Rating: 
Summary: A pleasing novel, but not for older readers
Review: I read this book at a quite young age, and couldn't put it down. In that, it was brilliant, but anyone in their twenties really has no business reading this stuff to begin with. It's of course not the Lord of the Rings, rather an imitation, but a pretty good and entertaining one. I read a few of the sequels, and understand there are now too many to count, which is rather a shame. But this one is a thrilling read and loaded with enought imagination and adventure to set it apart from its peers.
Rating: 
Summary: Good read... a little slow at times though...
Review: I picked up "Sword" after I had read "First King"... I never really even thought about reading Brooks before he was recommended by a friend. Of course, to my dismay, when I went to the bookstore I saw row upon row of the Shannara series. So I picked up "First King" (seeing Prelude on the cover) and went at it. Admittingly, when doing this I was more tuned into the 'feel' of Shannara, and I could easily point out a few discrepencies between the two novels, but hey no author's perfect. As far as the whole theme I read of others' reviews comparing this to Tolkien's work... any/ and just about every fantasy will dim when compared to Tolkien... Shea and the rest of the "cast" are indeed your typical fantasy heroes and villains... segregated into thier 'classes', nothing too special there. Ahh, but the sword... now that power was something I wouldn't have expected. The battles are engaging, the journey itself (and all the side roads) are well thought out and descriptive... easily "a close your eyes and you can see the world as Brooks lays it out before you." The only slow part is the length of the journey, though... but if you continue with the series you'll note that that too is shortened but still descriptive. If you like a good epic, ignore the comparisons, open your mind and enjoy.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing Second Reading
Review: I distinctly remember enjoying this book when I read it quite some years ago, so I approached it expecting the pleasure of rediscovering an old favorite. In this I was sadly disappointed. Having reread the Lord of the Rings within the past year, I was amazed at how pale The Sword of Shannara appears beside Tolkien's monumental classic. The parallels are almost too numerous to name, ranging from Gandalf/Allanon to Sauron/Warlock Lord, to Boromir/Balinor, to Frodo & Sam/Shea & Flick. Unfortunately, even standing alone, this book would rank fairly low on my list of favorites.Having grown up on the English of Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and others, The Sword of Shannara's stilted prose constantly distracted me from the storyline. Every so often, I had to pause and reread a paragraph to assure myself that the phrasing was in fact as I had read it. It has been said that Brooks states instead of shows in his writing, and this sums it up nicely. Instead of allowing one to surmise what is running through a character's mind, Brooks specifically tells one, whether it shoehorns well with the surrounding story or not. Another flaw is the fact that Brooks attempts to get within too many characters' heads at once. We are told what one individual is thinking in one paragraph, then the next we are yanked to the next mind. Characterizations are fairly stereotypical, but likeable, however the death of a major character was sad but somehow unaffecting. On the bright side, the story, while hardly original, is at least somewhat enjoyable. A few small twists in the plot serve to lighten the chore of reading. The background of the world in which the novel is set is inventive, and even believable. The standard fantasy races will be a familiar backdrop to the veteran fantasy/sci-fi reader. In all, this was a disappointing revisitation to Brooks' novel. I am willing, however, to continue through the series which I enjoyed in my younger years, as I recall some far clearer characterizations and faster-paced stories. This novel may be good for the beginning fantasy reader, as it is fairly well paced, and hardly a stretch for the imagination. Still, it's unfortunate resemblance to the Lord of the Rings cripples it, preventing it from standing alone upon its own merits.
Rating:
Summary: A little too Tolkien to be original
Review: I read this book because my best friend wanted me to. I then read the two following books. Stick with this one because Elfstones and Wishsong are just a rehash of this one. Throughout the book you are constantly confronted with Lord of the Ring rip offs. It is an exciting story, but the lack of originality in it can not be ignored. There is also a decided feeling of trodding through mud. The story could take out one hundred pages, and not lose any of the story. I recommend it for reading, but it is not in the same league as Tolkien, Harry Potter, or Redwall.
Rating: 
Summary: Love it!
Review: I recently read this book, and i fell immediatly in love with it. In case you don't know, this book tells the story of Shea Ohmsford, who is half elf. He lives a peaceful life in a small village until one day he is visited by Allanon, the last of the mysterious Druids, who tells him he is the last remaining heir to the royal Elven line of Shannara. An old foe, the Warlock Lord, has arisen to eungulf the world in evil, and only the legendary Sword of Shannara can stop him, and only an heir to Shannara can wield the sword.That means that Shea must start out on the greatest adventure of his whole life to find the sword and stop the Warlock Lord. All the characters are immediatly memorable and you may find yourself feeling some of what they are feeling, as i did. If you din't read this book, you are missing out on one of the greatest fantasy experiences of a lifetime. Memorable characters, a wonderfully imaginative and adventure-packed plot, and detailed descriptions and narrative make this book worthy of the five stars i gave it.
Rating:
Summary: It'll take your breath away!
Review: Wow, wow, wow! I actually JUST finished reading it and rushed right over to write my review. What an amazing book! My first Terry Brooks novel was the Episode 1 novelization. I was so pleased with the way this adaptation turned out, I made it a point to explore the Shannara novels which I had heard so many wonderful things about. (I started with First King. Big mistake. DO NOT start with that one!) There ARE similarities to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, but I didn't feel it was a rip-off. (Really, if you think about it, there are only so many basic plot lines that can be done, and let's face it, no one is going to be totally original anymore.) Brooks' style and usage of descriptive words pull you right in, making you feel like you're part of the story, rather than being thick, overly descriptive, and hard to get into. I really can't get over Brooks' talent. He is a master story-teller, one of the best modern day novelists I've ever come across. The story takes unexpected twists and turns and should keep ANY reader hooked until the end, despite the over 700 pages. The characters are wonderful, and believable, each one will find a place in your heart in no time, as you see them mature and grow throughout the entire tale. The book isn't without flaws, though. I was unimpressed with the Warlock Lord, especially the end. He failed to impress upon me that 'love-to-hate-bad-guy' feeling that makes any villain great. I felt he and the battle fell a little flat, especially after six hundred and some pages of build-up. Same with the war at Tyrsis. All this build up, and then, bang. It's done. Not major problems, and they really were the only slightly negative side of an otherwise perfect book. I can't recommed this book enough!! Anyone who is looking for a terrific read should get their hands on this book any way you can! It's a page-turner, almost impossible to put down. You'll fly through it, despite the 725 pages. I mean, I finished this in a week, it's that good!! Read it, read it, READ IT! You will not be disappointed!
Rating:
Summary: bored out of my mind!
Review: I read lots of books and enjoy most of them, and even the ones which aren't particularly good I at least have no problem reading all the way through. This one though, it was just not at all engaging to me. The characters display emotions they have no right having given the flatness and colorlessness of the novel overall. And this explanation makes sense to me, sorry if it sounds a bit obscure...
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful writer
Review: I loved the Sword of Shannara and have read it several times. Terry Brooks is a wonderful writer. He is detailed enough that he is able to create clear images without slowing down the story with too many details. The world he creates seems to exist, it has a past and a future, its peoples have faults and attributes, the places are concrete. His characters are real, each one with faults and victories. Beyond his writing style the story is also captivating. The journey over the land, the dangers faced and the people encountered allow for the reader to get swept up in an adventure.
Rating:
Summary: Sword in the Stone
Review: Good Book. I read this before i read The Hoobit so I didn't think that it was a rip-off. Now i kinda do. But maybe not a RIP-OFf. Its more like a more modern remake of the LOTR. And even it is a rip-off, its a rip off of one the the best series ever writen. And its a great rip off. OK, thats the last time i say rip-off. This is like most fantasy books, some country kid goes running off after some magical thing that only they can do. And remember Gandolf? Well now there is a new one...ALLANON. and Allanon could take Gandalf any day! ;) So there's this sword and the sword is the only thing that can kill the main bad-guy and only this one little country kid can use the sword. (familar, it should be) Still a Great Book just the same
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Intro to the Four Lands- 4.5 stars
Review: This book was strongly recommended to me by some friends who found out i enjoyed fantasy books. One friend went so far as to read the first chapter of the book and in which I fell in love with the story and decided to read the rest of it. As soon as began reading I was heavily reminded of the Lord of the Rings, Allanon seemed too much like Gandalf and Shea was likened unto Frodo. And on the similarities go, but of course that is not a bad thing. These similarities are almost unavoidable now, because of Tolkien's almost truly original quest that has no equal. The past behind this book does gives it a more original plot than most fantatical epics, though. Anyway, as I continued reading I became more and more enthralled by the plot and characters, I couldn't put the book down. It was a long book, but the time passed quickly with constant action that was well described and understandable. Flick and Balinor's adventures were extremely enjoyable. It ended well, though, the final confrontation with the Warlock Lord was basically uneventful. If you like Tolkien and don't mind the same basic plot structure than this is definetly a good read. If you do mind, though, it does have enough dissimilarities to keep everyone happy. This is great story with excellent characters, though some flaws are evident, like the lack of female characters. If you are an avid fantasy reader then this book is for you.
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