The Sword of Shannara

Rating:
Summary: Stop the pain!
Review: I have read better.WAY better. THere are little things used by writers called chariterization and ORIGINALITY.Young, single-outlooked man from questionable background lives in little village that has not been touched in centuries.(Sure, Tolkien and Jordan use this plot, but they do it with style). Allanon comes in (typical Gandalf/Moiraine figure) and makes him go on a journey to vanquish the upermost evil that will destroy the world, blah blah blah.Flick and Shea enbark on a wonderfully dull journey.Gee, original much?I don't care if he copied from Tolkien; if he could do it well, like Jordan, I would commend him.Dwarves,elves, wizards-all stereotypes lacking in any originality what-so-ever.Brooks can not make you care about the characters at all and should take some clases on how to present worldly information without making us fall asleep.He put twelve pages of history into the first 25 pages, before anyone can reasonably develop a connection and caring between world OR characters.Characters themselves

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Summary: Better than Tolkien
Review: This is the 1st book of Brooks that I read. I have since read all of his books as soon as they came out. His ability to weave a story that takes your mind to another world, and your heart along with it, is wonderful. Tolkien took my mind, but not my heart. Shea and his companions encompasse all of the personalities one could hope to meet or be. I have read this book at least 6 times and enjoyed it more each time. Don't believe the comparisons to Tolkien. There is no comparison. Brooks is better!

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Summary: My first and best experience yet!
Review: Like many of you, I'm sure, The Sword of Shannara was my first experience with the genre of Fantasy. I was, and still am, convinced that Terry Brooks is one of the best Fantasy writers out there. After reading a comment about how The Sword of Shannara was such a terrible book and that we should all read "good" authors such as Tolkien or Jordan instead of "copy-cat" Brooks, I was shocked. Robert Jordan has virtually copied word for word what Brooks has put so well in The Sword of Shannara. Read this book. You'll see.

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Summary: Wonderful . . .
Review: For all those who claim that the Sword of Shannara is a mere copy of the Lord of the Rings, let me tell you this: It isn't. Middle Earth and Shea's world are two totally different worlds. I have read all of Tolkien's LoR books as well as the Hobbit, and I am almost through with the Sword of Shannara. Both are epics in their own rights.

Rating:
Summary: One wonderful book
Review: I don't know what you people are talking about. I've read all of Brooks works and never once related it to Tolkiens. These set of books are the best I've ever read (including Lord of the Rings). The Sword of Shannara is the best written book there is. This book grabs you from the beguinning and won't let go. I have read all of his books and I loved every one of them.

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Summary: Poor Tolkien imitation
Review: I'm extremely disapointed. This book seems a copy of Tolkien's Lord of the rings. The basic idea's the storyline and the characters seems almost open imitations of Tolkien's masterpiece...shame.

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Summary: Starts out slow but finishes with a bang!
Review: Terry Brooks took to long in trying to develop the characters and than when it came down to it they weren't completely developed. But all in all the last four hundred or so pages picked up speed and made up for everything lost in the beginning. The friendship between Shea, Flick, Hendel, Balinor and the Elven Brothers, as well as Allanon was shining true by the time the end of the book came. The mastery of the war scenes were pretty detailed in describing the events. His writing style is a little weird to get used to but it is worth it. My advice: stick through the first three hundred or so pages and you will be in for a treat.

Rating:
Summary: To thine own self be true
Review: I read "The Sword of Shannara" when it was first published in 1977. I remember finding it as I was combing through the Science Fiction & Fantasy shelves. What caught my attention was the cover painting by Gregg Hildebrandt, What held me spellbound for 2 days as I read it was the story of Shea and the magical sword he was destined to weild. I admitt the first half of the book took a while to get into, but once the second part of the book came I had all I could do to hang on and enjoy the ride. I still remember how I felt when Shea had to face the truth about himself in order to defeat the Warlock Lord, then wondering if I would have had the same humbleness to admit who and want I was. I have read and re-read this book and the others that followed along with it. I have even passed the books along to others, knowing that they too will find themselves caught up in the magic of the Sword and the band that travels with it. It is a trip that is enriched with each journey through the world of Shannara.

Rating:
Summary: Read this first . . .
Review: If you're interested in this book enough to be here reading reviews, buy it. Don't take any of these "cliche-Tolkein impersonator" reviews seriously. They have no training whatsoever and are critisizing a New York Times bestseller, telling him how it is. Brooks has what, thirteen straight bestsellers? His works have a powerful presence and atmosphere. No one ever accused the writer(s) of the Bible with imitating the Talmud and Torah, did they? For $7, you can make your own decisions. A+.

Rating:
Summary: An introduction to Terry Brooks' works, and a good read.
Review: Terry Brooks' first book, The Sword of Shannara, is an enjoayable piece of fantasy fiction. Tolkien fans will immediately recognize the similarity between plot and characterization between this and The Lord of the Rings, but that does not make The Sword a bad book, or Terry Brooks a bad writer. Just because someone else invented chocolate cake doesn't mean Mom's isn't good. (I would like to add at this point--for those who name this book and others of Brooks' works cheap copies of Robert Jordan--that Brooks precedes Jordan, who in my opinion is a the epitome of weakly storied pop-fantasy). Returning to the subject at hand, The Sword is an enjoyable introduction to Brooks' Shannara books, which for the most part get better and better with each successive volume. I recommend this book to all fantasy readers. It is an easy read and the similarity to Tolkien simply expresses good taste on Brooks' part.