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Heritage of Shannara #1
The Scions of Shannara
Since the death of Allanon, life in the Four Lands has drastially changed. Yet Par Ohmsford still has some power of the Wishsong. And when a message from the ancient Druid, Allanon, reaches them, Par is ordered to recover the long-lost Sword of Shannara, and the glory that once was the Four Lands....
512 pages, Paperback
First published April 12, 1990
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 483 reviews
November 29, 2016
I need a way to rate the book and then a way to separately rate the edition I got. I have the audio I got from OverDrive and the gain is so low that with the recording turned up all the way, my speakers turned up all the way and going into my computers audio controls and jacking them up all the way I could barely hear it. Recording value -1 star.
The book is a return to the world of the original Shannara trilogy though much later. magic is outlawed and practically gone (funny how often that seems to happen in "fantasy worlds") Our hero(es) are tasked with saving the world, by bringing magic back, by finding the Sword of Shannara. (Hey just because that's how this whole series started don't knock it. When you get a good plot idea [or find a good plot idea] like "recovering a magic sword" use it as often as possible....right?)
Anyway, did you get that? It's sort of a multilevel quest. They have to bring back magic to save the world, but they have to find the Sword of Shannara to bring back magic. Well, to find the truth about magic and saving the world.
Now if you find that a bit convoluted, "shame on you how dare you criticize a classic work of fantasy"? At least that's the reaction I tend to get when i express opinions like that.
Go figure.
And by the way...someone's pretty ungrateful as there was already a quest to find the Sword of Shannara and when it was found someone obviously didn't take care of it, AND it seems they've lost the Elf Stones to!!!!
We just can't have nice things....
Not a bad book. If you get the audio I got, good luck on actually being able to hear it however.
*Just had to correct a word.
The book is a return to the world of the original Shannara trilogy though much later. magic is outlawed and practically gone (funny how often that seems to happen in "fantasy worlds") Our hero(es) are tasked with saving the world, by bringing magic back, by finding the Sword of Shannara. (Hey just because that's how this whole series started don't knock it. When you get a good plot idea [or find a good plot idea] like "recovering a magic sword" use it as often as possible....right?)
Anyway, did you get that? It's sort of a multilevel quest. They have to bring back magic to save the world, but they have to find the Sword of Shannara to bring back magic. Well, to find the truth about magic and saving the world.
Now if you find that a bit convoluted, "shame on you how dare you criticize a classic work of fantasy"? At least that's the reaction I tend to get when i express opinions like that.
Go figure.
And by the way...someone's pretty ungrateful as there was already a quest to find the Sword of Shannara and when it was found someone obviously didn't take care of it, AND it seems they've lost the Elf Stones to!!!!
We just can't have nice things....
Not a bad book. If you get the audio I got, good luck on actually being able to hear it however.
*Just had to correct a word.
December 29, 2019
This was much better than I expected. I read the previous Shanara trilogy years ago and I remember thinking the first novel was a total Lord of the Rings ripoff. The second two were better but still followed the same structure of a quest to find some magical item to defeat a magical enemy.
This first novel of a new series started out much the same. We meet Par Ohmesford, a descendant of the previous heroes, who is quickly told he needs to find the same sword from the first novel to defeat yet another shadowy evil. He bands together a group of adventurers, ala Fellowship of the Ring and heads out to meet Gandalf... Sorry I mean Allanon.
By about the halfway point this book started to grip me more than its predecessors. I mostly enjoyed hearing about Par's uncle, the grouchy Walker Boh who represented a different kind of hero than we have seen so far in this series. And refreshingly of all, it seems like the second book in this series will be a direct sequel so everything didnt get nicely wrapped up for a change.
Onto the next one!
This first novel of a new series started out much the same. We meet Par Ohmesford, a descendant of the previous heroes, who is quickly told he needs to find the same sword from the first novel to defeat yet another shadowy evil. He bands together a group of adventurers, ala Fellowship of the Ring and heads out to meet Gandalf... Sorry I mean Allanon.
By about the halfway point this book started to grip me more than its predecessors. I mostly enjoyed hearing about Par's uncle, the grouchy Walker Boh who represented a different kind of hero than we have seen so far in this series. And refreshingly of all, it seems like the second book in this series will be a direct sequel so everything didnt get nicely wrapped up for a change.
Onto the next one!
January 10, 2008
my first terry brooks novel, and purely by chance. since then, i was hooked. don't care if people say that brooks was a hack compared to tolkien. i like both authors--they have their own writing styles, and both are very good in their art.
what is great about brooks and his shannara series is that every chapter is riveting. there were times when i really couldn't put the book down--i just wanted to gobble up every scene, every confrontation, every revelation. besides having fantastical characters, there's also humor, romance, and even serious emotional turmoil. plus, the way brooks describes his characters and the world around them is so textured and rich: one can feel the beat of the sun on the characters' faces, the merciless twists and turns of the forests that they traverse, the pounding adrenalin as they are pursued, even the despair and exhilaration that overcomes them at salient points of their journeys. surely only something a master storyteller could execute.
i'll always be grateful that i discovered the shannara series thru the Scions--(well, after this novel, it was just romance between me and its other installments... ^_^ )
what is great about brooks and his shannara series is that every chapter is riveting. there were times when i really couldn't put the book down--i just wanted to gobble up every scene, every confrontation, every revelation. besides having fantastical characters, there's also humor, romance, and even serious emotional turmoil. plus, the way brooks describes his characters and the world around them is so textured and rich: one can feel the beat of the sun on the characters' faces, the merciless twists and turns of the forests that they traverse, the pounding adrenalin as they are pursued, even the despair and exhilaration that overcomes them at salient points of their journeys. surely only something a master storyteller could execute.
i'll always be grateful that i discovered the shannara series thru the Scions--(well, after this novel, it was just romance between me and its other installments... ^_^ )
January 29, 2014
For The Sword of Shannara Trilogy, author Terry Brooks wrote three separate, but loosely-connected tales. In The Heritage of Shannara, he tells one large, epic tale over the space of four books. It was quite a departure from the pattern of the previous stories, and, if the first book is any indication, this seems to have worked quite well for Brooks.
As the first book, The Scions of Shannara, opens, the world is a radically different place from the world that Brin and Jair Ohmsford inhabited at the end of The Wishsong of Shannara. The Federation, which was once misguided, but still democratic, has become a repressive state that has completely taken over the Southlands through conquest, and has enslaved the Dwarfs, and seem to be intent on driving them to extinction. Magic is outlawed, the elves have disappeared, and a new breed of evil, called the Shadowen, has arisen. Their very presence is causing the Four Lands to sicken and die.
Amidst this situation, the shade of the Druid Allanon enlists the help of former Druid Cogline to persuade the heirs of the Elven House of Shannara to come to the Hadeshorn, where his spirit rests, and hear his requests to them. He has tried to contact these folks before, in their dreams, and they will not respond. Par Ohmsford is afraid, Wren Ohmsford is ambivalent, and Walker Boh (an Ohmsford who took the name of one of his forebears) is outright hostile. All of them, even Par who is the most idealistic about the Druids, share a suspicion of Allanon due to his manipulations of their ancestors centuries ago during the Druid's lifetime.
After much persuasion from Cogline, they eventually go to the Hadeshorn to hear Allanon's spirit talk to them. The shade shows them a horrific future in which the Shadowen rule the lands and the people are mindless cattle to be fed upon and tortured for the amusement of these demonic creatures. He then gives them their tasks – ones that seem impossible to fulfill. But if they don't accomplish these tasks, the land will be plunged into darkness forever.
Terry Brooks really improved his skills as an author in the time between the publication of The Sword of Shannara and Scions. The plotting is tighter, the characterization is actually somewhat in-depth and not the somewhat shallow portrayal of the first book. I love Sword, but I have to be fair on pointing out the problems from which it suffered. Of course, the romantic subplots are still rather sloppily done, with the one in the current book only working because of the length of the time they two characters are mentioned as near each other being longer. Brooks isn't good at writing romances. His attempts could be listed under tvtropes.com's “Strangled by the Red String” index, in which characters are just paired off together with no believable build-up.
For me the best part of Scions was that the characters were more believable. They didn't take up the mission with no qualms, but struggled with it. They have fears, doubts, and uncertainties. In short, they were characters that one can relate to. I appreciated this aspect.
That is not to say that Scions was perfect. To be sure, it had it's problems. Mainly insomuch as that the story dragged in parts. And the explanation about how the Shadowen developed was understandable, but a bit sloppily explained. It's something that you have to think through to get, and have to depend on your knowledge gained from having read the previous trilogy, because it certainly isn't put all that clearly here.
This was a terrific effort by Brooks, and I am already eagerly beginning the second book of the Heritage story, The Druid of Shannara.
As the first book, The Scions of Shannara, opens, the world is a radically different place from the world that Brin and Jair Ohmsford inhabited at the end of The Wishsong of Shannara. The Federation, which was once misguided, but still democratic, has become a repressive state that has completely taken over the Southlands through conquest, and has enslaved the Dwarfs, and seem to be intent on driving them to extinction. Magic is outlawed, the elves have disappeared, and a new breed of evil, called the Shadowen, has arisen. Their very presence is causing the Four Lands to sicken and die.
Amidst this situation, the shade of the Druid Allanon enlists the help of former Druid Cogline to persuade the heirs of the Elven House of Shannara to come to the Hadeshorn, where his spirit rests, and hear his requests to them. He has tried to contact these folks before, in their dreams, and they will not respond. Par Ohmsford is afraid, Wren Ohmsford is ambivalent, and Walker Boh (an Ohmsford who took the name of one of his forebears) is outright hostile. All of them, even Par who is the most idealistic about the Druids, share a suspicion of Allanon due to his manipulations of their ancestors centuries ago during the Druid's lifetime.
After much persuasion from Cogline, they eventually go to the Hadeshorn to hear Allanon's spirit talk to them. The shade shows them a horrific future in which the Shadowen rule the lands and the people are mindless cattle to be fed upon and tortured for the amusement of these demonic creatures. He then gives them their tasks – ones that seem impossible to fulfill. But if they don't accomplish these tasks, the land will be plunged into darkness forever.
Terry Brooks really improved his skills as an author in the time between the publication of The Sword of Shannara and Scions. The plotting is tighter, the characterization is actually somewhat in-depth and not the somewhat shallow portrayal of the first book. I love Sword, but I have to be fair on pointing out the problems from which it suffered. Of course, the romantic subplots are still rather sloppily done, with the one in the current book only working because of the length of the time they two characters are mentioned as near each other being longer. Brooks isn't good at writing romances. His attempts could be listed under tvtropes.com's “Strangled by the Red String” index, in which characters are just paired off together with no believable build-up.
For me the best part of Scions was that the characters were more believable. They didn't take up the mission with no qualms, but struggled with it. They have fears, doubts, and uncertainties. In short, they were characters that one can relate to. I appreciated this aspect.
That is not to say that Scions was perfect. To be sure, it had it's problems. Mainly insomuch as that the story dragged in parts. And the explanation about how the Shadowen developed was understandable, but a bit sloppily explained. It's something that you have to think through to get, and have to depend on your knowledge gained from having read the previous trilogy, because it certainly isn't put all that clearly here.
This was a terrific effort by Brooks, and I am already eagerly beginning the second book of the Heritage story, The Druid of Shannara.
January 20, 2016
So while I though the first Trilogy good, this has been GREAT! A fantastic ride through a good adventure courtesy of Terry Brooks.
I really love how he continually brings up events from the last 3 books in a non invasive manner that flows well with the story and also at the same time serves as a reminder of the times in the past. This has made it much easier to get immersed in the story and plenty of times I found hours slip by unnoticed and had to make myself stop reading to go on about my day.
This books continues in the manner that made the previous trilogy great. If you're looking for deep political intrigues of Dune or lots of backstabbing ways of the Song of Fire and Ice, this series is not it.
However, if you're looking for a good adventure with plenty of unexpected turns in plot and just pure raw Essence of an adventure, this right here, is worth the time.
I learned to appreciate Brooks' ability to entwined descriptions, thoughts of characters and dialogue into a seemless story telling that is very immersive and at the same time does t require a dictionary every 5 pages.
If you like fantasy genre, this is definitely a great read, and I'll definitely be reading the next part in my future reading adventures ;)
Roman "Ragnar"
I really love how he continually brings up events from the last 3 books in a non invasive manner that flows well with the story and also at the same time serves as a reminder of the times in the past. This has made it much easier to get immersed in the story and plenty of times I found hours slip by unnoticed and had to make myself stop reading to go on about my day.
This books continues in the manner that made the previous trilogy great. If you're looking for deep political intrigues of Dune or lots of backstabbing ways of the Song of Fire and Ice, this series is not it.
However, if you're looking for a good adventure with plenty of unexpected turns in plot and just pure raw Essence of an adventure, this right here, is worth the time.
I learned to appreciate Brooks' ability to entwined descriptions, thoughts of characters and dialogue into a seemless story telling that is very immersive and at the same time does t require a dictionary every 5 pages.
If you like fantasy genre, this is definitely a great read, and I'll definitely be reading the next part in my future reading adventures ;)
Roman "Ragnar"
February 1, 2013
I've been a fan of the various Shannara series' for a number of years but the Heritage series is probably my favourite. The brotherly bond with struggle and love is so well written that I really relate to Par and Coll. This is, in some ways, your standard sort of "epic fantasy" with elves, dwarves, humans, etc. but the personal stories carry it so much further than just any "standard" fantasy. I've read this series before, and I'll read it again! Love it.
September 23, 2019
I first read this book about 3-4 years ago, but it was apparently so forgettable that I couldn't remember a thing about it apart from the very bare bones of the plot. Even when I started skimming through it to remind myself of more details (so that I could read its sequels), I had almost no memory of most of the scenes or even important characters, so I finally decided to reread the whole damn thing. Perhaps it's an exercise in masochism to reread something that my mind didn't think was worth holding on to for barely a few years - yet at the end of it, I was mildly surprised to find that the book is quite engaging. Sure, it's derivative and filled with every fantasy cliché in the book. Sure, the prose is often hilariously awful. Yet, somehow, it's not a bad book on the whole, and can often be interesting.
The basic story - though a fairly straightforward fantasy quest - is decent enough. Three of the Shannara descendants - Par Ohmsford, Walker Boh and Wren Ohmsford - are summoned by the shade of the Druid Allanon to carry out certain tasks. This table setting takes up half the book, since the stories of each of these three are spread out over the sequels. A little condensation would have helped the pacing considerably, especially the later parts of this book, which mostly follows Par's quest to retrieve the long-lost sword of Shannara. The number of scenes in which Par and his brother Coll hide out in dark sheds while waiting for an opportunity to go after the sword are extremely numerous and extremely boring, especially Par's indecision and second guessing over everything he does. The few scenes of action that punctuate these hideout scenes are pretty good, though.
One thing I detest thoroughly is Brooks's tendency to constantly refer to characters by their geographical origin/race/occupation/etc. It's one thing when others in the rag-tag bunch of misfits, who may not know Par and Coll very well, refer to them both as 'Valemen'. But when the author himself keeps doing it constantly - even in scenes where no other characters are present - it gets extremely irritating. Ditto with his tendency to refer to Morgan as 'The Highlander' or Walker Boh as 'Dark Uncle' and so on.
Speaking of Walker Boh - after rereading 'Scions of Shannara', I realized why I had quit the sequel 'Druid of Shannara' halfway: because of how extremely annoying Boh is (he's the main character in the latter). His angst is too ridiculous for words, especially because the 'dark past' he is supposed to have seems to amount to nothing more than 'They don't like me because I'm DIFFERENT!' Most of the time, he seems like a whiny teenager rather than an adult haunted by a grim past. A little more fleshing out of his background would have done wonders for the character. It might also have explained how he is directly descended from Brin Ohmsford (of Wishsong of Shannara fame), while Par and Coll are not, even though he's their uncle by blood.
I could nitpick this book to death, but I'll stop now, because the bottomline is that despite the many flaws in this book, it remains mostly entertaining and a good ‘airplane read' (or in my case, a 'train read' for my daily commute). It's the kind of book in which if you think too hard about anything, it all falls apart. But if you let yourself get lost in the story, it can be quite enjoyable - so much so, that I feel motivated enough to read the second book again, Walker Boh be damned!
The basic story - though a fairly straightforward fantasy quest - is decent enough. Three of the Shannara descendants - Par Ohmsford, Walker Boh and Wren Ohmsford - are summoned by the shade of the Druid Allanon to carry out certain tasks. This table setting takes up half the book, since the stories of each of these three are spread out over the sequels. A little condensation would have helped the pacing considerably, especially the later parts of this book, which mostly follows Par's quest to retrieve the long-lost sword of Shannara. The number of scenes in which Par and his brother Coll hide out in dark sheds while waiting for an opportunity to go after the sword are extremely numerous and extremely boring, especially Par's indecision and second guessing over everything he does. The few scenes of action that punctuate these hideout scenes are pretty good, though.
One thing I detest thoroughly is Brooks's tendency to constantly refer to characters by their geographical origin/race/occupation/etc. It's one thing when others in the rag-tag bunch of misfits, who may not know Par and Coll very well, refer to them both as 'Valemen'. But when the author himself keeps doing it constantly - even in scenes where no other characters are present - it gets extremely irritating. Ditto with his tendency to refer to Morgan as 'The Highlander' or Walker Boh as 'Dark Uncle' and so on.
Speaking of Walker Boh - after rereading 'Scions of Shannara', I realized why I had quit the sequel 'Druid of Shannara' halfway: because of how extremely annoying Boh is (he's the main character in the latter). His angst is too ridiculous for words, especially because the 'dark past' he is supposed to have seems to amount to nothing more than 'They don't like me because I'm DIFFERENT!' Most of the time, he seems like a whiny teenager rather than an adult haunted by a grim past. A little more fleshing out of his background would have done wonders for the character. It might also have explained how he is directly descended from Brin Ohmsford (of Wishsong of Shannara fame), while Par and Coll are not, even though he's their uncle by blood.
I could nitpick this book to death, but I'll stop now, because the bottomline is that despite the many flaws in this book, it remains mostly entertaining and a good ‘airplane read' (or in my case, a 'train read' for my daily commute). It's the kind of book in which if you think too hard about anything, it all falls apart. But if you let yourself get lost in the story, it can be quite enjoyable - so much so, that I feel motivated enough to read the second book again, Walker Boh be damned!
November 13, 2018
4 meno meno/5
August 13, 2012
Dull and unimaginative. Gave up after about 70 pages when I lost the will to read any more.
March 21, 2016
Gli eredi di Shannara, in originale "The Scions of Shannara" è il primo libro della tetralogia de Gli Eredi di Shannara di Terry Brooks, ambientata trecento anni dopo gli eventi narrati nella trilogia di Shannara. Il romanzo, come i successivi, segue le vicende degli Eredi di Shannara: i fratelli Par e Coll Ohmsford, Walker Boh e Wren Ohmsford.
Gli Eredi di Shannara è il primo libro della tetralogia dell'eredità di Shannara, tetralogia che presenta una sostanziale differenza rispetto alla precedente trilogia. In quel caso la trilogia era composta da romanzi che sebbene legati dalla presenza di diverse generazioni di personaggi erano comunque leggibili in modo indipendente perdendo soltanto alcuni riferimenti ai fatti narrati in episodi precedenti. In questo caso (così come nelle successive trilogie shannariane) i libri che compongono la tetralogia sono parti di una stessa storia, con i medesimi personaggi e con l'evoluzione delle diverse linee di sviluppo della trama. È quindi essenziale che il lettore segua il corretto ordine di lettura.
La trama del romanzo in sintesi: sono passati trecento anni dalle avventure di Brin e Jair Ohmsford. La Federazione del Sud ha conquistato la Frontiera e l'Est, mentre gli Elfi sono scomparsi dalle Terre dell'Ovest. Nessuno si oppone più al governo oppressivo della Federazione e tutti temono i suoi pericolosi Cercatori, che cercano i possessori della magia, ormai bandita, per imprigionarli. I fratelli Par e Coll Ohmsford viaggiano per le città della Frontiera e raccontano nelle taverne le storie, ormai leggendarie del Druido Allanon e dei loro antenati grazie alla canzone magica, ereditata da Jair Ohmsford. Mentre Coll le narra Par ne evoca le immagini nelle menti degli avventori. Ma questo è contro le leggi della Federazione che vieta la magia, bandita quale causa dei problemi delle Quattro terre. Rimmer Dall, il Primo Cercatore della Federazione, cerca di arrestare Par e Coll alla taverna Blue Wiskhes, dove lavoravano per conto del padrone della locanda. I due fratelli vengono salvati da un uomo misterioso, che gli chiede di unirsi al Movimento, una organizzazione che lotta contro la Federazione. In seguito al rifiuto dei fratelli, l'uomo dona loro un anello con l'insegna del falco e gli dice che in caso avessero bisogno di aiuto o avessero cambiato idea, avrebbero dovuto presentarsi ad una fucina ai margini della città e chiedere dell'arciere. I fratelli fuggono a Leah, l'antico regno delle montagne ormai protettorato della Federazione, dove sono aiutati da Morgan Leah, loro vecchio amico, sempre pronto a mettere i bastoni tra le ruote di Federazione e Cercatori. Durante il tragitto vengono ostacolati da una scarpestrata donna nel Duln. Essa è un Ombrato, una creatura malvagia che cerca di impossessarsi della magia di Par. Mentre sta per dare il colpo di grazia ai giovani della Valle, giunge un vecchio che dice di essere Cogline e mette in fuga l'Ombrato. Egli informa Par che l'ombra di Allanon lo attende al Perno dell'Ade e come lui attende gli altri eredi del retaggio di Shannara: lo Zio Oscuro Walker Boh e sua cugina Wren. Sebbene riluttanti tutti gli eredi si trovano al cospetto dell'ombra del mitico Druido Allanon che assegna loro tre compiti impossibili per sconfiggere la minaccia che incombe sulle Quattro Terre e rischia di distruggere la magia. Par dovrà trovare la Spada di Shannara, Walker Boh dovrà riportare alle Quattro Terre la scomparsa Paranor e Wren dovrà ritrovare gli Elfi. Solo Par si impegna a svolgere il proprio compito, mentre Walker giura che non compirà mai il suo compito e Wren si dimostra riluttante ad impegnarsi in una ricerca impossibile. Ma il loro destino è stato scritto secoli prima e non potranno sottrarvisi così facilmente.
Il libro è abbastanza noioso, infarcito di personaggi anonimi che non hanno nulla a che vedere con la gloria dei loro predecessori. Un miscuglio di intrighi politici, complottismo e stregoneria che non convince per nulla. Le descrizioni e le analisi interiori rendono la narrazione lenta con un ritmo molto altalenante e si procede a fatica; personalmente ne ho un po' le tasche piene dei soliti stereotipi piuttosto triti: il viaggio, la ricerca, creature buone contro le cattive, il prescelto, il mago/stregone, etc...
A differenza della prima trilogia, peraltro, la storia narrata in questo romanzo non è affatto auto-conclusiva. E devo ammettere che mi fermerò qui nella lettura della saga: non sono affatto di essere curioso di sapere cosa succeda dopo; meglio conservare un buon ricordo della prima trilogia che infangare anche quello ostinandomi a leggere una storia che so già che non mi piacerà.
Gli Eredi di Shannara è il primo libro della tetralogia dell'eredità di Shannara, tetralogia che presenta una sostanziale differenza rispetto alla precedente trilogia. In quel caso la trilogia era composta da romanzi che sebbene legati dalla presenza di diverse generazioni di personaggi erano comunque leggibili in modo indipendente perdendo soltanto alcuni riferimenti ai fatti narrati in episodi precedenti. In questo caso (così come nelle successive trilogie shannariane) i libri che compongono la tetralogia sono parti di una stessa storia, con i medesimi personaggi e con l'evoluzione delle diverse linee di sviluppo della trama. È quindi essenziale che il lettore segua il corretto ordine di lettura.
La trama del romanzo in sintesi: sono passati trecento anni dalle avventure di Brin e Jair Ohmsford. La Federazione del Sud ha conquistato la Frontiera e l'Est, mentre gli Elfi sono scomparsi dalle Terre dell'Ovest. Nessuno si oppone più al governo oppressivo della Federazione e tutti temono i suoi pericolosi Cercatori, che cercano i possessori della magia, ormai bandita, per imprigionarli. I fratelli Par e Coll Ohmsford viaggiano per le città della Frontiera e raccontano nelle taverne le storie, ormai leggendarie del Druido Allanon e dei loro antenati grazie alla canzone magica, ereditata da Jair Ohmsford. Mentre Coll le narra Par ne evoca le immagini nelle menti degli avventori. Ma questo è contro le leggi della Federazione che vieta la magia, bandita quale causa dei problemi delle Quattro terre. Rimmer Dall, il Primo Cercatore della Federazione, cerca di arrestare Par e Coll alla taverna Blue Wiskhes, dove lavoravano per conto del padrone della locanda. I due fratelli vengono salvati da un uomo misterioso, che gli chiede di unirsi al Movimento, una organizzazione che lotta contro la Federazione. In seguito al rifiuto dei fratelli, l'uomo dona loro un anello con l'insegna del falco e gli dice che in caso avessero bisogno di aiuto o avessero cambiato idea, avrebbero dovuto presentarsi ad una fucina ai margini della città e chiedere dell'arciere. I fratelli fuggono a Leah, l'antico regno delle montagne ormai protettorato della Federazione, dove sono aiutati da Morgan Leah, loro vecchio amico, sempre pronto a mettere i bastoni tra le ruote di Federazione e Cercatori. Durante il tragitto vengono ostacolati da una scarpestrata donna nel Duln. Essa è un Ombrato, una creatura malvagia che cerca di impossessarsi della magia di Par. Mentre sta per dare il colpo di grazia ai giovani della Valle, giunge un vecchio che dice di essere Cogline e mette in fuga l'Ombrato. Egli informa Par che l'ombra di Allanon lo attende al Perno dell'Ade e come lui attende gli altri eredi del retaggio di Shannara: lo Zio Oscuro Walker Boh e sua cugina Wren. Sebbene riluttanti tutti gli eredi si trovano al cospetto dell'ombra del mitico Druido Allanon che assegna loro tre compiti impossibili per sconfiggere la minaccia che incombe sulle Quattro Terre e rischia di distruggere la magia. Par dovrà trovare la Spada di Shannara, Walker Boh dovrà riportare alle Quattro Terre la scomparsa Paranor e Wren dovrà ritrovare gli Elfi. Solo Par si impegna a svolgere il proprio compito, mentre Walker giura che non compirà mai il suo compito e Wren si dimostra riluttante ad impegnarsi in una ricerca impossibile. Ma il loro destino è stato scritto secoli prima e non potranno sottrarvisi così facilmente.
Il libro è abbastanza noioso, infarcito di personaggi anonimi che non hanno nulla a che vedere con la gloria dei loro predecessori. Un miscuglio di intrighi politici, complottismo e stregoneria che non convince per nulla. Le descrizioni e le analisi interiori rendono la narrazione lenta con un ritmo molto altalenante e si procede a fatica; personalmente ne ho un po' le tasche piene dei soliti stereotipi piuttosto triti: il viaggio, la ricerca, creature buone contro le cattive, il prescelto, il mago/stregone, etc...
A differenza della prima trilogia, peraltro, la storia narrata in questo romanzo non è affatto auto-conclusiva. E devo ammettere che mi fermerò qui nella lettura della saga: non sono affatto di essere curioso di sapere cosa succeda dopo; meglio conservare un buon ricordo della prima trilogia che infangare anche quello ostinandomi a leggere una storia che so già che non mi piacerà.
May 21, 2017
Puoi trovare questa recensione anche sul mio blog, La siepe di more
Visto che ho passato un bel po’ di tempo senza computer e con una serie di malanni tipici della stagione autunnale e/o invernale, ho pensato bene di iniziare a leggere la mia seconda saga di Terry Brooks. Così, giusto per farmi ulteriormente del male…
Ora, per chi fosse nuov* di questi lidi, sappiate che mi sono comprata ben tre saghe di Terry Brooks, senza aver letto nemmeno uno dei suoi romanzi, basandomi semplicemente sul fatto che era uno dei grandi autori del genere fantasy. Anni fa lessi la prima trilogia e non mi mi piacque: così mi sono ritrovata con tre saghe scritte da un autore capace di annoiarmi a morte… e, come se non bastasse, ho deciso di leggerle tutte comunque per auto-flagellarmi e veder di imparare a non comprare più libri ad minchiam (so che le vostre sopracciglia sono schizzate all’attaccatura dei capelli, ma cercate di collaborare, okay?).
Quindi, cosa ne penso de Gli eredi di Shannara? Penso che Terry Brooks potrebbe risultare avvincente soltanto al di sotto dei diciotto anni (e anche in questo caso, non ne sono poi così certa). Per tutti gli altri, il rischio è trovare più interessante prendere a capate il muro piuttosto che continuare la lettura di quest’agonia.
Ma procediamo con ordine. Gli eredi di Shannara è ambientato trecento anni dopo la prima trilogia e Brooks ha pensato che fosse una cosa simpatica riproporre i discendenti di tutti i vecchi personaggi. Sì, tutto molto bello, peccato che hanno praticamente anche lo stesso carattere e le stesse seghe mentali (che non mi risulta si tramandino tramite DNA con una tale precisione). Ritrovare tutte le corrispondenze con la trilogia originaria va oltre le mie forze (e la mia voglia di dedicare troppo tempo a Brooks), ma ci sono. Purtroppo, ci sono.
L’altro punto dolente sono proprio le seghe mentali. Possibile che Brooks sia così incapace di far evolvere i suoi personaggi dal punto A al punto B? Possibile che io debba sopportare gli stessi dilemmi, le stesse paure, le stesse insicurezze per quasi cinquecento pagine (e oltre, visto che si trascinano pure da un romanzo all’altro)? Possibile che Brooks, con cotanta prolissità, pretenda di rendere i suoi personaggi poliedrici e profondi? Spero di no, perché così puoi solo sfracassare ovaie e maroni – e con una discreta dose di recidività.
Visto che ho passato un bel po’ di tempo senza computer e con una serie di malanni tipici della stagione autunnale e/o invernale, ho pensato bene di iniziare a leggere la mia seconda saga di Terry Brooks. Così, giusto per farmi ulteriormente del male…
Ora, per chi fosse nuov* di questi lidi, sappiate che mi sono comprata ben tre saghe di Terry Brooks, senza aver letto nemmeno uno dei suoi romanzi, basandomi semplicemente sul fatto che era uno dei grandi autori del genere fantasy. Anni fa lessi la prima trilogia e non mi mi piacque: così mi sono ritrovata con tre saghe scritte da un autore capace di annoiarmi a morte… e, come se non bastasse, ho deciso di leggerle tutte comunque per auto-flagellarmi e veder di imparare a non comprare più libri ad minchiam (so che le vostre sopracciglia sono schizzate all’attaccatura dei capelli, ma cercate di collaborare, okay?).
Quindi, cosa ne penso de Gli eredi di Shannara? Penso che Terry Brooks potrebbe risultare avvincente soltanto al di sotto dei diciotto anni (e anche in questo caso, non ne sono poi così certa). Per tutti gli altri, il rischio è trovare più interessante prendere a capate il muro piuttosto che continuare la lettura di quest’agonia.
Ma procediamo con ordine. Gli eredi di Shannara è ambientato trecento anni dopo la prima trilogia e Brooks ha pensato che fosse una cosa simpatica riproporre i discendenti di tutti i vecchi personaggi. Sì, tutto molto bello, peccato che hanno praticamente anche lo stesso carattere e le stesse seghe mentali (che non mi risulta si tramandino tramite DNA con una tale precisione). Ritrovare tutte le corrispondenze con la trilogia originaria va oltre le mie forze (e la mia voglia di dedicare troppo tempo a Brooks), ma ci sono. Purtroppo, ci sono.
L’altro punto dolente sono proprio le seghe mentali. Possibile che Brooks sia così incapace di far evolvere i suoi personaggi dal punto A al punto B? Possibile che io debba sopportare gli stessi dilemmi, le stesse paure, le stesse insicurezze per quasi cinquecento pagine (e oltre, visto che si trascinano pure da un romanzo all’altro)? Possibile che Brooks, con cotanta prolissità, pretenda di rendere i suoi personaggi poliedrici e profondi? Spero di no, perché così puoi solo sfracassare ovaie e maroni – e con una discreta dose di recidività.
September 6, 2013
This is the first book in the second series of Shannara books. 300 years have passed since Brin destroyed the Ildatch, but the Four Lands are in turmoil. The Federation have begun to take over, enslaving the dwarves, fighting the trolls and banning magic. The elves have disappeared and dark Shadowen take over the bodies of the people they destroy. The shade of Allanon sends dreams to the three Ohmsford chidlren. Par has the power of the wishsong and is ordered to seek out the legendary Sword of Shannars. Walker Boh has to restore Paranor and the Druids, while Wren Ohmsford has to bring back the Elves. Each is reluctant to do so, but each is drawn to their quest.
The main story follows Par, although occassionally shoots off to the other stories. Par and his brother, plus Morgan Leah, meet up with the outlaw, Padishar Creel, who thinks he knows where the Sword is hidden. But when they attempt to take it, they discover that the Federation has been hiding something nasty. And Par has to face the worst kind off truth.
Another fantastic book in the series. Action-packed, fast-paced, you just keep on reading from cover to cover...and want to reach for the next without taking a breath. Some of the themes have been done to death in the previous books and the identity of the traitor in their midst is a bit obvious, but you can overlook the minor faults in the rest of the brilliance! Definitely one of my favourite fantasy epics.
The main story follows Par, although occassionally shoots off to the other stories. Par and his brother, plus Morgan Leah, meet up with the outlaw, Padishar Creel, who thinks he knows where the Sword is hidden. But when they attempt to take it, they discover that the Federation has been hiding something nasty. And Par has to face the worst kind off truth.
Another fantastic book in the series. Action-packed, fast-paced, you just keep on reading from cover to cover...and want to reach for the next without taking a breath. Some of the themes have been done to death in the previous books and the identity of the traitor in their midst is a bit obvious, but you can overlook the minor faults in the rest of the brilliance! Definitely one of my favourite fantasy epics.
December 2, 2019
I read this in hardcover the week it was released in 1990 and this was my first re-read.
The first Shannara trilogy were each stand alone stories and this one was the first series where the "story" spanned multiple volumes (in this case four books) so this was definitely a different feel from Brooks earlier works.
Gotta tell you - I really liked this book, liked it the first time I read it and liked it this time.
It had great characters that evolved and developed as the story moved. It had great plotting - tight, fast moving with well developed cliff hangers. I cared about the characters and was invested in the story.
We have the shade of Allanon coming back with a few demands....
Par must find the Sword of Shannara
Wren must find and bring back the elves
Walker Boh must bring back Paranor and the Druids
Or else the Shadowen win and the world as we know it is destroyed
Good stuff - looking forward to continuing my re-read of this series.
The first Shannara trilogy were each stand alone stories and this one was the first series where the "story" spanned multiple volumes (in this case four books) so this was definitely a different feel from Brooks earlier works.
Gotta tell you - I really liked this book, liked it the first time I read it and liked it this time.
It had great characters that evolved and developed as the story moved. It had great plotting - tight, fast moving with well developed cliff hangers. I cared about the characters and was invested in the story.
We have the shade of Allanon coming back with a few demands....
Par must find the Sword of Shannara
Wren must find and bring back the elves
Walker Boh must bring back Paranor and the Druids
Or else the Shadowen win and the world as we know it is destroyed
Good stuff - looking forward to continuing my re-read of this series.
July 24, 2012
This is the book that started it all for me, the one that got me reading, that got me into fantasy, and introduced me to a lifelong fansession with Terry Brooks. And although I've read and enjoy Sword of Shannara more, this was the one that started it all for me. If Mr. Brooks ever happens upon this review, thank you for a life made more fantastic through your stories.
June 23, 2022
5 sterren - Nederlandse hardcover
Re-read. Snel naar deel twee van de nazaten van Shannara
Re-read. Snel naar deel twee van de nazaten van Shannara
November 22, 2022
Negdje sam se uspit zaljubila u Shannaru i cijeli taj svijet. I nije mi zao
April 27, 2020
Star Rating: 5 stars
Note: This is the 1st book in the Heritage of Shannara series but the 4th book in the overarching Shannara series so this will not be an in-depth review.
To keep up my steady progress of reading all the Shannara books by Terry Brooks in the proper order,decided to pick up The Scions of Shannara, which is book 1 of the Heritage of Shannara series but book 4 in the overarching Shannara saga. This book is set about 300 years after the events of book 3, The WishSong of Shannara take place, and the world of the Four Lands has need of the Ohmsford family again. A totalitarian system call the Federation is slowly spreading their control across the Four Lands. Magic has been outlawed, the Elves have disappeared, the Dwarves are being used as slaves, and the Trolls have retreated deep into the Northland to avoid persecution. If all that wasn’t bad enough, a new dark evil has taken root in the land in the form of Shadowen. Can the Ohmsfords, along with their friends from some other well-known families- the Leahs and the Creels for instance- stop the dark progression of the Four Lands and keep it from reverting back to the habits that caused their near-total annihilation in the distant past. (If you read book 1, The Sword of Shannara, then you will understand where this allusion comes from.)
My favorite part of this book is the characters as on one hand they are the traditional archetypes that we see in a lot of classic, epic fantasy, which makes them familiar, but they are also unique in their own ways. Brooks loves to create vast casts of characters and pit them against each other to create juxtaposition and growth/developments. One of his favorite relationships to explore is the sibling relationship as all of his books so far have at least one set of siblings in them. If characters that adhere to classic motifs but still allow for unique growth is your thing, then this book is for you.
Speaking of motifs, this book/series is full of them as we explore what talismans, heritage, and power mean to people, societies, and the world as a whole. This book/series digs deep into the concept of how heritage can affect a society, especially when it is taken away and how the talismans that represent that heritage can become beacons of hope and empower a people to stand up and fight back against the ones that would destroy that heritage. I can’t wait to see how Brooks develops this idea in the other books within this quartet and across this epic series as a whole.
All in all, this is my all-time favorite series by my all-time favorite author, and I know it won’t be everybody’s cup of tea, but it is definitely mine! 5 stars as always!!!!!
Note: This is the 1st book in the Heritage of Shannara series but the 4th book in the overarching Shannara series so this will not be an in-depth review.
To keep up my steady progress of reading all the Shannara books by Terry Brooks in the proper order,decided to pick up The Scions of Shannara, which is book 1 of the Heritage of Shannara series but book 4 in the overarching Shannara saga. This book is set about 300 years after the events of book 3, The WishSong of Shannara take place, and the world of the Four Lands has need of the Ohmsford family again. A totalitarian system call the Federation is slowly spreading their control across the Four Lands. Magic has been outlawed, the Elves have disappeared, the Dwarves are being used as slaves, and the Trolls have retreated deep into the Northland to avoid persecution. If all that wasn’t bad enough, a new dark evil has taken root in the land in the form of Shadowen. Can the Ohmsfords, along with their friends from some other well-known families- the Leahs and the Creels for instance- stop the dark progression of the Four Lands and keep it from reverting back to the habits that caused their near-total annihilation in the distant past. (If you read book 1, The Sword of Shannara, then you will understand where this allusion comes from.)
My favorite part of this book is the characters as on one hand they are the traditional archetypes that we see in a lot of classic, epic fantasy, which makes them familiar, but they are also unique in their own ways. Brooks loves to create vast casts of characters and pit them against each other to create juxtaposition and growth/developments. One of his favorite relationships to explore is the sibling relationship as all of his books so far have at least one set of siblings in them. If characters that adhere to classic motifs but still allow for unique growth is your thing, then this book is for you.
Speaking of motifs, this book/series is full of them as we explore what talismans, heritage, and power mean to people, societies, and the world as a whole. This book/series digs deep into the concept of how heritage can affect a society, especially when it is taken away and how the talismans that represent that heritage can become beacons of hope and empower a people to stand up and fight back against the ones that would destroy that heritage. I can’t wait to see how Brooks develops this idea in the other books within this quartet and across this epic series as a whole.
All in all, this is my all-time favorite series by my all-time favorite author, and I know it won’t be everybody’s cup of tea, but it is definitely mine! 5 stars as always!!!!!
March 14, 2020
Oof, I accidentally deleted my original review from 2016. Well done, Goodreads app! Remind me to log on the computer next time, haha.
Thanks to the virus lock down I have all this extra time to read - I can say I am a bit excited about this, haha.
Loved this installment, and some parts still surprised me, even though this is a reread. This is again a Terry Brooks story, so there are many parallels with the other books. Think of the storyline and the characters, there is a set pattern in these books. I'm not really annoyed by it, but I can imagine some people are. I love that this story spans multiple books, the first books were really one story a book. So ofcourse I started the sequel right away!
I loved the conflicting character of Walker Boh, and precious Coll Ohmsford. He deserves better! Really loved the Steff and Teel storyline and their closure in this book. Sad, but a great twist.
Thanks to the virus lock down I have all this extra time to read - I can say I am a bit excited about this, haha.
Loved this installment, and some parts still surprised me, even though this is a reread. This is again a Terry Brooks story, so there are many parallels with the other books. Think of the storyline and the characters, there is a set pattern in these books. I'm not really annoyed by it, but I can imagine some people are. I love that this story spans multiple books, the first books were really one story a book. So ofcourse I started the sequel right away!
I loved the conflicting character of Walker Boh, and precious Coll Ohmsford. He deserves better! Really loved the Steff and Teel storyline and their closure in this book. Sad, but a great twist.
October 13, 2016
This book was good, although I did not care for it as much as I cared for any of the three installments of the first Shannara series. This novel was clearly meant to be read with with other two books in the series, and was notably less of a standalone novel than any of the earlier books. It was, however, a great first part. The plot was slow to build, but did so steadily. The resolution was swift. Yet, even in resolution it had the distinct feel of a ledge, not the end of the story. Definite cliffhangers for and ending. Looking forward to the next installment.
July 30, 2016
I don't remember how many times I've read this book, it's quite a few, but the last time was probably over 10 years ago. Picking it up and reading it again was like meeting up with a friend I've not seen in years but we talk as it it was last week. All the classic parts of a great fantasy novel and a great read, I'll be reading book two later today.
October 14, 2015
The whole of this book annoyed me, because in a sense this is just an introduction to the next book. An annoyingly long introduction. It was kind of a same emotion when reading Harry Potter books, where you discover that the first four-five books have been just a wait for the Real Plot to surface. I think I would have been fine just to read the couple of last chapters and be done with it.
October 12, 2016
This was an awesome story, written as well as any other Terry Brooks book I've read. The characters are deep and interesting and the battle between good and evil is shown to be much more complex than just the good guys versus the bad guys. I highly recommend this book to anyone who appreciates a well-written, rich, and complex fantasy.
March 12, 2012
This is the first book in the 'Heritage' series of Shannara and I absolutely LOVED it! This series just keeps getting better and better!
April 23, 2013
Exciting and enthralling. It kept me turning pages the entire time. The first two chapters were a little slow, but the rest of it was good. I would highly recommend this book to others!
February 27, 2023
Whenever I feel like reading heroic fantasy, I think of Shannara. Granted, my experience with the series is, so far, rather limited, having read only "Elfstones" and "Wishsong", but I have fallen in love with this world and I am determined to love the individual books, too. Which is maybe a roundabout way of saying there are things I love about Shannara, but also things I don't, perfectly exemplified in my fove for "Elfstones" and my hate for "Wishsong". I heard a lot that Heritage is supposedly the best series within the Shannara world, but after "Wishsong" I didn't get my hopes up. Turns out, I was right, but only in a way.
First things first, I love heroic fantasy for the adventure. A party of characters go out on a quest to save the world and there is something pure and innocent about it. No political intrigue, stabbing in the back, grim and dark reality, none of that. It's just so refreshing in today's post "Song of Fire and Ice" world. "Scions" has that pure adventure feel in spades and I love it for that. I might not be convinced that a setting so changed as compared to the previous books is one I like particularly much, but it didn't bother me either. And I have commend Terry Brooks in his attempt to change his formula, if only a little bit. So, I liked that. Very, very much.
What I didn't like, though, was the main character, Par. Not all characters, just Par, who is such a sefl-absorbed hero wannabe that it made me want to tear my hair out. Everything has to be about him. He's the one who has to do things. Not other characters, very often more capable than him - no, him. Everything has to revolve around him. If it weren't for the other members of the cast - Walker Boh, Morgan and Wren, in particular - I wouldn't have been able to take it. Please someone tell me he gets better in the rest of this series, because I want to cry just thinking about going through his chapters again. I'm really happy to know that the two following books feature different protagonists (or at least I hope they do), because their stories are the ones I'm interested in.
But in all fairness, despite that one huge flaw, I certainly like "Scions" much better than I did "Wishsong", and it makes me hopeful for any future reads of the series. I really want to read the entirety of Shannara, because there just is something about this world that makes me feel the "heroic" and the "fantasy" in its fullness.
First things first, I love heroic fantasy for the adventure. A party of characters go out on a quest to save the world and there is something pure and innocent about it. No political intrigue, stabbing in the back, grim and dark reality, none of that. It's just so refreshing in today's post "Song of Fire and Ice" world. "Scions" has that pure adventure feel in spades and I love it for that. I might not be convinced that a setting so changed as compared to the previous books is one I like particularly much, but it didn't bother me either. And I have commend Terry Brooks in his attempt to change his formula, if only a little bit. So, I liked that. Very, very much.
What I didn't like, though, was the main character, Par. Not all characters, just Par, who is such a sefl-absorbed hero wannabe that it made me want to tear my hair out. Everything has to be about him. He's the one who has to do things. Not other characters, very often more capable than him - no, him. Everything has to revolve around him. If it weren't for the other members of the cast - Walker Boh, Morgan and Wren, in particular - I wouldn't have been able to take it. Please someone tell me he gets better in the rest of this series, because I want to cry just thinking about going through his chapters again. I'm really happy to know that the two following books feature different protagonists (or at least I hope they do), because their stories are the ones I'm interested in.
But in all fairness, despite that one huge flaw, I certainly like "Scions" much better than I did "Wishsong", and it makes me hopeful for any future reads of the series. I really want to read the entirety of Shannara, because there just is something about this world that makes me feel the "heroic" and the "fantasy" in its fullness.
June 7, 2022
5 sterren - English hardcover
The power of the elf stones is still kicking. This time, generations later, it has bestowed the gifts of elf magic on the Shannara descendants. And of course they are once again called on by Allanon (I thought he was long gone) to help save the world from dark magic. This time, they aren't all so eager to jump into the quest.
I love that they have doubts and worry if they are doing the right thing. While they split into three main groups and we only truly see the details of Par and his brother's search for the mythical Sword of Shannara. It was quite an adventure and Terry Brooks has really grown as a write between the original Shannara series and this one. Things are a little less predictable and there are some truly exciting scenes that will have you on the edge of your seat.
But Par's story isn't quite over, the world is not saved by the end of the book. It will continue to be at risk until all three groups have completed their quests (the next two books I'm assuming). I am really looking forward to them.
The power of the elf stones is still kicking. This time, generations later, it has bestowed the gifts of elf magic on the Shannara descendants. And of course they are once again called on by Allanon (I thought he was long gone) to help save the world from dark magic. This time, they aren't all so eager to jump into the quest.
I love that they have doubts and worry if they are doing the right thing. While they split into three main groups and we only truly see the details of Par and his brother's search for the mythical Sword of Shannara. It was quite an adventure and Terry Brooks has really grown as a write between the original Shannara series and this one. Things are a little less predictable and there are some truly exciting scenes that will have you on the edge of your seat.
But Par's story isn't quite over, the world is not saved by the end of the book. It will continue to be at risk until all three groups have completed their quests (the next two books I'm assuming). I am really looking forward to them.
July 10, 2016
#14/29 in my Epic Shannara Quest.
Three-hundred years after his death, the druid Allanon is at it again, calling upon the descendants of the Elven house of Shannara to stamp out evil threatening the Four Lands. This time he has three of them to contend with, each with their own personalities and egos.
?"...There is a history that needs repeating. There are adventures to be shared and battles to be won. This is what Fate has decreed for you and me!"
This is the problem with the beginning of this new series. Brooks is repeating himself, conveniently giving himself a main protagonist who is a bard of sorts and keeps his family's heritage alive by telling stories of the events of the original Shannara trilogy, amplified by the wishsong (he is constantly recalling information from his stories for the benefit of newcomers to the world of Shannara). The reader also crosses paths with Padishar Creel, the great, great. great--ad naseum--grandson of Pannamon Creel from The Sword of Shannara.
But repetition aside, Brooks' story here is strong and once he gets to the city of Tyrsis, and we get to see how the city has changed over the last 400 years, The Scions of Shannara becomes it's own creature. Full of colorful characters and sequences that are wonderfully imaginative and exciting, Brooks is also showing his development as a writer--he is starting to employ an economy of language that gives his story a momentum not found in his previous Shannara works (to this point, only the original trilogy, which were pretty dense linguistically).
Overall, a fine, entertaining read.
Three-hundred years after his death, the druid Allanon is at it again, calling upon the descendants of the Elven house of Shannara to stamp out evil threatening the Four Lands. This time he has three of them to contend with, each with their own personalities and egos.
?"...There is a history that needs repeating. There are adventures to be shared and battles to be won. This is what Fate has decreed for you and me!"
This is the problem with the beginning of this new series. Brooks is repeating himself, conveniently giving himself a main protagonist who is a bard of sorts and keeps his family's heritage alive by telling stories of the events of the original Shannara trilogy, amplified by the wishsong (he is constantly recalling information from his stories for the benefit of newcomers to the world of Shannara). The reader also crosses paths with Padishar Creel, the great, great. great--ad naseum--grandson of Pannamon Creel from The Sword of Shannara.
But repetition aside, Brooks' story here is strong and once he gets to the city of Tyrsis, and we get to see how the city has changed over the last 400 years, The Scions of Shannara becomes it's own creature. Full of colorful characters and sequences that are wonderfully imaginative and exciting, Brooks is also showing his development as a writer--he is starting to employ an economy of language that gives his story a momentum not found in his previous Shannara works (to this point, only the original trilogy, which were pretty dense linguistically).
Overall, a fine, entertaining read.
January 3, 2011
I am a longtime Terry Brooks fan but have primarily focused on his Magic Kingdom and Word and the Void stories. So I haven't yet completed all of the Shannara books and decided it was time to do so. This book is the first I've read since Wishsong. Wishsong wasn't my favorite Brooks book, so I wasn't sure how much I would like this one. I am happy to report that I really enjoyed this story and the characters. It was interesting to see what Brooks had done with the world and the battle sequences were top notch. It felt a little forced in a few places--where characters were sent to locations or into events more because it served the plot than through any organic need, but these problems were minor and, as a whole, the book was superior to both Sword and Wishsong. I recommend it to any Brooks or epic fantasy fan. I am excited to find out what happens next.
November 3, 2020
Terry Brooks books are just so good! They are fast paced when they need to be - it's nice to have a lot of action! But, they also weave a deep story with lots of detail...which makes the 400+ pages just fly by.
This story continues building on the original Sword of Shannara series - bringing back the sword, the elfstones, the wishsong - the story is a similar adventure/quest to find the magical item and defeat the evil/magical demons. Which means lots of worldbuilding and magical action scenes.
The only thing I find slightly offputting about these books is that the main characters tend to whine about their magic more than they need to. Come on guys you have a magical powers - what could be cooler than that!?
Another great perk of this book is that I got it at a used store with the entire series for about $4 for all! You can get it at Amazon right now - https://amzn.to/35Z0Wge
This story continues building on the original Sword of Shannara series - bringing back the sword, the elfstones, the wishsong - the story is a similar adventure/quest to find the magical item and defeat the evil/magical demons. Which means lots of worldbuilding and magical action scenes.
The only thing I find slightly offputting about these books is that the main characters tend to whine about their magic more than they need to. Come on guys you have a magical powers - what could be cooler than that!?
Another great perk of this book is that I got it at a used store with the entire series for about $4 for all! You can get it at Amazon right now - https://amzn.to/35Z0Wge
May 25, 2016
This was good story, but it got off to a slow start. As the first book in the trilogy it makes sense that it wasn't all resolved, so I'm interested in finishing the trilogy to find out how the characters finish their quests.
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