Legends of Shannara (Pre-Shannara - Bearers of the Black Staff

I have read every Shannara book that has come out along with the Word and Void series. I would rate this story at the bottom of that list of books. It is a quick read and let's face it, if you like Terry Brooks you will not end up with garbage. His worst book is still better than many writer's best. I found the story to move very quickly (or I started to get used to reading Jordan and Martin who take longer). I don't remember his other stories moving so fast (but i will need to re-read Sword of Shannara to be sure since I think that moved the quickest).

This book (actually part one of a two book series) takes place after Genesis of Shannara and before the First King of Shannara. It tells the tale of how the survivors go from the protected land they settled after Genesis to returning to the main world of The First King. It takes place 500 years after Genesis.

If you are new to Terry Brooks, I recommend reading one of the other Shannara novels or Word and Void series. They are better. If you are a follower of Terry Brooks (as I am), then read this book. You may not be getting the greatest story but it is not bad and fills in some information of how he goes from Word and Void to Shannara fully. The characters and settings have some familiarity and you will feel right at home.

It is not a 5 star book but I can't make myself rate it as 3 stars since I just like the Shannara world and I like Terry's writing as a whole.

Terry Brooks's Genesis of Shannara Series marked an interesting fusion of science fiction and fantasy as Brooks linked his Knight of the Word series to Shannara. I also found this trilogy more compelling than many of his last few Shannara Trilogies, which often suffered from underdeveloped characters that were thrust into quests just complicated enough to make it through the end of the trilogy.

One thing I've always loved about Brooks's Shannara series is that magic always has high stakes and a high cost. Using it alters the magic user and often many of the evil characters are often ruined by overusing magic and poor choices. This magic and magic items are also on the verge of extinction. Of course most of this comes from Tolkien, but it is still a fairly unique trait, though the more verbose Robert Jordan and Terry Goodkind often pick up this theme as well.

Bearers of the Black Staff takes place five hundred years after the end of The Gypsy Morph, as humans, elves and mutants survive in relative isolation from the rest of the ruined world, protected by a magic barrier. The druid like outcast Knight of the Word, Sider Ament, discovers this barrier is failing as two creatures from the outside world have broken through. Fate brings him in contact with two elfin scouts he enlists to spread the word to the various races of this discovery. The three of them face conflict in and out of the barrier in what sets up the sequel with somewhat smaller stakes that I would imagine.

Still, of all the various series Brooks has done, Shannara has always been my favorite. I hope he will keep writing novels in this prequel Shannara era.

I was SO EXCITED to get this book for review. Some of the fondest memories (that had to do with reading;) of my teen years were spent in the stories from the Shannara series. I had forgotten all about them when I got busy with college and family. I picked this book up and was first struck with how slim it was. Was my memory deceiving me, or were the books from my teens really thicker than this? I jumped in and did enjoy the story. As others have mentioned, I too was really disgusted by the ending. There wasn't an ending. it's like the story just stopped. Mid chapter. Almost mid-sentence. OK it just felt mid-sentence. I felt cheated.
That led me to start rummaging through my old books. I could picture all the old books of Shannara I thought I kept. Nope, I didn't have them anymore. (I even checked my brothers attic, I was desperate) I couldn't stop thinking about them. So, I ordered them. The Sword, Elfstones, Wishsong, Scions, Druid, Elf Queen, and Talismans. They were all significantly thicker - 2-3 times the volume of the Bearers of the Black Staff, with smaller print even. I've read through almost all of them again. They didn't end like Bearers. Yes, there were some unanswered questions. But no, the actual story of the book reached a satisfactory conclusion.
I can only guess that putting out a book in 2-3 segments instead of one is a ploy to increase revenue. Bearers was a let down for me. I will credit it with bringing me back to the rest of the series though. Thanks Brooks. I'll read the newer ones when you're all finished and I can get the whole story.

This is the second book I have read from the Shannara series. One thing that was nice was the story seemed complete to where I didn't feel I was missing references from previous books.

The great wars are long over and Sider Ament the last Knight of the Word has discovered the magic wards which have protected the valley for 500 years are failing. He decides to warn people but stumbles on two trackers Panterra Qu and Prue Liss who are about to be ambushed by strange creatures. He comes to their aid and then sets them on a mission to warn the people of the pending failure. Will the people of the valley believe them?

The story kind of read like the Sword of Shannara obviously different but it read the same. I found I liked the story. Other reviewer's dissatisfaction probably comes from being well versed in the Shannara stories.

One thing I found interesting was the attempted blend of the old world with the magical. Some get annoyed with the idea of weapons mixed with magic but I didn't mind it as much.

The characters are interesting. Some could use more development and I wished some could have lasted longer. Brooks seems to like to offer great characters who don't survive.

Overall, I am looking forward to the next installment and will see about picking up the other books.

I'm a longtime Terry Brooks fan. I have most of his books in hardback, and a good number of them signed by Terry himself.

This book contains the classic writing you've come to expect from Terry. Good detail, interesting scenarios, life shifting events, and almost never a dull moment.

The story itself is poor, though. The characters aren't well fleshed out, and the motivations of the characters don't always make sense. Sometimes, Brooks seems to notice that the motivations are off, and tries to explain them away, but they are not very convincing. The only ones who's motivations seem to make sense are the antagonists. For instance, why is everyone in the valley so fearful of magic - why the reticence to embrace what it can bring, even in the face of such a violent end without it? Much of the story just doesn't make as much sense as it could.

This book fits into the overall arc of going from Knights of the Word to the Shannara world. I agree with others who say that the transition from one world into the next has seemed a bit forced, and this book is no exception. Unlike the Elfstones of Shannara, in which a world-shifting threat is met with epic determination to overcome it, the world-shifting threat in Bearers of the Black Staff is met with infighting. Sociologically speaking, that means that the threat just isn't big enough. And that, I think, sums up this book nicely - something about it just isn't big enough.

That's not to say it isn't a fun read, though. Brooks is good at keeping you entertained. It's just not as meaty as his earlier works.

Bearers of the Black Staff is the latest in Terry Brooks' epic Shannara saga. While my husband has read most of these novels, this was my first exposure to Brooks or to the Shannara saga. In this book, there is a group of humans, elves, lizards and spiders that live in a valley protected by magic from the ravages of a great war. They are protected by magical barriers that are currently failing. This failure and the fall out of the valley societies provides the tension and movement in this script.

Brooks provides not only a fast moving, compelling storyline with memorable and loveable characters. Panterra Qu is a brooding, bright young tracker who works with Prue, a bright young redhead who can sense danger and hold her own in a fight. There is the Elven princess Phryne who is just coming into her own, and the enigmatic Sider Ament, the Gray Man who is the current wielder of the Black Staff. There is a subplot that focuses on Sider, his past, his lost love, and his quest for a new heir to the Staff.

This is a great book, and if this is your first exposure to Shannara, do not be afraid. It was mine as well, yet there was enough description and character development that I had no trouble following what was happening, and the book was well written enough that I will seek out the other books in the saga, including the next one.

Highly recommended not just for readers of the Shannara saga or fans of Terry Brooks but for all fans of fantasy novels.

Reading the Sword of Shannara, Druid Series, and works by Terry Brooks were some of my most enjoyable reading experiences. Before Kindle and EBooks were popular I used a Palm Pilot 3C and ereaders and downloaded the druid series and enjoyed them immensely and ran down complete battery charges reading those books.

I could never really afford the hard back books from authors such as Robert Adams, Robert Jordan, George RR Martin, but would always snatch up the paperbacks when they were released. I even really enjoyed the DragonLance series and books by Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman, Tolkien, and other authors.

Given this background I was really looking forward to Bearers of the Black Staff. As usual, Terry Brooks creates interesting characters and goes into great details on many facets of their lives, thoughts and wishes, but I just could not get into the overall story and have no idea how the series connects to our modern day times. It made no sense to me and I kept wondering if the previous Shannara series and stories are the ones I remember or were there major twists and story changes in entire series that I failed to read?

I don't believe I outgrew fantasy or at least good fantasy stories and the entire dragon, demon, knights, magic, elves, etc., worlds are still things I enjoy exploring. This book just didn't draw me in like the previous works and was disappointing.

The descendants of Hawk and his band of friends (the Ghosts) along with the other refugees from the old world have been safe behind the protective mists for over five hundred years. The people have divided into "Races" (Elves, Men, Spiders and Lizards) all descendants of people affected by the pollution and disasters of the old world to one degree or another. However, the outside world has fared far worse, and now the mists protecting their valley home are dissipating. As the valley becomes vulnerable to the horrors of the world outside the descendants of the Knights of the Word (the Bearers of the Black Staff) must find a way to unite the people of the valley or face annihilation.

Bearers of the Black staff is standard Terry Brooks. Swashbuckling action, unlikely heroes asked to give more than they think they can, ethical dilemmas, and learning to deal with the consequences of past decisions. As usual Brooks draws you in with fairly well drawn characters, but even more with fast paced stories lines. As Brooks draws the worlds of Shannara and the Knights of the Word closer together his story line is making more and more sense. So, in a long term way the story is getting better. However, this was not one of his best novels. I did not find myself caring as deeply for the characters as in others of his books. However, it was a fun read worth your time.

Like many Shannara fans, I began at the beginning with the classic The Sword of Shannara. Others reading this new two-part series may have started with Word and the Void. Either way, this series continues the connection between W&V and Shannara began in Armageddon's Children (The Genesis of Shannara, Book 1). Like many of his books in this series, he starts many years after the last. This lets him create all new characters and events and not have to worry about the past, though these new stories are very much rooted in both past and future tales in the Shannara universe. Many long-time fans, however, probably wish that Brooks would at least sometimes write again about some of the beloved, classic characters. While he gives enough background in this series to make new readers look for the other books, this book ultimately will appeal mostly two established Shannara fans. Its length and easy read makes one wonder if he shouldn't have had just combined the two books into one. His method of self-contained series within the series though makes for better reading than some never-ending fantasy series.

Although I read the first three Shannara books many years back, I haven't read the various related books which have come out since, so I can't speak to how Bearers of the Black Staff fits in that regard. As the "Legends" series name implies, it does look back in time, and there are certainly elements of the story which a reader of the of original books can latch on to as "this is how we got here" elements of the bigger Shannara sweep. That said, though, Bearers doesn't require an experience with the earlier books to be read. I won't call it strictly a stand-alone text, as there's a definite "to be continued..." ending, but it's pretty close.

Overall, I found Bearers a compelling read. The characters are interesting and "human" in that they have everyman type faults and weaknesses. There are no superheros here. The backstory of the world's evolution, the races, the elf stones, and perhaps the Druids is fleshed out to a degree, but not in a specific narrative fashion. Rather they are just elements of the story, which is one of transition and the clashing of worlds. This isn't a big epic tale, though. It actually only covers a few weeks or perhaps a couple months in time, but the events are clearly important ones.

I must confess to not having followed the world of the Black Staff. I haven't read a Terry Brooks book in a while actually. TB does a good job of letting the reader know about the world without leaving a whole bunch of unanswered questions. Basically, the world is in ruins after a nuclear war. Mutants abound. Elves came out of hiding after the world blew up. Magic and science are scarce since the world is just trying to survive. The story centers around two trackers who live in a valley sheltered from the fallout and waste. They encounter the bearer of the black staff who finds out the mists that protected their valley are fading. They will no longer be protected from the outside world and they need to prepare for a potential invasion. The writing is pretty tight and I didn't find myself getting bored. My only gripe is that the book ends on a cliffhanger. So you're not going to walk away feeling like you know the end. If you don't like the book, that's fine. But if you do find yourself interested, this is only the halfway point. I tend to be put off by books that don't end and might have skipped this one had I known. But the choice is yours. :)

Big fan of the orininal Shanarra trilogies and some others.

The character "Sider" really needs a lot more development. In the original series, there was little doubt that Alanon was a real BAD-ASS of the first order. Nothing really distinuished Sider in that regard - at least not enough.

I kept waiting and hoping he'd manifest the power of the staff and totally blow-away monsters and demons. Unfortunately, it barely happened. To the point where the "staff" really didn't seem that powerful at all. The effect when reading about Sider and the staff was kind of like a single-shot 22 pistol when I wanted a double-barrel shotgun.

Am reading the sequel starting tomorrow and will follow-up on this. Until then, it is an interesting read if you are familiar w/previous stuff/

Once again I find myself disappointed that a book that starts well and develops into good characters and a good story, ends at a point that leaves the reader frustrated and angry. I understand that the author means to write additional parts in the future, but I believe that it is reasonable to expect that the author choose a breakpoint that will allow the book to stand on its own, but leaving the reader with a sense of completion and looking forward to the next book.

I believe the author to be inconsiderate of the fans who want to read tales such as The Bearer of the Black Staff. I would never recommend this book to a friend. I would tell my friends and anyone who would listen to wait until the author actually completed a viable story that was worth reading on its own. As far as I am concerned this book created great drama and excitement, then left you out to dry with nothing to cling to....

The bottom line on this book is that it is less than complete and not worth the money it cost to read it. Call me old fashioned, but I really do expect a climax after being teased along for hundreds of pages.

It is your story Mr. Brooks and you have every right to tell it as you wish, but as your fan I have to say that you left me feeling neglected. As good as your writing is .... I resent the way you expect the reader to buy the next book to see what happens, rather than completing one part logically, leaving the reader to want the next book to continue on to the next adventure. Sorry, this book will not stand on its own, you forgot to include the last chapter. That sucks.

Bearers of the Black Staff bridges the historical gap between the end of the modern world and the start of the true Shannara universe that Terry Brooks launched to fame. The last Knight of the Word, ignorant of his true heritage but still struggling to protect the realm that Hawk has protected for two hundred years with his fairie magic, discovers that the wards are failing. Outside the valley where Men and Elves and the other Races have sheltered is a desolate wasteland, but it is not empty. Demons and other creatures begin to squirm through the cracks in the wards, and the final Knight searches for the next Bearer to protect the struggling realm.

The problem with this book is you'll constantly be closing it to check the cover and make sure that you're not really reading 'Elves of the Cintra'. Apart from the change in setting and the names of the major players, the plot line is almost exactly the same. The Men are divided under incompetent and corrupt rulers. The Elves are isolationist and xenophobic, ruled by a King crippled by a woman. The other Races are nowhere to be seen. And the main characters after making their initial warnings are mocked and ridiculed and targeted for death by monsters hiding among their kin. Sound familiar?

The change in tone is the only thing to really change. Men seem more like Once-Men, when they rarely show up, and are far more embittered and corrupt. The overall story is darker, though in true Brooks fashion, nothing with any real blood occurs, apart from a few small monster fights and a side character death that you can see coming a mile away. There's a vestigial romance between a Elf and Human who've just met, though it's as chaste and has as much romantic chemistry as a car owners manual. A Knight of the Word and his former lover bemoan the tragedy of their continuing love without any further interplays.

Overall, this book is basically a Xerox of a previous one. His characters are now bloodless and uninteresting, with randomly generated names that're effectively interchangeable. His "adult" characters now act like they're in elementary school. Even now, I can remember Pashidar Creel, Walker Boh, and the lovely Damson. But what memorable events or characters can you take away from this?... A pretty clear indication that Brooks wants to be over and done with his current Del Ray contract.

My son, who has been a long-time follower of the Shannara series, offers this review of Terry Brooks' new novel:

Five hundred years ago, survivors of a world-ending conflict fled into a valley hideaway, which then sealed itself with magic, isolating them. Now, the barrier is failing, once more exposing the descendants to the world outside. This prequel to the classic Shannara series incorporates many of the traits found elsewhere in the series, from deadly intrigue to magical battles and an elven princess. Taking elements from both the world of Shannara and the world of Knight of the Word, this novel should be pleasing to any Shannara fan. Unfortunately, Brooks stays close to his formula here, and the plot twists and characters will seem awfully familiar to fans of the series. Still, all in all, a good read, and a strong addition to the Shannara universe.

I finally decided to give Terry Brooks a try. It turns out I was going on a long trip and picked up an audio disc version of Bearers of the Black Staff. Old technology but it was an old car so it worked out. In 30+ years of reading various fantasy series this was easily the worse writing and storyline ever. My only difficulty was deciding whether this was worthy of 1 or 2 stars on the store. There is no need to give a complete synopsis as there are a couple hundred reviews here so I assume any potential readers will have an understanding of the plot. Also I should disclose that I’m over and done with fantasy series with cute, inexperienced, but precocious children as main protagonists. Its old, boring, silly and frankly hard to imagine as I struggle to make sure said individuals give me the correct change at food establishments.

Our protagonists are 17 yr old Panterra Qu who is training 15 year old Prue Liss because the best trainers are always somebody barely more experienced than ourselves. I should warn everybody now that this review contains SPOLIERS but that in no way means this will spoil a story as bad as this one. Panterra is gifted with superior tracking ability whereas Prue is even more gifted with the ability to detect danger. Now I recall in my youth playing Dungeons and Dragons an unwise Dungeon Master once gave out an intelligent sword that warned the bearer of danger. Using that sword we laid waste to many dungeons. In Brooks’s world however despite being gifted to sense danger Prue manages to lead herself and Panterra into not one but two ambushes. Maybe she isn’t so gifted or maybe Brooks was paid before completing the story.

Earlier Brooks introduces Pan and Prue as “survivalists”. Its good to know that there are survivalists even in fantasy worlds with peaceful and magically protected valleys without electricity and modern conveniences. Later one of Brooks elves says we can “talk till the cows come home” because its well known that elves typically inhabit pastoral grasslands with herding animals not woodland areas. Is Brooks taking his readers for idiots or is this the Plan Nine of Fantasy Books? I’ve decided it’s the latter.

Pan and Prue are captured by the lizards who are actually trolls or are they lizards that want to be called trolls its all very confusing because I’m laughing too hard while driving. Will the lizards in the valley later demand to be called trolls or valley lizards or something else? We’ll have to wait till book 2 to find out – which I won’t be reading.

Along the way we meet the spoiled rich Elven princess Phryne who takes a shine to Pan. Pan who treats Prue as a younger sister likewise shows little interest in Phryne. Whether Brooks is laying a foundation for Pan latent homosexuality to slowly emerge or a lesbian encounter between Prue and Phryne is unclear. Heck perhaps he’ll throw caution to the winds and we’ll end up with a 3 way. Again you’ll have to read book 2 for that storyline.

Phryne is on the adventure because she convinced her father the King she needed to be there because she’s bored and interested in this human boy. Apparently Elven fathers are different as most fathers would be skeptical of allowing their coming of age daughter in the woods on a journey with a boy she’s admittedly infatuated with and a boy the father doesn’t know. Phryne however uses this reason as a way to fatten the pot and INCREASE her chances of going on the journey. My head is beginning to hurt. Maybe Phryne has the ability to cast a charm person spell whenever she needs and Brooks just forgot to mention this.

Later we meet Phrynes grandmother who lectures Phryne on her immature and impulsive behavior: The behavior where she exceeds the Kings charter for the adventure – leaving the valley; the behavior where she cajoled her fellow adventures to undergo a risky endeavor, which got them captured by the lizard trolls and the behavior where she openly denigrates her wicked stepmother the Queen in front of strangers. Yes you read that right there is a wicked stepmother in the story. I have to admit I’m giggling far too much while driving at this point. Will an ugly witch try to give Prue an apple later on? I won’t give this one away you’ll have to read it for yourself but DON’T listen to the story via audio book while driving. So after the wise old grandmother lectures Phryne on her failures and immaturity she then pronounces Phryne to be the only person in the entire Elven kingdom to be of high enough moral character to wield the magical elven stones in her grandmother’s possession. Clearly the Elven people must be a truly despicable bunch of degenerates. I have to admit my own internal failures at this point. I started rooting for the wicked stepmother/Queen and the Lizard trolls.

As I come to a close I’ve come to realize I’m not Brooks target audience. Perhaps I shouldn't have even rated the book, but neither the books nor tape indicate the story is intended for preteen and teenage girls. We have two young girls interested in the aloof, elusive and clueless Pan. Both are able to cajole the malleable Pan to do what they want, as seen at the pass. Maybe Brooks wants to pick up where Heinlein left off with the Space Cadet series. I could write more about the strange demise of Sider followed by the virtually identical demise of Sider’s predecessor but it’s pointless. This is the mother-of-all bad fantasy books. You read this for the same reason you watch Plan Nine from Outer Space.

Bearers of the Black Staff (2010) is the first Fantasy novel in the Legends subseries of the Shannara series, following The Gypsy Morph. The initial work in this series is The Sword of Shannara.

In the previous volume, the caravan led by Hawk passed into the hills. Other survivors joined the exodus. They encountered militia near the passes into the mountains, but were reluctantly let through.

Climbing a high pass, they reached a broad valley. The humans started a settlement nearby, but Frisin, Simtalin and Logan went further down the valley. Then Frisen released the other Elves from the Loden stone.

The refugees have been living in the valley for almost five hundred years. But the guardian mists surrounding them are starting to fade. Creatures from the outside have entered the valley.

In this novel, Sider Ament is the Gray Man. He carries a Knight of the Word staff. Although he is a descendant of the Knights and can use the black staff, the Lady has never spoken to him.

Panterra Qu is a very young Tracker from Glensk Wood. Pan is the best tracker of his generation.

Prue is also a young tracker from Glensk Wood. She has the talent of premonition, sensing danger just moments before it appears. She is the partner of Pan.

Aislinne Kray is the wife of the leader of the Glensk Wood Council. She too is on the Councel. At one time, Aislinne thought that she would marry Sider. Then the previous bearer of the black staff chose Sider as his apprentice.

Phryne Amarantyne is an Elf princess. Her father is the King, but he is not an energetic ruler. She is rather spoiled, but more active than her father.

In this story, the Gray Man is patrolling the borders as many bearers of his staff have done before him. But he is the first to find his wards destroyed by outsiders. Something very dangerous has come into the valley.

Sider follows the signs down from the pass. On the way, he sees more signs of two others following the outsiders. Then he finds the bodies of two humans dismembered by the monsters.

Pan and Prue have already found and recognized the bodies. They were fellow Trackers from Glensk Wood. They follow the killers, but cannot determine what kind of beast they are following.

The two killers ambush the Trackers within a marsh. Luckily, Sider has caught up with them. He boosts Prue up a tree and defends Pan with his staff. Both Pan and Prue are amazed at the energy blasts emitted from the staff.

Sider knocks out one monster and blasts the second into the water. Then he holds it down until it drowns. But the first monster flees before he can get back to it.

Sider sends the Trackers back to Glensk Wood to warn the community. Then he leaves to follow the fleeing monster. Pan and Prue return to their village and report to the Tracker leader.

Trow Ravenlock has trouble believing that the mists have parted. But he does set up a Council meeting the following evening. After Pan and Prue have finished their report, the Council refuses to believe them.

Aislinne was away and had not been informed of the meeting. Yet a friend finds her and delivers the news. She suddenly shows up at the meeting and convinces the Council to follow up on the report.

After the meeting, Aislinne convinces Pan and Prue to go warn the Elves as Sider had suggested. The dead assassin on the doorstep also helped them decide to flee the village. Pan knows two Elf brothers who may assist them to bring their report to the King.

The brother welcome them and listen to their story, but they have small change to the plans. First they introduce Phryne to the Trackers and then she helps get them to the King. Later, she goes with them to check the mists in the nearest pass.

This tale brings bad news to the valley residents. Many cannot believe the valley is now open to the outside world. Moreover, many humans are waiting for the reappearance of Hawk to lead them out on the valley.

This story brings us closer to the very first Shannara novel. The next installment is The Measure of the Magic. Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Brooks fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of magical limits, hidden refugees, and young activists.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Terry Brooks and Shannara have been around since the 1970s. I remember stumbling across Brooks after reading all of Tolkien's works and wondering if there was anyone else out there who could write and create a world like Tolkien. I didn't realize at the time, how tall an order that was. I read a lot of imitators and wannabes and was about to give up, but thanks to Brooks and a few others I was pleasantly surprised that there was some fantasy literature out there worth reading.

Over time though, I began to feel that Terry was dragging things out just a little and some of the plots and stories were wearing a little thin. It was with this background and sense of wonder as to where Terry would go with a Shannara related book so many years later, that I picked this book out and I have to say, I wasn't disappointed.

It's been a long time since I read the original Shannara books and I wondered if I was going to be able to come back so many years later and remember enough for the book to make sense. As it turned out, there was no reason to worry. This book stands well by itself and while it certainly has some ties to previous works, I didn't find myself confused or needing to recall characters or plots from the past to make sense of what was going on here.

Brooks' writes smoothly (as I remember well) and strikes a good balance between character development, plot progression with surprises along the way that keep the reader from getting too comfortable. Tied into this series as well is a good tie to our good old "mundane" world with some speculation as to what things might be in the aftermath of, oh I don't know .... how about a nuclear holocaust? It does it however without the tempting social commentary that another writer might have indulged in.

The characters presented develop well although by the time the book comes to a conclusion (preparing for the next in the series) you may want a scorecard to keep track of all the little subplots and relationships taking place.

Overall, I enjoyed returning to Brooks and reading this side foray into Shannara reminded me of why he was one of the few who could capture for me that "feeling" that I was introduced to in middle-earth and have so much difficulty finding outside of it. Brooks is a voice of his own creation and not an echo, so it's not necessarily fair to hold him or anyone up to that standard, but then again, Brooks for me measures up about as well as any other author I've found in this genre and it was nice to revisit and remember why that is so.

4 stars.

bart breen

Adventure fantasy novels with character and world building are some of my favorite to immerse myself into. I love the `Wheel of Time' world of Robert Jordan, the 5 realms in the Artesans of Albia trilogy by Cas Peace, and of course Shannara created by Terry Brooks.

I love how all three of these authors use vivid character and world descriptions. Terry Brooks world of Shannara has been created book by book. Page by page, just the way I love it, steady and descriptive. I love how Terry's characters come and go, and we get to meet so many over the history of hundreds or a thousand years.

I especially loved how this book built upon the books before it rather than trying to create a standalone book by weaving in so many elements from the past books, making me feel that half of the text was wasted on a rehash of prior book events. This book was just right.

I love the suspense, betrayal and love that Terry Brooks weaves through this book, so much like my other favorite authors Jordan and Peace.

I'm proud to say I've stood by Mr. Brooks' work since I was introduced to it when I was just graduating the eighth grade, and walked alongside his characters ever since. There's something to say about a man who can write a story that even after all these years I still find as engaging as ever and can become utterly captured in its story until the wee hours of the morning with the sad realization that I have to be awake for work in 5 hours.

But still, there's something missing.

It's rather hard to put a finger on, as the thought squirms away. It seems to me that his stories as of late seem to be getting shorter and shorter, however well written and honed to a finer point. The characters are not so much lacking depth but description, which I really don't mind as I've never really enjoyed reading two whole pages about the physical but do so enjoy them in regards to the mental aspects of the individual, leaving more to the imagination which, I would endeavor, is the writer's intent to jog the reader's imagination. The plot is not lacking excitement nor thrill but suffers from a slight amount of predictability. The setting could be a bit more open, but being contained in the environment it is is to be expected and the social structures created within predictable if one has ever read Mr. Brooks' other writings or, well, payed any kind of close attention to humanity in the real.

Which is why I find one of the characters slightly out of touch with the way everything else has played out over the course of five hundred years. This individual has no qualms in doing the dirty work, somehow keeps a sunny disposition even in the most dire of circumstances, delivers some of the best lines in the book and is still one of the most interesting to read. This person's character and disposition, however entertaining, contradicts somehow the world as it's laid out before us and may disappear before we're able to learn of the history and circumstance that may have lead to such an interesting personality. I'm suddenly reminded of Garet Jax, for those of us that remember.

Don't let my ranting fool you however, I still finished the book in less than forty-eight hours. I guess you could compare his writing to the progression of a chef's cooking; it tastes and looks better every time you get a new dish, but dammit all, the portions keep getting smaller.

My son, who has been a long-time follower of the Shannara series, offers this review of Terry Brooks' new novel:

Five hundred years ago, survivors of a world-ending conflict fled into a valley hideaway, which then sealed itself with magic, isolating them. Now, the barrier is failing, once more exposing the descendants to the world outside. This prequel to the classic Shannara series incorporates many of the traits found elsewhere in the series, from deadly intrigue to magical battles and an elven princess. Taking elements from both the world of Shannara and the world of Knight of the Word, this novel should be pleasing to any Shannara fan. Unfortunately, Brooks stays close to his formula here, and the plot twists and characters will seem awfully familiar to fans of the series. Still, all in all, a good read, and a strong addition to the Shannara universe.

I finally decided to give Terry Brooks a try. It turns out I was going on a long trip and picked up an audio disc version of Bearers of the Black Staff. Old technology but it was an old car so it worked out. In 30+ years of reading various fantasy series this was easily the worse writing and storyline ever. My only difficulty was deciding whether this was worthy of 1 or 2 stars on the store. There is no need to give a complete synopsis as there are a couple hundred reviews here so I assume any potential readers will have an understanding of the plot. Also I should disclose that I’m over and done with fantasy series with cute, inexperienced, but precocious children as main protagonists. Its old, boring, silly and frankly hard to imagine as I struggle to make sure said individuals give me the correct change at food establishments.

Our protagonists are 17 yr old Panterra Qu who is training 15 year old Prue Liss because the best trainers are always somebody barely more experienced than ourselves. I should warn everybody now that this review contains SPOLIERS but that in no way means this will spoil a story as bad as this one. Panterra is gifted with superior tracking ability whereas Prue is even more gifted with the ability to detect danger. Now I recall in my youth playing Dungeons and Dragons an unwise Dungeon Master once gave out an intelligent sword that warned the bearer of danger. Using that sword we laid waste to many dungeons. In Brooks’s world however despite being gifted to sense danger Prue manages to lead herself and Panterra into not one but two ambushes. Maybe she isn’t so gifted or maybe Brooks was paid before completing the story.

Earlier Brooks introduces Pan and Prue as “survivalists”. Its good to know that there are survivalists even in fantasy worlds with peaceful and magically protected valleys without electricity and modern conveniences. Later one of Brooks elves says we can “talk till the cows come home” because its well known that elves typically inhabit pastoral grasslands with herding animals not woodland areas. Is Brooks taking his readers for idiots or is this the Plan Nine of Fantasy Books? I’ve decided it’s the latter.

Pan and Prue are captured by the lizards who are actually trolls or are they lizards that want to be called trolls its all very confusing because I’m laughing too hard while driving. Will the lizards in the valley later demand to be called trolls or valley lizards or something else? We’ll have to wait till book 2 to find out – which I won’t be reading.

Along the way we meet the spoiled rich Elven princess Phryne who takes a shine to Pan. Pan who treats Prue as a younger sister likewise shows little interest in Phryne. Whether Brooks is laying a foundation for Pan latent homosexuality to slowly emerge or a lesbian encounter between Prue and Phryne is unclear. Heck perhaps he’ll throw caution to the winds and we’ll end up with a 3 way. Again you’ll have to read book 2 for that storyline.

Phryne is on the adventure because she convinced her father the King she needed to be there because she’s bored and interested in this human boy. Apparently Elven fathers are different as most fathers would be skeptical of allowing their coming of age daughter in the woods on a journey with a boy she’s admittedly infatuated with and a boy the father doesn’t know. Phryne however uses this reason as a way to fatten the pot and INCREASE her chances of going on the journey. My head is beginning to hurt. Maybe Phryne has the ability to cast a charm person spell whenever she needs and Brooks just forgot to mention this.

Later we meet Phrynes grandmother who lectures Phryne on her immature and impulsive behavior: The behavior where she exceeds the Kings charter for the adventure – leaving the valley; the behavior where she cajoled her fellow adventures to undergo a risky endeavor, which got them captured by the lizard trolls and the behavior where she openly denigrates her wicked stepmother the Queen in front of strangers. Yes you read that right there is a wicked stepmother in the story. I have to admit I’m giggling far too much while driving at this point. Will an ugly witch try to give Prue an apple later on? I won’t give this one away you’ll have to read it for yourself but DON’T listen to the story via audio book while driving. So after the wise old grandmother lectures Phryne on her failures and immaturity she then pronounces Phryne to be the only person in the entire Elven kingdom to be of high enough moral character to wield the magical elven stones in her grandmother’s possession. Clearly the Elven people must be a truly despicable bunch of degenerates. I have to admit my own internal failures at this point. I started rooting for the wicked stepmother/Queen and the Lizard trolls.

As I come to a close I’ve come to realize I’m not Brooks target audience. Perhaps I shouldn't have even rated the book, but neither the books nor tape indicate the story is intended for preteen and teenage girls. We have two young girls interested in the aloof, elusive and clueless Pan. Both are able to cajole the malleable Pan to do what they want, as seen at the pass. Maybe Brooks wants to pick up where Heinlein left off with the Space Cadet series. I could write more about the strange demise of Sider followed by the virtually identical demise of Sider’s predecessor but it’s pointless. This is the mother-of-all bad fantasy books. You read this for the same reason you watch Plan Nine from Outer Space.

Bearers of the Black Staff (2010) is the first Fantasy novel in the Legends subseries of the Shannara series, following The Gypsy Morph. The initial work in this series is The Sword of Shannara.

In the previous volume, the caravan led by Hawk passed into the hills. Other survivors joined the exodus. They encountered militia near the passes into the mountains, but were reluctantly let through.

Climbing a high pass, they reached a broad valley. The humans started a settlement nearby, but Frisin, Simtalin and Logan went further down the valley. Then Frisen released the other Elves from the Loden stone.

The refugees have been living in the valley for almost five hundred years. But the guardian mists surrounding them are starting to fade. Creatures from the outside have entered the valley.

In this novel, Sider Ament is the Gray Man. He carries a Knight of the Word staff. Although he is a descendant of the Knights and can use the black staff, the Lady has never spoken to him.

Panterra Qu is a very young Tracker from Glensk Wood. Pan is the best tracker of his generation.

Prue is also a young tracker from Glensk Wood. She has the talent of premonition, sensing danger just moments before it appears. She is the partner of Pan.

Aislinne Kray is the wife of the leader of the Glensk Wood Council. She too is on the Councel. At one time, Aislinne thought that she would marry Sider. Then the previous bearer of the black staff chose Sider as his apprentice.

Phryne Amarantyne is an Elf princess. Her father is the King, but he is not an energetic ruler. She is rather spoiled, but more active than her father.

In this story, the Gray Man is patrolling the borders as many bearers of his staff have done before him. But he is the first to find his wards destroyed by outsiders. Something very dangerous has come into the valley.

Sider follows the signs down from the pass. On the way, he sees more signs of two others following the outsiders. Then he finds the bodies of two humans dismembered by the monsters.

Pan and Prue have already found and recognized the bodies. They were fellow Trackers from Glensk Wood. They follow the killers, but cannot determine what kind of beast they are following.

The two killers ambush the Trackers within a marsh. Luckily, Sider has caught up with them. He boosts Prue up a tree and defends Pan with his staff. Both Pan and Prue are amazed at the energy blasts emitted from the staff.

Sider knocks out one monster and blasts the second into the water. Then he holds it down until it drowns. But the first monster flees before he can get back to it.

Sider sends the Trackers back to Glensk Wood to warn the community. Then he leaves to follow the fleeing monster. Pan and Prue return to their village and report to the Tracker leader.

Trow Ravenlock has trouble believing that the mists have parted. But he does set up a Council meeting the following evening. After Pan and Prue have finished their report, the Council refuses to believe them.

Aislinne was away and had not been informed of the meeting. Yet a friend finds her and delivers the news. She suddenly shows up at the meeting and convinces the Council to follow up on the report.

After the meeting, Aislinne convinces Pan and Prue to go warn the Elves as Sider had suggested. The dead assassin on the doorstep also helped them decide to flee the village. Pan knows two Elf brothers who may assist them to bring their report to the King.

The brother welcome them and listen to their story, but they have small change to the plans. First they introduce Phryne to the Trackers and then she helps get them to the King. Later, she goes with them to check the mists in the nearest pass.

This tale brings bad news to the valley residents. Many cannot believe the valley is now open to the outside world. Moreover, many humans are waiting for the reappearance of Hawk to lead them out on the valley.

This story brings us closer to the very first Shannara novel. The next installment is The Measure of the Magic. Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Brooks fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of magical limits, hidden refugees, and young activists.

-Arthur W. Jordin

I have read several of Terry Brooks novels over the years starting when I was just a teenager. I was ethralled by them and I couldn't get enoug of his books. With that in mind I must say that this is a little bit of a disappointment. The plot is pretty much run of the mill and was nothing special. I couldn't get an emotional connection to the characters. The story was very predictable and I could almost tell what was going to happen next. Terry Brooks used to produce very special fantasy books but this one seems a little like he just phoned it in as it is just average which is what about 80% of the fantasy books at your local bookstore are...just average. I'm still a Terry Brooks fan, I just hope he can come up with something fresh and new for his next endeavor.

Terry Brooks and Shannara have been around since the 1970s. I remember stumbling across Brooks after reading all of Tolkien's works and wondering if there was anyone else out there who could write and create a world like Tolkien. I didn't realize at the time, how tall an order that was. I read a lot of imitators and wannabes and was about to give up, but thanks to Brooks and a few others I was pleasantly surprised that there was some fantasy literature out there worth reading.

Over time though, I began to feel that Terry was dragging things out just a little and some of the plots and stories were wearing a little thin. It was with this background and sense of wonder as to where Terry would go with a Shannara related book so many years later, that I picked this book out and I have to say, I wasn't disappointed.

It's been a long time since I read the original Shannara books and I wondered if I was going to be able to come back so many years later and remember enough for the book to make sense. As it turned out, there was no reason to worry. This book stands well by itself and while it certainly has some ties to previous works, I didn't find myself confused or needing to recall characters or plots from the past to make sense of what was going on here.

Brooks' writes smoothly (as I remember well) and strikes a good balance between character development, plot progression with surprises along the way that keep the reader from getting too comfortable. Tied into this series as well is a good tie to our good old "mundane" world with some speculation as to what things might be in the aftermath of, oh I don't know .... how about a nuclear holocaust? It does it however without the tempting social commentary that another writer might have indulged in.

The characters presented develop well although by the time the book comes to a conclusion (preparing for the next in the series) you may want a scorecard to keep track of all the little subplots and relationships taking place.

Overall, I enjoyed returning to Brooks and reading this side foray into Shannara reminded me of why he was one of the few who could capture for me that "feeling" that I was introduced to in middle-earth and have so much difficulty finding outside of it. Brooks is a voice of his own creation and not an echo, so it's not necessarily fair to hold him or anyone up to that standard, but then again, Brooks for me measures up about as well as any other author I've found in this genre and it was nice to revisit and remember why that is so.

4 stars.

bart breen

Adventure fantasy novels with character and world building are some of my favorite to immerse myself into. I love the `Wheel of Time' world of Robert Jordan, the 5 realms in the Artesans of Albia trilogy by Cas Peace, and of course Shannara created by Terry Brooks.

I love how all three of these authors use vivid character and world descriptions. Terry Brooks world of Shannara has been created book by book. Page by page, just the way I love it, steady and descriptive. I love how Terry's characters come and go, and we get to meet so many over the history of hundreds or a thousand years.

I especially loved how this book built upon the books before it rather than trying to create a standalone book by weaving in so many elements from the past books, making me feel that half of the text was wasted on a rehash of prior book events. This book was just right.

I love the suspense, betrayal and love that Terry Brooks weaves through this book, so much like my other favorite authors Jordan and Peace.

I'm proud to say I've stood by Mr. Brooks' work since I was introduced to it when I was just graduating the eighth grade, and walked alongside his characters ever since. There's something to say about a man who can write a story that even after all these years I still find as engaging as ever and can become utterly captured in its story until the wee hours of the morning with the sad realization that I have to be awake for work in 5 hours.

But still, there's something missing.

It's rather hard to put a finger on, as the thought squirms away. It seems to me that his stories as of late seem to be getting shorter and shorter, however well written and honed to a finer point. The characters are not so much lacking depth but description, which I really don't mind as I've never really enjoyed reading two whole pages about the physical but do so enjoy them in regards to the mental aspects of the individual, leaving more to the imagination which, I would endeavor, is the writer's intent to jog the reader's imagination. The plot is not lacking excitement nor thrill but suffers from a slight amount of predictability. The setting could be a bit more open, but being contained in the environment it is is to be expected and the social structures created within predictable if one has ever read Mr. Brooks' other writings or, well, payed any kind of close attention to humanity in the real.

Which is why I find one of the characters slightly out of touch with the way everything else has played out over the course of five hundred years. This individual has no qualms in doing the dirty work, somehow keeps a sunny disposition even in the most dire of circumstances, delivers some of the best lines in the book and is still one of the most interesting to read. This person's character and disposition, however entertaining, contradicts somehow the world as it's laid out before us and may disappear before we're able to learn of the history and circumstance that may have lead to such an interesting personality. I'm suddenly reminded of Garet Jax, for those of us that remember.

Don't let my ranting fool you however, I still finished the book in less than forty-eight hours. I guess you could compare his writing to the progression of a chef's cooking; it tastes and looks better every time you get a new dish, but dammit all, the portions keep getting smaller.

This book is yet another transformation from the Word and Void setting into the Shannara setting. Here we start to get the beginning of the classic fantasy that the Shannara stories are based on and away from the urban fantasy that was Word and a Void.

It starts 500 years after the last book concluded and the safe haven that Hawk bought for this last group of survivors is starting to finally break away and the protective mist that surrounded the valley is now dissipating. There is one staff bearer from the Word left and he is the first to note the changes and his name is Sider Ament, he quickly finds two human trackers Panterra Qu and Prue Liss who each have a special ability that makes them more than the average trackers. What happens is the two must warn the people of the valley that the apocalyptic wastelands that lay outside their valley are going to be open to them because the protective mist is receding, and that's not a good thing when a troll army has found out about the valley.

I though the story was told well, and it ends on a cliff-hanger with the main characters in limbo on what to do next, the trolls are coming, are the people going to be ready, ect... We will find out in the second book of this two-book series. It has me waiting for the next book in anticipation, which is a good thing!

This review is based on an Advanced Uncorrected Proof provided as part of the the store Vine program.

I grew up reading the Shannara books. I loved them, rereading them over and over again. I don't know at what point I really realized that they were set in our own future, after something resembling World War 3.

Bearers of the Black Staff is set about 500 years after the Great Wars (which should start about 2062.) The story revolves around Panterra and Prue, two young human trackers, which have discovered that the magic protecting their valley is failing. The world outside is still a desolate wasteland, and the people didn't learn a thing from the Great Wars. The Gray Man, Sider Ament, is a Bearer of the Black Staff, or a figurative descendant of the Knights of the Word. You could also think of his as a precursor to Galaphile or Allanon. He's a wanderer and protector.

I enjoyed this book as much as I have all the other Shannara books. It's well written, and personable. You really connect with the characters. It's light, and quick reading. I'm frustrated that I will have to wait until next August for the second half to be released.

SEMI-SPOILER ALERT
The end is a bit of a frustrating cliff hanger. There's no doubt that there's more to come. It's also a bit depressing, so if that's the kind of thing that bothers you, wait until next summer, and read the duology back to back.

This is as disappointing as the 'Genesis of Shannara' series. It's just as riddled with repeats of words, run-on sentences, and poor editing.

What happened to the Terry Brooks that wrote the visual and gripping masterpieces like the 'Voyage of Jerle Shannara' and 'Heritage of Shannara'?

While a 2-star review technically means 'I don't like it', what it really comes down to is 'I don't like it, but am compelled to read it to finish the series'. Let's hope Mr. Brooks isn't taking advantage of that fact on purpose.

I feel the same way about this book as I do about 'Harry Potter'; Needs editing!

In pure Shannara fashion, this book grabs fans right away and pulls you into the continuing story of the surviors of a great apocolypse. The story begins roughly 500 years after the small band of surviors are sheltered in a valley by the magic of the gypsy morph. The bearers of the Staff are yet again called into the service of the Word against the creatures from outside the valley and demons of the Void. Fans of the Knight of the Word series and Shannara series will instantly connect with the characters and story lines. Some questions are answered and closed from the Word series and other questions are brought to light. The book is a page turner and I recommend it to all Terry Brooks fans out there.

A great fantasy book. For some reason I did not connect with it at all. I could feel the quality writing coming on to me in waves of the pages, but it just seemed a little dry for my taste. The fantasy world created by the author just did not have the power to lure me in to let my mind wonder, but all throughout the pages I did read I could feel that it will be a perfect match for some other reader. To give you a sense of the some of the fantasy books I love, let me throw in a few of a legion: Harry Potter, Outlander, A Game of Thrones, The Endless Knot, Blood Magic, Iron King, Paradise Wars,The Great and Terrible Beauty, Avempartha. Avid fantasy readers would recognize these names.

Normally I would not pick a book like this. I mean I am not into this genre, but this one just fell into my lap and I am glad that it did. I cannot say anything about how the book links into the others of its series, but I can offer a review on its own merits, and that it what I will attempt to do. The story was great on its own. It was well thought out and well paced which prevented it from being boring at any part of the book. The imagery was great and allowed one to see the world the author was trying to paint for the reader, a move which he does very successfully I might add. Anyway, this book was so enjoyable to read that I might try more fantasy novels, by the same author of course.

Two worlds I really love visiting are Ruin Mist and Shannara. Having just finished Stanek's return to ruin mist, Rise of the Fallen, which goes back 5,000 years previous, I expected a lot from Brooks whose a usually the better author in this jump forward. From "genesis" if you've read it, you know what happened to the world. This novel picks up 500 years after those events with the survivors of the great wars coming out from their sealed valley. So on we go back to the regular Shannara world and while I really expected an epic adventure here, it isn't really. This is the story Sider, Prue, Qu, and Phryne. They're interesting as characters go, but the authors spends so much time in the mundane details of their lives. A decent enough read and at least it looks like only one more until the finale.

Terry has been writting for years and I have been reading him for just as long. Terry seems to have his best work back with word and void books and its been down hill ever sense.

This latest work was given to me because I never would buy it myself. I didnt mind the books before this to much but wasnt all that excited about this book. I was given this and the two books after it in hardback for my birthday so I had to read them. Man I wish I had not. The writting was just not that great the story wasnt engaging and it was just blah. The same basic stuff a boy growing up his sidekicks and an older magic user who wants to find another before he dies. Wow we have only had this happen in almost every one of his books. The anti religion theme was sad as well.

Im going to read the next two books and hope they get better but if this is how it starts i might be in for a long couple of days.

I've long been a Terry Brooks fan, starting with "Elfstones of Shannara" and reading every Shannara book since (along with all but one "Word/Void" series book and all but one Landover novel). "Elfstones" and "Druid Queen" were favorites for many years, and the "Genesis of Shannara" trilogy quickly joined them; after reading those I was eagerly looking forward to this one, but was right not off not as enthralled as I hoped for.

With 500 years of history skipped (something you get used to with Brooks' works; he doesn't bog himself down in historical details) you start off with a few "who" and "what" questions that more or less resolve themselves my midway through; in fact by the end of the book you've got all the info you need to figure out the basic who and what itself. Problem is, there really isn't much a story here that Terry has not told before: hopelessly outnumbered group that can't pull itself together faces a massive army bent on their destruction. One powerful figure and one very-unsure-of-himself youngster, stand between them and total destruction. This was the plot or large elements of "Sword", "Elfstones", "First King", the Talisman series, etc. It doesn't help that you know things are going to work out (otherwise the previous books would never have been possible), meaning suspense is limited down to what will become of the characters. Normally this is a high point for me and Terry usually does an excellent job of making his characters likable and human, but here he's stuck so close to familiar archetypes (the young but tough/hot tempered girls, the laid back and unsure of themselves boys, the evil villains who exude sleaze and selfishness) that there isn't much to hook you. Feisty Elven Princess Phryne his no different than Amberle Elessedil (except more temperamental) or Dhamson Rhee, or honestly, any of Terry's previous red-headed ladies (one can't help but notice Terry's got a thing for green eyes and red hair--and I don't blame him!) Pan is another Wil or Jair Ohmsford. Sider Ament is just Allanon, but less mysterious, with more of a past.

In short, there's really nothing new here. The story is slow in pacing with a few twists to keep it interesting, and almost a must for those who have read his other books, like me, and want to keep up the continuity; but there are no "wow" or "holy cow!" moments to make it stand out the way the "Genesis" trilogy before it did. One gets the feeling Terry has grown bored with writing these characters and this world, and just wants to move on, but his publishers and fans won't allow it.

The plotting and character development is up to Brooks' usual high standards, although there are some plot points that require some serious suspension of disbelief. The primary of these is a character that has 500 year old technology that apparently is in mint condition. I like the evolution of the race of Trolls. I also liked his characters although they resemble many characters from earlier books. Since this is only a 2 book series the evolution of the plot is pretty swift which also might explain some of the gaps in logic. In summary, if you liked his prior series, you'll like this too but probably not quite as much.

I liked this quite a bit.
I know it is the same old themes, Something bad is coming, no one believes the ones who tell everyone it is happening. The good guys are woefully unprepared, but fight the good fight.

It sounds trite and overdone, but Terry keeps cranking em out, and millions keep buying em - so he must be onto something... Why not? David Eddings pulled this his whole career.

If nothing else, I enjoyed the new scenery and characters, even if the characters are mostly recycled - Good stuff, B+ or A- for sure.

In and of itself, great book, great writing. I love the Shannara series and the world Brooks has created. As such, I'm happy with this story because it provides part of the history behind that world. I don't feel he's jumped the shark as others have suggested, but rather giving us (and probably himself) want we want; a complete and full account of the Shannara universe.

Having said that, I think most fans agree the plots for recent books have felt somewhat mechanical and formulaic. I keep reading them so I apparently don't mind, but you do get the sense that you've read this story before. Long journey on foot; council members who stubbornly refuse to believe the community is in danger; those blasted Elfstones, again. I also think Brooks cheated a little for convenience, especially the Deladion Inch character (lucky he still had a crawler and gun 500 years later!).

All in all, enjoyed it, looking forward to the next one.

Terry Brooks is a wonderful writer with a fertile imagination. He creates a complete and wonderful world with intriguing characters.

I have read several of his books and love my visits to his world. His stories follow the characters through generations and massive challenges.

In this book we meet the decendants of the Hawk and the peoples he saved from the destruction of the earth. It is five hundred years later and the barrier that has protected their valley from the neuclear holocost and its destruction is breaking down. The residents of the valley are not prepared for this or for the creatures that survived the nuclear aftermath and are now encroaching on them.

It is a wonderful adventure for the young and those still young at heart. I can't wait until the next book comes out.

This book is a continuation, of sorts, of the Genesis of Shannara series, taking place some 500 years after the ending of the final book in that series. This book is typical Brooks; good, entertaining read but nothing new or ground breaking though it does leave you with quite the cliffhanger! Fan of the Genesis series will want to read this but probably isn't the best place to start for someone new to Brooks and the Shannara series/world. I recommend this for any fan of Terry Brooks; as with all of his books you get consistently good writing, somewhat predictable plot lines but always entertaining reads.

I was fond the of post-apocalyptic world Mr. Brooks put together in the demon-based stories, and despite a few slip-ups appreciated the direction of the timeline as it took us toward the world of Shannara. I think the characters and story line of this new duology have a lot of potential and it was comforting to be immersed in this world again. Perhaps the problem is that they (and the drama surrounding them) don't seem quite as fleshed-out as in some other Shannara and Demon books. Several of Brooks' earlier novels (Wishsong, Druid, Elf Queen and the first demon trilogy) seem so much more "epic" in scope, so perhaps it's not fair to criticize this book too much for not holding up those.

Nonetheless, it is entertaining enough and well worth the Kindle download price.

I have gotten at least 2/3 of the way through the Shannara codex and have dropped back to read this volume (followed by it's sequel) out of the chronological timeline sequence. I like the fact that each two- or three-volume set is a unit, but is not overly dependent on the previous sets in the timeline.

This is my first Terry Brooks book (on CD), and it will be my last. I marked it 'predictable', which I don't consider a negative characteristic. Many books are predictable yet still interesting and well written. I think this is a good story with interesting characters. The reader was able to make the voices distinct, and he even did pretty good female voices. Much praise to the reader!

My problem is that, in my opinion, the story was tediously written. If something could be said well and concisely in 15 words, it was ruined by saying it in 75-100 words. Concepts were repeated over and over. If a character was uncertain about something, we were told about it repeatedly throughout the story. Worse, the same thing would be said in the same instance (e.g., paragraph) in different words. "I'm uncertain..." "I don't know..." "I'm inexperienced..." "I don't think I'm qualified/ready/able..." or "I'm sorry..." "I didn't mean to hurt..." "I wish I could take it back..." "I didn't intend..."

I understand that two of the main characters were teens, and over-thinking something until it is ground into powder is normal (even for adults at times), but I don't need that dinned into my ears. All this exposition was tedious, at least to me. I fear spending money on another book by this author only to find the same style. A disinterested (not uninterested) editor could have pointed out this issue and encouraged and helped the author to make a decent story into something much better.

This is a prequel to Terry Brooks other Shannara books. I enjoyed the book with its post-apocalyptic world . . . it just isn't very Shannara to me. The writing is not as good as it was for the original books, though the story is interesting and worth reading. If I read this book as a book not connected to the Shannara series I would probably like it more.

I echo the thoughts of another reviewer who said 'Bearers of the Black Staff' reminded him more of the Shannara novels of old rather than the Word & Void/Genesis series which immediately precede this first of the Legends of Shannara series (a duology)...and for THIS reader, channeling those same feelings of the books of old is nothing if not a remarkable feat. To re-capture the feelings I had as I finished the original trilogy between '79 and '85 is no small accomplishment (IMO). I still rank Terry's original trilogy as 3 of my all-time favorite novels.

Over the years, Shannara has evolved, and with it has come some new and exciting revelations. Beloved characters are cut down in their prime, and no matter how good the characters are and how well meaning they can be, evil always manages to persist--and in some cases thrive. At the end of The Gypsy Morph, a barrier of magic is all that seems to be between our characters and the forces of evil...and this barrier of magic is strong, however, after 500 years, its power seems to be coming to an end. During the same 500 years many of the descendants of those whose lives were spared as a result of the barrier seem to be experiencing an uncomfortable level of magical amnesia. Too bad for them...GOOD for us.

The last Knight of the Word, (Sider Ament) has made the shocking discovery that the barrier as we know it is no longer stable, and has been crossed...but by who--or more importantly: What? Not everyone immediately accepts Sider at his word and heed his belief of an inevitable invasion from the outside. Here is where--as usual--Terry Brooks literally excels. The conflict is tense, heroic, dangerous and absolutely captivating. A new group of heroes to get to know and love are introduced and while I always have a sense of loss when we leave behind past characters that I have grown to appreciate and thrill along with, Terry never lets me down by creating a whole new group to get acquainted with. In particular I MUST point out my appreciation of getting back to the city of Arborlon and the wonderful--and very elusive elves. I must admit that I didn't really enjoy the elves once-upon-a-time, and honestly I cannot tell you why, all I can say is it didn't take long for me to really grow to appreciate them all--both good and bad.

What can I say? Terry, you've done it again. You're boundless imagination has provided me (and the bulk of my family, friends, associates etc) with literally countless hours of pure magical entertainment. I can hardly wait for book 2--as always. Keep up the good--no, make that GREAT work. You remain--as always--on my increasingly short list of authors I will read no matter what.

It was good enough to keep me reading, and to plan to read the next one. Good thing for libraries 'cause I wouldn't buy it. At the end of the day, it's kinda clumsy pulp, though that can be fun. SPOILER: Maybe the most original thing is that the hero makes one blunder after another, but that's hardly compelling.

I had not read a Terry Brooks book in twenty year. I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed this book. I was an easy read with interesting character and a story line that held my interest. I would recommend this book to any Science Fiction/Fantasy reader.

I really did not mind the book overall. I did how ever think that Terry has forgotten what he is so good at. the day old cheese/bread in the bag and off the trail to stop evil stuff!) He is so fixed by atv's and not getting to Galiphile or other histories that are begging to be told to all of us. I believe as a writer he needs to reread his stuff or look at the reviews with 4 or 3 stars for better insight. I recommend this book to any diehard fan of Terry but with the idea it is not the same old read we are used to!

This is one of the better Terry Brooks books. I have read almost all of them. He combines the Shannara series with the Running with the Deamon series beautifully. I really enjoyed it. I cannot wait to see how the black staff is lost.

I have read and re-read all of the Shannara and Word and Void books. I love reading Terry Brooks, which is what makes this read so disappointing. I buy a new Terry Brooks' book in the first week of release and usually have it read shortly thereafter. This book took me weeks to finish. After struggling through a chapter, I would just set it down. In writing one thing that is preached is showing, not telling. I felt like Terry told me everything that was going on and everything that people were thinking, rather than showing it to me. The writing seemed targeted at a much younger, less sophisticated reader. I have been reading Terry Brooks since he began writing, and his fan base is probably composed of many people my age. Therefore, the writing should be targeted at that audience, not a middle grade audience, which is how this appeared. I want to tie all the pieces together from when Hawk led them into the valley up until Shea Ohmsford goes searching for the sword, but if this is the writing to expect, then I'll use my own imagination. Terry seems to be coasting on his earlier success now.

I'd read the original Shannara trilogy years ago and never did get through all the rest of the books. So decided to read through them all again starting with the Work/Void trilogy.

I thought this book was better Genesis of Shannara books but not on par with the originals. A decent 1st book.

It's been five hundred years since the Gypsy Morph, Hawk, led a diverse group of survivors out of the destruction of the Great Wars into a safe haven hidden by magic. Since that time the magic has kept the Men, Elves, Spiders, and Lizards safe from the world beyond. Many have forgotten their roots and distanced themselves from the magic that saved them.

Sider Ament is the last known Knight of the Word and he's just discovered that the magic barrier has been breached. Now he must team up with two Trackers, Panterra Qu and Prue Liss, to convince an unbelieving people that their safe haven is about to be discovered. The Old World they've forgotten is about to collide with their own and nothing can prepare them for the danger that waits.

Continuing his massive undertaking to give us the full history of The Shannara series, Terry Brooks delivers another exciting installment full of new characters, trademark fantasy elements, and heartfelt emotion.

Typically in Brooks' writing, characters don't last longer than a book or two, very few having lived through multiple series. This is to be expected since this series in particular takes place over thousands of years. Nevertheless, Brook continues to craft characters that readers can't help but fall in love with. Sider, Panterra, and Prue certainly fit the bill and readers will be moved and captivated by their journey. We're also treated to some strong supporting roles throughout that would make fascinating main characters themselves.

As a long time fan of Terry Brooks it has been fun to see how the Shannara history is built, and Bearers of the Black Staff feels more like the Shannara books of old and less like the apocalyptic Genesis of Shannara novels that came previously. Some key elements of the series are revealed here that will satisfy hard core fans, while at the same time piquing the interest of new readers.

While there are still plenty of stories to be bridged, this is continually proving to be a journey that is well worth the ride.

Review copy provided by publisher.

I have read a few of the Shannara novels now and appreciate how Brooks has built this unique world. Keep coming back to the store to see when the next book in the Legends sequel is going to be published. Wish I could find the date and how to pre-order it. Can't wait!

This is one of the better Terry Brooks books. I have read almost all of them. He combines the Shannara series with the Running with the Deamon series beautifully. I really enjoyed it. I cannot wait to see how the black staff is lost.

I have read and re-read all of the Shannara and Word and Void books. I love reading Terry Brooks, which is what makes this read so disappointing. I buy a new Terry Brooks' book in the first week of release and usually have it read shortly thereafter. This book took me weeks to finish. After struggling through a chapter, I would just set it down. In writing one thing that is preached is showing, not telling. I felt like Terry told me everything that was going on and everything that people were thinking, rather than showing it to me. The writing seemed targeted at a much younger, less sophisticated reader. I have been reading Terry Brooks since he began writing, and his fan base is probably composed of many people my age. Therefore, the writing should be targeted at that audience, not a middle grade audience, which is how this appeared. I want to tie all the pieces together from when Hawk led them into the valley up until Shea Ohmsford goes searching for the sword, but if this is the writing to expect, then I'll use my own imagination. Terry seems to be coasting on his earlier success now.

I'd read the original Shannara trilogy years ago and never did get through all the rest of the books. So decided to read through them all again starting with the Work/Void trilogy.

I thought this book was better Genesis of Shannara books but not on par with the originals. A decent 1st book.

It's been five hundred years since the Gypsy Morph, Hawk, led a diverse group of survivors out of the destruction of the Great Wars into a safe haven hidden by magic. Since that time the magic has kept the Men, Elves, Spiders, and Lizards safe from the world beyond. Many have forgotten their roots and distanced themselves from the magic that saved them.

Sider Ament is the last known Knight of the Word and he's just discovered that the magic barrier has been breached. Now he must team up with two Trackers, Panterra Qu and Prue Liss, to convince an unbelieving people that their safe haven is about to be discovered. The Old World they've forgotten is about to collide with their own and nothing can prepare them for the danger that waits.

Continuing his massive undertaking to give us the full history of The Shannara series, Terry Brooks delivers another exciting installment full of new characters, trademark fantasy elements, and heartfelt emotion.

Typically in Brooks' writing, characters don't last longer than a book or two, very few having lived through multiple series. This is to be expected since this series in particular takes place over thousands of years. Nevertheless, Brook continues to craft characters that readers can't help but fall in love with. Sider, Panterra, and Prue certainly fit the bill and readers will be moved and captivated by their journey. We're also treated to some strong supporting roles throughout that would make fascinating main characters themselves.

As a long time fan of Terry Brooks it has been fun to see how the Shannara history is built, and Bearers of the Black Staff feels more like the Shannara books of old and less like the apocalyptic Genesis of Shannara novels that came previously. Some key elements of the series are revealed here that will satisfy hard core fans, while at the same time piquing the interest of new readers.

While there are still plenty of stories to be bridged, this is continually proving to be a journey that is well worth the ride.

Review copy provided by publisher.

I have read a few of the Shannara novels now and appreciate how Brooks has built this unique world. Keep coming back to the store to see when the next book in the Legends sequel is going to be published. Wish I could find the date and how to pre-order it. Can't wait!

It's been 25 years since I read Brooks. It seems I still like the style. In this book I enjoyed the intro of sci-fi Armageddon themes to his typical men/elvish fantasy storyline. Little disappointed it's a cliffhanger and not a stand alone novel.

Let me start out by saying that I'm a HUGE Terry Brooks fan! I've been buying his books every year they come out for over twenty years now. So, it's with a heavy heart that I give this book 3 stars. I really wanted to love it. The previous series I squealed with excitement when he mashed his two series (Shannara and Word/Void) into one. I guess I was expecting too much from this one. It just felt like regurgitated Terry Brooks plots. I knew everything that was going to happen, every move each character was going to make. There were no surprises for me. I hope the next one is better, but to be honest, I'm not that excited.

Terry has done it again with this the first book of his newest Shannara Series.
This book as in all of Brook's story's has plenty of intrigue and plot twist.
Dealing with his PreShannaran continuation, he introduces many new characters that don't disappoint. From the evolution of his Knights of the word to the emergence of the pilgrim society that was lead and saved by Hawk in his proceeding books, we get a glimpse into the post apocalyptic world just prior to the emergence of the druid council, and the conflicts that take place with the other races that have survived outside of hawks protected dome.

The story line finally gets set up and then leaves you hanging. Don't make this the first Terry Brooks book you read or it will probably be your last. Seemed to me that Mr. Brooks decided to divide a single book into two books so he could make more money. I wish I'd known... I'd have waited till the other half of the book came out and then decided whether to spend the money. Disappointing.

It as as though someone else stole Terry Brooks' identity or tried to write a Terry Brooks book by mixing up the last three novels, replacing the three-dimensional characters with cardboard imitations and trying to substitute them in the old plot points. Stubborn murdered elven king? Check. Finding lost stones? Check. And the writing was actually kind of bad too. Really a shame.

As a long time fan of the Sword of Shannara (the first three), I felt Terry Brooks had lost the magic in the following books in the Shannara series. With this book, he is back in form and I can't wait for more.

This book is 500 years after The Gypsy Morph. I was very disappointed that it did not give more details of the earlier years in the valley (what happened with Hawk and Tessa, how the people survived, their feelings about being in the valley, who married whom). The shield that was protecting the valley is now down leaving the valley open to all predators. It would have been nice to know more about what was going on the outside the valley.
Trolls are introduced in this story and should keep things interesting along with the elves and the Knight of the Word. Great book.

I have read several of Terry Brooks novels over the years starting when I was just a teenager. I was ethralled by them and I couldn't get enoug of his books. With that in mind I must say that this is a little bit of a disappointment. The plot is pretty much run of the mill and was nothing special. I couldn't get an emotional connection to the characters. The story was very predictable and I could almost tell what was going to happen next. Terry Brooks used to produce very special fantasy books but this one seems a little like he just phoned it in as it is just average which is what about 80% of the fantasy books at your local bookstore are...just average. I'm still a Terry Brooks fan, I just hope he can come up with something fresh and new for his next endeavor.