Book Three (Word & Void series) - The Word and the Void Series

I love the book but it was not what I expected. It is smaller than what I thought and was looking for the orginal size. This is not what I am looking for since I have most of Terry Brooks books in original form.

There is a little bit of closure to Nest's story in this one, but it still leaves a lot to wonder about. John Ross enlists Nest's help once again, this time to figure out a way to keep a gypsy morph (I had no idea what it was for a long time) away from the Void and turn it to work for the Word.

This book felt a little lost at the beginning. There were lots of things happening that just seemed to be for no reason - but I guess that's the nature of demons?? It wasn't until about half way through that things really started to make more sense. In many ways this is the darkest book of the series by far.

I'm glad I read the series, I'm hoping to see bits and pieces of the lore pop up once we get back into the Shanarra portion of the story arc. I really miss it.

In Angel Fire East we find out what is happening with John Ross - A Knight of the Word - and Nest Freemark ten years after their last get-together in Seattle. In the mean time Nest has gone on to win Gold medals in the Olympics (twice) and is the reining World Champion and record holder in many middle distance running events. However, several months before, she decided to quit her running as her ingrown demon wolf (Wraith) is starting to control more and more of her and almost escapes during one memorable race. A race Nest wins, but only because of Wraith's influence.

Now Nest is living at her old house in Hopewell, IL and watches the world go by. We find out that she's been married for a while to a guy named Paul, and is involved with her church and community, but that is all we really know of her world.

John Ross has also continued with his life. He is still an itinerant Knight of the World who roves the U.S. drawn by his nightmares to places where he can affect a battle between the demons and mankind. His nightmares show him what might happen if he fails and he learns from those what to change in the situations he finds so that the nightmare does not come to pass. He is more successful than not, and his reward is always to get a new mission from the Word - or its representative The Lady.

In this volume, he is visited by a nightmare that shows him dying on a cross. It turns out that he somehow manages to capture a unique magical creature known as a Gypsy Morph, but he fails in not protecting it enough from the Void. Through this dream, Ross finds out how to capture this Gypsy Morph and he goes on to do so and then runs around the countryside to escape the hordes of demons who are attracted to it. It is kind of interesting to see how Ross - who is obviously fighting on the side of goodness - has to steal cars and cause pain to people who befriend him without a care or remorse as he does so.

Eventually, the Gypsy Morph changes into a little boy and call out "Nest" so Ross comes with him to Hopewell. On the side of the demons, a diabolically clever demon named Findo Gask has assembled a team of three other demons and is waiting in Hopewell for exactly this to take place. The four demons have the run of the town and affect an abusive Deputy Sheriff to help them as well as other townsfolks. Placing the book in Hopewell allows us to spend much time in the park that is Pick's special preserve as well as see what has happened in the 15 years since Running with the Demon featured the same locations.

I quite enjoyed reading this book and thought that Terry Brooks has regained his form for plotting and action. Since the demons are soulless and not interested in what takes place for their human victims, some of the deaths and destruction that they cause makes much sense. However, since they are supposed to feed on their victims, it was surprising not to have anyone taken in this way?

On the other hand, Terry Brooks's vision is very dark and foreboding. So, some of what we learn is not particulaly nice. For instance, Bennett Scott makes a return appearance but now she is no longer a precocious five year old but rather a 20 year old single mother who is a complete and utter loser and drug addict.

Even positive relationships like the love that springs up between Josie and Ross is left hanging. Ross's return to Hopewell rekindles the love affair, but a twist at the end of the book ensures that this love does not go on. That was very disappointing to me.

More disappointments had to do with the finish of the book. The final confrontation between the Word and the Void plays out much as one would expect, but some how Findo Gask is allowed to simply leave town with no ill effects. John Ross is given a highly problematic release from his vows and goes "home" and Nest is left with one three year old and the Gypsy Morph. Of course, since the whole point of gaining control of the Morph is to affect how it develops and affects the world, the immediate suspicion is that a fourth book in the series is imminent, yet that is not the case - there is no fourth book planned for this series. So, that is why I am taking one star away - the conclusion that isn't.

Other than that, this was an enjoyable romp in a dark world view.

It took me quite a long time to even get the courage to purchase Running With The Demon. I believe it had been out in paperback at least a year before I got around to it. I was a fan of Shannara--and that was ALL. I had already ignored his Landover series from day one (and still haven't read them--although one day I will) but this one seemed different. The idea of a contemporary fantasy story set in the REAL world was fascinating and the loosely based similarities to the Harry Potter series is about as far off the mark as comparing the Lord of the Rings to Star Wars.

I am quite impressed overall with the entire series, and with Angel Fire East in particular. The character of Findo Gask is at once one of Brooks' more demonic creations, but in a totally different manner than anthing set before. Sure he has given us some truly horrible creatures over the years, but Findo is much more evolved than the others...and consequently is much more intelligent and cunning, and therefore almost real in how he can make your skin crawl. I loved the pacing of the story and how it all unfolded so meticulously. It almost seems as though each and every person introduced is treated as though they were the main focus of the story, and that secondary characters simply did not exist.

I have also noticed that no matter how much I enjoyed or hated a novel, there are ALWAYS those who feel as opposite from the way I do as is possible, and therefore discount my opinion of the book I reviewed. I never feel the need to preach about how if I liked any particular book that the world HAS to like it as well...and so I won't here as well. What I WOULD like to say is this: chances are if you liked Running With The Demon and A Knight Of The Word, you will more than enjoy Angel Fire East. Personally I felt it was one of the more satisfying stories Terry Brooks has ever written. He is right now in the middle of bridging the storylines of the Word and Void to Shannara with Armageddon's Children and the upcoming Elves of Cintra. Once again, I cannot WAIT to buy and read them as well...and who knows, while waiting for the last book, I may finally pick up that first Landover book that came out so long ago and give it a go...

When John Ross dreams of a crucified man telling him the location of a rare gypsy morph, and that the loss of that magic led to the downfall of the human race - then glimpses his own face upon that crucified man - he determines to find the gypsy morph and solve the secrets of its magic no matter what. Finding it will be the first task - although he knows it will be in a cave on the Oregon coast and what town it will be near, that doesn't necessarily narrow it down. Then capturing it will be a problem. Then the hardest part will be maintaining his hold on it without it being captured by demons, who will be attracted to it like bees to honey.

He finds the cave with the help of a resident of the area who knew all the caves around. He captures the morph with a net provided by the Lady. And he keeps one step ahead of the demons by remaining constantly on the run. Discovering what the secret of the gypsy morph is, and what it wants to become, however, seems to be impossible - until it finally assumes the form of a little boy and utters the word "Nest" and nothing more.

Nest is warned of their impending arrival by a demon named Findo Gask, who shows up on her doorstep and warns her to not help John Ross or take in the gypsy morph, or she will have only herself to blame for the results. Nest is unaware of this, but Findo did not come to town alone - he brought along three more demons because he has been thwarted repeatedly in his attempts to capture John Ross and the gypsy morph over the past weeks.

To complicate matters more, Bennett Harper - whom Nest had once saved from the feeders on the cliffs overlooking the river - turns up on her doorsteps with her daughter. Bennett is an addict and is looking for help and a place to stay. Of course Nest takes her in - but the demons see Bennett as a way to get to Nest.

By the time John Ross arrives with the gypsy morph in the form of a little boy, Nest has a full house.

What happens over the course of the next few days is alternately terrifying, horrifying, heart-rending and heart-warming. It shows the depths to which people can sink, as well as the heights to which they can ascend, all the while doing their best to pull others up with them. This made a satisfying end-cap to the trilogy, while leaving enough of an open end for additional books set in this world if the mood should strike Mr. Brooks (and we all know how he is!).

I can definitely recommend this trilogy to anyone who enjoys classic themes of good vs. evil, especially those with particularly thought-provoking ideas involved. These were very good books - read them!

Terry Brooks wraps up his Word/Void Trilogy with Angel Fire East. It is now some fifteen years after the events of Running With the Demon and ten since A Knight of the Word. John Ross is still fighting the good fight, trying to stop the small events that he knows will tip the world closer to the power of the Void. He dreams of the future, of a world in ruin and of the events that could hold off that future. He learns that a Gyspy Morph will be born, a being born of wild and uncontrolled magic that could tip the balance in the favor of the Void if Ross fails in captured the Morph. It is raw magical energy in a physical form. Standing in Ross's path is Findo Gast. Gast is a demon sent to stop John Ross and to claim the Morph for the Void. He's a mean one, Mr. Grinch.

Ross knows that one of his only options to keep the Morph safe is to go to Nest Freemark. Nest is a woman who has magic of her own, one of the few alive who do. She was also involved as a 14 year old in the events of RWtD. Ross travels to Hopewell to meet up with Nest. Findo Gast also travels to Hopewell hoping to find Ross and the Morph. What follows is the best of the Word/Void novels. Terry Brooks does a fantastic job in creating tension in this story. We just know something big has to happen here and that Findo Gast is a very real threat (a threat I did knot feel as strongly in AKotW). This is the most interesting of the Word/Void novels and is the most powerful in its ending and execution. Everything feels dangerous. Around any corner could be a nasty surprise and Brooks does not go easy on his characters here.

In the pantheon of fantasy authors Terry Brooks is a name that carries some weight in helping fantasy become as popular as it is. The Sword of Shannara was one of the first best selling fantasy novels that gained a widespread readership. But as the years went by and he kept selling some readers viewed him as a lesser fantasy author in terms of quality. His work is highly readable, but it doesn't have the depth that we later find in a George Martin or Steven Erikson. That's just fine. Brooks writes quality entertaining books that might not find the top tier of critical acclaim, but the bottom line is that his books are typically a good, entertaining read. Angel Fire East is one of the best of Terry Brooks. Superior to most of his Shannara work and easily better than his Landover novels, Angel Fire East stands up as a darn good story told by a competent storyteller.

-Joe Sherry

"Angel Fire East" is the third book in the "Word and the Void" trilogy that began with "Running with the Demon" and continued with "A Knight of the Word." The gap between this book and the last is even longer than that between the previous two; ten years have passed since our two protagonists John Ross and Nest Freemark last met, and once again their reunion heralds another upheaval in the war between the benevolent Word and the chaotic Void.

"Angel Fire" is better than "Knight", but "Running" is still the best, and the only one in the trilogy that I would seriously recommend. The second two just don't seem to have the same characterisation or sense of all the plot threads drawing together in a master plan like "Running" did. But if you're determined to see Nest and Ross's story out to the end, then here we go again...

John Ross is a knight working on behalf of the Word who has managed to capture a strange magical creature - a gypsy morph that is made of leftover magics and (because of its capacity for either good or evil) is a much coveted prize for both sides of the battle. It has finally settled on the shape of a young boy, and since then the only word it has uttered has been the name "Nest".

Nest is now twenty-nine years old, a divorcee, and a retired Olympian runner - in other words, she's not really feeling fulfilled in her life, especially due to the unwanted attentions of the local sheriff Larry Spence. Then two arrivals appear: a demon named Findo Gask shows up on her doorstep inquiring after John Ross, and Bennett Scott, the young woman that Nest once saved, who is now a drug addict with a daughter of her own - Harper. Eventually John himself arrives, complete with the morph/boy they dub "Little John".

In the three days before Christmas, Nest and Ross come together again, trying to solve the riddle of the gypsy morph whilst shielding it from the control of Gask and his trio of demon henchmen. This mission is especially important to Ross due to the promise that the Lady has given him: if he completes this task, then his service as a Knight will be over.

The setting is thankfully back in Hopewell and the park, and Pick the sylvan is given more to do in this book than in the last, as does Wraith, Nest's inner guardian in the form of a giant wolfhound. The return of Bennett is a nice touch, if a little sad, Robert Heppler is still around - now with a wife and child of his own, and Two Bears again has a cameo appearance - perhaps the best one of the three books. Larry Spence is rather irritating, though I suppose he was supposed to be - but by the end of the novel I felt rather sorry for his kids - Brooks does nothing to explain what will now happen to them. Findo Gask makes a scary villain, calm, organised and collected in the visage of a country preacher with a Book of Names on all the people he has killed, and is backed up nicely by the slightly crazed Penny Dreadful. However, the other two demons' presence is somewhat unnecessary - the ur'droch remains an enigma, and Twitch's existence is entirely unjustified (he doesn't do anything except back up an unfortunate stereotype against albinos - they don't have pink eyes!)

The story itself suffers too - although the premise is interesting, there are plot holes and inconsistencies large enough to drive a truck through, plus an awkwardness in reconciling the fantasy and the `real world' stories that wasn't present in the previous books. The plot seems somewhat cobbled together quickly, switching back and forth between scenarios that don't really fit together - the demons' actions and motivations in particular are somewhat confusing, choosing elaborate schemes and disguises to watch the protagonists instead of simply going in and getting what they want. For evil creatures, they fluff around an awful lot, and spend too much time manipulating Larry Spence and Bennett when there isn't really much reason to. Likewise, the characterisations of Ross and Nest suffer too - even knowing what's at cost, they make some extremely unwise decisions. I question Nest's very intelligence at leaving Bennett and Harper alone in the house on the same day a demon came to call, and later letting Bennett go out alone after a near fatal accident. Furthermore, they don't neglect their social lives during the life or death situation - Nest goes to a Christmas party and Ross visits an old flame, seemingly believing that they'll be safe amongst other people when its been shown again and again that this is never the case. With Gask waiting too long to make his move, Nest waiting too long to ask for a basic warding spell around her house, and a lot of time wasted on a lengthy and unnecessary death scene on a frozen lake, the story just felt to patchy and hacked together.

Which is unfortunate given that it's the last book - some people may feel a little short-changed at the resolution, though it does end on a conclusion that suggests more books might be coming; Brooks certainly leaves himself with enough material to keep the franchise open, and I myself would dearly love to see Nest's old friend Brianna and Jared once again. As "Knight" centred on the theme of homelessness, here Brooks explores the evils of drug abuse. Thankfully the message was not so heavy handed as it was in the previous book, but it still comes across loud and clear: Don't Do Drugs.

All in all, a reasonable end to an interesting trilogy, but it always felt as though Brooks was skimming the surface of something much larger and more intricate that was only really explored in "Running with the Demon".

The third book of The Word and the Void series does not disappoint. Taking place ten years after the Knight of the Word, we find Nest, a former Olymic gold medalist and recent divorcee back in her hometown of Hopewell, Illinois. Which is fine by this reviewer since Brooks gave us a wonderfully vivid impression of it in his last two books. He describes Hopewell with as much care and compassion as he does with Shady Vale.

Nest is approached and harrased by a demon named Findo Gask who is a preacher of the Void. He is looking for, who else, John Ross. John apparantly has been given the task by the Lady of capturing a Gypsy Morph, a being of great magic, and Gask wants it.
The authors strength here is not actually the premise but the characters in the series. However the payoff at the end is very much worth it. Most of the supporting characters that were in the first book pop up in one way or another here. Bennet Scott, the little girl that nest saves at the very beginning of the series, being a prime example. The demons (yes that's plural)in this book are particularly exceptional. Gask being the most formidable. Two Bears, whom I'm not normally a fan of, also makes his best cameo yet.
One admirable aspect of these novels is they take place over a span of twenty years, but the author is very carefull not to date the books with, well, by giving dates and telling current events or technology. Interesting sidenote, thought it was worth mentioning. Anyway....
Anyone who thinks that this is the last installment to a trilogy will be pleasantly surprised. Brooks leaves a lot open at the end of this story.
Highly recommended. Fans do not worry. My second favorite after "Demon"

The incomparable Terry Brooks is in top form with "Angel Fire East," the third installment of the "Running With The Demon" series. In this one, Knight of the Word John Ross, compelled by his relentless dreams, is on a quest to locate a creature, born of magic, he knows only as a "Gypsy Morph." Once he finds it, he knows he will have but a short time to unravel its secret if it is to become the powerful ally he needs in the ongoing struggle against the Void. Then something happens that takes him back to the town of Hopewell, Illinois, and his old friend, Nest Freemark, who he has not seen in ten years. There's a connection, it seems, between Nest and the Morph; but it's as much a mystery to Nest as it is to Ross. Now it's up to Nest, as well as Ross, to figure it out before it's too late, all the while fending off the demon who would have the morph for his own sinister purposes. Brooks weaves his own magic here with a narrative alive with tension and suspense. There is a sense of urgency to the story, over which the menace of the darkest demon Brooks has yet created, one Findo Gask, hangs like a pall. Along the way we meet Pick, the little Sylvan caretaker of Sinnissippi Park; the Indian O'olish Amaneh, also know as "Two Bears"; Nest's friend, Bennett Scott; all of whom are more than just characters in a book; these are people you get to know, care about, and want to spend some time with. And then there's the malevolent trio of demons under Gask's command: Penny Dreadful (whose name says it all), the hulking Twitch, and a creature of shadow, known as the Ur'droch. Long after you've finished the last chapter, you're going to remember all of them. It's all a part of the spell Brooks casts, and I promise you, it will leave you wanting more of the same.

Angle Fire East, the big finale to the John Ross-Nest Freemark trilogy, offers more of a fantasy element than the previous two books. This one deals more with the magic of the world and how it effects our characters. It also offers us the gypsy morph, a truly wonderful creature concocted of wild magics thrown together that last only a short while. John Ross has captured this and it's up to him to figure out it's secret for the Word, while avoiding servants of the Void who want it for their master. His single clue leads him to, you guessed it, Hopewell, home of Nest Freemark.
This book feels more like the first in the series in that, in addition to Nest and John Ross, there's a strong supporting cast that get their time in the sun. We see Bennet Scott, all grown up with a kid of her own. Unfortunately, she's turned into a junkie and decides the best way to get out of that life is to return home to her surrogate big sister, Nest. Josie, the lady who has John Ross' heart makes a return, as does Robert Heppler.
Findo Gask makes the best villian in this series yet. I found him to be scarier than any of the other demons in all three books. There was just something about him. The fact that he is as evil as they get makes it all the more satisfying when, in a couple of different scenes, Nest gets all up in his face and tells him off. Go girl!
I only wish that the ending didn't end so quick. It's kind of a bittersweet ending and I wish it was a bit more fleshed out. Basically you had the final confrontation and a couple of pages after and that's it. I could have gone for a final confrontation then a whole chapter after. The best part about the ending is that it seems this story can go on, if not the Ross-Nest saga, then there is a place where it can go. Maybe Brooks will treat us to more Word-Void books after he finishes up his latest batch of Shannara books. I, for one, would not complain.
P.S. Two Bears continues to rock!

First off I would probably say this was a 2 1/2 star book. I was extremely disappointed in the first half of the book, there is honestly to much recap of the previous novels and only a little bit of advancement of the story. I will say that the ending was really good and help to alleviate the disappointment I had for the majority of the book. John Ross's end was kind of unfortunate I would of liked to have seen him with Josie, I think he deserved that. Not exactly sure how this trilogy ends up tying in to the rest of the Shannara series since I have only read the original trilogy and this one, but I am hoping once I read the next trilogy in chronological order it will become more apparent.

Angel Fire East is a wonderful conclusion to the Word vs. Void series. The description in this book and its previous two are richly developed and decidedly romantically nostalgic. The reader is completely and thoroughly enveloped by the scenery and feelings of which Brooks obviously has felt and still feels, even to this day. I've heard Brooks say that these books are loosely based on his childhood and the town in which he grew up. He really knows how to put onto paper his inner most feelings. Our friend Nest Freemark has grown into full adulthood and now resides in her hometown. She is still trying to come to terms with her magic and at a time when she is most vulnerable, a demon comes looking for her. John Ross has discovered a gypsy morph of which will change the power struggle in favor of the Word. The only way for the gypsy morph to evolve into a helpful state is to encounter powerful magic much like it contains in itself. Nest has that power and John has decided to bring it to her in hopes of some much needed assistance. Of course the demon, Findo Gask has designs for getting the powerful gypsy morph through Nest. This book was really wonderful and gave me much enjoyment. I especially liked the descriptions of Christmas and all its warmth, proverbial and otherwise. If your looking to read something that is just simply good all around, this is the book for you. I recommend it highly.

I LOVED this series. People will talk all day about Mr. Brook's Shannara series, which I for one, did not enjoy all that much. A few will nod their heads in the direction of the Landover series, but how can you not love this one?! Imagine a hero who every night in his dreams has to live in what the world will become if he fails in his mission. The sheer horror of that still boggles my mind. I was fascinated from the very beginning with this concept and was enthralled in the characters. As much as I loved the Landover series, this trilogy is my favorite of all his works. I am an avid fantasy reader. Almost a snob you might say and I am telling you this series is worth the effort. Ross is one of the most heroic characters I have ever had the pleasure of sharing an adventure with. Drizzy Dro'Urden, Elbyran the Nightbird, John Ross, Sparhawk. . .Damien Vyrce he belongs in that company. He left the series wide open for more books, I hope this is the case. Bottom line, read them, make up your mind. But you could do A LOT worse, believe you me.

Nest has magic in her. She's come to terms with that over her lifetime and now, in her late twenties, accepts it. She also accepts the fact that she is destined to lead a quiet life in the small town where her family has always lived. She will act as guardian over the nearby forest and try to keep her magic in check. This winter will be just one of many boring seasons by herself.

Then a nasty demon shows up at her door, asking about a man Nest knew years and years ago, a Knight of the Word named John Ross. The demon seems to think that John is headed for Nest's house, and he warns her that if she tries to help him or hide him, very bad things will happen.

Soon Nest's house is filled not only with John Ross and a strange magical and powerful creature called a gypsy morph in the form of a small boy, but also an old friend who has come upon hard times and her little girl.

The demon and his footsoldiers are all around them, though, making trouble and putting everyone in danger. Nest can't throw John and the boy out--if they can get the boy to communicate with them, they will have a powerful weapon in the ongoig fight against the demons of the Void. But time is running out for all of them.

I liked that even though this book was the third in a series, I felt like I could pretty well pick up on what was going on without having read the two previous books. I also liked that although this book was science fiction, it took place in a pretty normal town where nobody knew that magic existed.

The characters were really clueless. Nest should have had some idea of what was going on with Larry, and Gask should have been able to figure out what form the gypsy morph had taken. Everyone was a bit too slow to figure things out.

This is a wonderful trilogy, by far the best of Terry Brooks’ series. I always keep hoping for a sequel, but that probably won’t happen.
I just finished marathon reading an ARC of “Street Geeks”, his new novel due out Oct 2, 2018. Enjoyed it!

John Ross is a Knight of the Word. His job is to fight the evil Void whereever it rears it's ugly head. But a "gypsy morph", wild and untamed magic, threatens to tip the balance toward the forces of evil unless John can capture and tame the morph. However he finds he must enlist old friend Nest Freemark's help after the morph (who has morphed into a little boy) asks for Nest by name. Complicating matters is the arch-demon Findo Gask and his cohorts who are out to find the morph too, and destroy him before the magic can be turned to the forces of good.
I found this novel to very satisfying. It has good characterization, dialog, and story. Mr. Brooks makes you care about the people in this novel and what happens to them. Mr. Brook's writing is always good, bordering on the literary, and his story rises above much of the fantasy being published today. I recommend this book highly as well as the two previous books in this series, "Running With The Demon", and "A Knight of the Word".

If like me, you've read "Running with the Demon" and "Knight of the Word," you'll want to know what happens to John Ross and Nest Freemark. Character is what this book is about.

In this final volume of the trilogy, Nest is 29 and living back in Hopewell, Illinois. John Ross, once more a Knight of the Word, has come back to try and claim a potentially powerful entity--a newly born Gypsy Moth--for the Word.

Findo Gask, a demon, wearing an "Elmer Gantry" like face, has assembled his own odd crew of fighters aiming to take the moth for the Void. The results of this battle could change the balance substantially.

While I still love Ross and Freemark, it almost feels like some of this story is templated--particularly the fight scenes. I'm glad to have read the book. It's good to know what happened to two characters I value, but this is a lackluster end to what I consider a staller beginning.

If you're interested in Terry Brooks and want to read this series, start at the beginning with "Running with the Demon" but understand it 'runs downhill' from there.

I have been an avid Brooks reader ever since I got my hands on a copy of Sword of Shannara. After I finished the Shannara series, I decided to check out Word and Void, a recent Brooks series. Well, I can say that I did like Angel Fire East more than the first two. Some of the characters are still a bit too smart and always seem to think of the right thing at the right time and whatnot, one of the flaws of Word and Void. But this book was different from the first two. Brooks added in some characters that really seem to be real. You almost understand the drug addiction and Bennett's desperate need for them. Larry Spence is a total idiot character and nearly ruined the story with his stupidness (for me, that is, not literally). Nest, the main character is just about as close you can come to perfection without stretching the limit. Not a very good thing.
The plot was rather simple, and went at a fast pace. Nothing was ever endlessly dragged out and nothing occurred that wasn't realistic.
The writing quality is wonderful: a unique style and very rich.
Well, anyway, it's not as wonderful as his Shannara series, but.. good.

Having gone through and reread this series again, I am once again reminded of how much I have enjoyed Terry Brook's Word and the Void series.

It was great to see what became of Bennit from the first book, even though it then becomes a tragic ending too for her.

The story moves at a good clip despite the real action only happening at the end, but when it comes, it there. Some feel it was over too quickly, I thought it was just fine given the circumstance for Nest and Ross to go in, confront their enemies, hit them fast and hit them hard given the overwhelming odds they had with Findo Gask, Penny, Twitch and the ur'droch.

Overall, this was a great conclusion to the series and if Brook should ever choose to write more, I'd be on board to read more.

A group of demons stake out Nest's hometown waiting for John Ross to seek her out. The conclusion of 'The Word and the Void' series.

I have to admit, I enjoyed the first book in this series "Running with the Demon" the most, this third installment brings the series to a satisfactory close. The second book, "A Knight of the Word", seemed more of an interlude, but "Angel Fire East" brings the story back to its origins: the small town of Sinnissippi. Something about demons running around a small town (as opposed to a large city like Seattle, the setting in "A Knight of the Word") seems to be more frightening. Enjoyed it, but I felt the main characters made some foolish choices obviously meant to increase the suspense. Overall, however, glad I finished it.

Having worshipped the other two books in this series, I bought AFE the first day it came out and had it finished two days after that. Being slighty upset with it, I waited a few months and read it again, figuring that I'd give it time to digest. Unfortunately, my opinions stayed the same. Nest is a cool character in the books, don't get me wrong, but Ross is, to me, the reason I read the series. He's a cool version of a Paladin, and I can't wait for him to fight the next demon. However, he's severly underused in this book, and his ultimate resolution is terrible...almost as if Brooks was rushing to finish the book. As for the rest of it, Brooks has an annoying tendency of cheating his way through mysteries--you wonder what's going on, what something could mean, and then once its explained you realize its just that you didn't know something about the magic. An explanation that has to be applicable simply because it can't be tested suddenly pops up, i.e. Wraith in basically every sense. The bad guys in this one aren't very good either, and though it reads quickly, I think that can be attributed more to me wanting more of Ross than liking the story...it was fairly slow throughout. All in all though, this series is definitely worth reading, especially the first two. It looses steam at the end, but Brooks still manages to haven enough cool stuff to keep his readers interested.

I had put off reading this book for a long time. It just sat there on my bookshelf wanting to be read. But for some reason I didn't until recently. And now I know why. I hated closing this book because now I will never see Nest Freemark again.

I had enjoyed the first two books in this series when I first read them and Nest was someone I could relate to. John Ross was an amazing character because he is so flawed. This book begins with a dream that Ross has about a grim future and a Knight of the Word that is crucified on a cross. It turns out to be him but not really if you read the whole book. Then, we cut to Nest who comes face-to-face with this books enemy, Findo Gask, a demon of unknown and immense power. He is looking for Ross and something Ross has, a Gypsy Morph.

Then, Bennett Scott returns and is accompanied by her daughter. That sets off a conflict when Gask finds a way to get to Nest. John Ross finally shows up in Hopewell with a boy, the last tranformation of the gypsy morph (or so we think). Many, things happen, even an investigation of John Ross as a drug dealer. It all culminates with an endgame that leaves everyone involved not the same as before.

I'm sorry to see the last of Nest and John. I know I haven't seen the last of Findo Gask. Maybe, not the last of the gypsy morph either (but I'm staying mum about that).

1) The audibook was entertaining and engrossing
2) A couple of scenes were left to one's imagination...very nice touch.
3) If it wasn't for the Editor's notes here on the store I would never have known this was book three of three. It appeared to be a nice single story book.
4) Not too often is there a "modern day" fantasy story combining people with magic fighting demons in modern day times. Nicely done.
5) My only complaint with the audiobook version is that I'm sure there were other scenes showing the abilities of the "good guys" and the demons that probably were left out on this abridged version. A lot of potential here...If I come across the paperback by chance I'll probably pick it up and read it in it's fullness.

In contradistinction to several of my collegues on this site, I have never read the first book and probably won't. So my perspective is of one who has ONLY read the last two books and thoroughly enjoyed them. Far from going "downhill", I find these two books to be excellent installments of a total work.

In some ways, the two books are of the rise, fall, and final disposition of John Ross, who is both a heroic and tragic figure. Although in another way the two can be looked upon as a maturation of Nest Freemark.

The second book, of course, took a serious look at a character struggling with his role in life. I've seen a number of writers attempt this, but never with such authenticity. Granted it's a work of fiction, and fantasy at that, but Brooks captures a real struggle of a fictional situation. Given the restraints of the fictional world Brooks has created, how would someone actually feel and struggle if they were *really* put in the situation. Brooks masterfully captures this.

I will grant that that second book starts off a bit awkwardly (I almost stopped with it, I was getting so upset), but hanging in there paid big dividends.

The last book in the trilogy was again a wonderful character study only this time concentrating on Nest Freemark. As others have mentioned, John Ross is back, nor is he a minor character--and the final resolution of his conflicts from the second book was emotionally satisfying in it's own way, but the third book is more about bringing out and resolving certain conflicts for Nest that were highlighted in the second book (and presumably the first).

I don't know how to discuss those conflicts without massive spoilers, but there was a very logical progression over the course of the two books.

These books spin out the (in some way) inevitable consequences of previous events. Brooks is always careful to remind you of them, so even not having read the first book, I have a pretty good idea of the main plot points.

I've read a number of the Shannara books and quite frankly got tired of them. This particular trilogy (at least the last two books) was a wonderful spinning-out of the consequences of strengths and weakness of certain characters over the course of a decade and half (and three books). Brilliant.

A note about the theological dualism of the books (i.e. two ultimate forces (usually good and evil--in this case The Word and the Void) of equal power struggling for supremacy). While the dualism is well constructed and quite imaginative, they still mention Christianity (in this third book, a plot device is the celebration of Christmas). While Christianity certain mentions a conflict between good and evil, we are not dualistic. The "creator" of the trilogy is not at all the Creator of the Old and New Testaments. God is all-powerful. His opponents are necessarily of less power. While there are struggles that entail upon this belief, the struggles of a John Ross are not the same as those of a Christian. The Lady is ultimately (as in most dualistic systems) a cruel Deity, and one who made me angrier and angrier the more I learned about her. End of note.

I thoroughly recommend this book, whether you read any of the others or not. Each book is an independent unit, although the more you know of previous events, the better you follow the action.

Terry Brooks is a phenominal author, when he writes about fantastical worlds. His Word and Void trilogy was not fantastical. This book really was the best of the three books, but it still left a disappointed feeling in the back of my head. Angel Fire East (what's with the title anyway) is the conclusion of the series about Nest Freemark and John Ross. John must protect a Gypsy Morph from a band of demons led by Findo Gask. The fate of humanity hinges on what happens to the Morph as it can choose to be good or evil. Through the book, not a lot actually happens and the mystery of the Morph is completely obvious to the reader but not to the characters. Findo goes out of his way to set up overly elaborate scenarios that are paper thin and can be seen coming a mile away as you read, nonetheless they are fun to watch play out. Penny Dreadful is one of Findo's underlings. She is a redhead who loves knives and scaring people. For me, Findo and one of his underlings Penny made this book. Near the end of the end of the book, all the loose ends are wrapped up rather nicely in flash inspirations that would leave a normal person's head reeling from too many insights. The end of the book wraps up with a sour note. Terry Brooks needs to stick to fantasy worlds, not real life.

I disagree with the Editorial Reviews. In my opinion this is the best Terry Brook's trilogy. I own and have read all of the Shannara books, and

this trilogy is superior. For me, all of the books in the trilogy were true "page-turners". I found it very difficult to put them down. I love to read just before bed, and many a night I would promise myself I could read only one chapter and then find an hour later I was still reading. I really cared for the characters - wishing I could spend time with them. The mood, the suspense, the settings - everything was perfect.

To sum up this book: I've seen all these moves before. There is nothing fresh in this tale, and with the same predicatable ending accorded to all dumb as post heroes and heroines, it's a sure bet to leave the reader in a coma. Question: Is Terry Brooks trying to be another Stephen King, one wonders? If so, he should cease and desist at once. Because this novel too is filled with annoying dimwitted heroes, villains, etc., much the same as SK's stuff has been lately.
You know, guys, It is hard to go through a novel following the antics of characters with extremely low IQs -- very tedious and dreary. They keep doing really stupid blunders that you can see a mile away even before the author has the chance to write them down. Oooh! Aaaaahhh! Surprise, surprise!
*yawnnnnnn*
Very predictable, very boring tale -- like "The Phantom Menace," which was a super dog of a story. Woof-woof! Dull-dull extremely, excruciatingly dull, boys and girls.

In the third installment of The Demon Series, Brooks does a wonderful job of again captivating the reader and bringing them along for the ride. One never feels like a simple spectator. In this brave fantasy series set in our world and our time Brooks uses ideas and prblems we all face to create a fantasy yarn that doesn't seem that hard to believe. This is a riveting book, and I was truly surprised at the ending of this one (I had guessed pretty much the end of Kight of the Word). I hope that this is not the last installment in this series as there are so many avenues still to explore. I wasn't disappointed!

Angel Fire East isn't an appropriate name for this book. It should have been named something else because there's one small reference to the title which has nothing to do with the story. Whatever. However, it is a great book. Here we get a glimpse into the life of John Ross once more and Nest Freemark as well. They join forces to save the Gypsy Morph from the Void and it's demons. It's riveting through it all. I've read it once before and still couldn't put it down. I can't wait for the next book coming out in August. Highly, highly recommend this book as well as the rest of the series!!

In the third installment of The Demon Series, Brooks does a wonderful job of again captivating the reader and bringing them along for the ride. One never feels like a simple spectator. In this brave fantasy series set in our world and our time Brooks uses ideas and prblems we all face to create a fantasy yarn that doesn't seem that hard to believe. This is a riveting book, and I was truly surprised at the ending of this one (I had guessed pretty much the end of Kight of the Word). I hope that this is not the last installment in this series as there are so many avenues still to explore. I wasn't disappointed!

I was very impressed by this book, particularly compared with the first two. What happens to John Ross at the end is predictable, but what happens to Nest at the end is completely unexpected. The series has improved with each book in my opinion. The first book lacked cohesion. The second told a more interesting tale with genuine suspense, and this one has even better characters and plot twists. If he could restore Shannara to this level of quality it would be a step forward. My only regret is that he still didn't tie it in with Shanarra. Hopefully he'll do that in a future book, since he leaves the door wide open for a sequel.

So I found myself disappointed with the last two books
of this series. What began as a book that easily made my
top 20 fantasy novels, RUNNING WITH THE DEMON, took a slide
down to the mediocre mud pits of fantasy.
The main problem I had was that this book returned to
the hometown and created a watered down version of the first book. Whereas the first book had heart and emotional
resonance, this had neither. Whereas the first book had
secrets and laid them out beautifully before revealing them,
this book had none. Whereas the first book made me love the characters, this book turned me away from them.
I know Mr. Brooks has done some excellent works. The one
thing I can think of in his defense is that he was writing
two novels at the same time so doing both may have diluted
his work.

"Running With the Demon" and "A Knight of the Word" established characters that I cared for and hoped to read more about. While it was sad that my wish was met in the final installment of the series, I did like this book best out of the three. I got to see what became of many of the characters mentioned in "Running". Certainly, not all the endings were happy. This is something I've always loved about Terry Brooks writing: as in real life, the good guys don't always come out on top. Nonetheless, I was still very content with how things played out.
There were some loose ends, and ends that I wished had been otherwise, even though they worked well with the story. Overall, I found this to be a satisfying read.

Angel Fire East is a great example of what a masterful storyteller Terry Brooks has become. I believe it to be one of his best. He does a great job creating the stage where most of this story takes place. Hopewell, Illinois is socked in with an ugly winter storm which just gets worse as the events unfold. Brooks always takes time to give the reader insight to what is going on in the heads of these characters which gives this novel a depth and impact which is satisfying. Read the other two first then enjoy this great conclusion. Let's hope there's more in the future!

I am not a fan of the fantasy genre. In fact I found Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings trilogy extremely boring and obvious and Tad Williams' Otherland sickening and bizarre. But this novel was one of the best written suspense novels I have ever read. The characters are real and the feelings are all too human. It uses magic only as an afterthought and emphasizes that self confidence and dedication to one's fellow human beings is a far more powerful magic than any conjured up inside anyone's head. I learned a couple of words I never knew existed before as well. I don't know if this will get me to read more of Terry Brooks' novels or not but it certainly taught me not to belittle any genre.

Angel Fire East was a great book for me in many ways. I had just moved back to my childhood home because of my mothers illness. Terry Brooks captured the feeling for me very well. I had been waiting to get a copy of this book because I missed the characters and I was happy to see them again. Life does not treat everyone equally and this was shown in the way everyone popped up a little wearier. Terry Brooks also captured the spirit of addiction in the demons and Brenda.

This is the final book of the Word and the Void trilogy and it completes the Nest and Jon Ross story.
The birth of a Gypsy morph is a rare occasion, and both the word and the void want to control of this being.
This story introducing one of Brook's most infamously evil characters and Jon Ross's most challenging foe Findo Gask.
This is one of his best attempts at human and demon conflict written to date.
The story takes place years after Running with the Demon and a Knight of the word and it re-introduces some old friends from the original books.
This is a wonderful read and raps up the trilogy perfectly, and might even cause a few tears before it's all over.

I am not a fan of Brooks's works. However, I've read his Shannara series before and I enjoyed it tremendously. It's fast pace, with the characters well told and he kept the plot interesting from the beginning till the end (for the first 2 books at least). Unfortunately, I can't say the same for his latest "Word vs. Void" series.
I picked up Knight of the Word some time ago after finishing Eddings's Tamuli, thinking it would be at least as good as Shannara. It's not one of the best book that I've ever read, but still it makes me wanna read its sequel, which unfortunately is also a let-down. (I nearly slept in the middle of "Running With Demon").
Next came Angel Fire East (I borrowed it from a friend - its in my not-worth-buying scale) - my my am I in for another disappointment(read: a boring fantasy tale that should have ended a long time ago)! Its another long-winded tale of John Ross and an older Nest Freemark battling to save the world from the void. In came "morph", a powerful creature, in the verge of allying itself to either the Word or the Void. Yup .. u guessed it. The limping John and pretty Nest must save the world yet again, this time by preventing the morph from joining the void. Well, about the plot, u don't have to guess what's gonna happen before u flipped the pages .. everythings plain and simple. No humor, no vividly described great-scaled battle and magic, no plot-twisting.
An apology for Brooks's fan, but this is really NOT a good fantasy book. Wished that Brooks killed off the characters and the series in the first book and came out with something of the standard of the Shannara's series.

On the whole, I liked this book. it started out slow, and at times was very predictable, but it was entertaining. By the last third of the book the action picked up dramatically. The ending was worth reading the whole series for. While it was not as good as Shannara, any Brooks fan should read this series. It presents magic in an entirely new and intriguing way.

Yet more time has passed. Nest is back in Hopewell, having been an Olympic athlete, and John Ross grows ever more tired. They must end up working to stop a demonic preacher, and a dangerous magical source from doing bad things to small town Hopewell and the rest of the world.

Both John and Nest must struggle with the problems their own powers causes, as well as working out how to fight their opponents.

Terry Brooks really stepped out of the fantasy box with this series. It certainly was not your typical elf-man-dwarf-dragon-etc. book. It was an original story out of an original mind. Before reading this book, you need to read Running With the Demon and Knight of the Word. It will be well worth your time.

I've been a Brooks fan for some years now, and while I didn't initially take to the first book in the series, the second one was such an improvement over the first that I started reading the third with some expectations.
"Angel Fire East"'s plot is slow and meandering, even going to the point of taking up nearly two pages of Nest and Pick bickering over nothing at all. And that's what the book felt like: nothing at all. The villains were unconvincing, the writing was lackluster, and even the scenery was off--one of my pet peeves from the first book, admittedly. (I've driven on the real Lincoln Highway mentioned in the book, and I have no idea where a steel mill would be, let alone the cliffs.)
The mystery of the gypsy morph gets drawn out and over-dramatized to the point where, by the end of the book, I just didn't care. The end scene with Nest and Gask both disgusted me and made me want to laugh--I never thought Nest would take a demon's word at face value, but I guess I was wrong, since it was the only way the writer could contrive the ending.
There are some good parts to the story, but in my opinion, the ending heavily destroys what good he'd built up, that he hadn't already destroyed himself. Please give this one a pass--you won't miss it.

I own all three books in this series, but Angel Fire East is the only one I own in hardcover. This book is wonderfully written, and has some very interesting plot twists in it. As this review is titled: "Best book of the series".

A confessed Brooks junkie who has read every book, this series hasn't proven quite as good as past works. However, I have enjoyed the modern aspects of the Knight series. This finale was a page-turner with good characters and a solid ending. If you like Brooks, this book is worth reading.

Although this book is a page-turner, that's unfortunately about the best I can say for it. A long time fan of Terry Brook's Shannara series, I thought I'd try his Word-vs.-Void series. It was disheartening. The semi-religious overtones were more wearying than enlightening. Brooks is best when he sticks with the pagan world of Druids and Elves. I never became involved with either Nest or John, and actually found myself rooting for Penny Dreadful and the demonic crew upon occasion. At least they were interesting.

I felt Angel Fire East was a wonderful conclusion to the Terry Brooks trilogy. He used wonderful description in this book and made you feel like you were actually there. You get a real felling as to what the author was feeling at the time. I read that this book is loosely based on his childhood and th town in which he grew up. In this book Nest Freemark, one of the main characters, has grown to adulthood and is trying to come to terms with her magic. The descriptions of Christmas was wonderful. I felt this was a good book and would recomned it highly.

As a big fan of Terry Brooks' effortless way of keeping you in suspense awaiting the next installment, I throughly enjoyed this book. It tied up many loose ends and left the reader wondering what would continue in the footprints left by the story's conclusion. For those who have read and followed the Magic Kingdom and Shannara series, both of which left me wanting more(a new series, character, or idea), this series continues the tradition. I feel it is worth reading more than once, as I certainly will.

Wow, that was terrible. The main villain's description appears to have been written immediately after watching Poltergeist 2 as they're the same bad guy. Brooks has gone past foreshadowing to 'forehammering' upcoming events into the readers brain. As opposed to a cast of millions, Terry has relied on a cast of morons. The plot drags, the writing is ineffectual, the main characters are dull and lifeless. I highly advice spending your money and time elsewhere.

Great book! I only wish it wasn't the end of the series. An improvement over Knight of the Word. The character's have more depth, you can see that Nest has grown much more confident in herself and her abilities. It may seem, however that the character's are a bit dense at times, and the plot is fairly predictable, but it doesn't do much to detract from the overall story. This book is definately worth buying!

This book was great. I found A Knight of the Word somewhat of a disappointment, had thought Terry Brooks might have lost his touch as a great storyteller. He rebounds well with this book. A great story from beginning to end with very real characters. The ending of this book was great, absolutely no disappointments in the final confrontation between good and the ultimate evil. I truly hope this is not the last book of this series.

The recent series shows Brooks' maturity as a writer. Whereas the writer in traditional fantasy has virtually no restrictions in terms of plot and character development (dragons can fly and gnomes can ride on winged creatures), a writer who chooses to combine modernity with fantasy is presented with a real challenge of balancing both creditibility and imagination.

Well, as the one line summary says, this was a good book. Brooks can still tell a good tale. Although the element that made it a good book was there, it lacked something to make it a a great book. While this was better than A Knight of the Word, it didn't come close to Running with the Demon.

This was a really good book, and at the end, it got better then almost any other book I've read. I couldn't put this book down. I'm finding it hard to believe that it is over however. The ending was really good, but it leaves you wanting more. I guess that's the way it was intended though. I really recomend this book to anyone who read the first 2.

This book was my favorite in the trilogy (for obvious reasons to those who have read it). Terry Brooks has brought the Word-Void series to an unexpected and suspenseful close that yearns for a sequel.

I have loved this series from the first. The imagery is rich; the characters are well developed; the allegory is deep. So often sequels are disappointing. This is very satisfying. Well done, Terry Brooks!