Rating: 
Summary: Poorly plagiarized Tolkien, don't bother reading it!
Review: It's one thing to be 'inspired' by Tolkien, and it's another thing to steal the plot and characters altogether. This is the Happy Meal of fantasy. Nothing original about it and it just leaves you hungry for the real thing. If there was a jail for literary theft, Terry Brooks would be the #1 inmate. For the sake of justice read someone original like Terry Pratchett, and stay away from hacks like this.
Rating: 
Summary: The Sword Of Shannara
Review: This is book is a definate 5 stars.It has everything you need romance,action,adventure you name it.If you wanted only 1 fantasy book this would be it!
Rating: 
Summary: The Sword of Shannara (2000)
Review: To say that Terry Brooks was influenced by J.R.R. Tolkien is a massive understatement. Any fan of Tolkien who reads The Sword of Shannara will immediately begin to find and pinpoint the parallels. But it should indeed be noted that Brooks came along many years before other Tolkien 'influenced' authors such as R.A. Salvatore, Robert Jordan, and so on and so forth, and his contribution, in my opinion, is unmistakably more lively and enchanting. Brooks captures a sense of adventure and dread, and his world is rich and fairly complex. His characters, though relatively standard fantasy fodder in more recent years, are quite interesting and the inspiration of many contemporary fantasy heavyweights. And while Brooks shamelessly builds on Tolkien-esque foundations, he does so deftly and keeps things just different enough as to not seem trite even by today's post-TSR standards. Besides, if you love Tolkien (and what true-blooded fantasy freak doesn't! ), then the Four Lands will seem pleasingly familiar with its Elves and Dwarves. I was in 8th grade when I first read this novel, and I was captured almost immediately. It does not compare to the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, but it is arguably one of the next best things the genre has to offer. If you're a Tolkien purist, just be aware of the parallels prior to opening this up and sitting down to it - but don't let it deter you. Soon enough you'll wish you were an Ohmsford and Allanon was knocking on your own front door.
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Summary: I LOVE this book!
Review: I am 12 years old and in 6th grade and I just want to say that this is the best book that I have ever read! It's exciting and full of adventure. Other Kids will love it! I would give this 5+ stars! FAN TASIC!
Rating:
Summary: Some Misnomers
Review: Tolkien has one of the most powerful bandwagons in the history of writing. Case in point, so many authors are compared to Tolkien, and most that are compared to him have very little-if no similarities to Tolkien's literary achievements. For example L.E Modesitt has been compared to Tolkien, I have never a read another author so unlike the author he/she was compared to. In my opinoin it is usually an attempt to sell books, and it works because of the devotion that Tolkien engenders. Although I doubt he would've given his endorsement to many of the authors that have been compared to him. One I feel he would've chosen is Guy Gavriel Kay(Also compared to Tolkien, however, I don't feel there is any comparison outside the fact they can rivet readers with description as well as action sequences). I stated those previous comments for those who gave such a terrible rating to The Sword of Shannara. First of all, he was highly influenced by Tolkien which really shouldn't be a bad thing, would you rather he was influenced by a bad writer? Sure he could have diverged a little more, but remember when this book came out Tolkien had only become famous recently( about ten years prior). Objectively, though, was the Sword of Shannara a bad book? If you can come up with a valid reason I will capitulate, otherwise I will counter your arguement. I enjoyed TLOR as much as SOS, I read the TLOR in sixth grade, and SOS in ninth grade. So if I had to rate according to how Jaded a reader I was, I would have to say that maybe Brooks was the better. However, as for originality, my vote has to go to TLOR, preceeding the Shannara series by a mere fifty years. At this point as far as recommendations go, my vote goes to Guy Gavriel Kay, read "Tigana", very original work. He consistently creats chacters and situations that are never derivitive. If you are into nostalgia, and old school high fantasy, please read Brooks and Tolkien, but try to be objective, I think the fantasy world is large enough for the master as well as his apprentice.
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Summary: Not at all like the book
Review: Hey guys seriously here, I love the books and Terry Brooks- all his books. but this AudioTape skipped alot of the important action and character developement. On a long trip I decided to get this for my girlfriend and I to listen to and let me tell you - she has never read the series and found the audio confusing and felt no connection to any of the characters, Even I was lost and confused. Until they come with an UNABRIDGED version- Do Not Buy this!
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Summary: Best Book I've Ever Read
Review: Hi, my name is Jodie and I am 13 [well almost! May birthday is My 3rd]. Okay, I hope that Mr. Brooks gets to read what I am going to write. Before "Sword of Shannara" I didn't read any thing but some comic books and books for school. I just played video games and hung out listening to music with my friends. But then my Mom's boyfriend, who is a writer, gave me his old hardcover copy of "SoS" - boy did I NOT want to read some big boring book about a boring sword! But he kept asking me "Did you read it yet?" and my Mom said it wouldn't be polite to not use a gift so I started reading it and...I was HOOKED! I had never read a book before, except for school stuff. Now I was on an exiting journey to someplace new which I had never dreamed of! I loved these charectors I almost cried when I thought Panamon Creel died - and I almost clapped when...oh I don't want to spoil it for you!! Now instead of video games I like reading books! I've read two other Shannara books and I want to read The Lord of the Rings [before the movie is out] and Tarzan. I want to write exiting stories to one day. So thank you Mr. Brooks - you changed my life!
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Summary: A Excellent Fantasy For All
Review: Brooks creates an wonderfuly textured world in which the characters really come alive.At first gance, the 700+ page novel might seem a bit daunting.The reader quickly realizes, however, that the pages fly by.The book takes you on an absorbing journey through wonderful lands and situations. Its only drawback may be the lack of unique characters.The protagonists are all so egar to be friendly with each other, and to do the right thing, that at times it becomes tedious when they all argue over who will risk thier lives and proceed first into a dangerous swamp.For a lesser author this would have meant a terrible read, Brooks, however, does not let us dwell on that.He keeps the pace moving with a tight narritive and plenty of action. The end result is an incedible book that will have readers begging for more.
Rating:
Summary: Best Book in a Long Time!
Review: I discovered Terry Brooks after reading his novelization of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Okay, actually, my friend read Sword of Shannara first and recommended it so highly I decided to read it, despite its 700+ pages. It's by far the longest bok I've read to date. I absolutely loveed it! I actually didn't want to like it at first, because although Brooks had me hooked by the first two pages, the similarities to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy were rather blatant. (My friend hadn't read Tolkien, and now I don't know if I'l recommend the boks to him, because they're so similar.) As the bok goes on, though, its similarities to Tolkien lessen and it takes on its own uniqueness. The pages flew by. I eagerlu anticipate reading the next boks in the series. I figure he's already done the Tolkien thing; now let's see what he does without relying on another's basic idea. I recommend this bok to Tolkien fans who are fans but weren't quite satisfied with the climax of Lord of the Rings. If you're like me and always thought there should've been a confrontation between Aragorn and Sauron, this bok's for you. Despite my reservations about the plot, I give this book 5 stars because of the way Brooks just hooks you and reels you in. I guarantee you won't be able to put this bok down!
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Summary: The start of my Fantasy Trek!
Review: This was the very first Fantasy book I ever read and I loved every minute of it. I had family in the hospital at the time and as I sat at the bedside I read it in 2 days. I went out and bought the rest of the series! I enjoyed them all. I have since read Tolkien and found him horribly over wordy and hard to comprhend. Tolkien may have been right for his time, but Brokks is right for all time! I hope he keeps writing!
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