The Druid of Shannara

Rating:
Summary: Devout Terry Brooks fan - A little boring
Review: The book begins nicely but then it just bogs down. Three quarters of the book is spent in this city... way too boring. I was getting as frustrated as the characters in the book. Come on, Terry, get to the point. I hate to admit it but it seems that the book could have half the amount of pages. You get the weird feeling that they are milking this series into four books instead of three.

Rating:
Summary: Somewhat boring
Review: I loved the first Shannara series and the same with the first three Magic Kingdom novels, but I cannot continue reading this series. I am about done with Druid and don't plan on picking up Elf Queen unless someone can convince me to do otherwise. Maybe I have just grown up and been spoiled by Robert Jordan. The only intersting characters are Pe Ell, Rimmer Dall and Walker Boh (in that order). Brooks dreams up monsters we don't care about and spends too many chapters dealing with them. The Stone King is a flat character and so is the Maw Grint. Most of the enemies have little character so I wind up yawning over battles with Seekers and such. Another problem I have is that Brooks at times will gloss over potentially exciting events and gives us details where we don't need them. We get page after page on what characters are thinking and feeling (that we have already heard before)and when Par and the gang are escaping prison (in Scions)we get a one line description of something like, "The guards were overpowered before they knew it...". ...

Rating:
Summary: Less than memorable
Review: I hadn't read a Terry Brooks book in a while, but I have been somewhat disappointed in the Heritage quartet thus far. Not in the plot, mind you, but in the quality of the writing. For one, there have been an overabundance of "giant" and "spider" metaphors scattered throughout the books. Perhaps most disconcerting is the relationship between Par and Coll; it seems contrived or unnatural... it just doesn't seem to flow. Many times their dialog between each other seems forced and awkward. Since much of the first book centers on these two, it's a less than satisfying read. In this second installment, however, they are seen very little, and the story is better for it. In spite of things like poor anaolgies and uncommunicative metaphors, the story manages to redeem itself through the strength and consistency of the central characters (most of them, anyway). While the narratvie does have a tendency to drag, it's not completely wasted because Brooks usually takes the opprtunity to delve deeper into the personalities of the heroes (or antiheroes, as the case may be). I could go on, defending certain other aspects of the book (such as the "inconsistencies" seen in Walker Boh could be attributed to the fact that he has been misunderstood for most of his life, not only by the characters in the book, but by the reader as well), but I'm not sure it's worth it. All in all, Druid is much less than what I consider Brooks to be capable of as a professional writer.

Rating:
Summary: DrUiD oF ShAnNaRa
Review: In this book Walker Boh goes out on his task given by the Druid Allanon. He has to regain the Black Elfstone and Recover Paranor. He goes out on his jornry with Pe Ell, and intriuging assasin, Morgan Leah, longtime family friend, and Quickening, the daugher of the King of the Silver River. This books starts out with Walker escpaing from the Tomb of Kings. He is really sick, but Quickening saves him. The group has to go into the North and get the Black Elfstone from the Stone KIng and they find out he is less human then anyone thought he'd be. They have to fight a bunch of things on thier way, like goofy troll-gnome hibrates and stone creatures. Pe Ell is the coolest guy in the book. He's got this cool weapon that kills basicly anything, and he seems to have some intersting thoughts about death which is good cuz he's and assasin. Quickening is the most mysterious character in this book because she seems to know everything. This book is great. Walker Boh is my favorite of the Scions because he seems to have the most magic in him and he has the coolest quest. He knows that he is special but he doesn't seem to like it. This book has some non-action parts but they lead to parts of great action. When you finish this book, you will want to read on to the next book because it leaves to many things to the imagination.

Rating:
Summary: Better than most
Review: When I read the book I almost needed tissues as one of the reviewers said. The story was great and the characters were even better. Leah family has been my favourite through the whole series and Morgan was deffinitively fabulous. Pe Ell was great- a sick killer who is intellgient! The only thing I didn't like about the book was the fact that the characters are not very developed(in the sence that some of their actions are not fully explained). For example, we know that Quickening is in love with Morgan and her love is all wraped up in a veil of secret but we have no idea why she likes him so much when she is an elemental, a supreme being. It is not very logical and I had the feeling that Terry put this inside the story just to make some sensitive souls(like myself) cry and I don't like being manipulated like that.

Rating:
Summary: GOOD, BUT A LITTLE SLOW
Review: There were several elements in the book that I really liked, but the story is very, very slow. Brooks over-explains everything - he needs to learn that less is more. He will take 4 pages just to describe a characters thoughts in that moment - way too much detail - remember, less is more. Also, the plot is very simple - the old small band of people in quest of the magical rock routine. Also, once they get to their destination, it really stagnates. The last 150 pages could have been written in about 30-40. When this story started, I thought there was going to be several interesting threads woven in to the story and final outcome, but several of the threads that were started were just mysteriously abandoned by Brooks - too bad. However, there were several creative elements that I think really salvage this book and would certainly recommend buying it.

Rating:
Summary: It's addicting!
Review: I was kinda into the whole sci-fi/fantasy scene until I read the first two Shannara Heritage books. Now I'm hooked. Brooks' beautiful descriptions have a ring of Tolkien with a twist of a more modern audience. Brooks grabs your attention from line 1 and won't let it go. He lures you in quietly, and before you know it, you're at the end of the book and craving the next. Wonderful stories!

Rating:
Summary: Great book
Review: This story takes a darker turn then other Shannara books. I loved that aspect about it. This is my favorite shannara book by far! I also liked the fact that it isn't the typical fantasy storyline, which I can't stand. The ending is fantastic, the characters are the most well developed I've read, especially the assassin.

Rating:
Summary: Sorry, but this is the my least favorite Shannara novel
Review: I was beside myself with ecstasy when 'Scions' came out. I was TOTALLY caught off guard when I saw it at the bookstore, bought it immediately and was pleasantly surprised yet again when I found out it wasn't a stand-alone novel as all his previous works had been but the first of a Quartet. I finished 'Scions' in record time (for me) and sat about waiting a year for book #2 to come out. I again purchased it immediately and that is when things came to a screeching halt. 'The Druid of Shannara' has NONE of the velocity found in 'Scions' nor the following books in the series ('Elf Queen' & 'Talismans'). I found myself being very critical of Terry Brooks and felt it almost sacrilege to say anything other than good things about all his books. But not in this case. As far as a fantasy novel goes, 'Druid' is entertaining...however it dragged on and seemed as if Brooks should have combined books 2 & 3, but since he had to write 4 complete books, he stretched Walker's search for the Black Elf Stone MUCH farther than it needed to be. After re-reading the book I felt that my initial assessment is still in effect. Now I HATE feeling this way about my ALL-TIME FAVORITE fantasty author. I can think of NO OTHER Shannara book that sparks the same feelings. All in all a fairly decent story, but not up to Brooks' usual tremendous talent for characterization and swift plotting. As far as the series goes, you HAVE to read it to get to the finale in 'The Talismans' but it just didn't have the punch I have come to expect from the world's greatest living fantasy author. Thank the good Lord 'The Elf Queen' went on to be one of the best in the Shannara series. Sorry to all who loved this book. I didn't HATE it, it just wasn't what I had come to expect.

Rating:
Summary: Allanon, though deceased for centuries, Returns!
Review: Allanon, the keeper of the Keep (and all the Sacred Knowledge), returns from death to prevent yet-another attack of the insidious forces that always strive to destroy the Light. This novel is more true-to-life, than most fantasy novels, because the characters have serious obstacles to overcome that are not necessarily related to problems outside of themselves...they are a company of people suffering from various personal injuries and issues that make the main quest all that much more difficult. These are real heroes, that cannot simply stave-off an attack like it was nothing to them (like most fantasy writers portray the main characters) these are not super-heroes...they are ordinary people who strive to rise-above the challenges and escape the dangers at every turn. I deeply respect and admire Terry Brooks, a man who dissed a career in Law to take-up a quill and parchment. His writing is very enticing...his words draw you into the story, and you cannot escape his world. Tolkien got me through Middle school and Terry Brooks helped me survive High School, although I must admit I read Tolkien again and again--however, Terry Brooks is the only author I feel that I can mention beside the name of the master. This novel is not a "Lord of The Rings" nock-off, it is completely original. If you are looking for copy-cat stories, you should look else-where--although, the series does contain some of the same creatures and humanoids (sort-of), they are very original and exciting. I agree with the Future scenario, because of certain buildings and such that are encountered during the journey....our world devastated and rebuilt with Magick. One aspect of Brook's series that I feel very attracted to is the character Allanon, a Druid that sleeps for centuries or decades and awakens when he is needed. I have always felt a strong connection with this character.... Interestingly, this mysterious character guards a secret Storehouse of Knowledge and strives to save humankind from the Demonic Forces that want the world to live in Ignorance and Despair.