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Summary: Great book
Review: This book is a great book. The one thing that bugs me is how many people diss it because they say it is like Tolken's book, big deal. Alot of books has the same type of storylines and plots. Remember mostly that books are individuals even if the story lines are close.
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Summary: Amazing book
Review: Terry Brooks could be considered a modern version of J.R.R. Tolkien. He is one of the best modern writers around, and everyone should read his books, fan or not.
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Summary: a FANTASTIC book!
Review: Shea, the small halfling from a small town didn't live a very exiting life. His neighbors and adoptive family were the only people he knew, and he really didn't mind at all. That is, up untill one day when a tall dark stranger comes to him, claiming that young Shea was heir to a powerful sword that could save the world of a Dark Evil. And that Shea needed to use the sword to save the world. I read this book when I was thirteen years old and I have never found another fantasy book this compelling, nor could I relate to any of the characters in any other book as well. In this fantastic read, you'll find such a prism of personalities, you'd want to travel with them because at least one of the party would remind you of your best friend! What amazes me the most was that The Sword was Brooks' first novel! Since reading this book, I have read 4 others by him and I have found them just as compelling.
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Summary: A VERY GOOD BOOK THAT LED TO BETTER ONES!!!1
Review: I READ TOLIKEN'S CRAP BEFORE I READ THIS ONE AND HIS HAD TO MUCH EXSPLAINING IN THEM. I READ THIS BOOK A WEEK AFTER I READ THE LORD OF THE RINGS AND THE SWORD OF SHANNARA WAS AWSOME. AT FIRST I WANTED TO PUT IT DOWN BUT AS THE SKULL BEARER CAME TO SHADY VALE I WAS HOOKED. YOU SHOULD DEAFANITLY GET THIS AND READ IT. IN CONCLUSION IT IS BETTER THAN TOLKIEN'S STUFF.
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Summary: Please!!
Review: Best book since Tokein(Not). This book is an exact copy of J.R.R Tolkien's the lord of the rings. I found when I read it that the names, places and storyline is exactly the same as Tolkien's books.Shame on terry brooks for making a mockery of J.R.R Tolkeins Masterpiece.
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Summary: Didn't I hear all this before?
Review: Ok here's the thing ,this book is a copycat and a exact repleca of Tolkein's masterpiece.The characters in this book lack depth and originality .The places are also similer and the storyline is exactly the same.I gave the book a 6 which is more then it deserves. Shame on Terry for making a mockery of one of the best books of all time J.R.R Tolkien's The lord of the rings.
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Summary: A little sluggish, but a great read.
Review: When I was about 9 I picked up this book on a long car ride and started reading. I really couldn't understand it, so I left it alone. About a year later, I read the Elfstones, Brooks' best work, and read them all through to the Talismans. I fell in love with fantasy and have been reading it ever since. I went back and read The Sword, and loved it. I am 13 now, and have read Tolkien, Salvatore, Jordan, and Brooks. I do think, though, that it is better to read the First King before you start reading The Sword. Its comparisons to Tolkien are well deserved, but unecessary. Any storyline that is remotely close to his will be compared to it, and Tolkien's is the best ever. It is also a very general storyline, so many things including Brooks' work will be compared to it. You know, get the talisman, destroy the evil, blah blah. Brooks creates a world in the Four Lands that is like nothing I have ever read. It is uncomplicated, unlike Jordan, and very segregated. His peoples live in their own little places and stay there. It sucked me in and never let go. I came away with a great longing to live in a world of magic and chivalry. His descriptions of the landscapes were quite intrguing and they really helped the story along. The characters, especially Allanon, are very well done. During the middle of the book the story starts to get sluggish, I think it could have gone faster than 800 pages. This is my only gripe to the story which I think is on par to Tolkien. A must-read for those with patience.
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Summary: It's in there somewhere between original and bad....
Review: Don't get me wrong -- I enjoyed the book, and I did read it all the way through. It's just that several times I found myself laughing aloud, because (as has been pointed out!) this book is exceedingly similar to J.R.R. Tolkien's works. I seem to recall Gandalf, too, falling into an abyss while fighting a large, black-winged creature.... And Durin and Dayel seem remarkably like all the dwarves with rhyming names. The races are indistinguishable except by name, as the psychological characteristics in all are nearly identical. And Brooks seems to toss in background information and story elements as he needs them, without building up to them gradually. In short, although this book is a decent read, I wouldn't recommend spending money on it; borrow it from your public library or a friend. And don't forget to read Tolkien, too.
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Summary: Copycats sometimes prosper
Review: I first read this book many years ago, when it was first published. Let me say that no one has any business reviewing this book unless they have first read The Lord of the Rings by Tolkien, which was written before the Sword of Shannara. The plots are virtually identical. Since then, Mr. Brooks has written many original stories which are excellent and which are not copies of anyone else as far as I know. Even the Sword of Shannara is a good story, but it is quite clearly to me, mostly a copy of Tolkien with a few cosmetic changes, i.e., different character names and different talisman characteristics. Shame on Terry for doing this, but at least it led to the Elfstones of Shannara, which is a superb and original work.
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Summary: A note on the Sword of Shannara
Review: First, a note to all the idiots out there: Terry Brooks wrote the Sword of Shannara more than a decade before Robert Jordan published his Wheel of Time series. So quit saying Brooks copied Jordan! Now for the review. This is a commendable work of fantasy fiction and while it may lack some originality, what book doesn't resemble in some part another book? After millions of books have been written, who can achieve total originality? Brooks creates a believable world, engaging characters and a plot that is both exciting and easy to follow. A very enjoyable read. I whole-heartedly encourage you to read it.
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