What do you think?
Rate this book
Genesis of Shannara #1
Armageddon's Children
In our world's near future, civilization has fallen into terrifying chaos. Navigating the scarred landscape that once was America and guided by a powerful talisman, Logan Tom has sworn an oath to seek out a remarkable being born of magic and destined to lead the final fight against darkness. Common purpose will draw Logan and his Allies together. Their courage and convictions will be tested and their fates will be decided as, their singular crusade begins; to take back, or lose forever, the only world they have.
404 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 30, 2006
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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 806 reviews
February 23, 2023
NOT a Standalone.
In a post-apocalyptic land destroyed by decades of war, famine, and horrible abominations roaming the earth; Logan Tom rises from the ashes of the world as a beacon of hope as he creates an opportunity to destroy those evil beings that have caused so much harm and destruction to the point of bringing humanity to the brink of extinction.
I think the story is mostly acceptable but I literally don't remember anything about it except that it ends with a massive cliffhanger that doesn't wrap up absolutely nothing and left me wondering wth did I just read 400 pages for. With each closing step to the ending I was hoping at least some of the loose ends would be tied and NONE was.
At the time I picked this book from the library I didn't even know about GR and of course years later I realized this is the start of the 'Genesis of Shannara' trilogy, and part of an even bigger 'Shannara universe', with many sub-series and nothing less than thirty something books, not counting the novellas.
And I say to this: To hell with it! I'm not reading thirty-forty something books to understand just one. I did not sign up for this. Even a compulsive completionist has a limit!
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[2008] [431p] [Fantasy] [2.5] [Not Recommendable]
-----------------------------------------------
NO es un libro solitario.
En un mundo post-apocalíptico destruido por décadas de guerra, hambruna y horribles abominaciones vagando por la tierra; Logan Tom se alza sobre las cenizas del mundo como un rayo de esperanza mientras crea una oportunidad para destruir aquellos seres malvados que han causado tanto daño y destrucción hasta el punto de llevar a la humanidad casi al borde de la extinción.
Creo que la historia es moderadamente aceptable pero literalmente no recuerdo nada de ella excepto que termina con un masivo gancho que no cierra absolutamente nada y me dejó pensando para qué demonios leí 400 páginas. Con cada paso acercándome al final esperaba que al menos algunos de los cabos sueltos fueran atados y NINGUNO fue.
En ese entonces cuando elegí este libro de la librería ni siquiera sabía de GR y por supuesto años después me entero que esto es el comienzo de la trilogía "Génesis de Shannara', y parte de un 'universo Shannara' incluso mucho mayor, con varias sub-series y nada menos que treinta algo libros, sin contar las novelas cortas.
Y sólo tengo que decir: ¡Al diablo con esto! No voy a leer treinta-cuarenta y algo libros para entender uno solo. Yo no me anoté para esto. ¡Incluso un completador compulsivo tiene un límite!
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[2008] [431p] [Fantasía] [2.5] [No Recomendable]
-----------------------------------------------
In a post-apocalyptic land destroyed by decades of war, famine, and horrible abominations roaming the earth; Logan Tom rises from the ashes of the world as a beacon of hope as he creates an opportunity to destroy those evil beings that have caused so much harm and destruction to the point of bringing humanity to the brink of extinction.
I think the story is mostly acceptable but I literally don't remember anything about it except that it ends with a massive cliffhanger that doesn't wrap up absolutely nothing and left me wondering wth did I just read 400 pages for. With each closing step to the ending I was hoping at least some of the loose ends would be tied and NONE was.
At the time I picked this book from the library I didn't even know about GR and of course years later I realized this is the start of the 'Genesis of Shannara' trilogy, and part of an even bigger 'Shannara universe', with many sub-series and nothing less than thirty something books, not counting the novellas.
And I say to this: To hell with it! I'm not reading thirty-forty something books to understand just one. I did not sign up for this. Even a compulsive completionist has a limit!
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[2008] [431p] [Fantasy] [2.5] [Not Recommendable]
-----------------------------------------------
NO es un libro solitario.
En un mundo post-apocalíptico destruido por décadas de guerra, hambruna y horribles abominaciones vagando por la tierra; Logan Tom se alza sobre las cenizas del mundo como un rayo de esperanza mientras crea una oportunidad para destruir aquellos seres malvados que han causado tanto daño y destrucción hasta el punto de llevar a la humanidad casi al borde de la extinción.
Creo que la historia es moderadamente aceptable pero literalmente no recuerdo nada de ella excepto que termina con un masivo gancho que no cierra absolutamente nada y me dejó pensando para qué demonios leí 400 páginas. Con cada paso acercándome al final esperaba que al menos algunos de los cabos sueltos fueran atados y NINGUNO fue.
En ese entonces cuando elegí este libro de la librería ni siquiera sabía de GR y por supuesto años después me entero que esto es el comienzo de la trilogía "Génesis de Shannara', y parte de un 'universo Shannara' incluso mucho mayor, con varias sub-series y nada menos que treinta algo libros, sin contar las novelas cortas.
Y sólo tengo que decir: ¡Al diablo con esto! No voy a leer treinta-cuarenta y algo libros para entender uno solo. Yo no me anoté para esto. ¡Incluso un completador compulsivo tiene un límite!
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[2008] [431p] [Fantasía] [2.5] [No Recomendable]
-----------------------------------------------
October 21, 2022
A stunning new fantasy series!
In a horrifying blend of post-apocalyptic terror and new age urban fantasy, Armageddon's Children describes a world ravaged by nuclear war, plague, pestilence, famine, mindless zombie-like creatures, demons and terrifying creatures born out of devastating mutations. Deaths have numbered in the billions and humanity teeters on the very brink of extinction. Most of those few humans who have survived have reverted to a dark age in which they remain walled up in fortified compounds brutally scavenging from one another and scratching out a mean subsistence life in much the same fashion as tribes would have done during the earliest periods of mankind's existence.
The power and excitement of this debut novel of Terry Brooks' latest series rests in his convincing blend of the reality of a burnt-out destroyed human landscape with the beguiling and utterly fascinating mythological beginnings of the fantasy world that was born in full bloom in his earlier Shannara stories.
Long, long ago in a place that was definitely not far, far away, the Elves conquered the demon hordes wandering Earth and sealed them away in a bleak existence called "the Forbidding". A biblical scholar might have suggested that "The Word" ruled over the Earth and the Earth was good - a kindly, warm and benevolent place to live.
But current events on the earth - the wars, the nuclear radiation, the burgeoning evil that mankind is both experiencing and causing - are weakening the walls between Earth and the Forbidding. As evil's grip on the earth tightens, its defence has been reduced to the last two remaining Knights of the Word - Angel Perez and Logan Tom - two warriors carefully chosen by the Word for their indomitable spirit who have been given a magical staff and special powers to be used in the fight against demons and "The Void".
Perez and Tom have been charged by the Elven nation with finding a talisman called the Loden Lodestone and a magical young child called "The Gypsy Morph". Without the magic of the Lodestone and the power of the Gypsy Morph whose destiny is critical to the survival of humankind, earth is doomed. Goodness and "The Word" will disappear forever and the world will become the dominion of the demons and their dark lord, Findo Gask. "The Void" will rule forevermore.
"Armageddon's Children" is powerful indeed. Far more than a simple story of the unending and timeless conflict between good and evil, it tells a story of love, commitment, honour, dedication, trust and so much more. For example, the tale of orphaned children attempting to raise themselves in a bleak, nuclear-blasted world without reference to parental guidance, while astonishingly reminiscent of Golding's "Lord of the Flies", is fresh, exciting, heart-wrenching and most definitely not derivative in any way.
Brooks' descriptions of a troubled world are graphic and breathtaking. His character building is deep, complex and utterly convincing. On the dust jacket of the novel, Christopher Paolini, author of the young adult fantasy, "Eragon", was quoted as saying, "If you haven't read Terry Brooks, you haven't read fantasy"! Quite a compliment coming from a fellow author who might well be assumed to be in competition with Terry Brooks for the same audience. I have to agree with Mr Paolini's ebullient assessment.
I waited a long time for this one and, I think you'll agree. "Armageddon's Children" combines the earlier "Shannara" and "Knight of the Word" series in a stunning, entirely innovative new series that fantasy fans are going to eat up.
Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
In a horrifying blend of post-apocalyptic terror and new age urban fantasy, Armageddon's Children describes a world ravaged by nuclear war, plague, pestilence, famine, mindless zombie-like creatures, demons and terrifying creatures born out of devastating mutations. Deaths have numbered in the billions and humanity teeters on the very brink of extinction. Most of those few humans who have survived have reverted to a dark age in which they remain walled up in fortified compounds brutally scavenging from one another and scratching out a mean subsistence life in much the same fashion as tribes would have done during the earliest periods of mankind's existence.
The power and excitement of this debut novel of Terry Brooks' latest series rests in his convincing blend of the reality of a burnt-out destroyed human landscape with the beguiling and utterly fascinating mythological beginnings of the fantasy world that was born in full bloom in his earlier Shannara stories.
Long, long ago in a place that was definitely not far, far away, the Elves conquered the demon hordes wandering Earth and sealed them away in a bleak existence called "the Forbidding". A biblical scholar might have suggested that "The Word" ruled over the Earth and the Earth was good - a kindly, warm and benevolent place to live.
But current events on the earth - the wars, the nuclear radiation, the burgeoning evil that mankind is both experiencing and causing - are weakening the walls between Earth and the Forbidding. As evil's grip on the earth tightens, its defence has been reduced to the last two remaining Knights of the Word - Angel Perez and Logan Tom - two warriors carefully chosen by the Word for their indomitable spirit who have been given a magical staff and special powers to be used in the fight against demons and "The Void".
Perez and Tom have been charged by the Elven nation with finding a talisman called the Loden Lodestone and a magical young child called "The Gypsy Morph". Without the magic of the Lodestone and the power of the Gypsy Morph whose destiny is critical to the survival of humankind, earth is doomed. Goodness and "The Word" will disappear forever and the world will become the dominion of the demons and their dark lord, Findo Gask. "The Void" will rule forevermore.
"Armageddon's Children" is powerful indeed. Far more than a simple story of the unending and timeless conflict between good and evil, it tells a story of love, commitment, honour, dedication, trust and so much more. For example, the tale of orphaned children attempting to raise themselves in a bleak, nuclear-blasted world without reference to parental guidance, while astonishingly reminiscent of Golding's "Lord of the Flies", is fresh, exciting, heart-wrenching and most definitely not derivative in any way.
Brooks' descriptions of a troubled world are graphic and breathtaking. His character building is deep, complex and utterly convincing. On the dust jacket of the novel, Christopher Paolini, author of the young adult fantasy, "Eragon", was quoted as saying, "If you haven't read Terry Brooks, you haven't read fantasy"! Quite a compliment coming from a fellow author who might well be assumed to be in competition with Terry Brooks for the same audience. I have to agree with Mr Paolini's ebullient assessment.
I waited a long time for this one and, I think you'll agree. "Armageddon's Children" combines the earlier "Shannara" and "Knight of the Word" series in a stunning, entirely innovative new series that fantasy fans are going to eat up.
Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
August 14, 2007
I read the Shannara books as a young teen and loved them. It was such a letdown when I tried to read them years later and they didn't hold up. Pretty thin, really. But I got suckered in to reading multiple new ones set in that world afterwards. Since I knew the world, they were comfortable and familiar. I kept wanting to recapture the original feeling, but they just weren't very good.
This one is the same thing. The concept isn't entirely bad but the mediocre writing continues. There are too many offenses to mention, but I'll just cite one to represent the theme of the rest. In describing the appearance of an elf, he describes it as "elven-featured." Come onnn, man. Make an effort, for crying out loud! He is a lazy writer who phones it in and takes glaring shortcuts. No subtlety, no polish. Clumsy, transparent devices, flat, cartoonish characters, storylines drawn in crayon. And really, not a whole lot happens in this book. It's pretty much a setup for the next one. Aaagh. I've finally learned my lesson and won't read any more of his stuff.
I think when he wrote the original Shannara books, the reading world was just hungry for anything in the universe that Tolkien had laid out for them. The genre just hadn't been explored very much, so people ate it up. And since people were familiar with the Shannara world, he just kept putting out books set in it. And people kept buying it because they were familiar with it. But when I read a book like this one, I have to think it wouldn't make it past the editor's desk if it were an unknown author's first book. This sounds like something I might write, and I'm not a writer. He's trading on past success at this point.
This book and this series are probably just fine for young readers who have yet to be spoiled by better quality writing.
This one is the same thing. The concept isn't entirely bad but the mediocre writing continues. There are too many offenses to mention, but I'll just cite one to represent the theme of the rest. In describing the appearance of an elf, he describes it as "elven-featured." Come onnn, man. Make an effort, for crying out loud! He is a lazy writer who phones it in and takes glaring shortcuts. No subtlety, no polish. Clumsy, transparent devices, flat, cartoonish characters, storylines drawn in crayon. And really, not a whole lot happens in this book. It's pretty much a setup for the next one. Aaagh. I've finally learned my lesson and won't read any more of his stuff.
I think when he wrote the original Shannara books, the reading world was just hungry for anything in the universe that Tolkien had laid out for them. The genre just hadn't been explored very much, so people ate it up. And since people were familiar with the Shannara world, he just kept putting out books set in it. And people kept buying it because they were familiar with it. But when I read a book like this one, I have to think it wouldn't make it past the editor's desk if it were an unknown author's first book. This sounds like something I might write, and I'm not a writer. He's trading on past success at this point.
This book and this series are probably just fine for young readers who have yet to be spoiled by better quality writing.
July 10, 2016
#4/29 in my Epic Shannara Quest.
Part Mad Max, part Charles Dickens, but definitely all Terry Brooks, Armageddon's Children is a riveting bridge between Brooks' Shannara books and the urban horror of his Word and the Void trilogy. Full of rich characters and storytelling wizardry, this first volume of the Genesis of Shannara series lives up to the promise of the episodic W&V books and will leave the reader craving the next volume. (I'm glad I don't have to wait a year for the next book--but I do have to wait until I get off work to continue my epic Shannara quest of 2016.)
Part Mad Max, part Charles Dickens, but definitely all Terry Brooks, Armageddon's Children is a riveting bridge between Brooks' Shannara books and the urban horror of his Word and the Void trilogy. Full of rich characters and storytelling wizardry, this first volume of the Genesis of Shannara series lives up to the promise of the episodic W&V books and will leave the reader craving the next volume. (I'm glad I don't have to wait a year for the next book--but I do have to wait until I get off work to continue my epic Shannara quest of 2016.)
November 29, 2013
The first book of a trilogy that ties in The Word & the Void series with his Shannara series. This book is about how the world is after The Great Wars and how people are dealing with its destruction and direness of it. The author did a great job with describing the setting and the reader could get a good sense of how desperate humans are. The drawback of this novel is that there are four different storylines and only two end up intersecting. There are no resolutions to any of the plots and one must continue the series. That being said, I will continue and I am intrigued by how the author changes the world into his successful Shannara series.
May 22, 2012
I listened to this while driving to and from North Texas twice - once for Easter and once for my daughter's college graduation. I had extreme difficulty finding a satisfactory volume level for Dick Hill's voice. He had a tendency to whisper breathily in an overdramatic way for character's dialogue. This contrasted steeply with his narration, which boomed forth, sometimes unexpectedly. Male voices with deep resonance do not a gentle listening experience make.
I selected this title to 'fill in the blanks' of my Shanarra timeline, as this novel harks back to the very beginning, within twenty years of the apocalypse that wiped out the world as we know it. I also hoped that my husband would enjoy listening with me in the car on the road-trip. He has read other Terry Brooks novels and liked them. He slept through many of the CDs, but due to the slow pace of the novel, had little difficulty 'catching up' when he awoke.
Brooks rushed the ending, leaving us hanging, literally, from a cliff. Everything from our protagonists' lives to the fate of humans doomed to oblivion.
I won't be continuing with the rest of the Genesis of Shannara series. I don't feel any burning compulsion to find out what happens next, especially if the pace continues to plod slowly into the pit, of what I don't know.
I selected this title to 'fill in the blanks' of my Shanarra timeline, as this novel harks back to the very beginning, within twenty years of the apocalypse that wiped out the world as we know it. I also hoped that my husband would enjoy listening with me in the car on the road-trip. He has read other Terry Brooks novels and liked them. He slept through many of the CDs, but due to the slow pace of the novel, had little difficulty 'catching up' when he awoke.
Brooks rushed the ending, leaving us hanging, literally, from a cliff. Everything from our protagonists' lives to the fate of humans doomed to oblivion.
I won't be continuing with the rest of the Genesis of Shannara series. I don't feel any burning compulsion to find out what happens next, especially if the pace continues to plod slowly into the pit, of what I don't know.
January 24, 2022
I've never seen an author go quite as in-depth with a world as Terry Brooks has with Shannara, and it's only been for good. Since Sword of Shannara was published forty years ago, Brooks's world has only gotten deeper and richer, and we can see how it began with Armageddon's Children.
Armageddon's Children picks up about 100 years from our here-and-now, after the world has been virtually destroyed and the only survivors are scattered, hunted, and often mutated. It, like most of Brooks's work, has a wonderful cast of characters, from the boy Hawk and his children to the brooding Knight of the Word Logan Tom and the eager and principled Elven boy Kirisin. All these characters have different stories, different lives, and different perspectives, but they're all interwoven into one complex and riveting story that I couldn't put down.
If you enjoy dystopian fiction, high fantasy, and/or urban fantasy, you'll love the Genesis of Shannara series. It manages to blend all these subgenres into one excellent tale and I now rank it among some of my favorites.
Armageddon's Children picks up about 100 years from our here-and-now, after the world has been virtually destroyed and the only survivors are scattered, hunted, and often mutated. It, like most of Brooks's work, has a wonderful cast of characters, from the boy Hawk and his children to the brooding Knight of the Word Logan Tom and the eager and principled Elven boy Kirisin. All these characters have different stories, different lives, and different perspectives, but they're all interwoven into one complex and riveting story that I couldn't put down.
If you enjoy dystopian fiction, high fantasy, and/or urban fantasy, you'll love the Genesis of Shannara series. It manages to blend all these subgenres into one excellent tale and I now rank it among some of my favorites.
May 16, 2012
If you’ve never read a Terry Brooks novel, then I don’t advise you start here. That’s not to say I don’t recommend reading it because I do, you just have to read some other books first. Armageddon’s Children is set some time after The Word & The Void Trilogy and sometime before The Sword of Shannara.
The Word & The Void Trilogy was set in, for want of a better term, the real world, in present day. The Shannara series was set in a traditional fantasy land. You know the type, elves, dwarves, magic etc. But those of you paying attention would have noticed this “fantasy” world was also the real world a long time after humans destroyed it through war etc.
Enter Armageddon’s Children to begin to bridge the gap and show us how these two series are connected. It’s set in post-apocalyptic America where civilization is all but destroyed and the remnants of civilization struggle to survive. The story follows two Knights of the Word (You’ll remember Knights of the Word from The Word and The Void Trilogy) one whose job it is to find the Gypsy Morph who has a destiny to save the world, the other has the task of finding the Elves and saving them.
That’s when it got a bit strange, I mean, I’m reading a story about survival post apocalypse then the next chapter it’s about Elves and the Ellcrys (yes, the same one from The Elfstones of Shannara). However I got over the strangeness quickly and actually found the book really enjoyable. Again, those of you paying attention in the Shannara series would have known the Elves have always been there so I guess it wasn't that strange after all. There are some recognisable references from the Shannara series and The Word and The Void Trilogy and if you haven’t read those then you won’t really get this book. That being said it is definitely worth a read.
I recommend reading it after you have read the others.
The Word & The Void Trilogy was set in, for want of a better term, the real world, in present day. The Shannara series was set in a traditional fantasy land. You know the type, elves, dwarves, magic etc. But those of you paying attention would have noticed this “fantasy” world was also the real world a long time after humans destroyed it through war etc.
Enter Armageddon’s Children to begin to bridge the gap and show us how these two series are connected. It’s set in post-apocalyptic America where civilization is all but destroyed and the remnants of civilization struggle to survive. The story follows two Knights of the Word (You’ll remember Knights of the Word from The Word and The Void Trilogy) one whose job it is to find the Gypsy Morph who has a destiny to save the world, the other has the task of finding the Elves and saving them.
That’s when it got a bit strange, I mean, I’m reading a story about survival post apocalypse then the next chapter it’s about Elves and the Ellcrys (yes, the same one from The Elfstones of Shannara). However I got over the strangeness quickly and actually found the book really enjoyable. Again, those of you paying attention in the Shannara series would have known the Elves have always been there so I guess it wasn't that strange after all. There are some recognisable references from the Shannara series and The Word and The Void Trilogy and if you haven’t read those then you won’t really get this book. That being said it is definitely worth a read.
I recommend reading it after you have read the others.
June 19, 2020
L'orrore ai tempi della genesi
L'infanzia non è certo costellata da bei momenti, ma il tempo, supportato anche dalla debolezza della memoria, lenisce tutte quelle zone d'ombra e restituisce un quadretto tutto sommato piacevole.
Ecco, I figli di Armageddon fu terrificante durante la lettura; e il ricordo, oggi, è persino peggiore.
Il romanzo vive di situazione riciclate e stantie (e dire che da piccoli ci si fa andare bene tutto), con l'agghiacciante mondo post-apocalittico che non si preclude mostri geneticamente modificati, demoni che girano in moto (ma perché? che trash!), elfi con armi semiautomatiche, reminiscenze da discount del Re del Fiume Argento - qui dovrebbe chiamarsi Due Orsi, il guru, che spara la paternale al parco, di sera, mentre tutto tace.
Forse 'sto tizio aveva anche combattuto in Vietnam (non sto scherzando).
Da stendere un velo pietoso anche sul mistero del Variante, talmente banale e scolastico che persino il worldbuilding, a confronto, risplende di luce propria.
Terry Brooks ha avuto il merito di far appassionare i giovani a un genere che in quel momento andava molto in voga; e - detto francamente, senza nessuna malignità - non c'è nulla di male a riempire una nicchia che il mercato editoriale riesce a offrirti in un determinato periodo storico: King, un autore che apprezzo molto, fra i suoi alti e bassi, ha resistito rispetto ad altri autori perché ha saputo sfruttare un insperato successo al momento giusto.
Come per King, il momento del congedo penso sia arrivato anche per il caro Brooks.
Rimangono i ringraziamenti, perché i compagni d'infanzia, nonostante tutto, non devono esser dimenticati.
L'infanzia non è certo costellata da bei momenti, ma il tempo, supportato anche dalla debolezza della memoria, lenisce tutte quelle zone d'ombra e restituisce un quadretto tutto sommato piacevole.
Ecco, I figli di Armageddon fu terrificante durante la lettura; e il ricordo, oggi, è persino peggiore.
Il romanzo vive di situazione riciclate e stantie (e dire che da piccoli ci si fa andare bene tutto), con l'agghiacciante mondo post-apocalittico che non si preclude mostri geneticamente modificati, demoni che girano in moto (ma perché? che trash!), elfi con armi semiautomatiche, reminiscenze da discount del Re del Fiume Argento - qui dovrebbe chiamarsi Due Orsi, il guru, che spara la paternale al parco, di sera, mentre tutto tace.
Forse 'sto tizio aveva anche combattuto in Vietnam (non sto scherzando).
Da stendere un velo pietoso anche sul mistero del Variante, talmente banale e scolastico che persino il worldbuilding, a confronto, risplende di luce propria.
Terry Brooks ha avuto il merito di far appassionare i giovani a un genere che in quel momento andava molto in voga; e - detto francamente, senza nessuna malignità - non c'è nulla di male a riempire una nicchia che il mercato editoriale riesce a offrirti in un determinato periodo storico: King, un autore che apprezzo molto, fra i suoi alti e bassi, ha resistito rispetto ad altri autori perché ha saputo sfruttare un insperato successo al momento giusto.
Come per King, il momento del congedo penso sia arrivato anche per il caro Brooks.
Rimangono i ringraziamenti, perché i compagni d'infanzia, nonostante tutto, non devono esser dimenticati.
December 4, 2008
I've loved Brooks' writing for many years now and this new series continues his great tradition of excellent stories with great thoughts and values.
With this novel, Terry begins to bridge the gap between two of his main story threads...that of the world of Shannara and that of the world in the "Word and Void" series.
The characters are approachable and each filled with their own strengths and flaws. As readers, we are taken on a voyage of self discovery along with the characters as they interact with the struggle between good and evil in the post-apocalyptic society.
You can certainly approach this story without having read Brooks before, but it would be advisable to have at least read the Word and Void series before starting on this journey. Even though set a hundred years or so beyond the first Word/Void book (Running with the Demon), it builds on the framework created there and your understanding will be greatly enhanced by starting with Word/Void and working your way into this novel. Reading the various Shannara series before this one are unnecessary and it could be argued that you should wait for this series to be done before you start Shannara, just to keep the chronology right...but then you're just depriving yourself of other fabulous works while you wait for this series to complete.
With this novel, Terry begins to bridge the gap between two of his main story threads...that of the world of Shannara and that of the world in the "Word and Void" series.
The characters are approachable and each filled with their own strengths and flaws. As readers, we are taken on a voyage of self discovery along with the characters as they interact with the struggle between good and evil in the post-apocalyptic society.
You can certainly approach this story without having read Brooks before, but it would be advisable to have at least read the Word and Void series before starting on this journey. Even though set a hundred years or so beyond the first Word/Void book (Running with the Demon), it builds on the framework created there and your understanding will be greatly enhanced by starting with Word/Void and working your way into this novel. Reading the various Shannara series before this one are unnecessary and it could be argued that you should wait for this series to be done before you start Shannara, just to keep the chronology right...but then you're just depriving yourself of other fabulous works while you wait for this series to complete.
March 25, 2022
Wow. Hate to give a book 1 star without finishing it, but I had to put it down. As i get older I'm finally breaking myself of the mentality that I "have to read a book all the way to the finish". Admittedly I haven't finished it, so take this review with that in mind.
With that said: Boring characters. My main problem is none of them seem fresh at all. Headstrong, young leader taking care of a pack of headstrong young kids...sighh. But SOME have special needs. For example, one likes to wander off! One is skilled, but VERY shy. One gets real angry, and has trouble connecting with others. And one may hold the secret to their survival! How many times has this been done? There is no spark to the characters at all, nothing to set them apart from anything else you've ever read. But wait! The young leader is uncommonly brave! Yawn. Oh, but did I mention he is in love with a young (possible) princess? AND the love is forbidden. YAAAWWWWWN.
It's been so long since Brooks innovated anything, every book of his I pick up seems like old news. I read a little over half and put it down. No action, slow story, boring, nonthreatening drab world. How many times is he going to do the "surviving in a post apocalyptic world?" I'm not going to wait around until they find the magic talisman whatever, and the leader "struggles to harness the power inside of him". Skip it.
With that said: Boring characters. My main problem is none of them seem fresh at all. Headstrong, young leader taking care of a pack of headstrong young kids...sighh. But SOME have special needs. For example, one likes to wander off! One is skilled, but VERY shy. One gets real angry, and has trouble connecting with others. And one may hold the secret to their survival! How many times has this been done? There is no spark to the characters at all, nothing to set them apart from anything else you've ever read. But wait! The young leader is uncommonly brave! Yawn. Oh, but did I mention he is in love with a young (possible) princess? AND the love is forbidden. YAAAWWWWWN.
It's been so long since Brooks innovated anything, every book of his I pick up seems like old news. I read a little over half and put it down. No action, slow story, boring, nonthreatening drab world. How many times is he going to do the "surviving in a post apocalyptic world?" I'm not going to wait around until they find the magic talisman whatever, and the leader "struggles to harness the power inside of him". Skip it.
February 17, 2021
This book takes place about 100 years after the Word & Void series. The world is getting more apocalyptic after demon attacks and climate change. I really enjoyed the Word & Void series, and this one ties them to the Shannara world, which I liked as well. It's a little hard to put my finger on why exactly, but I liked this one a lot less than the previous books. Maybe because the previous were so good? The first part in the book dragged on, and I'm not sure how I feel about the characters. Logan Tom makes an okay Knight of the Word I think, but compared to John Ross he's too perfect. Angel Perez can turn out to be a fun character, but we don't see too much of her yet. The street kids are annoying to be honest. The final few chapters picked up the pace and made sure I started in part two right away, so that's a good thing!
October 30, 2020
It was nice to see the linkage to the previous series of The Word & the Void. In addition there are some initial threads leading to what I know of the main Shannara series. As with previous books there are some gaps and moments, which left me scratching my head, but on the other hand there are moments of pure clarity where the readers are introduced to a pure narrative explaining elements of the world's history.
As a whole, I found most of the characters quite relatable and interesting to follow in the aftermath of the old era, now mostly forgotten after a few generations and this will only intensify.
As a whole, I found most of the characters quite relatable and interesting to follow in the aftermath of the old era, now mostly forgotten after a few generations and this will only intensify.
January 22, 2018
Reading chronologically, I have now reached the second Shannara trilogy. Where The Word and the Void books were all set more or less in the world we have now, these are in the after, almost a century later. After world wars and climate changes and disasters and plagues wiped through humanity, after the demons saw their chance and declared war on what was left, this is a bleak environment of struggle and fear. But still, through it all there is family and selflessness and love.
Following street kid Hawk and his band of kids as well as two Knights of the Word and hey, look, elves, we see first hand how terrible things are becoming. And now there is a prophecy. Things aren't even close to as bad as they will get, in order to save even a remnant of humanity some things must be done: foremost among them, find the gypsy morph.
I loved all the references back to the first trilogy, this is absolutely directly connected. I also totally enjoyed the post-apocalyptic Seattle. I went down to Pike's Place yesterday, actually, and made sure to drive back through Pioneer Square and follow the route from street kid hideout to the giant stadium "sanctuary" that I had read just that same morning. The next book is queued up and ready to go.
Following street kid Hawk and his band of kids as well as two Knights of the Word and hey, look, elves, we see first hand how terrible things are becoming. And now there is a prophecy. Things aren't even close to as bad as they will get, in order to save even a remnant of humanity some things must be done: foremost among them, find the gypsy morph.
I loved all the references back to the first trilogy, this is absolutely directly connected. I also totally enjoyed the post-apocalyptic Seattle. I went down to Pike's Place yesterday, actually, and made sure to drive back through Pioneer Square and follow the route from street kid hideout to the giant stadium "sanctuary" that I had read just that same morning. The next book is queued up and ready to go.
October 31, 2021
من چرا همچینم؟ ریویونوشتنم رو میذارم چند وقت بعد که کتاب یادم رفته باشه :/
بههرحال. کتاب خیلی خوبی نبود این شانارا جلد اول. یک نیمجلد دیگه هم بهش فرصت میدم تا تلاش بکنه ولی بهطور کلی توقع چیز دیگری ازش داشتم......
شاید مشکل از من بود :(
ببینیم چه میشود. احتمالا ویدئو ازش بگیرم. شایدم نه
بههرحال. کتاب خیلی خوبی نبود این شانارا جلد اول. یک نیمجلد دیگه هم بهش فرصت میدم تا تلاش بکنه ولی بهطور کلی توقع چیز دیگری ازش داشتم......
شاید مشکل از من بود :(
ببینیم چه میشود. احتمالا ویدئو ازش بگیرم. شایدم نه
August 1, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this start to another trilogy in the underrated Shannara series. It's high praise when you can say that the worst thing about the book is that you are left wanting more and have to read the next book to continue the story.
August 2, 2009
Having never read Terry Brooks before, I was not sure what to expect from this book. It begins in a post apocolyptic world, where humans are shutting themselves into compounds to save themselves from a world run amok by demons, mutants, and something called once-men, who seek only to destroy and follow orders from the demons not caring if they live or die. The book follows three separate people with the promise that they will all be brought together. (However, they are not, you got to go to the next book I guess.) Two of them are called Knights of the Word, a mystic order following the "Lady" to try to save humanity. The third is a boy named Hawk, probably somewhere in his teens, who is the leader of a bunch of street kids who call themselves Ghosts. I enjoyed the character development, sometimes told in flashbacks, and the pacing is steady. My only disappointment is its cliffhanger ending. The bookjacket sounded like this would be a stand alone type of read- even recommending it for someone who has never read Terry Brooks before, but I guess all fantasy novelists write in trilogies (and then some.) There is also a trilogy that is obviously a prequel to this book, mentioning the Knights of the Word and Hawk's mother, Nest Freemark. It does make sense even if you aren't familiar with any of Brooks' works, but I really don't want to have to read 3 or more books to get to the end of a story. So that is probably why I rated it four stars instead of five.
April 15, 2019
Halfway through and I'm honestly not sure this is a book I'm going to be able to finish.
The intermingling of the "fantasty" and "post-apocalyptic" genres was something I was initially really excited about. But here, it's done in such a ... confusing way? Like, I was very firmly planted in a normal, post-apocalyptic world (albeit one with some magical realist twists) for the first 166 pages. And then all of a sudden here are a bunch of Elves and the world tree, out of nowhere. I hope/ imagine all the various plotlines come together in the end, but so far the writing is just jarring.
Also, I literally REFUSE to believe 90% of the post-apocalyptic human population has blue eyes. Why. Just why. And can we leave the term "going native" out of 21st century lit please?
The intermingling of the "fantasty" and "post-apocalyptic" genres was something I was initially really excited about. But here, it's done in such a ... confusing way? Like, I was very firmly planted in a normal, post-apocalyptic world (albeit one with some magical realist twists) for the first 166 pages. And then all of a sudden here are a bunch of Elves and the world tree, out of nowhere. I hope/ imagine all the various plotlines come together in the end, but so far the writing is just jarring.
Also, I literally REFUSE to believe 90% of the post-apocalyptic human population has blue eyes. Why. Just why. And can we leave the term "going native" out of 21st century lit please?
January 2, 2019
Having read the first in the Bearers of the Black Staff series, it was interesting to jump back in the timeline to witness the origin of Hawk and his ragtag band of followers. Although, it also had the effect of semi-spoiling a few things… I never really felt concerned for Hawk, for instance. I know he must survive for the other series to be possible. I had no such reassurances about any of the other children and youth in his band, however.
The 3rd-person POV cycles around through several protagonists and antagonists--initially split across events happening on different sides of the former United States. It does gradually become clear how everything is ultimately going to consolidate and tie together. By the end, the overarching plot is poised to become a clearly cohesive thing for the next installment.
Most of this book has a distinctly post-apocalyptic feel rather than fantasy, despite the demonic hoards, bits of magic interspersed, elves… and something about a gypsy morph. >.> So much of the central worldbuilding involved scraping, scavenging, and reflecting on all that had been lost in the collapse of civilization.
I didn’t care at all for Tessa for some reason. She seemed annoyingly dithering, and I never got much sense for her personality. As a result, the romantic element between her and Hawk fell pretty flat. I wanted to root for them, but couldn’t bring myself to care enough. Not when simple survival felt vastly more compelling.
Ultimately, this story felt like more like the first 1/3rd rather than a complete book. We end off with a few revelations, a cliffhanger, and no real satisfaction. (Very much like the 1st in the Bearers of the Black Staff series. Perhaps this is the new formula?) And although I’d like to see the protagonists succeed, I don’t feel particularly attached to any of them.
Brooks continues to do high-stakes action and situational tension exceedingly well. But for this reader, the character connectivity and emotional investment isn’t quite there. I’m unsure if I will continue on in the series.
The 3rd-person POV cycles around through several protagonists and antagonists--initially split across events happening on different sides of the former United States. It does gradually become clear how everything is ultimately going to consolidate and tie together. By the end, the overarching plot is poised to become a clearly cohesive thing for the next installment.
Most of this book has a distinctly post-apocalyptic feel rather than fantasy, despite the demonic hoards, bits of magic interspersed, elves… and something about a gypsy morph. >.> So much of the central worldbuilding involved scraping, scavenging, and reflecting on all that had been lost in the collapse of civilization.
I didn’t care at all for Tessa for some reason. She seemed annoyingly dithering, and I never got much sense for her personality. As a result, the romantic element between her and Hawk fell pretty flat. I wanted to root for them, but couldn’t bring myself to care enough. Not when simple survival felt vastly more compelling.
Ultimately, this story felt like more like the first 1/3rd rather than a complete book. We end off with a few revelations, a cliffhanger, and no real satisfaction. (Very much like the 1st in the Bearers of the Black Staff series. Perhaps this is the new formula?) And although I’d like to see the protagonists succeed, I don’t feel particularly attached to any of them.
Brooks continues to do high-stakes action and situational tension exceedingly well. But for this reader, the character connectivity and emotional investment isn’t quite there. I’m unsure if I will continue on in the series.
February 27, 2010
This book takes place in the world created in the books "A Knight of the Word" and "Running with the Demon" and "Angel Fire East" (I haven't read this one yet). I did not know that when I picked it up from the library yesterday during the 'snow' day. I just knew that it was by Terry Brooks, who I am a fan of, and it said that it was a new series. I didn't know it had the subtitle of "Genesis of Shannara" until I added it here. I loved the Shannara series and, now that I'm aware, can see how this would be a prequel to them. I did think it strange that there were 'elfstones' mentioned and immediately thought of the book in the Shannara series "The Elfstones of Shannara"
I read this book in one day, 371 pages, the post-apocalyptic world that Brooks has created, and I would recommend that you read the three books I mentioned that come before this, is a masterful blend of realism, fantasy, and nightmares. It includes the right amount of action to keep you turning the pages and the right amount of dialogue and inner monologue to justify/explain the actions. The human side is very real, especially the way the world is described - ruined because of the way humans treated it and each other - adults cling to the old ways, kids form tribes and are more successful at surviving and retaining the idea of family.
I read this book in one day, 371 pages, the post-apocalyptic world that Brooks has created, and I would recommend that you read the three books I mentioned that come before this, is a masterful blend of realism, fantasy, and nightmares. It includes the right amount of action to keep you turning the pages and the right amount of dialogue and inner monologue to justify/explain the actions. The human side is very real, especially the way the world is described - ruined because of the way humans treated it and each other - adults cling to the old ways, kids form tribes and are more successful at surviving and retaining the idea of family.
October 25, 2019
Knjiga koju sam dosta dugo čitao, iz dva puta, što samim tim govori da je u pitanju nešto manje pitko štivo. Zanimljva je - to je nesumnjivo, ali nije tip knjige koji će vas zakovati za stolicu dok je ne pročitate. Atmosfera je prilično mračna i pomalo usporena. Sviđa mi se predstavljanje čitavog sveta, i to što ima nekoliko paralelnih radnji, koje se očigledno povezuju kasnije. Nisam ljubitelj korišćenja dece kao glavnih likova, što je ovde takođe prisutno, s obzirom da su mi njihovi karakteri generični i usiljeni - jedan veliki opasan dečak, jedna mala, tiha devojčica, jedna neustrašiva devojčica sa teškom prošlošću, itd. S druge strane, Ejndžel Perez i Logan Tom su zanimljviji i dobro odrađeni likovi, sviđaju mi se njihove priče.
Dvoumio sam se da li da dam četiri ili tri zvezdice - i na kraju se odlučio za ovu potonju opciju, prvenstveno zato što je kraj nedovršen, i nedorečen. Kapiram ja da postoji i drugi deo i da treba da se proda, ali mislim i da svaka knjiga pojedinačno ipak treba da ima neku zaokruženost.
Kao i uvek, zvučim verovatno kritičnije nego što zaista jesam o ovoj knjizi. Preporučujem je naravno, svim ljubiteljima žanra, s obzirom da je u pitanju jedna kvalitetna knjiga, bez obzira na pomenute nedostatke.
Dvoumio sam se da li da dam četiri ili tri zvezdice - i na kraju se odlučio za ovu potonju opciju, prvenstveno zato što je kraj nedovršen, i nedorečen. Kapiram ja da postoji i drugi deo i da treba da se proda, ali mislim i da svaka knjiga pojedinačno ipak treba da ima neku zaokruženost.
Kao i uvek, zvučim verovatno kritičnije nego što zaista jesam o ovoj knjizi. Preporučujem je naravno, svim ljubiteljima žanra, s obzirom da je u pitanju jedna kvalitetna knjiga, bez obzira na pomenute nedostatke.
December 3, 2020
Excellent story. Very gripping and a true page turner. It made me lose a little sleep because I didn't want to put it down. It was a great and compelling story. The only issue (for some people anyway) is that it leaves you hanging at the end because it's only book one of a 3-book series.
My main complaint (this is true with most Terry Brooks books) is his prose. He has a few devices that he uses over and over and over. It becomes a bit annoying sometimes. For example, at least a dozen times per book a chapter or scene ends with "and walked away without looking back." Another one is the way every good guy character spends a page of second guessing their actions when something bad happens. "I should have, could have, might have......". There are others, but these are the ones that jumped out at me the most.
My main complaint (this is true with most Terry Brooks books) is his prose. He has a few devices that he uses over and over and over. It becomes a bit annoying sometimes. For example, at least a dozen times per book a chapter or scene ends with "and walked away without looking back." Another one is the way every good guy character spends a page of second guessing their actions when something bad happens. "I should have, could have, might have......". There are others, but these are the ones that jumped out at me the most.
November 9, 2014
It was a trap. I didn't pay attention before diving in, and found myself at home at nine o'clock at night, wrapping up not a full story, but book one in a series. And the library and book stores are closed! (Although in my defense, the copy I had was a first run, so no mention was made of it being the first of a series. Still, I've read enough Terry Brooks to have been at least a little suspicious at the thought of a one-off title from Mr. Brooks.)
That said, this was an engaging read, and a fun take on post-apocalyptic fantasy. He didn't stoop to lewd antics or other ploys that seem common lately in books that are meant for grown ups. He tells a good story and invites you along for the ride. I'm glad I took him up on it.
That said, this was an engaging read, and a fun take on post-apocalyptic fantasy. He didn't stoop to lewd antics or other ploys that seem common lately in books that are meant for grown ups. He tells a good story and invites you along for the ride. I'm glad I took him up on it.
January 31, 2015
In terms of tone and setting, this had a lot in common with Stephen King's 'The Gunslinger.' This book is more scattered and fantasy-based than the first installment to the Dark Tower series, though, which is why I preferred that much more. A fan of Terry Brooks said this isn't a very good book of his to start off with (it's the first book of his I've ever read), so if I ever do read another of his books I'll definitely move to the first book in one of his more commonly adored series rather than reading the next book in this series.
August 13, 2010
Half way through I was debating whether to give this four stars or five. Then the elves showed up, and it got silly. Characterization good, but too many incidental characters. Exciting, if predictable, plot. The usual logical and physical impossibilities one expects from folks who apparently failed high school chemistry and physics.
Think of this as 400 pages of prologue to the rest of the series. I won't be there to see how it turns out.
Think of this as 400 pages of prologue to the rest of the series. I won't be there to see how it turns out.
November 29, 2020
Still gets me turning the pages even now, and fourteen years hasn't tarnished the readability of Armageddon's Children. Brooks twists what you imagine the two part storyline is going to be and throws you into a third completely different world. The characters are as relatable as ever and the story line still the classic good versus evil. There is a rhythm to this series and the preceding trilogy that I really enjoy.
A great read.
A great read.
January 28, 2016
A great book. An awesome blend of fantasy and apocalyptic disaster stories. A smooth and easy read. You never go wrong with a Terry Brooks book. Very recommended
January 29, 2016
Basically Fallout 3 New Vegas, with demons. Better than the early Shannara stuff.
May 1, 2022
4.5 stars, rounded down
September 27, 2018
me: so this is post-apocalyptic right
terry brooks: here have some fucking elves
This was like... I don't think this book can be safely placed in one genre. There's some dystopian/post-apocalyptic (or "post-spock", as my phone tried to correct it to) stuff with the world being basically scorched and poisoned and everyone hates each other, but it's also urban fantasy because there's demons around, and it's also high fantasy because there are some elves in some forest who are protected by a giant tree... so if you're really strict about books sticking to their genre, maybe you shouldn't come here.
That being said, I liked it. We follow several story lines, which I've always found interesting. Our protagonists include two Knights of the Word, a bunch of elves and some children who can't come up with decent names for shit (I know renaming each other is kind of their thing but Candle? Seriously?). If I remember correctly, the first character we're introduced to is Logan, and my immediate reaction was "oh god, it's John Ross all over again". Trust me, he's not.
(I didn't dislike Ross but I wasn't interested in reading about another identical character, he really wasn't that compelling)
Where Ross was more or less your average "do the right thing" guy, Logan is a slightly sarcastic bitch who does his duty, but is kinda discouraged about it. You know, the world has gone to shit anyway.
logan: *slays demons on a daily basis*
logan: what the fuck are mountain spirits
And the scene that came afterwards terrified me.
The other Knight, Angel
me: okay so this guy looks like this
terry brooks: shut up he looks like gandalf
One thing I think could be an issue for people is that you feel kind of distanced from the characters. If not connecting to the characters is a deal breaker for you, I'm not sure you would like this. Also, a lot of the plot lines felt unfinished. The end of the book seemed to just cut off in the middle of a situation, and some plot lines *cough*Angel and the elves*cough* didn't even seem to get more than an introduction. This makes me wonder if this was actually intended to be just one or two books instead of a trilogy.
All in all, though? I liked this stuff.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 806 reviews