Rating: 
Summary: Worth a read on a rainy day...
Review: I read this book a few months ago, and I enjoyed it a lot for the most part. It's true that some of the characters aren't very well developed, and some of them you just plain don't care about much at all, and the descriptions can get boring--but for some reason I was still hooked by this story and couldn't put it down. And despite the problems with character development I really liked the heroes, Shea and Flick, and Panamon Creeal was a good character too. I also thought it was clever how the novel was set in the future--makes you think, could this really be the post-nuclear destruction world?But, as I said, I read this book a few months ago...and then I read "The Lord of the Rings". I had heard that "The Sword of Shannara" often borrowed from LOTR, but nothing I could have read would have prepared me for the obvious parallels between the two! I mean, an unlikely hero and his faithful companions (consisting of dwarves, elves, and some valiant men) are plucked up by a mysterious and powerful wanderer, for the purpose of defeating an evil Lord who wants to take over the world...with an ancient talisman no less. Sound familiar at all? And After reading Tolkien, I realized there's just no denying how much better his epic is than this in almost every way. Be that as it may, I enjoyed this book when I read it and I think it does have positive qualities. I mainly recommend this novel to people who haven't read LOTR yet--if I had read it afterwards, I think I would have been constantly comparing the two, and wouldn't have been able to enjoy it. Overrall, "The Sword of Shannara" is not a bad book and certainly if you happen to have a copy lying around, pick it up on a rainy day instead of sleeping or watching T.V.! If you're looking for an entertaining read that will last a while (700+ pages) but isn't a masterpiece, give this a try. Ok, so now my review is finished, but I can't stop here without one more complaint. From looking at the map in the beginning of the book, one would think that the Four Lands (the setting) was a flat plane floating in space or something. The map just...ends, not showing anything beyond. I mean, what borders it? Don't they have oceans or something?!
Rating:
Summary: Derivative? YES - Unimaginative? - YES Good Read? - YES
Review: I've read most of Terry Brooks' books, and have found his shannara books to be very easy reads and captivating. But they are extremely formulaic and this novel in particular truly does steal many specific plot points directly. As a teenager I made a list of like 50 and quit there. Nonetheless, this book is an excellent introduction book to fantasy. It is by no means a "deep" or "complex character driven" story. It is an action story in the vein of "star wars". Brooks does an excellent job of bringing the reader into the story, something that my favorite authors in the genre (Tolkien and Jordan) seem to occasionally have difficulty with. I think that brooks is a talented wordsmith that made the mistake of sticking too close to his outline of the lord of the rings when he wrote this novel. (Regarding my rating, I can't possibly give many books a 5 rating because you have to scale it according to the best books ever written in any genre. Whomever gives TSOS a five star rating is minimizing the works of dickens, hemmingway and the other truly original and talented masters of their craft)
Rating: 
Summary: Sword of Shannara a 2 dimensional Ring Trilogy
Review: I must say that I have been spoiled by Tolkien and Rowling. I just finished Sword of Shannara and found it VERY long winded. The style of writing is like James Fennimore Cooper (very wordy) with characters that are so two dimensional, that they border on one dimension. I had no idea why Shea would suddenly develop a spine, why Menion Leah was even likeable or that Balinor was any more than a blonde Ken doll with a sword. I am going to read book 2 to see if Terry Brooks has grown as an author. I hope so
Rating:
Summary: Derivative but wholesome and entertaining
Review: Throughout this book I kept reminding myself that the main characters were men, not hobbits. Yes, this work is derivative. If you haven't yet read Tolkien's masterful and superior LORD OF THE RINGS, please read it first. That said, however, I still enjoyed this book, particularly as it warmed up. Like Tolkien, this is good, clean fun. Not only is there no sex, but one character even refuses to ambush the enemy because it is too much like murder. Most of the sorcery is associated with evil, and Truth even has an important role in defeating the bad guy. Positive character traits such as courage, loyalty, and responsibility are seen as things of value. Some younger children may find the language and plot more accessible than Tolkien; some adults may find it more superficial. But if your looking for some good wholesome fantasy, this book may be for you.
Rating: 
Summary: Sword of Shannara - Greatest Book!
Review: When I first saw this book at a bookworm store, I was not interested in it at all. But I bought it anyway because of it's low price. It stayed stuck in the closet for ages, when finally, after several months, I rediscovered it and took it on a long eight hour car trip to our vacation spot. As soon as I started reading it, I was hooked. It was like, "How could I never read this before? It's great!" Despite chances of getting carsick I determindly continued on, reading the great adventures of Shea and Flick, my current heroes. I had not finished it when we reached our destination, and had to leave it to unpack then eat dinner. But I returned to it that night. What? The evil Warlock almost caught them again? I tore through the book, despately seeing if I could complete it before I had to sleep. I couldn't. But then I had something to look forward to, as I stared into the darknesss, willing my body to sleep so that I could enter the world of Allanon, Shea's dark advisor, and Menion, the reckless Prince of Leah. The next morning I read more, and more, questions racing through my mind. Will Shea find the Sword of Shannara? What are it's mysterious powers? Would he be sucessful in his quest for the earth? After days of blind devotion and ignoring my family, I completed the book. I set it down, leaned back, and relaxed. I was done. My goal was complete. Now I could rest. No! I immediately went to a store and bought the second book in the series, the Elfstones of Shannara. My one stubborn thought was; if I'm done with one, I'll go on to the other! And I'll do that until I truely can say I know every one of Terry Brook's Shannara series like I know the palm of my hand. I will become the expert, I will be the second Brin! You may not believe that reading this book is worth your time. Well, believe me; if you can laugh at the comedy in a book, if you can cry when a character dies, if you can go on for hours on end, buried within your book, concious only of the Hero or Heroine as they go on with their lives, then you will treasure this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Good; Not a Must
Review: Where the HELL are all the Horses. The Characters seem to walk from one side of the world to the other in under a month. A predicable plot does not destroy the fine characterization. It also seems to hold the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy in this one book.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but a repeat of Tolkien
Review: I enjoyed the book but it really seems that Terry Brooks takes the story line of the Lord of the Rings and just replaces those characters with his own. There is not much new here, but I agree with another reader that this book is written in the future. If you like epic fantasy then this book is for you, if you didn't like Lord of the Rings, then don't pick this one up.
Rating:
Summary: What in this book isn't a Tolkein ripoff?
Review: I read this book and its sequels years ago and am still astounded at the level of copying Brooks did to sell books. While well written, it's ENTIRELY unoriginal...much like McKiernan's Iron Tower Trilogy (an even worse ripoff).
Rating:
Summary: One of the best fantasy novels I've ever read.
Review: This book was awesome, from beginning to end. I liked the characters & the story was motivating and believable. The whole post-holocaust references made it a bit spooky. I love Stephen Donaldson's "White Gold" series too and liked this book just as much.
Rating:
Summary: Brooks Is The Man - Shannara By Far Best Series
Review: When I first picked up The Sword Of Shannara 6 Years ago, I found the best series and Author I had (And to this point have) ever found. Brooks does an incredible job giving an imaginable tale which takes place in a magical world called the "four-lands". Not only does this book capture your attention, but it keeps you entertained through devilish plot twists and fiery combat. I've read the whole series a few times and these books are the best!
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