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Ilse Witch (The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara, Book 1)

Ilse Witch (The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara, Book 1)

List Price: $26.95
Your Price: $26.95
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Flying Slightly Higher Than Before
Review: After hearing that Terry Brooks had released another novel to the beloved Shannara series, I knew I could not pass it up. Well after picking it up I first noticed the beautiful cover and hoped that it gave some insight into how good the book was going to be. It was a good indication, because the book turned out to be the most intriguing of the series yet, though, it is not without faults.

Walker Boh was one of my favorite characters during the Heritage of Shannara series, and when he became the next Druid I was very excited about how this would turn out. As it turns out in this book he is nothing like Allanon, and seems very much weaker than the former Druid. This is one of my complaints about the book, another is the fact that Terry Brooks still seems to have the basic plot line, with the only thing different is the fact that we see more clearly how the Druid feels about the people he is manipulating. Those are my main complaints about the book.

The up side is that, it is always good to see a Leah in the story line and the new set of characters he concocted made the story flow pretty well. The Rovers were interesting characters, Bek Rowe and Little Red seemed to be getting along nicely which added to the suspense that occurrs in the ending. Another character that is an enigma is the seer Ryer she seems infatuated with Walker, but some underlying circumstances seem to be prohibiting anything that may happen between them. The most intriguing character though is Truls Rohk, it will be very exciting to see how he turns out in the next book. Another high point in the story line is the technology of the inhabits of the Four Lands. The airship was definetly a different spin on this respected series. Anyway this book is a good read with a lot of action and some romance, but read some of Terry Brooks's earlier works if you want to read true classics.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: This book makes for good reading
Review: I loved this book. I have read every book by Terry brooks (minus Starwars Episode I and Hook) and I can tell you that this is his best one. So if you have ever likes any Shannara you will LOVE this book. I hope everyone who reads this will read Ilse witch and then (soon) Antrax.

<<<<<<<<<Emerson Mac>>>>>>>>>>

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A good beginning
Review: I never had the desire to read any of Terry's books, despite the Shannara series being such a success. Ilse Witch happens to be my first of his books. I would have to say that Ilse Witch isn't that fantastic a book. The story development is good but not superb. But the Shannara story is a VERY compelling one and so are the characters in the story. So enticing in fact that it as prompted me to read the rest of the Shannara series. I do believe I have become a fan of Brooks...

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: More of the same
Review: I've enjoyed most of Terry Brooks Shannara books, and I did enjoy this one too. It was fast-paced and I also read it fairly quickly.

Unfortunately, the reason for the quickness is that most of it has been done by Brooks before. It's a rehash of the entire series, with characters given new names. There's the tough, strong highlander, the mysterious druid (though I did like how Walker kept trying really hard not to be like Allanon, but rarely succeeded), a Shannara descendent, etc.

The other annoying part was how the book just ended without any sort of resolution whatsoever. In the past, Brooks has been really good at bringing each book to a close, even as he left room for the next book. This time, the entire book is a set up for the next one. When he glossed over the retrieval of the keys, I thought it was going to be a rushed book. Instead, it turns into a very uneven book, as Brooks rushes from action to action, and then abrubptly stops as the book ends.

All of these words have been negative so far, but I did ultimately enjoy the book. I think I'm nostalgic for the world (it's been awhile since I've read the previous books) and I like the characters. I just wish they'd been a bit different.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The book of the year
Review: the book is full of surprises,you find yourself so involved in this book that you can't put it down,you have the need to read on!in a world full of magic and myth,the druid Walker Boh has to reach a treasure of so great importance to the four lands that it is also the target of other creatures,Walker must not let it fall in the hands of evil,else the four lands may be in great danger,its a race between good and evil!Walker seeks help of the elves,to get an airship with crew,to undertake a long journey, that others already tried and failed,to find,something,he doesn't know what exactly it is!in a story full of challenges and magic,you are bound to get involved!

my advice is,just buy it!if you don't,and you like fantasy, you'll regret it,i am sure of that!thanks for reading <('.')>

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good, but took to long...
Review: This was a really good book. Even the cliff-hanger ending didn't bother me (that much). My only complaint is that it took too long to get to the exciting parts (they must have spent 100 + pages preparing to leave!), and then, when the book did get good, the excitement was over too quickly. I did give this book 4 stars, because, overall, the story was good, and I really liked many of the characters. I would recomend this book to other readers, but only those that have already read the other Shannara books. I agree with Phillip Mills-Buuck, who said the the Elfstones book is the best!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Brooks Is Back!
Review: I have long been a fan of Terry Brooks and the world of Shannara is my favorite. One again with Ilse Witch Brook's takes us into a whole facet of the world we never knew exisited. Once again I'm reunited with the line of Shannara. You will hear many familiar names as well as be introduced to some very intriguing new charachters. Brooks once again mixes hints of a technological past with ancient magics. Brooks appears to have embarked on exploring what it means to be evil in this set of books. Its a page turner I couldn't put down and the charachters will have you enthralled. I can't wait for the next book!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great
Review: What a great time I had reading this book! Mr. Brooks has yet to disappoint me. It's fun, it's exciting - everything I've come to expect. I nearly cried at the end - not because of the book, but because of the long wait for the next book to find out what happens!~!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Different, yet lacks dialogue
Review: The title to the review says it all... The reader never got the feeling that certain characters were close (Ahren and Bek, for example). They never really spoke to each other, there were only paragraphs describing their conversation, which wouldn't have been necessary if Brooks had added some dialogue. The romantic interest between Bek and Little Red seemed to be there "just because" and didn't feel real because Brooks just *told* the reader that they were attracted to each other.

As a result of lack of dialogue, there wasn't much character development. People felt the way they did and did the things they did only because Brooks just *told* the reader. It got boring at times, I have to admit. Brooks shouldn't have just described what was going on.

Ah, but there are good points to this story as well. I found it refreshing to have a new adversary. I was disappointed when I thought that it was just the Ilse Witch that threatened the travelers, but towards the end the reader finds out that there is a bigger force at hand, something that wants what it doesn't have... But I'll leave it at that.

It was also refreshing to see the Rovers back again, but this time, they were given more "screentime," if you get what I'm saying. I enjoyed their presence (when I mean *presence* I mean when they were active in the story) immensly, even if it was for a short period of time.

Another thing, Walker was great! I have loved his character from the start, and loved being able to see into the mind of a Druid, much unlike what was given to us in the past Shannara books. As for Ryer, well, she isn't what she seems to be. If she wasn't what she was, then I would have loved the two of them to get together. Walker deserves some company in his lonely life... But that's just the romantic side of me speaking. I digress. I honestly hope that he will become a different kind of Druid, a Druid different from that he wouldn't want to become. I also hope that-in the future-a Council can be set up as well.

Tying in with this are the changes in the Four Lands. Some readers don't like the airships and the other technology the people of this time have. They think it should have been more or less the same as it was in the time where Heritage took place (approx. 150 years ago). Let me ask you something: What was the technology like in 1851? Very different from the technology we have now, correct? My point is that things change in 150 years, and I think that Brooks realized that.

As for the cliffhanger, all I have to say is "Grow up people!!!!" So there's a cliffhanger, stop whining. There will be another book on the shelves that will solve all of your problems. So you have to wait, big deal...

All in all, this book was different from the other Shannaras out there, as well as intriguing, but it did have some holes.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: WOW!!!
Review: Okay, first off, I'm not giving this masterpiece 5 stars just because a lot of other people are doing so. I'm giving it 5 stars because it's simply that good. You know, come to think, I'd give it 6 if I could.

Shannara at its best! Keeps you sleepless and on the edge of your seat throughout its entirety. Then you start salivating at the thought of buying the next book: Antrax!


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