The Sword of Shannara
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4.3 • 217 Ratings
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
The Sword of Shannara is the first volume of the classic series that has becomeone of the most popular fantasy tales of all time.
Long ago, the wars of the ancient Evil ruined the world. In peaceful Shady Vale, half-elfin Shea Ohmsford knows little of such troubles. But the supposedly dead Warlock Lord is plotting to destroy everything in his wake.The sole weapon against this Power of Darkness is the Sword of Shannara, which can be used only by a trueheir of Shannara. On Shea, last of the bloodline,rests the hope of all the races.
Thus begins the enthralling Shannara epic,a spellbinding tale of adventure, magic, and myth . . .
BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Terry Brooks's The Measure of the Magic.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
If you love The Lord of the Rings, make The Sword of Shannara the next book on your list. Shea, a half-elf, is living a quiet, comfortable life when a venerable druid giant reveals his destiny: going on a quest to reclaim a mystical sword that only he can use to defeat the Warlock Lord and save his homeland. In the first book of the Shannara trilogy, Terry Brooks expertly weaves Tolkien-style world-building and historical detail into a rollicking adventure, packed with all the twists and turns of a perfect Dungeons & Dragons campaign.
Customer Reviews
Love this series.
I read all of Terry Brooks’ books when I was in high school and reading them again 20 years later is just as enjoyable if not more so. You don’t want to stop reading. Books like this make reading fun again.
One of my favorites
Always a favorite. It was the first book of any length I read as a boy in 4th grade. A book responsible for allowing my brain to wander and far.
Doesn’t stand the test of time
I remember reading The Sword of Shannara as a teenager when it first came out and really being entranced by the story. Well, time has significantly altered my opinion.
I read The Sword of Shannara before reading the LOTR trilogy, so it was not apparent then as it is now how much Terry Brooks lifted from LOTR. I guess, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery - and Brooks proves it throughout his story!
While Shannara is more compact and faster paced then LOTR, it definitely lacks the depth and sweeping story that Tolkien gave us. Much is lacking due to flat characterizations and the cursory manner of moving the characters through what should be a more richly developed alternative world. Thus my two star rating.