barely. He manages to dig himself out and start back up the mountain and promptly runs into Bek. (I will say this for the character of Quinten Leah: of all the Leahs in the series, he is probably the most traumatized in many ways and is eager to go home and never do anything like this ever again. Morgan Leah is knocked back by the loss of his magic in The Heritage of Shannara series, but he also finds purpose in a quest to restore it. He's nowhere near as traumatized as Quinten is and having not only this character but all the characters, face up to the fact that this expedition has resulted in a lot of dead people and not much else is probably one of the best aspects of this entire trilogy.)
Eventually, they make it to the Jerle Shannara where they've got to go down into the rainforest to retrieve some of the crystals to get back up in the air again and that's a new wrinkle because there's a Graak down there. (Two, as it turns out. What's a graak? Well, again: full credit to Brooks for just having some fun with this, because I'm pretty goddamn sure it's supposed to be either a really big lizard or a straight-up dinosaur.) The Graak injures Quinten- perhaps mortally and Bek manages to coax Grianne out of her coma long enough for her to heal him.
Ryer gets Ahren away from the Morgawr and gives him back the Elfstones (which she had hidden). Given the revelation that Ryer had been a spy for Morgawr all along, Ahren doesn't exactly trust her at the moment but waits patiently, and then Ryer delivers and frees him, but ultimately at the cost of her own life.
(You kind of figure that Ryer is going to die, but... I wasn't crazy about how she went out. I feel like she deserved more of a heroic death than what she got. But she does resist the torture and brutality of the Morgawr to keep the survivors of the expedition safe and Walker does come in her final hour to 'free' her as she dies, but... I felt like she deserved better.)
Finally, they're reunited. Panax stays behind because he likes the Rindge. (Panax remains a curiously underutilized character even now, so this ending fits. You gotta do something with him.) The Jerle Shannara is repaired. Rue and Bek admit they have feelings for one another and they start the long voyage back home, but the Morgawr is still after them. It all comes to a head on the island of Mephitic where Grianne, freed from her coma and with a little assist from Bek manages to trick the magic spirit that inhabits the castle (remember the castle from the first volume?) into trapping the Morgawr and ending him once and for all.
The survivors make it home. Bek and Rue set out to start their new lives. Ahren goes back to the Westland to give Kylen the Elfstones and then takes two dozen elves back with him to Paranor. Grianne stops at Hadeshorn and we find out that her new job (despite her dark past as the Ilse Witch) is to form a new Druid Council.
Overall: I'm a little disappointed. Don't get me wrong: there's plenty of good here. I love that this trilogy overall, introduces technology, computers, lasers, robots, zombies, and now, in the final volume, dinosaurs and I guess a different kind of zombie? (Morgawr's thing is he likes to sort of suck people's brains/souls out and leave them mindless zombies.) I do love that we have characters reflecting on just how much this entire experience has sucked for them and really trying to heal from their trauma a bit.
Buuuuuuuuuuuuuut, all that being said: this trilogy could have been an email. The fact that they didn't even get one maguffin from Antrax and they didn't come back with anything but the Elfstones (and, yeah, that's something) but we can't find some maguffin from the Old World? Something tangible to make all of this worthwhile. Pretty much they had to drag everyone across the ocean to a strange land just so Walker could die and tell Grianne she was going to be the new High Druid. On balance: lots of good stuff in this trilogy, it made me excited to go back to Shannara and I love the aspects of different genres that make their way into this trilogy. At the end of the day, I'm always a sucker for airships though, so even though I'm not quite sure Brooks stuck the landing on this trilogy, I'm going to say, My Grade: ** 1/2 out of ****
Morgawr picks up where the previous volume, Antrax left off and y'all, shit is kind of bad for our heroes. Walker is dead. Grianne is in a coma induced by the Sword of Shannara. Bek and Truls Rohk are being pursued by Morgawr and his fleet. Quentin Leah, Panax, and company are fleeing into the mountains, trying to save the native population of Parkasia, the Rindge. Ahren and Ryer Ord Star have been captured by Morgawr and the Elfstones are missing again.
Bek, Grianne, and Truls flee into the mountains and Truls reluctantly helps save Grianne as best he can. Eventually, he is poisoned by a caull and the shape-shifters they encounter in the last book leave Bek with the choice to decide for his friend: he's got to become fully shape-shifter or he will die. Bek struggles with it, not knowing if he has the right to make the decision for his friend, but eventually decides that saving his life matters more, so Truls sheds his human form and becomes fully shape-shifter, leaving Bek and Grianne alone.
Antrax, as it turned out, controlled the weather as well, so apart from a nice rainforest (the Crake) on the other side of the mountains, it's getting cold, snowy, and downright unpleasant for everybody. In the case of Rue, Redden Alt Mer, and the Rovers aboard the Jerle Shannara, that's a good thing, because it enables them to hide from the Morgawr's forces. But it's also a bad thing because their ship crashes and they have to figure out what to do about that.
Quinten, Panax, and the Rindge are doing their best to flee- but Morgawr's forces are getting closer and closer. Eventually, Quinten makes a last stand and gets swept up in a landslide, which he survives- but barely. He manages to dig himself out and start back up the mountain and promptly runs into Bek. (I will say this for the character of Quinten Leah: of all the Leahs in the series, he is probably the most traumatized in many ways and is eager to go home and never do anything like this ever again. Morgan Leah is knocked back by the loss of his magic in The Heritage of Shannara series, but he also finds purpose in a quest to restore it. He's nowhere near as traumatized as Quinten is and having not only this character but all the characters, face up to the fact that this expedition has resulted in a lot of dead people and not much else is probably one of the best aspects of this entire trilogy.)
Eventually, they make it to the Jerle Shannara where they've got to go down into the rainforest to retrieve some of the crystals to get back up in the air again and that's a new wrinkle because there's a Graak down there. (Two, as it turns out. What's a graak? Well, again: full credit to Brooks for just having some fun with this, because I'm pretty goddamn sure it's supposed to be either a really big lizard or a straight-up dinosaur.) The Graak injures Quinten- perhaps mortally and Bek manages to coax Grianne out of her coma long enough for her to heal him.
Ryer gets Ahren away from the Morgawr and gives him back the Elfstones (which she had hidden). Given the revelation that Ryer had been a spy for Morgawr all along, Ahren doesn't exactly trust her at the moment but waits patiently, and then Ryer delivers and frees him, but ultimately at the cost of her own life.
(You kind of figure that Ryer is going to die, but... I wasn't crazy about how she went out. I feel like she deserved more of a heroic death than what she got. But she does resist the torture and brutality of the Morgawr to keep the survivors of the expedition safe and Walker does come in her final hour to 'free' her as she dies, but... I felt like she deserved better.)
Finally, they're reunited. Panax stays behind because he likes the Rindge. (Panax remains a curiously underutilized character even now, so this ending fits. You gotta do something with him.) The Jerle Shannara is repaired. Rue and Bek admit they have feelings for one another and they start the long voyage back home, but the Morgawr is still after them. It all comes to a head on the island of Mephitic where Grianne, freed from her coma and with a little assist from Bek manages to trick the magic spirit that inhabits the castle (remember the castle from the first volume?) into trapping the Morgawr and ending him once and for all.
The survivors make it home. Bek and Rue set out to start their new lives. Ahren goes back to the Westland to give Kylen the Elfstones and then takes two dozen elves back with him to Paranor. Grianne stops at Hadeshorn and we find out that her new job (despite her dark past as the Ilse Witch) is to form a new Druid Council.
Overall: I'm a little disappointed. Don't get me wrong: there's plenty of good here. I love that this trilogy overall, introduces technology, computers, lasers, robots, zombies, and now, in the final volume, dinosaurs and I guess a different kind of zombie? (Morgawr's thing is he likes to sort of suck people's brains/souls out and leave them mindless zombies.) I do love that we have characters reflecting on just how much this entire experience has sucked for them and really trying to heal from their trauma a bit.
Buuuuuuuuuuuuuut, all that being said: this trilogy could have been an email. The fact that they didn't even get one maguffin from Antrax and they didn't come back with anything but the Elfstones (and, yeah, that's something) but we can't find some maguffin from the Old World? Something tangible to make all of this worthwhile. Pretty much they had to drag everyone across the ocean to a strange land just so Walker could die and tell Grianne she was going to be the new High Druid. On balance: lots of good stuff in this trilogy, it made me excited to go back to Shannara and I love the aspects of different genres that make their way into this trilogy. At the end of the day, I'm always a sucker for airships though, so even though I'm not quite sure Brooks stuck the landing on this trilogy, I'm going to say, My Grade: ** 1/2 out of ****
December 14, 2020
Morgawr is the 21st book in the Shannara series. 4.5 rounded up to 5 stars.
Wow! That was a lot better than I remembered after I first read it. It was an epic ending to the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara trilogy.
As I’ve stated in previous reviews and updates for Morgawr and the other 2 books in this trilogy, there is a major turning point with the introduction of perhaps the most important character in the entire series that really sets the tone for the rest of what happens in the series.
Morgawr as a novel had great storytelling, interesting uses and descriptions of magic and a great cast of characters. The voyage didn’t turn out like it was planned, but what in life usually does?
I’ll probably take a short break from my re-reading of the whole series to finish up a couple other books, but I’ll definitely be back to my re-read very soon. The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara trilogy was very entertaining.
Wow! That was a lot better than I remembered after I first read it. It was an epic ending to the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara trilogy.
As I’ve stated in previous reviews and updates for Morgawr and the other 2 books in this trilogy, there is a major turning point with the introduction of perhaps the most important character in the entire series that really sets the tone for the rest of what happens in the series.
Morgawr as a novel had great storytelling, interesting uses and descriptions of magic and a great cast of characters. The voyage didn’t turn out like it was planned, but what in life usually does?
I’ll probably take a short break from my re-reading of the whole series to finish up a couple other books, but I’ll definitely be back to my re-read very soon. The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara trilogy was very entertaining.
May 25, 2021
This was a generous 3 star review. Thankfully this trilogy is over. Definitely NOT his best work. Very strange how the middle book spontaneously introduced sci-fi in an epic fantasy series... not good, dies not mix at all. This final book consisted of characters walking through a forest, trying to hide from their evil followers, then more walking through a forest and more hiding/running from their followers, and on and on and on. I love the Shannara books, so I will be continuing on my reading with them, but I seriously hope they do not follow this current trend.
November 4, 2014
Ook weer een leuk boek. Goed te lezen.
(later meer)
(later meer)
July 25, 2022
While I enjoyed this book more than I expected, it's clear to me that this isn't my kind of fantasy anymore. I got the trilogy a long time ago and read it in my teens, and now rereading it I still appreciate the good bits, but sometimes I'm a bit bummed by their execution. For example, everything regarding the Ilse Witch. Another thing that I didn't like as much is that eventually the whole gang gets back together again after being spread out in the last book, but the way they get back together feels contrived and cheap.
Nonetheless, Brooks manages to end the trilogy with a bang. being given his due was set up very well and a lot of fun to read about. The same with Brooks isn't afraid to kill characters which gives a lot of stakes to his novel, and in general he has a lot of fun twists in this series. I can understand why people call this the best Shannara trilogy.
But a few of the things mentioned before keep it from being amazing to me. I love the world Brooks has built up but I feel like a few things aren't quite my cup of tea anymore. Maybe it's the high amount of characters (I've already forgotten quite a few character names and I finished the book a few minutes ago) or maybe it's that not everyone gets quite a satisfying arc to me as the novel is so stuffed. Or maybe it's simply that the races are clearly based on Tolkien's work, from whom I have moved away. I've become far more of a Brandon Sanderson junkie in the meanwhile, and his novels, to me, have none of those things. Not to mention that his magic systems are very clearly laid out, and Brooks' magic is far more soft.
Nonetheless, I enjoyed this foray into my own past, crossing the bridge into another realm of fantasy. I've got more Shannara where that came from (two more trilogies) so I might read those some time in the future. We will see!
Nonetheless, Brooks manages to end the trilogy with a bang. being given his due was set up very well and a lot of fun to read about. The same with Brooks isn't afraid to kill characters which gives a lot of stakes to his novel, and in general he has a lot of fun twists in this series. I can understand why people call this the best Shannara trilogy.
But a few of the things mentioned before keep it from being amazing to me. I love the world Brooks has built up but I feel like a few things aren't quite my cup of tea anymore. Maybe it's the high amount of characters (I've already forgotten quite a few character names and I finished the book a few minutes ago) or maybe it's that not everyone gets quite a satisfying arc to me as the novel is so stuffed. Or maybe it's simply that the races are clearly based on Tolkien's work, from whom I have moved away. I've become far more of a Brandon Sanderson junkie in the meanwhile, and his novels, to me, have none of those things. Not to mention that his magic systems are very clearly laid out, and Brooks' magic is far more soft.
Nonetheless, I enjoyed this foray into my own past, crossing the bridge into another realm of fantasy. I've got more Shannara where that came from (two more trilogies) so I might read those some time in the future. We will see!
December 14, 2019
The final entry of author Terry Brooks’ Voyage of the Jerle Shannara trilogy opens with the introduction of the eponymous Morgawr, mentor to the Ilse Witch, whom an aspiring Federation Prime Minister named Sen Dunsidan encounters. Sen secures airships for the Morgawr, and months later and thousands of miles away off the coast of the continent of Parkasia, his fleet that is placed under the command of the Morgawr and his Mwellrets closes in on the Jerle Shannara. Meanwhile, the Ilse Witch continues to struggle with her past, and Elven Prince Ahren Elessedil and Ryer Ord Star are in the ruins of Castledown.
The shapeshifter Truls Rohk finds himself in conflict with the Ilse Witch, and Rue Meridian commences her search of Castledown’s ruins. Bek Ohmsford also seeks to reconcile with his sister Grianne, with several climactic battles erupting within the book and characters regularly finding themselves knocked unconscious and awaking in strange environs. Meanwhile, the Morgawr yearns for the power of the magical Elfstones, and the crew of the Jerle Shannara is gradually shaved down. Loyalties among characters regularly waver, with a grand airship battle concluding the text, along with a hook for another Shannara sequel series.
Overall, this was an enjoyable conclusion to the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara trilogy, with plenty of action and twists, although reminders as to the races and appearances of specific characters, as with other entries of the franchise and its various subseries, would have been welcome. There are, moreover, occasions where the novel refers to certain characters specifically with pronouns, and one can find difficult keeping track of whom they’re referring to. The plot point of a character being torn between good and bad, moreover, parrots the themes of the Star Wars franchise, but I would certainly recommend the third book to those who enjoyed its precursors.
The shapeshifter Truls Rohk finds himself in conflict with the Ilse Witch, and Rue Meridian commences her search of Castledown’s ruins. Bek Ohmsford also seeks to reconcile with his sister Grianne, with several climactic battles erupting within the book and characters regularly finding themselves knocked unconscious and awaking in strange environs. Meanwhile, the Morgawr yearns for the power of the magical Elfstones, and the crew of the Jerle Shannara is gradually shaved down. Loyalties among characters regularly waver, with a grand airship battle concluding the text, along with a hook for another Shannara sequel series.
Overall, this was an enjoyable conclusion to the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara trilogy, with plenty of action and twists, although reminders as to the races and appearances of specific characters, as with other entries of the franchise and its various subseries, would have been welcome. There are, moreover, occasions where the novel refers to certain characters specifically with pronouns, and one can find difficult keeping track of whom they’re referring to. The plot point of a character being torn between good and bad, moreover, parrots the themes of the Star Wars franchise, but I would certainly recommend the third book to those who enjoyed its precursors.
March 26, 2018
Finally finished this trilogy that has long been on my shelves.
Rounding out the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara is this third book that picks up the events of Antrax. I must say that the previous book in trilogy for me was a much faster read and my expectations for this one were rather high. But Terry has always had a strong sense of who his characters were and wanting to know what happens to them, who survives the Quest, who does not and who turns out to be changed after the events, were the reasons why I also tore through this one in about 20 days.
Morgawr is actually the mentor of the Isle Witch who has tried to stop the druid, Walker Boh, and his band of heroes from taking the quest from Aborlorn to recovering the fabled Books of Magic in Castledown where Antrax lives. But at the end of that novel, she has found out that her mentor, abducted her when she was a child, made her believe that her family was dead and killed by the Druid. She has carried out her plans, manipulated people and killed in order to get her revenge on Walker. But he tricked her into holding the Sword of Shannara and thus shown the truth about who she is.
That she is actually, Grianne Ohmsford, sister to Bek Ohmsford, who is also a wielder of the power of the Wishsong; an ability to create change and effect it by the power of their voice, just by singing about it.
Since that revelation and mostly throughout the novel, Grianne, was in a catatonic state and thus proved to be useless to everyone up until the very last minute. But if you have read Antrax, I do suggest finishing this one and decide for yourself if Grianne's road to redemption is one that will surely interest you.
It sure does for me. That's why the next book, Jakra Ruus, is already in my hands as I type this!
Rounding out the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara is this third book that picks up the events of Antrax. I must say that the previous book in trilogy for me was a much faster read and my expectations for this one were rather high. But Terry has always had a strong sense of who his characters were and wanting to know what happens to them, who survives the Quest, who does not and who turns out to be changed after the events, were the reasons why I also tore through this one in about 20 days.
Morgawr is actually the mentor of the Isle Witch who has tried to stop the druid, Walker Boh, and his band of heroes from taking the quest from Aborlorn to recovering the fabled Books of Magic in Castledown where Antrax lives. But at the end of that novel, she has found out that her mentor, abducted her when she was a child, made her believe that her family was dead and killed by the Druid. She has carried out her plans, manipulated people and killed in order to get her revenge on Walker. But he tricked her into holding the Sword of Shannara and thus shown the truth about who she is.
That she is actually, Grianne Ohmsford, sister to Bek Ohmsford, who is also a wielder of the power of the Wishsong; an ability to create change and effect it by the power of their voice, just by singing about it.
Since that revelation and mostly throughout the novel, Grianne, was in a catatonic state and thus proved to be useless to everyone up until the very last minute. But if you have read Antrax, I do suggest finishing this one and decide for yourself if Grianne's road to redemption is one that will surely interest you.
It sure does for me. That's why the next book, Jakra Ruus, is already in my hands as I type this!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2016
Join the remaining crew of the Jerle Shannara as they embark on their final adventure and struggle to get home. They have faced many dangers and most of their crew and friends have perished only 13 remain to make the long voyage back home. They face new trials and struggles, along with uncertainty in Brook's final volume of the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara. This book is action packed and full of new and exciting adventures, I could hardly put it down. The crew have many questions: Will they make it home? Who can they trust? and most importantly Who will survive the harrowing journey back to the Four Lands and home? Bek must try and regain the trust of his new found friends when he returns with their enemy the Ilse Witch. But his is not the only challenge to be faced Quinten is injured and almost certainly will die unless something or someone intervenes. And the Elven Prince is shattered by the loss of the seer Ryer. Not only do each of the members of the voyage face thier own fears and struggles a new enemy is introduced, the Isle Witch's mentor the feared Morgawr, he seems even more powerful than the Witch. How will they ever survive? Can they trust Grianne or is she still the Witch? Trust is tested and life is risked in this final Voyage of the Jerle Shannara.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 22, 2018
This is the last of this trilogy in the ongoing battle of good against evil. Walker has died but not before he gives instructions to both Bek and Grianne and Ryer Ord Star which will help them succeed in future days ahead. Panax the dwarf decides to stay at this land with the people he found to live out the rest of his life.
Bek has found his sister Grianne who had been the Ilsa Witch but changed once she faced her truth given her by the Sword of Shannara and the consequences of her former actions. Ahren has the Elfstones in his possession and he is the last remaining Elf. Quentin Leah is wounded but healing and has his sword. Of the Rovers, about 4 remain and their damaged ship which needs repairs. They also have to deal with Morgawr who has followed them to this land with multiple ships. They decide to face him on the island of Mephitic where they hid the ship in the ruins until they could fix the broken masts. Grianne and Bek using their powers of the wishsong together unit with the spirit of the ruins to defeat Morgawr.
Once back at home, Bek and Rue go off together, while Grianne faces the shade of Walker to start her path to becoming the new Druid.
Bek has found his sister Grianne who had been the Ilsa Witch but changed once she faced her truth given her by the Sword of Shannara and the consequences of her former actions. Ahren has the Elfstones in his possession and he is the last remaining Elf. Quentin Leah is wounded but healing and has his sword. Of the Rovers, about 4 remain and their damaged ship which needs repairs. They also have to deal with Morgawr who has followed them to this land with multiple ships. They decide to face him on the island of Mephitic where they hid the ship in the ruins until they could fix the broken masts. Grianne and Bek using their powers of the wishsong together unit with the spirit of the ruins to defeat Morgawr.
Once back at home, Bek and Rue go off together, while Grianne faces the shade of Walker to start her path to becoming the new Druid.
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