Book 3 of The Dark Legacy of Shannara - Witch Wraith

Since this book. I have finished the entire series. How Terry Brooks ties all the stories together was masterful. Read them all!!!! Do not skip any. And for the purpose of the series. Read them in order! You get a lot more insight as to the situations the characters face and gain a knowledge of their fate and their need to face their challenges! Love it fully!

As usual, Terry Brooks delivers another satisfying conclusion to his latest trilogy. He includes many elements of his other ones: love and loss, battles and triumphs, and a world changed yet again. I can't wait for his next trilogy: The Long Knives of Shannara! Oh well, I guess I'll just have to re-read his Pre-Shannara trilogy: The Word and The Void. And, according to his website, the Elfstones of Shannara, is close to becoming a TV series, on MTV no less.

I felt like I missed part of the story. A good book should be like a race. A fast start, a strong run, and then a mind settling finish. This book unfortunately doesn't resemble the earlier books by Brooks. I was disappointed.

Well. After book 1 was excited and looking forward to seeing where things went. After book 2 I was less excited and worried that the series had turned into a half-assed Elfstones of Shannara retread. Now, I've read the 3rd and final book in this series and I can judge it both on it's own and as a whole and frankly, I feel like the fears I had after book two were more thoroughly realized than the hopes I had after book 1.

I'm giving this series a low 3 stars. Barely 3 stars. I'm giving the book the same rating. 3 stars, but just barely.

I don't think I have it in me to rate anything by Terry Brooks, one of my all-time most-favorite writers less than 3 but if ever I was close, it was with this series. I have no problem with there being another quest for the Bloodfire but for so many things about this series mimicking Elfstones, the original Bloodfire quest makes it almost ridiculous. [Some Masked Spoilers Ahead] I think my breaking point was when yet another Changeling reveals itself to yet another Elven king in his bedchamber. I rolled my eyes so hard they almost popped out of my head.

[Spoilers Continue]

The book and series could have been saved with the reveal of the Witch Wraith, and it did cause some excitement, but I felt like I was owed a reason why things happened the way they did and I didn't get it. It just did. I'm really unhappy that after all of that, we still have no idea what power any of the Elfstones, other than the blue ones, do. I thought it was lame that one more set, the red ones, wind up being back in the Four Lands. I thought the ending was pretty anticlimactic. After the climax, everything was kind of lame. Aphen becomes a whiny brat who isn't worthy of the title of Druid. Redden's walking coma was lame, as was the way Railing finally got to him. The fate of the Witch Wraith was interesting and makes one wonder what interesting plot could come next, but in a lot of ways, I feel like at some point, the book started working to set up the next series and I think that if you're going to write a 3 book set that tells one story, it needs to be more than a setup for the next 3 book set.

In his book Sometimes The Magic Works, Brooks talks about how important he thought it was to thoroughly outline a book before writing it. In recent years, he's gone away from doing that and the results are not good. Brooks books are not the same. They meander. It takes him 3 books to tell one story that isn't as compelling or intricate as the stories he used to tell in single books were. I'm coming away from this book without a single character adding to the pantheon of Shannara greats, in my opinion. Not one. In fact, it seems like each is a pale imitation of a previous character. And when the characters are pale imitations of previous characters and the plot line is essentially a retread of those in previous books, I'm just not sure what value this series has other than moving the story just a little bit further down the line? I paid $50 for this series of books. I didn't get my money's worth. I should have saved that money and re-read the books in which these characters were larger than life and the plot lines were tight and new.

I sit here, having given this book 3 stars and I'm trying to find something positive to say about it--or about the series. I'm trying to say something balanced and something that explains my rating it as high as I did. I'm trying, but all I can come up with is this: Any story in the Shannara series is better than nothing at all. Maybe this series will be amazing to someone who is just coming into it and doesn't know what's come before? Maybe this is about getting a new generation of fans and it's doing it by making some of the old stories new. But as someone who has read them all and been through it all, I feel like this series is a major letdown.

It pains me to write that. I'm not sure what else to say. I'm disappointed. I really wish Brooks would start outlining again. And I hope to hell the next book isn't about the rise of The Second Warlock Lord or Neo-Shadowen.

Well written book that wraps one story comprised of three books. Probably sets the basis for his next story. In my opinion, Brooks is the best fantasy author still writing. David Eddings was the only fantasy author that was in the same league as Brooks.

This book is raw emotion! I couldn't put it down. Terry never fails to pull you into the story. His characters become a part of your life and I can't help but feel a sense of loss for them. I love this series and will anxiously await the next book.

This maybe the worst book I have ever read. Brooks mailed this in and ruined what could have been his best story to date. The book needed at least 200 more pages to do the story justice. The entire Edinja storyline was ridiculous. What was the point of the seed being stolen? So they could bully some schmucks in a tavern.

I forgave Mr Brooks for plagiarizing JRR Tolkein with the sword of shannara when I was young because the characters were great, and well, I was young. The battle for arborlon in his 2nd book is still enjoyable to read today. This time I want my money back and an apology.

Witch Wraith concludes The Dark Legacy of Shannara the latest Shannara trilogy by Terry Brooks. The first Shannara book came out in 1977 so Brooks has been writing about this world for a long time.

And there are certain things you expect to see in a Shannara book (at least the main books). There are going to be Ohmsfords, at least one Leah, an Elessedil and Elf Stones. Dark Legacy takes that up a notch though and it's almost a Shannara greatest hits with the return of demons, Grianne Ohmsford, The Straken Lord and more.

Now all that familiarity does have it's good points. Brooks knows this world, he's spent long enough developing it from it's fairly crude Tolkien inspired origins to something a bit more distinctive. He's also got a solid grasp on how to tell an entertaining and well paced story with characters that are easy to relate to. Witch Wraith wasn't a challenging read in any sense but it was an entertaining one.

But in this case it just felt like a bit too much of a re-tread for me. The sections set in behind the Forbidding were a bit too much like the High Druid of Shannara books and the demon war just too similar to Elf Stones of Shannara.

It's also pretty obvious that Brooks was putting things in place for further books as a number of elements weren't just unresolved but blatantly signalled as unresolved. And Indeed there's another book scheduled for 2014. I know some people like that soap opera style but I tend to like my stories to wrap themselves up, rather than set up something else.

So if you're a Shannara fan I think you'll be pretty happy with this. It's not really breaking new ground but it has the elements you enjoy and it's solidly written. More of what you like basically.

I waited and waited for this book to release and as soon as I got it, I started reading. All the quests going on, I thought for sure this was going to be great. Then it got to the parts I thought were supposed to be "epic"...and it just started going down hill. The first battle at Arishaig was indeed written nicely and I loved it. The battle at Arborlon, not so much. It was like oh yea super battle...blah blah blah skip skip skip...and done. When everyone meets up at the final stage, it was like oh hey, haven't seen you in awhile and BYE. Seriously, it was like my child telling a story when he is in trouble and leaving out all the details he thinks will get him in trouble. Redden's coma deal at the end...what was that? Also, what happened to everyone else? Did the once fierce and level headed Aphen turned whiney 5 year old go back to the Druids? What about all the other major support characters? Anything? Honestly, I am still mad at the ending of this book. The last what 50 pages make me want to scream. Having read all of the Shannara series and supporting books, I felt this was just a newer version of some of the older books. I love Terry Brooks, but this wasn't something I would recommend to anyone. Having said all this, someone will love it, someone will like it, and someone will hate it; it is just the matter of opinions.

I've been quite surprised at the number of reviews which are anything less than complimentary of this series and Witch Wraith in particular. Sometimes I wonder if I read the same thing, but like anything else in life, opinions vary, and nowhere is that more obvious than reading reviews of books here at the store.

Yes, I can admit that Terry borrowed heavily from his own earlier books, chief of which was Elfstones--but that can either be a good or bad thing depending on whether or not the storyline 'clicked' with you. By my giving it five stars, you can guess where my thoughts are. Since I view the Elfstones as one of Terry's all-time best books, I really enjoyed reading about the events regarding the failing of the Forbidding, the consequences of letting it grow weaker, and the penalties for those who--even accidentally--enter into the world of the Demons. We have several stories to cycle between. From inside the Forbidding, again in the Four Lands, and of course, the quest to re-establish the Ellcrys in order to wall-away the Demons to where they belong. I've always found Terry's boundless imagination one of the things which really struck me personally, and it was working overtime here.

What will the Ohmsfords legacy be by the end? What does the Ilse Witch have to do with helping the seemingly hopeless situation that faces our heroes? I believe if you think about it a little, you can wager a good guess and more than likely be right. Again, while others have regarded the inclusion of partial plotting from previous novels to be a mistake, here I found the familiar mixed with fresh storylines simply kept me turning the pages. I understand that not everyone will see my point of view as one which they share, and that's okay. What matters is what I personally think and feel, and in truth, that is ALL that matters, right? Read the reviews, but form your OWN opinion regardless of what I may believe--and don't let anyone tell you differently.

I'll admit, the first book in this series was my favorite, but I still really enjoyed the two sequels. Being brought into the world of Shannara has always been a place where I feel welcome and happy, and I've discovered that things haven't changed much. I still love visiting. While I look forward to the time when Terry writes a stand-alone Epic Fantasy novel in the vein of the original three Shannara novels, I love his stuff enough that I'll accept it any way I can get it.

In short, I love visiting even a portion of the world which Terry Brooks gives to us, and found this conclusion to have been satisfying and entirely worthwhile. Either way, I hope you get out of it what you are hoping for. Terry, you STILL amaze me after all these years. Thanks.

I come back to Terry Brooks again and again for reliable storytelling, strong characters you can forge a bond with and his manner of making you forget everything else in your life whilst reading his novels. This book is no exception to that rule and I was thrilled to see that the series continued to stay strong and interesting throughout.

First of all, if you have not had the pleasure of reading the Shannara novels, you should, in my opinion. Brooks creates they type of world where anything is possible and you never quite know what to expect next. The characters were not predictable even when I thought I had the story all figured out. I like it when that happens.

There is enough back story in this book and recapping of earlier events to make you comfortable if it has been a while since you read the prior novels, but it does not get in the way of this being a new story. There were a few parts of this I thought were slightly reminiscent of other novels by the same author, but also a lot of new material and some twists that I was unprepared for.

If you are a fan of fantasy, then you probably already know this author well. I have been a dedicated fantasy reader for a long time and it is rather difficult at this point to please me, but this book did. There is a particularly nice flow to this story. The passing of time from one book to the next was handled smoothly and this story tied up the loose ends from the former books.

In the end, this was a series I was very happy to have the opportunity to read and I would definitely recommend to others. If you have been awaiting the release of this book, you were right to do so.

This review is based on a digital ARC provided by the publisher in cooperation with NetGalley.

NO SPOILER ALERTS HERE:

I have been a huge fan of Terry Brooks for at least 2 decades (does that somewhat tell my age?) including the fun Magic Kingdom of Landover series but drifted away from his many works after life intervened - marriage, family, work, health, bills and responsibilities. Now that a new phase has begun, I'm getting caught up with my old favorite authors - Piers Anthony, Orson Scott Card, and Terry Brooks to name just a few.

If you are absolutely new to Terry Brooks work, I suggest going to the wiki article on Mr. Brooks and reading through as the author's preferred order otherwise many comments and themes throughout the Shannara books will not make sense. If you haven't read *any* other Terry Brooks, start with the light and fun Magic Kingdom for Sale--Sold! (The Magic Kingdom of Landover) which is part of the currently six book series Magic Kingdom of Landover. From there move on to the The Sword of Shannara to begin reading the many Shannara books of which this book, Witch Wraith: The Dark Legacy of Shannara is the 25th book in the Shannara series (if reading in the author's suggested reading order.. sage advice indeed.) That's my suggestion anyway.

If you want to jump straight into Shannara, then start with the first book in this trilogy, Wards of Faerie: The Dark Legacy of Shannara and grab Bloodfire Quest: The Dark Legacy of Shannara, too.

I'm not sure what all these folks that have mentioned "great character development" have read, but it couldn't possibly be the same books I read. And it's not only the "same story, different timeline" theme that I didn't care for (seriously, I think Mr. Brooks has run out of ideas and is now just milking it). There was hardly any dialogue between characters unless it was absolutely necessary to the advancement of the plot, and even then it was just a tiny exchange. Dialogue and character interaction is rather important to me when I'm reading fiction. This trilogy flowed more like a history lesson than a novel. I've loved reading Terry Brooks' novels for almost twenty years now, but this trilogy was just pure disappointment.

Poor old Witch Wraith didn't get to do much wraithing at all. In fact I am not sure why she was in the title seeing as her role turned out to be minor and underdeveloped. I for one would have liked to have seen her vent her anger and rage just a teensy bit more. Why have a bitter twisted old witch if you don't utilize the fact she has her own agenda.
I found the writing a little stilted and the storylines seemed to stray off on a tangent. Not quite the standard of work Brooks usually produces.
Another thing that didn't gel well for me was the almost YA like necessity of setting up couples. Let's snuggle and get it on. Not exactly on par with the rest of the complex fantasy plot.
Saying all that it is evident how intricate the worldbuilding is and how creative those worlds are, which is what makes Brooks such a popular writer.
This book does seem to go off in many directions at once and not all of those sub-plots are done and dusted at the end. I know some readers felt a lot of it was repetitive but I would offer up a slightly different opinion. I think this book suffers from a typical mid-series syndrome. It is an interim that has to be in place to lead on to the next book, from a plot or storyline perspective.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley.

A Shannara book, so I'm half in love with it already. Railing left Redden in a maybe futile search for Griane so she can face the Straken King and maybe save the world. He first runs into an old friend from the other books, the Grimpond. Through his new found confidence, he survives that encounter and even learns something. He and Mirai dance around for a while, mostly due to the secrets he keeps. They pick up helpers they need and travel on to find Griane but are set upon by pirates. After the pirates are defeated and a dear one lost, he confesses to Mirai. The story switches to the Elessedil sisters, one captured and in dire straits. One sister goes after the captured one with Cymrian. We then switch to Oriantha and Tesla shadowing the Straken Lord's army to see if they can rescue Redden. The army breaks out of the Forbidding near Arishaig. One sister escapes, Railing finds someone unexpected, Seersha gets in trouble .... Lots and lots of adventures told well. Some big battles, some small battles, we lose some characters and some survive. A great ending to this part of the Shannara story. Received free copy for review.

The book is part of a trilogy -- The Dark Legacy of Shannara. I have to be honest and say that I have not read the other two books in the series.

The story is all about the weakening of the walls of the Forbidding which is the place where all the dark creatures, the Jarka Ruus, have been trapped by the Ellcrys tree. The tree is dying and is unable to keep the walls of the Forbidding closed. The Shraken Lord, Tael Riverine, is leading an army of demons out of the Forbidding to attack the Four Lands.

This is a good read but there are just too many stories running parallel to each other and there are so many characters. Although the story is easy enough to understand even if the reader has not read the earlier books in the trilogy, it will definitely help to read the books in their proper order. I am still considering whether I will read the other books in the trilogy, if I do then this may be a great read instead of a good read. I am sure for the fans of Terry Brooks that they will thoroughly enjoy this one especially if they have read the other two in this series.

I have been reading Terry Brooks since I was in high school and I have loved every book he has ever written. I eagerly await new titles with his name at the top. I will still scoop them off the shelf as soon as they arrive but this series left me shaking my head at "what happened here". Not, what happened in the story, what happened to the story teller I have followed so faithfully for the last 30+ years? Spoilers ahead now...
The series started off well enough despite the obvious retelling of what's happened before. That's okay, new characters and a more significant search for the missing elfstones. Then as we progressed, he started killing off characters faster than Martin Scorsese. I mean, nearly everyone gets dispatched, and quickly, so we can get to the next death match. And each passing leaves you realizing the character had no real impact on the overall story. Then we have airships which have come to be the mechanism for moving quickly around the map because you're trying to cram too much stuff into a 3-book series. And when you really need to move quickly, Edinja conveniently has a prototype with afterburners that she hands you the keys to. We switch plot lines and scenes at a frenetic pace so as to come to a last minute conclusion that leaves you hollow. Redden is reduced to nothing, Aphen is reduced to nothing, who knows and who cares about Railing and Mirai, Tesla is gone, Tael and Grianne left their scenes in less than a page or two and the mysterious note left in the Elfstones box is a love note. Great. It's one thing to set yourself up for a potential follow-on series to this, but it's just not in Mr. Brooks resume to so casually fling off characters, story, and readers to do so. I sincerely hope he settles back into writing those characters and elements that made earlier works so memorable and re-readable. You want to visit them again and live their tale. Not so here.

That's the way to sum it up. As in previous reviews for newer Brooks novels, I think perhaps it is time to visit a new realm or retire from writing. The Shannara series was been one of my favorites, but unlike the McCaffery Pern novels, the world has gotten a bit stale. Characters seem to be recycled older characters. Stories are new but have a very familiar tread to them. Which is not to say this isn't a good novel, or a fitting conclusion to this trilogy. Far from it. This is an excellent novel. But for those very familiar with Brooks' novels, this might be just another trilogy out of the dozen or so he's penned so far. But if you're newer to Brooks, this will be a welcome relief from much of the other fantasy fiction being published today on the heels of the Game of Thrones craze.

Recommended.

Although Brooks has been a bestselling author for decades, and has manymany stories set in the same universe that can provide breadth, depth, and background, I find this current series relies too heavily on the past stories. It's been 20+ years since I last read a Brooks novel, so I've forgotten all the details of those characters and worlds, and found that I just couldn't get into this series. It will occasionally tell you a sentence or two about something and IF you've read the other books recently, I'm sure it conjures up an entire world of meaning (like a Robert Jordan reference to "red ajah" would do), BUT if you haven't read those stories recently or at all, you don't just miss a subtle layer of meaning, you find yourself "out of the loop" on one event after another. To be fair, you can still follow the plotline; it just feels a bit meaningless / hard to care.

I didn't read other books in the Shannara series. so I might not have a fair review.
But at first, after a few chapters, this reminds me like a knock-off of the Lord of the Rings, Midland, etc.
I want to enjoy this book but I couldn't. Perhaps the similarities between the two made me biased.
I didn't like the "fantasy" because it's not really "out of this world". The imaginative world is not too wild and not too original.
The battle were ok at best and like another reader puts it, it went down hill after the first battle.
I hate the ending. There's no "happy" ending where everything richly binds together.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I am going to check out the other books in this series and will return to update the review if I felt it deserve more update.

Witch Wraith (2013) is the third (and last) Fantasy novel in the Dark Legacy subseries of the Shannara series, following Bloodfire Quest. The initial volume in this sequence is The Sword of Shannara.

In the previous volume, the Ellcrys mindspoke to Arling and told her that it needed her assistance. The Ellcrys was dying and had chosen Arling to take a seed to the Bloodfire to quicken it. Arling wanted to help, but was terrified of the consequences. She ran home and told Aphen that she could not become the next Ellcrys.

Aphen calmed her sister and suggested explaining to the Ellcrys that she was not the proper candidate for the task. She accompanied Arling to the Ellcrys and watched her try to refuse the task. The Ellcrys knew how Arling felt, but insisted that Arling was the only Chosen who could perform the task.

Aphen and Arling returned to Paranor with Woostra and Cymrian. Woostra and Aphen entered the keep though an escape tunnel and climbed to the records room. They discovered the general area of the Bloodfire and then returned to Arborlon.

Meanwhile, the Ard Rhys was searching for the missing Orintha and Carce. She and the others followed the path of the dragon that had flown off with the two. As they travel, they met Tesla and she accompanied them.

In this novel, Aphenglow Elessedil is a young Druid. Aphen is the granddaughter of the King of the Elves.

Arlingfant is Aphen's sister. Arling is a Chosen tending to the Ellcrys, the magical tree of the elves.

Cymrian is an Elf. He serves as Aphen's protector.

Grianne Ohmsford was the Ilse Witch. Then she became a Druid and eventually the leader of the Druids. She was also the sister of Redden and Railing's great-grandfather. After her banishment to the Forbidding, she regained her position as Ard Rhys of the Druids. Later she resigned this position and disappeared somewhere within the Charnal Mountains.

Redden and Railing Ohmsford are young twins with a human father and an elven mother. Insofar as anyone knows, they are the last living males in the Ohmsford family. Their father died while helping the Druids and now their mother Sarys hates magic and Druids.

Mirai Leah is a Rover. Redden and Railing are in love with her, but she treats them both equally. She has joined Railing's search for Grianne.

Farshaud Req is an old Rover. He has trained Redden, Railing and Mirai in the handling of airships and has been their friend since their childhood. He has also joined Railings's quest for the former Ard Rhys.

Skint is a Gnome tracker. He had been a Troll king and is now a companion in the quest.

Woostra is a Human. He is not a Druid, but is trusted with their records at Paranor. He is also a quester.

Challa Nand is a guide. He knows the Charnals better than any other guide.

Orintha is a half breed shapeshifter. She is the daughter of Pleysia and is now a Druid trainee. She had been part of the party following the Ard Rhys into the Forbidding.

Tesla Dart is an Ulk Bog. She is the niece of Weka Dart. She is always moving around. She is now a companion of Orintha.

Edinja Orle is a sorceress from a magical family. She had lost her bid for the post of Prime Minister, but then Drust died and she gained the position.

Stoon was a very talented assassin. He had an exclusive contract with Chazul. He was killed by Cymrian.

Tael Riverine is the Straken Lord. He rules many of the Jarka Ruus, the denizens of the Forbidding. Now that the wards are failing, the Straken Lord is leading his people into the Four Lands.

The King of the Silver River is an ancient Faerie power. He lives elsewhere within another plane of existence.

Grimpond is an ancient shade who cannot leave the material world. He is a malevolent being who enjoys making mischief.

In this story, Aphen and Cymrian discover the absence of Arling after they defeat Stoon and his monsters. They head for the Federation warship just in time to see it take off and vanish into the sky. They travel to the next town and buy horses to follow the warship.

Aphen soon realizes that they cannot track the Federation ship. She uses the Blue Elfstones to find the location of Arling. She and Cymrian reach Arishag much later.

The Federation warship returns to the city with Arling and the news of the death of Stoon. Since his orders were to bring back both of the Elessedil sisters, Edinja is not happy with the captain. She decides to trick Arling into telling her the location of Aphen.

Cymrian locates a locksmith to advise them on a rescue attempt. The locksmith tells them that it would be very difficult to break Arling out of the Orle townhouse. Yet they are determined to try no matter what the odds.

On the Quickening, Railing is leading an expedition into the wilds to find the former Ard Rhys. He has been counseled by the King of the Silver River to do otherwise, but he is fixed on this course. He cannot see any other way to free his brother.

Railing has not told his fellow questers about the advice from the King for fear that would give up the search. He feels guilty about this manipulative tactic, but continues in it anyway. Mirai senses that he is not telling her everything and is gradually becoming less friendly.

During their journey, Railing encounters the Grimpond. This shade first takes the form of his twin and then his mother. Railing doesn't trust him, but decides to hear his spiel. The shade tells him that Grianne lives within the mountains, but warns that trouble will follow any attempt to contact her. Railing also hides this conversation from his crew.

Skint suggests that they hire a guide familiar with the Charnal Mountains. He specifically names Challa as the best choice. They travel to Rampling Steep to hire him. On the way, they lose two Rover crewmen to the local predators. When a giant mountain lizard climbs on the ship, Railing hides Mirai, Woostra and himself with the wishsong.

Meanwhile, Redden and Orintha are the only survivors of the Ard Rhys party within the Forbidding. Redden is a captive of the Straken Lord. Orintha and Tesla are following the Jarka Ruus. They are all heading toward a way out of the Forbidding.

Orintha is determined to free the captive Redden from Riverine, but he is closely guarded. She tries anyway and finds his cage imbued with wards and surrounded by goblins and wolves. She and Tesla continue following the Jarka Ruus.

This tale brings the Straken Lord to Arishag. He lays siege to the city. The Elven Council decides to wait for further guidance.

Edinja has a source within Arborlon. The next installment in this sequence is The High Druid's Blade in the Defenders subseries.

Highly recommended for Brooks fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of magical powers, political intrigue, and a bit of romance. Read and enjoy!

-Arthur W. Jordin

This review is based on an Advance Uncorrected Proof from the the store Vine program.

I've always like the Shannara books. The original trilogy is some of the earliest fantasy I can remember reading. I've read all three in this series as well.

Something about this one didn't gel with me quite right. It took me forever to read, getting easily distracted when I sat down with it. Many of the passages seem particularly wordy, as if there wasn't enough story, and fluff was being added. If you're reading the other two, then yes, you must read this one as well, if anything to know how the story ends, but its not worth hardback prices. If you have a Kindle, read that edition, if not, wait a year for the paperback to come out.

I first read the Sword of Shannara so long ago, in fact, it came out in 1977. So you can see that I'm not new Terry Brooks.

But I hadn't read anything by him for a long time. This book came up and I decided to give it a try, a bit of nostalgia.

Overall I would say that Brooks remains a very good writer. I understand from other reviews that a lot of people expected more from this book, the ending, or whatever, but I would say its a solid book that stands on its own. I read the first two books just before reading this one, and felt that it was worthwhile.

Overall I'm pleased with it. Its quality work. Perhaps not Brooks best ever... but seriously... not every book can be the best ever.

Terry Brooks has become the modern master of fantasy. This latest one which could be a concluding volume is indeed a masterpiece. It's truly a fantasy epic. Compared to previous book in the series, this definitely has a dark edge Brooks does have a reputation of not being gentle with his characters, allowing many to perish over the years covered by this series. The mortality rate in this book is high, so be warned that it is indeed a dark entry. Be that as it may, this is a magnificent book recommended to all fantasy fans. Of course it's best to be familiar with the series before reading this one, but even fantasy fans who have somehow missed reading Terry Brooks books should grab hold of this one.

The Whole Dark legacy of Shanara reminded me of why I started reading and enjoying fantasy in the 1st place as a child, and now more than 20 years later I still enjoy hes books as much even with the lack of humour.

What he lacks in humour in hes novels I makes up for 10 fold with the fantastic world, full loveable characters, and Suspense, suspense, suspense, with lots of good and bad surprises thrown in to make these as with all Shannara books; Virtually Perfect fantasy

All these books are page turners, they hook you very quick and keep you deeply locked in the story and world till the end

To me these books are as great as the original Shanara trilogy, and then some !

I love the Darkness, in hes books, and bitter sweet endings; it makes hes books as enjoyable for an adult as for a child, and teen, and Im sure an old man or womem, because thats how real life is...bitter sweet, sometimes more sweet than bitter, and sometimes the reverse.

Because of This trilogy I am going to re-read the whole series again starting with Armageddons children ; )

I've been a huge Terry Brooks fan for decades now, and was really looking forward to the conclusion of his latest series. In "Witch Wraith," Brooks does a decent storytelling job, but it doesn't have the impact of his earlier works and feels frustratingly derivative.

As the novel opens, the Druid Order is shattered, the failing of the Ellcrys tree has demons pouring into the Four Lands, and Railing Ohmsford is searching for help to recover his twin brother, Railing, from his capture in the Forbidding. There is a LOT going on.

The book itself has positive and negative features, and when I weighed them all together, I came out with three stars. Of course, if you've gotten to this Book Three of the Dark Legacy of Shannara, you will be reading the book regardless.

PRO:
1. There are a lot of lose ends lying around, and the author manages to tie up most of them so that the story feels completed. This is an impressive feat, as there are things the reader may have forgotten about, but the author has not. Bravo.
2. There is a great buildup of anticipation for the confrontation with the Straken Lord.
3. There are some good battle scenes.

CON:
1. The topic of the Ellcrys and an invasion by demons was FAR better and more original when presented in The Elfstones of Shannara, thirty years ago. The only way this won't feel like a hollow retread is if you have not read that book. And if you haven't, go do so quickly. That is (in my opinion) the best book Brooks has ever written. In fact, many story elements feel like you've seen it all before, and nothing is awe inspiring.
2. The actual final confrontation with the Straken Lord seems too brief. Almost anti-climactic. It just feels like it was intended to add to the general chaos of the ending, and such a powerful foe deserves more attention after how much time was spent on him in the other books.
3. There seemed to be a great deal of moving from Point A to Point B, without any real need, other than to keep people busy until a final confrontation.

Again, if you've read them all, you will be reading this book. Just temper expectations. It is not a bad book, but not a great book either. It does feel like the author actually prepared the storylines and made an effort to wrap things up nicely.

Spoilers ahead.

This series in general was kind of disappointing to me. I'm somewhat used to the them of "almost everyone named dies, especially if they're still hanging around from a previous block of books," but other things bothered me.

I found myself skipping a lot of parts, just trying to reach the end of the story more quickly. That isn't what I normally do with a book... and then when I got to the ending I kept thinking some pages were torn out.

Some things were used way too frequently, such as mist and rain. I understand that airships are powerful and Brooks has to impede them and have dangerous things happen, but I swear that reading this series makes you think it rains and storms every freaking day everywhere in the Four Lands. If there's airship travel mentioned, it's gonna rain, folks - and someone is probably going over the side of the airship, too.

Several plot points are reused too often, as well. Seriously, how many times in the Shannara series is a changeling going to infiltrate the Elven hierarchy? I think we're up to the 5th time. It's getting to the point where one of the characters in a series should be genre savvy enough to go "oh, crap, we have a crisis.. better identity check everyone connected with the royal family." Heck, Aphenglow probably should have been savvy enough, given that she's supposed to have been reading the Elven histories for the past year before this.

Seems to have been a few retcons, as well. In Elfstones of Shannara, it was made pretty clear that the Ellcrys alive then was still the original tree, and that the tree had a history of Choosing women only when it thought it might be in danger of dying. In this series, apparently there's a long history of times the Ellcrys has failed and needed to be renewed, complete with a family chain link. Also, this still doesn't jive with what would have happened during the Old World - our world, as described in the Word and Void series. Given the timeline outlined in this book, it's likely that the Ellcrys had to be renewed multiple times in the Old World.. but the Elves wouldn't have had any way to find the Bloodfire since they lost the Blue Elfstones for several thousand years until Kirisin recovered them. Oh well.

The endings for the characters were disappointing - and this is what dampened this particular book - and the series - for me.

Aphenglow - she's left shattered. Sister turned into the Ellcrys, first love dead in the first book, second discovered love dead in this book, mother never speaks to her, every other Druid except Seersha dead, and we don't know if she ended up staying in Arborlon or returned to Paranor to try and reestablish the Druid Order (we can guess the latter, but it's never said). She's just left bereft and adrift as a character, her story unfinished. Her ending is like if Brooks went back to the Elfstones of Shannra and rewrote the ending to leave Wil Ohmsford in Arborlon crying next to the Ellcrys after Amberle sacrificed herself. At least he had Eretria to continue on with. Aphenglow gets nothing at all.

Grianne Ohmsford - Very disappointing. Grianne's plot line went nowhere fast. Wrenched back from life as a peaceful Aeriad and returned as the malevolent Ilse Witch, killed the Straken Lord, and then taken into the Forbidding as a result of her intent to become the next Straken. Seems like she was just brought back to keep Railing Ohmsford busy, and that's it. The plot line never touches the Ellcrys story and wasn't really needed because if she hadn't been there then the Straken Lord would have just been pulled back into the Forbidding anyway. Wasn't the title of this book called Witch Wraith? Why, then, is the Witch Wraith completely irrelevant? When I figured out Grianne was going to return, I figured she might at least go out in a blaze of glory, sacrificing herself for her family once again, or better yet reestablish herself as a force of good. Then when she was brought back as the Ilse Witch, I thought fine, she can be saved by Railing or Redden like she was by her brother. Nope - she gets a fate worse than death through no fault of her own, and doesn't even get the chance to become a real villain again before it happens. Blah. What was the point?

Tesla Dart - Why didn't she get to stay in the Four Lands? If Grianne got drawn into the Forbidding because the magic recognized that she allied herself with the demons, why couldn't the magic recognize that Tesla Dart had allied herself with the Races of the Four Lands?

Redden Ohmsford & Oriantha - Ok, Railing got the girl (Mirai). So, Redden gets brought back out of his catatonia by his brother, and.. then nothing. Where are the Crimson Elfstones? What's Redden's reaction to losing the other 3 sets of Elfstones again? What does Redden think of Mirai's choice? What happened to the very obvious connection that was being formed between Oriantha and Redden? I got nothing.

Before I forget, one note of praise - only series in the entirety of Brooks' books that I can remember the Blue Elfstones, when present, not being used to kill a magical antagonist at least once, so that's one element that didn't get brought back (sort of).

Witch Wraith, being the third installment of the Dark Legacy of Shannara, delivers! There are some negative reviews here... and that's okay... everyone has a right to their own opinion. I, personally, enjoyed this book. This is the first series of Brooks that I read where the character development is superb and there is a heavy dose of reality mixed in with the fantasy (dealing with issues of death, intimacy, etc.)... I don't like reviews that give away the story. That's why you read the book... so, with that said, I think this book is worth the read if you are a fan of fantasy without being overzealous. Afterall, it's fantasy.

When I saw this available on the vine program I couldn't wait to read this.
I haven't read any Brooks in a long time, but remember how much I enjoyed the other Shannara books, beginning waaaayyy back in the 70s with the Sword of Shannara.
I missed that this was the third in a series, but didn't let that stop me from jumping in and enjoying the story.
I am now going back to order the first two books so I can really appreciate Witch Wraith. I'll update my review once I've completed the other two books as I know I'll appreciate the details in Witch Wraith more fully at that point.
Fans of Brooks will enjoy this story.

I expect a lot from Terry Brooks. He wrote books that were seminal reads for me when I was growing up. You can't go wrong with the original Shannara series. The following Heritage of Shannara quartet and the World and Void prequel series I also enjoyed reading. I am also a fan of his unrelated but darkly playful Magic Kingdom of Landover series. Lately however, it seems he has been rehashing the same old material and swapping out established characters with less interesting and sometimes annoying ones. Wards of Faerie started out the Dark Legacy of Shannara series strongly, but book two (Bloodfire Quest) was less satisfying and Witch Wraith is more of the same. It has engaging parts and some of the characters do appeal, but overall I was left feeling that there weren't any major revelations that required the reading of this latest series and novel. Brooks' engaging 'Sometimes the Magic Works: Lessons from a Writing Life' is worth reading -- but as the title indicates, the magic doesn't always work. I'm just not feeling it in this Witch Wraith (though you may).

Hardcore Brooks fans will likely want to read it. Brooks handles battle scenes with his usual aplomb. Depending how into Shannara you are will determine your enjoyment. I suggest readers new to Brooks stick with the original Shannara series, the World and Void prequels, and the Landover series. If you must have more of Brooks after that then progress on to the other series, including this novel. Just keep in mind that they are a meal that you might not find quite as satisfying, Elfstones or not.

~ Kort

*************Spoilers ahead please be carefull!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OMG amazing! Really loved the burning of the pages that just finished two minutes ago. Overall this was just an amazing end to a great trilogy! Mr. Brooks, has always delivered for me!

First, the battles in this book just fed my joy of reading brook's way of describing a full out battle! This was an awesome way to have the middle of the book explode.....Arishag.....opps thousands of demons on the ridge!!!!!!!!!HA I loved it!

The Elfstones.......sigh I am bummed we will never know what the other ones do!! Even so it seemed like the red ones did kinda did what the black elfstone did.....right? Of course amping the power of the magic user was cool!

Teka was a sad note but if I can guess whats gonna happen through out the book than I am not happy, so I liked the bends and turns in the book. Cymarion though was though, but at the same time his role as guarding a druid is one with a short life span to it.

The characters in this book were just well thought out, everyone had something to offer, and I just loved reading about them. Even Grianne was something great and new to discover again.

As far as wrapping up the high druid series i really don't feel the connection there. It is a trilogy backing the Voyage books. Its nice to see what happened with Grianne and if she was gonna come how so? But overall this new trilogy was just great all by itself!

The only thing for me that sucks is having to wait now......right next march i think? And then it will not be about Galiphile and Brona.......but a stand alone with Leah. I will read it and love it of course but my hopes were to see the epic first druid order and the story of Brona. thank you terry brooks for the Denver tour and answer my question about Galiphile and Brona! Your amazing and i cant wait to see where you take the end of Shannara in the next 5 yrs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Terry Brooks has made a mess of things.

Death. Destruction. Demons. Despair. Doom. Oh yeah, and a Dragon.

That's a lot of Ds. Through the first two volumes of The Dark Legacy of Shannara (WARDS OF FAERIE and BLOODFIRE QUEST), Brooks has literally shredded our heroic band of adventurers, subjecting them to all manner of horrors, and then displacing them through the Four Lands and beyond the Forbidding. Now, with WITCH WRAITH, the final volume in this epic, the story of the broken heroes comes to its conclusion. In the process, Brooks proves why he continues to be counted among the very best in the world of fantasy.

Aphenglow Elessidil and her protector, elf warrior Cymrian, desperately seek her sister, Arlingfant, who is the Chosen of the Ellcrys and must recharge the Ellcrys seed in the Bloodfire. With the power of the Elfstones, they discover that Arling is being kept in the Federation city of Arishaig, in the tower of the brutal and vicious Prime Minister, Edinja Orle.

Railing Ohmsford, meanwhile, keeps hidden his secret meeting with the King of the Silver River, and leads them to find Grianne Ohmsford, long vanished from the world and likely dead. But he needs her --- and her power --- to usurp the Straken Lord and save his captured brother, Redden.

Seersha, the dwarven druid, is in Arborlon, pleading with the High Council and the King of the elves to unite with the other races of the world against the impending onslaught of the Straken Lord and his demon army when the Forbidding collapses. The King agrees with her, but the Council swings in opposition and takes a stand-and-wait approach.

Oriantha the shape-shifter works alongside Tesla Dart in an effort to free Redden Ohmsford from the clutches of Tael Riverine, the Straken Lord. To their surprise, the forces of evil find a break in the Forbidding and enter en masse to lay siege to Arishaig before marching on Arbolon and world domination. As events play out, an opportunity comes to do what they set out to do so very long ago: recover the lost Elfstones.

Here in WITCH WRAITH, Brooks takes a devastated party that began on a quest to find the lost Elfstones --- a party that has found itself diminished by grave losses and fragmented to varied corners of the world --- and deftly begins to maneuver them until the hidden tendrils that connect them begin to draw them together for the final conflict. The entire world stands in the balance, and he heightens the tensions by making the outcome a matter of strength and also a race against time.

Every story arc is touched, and while each of the characters undergoes some transformation and growth, the real central focus --- where the heart of the whole three-volume epic lives --- is with Aphenglow. From the very beginning in WARDS OF FAERIE, when she discovers the diary of an ancient elven princess and the secret that begins the entire fateful quest, her story is the anchor. If there is one failing in WITCH WRAITH, it would be in its ending, with the final focus on the Ohmsfords instead of Aphen. Given her being the catalyst of the mission, and the devastating and heartbreaking events she bears throughout, the more satisfying end would have been with her as she translated a letter from the Darkling boy who had stolen the Elfstones all those years ago. That section in the finale is some of Brooks's most powerful writing in the book, packing an emotional punch that would have served well as the final page turned.

This, however, is a minor quibble and not enough to ruin what is a tremendously entertaining and action-packed adventure from one of the longtime masters of the genre. Brooks released the three volumes of The Dark Legacy of Shannara in less than one year. While having to wait is usually a groan-worthy process once you reach that cliffhanger, it was a mercifully short wait for the trilogy. Impressively enough, this series of books is among the best of the work Brooks has compiled over his long and storied career. Even more impressive is the Usual Suspects moment longtime readers will have. That's when they read the book and begin to see all the pieces of the puzzle, the larger and broader story of Shannara, and how Brooks has masterfully and magically tied story points from older works into the fold and crafted a solid history for his world.

Because of this, WITCH WRAITH is a success on multiple levels. It works on its own, as a logical and impressive conclusion to the trilogy, and as a key that unlocks a larger understanding of the epic of Shannara. Terry Brooks has impressed me almost beyond words with how well he played the game, and it makes his world all the more enjoyable in which to play.

Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard

I have to confess, I read this book, which is the 3rd in a trilogy, without reading the previous two, which was probably a huge mistake. And it's really been too long since I read any of the previous Shannara books. So I didn't run into any of the "This has all been done before" feelings that other reviewers have cited, and in that way it was good and interesting. But I missed far too much of the activity from the previous two books in the series, and it made for a lot of confusion. I will probably read the other two books and then read this one again, to see if it is more satisfying that way.

I've been a fan of the world of Shannara for over 30 years now. I was really looking forward to learning more about the other Elfstones, & what happened to them. I also always wanted to know the history behind the Ellcrys, how & why it was created. The Dark Legacy of Shannara did all that for me, and I'm happy about it.

What I'm not happy about is the paths where some of the plot went. We already did "Elf girl makes grand sacrifice" with Amberle. It was nice to know why they do that, and why the Elessedils are chosen. However, a change-up would be interesting. I think it would have been fitting & interesting to have Edinja be the next Ellcrys. I feel that the descendants of Aleia Omarosian have paid, and paid, and paid. It's time for someone else to give back for the damage they have caused.

I'm also a little done over with the druids being destroyed again. It's time for something else. Also with love interests being tragically snuffed out. Some of it was just too much rehash of earlier books, just with different characters. However, I will always give any future Shannara book a try so I'm definitely interested in what else Brooks has in mind. I just hope we'll get some treats in storyline.

Well, this article title pretty much says it all. Terry Brooks is basically a "one-hit-wonder". How many times must we see the Druids {almost} destroyed; the Ellcrys journey for renewal; the breaking down of the Forbidding; and _______ {fill in the retread blank}?

After 30 years, isn't it time for something different? Please? You're a decent writer. You've made beaucoup dollars and a good living on the same story rehashed yearly. Why not try for different ideas? For creativity's sake and not the best-seller list.

The trilogy was ok. I mean, it is SHANNARA. Not exactly a lot to expect. Ohmford McClane does his thing in three more books. If anyone is invested in the prior books or even the Shannara Series - read it. But use the library or used bookstore. Unless filling a collection, don't waste the money.

With a bunch of loose ties from previous books to be resolved, there was a lot to accomplish with the Witch Wraith. The trilogy started with a weakening Ellcrys allowing demons into the Four Lands, necessitating a quest by Arlingfant Elessedil to find the Bloodfire. Meanwhile, the Ohmsford family reads like a soap opera, with one long lost relative being hunted down, another in deep trouble, and one caught somewhere in between. Throw in a combination of impossible to remember character names meandering through a battle with a Federation intent on war - also on muddying the variety of subplots - and it's a difficult series. It's even more difficult when other Shannara books have been read and a lot of this book's details feel like regurgitation of previous plot points and characters. It's even worse when some of the plot devices get a complete 360 reboot (e.g. Druids, Ellcrys).

This reads like most of Brooks' other work. Pretty decent character development, usage of old bloodlines, coming-of-age youths (usually in aforementioned families) , descriptiveness that borders at times on fluff, increased inspiration during major confrontations/battles (or when describing the magic/supernatural), supporting characters dying like so many red shirts on Star Trek, and an ending that feels somewhat rushed. If you've read the first two parts of the trilogy or are a big Brooks fan it's worth the read. For the average reader, however, it's a bit disappointing.

Terry Brooks Shannara series is the first I picked up years ago when I was in middle school. Ever since then, I have been riveted and pining for new releases. The Dark Legacy series does a lot to expand on the world and the lore behind it. I am always a little sad when a series ends, but in this case, Brooks tied up every loose end that I had been hoping for and made me love his characters even more. Richly detailed and expertly told, this is a fine edition to the long-standing series. I am baffled by the number of poor reviews out there. I guess it doesn't surprise me when it comes to an author like Brooks. People expect more from him each and every time he writes something new. I, on the other hand, love his style and I don't think he's changed at all since the beginning. I couldn't put this book down and was neglecting my own university work until I could finish it, which is quite an undertaking for this beefy book! If you're looking to get into the Shannara series, it isn't required to go back and read all the previous series, but it will extend your enjoyment of this one. You could always go back and read the others after The Dark Legacy and you'll probably have quite a few "aha!" moments as things are pulled together. Definitely read the first two books in the series before picking this one up, but if you love high fantasy, you will not regret purchasing this series!!

Anyone who paid money for this series ought to demand a refund from Terry Brooks.

I had hoped, really hoped, after the High Druid of Shannara series, that Brooks would find his way back to his old form, but instead he delves to even more woeful depths. What makes it even sadder is that this series felt like it was an attempt to right the wrongs of the previous series, but instead it just makes everything worse. The two most glaring defects (and there are MANY things wrong with this whole series):

1) The romantic subplot between Aphen and Cymrian. Look, romance is not one of Brooks' strong points, and nothing shows it more than this blushingly bad plot line. The reader is expected to believe that initially Aphen is Bombax's lover, but you could never tell. They fight and argue, Bombax is depicted as a bombastic, bumbling fool, and then he is summarily killed off. Aphen then sheds a few crocodile tears in her 'period of mourning,' which lasts a few weeks, and then suddenly she falls in love with Cymrian, who has loved her with true love, no doubt, since he last saw her when they were kids. Say what?! We're told that Aphen and Bombax were committed lovers for life, but then later that her feelings for Bombax were nothing compared to how she felt about Cymrian, whom she really only knew for a few weeks and didn't even remember from her youth? Does Brooks really think his readers are that stupid and gullible enough to tolerate this pablum garbage? Brooks even patronizingly telegraphs what's going to happen from page one, what with all the "strange looks" Cymrian gives Aphen and the "funny feelings" she gets around him. We all know where this is going. Cymrian was a poor man's Garet Jax, in any case, with zero character development. Who cares when he finally gets killed.

2) The worst part is what happens with the Elfstones. This whole series starts with a quest to recover the missing Elfstones - awesome idea, you think yeah man, we're gonna find out what the other Elfstones are gonna do. Having them in the Forbidding and only accessible *just this once* when the Forbidding is temporarily down because of the Ellcrys is a great touch. I actually appreciated that all the other stuff intervened, and then at the end Redden is suddenly able to get them. This felt like a fulfillment of what Allanon had predicted, and provided some justification for all that had happened. And then they are suddenly lost again because they were handed into the care of a DEMON? Wth! I mean, I could see it coming and just *groaned*. This was too much. Brooks permanently lost this reader *for good*. After all the reader is dragged through, just to mock them with losing the Elfstones again is simply too insulting. What was it all for? Allanon said the characters would question whether recovering the Elfstones would be worth the price they paid - but ultimately they *don't* recover them, so why did Brooks bother writing the series? This is why I say the reader gets punked! (And by the way, if it were *you* in that cavern with all those lost talismans and treasures, wouldn't *you* have grabbed as many as you could? That's what reasonable characters would do, but Brooks' characters don't do *anything* that makes any sense anymore.)

One more thing: Brooks decides to try and incite pity from the reader for the demons. What?!?! Oriantha feels "kinship" with them as an outsider, and the reader is even lectured that banning them behind the Forbidding was just mean, that not all demons are bad, maybe they just had bad upbringings or something. Seriously?! Well if everyone is "bad" and "dark," then who am I as a reader supposed to root for? The demons are marauding and slaughtering, and I'm supposed to pity them or feel sorry for them? Geez, man, these sure aren't the fearsome supernatural evils like the Reaper and the Dagda Mor. And Brooks just isn't the writer he used to be; he just doesn't have it anymore, or doesn't care to. This reader is DONE.

What a great novel for lovers of fantasy stories! While this is the last book in the series, it also functions well as a stand-alone story as there is no confusion about past events, since everything is well explained. The story has a moderate pace that kept me interested the entire time, never did I feel like I was getting bored with the story. I really liked the depth to the world, as well as the characters that were in it. The author really has a master's hand at creating fantasy stories that are every bit as wondrous as anyone could hope for.

This was a good ending for what would have been just an above average series. Yes, I know I rated the individual books high, as they are all three good books, but I will agree with others that the plot was a little on the stale side. This made the series as a whole better than it was going. (POSSIBLE/MINOR SPOILERS) I thought the Ilse Witch being there added an interesting flavor. The whole Ellcrys plotline was a little...different. I mean, we know the Ellcrys doesn't last forever, so adding it was a good thing, but having Edinja Orle tracking them to the Bloodfire and wanting to take credit, come on. But overall, this was a great read for me, both as a book and as an overall ending to the series. Yes, things could maybe have been done slightly different, but I liked it. Well worth the read, especially if you are a little more of a die-hard Brooks fan. And I am. Enjoy.

This is a captivating series and a page turner. Only issue I would have is that the series should actually be 1 big book since book 2 and 3 in the 3 book series are dependent on the previous book and doubtfully would be able to follow very well either out of order or individually. In a way it is good because like continuances in a TV show, each book leaves the situation very suspenseful and looking to read the next.

Thirty-five years ago, Terry Brooks created Shannara. He's been going back to the well ever since, with varying results.

The latest installment wraps up the Dark Legacy series, as the characters struggle to contain demonic forces. It's wide ranging and quite tragic in places, and mostly kept my interest, but I feel that it dragged in places. I think if you've gotten this far in the series, it's worth finishing, but I can't guarantee you'll be happy.

I became a Terry Brooks fan many, many years ago reading "Elfstones of Shannara". When I saw this book offered, I jumped at the chance to read more of Terry's fantasy land. Although I haven't read the first two books in the series, I was still entranced by this one and the characters were well developed. There were, as expected, a few places I felt a little lost, but the story was good all the same. Now I just have to go back and read the first two!

Very entertaining to read the whole series, especially this series. Brooks is no longer afraid to kill off significant characters as he shows us again.

I did wonder about the consistency of the Ellcrys timeline, but I think that is easy to explain away. For a bit I thought this was going to stretch into a fourth novel, but then he brought them all together and using Elfstones in a new way to help wrap it up.

I'm not a die hard Brooks fan. I've read some of the books before, but only a few here or there. I understand why many people feel like this is a repeat of everything done before because even as a reader that isn't a huge fan, it feels that way. The characters are not well developed. There is no connection to any of them. I came into this series on the second book, so I knew what was leading up to the third one, but that didn't really matter. You could read this third book and still know what is going on. It is cookie cutter where most of the characters are interchangeable. While the writing is decent and the pacing is done well, there really is no innovation and so it feels like a huge waste of time.

Many years ago (the 70's), Terry Brooks' books introduced me to the world of fantasy. I had always been a poor reader and rarely picked up a book, but once I started his first series. I became obsessed. I never go anywhere without a book these days

I wanted to like the series, due to my great memories of older Shannara books from my childhood. The first of this series enchanted me in several sections... But the subsequent two have left me wanting, meandering into heavy handed plotting and losing the sense of wonder that I was looking for. I haven't given up on Terry Brooks by any means, but this effort seemed phoned in.

This was a very enjoyable read, the characters truly draw you in. And it pulls together previous plot lines in a very satisfying way even if you haven't read them all any/most fantasy fans will get the overall story and the ending and appreciate it. It is a fun fast paced adventure filled with no shortage of exciting mysteries this is one you will want to finish.

I have followed the writing career of Terry Brooks since his very first novel. I consider him a master of fantasy and sharing this exalted position with such authors as C J Lewis. I never cease to be amazed at his ability to tie one adventure with another even when the saga is played out over decades. It is clear Brooks lives this adventure and is more than just an observer. This is the quality of story telling and writing that makes reading a pleasant must do! They are not books written to increase revenues nor stories just told to entertain...they are doors that enable us to pass through so we can live the adventure in relative safety!

This book follows all of the classic Brook themes. But on this one the book left a lot of cliff hangers which I love. Because it means more books and adventures. But the finish on this book as a little disappointing. Just my two cents. Still a fan and will always be. The sword was my awaking!

What i can say about this book? I think it' s important to understand what are the main plots. I think there are 2 elements in the whole trilogy that are 'main': one is the love story between Aleia Omarosian and her darkling boy. A story that spans along the centuries, a true story. The second element is about too much simple soutions,they are always choosen as definitive but actually very poor in effectiveness and justice. Brooks say this clear. So i can say this is a good book to read even if the old readers of Brooks can have a bit of dejavu, if they don't look to the main lines of the story.

The final tale lives up to its name: "Dark Legacy". Having read almost all of Terry Brooks Shannara books, this one pulled all the other ones together. I have to admit towards the end, I wasn't sure all the subplots could wind up with a coherent completion. Terry Brooks does it with panache. Recommend this trilogy to everyone.

This is an excellent concluding novel. Everything that needs to be wrapped up is wrapped up and what is not, will be in the next series. I would also say this is his most human and saddest novel. Many creatures do not have happy endings. I will read this again.

I have given this book 4 stars because that was the average at the time I wrote this and I didn't want to damage the rating. But I will readily admit that I haven't read this book yet. I refuse to purchase a Kindle book at a price set by the publisher. I thought that after Apple was found guilty of collusion and after the major publishers settled that this practice would stop. This price is ridiculous. The only reason it looks good compared to the hardbound price is that they've raised the hardbound price so that they could raise the price of the Kindle version. I'm glad to see there are only 16 reviews so far. Hopefully, no one is buying this book and we can send a message to the publisher. This Kindle price is too high. For that matter, the hardbound book price is also too high. I will add that I own every book Terry Brooks has written about Shannara. But I will not be purchasing this one until the price comes down.

Witch Wraith: the Dark Legacy of Shannara, continues the long ling of Shannara books and it very typical of Terry Brook's writing. I was quite glad to see that Brooks picked up the Shannara story line again, and this trilogy didn't disappoint. Like seeing an old friend again. If you loved the other Shannara books, you should very much enjoy this one too. If you're not a great fan, you may get tired of this trilogy because it may be too much like the earlier books.

Fabulous fantasy. Proven to be an excellent fantasy writer, Terry Brooks does not disappoint. What is there not to like: thoughtful plot, layered characters, depths of imagination that take fantasy world in all directions possible. Always a pleasure.

I have been reading Terry Brooks since 1984 and have never been disappointed.I will say in this book I was hoping the isle witch was going to some how become the tree.I have two little girls and could never give them up.

I did not like the first & second book very much but Being a terry brooks fan tried to finish the trilogy. I feel he redeemed himself in this book. The first two books felt very forced to me but in the last one the characters feel more real to me. I know a lot of people might disagree with me but it seems like terry wanted to write this book and had to figure out how to get there in books one and two. That said I loved this book like I have liked the previous books in this series. Great battles and good tension building up to the end. Could not put the book down.

I have been entertained for years by this gifted writer, and this series has continued that trend beautifully. Exciting, fun, with love, loyalty, all the drama you need in a mental get-away-from-it-all fantasy. Enjoy!

Second book does not disappoint. It always amazes me how authors can entertains stories and bring back history from their other series. Mr. Brooks is a master at this and has created a worth sequel to one of the best series ever.

I first read the Shannara series many years ago and master wordsmith Terry Brooks does not disappoint with this latest installment. the imagery is especially powerful. With a great deal of action, you feel like you are on your own exciting adventure. If you like high action fantasy and new worlds, consider this series.

It was ok, but I get the feeling Terry Brooks didn't write this book himself. I'm sure he directed it, but it didn't have the same feel as prior books. I get the feeling he had a team of writers doing the writing. The story was a bit of a rehash, but it was still ok.

I really felt that I probably should have bought the first two books in some capacity, instead of getting this through Vine. While it might have seemed appealing initially, I had a hard time really getting into it. Maybe next time I'll pick something else.

I love this book. One of my favorite stories from a top author. I had been worried the book would be too action heavy and battle focused, but all of the human emotion and energy was still there. The ending was a little expected and didn't leave a lot of room for surprises, but I can't complain. Worth the read and definitely worth the shelf space.

I have been reading Terry Brooks books for some considerable time and it was lovely to revisit the Shannara family again! Excellent reading Terry, and I want more and more....... E. Rutherford, author of Snuze a children's book.

If anyone is curious about why this book costs too much, and if you haven't received notification of the settlement, check out the link describing how and why many ebook buyers are receiving settlements from several publishers who apparently have admitted to artificially inflating ebook prices: [...]
This is not an the store issue; the publishers set the prices.
If an ebook is priced ridiculously high, like this one is, make some noise about it. It works.

UPDATE: Anyone else receive an e-mail with a rebate because prices for Kindle were set too high? I received the following message in an e-mail this morning: "Good news! You are entitled to a credit of $248.63 for some of your past Kindle book purchases. The credit results from legal settlements reached with publishers Hachette, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Macmillan, and Penguin in antitrust lawsuits filed by State Attorneys General and Class Plaintiffs about the price of eBooks."
Random House must be paying attention.
3/25/14