Rating: 
Summary: Another great addition
Review: The one drawback about this, and in fact the whole second set of Shannara books, is that they really must be read together. I'm less enamored with this setup, as the first four books (in time, maybe not in publication order) can be read in and of themselves without confusing the reader.That said, it's the beginning of a wonderful new series, one that becomes incredibly complex while never being too taxing or confusing to the reader. Brooks is better than most at painting scenery with words, even when he's writing about mythical creatures you've never seen.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't forget to blink...
Review: This is the first novel I ever read away from the watchful eyes of highschool. I was given a horribly beat-up copy at the beginning of my sophomore year of high-school. It's been four years since, and I can still vividly remember Jacob saying "read the first chapter... then call me in a week when you finish the book." Terry Brooks has written an amazing world that defies all possibility. Seemingly a vast, unfocused world, the Four Lands pull you into a tangle of love, mystery, and excitement. "Scions of Shannara" will pull you in, keep you in, and not let you go. I have to warn you though, you WILL read the next three books in the series as they are written in soap-opera style... cliffhanger after cliffhanger, you'll be wanting more!
Rating:
Summary: Time Changes Things
Review: When I read this set in 1994, the year after the quartet was completed, I found it, well, *very* 1990's. It struck me as being soapy and melodramatic with strains of the unecessary and unsuccessful 'darkness' obligatory to all 90's fantasy epics. I missed the high rolling adventure of Shannara as I remembered it. Rereading the first book today I was struck by how fresh, fun and expertly handled this novel is. Tight pacing, concise descriptions, solid characters, a sense of urgency and a ton of rip-roaring swashbuckling action - it's all here. What sets Brooks apart from the loads of dreadful/dreckful S&S authors flooding the bookshelves is his style - lifted directly from the world of Cooper, Smollett, Scott, Stevenson & Dumas. These are engaging and memorable adventure yarns plain and simple, with plenty of heart and some well thought out back history to boot. There's also a serious element of US fantasy, recalling Baum, Kirby & Lucas @ their best. And one can't help but conjure images from Pyle, Wyeth and Parrish as Brooks weaves his magic. I was happily surprised to discover how wrong I'd been. Guess I just had the zeitgeist-blues.
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