Book 2 - The Elfstones of Shannara - The Shannara Series

The Sword of Shannara was an epic fantasy, but it is the Elfstones of Shannara that is the reason why we love fantasy. The conflict of love and duty transposed against a background of good versus evil is just too good. Wil is probably the most human of all of Brook's characters and to be honest, one of the most believable. The ending tugs at the heartstrings because after reading the whole book, it accomplishes what a good story should do-makes you root for the hero. Sad, but refreshing to have an ending where victory is tainted by the taste of loss. It kind of reminds us that no matter how much we think we're in control, how much power we can obtain-there are just some things that cannot be changed by us no matter what we do.

Brooks is not an epic writer, at least not that I can see so far. The Sword of Shannara copied dozens of elements from the Lord of the Rings series. But, he doesn't have the way with words that Tolkien did, he rambles, his characters are naive and then all-knowing from page to page, it's jumbled. I mean, in this book, Allanon hasn't given these people any reason not to trust him but still, after all that he and Flick went through in Sword, Flick still doesn't like him! When Allanon dove into the furnace with the Skull Bearer in Sword, Flick was sure the quest was over and the Four Lands would be destroyed, and he trusts him again when he went under cover in the Gnome army. But in this book, it's like all the progress that they made in friendship never happened!
And as for the stolen elements, Allanon never ages (just like Gandalf). Allanon falls into fire with a Skull Bearer, just like Gandalf is taken down into the mines by the fiery Balrog. There is a white tree that protects the Elves, just like the White tree in Minas Tirith protected the city! Allanon takes a horse from Eventine's stables (Artaq) that is wild and unwieldy but behaves perfectly for Allanon: Just like Shadowfax was a wild and unwieldy horse from Rohan that Gandalf borrowed from Theodin and was able to ride without a saddle or bridle. Also, there are people who want nothing to do with the war in this book, thinking it will leave them alone while the main characters try to convince them that evil stops for no one. This same element is in the Lord of the Rings books, which were written 20-some years before the Shannara books! Heck, these even have maps of the countries (which are similar in geography to Middle Earth) in the front! COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT!
But what is really annoying is how disconnected the characters are, Allanon is not really liked by anyone, Flick hasn't changed in 50 years, his grand-nephew Wil can't seem to keep his mind straight. In the Lord of the Rings, at least the characters are likeable and are good, trusting friends to each other! We see alliances between factions long separated. But in this case, everyone seems mistrustful of each other! And Amberle is totally unbelievable. She is small, scared, childish and doubtful one second, then outspoken, very adult and bossy in the blink of an eye. Just like Allanon's tempers. The characters are unbelievable and inconsistent.
I maintain my opinion in my review of the Sword of Shannara, read the Lord of the Rings books (which I have read and adore!) and leave these alone. I have read two of the three Shannara books and they are a bad immitation! Also, the Wheel of Time series and the Sword of Truth series sound like copies of each other and the Terry Brooks' books. This type of fantasy has become an overused genre, nothing is original anymore! And, the reading is tedious. The characters are unbelievable, naive, stereotyped and the battles and character reactions have been done so many times by so many people that they are simply boring! It's ALWAYS an epic battle against a dark force and certain people have to go on a hopeless quest to save all life and must learn to use or conquer an object of power. I'm SICK and TIRED of unoriginal, tired, tedious, dragging, poorly-written fantasy! Tolkien did it first, he did it right and others such as Robin McKinley have done a great job using other types of fantasy. So please, fantasy authors, QUIT DOING THE SAME THING ALL OVER AGAIN!
However, I will continue to read Terry Brooks books in the hopes that there is something better (and since I already bought some). I will give him a break since the Sword of Shannara was his first book, I have heard that the Heritage of Shannara series is a lot better, probably because he was further into his writing career. First and second novels don't need to sound so inexperienced though! Did Brooks learn nothing from the books he read???

Have you ever had to battle against endless hordes of demons and your only hope of surviving belongs to two people over two-hundred miles away who are trying to complete their own task with many, many conflicts? Well, chances are you haven't. But The Elfstones of Shannara, a novel by Terry Brooks, is a novel that will bring to life that same fear, determination, confidence, and war. If you read this book you'll see that Amberle Ellessidil and Wil Ohmsford are the two protagonists that you would depend on to save your homeland. They are destined to save the Four Lands from an evil of another age, while their friends and family try to hold against the endless demon hordes with the help from Dwarves, Rock Trolls, a Druid, and Bordermen at the kingdom of Arborlon. Wil and Amberle must find a forgotten place called Safehold; bearing the seed of the Ellcrys they must give her rebirth by casting it into the Bloodfire to stop the demons. Both protagonists face conflicts together and alone such as: person vs. nature, because of natural harm and healing herbs;and person vs. person, when they encounter other beings. Once they complete their task their views on life and its sacrifices will change dramatically.
Overall I really enjoyed this novel. As I kept reading I noticed I was sitting on the edge of my seat to see what happened next. The action sequences pump adrenaline through your body. Its like you are there trying to defend Arborlon; you could smell the stench of rotting Demon flesh, the piercing cries of your men dying, and the fear, worry, and trauma of the events. There are also some parts of the novel you have to remember in order to understand what happens later on. However, I realized that there were a few low-spots throughout the story. I think that this particular part could have been enhanced to make the storyline more interesting. Even though this novel was quite hard to read; meaning hard as in hard to take in all the information the writer is trying to get you to understand; I think that you could read it if you really wanted to and maybe once you got into the story you would just want to read more and more. Through its 564 pages you will discover that you should look within yourself as well as beyond yourself so you might be able to achieve the dreams or duties set before you.

Elfstones is Brooks best work.
I won't go into what happens or who's in the story, others have already do that. What I will say is that Brooks has woven a true masterpiece full of surprises, excitement, danger, and magic. Others have compared his books to Tolkien, but I think that as of this novel he completely goes beyond JRR. There are few novels of any kind that I have read as often as this book. I read it at least once a year, and have been since it was first published. His other novel Wishsong is not half as good by far, but then this is a truly great novel. Read This Book!

Several years ago, I was in the local bookstore searching for a new novel to read. I didn't recognize most of the books on the shelf, so I looked at several and one caught my eye: "The Elfstones of Shannara". Upon reading it I was transported into a world from which I hope I will never return.
Having not read it's prequel, "The Sword of Shannara", I thought that I might be confused as to what is going on. This could not have been farther from the truth. Brooks fills you in on what happened at every necessary point in the novel, so as to never leave you confused about an event that happened in the previous book.
Wil Ohmsford is definitely one of the best characters that I have ever read about. Faced with impossible odds, Wil, with only the power of the legendary, magical Elfstones, must make a perilous journey to save the world from being overrun by demon hordes, while at the same time, protecting the Elven girl, Amberle, who is the key to everything. Wil Ohmsford is continuously developed as the novel progresses, and by the end of the book, you really feel like you know him. The one thing that I find separates and makes Wil better from the main characters in "The Sword of Shannara", Shea and Flick, is that he is a healer, and it makes him more fun to read.
To top it all off, this book has one of the best endings ever written. I don't want to say anything more, so as I don't spoil it on you, but after finishing the novel you will definitely have a smile across your face. Great heroes, great villains, great writing. Brooks at his best.

First, I 'd like to say I have not yet read Lord of the Rings, and I started The Little Hobbit when I was 7 or 8 , but unfortunately the book disappeared, but what I have read left a bad taste, maybe I was too young, nevertheless what I wanted to say is that I don't like all the comparison between Brooks and Tolkien. A heard some things and my opinion is that Hhe (T.B.) may copied a few things and changed then, but I don't think what he wrote was awful. Tolkien should be pleased that someone changed his ideas in such a wonderful way. And Brooks is not a story copier at all. What he wrote in Elfstones is so terrific that words cannot describe. I have always loved Brooks and his stories. As a kid I loved the film Hook and got the book according to the film which was written by Brooks. Okay, I must admit that the film adaption was bad, but so I found the way to Shannara and my library when I was 9 or 10. I read the first 3 triologys and loved them. Short before my 15th birthday I rembered Brooks. I saw one of his books in a catalogue and my memerories told me how much I adored his stories. A part of my memerories returned to the books and I wanted to read the whole series again and what I had not read yet. So I got Sword of Shannara for birthday and I must say the Magic of his books stayed and didn't left although it had become more wiser. Elfstones is the best, I guess, the characters are marvellous described (especially I liked Andor) and the story is unique. Life has to be restored, not to destroyed. The battles are wonderful done, Brooks is a writer, Tolkien is a writer, but really writer has its own style and maybe I will read Tolkiens books one day and I am sure I will say Brooks is very different and it might be I say I like Tolkiens books, but I don't love them. I love Brooks stories.

The Elfstones of Shannara is a novel about the young woman Amberle, who is carrying the seed of the Ellcrys so it will be reborn. The tree holds together the Forbidding, a wall that imprisons a horde of tens of thousands of demons. Her protector is Wil Ohmsford, holder of the Elfstones that contain magical power that can defeat almost any of the demons. He must guide her as they are pursued by the Reaper, an ancient demon who kills because of a perverse need and instinct. Meanwhile, Allanon and the armies of the elves must hold the demons at bay at the Breakline mountains. After being pushed back to Arborlon, they must fight the demons for their very homes. And the Ellcrys has died already. The book is critically acclaimed and a New York Times Bestseller. Its author, Terry Brooks, has had 15 best-selling books. The books have many fans across the globe. His novels are famous for intricate storylines and awesome descriptions of settings and battles. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good book, and especially to fantasy lovers who enjoyed Lord of Rings. Readers of Tolkein especially will enjoy these books as they explore deep worlds in the universe created by Tolkein.

As with the rest of the series in the Sword of Shannara, this book is well written. The images are vivid and well drawn out, putting you in the imaginary world. The characters are fully described, and enchantingly real. The sudden, unexpected jumps from scene to scene makes the story hard to predict and enchanting when the denouement arrives. I would recommend this story to anyone who enjoys otherworldly fantasy and fiction.

This was a 1980's book, so in those days this was good. Today, however, people are inventing new creatures aside from giant eagles, elves, demons and druids, so the Elfstones of Shannara is old material for me. I also notice that long books (500 pags. or so) tend to spend many words on miniscule details, so people would say it can be compressed to 400 or 300 pgs. and not lose its story.
I gave this book 4 stars though because of the reading experience. The events are suspenseful, engrossing, and you can feel the characters, their emotions, hopes, dreams, fears and failures. Brooks writes well. I challenge him though and other writers to go out of the usual.

If you are contemplating reading this book, chances are you've already read The Sword of Shannara. Brooks' second effort has two major advantages over his first: this book has an original plotline, and it has some truly incredible villains.
Whereas The Sword of Shannara was largely a Lord of the Rings [...], this book proves that Brooks can come up with an original, engaging storyline. The Sword of Shannara also did not have any real female characters (except a side-character who served as a love interest). Brooks remedies that as well by adding two very strong female characters who more than hold their own against the male characters.
The 3 main villains in this book are thoroughly creepy, and are the true strength of this novel. They get considerable screen-time, and often are the ones pushing the story along. Every scene that involves The Reaper is so excellently written by Terry Brooks that it will have you sitting on the edge of your seat, silently begging the heroes to run for their lives.
If you liked Sword of Shannara, then you should definitely read this book as well. Even if you didn't care for his first work, you should give this one a shot: this book is quintessential Brooks. For those who didn't read it at all, this book is not a bad place to start. There is not too much background, and the necessary bits are all covered. Plus, this book will serve as a much better gauge as to whether you want to read the rest of his works.
This is true hack and slash fantasy. You won't find deep character development or endlessly complex worlds, plotlines, and politics. Fans of George R.R. Martin and Robin Hobb will likely be disappointed by the lack of depth. But anyone who enjoys hack and slash fantasy OWES it to themselves to pick up this book.

I have been reading Terry Brooks since I was a teenager. I first read the Elfstones of Shannara in the 80s and it is still one of my all time favorite books, definitely my favorite among his. However, I write this review 30 years later to complain vigorously about the debacle that was the Shannara Chronicles on MTV. WHY WHY WHY Mr. Brooks? WHY let MTV destroy one of your best works? They turned one of your most emotionally charged and seamless works of art into TWILIGHT TRASH! I am a fan and will stay one, but please don't let them do to you what they have done to Steven King over the years. There are ample examples in recent years where Movie Studios have figured out how to properly transition a good story to film. This was not it.

With only the exception of Tolkein's LOR, Elfstones of Shannarra is the best epic fantasy I have ever read (and I have read tons!). It benefits from a very unique story that stands apart from most fantasy novels with its originality. The purpose is not to kill the evil magician, god, dragon, king, etc. It is to restore a magic tree to health that protects the land from an invasion of demons.
The well developed characters move the story foreward and kept my interest unlike any other book I've read. The struggles Wil and Amberle have in understanding themselves is thought provoking. The determination of the elves to survive is moving. Allonon's determination to save the world is inspiring, as is Ander Ellessedil's and Ste Jans' leadership.
The demons in the novel are simply terrifying. I still remember how difficult it was for me to sleep after I first read the novel (I was 10). I rember feeling terrified as Wil and Amberle were hunted down relentlessly by the Reaper as it killed every person there to protect them. Brook's wrote a masterpiece driven by powerful and well developed characters hunted by nightmare inspiring demons. Every bit of the plot was original (which was nice after the near plagarism Sword of Shannarra had). I was pulled into the novel instantly, and I read the entire book one Sunday after I got home from church. The battle scenes were masterfully done, as was the plot development. I felt like I was a part of the story, wanting the "good guys" to pull off a miracle and save the dying tree. I was completely emotionally involved with the story, and as it reached its heartbreaking, yet powerful conclusion, I simply started crying. I won't give away what happens, but the twist at the end is stunningly tragic but joyful.
I recommend Elfstones of Shannarra to anybody. I am an Elglish Major and the University of Utah, a lover of fantasy, science fiction, as well as classic literature. And I must say I have read maybe four or five novels that are better than Elfstones of Shannarra. I don't know any that I felt so personally involved with the story and characters, nor any other that has made me cry. I've probable read Elfstones over twenty times, and every time I do, I love it. Highly, HIGHLY, recommended.

This stands as one of the best Shannara novels that Brooks ever wrote. He takes more of his own identity as a writer in this book, which is clearly seen as his writing style develops. Wil's inner conflict with the magic and his legacy in it are painted vividly. Seeking for answers he can't find, and trying to control a fate already written, the reader is caught up in Wil's struggle.

(+) Completely engrossing are such scenes as Allanon's fight with the furies, the entire war with the demons, the struggle of the king with the spy, and all the other countless scenes that make this book one great adventure. Nice romance between Wil and Amberle. The ending was strong, satisfying, with a somewhat predictable twist.

=Spoilers=

(-) My only problem with this book was the fight of the witches. First off, that whole witch thing just didn't really fit well, and second, apparently after NOT being able to kill eachother for hundreds of years, we are expected to believe that they conveniently do eachother in when Wil stumbles along.

(=) It comes down to one awesome adventure. You won't be disappointed.

I picked up this book accidentally in 1988. My uncle had it on paperback and I pilfered it from his room by chance. This book proceeded to dominate my afternoons for the next couple of weeks.
Upon finishing this book, I felt as spent as the Heroes/Heroines!
The character development was the best I've ever seen, and is still a standard I compare to the rest of the series!
I read this first, and this book actually started my interest in the rest of the books. Much like C.S. Lewis' Chronicles Of Narnia, which was not necessarily in chronological order, I was glad to have read the Elfstones Of Shannara first.
Moreso than the other books of the series, I felt this book lock me in to finishing it before I could do anything else. I like how the time in the book seemed to flow similarly to the time it took me to read the book. And I wanted to know the befores and afters of the book. I know I'm not giving much of the story away, and that is on purpose. But this book should be read first,
and then the Wishsong of Shannara, and then the Sword of Shannara. If possible, get your hands on early printings of the series, with characters on the front of the book, as opposed to sweeping landscapes.

I have just finished reading EOS,and like SOS,I just could not put the book down. Wonderfully realized characters,heart pounding encounters and escapes and a storyline that just flows. The book starts off with a bang and never really lets you down. Each chapter ends with you wanting more. I look forward to reading ALL the Shannara books. Can anyone recommend any other series out there besides Jordan's WOT? My e-mail address is "[email protected]". By all means get this book and start what appears to be a great series. You won't (hopefully) be dissapointed!

Some books are scary -- they've got unpredictable plots that twist and turn, throwing you curve ball after curve ball and forever adding new story elements to keep you off guard. Understandably, a lot of folks shy away from such unstable literary techniques -- when they sit down to read a book, they want the expected! They want a formulaic plot! They want a happy ending, by damn! Fortunately for these timid souls, Terry Brooks has hit another by-the-numbers grand slam with Elfstones of Shannara.
J.R.R. Tolkien essentially defined the rules of today's fantasy genre with his Lord of the Rings trilogy. Throughout thousands of fantasy novels, elves are Tolkien's elves, dwarves are Tolkien's dwarves, and so on. The Lord of the Rings series also provides a wonderful recyclable plot.
Terry Brooks is no fool: He stays cleanly within the boundaries of this time-honored tradition. During your first read, you probably won't notice how precisely Elfstones echoes Lord of the Rings. For example, the wizened old magician who charges the protaganist(s) with his epic task is named Allanon, not Gandalf. The reluctant hero(es) is of elven decent, not hobbit. In Elfstones, an arduous journey full of many dangers and encounters must be made to throw a seed in a fiery pit. In Lord of the Rings, an arduous journey full of many dangers and encounters must be made to throw a ring into a fiery pit.
After several dozen reads of Elfstones, you may begin to perceive such similarities. You may also begin to perceive a sameness between Elfstones and Brooks' many other Shannara novels: Standoffish wizard approaches unwitting hero, hero grudgingly embarks on perilous quest to a faraway land, accompanied by many smart-alecky sidekicks en route, eventually reaching the final destination and destroying an evil foe/recovering powerful artifact, thereby preventing the armies of darkness from conquering the world. Yes, every book in Brooks' Shannara series features an identical plot! In this manner, Brooks has established himself as a master of literary conventionality and restraint.
If you're anywhere near normal, you've read the Lord of the Rings trilogy at least 50-60 times. Next time you begin it, why not read a version with different names? One of my personal favorites is to mix-and-match, for example, you can read the first two books of the Rings trilogy, then finish with the last third of one of the Shannara books -- it all flows together seamlessly, as if one were a direct plagarism of the other! Or, you can read the first third of any random Shannara book, continue with the second installment of the Rings series, and end it all with the last several chapters of a different Shannara novel! The possibilities are virtually limitless!
Although it's true that Brooks hints at some new tricks with Elfstones (there are TWO reluctant heroes), in the end he doesn't disappoint, and you get exactly what you expected when you first laid eyes on the cover. An extremely satisfactory romp through comfortingly familiar territory!

Iv read all but a one or two books of the Shannara series and out of them all I enjoyed this one the most. The adventure of Wil through the different lands to save the Ellcrys was told in enough detail as to suck you into the story but not so much as the Lord of the Rings series which tends to leave you bored and waiting for it to move on. Another part of the book i really enjoyed that i didn't find as much in the other stories was the love story told between Wil, Amberle, and Eretria. The twist at the end left me at first saddened then consoled which was a wonderful experience. All in all i really liked the book, perhaps my favorite throughout the series and would recommend it to anyone.

With ELFSTONES OF SHANNARA, Terry Brooks truly broke from the mold of would be Tolkien copycats and created a wonderfully original masterpiece filled with action, adventure, magic, and romance. And while the story is indeed epic in nature, it never once lets the reader lose sight of the individuals who band together to save the world. A marvelous read, one of my favorite fantasy novels, and something no fan of the genre should miss.

When I first read The Elfstones of Shannara,I was unprepared for what i would feel while reading it. Terry Brooks has managed in this book to convey the feelings of each character to the reader in such a way that they feel them themselves. If you haven't read the book, it's about a tree called the Ellcrys that protects the world from demons that have the power to destroy it. The tree, after thousands of years of life, is dying, and unleashing the demons upon the Elves who created it. The only hope is Amberle Elessedil, a Chosen in service to the tree, who will carry the seed of the Ellcrys to the mysterious Bloodfire to be changed into a new tree. To protect her, Allanon the Druid calls on Wil Ohmsford,who has possession of the powerful Elfstones of faerie. They know that with the demons following them it will be dangerous, and they know it won't be easy to even find the Bloodfire, but they don't know the extent of the impact it will have on their lives. Definitely a book you don't want to miss, the Elfstones of Shannara combines,plot, characters, emotions, and amazing word choice to bring you a story that will instantly plant itself in your heart.

One lonely day on the brink of Spring Break I visited a book store in the local mall. My original peurpose was to purchase Stephen King's 'Dreamcatcher' and the first of the Harry Potter series. With those in hand, and on my way to the check-out counter 'The Sword of Shannara' cuaght my eye. Remembering my mother's suggestion that I read it I dug deep in my pockets and scrounged up enough for the book. I enjoyed the book so I thought I should continue with the series. The only problem I had with the first was that the beginning was slow, but 'The Elfstones' did not share that with the first. The book was engrossing I found myself only stopping to eat, sleep, school, and work(we do chicken right). The story and characters are incredible- far beyond 'The Sword'. But alas the book does have it's fault: the ending is far too depressing. I just finished it not but an hour ago and am now avoiding loose pieces of thread and sharp objects. I only hope 'The Wishsong' will live up to this awesome title. One final note: don't do drugs kids. Thank you and good night

This book blew me away! It was original, exciting and scared the heck out of me at times. The Reaper...*shudder*. It was also the first book that brought tears to my eyes at the end...and that's saying something.

Even after over 20 years, I still look back on this book fondly as one of my favorites of all time.

Perhaps after I read the 80+ books I've bought and not read I shall return to this series.

Brooks takes us on another adventure with the Shannara children and the mysterious Allanon. I loved it! Wil and Amberle definitely made up for the Ohmsford brothers in the Sword. I also loved the sultry Eretria who is undeniably one of Brooks's best characters.

The action scenes were AWESOME! Demons verses elves, Allanon verses the Dagda Mor, Wil verses the Reaper, Eventine verses the Changeling. It was absolutely enticing and intense. I especially loved the seven levels battles in the elven capital of Aborlon. Tense situations, near defeats, narrow escapes. I haven't had that much fun since J.R.R. Tolkien's The Return of the King.

A must read! If you love fantasy, you will love Terry Brooks. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

After reading "The Sword of Shannara," I was tempted to walk away from Brooks' writings completely. However, I liked "First King" enough to give him the benefit of the doubt and keep going. This book is an improvement over the novel that precedes it, but is still only an average work of fantasy. I could only recommend this book to readers at the high school level or lower; it is simply too juvenile to recommend to adult readers. Of course, if you're just looking for an easy, light read that allows you to downshift mentally, then this might be right up your alley. If you're hungry for books with substance, then I would advise you to look elsewhere.

Having gotten used to mediocre sequels from authors who know that their books will sell after writing one big hit, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Brooks actually elevated his writing in this book. While both books were great and consist of epic themes with end-of-the-world consequences, Elfstones had a lot more heart-pounding, gut-wrenching action. I mean this book is exciting.

The reluctant hero of Amberle initially doesn't understand the full importance of the quest imposed upon her. It doesn't really matter though because she darn sure understands the terrible consequences of refusing to go on (with the Reaper breathing down her neck throughout the book). All of the characters in this book are so vividly described as to be almost tangible. Honest to God, the reader feels a real connection to these heros and a real disgust/fear of the demons. This is one of a very few (maybe the only one ever) that actually brought tears to my eyes so real were the feelings.

Seriously one of the most beautifully written books i've ever come across. Strongly reccomended.

I read the Sword of Shannara and I wasn't too impressed. Oh, it was all right, but it was kind of a cookie-cutter fantasy novel. Sword borrowed heavily from The Lord of the Rings and didn't offer anything really inventive or new; Brooks simply threw a party (of mixed races) together and sent them to defeat--surprise, surprise--an evil lord. Also, Sword didn't allow readers to connect with its characters. The characters in Sword were often one-dimensional and lacked depth--they were types rather than actual people.
The Elfstones of Shannara, however, is the complete opposite. Though Sword is the most famous in the series (because it was the first), I really feel that writing Sword gave Brooks practice so he could create a much better and richer novel. Gone are the wooden, one-dimensional types. Allanon is much more complex and human in this novel. The elves, who did appear in Shannara (though described in absolutely NO detail), are the centerpiece of this novel and readers spend the majority of Elfstones within the Westland (the land of the Elves). Also, I found myself invested in the two main characters, Wil and Amberle, and actually cared about their fortunes. Wil and Amberle show genunie affection and concern for one another. There's an emotional component to Elfstones that was lacking in Sword. Does this emotional component sometimes become a bit sugary? Well, yes, but I think that every writer needs to risk dealing with the human heart. I don't care what kind of writing you like to read--sci-fi, fantasty, literary, western, etc.--CHARACTERS are what make a novel, not the endless monsters, battles, and wanderings to and fro. Whereas Sword was all convention and plot, Elfstone places its characters first.
No need to fret, though. Those who like battles and monsters will not be diappointed. Elfstones still delivers the goods expected from fantasy readers. Also, it's refreshing to see a female heroine in a male-dominated genre (though she could be a bit stronger). The ending as well is quite refreshing. I won't spoil it, of course, but the ending doesn't wrap things up with a typical "perfect" closing. The ending to Elfstones is bittersweet and I'm shocked, actually, that Brooks's editors didn't beg him to alter it. Or maybe they did and Brooks refused.
Elfstones, though not a perfect book, is still a welcome novel in a genre beleaguered by bad, or overrated, writers (i.e. Robert Jordan). I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

I have one word for this book: nonstop. Once the demons appear the book continuously has you on the edge of your seat. Any and all fantasy fans should take the time to read this book.

The plot is like this: long, long ago there was a great war between the elves and the creatures that are now known as demons. The elves finally claimed victory by creating a magic tree that was the seal on a timeless prison called the Forbidding and trapping the demons within. Now, thousands, possibly millions of years later, the tree is dying, and the demons have returned.

Now, if you're like me, you like it when the enemy in the book is dangerous beyond what anyone could guess. That is the Reaper, the most feared of all demons. See, the only way to stop the demons is to create another tree. The wise and mystical druid, Allanon, send an elf girl to do the job. With her she sends Wil Ohmsford, someone who has the power to use the legendary elfstones, which are ancient stones of great power. They have to find the Bloodfire, which is in a dangerous place in the south. If the journey alone isn't dangerous enough, the leader of the demons, the Dagda Mor, send the nearly invincible Reaper after them.

Like I said, this is a must for all readers of fantasy. The book is extremely well-written, and won't lose your interest for a second.

Normally, any sequel to a book that was written so well and with the impact of The Sword of Shannara is disappointing. Not so with The Elfstones of Shannara.

The same, incredible descriptive power that Brooks has mastered comes alive in this book as well. The battle scenes between the Elven Army and the Demons is superb, and I had a picture in my mind's eye at every turn of the page. The pacing of a good story is an art that Brooks also seems to have perfected, as the scenes shift from the battles to the quest that Wil and Amberle are on. The fear that Wil has of the Elfstones as well as the Reaper is tangible. The doubts and emotions that flow between Amberle and Wil are easy to read into, and the side characters keep my interest throughout.

The most fun I had reading this story was the valor and charisma of Stee Jans, the Free Corps commander. Peripheral characters like him cease to be peripheral to me, and make me cheer on the forces of good all the more.

While Brooks described the central part of the Four Lands well in Sword, he went a step farther in Elfstones giving each area that Wil and Amberle traversed throughout the deep Westland a mysticism and life of its own. The climactic battle between Elves and Demons, Allanon and the Dagda Mor, and Wil and the Reaper, and the rebirth of the Ellcrys are a nice end to a descriptive and well told story.

Of all Fantasy novels I've ever read, this one is the most amazing. Set in the distant future, 50 years after the previous book to be more specific, after a series of massive wars destroys all of the technology in the world, in a place called the four lands, this book is entertaining from page 1 to page 564 (the last page of the book).

The book begins with the Ellcrys, the tree that has protected the Elves (along with the rest of the world) from a demonic menace, starting to die. At the beginning, three demons escape from the Forbidding, the place where they were imprisoned since before humans evolved. These three demons are the Dagda Mor, the Reaper, and the Changeling. The Dagda Mor, lord of the demons, tells the Changeling, a demon capable of shapeshifting into whatever it wants, to become a spy in the Elven capital city. He then tells the Reaper to kill all of the chosen, the only ones capable of reviving the Ellcrys, a task that is very quickly completed, with one exception. This exception is Amberle Elessedil, granddaughter of the king of the elves, who fled from the Westland, homeland of the elves, months earlier. Her existance as a chosen is forgotten by all except the Druid Allanon, who recruits Wil Ohmsford, grandson of Shea Ohmsford, the main character from the previous book, to protect the chosen girl.

After a few close encounters with some more demons that escaped the Forbidding, Wil and Amberle eventually end up traveling with a group of thieves known as Rovers. But, after the Rover leader, Cephelo, notices the fact that Wil possesses the magical Elfstones, he kicks the two adventurers out.

Upon reaching the Elven capital, Arborlon, Wil and Amberle manage to recruit a group of Elven soldiers to travel with them as they make their way to the Wilderun, where the legendary Bloodfire, a key component in reviving the Ellcrys, hides.

After a few encounters with the Reaper, Wil and Amberle are alone again on their journey. You must read the book for yourself to find out whether or not their quest succeeds.

This book varies greatly from other fantasy novels because of its timeframe, which was explained earlier. It can also be closely related to a horror book, which anyone who reads any scene with the Reaper at night would agree. If descriptions of "bodies broken like deadwood" and "so ruined was his body that it was nearly impossible to recognize" don't scare you, I don't know what will. This horror element is almost absent from the series this book closely related to, The Lord of the Rings, as well as others of Terry Brooks' earlier works. This book would be a great read for fantasy and horror fans alike.

The main character of this book, Wil Ohmsford, is a very interesting guy. He's been training as a healer, making him seem like an odd choice to be the protector of someone. He also fights with the difficulty he has controlling the magically Elfstones, being only 1/8 elf himself. Although the demon leader is the Dagda Mor, the Reaper is really more of a main villain. It always seems to follow Wil and Amberle, whether they try to throw it off in treacherous swamps, send it flying off a cliff, or even fly over mountain ranges on a gigantic bird, it follows them everywhere. It is also completely impervious to most attacks, as noticed by its battle with the Elven Captain Crispin: "The Elf Captain's sword flashed downward toward the Demon's throat, blade splintering as it struck. The Reaper shrugged off the blow as if it were nothing". The titanic struggle between Wil and the Reaper is so interesting, you'll probably want to reread it a few times before moving on.

All of these elements add up to make one epic novel.

This is an exquizit book and it just absorbs your mind with a powerful bond which you can't break away from. A great part was when Wil is struggling with his Elfstones, to call out the power of the back of his mind to the little blue spheres. He is face to face with the monster that has tracked him an Amberle for so long, as he lifts his hand towards the evil beast.......

I was impressed with Terry Brooks' Sword of Shannara, but he was obviously just warming-up in preparation for his true masterpiece, the Elfstones of Shannara. The Ellcrys tree, created millennia ago by long-lost Elven magic, is the strength behind the Spell of Forbidding, a dimension of imprisonment for ancient evil. In quick succession, the Ellcrys begins dying, the Forbidding starts crumbling, and the demons within break free--and that's only the first dozen pages! Allanon meets his match with the sorcerous Dagda Mor, only one of thousands of unstoppable demons who fear but one thing: a rebirth of the Ellcrys. Oh, I haven't even mentioned the cunning Changeling or the fearsome Reaper--there are enough villains and heroes in these pages to fill a shelful of ordinary books. Since 1982 when I first read this novel, I've returned at least ten times. I feel I've come to know and cherish these characters, like visiting old freinds every once in a while. Of the hundreds of fictional works I've read these past three decades, only a half-dozen have been as absorbing or given me as much enjoyment as the Elfstones of Shannara.

rest of shannara excpt for maybe sword and wishsong if ur generous are lame

this would make an excellent movie

made me wnaa become a druid when I grow up

menion Leah one of awesomest characters this side of hans solo

What to say? I have read so many different fantasy novels that it would be difficult to list them. The Elfstones of Shannara takes the cake. I loved it, both the the first time that I read it and every time after. TES is one of only two books to which I have given a five star rating. The other is Assassin's Quest, a newer book by Robin Hobb. The reason for the very high rating has to do with the beauty of the story. I won't go into hyperbole and say that the book was perfect; there are things that it lacks. For example, the world and its history are not nearly as vivid as what Tolkien created for The Lord of the Rings. However, what it lacks does not take away from the vibrant and carefully drawn out plot, the calm sadness of the romance, and the disheartening trials that the characters have to face. Through it all, Terry Brooks keeps the characters alive, realistic, and human; when you finish the book you want to read it again this book is worthy of a five star rating, and whatever you might expect from it, you will get something different and better. END

I was somewhat excited to read this book. I saw that it had quite positive reviews here and I quit enjoyed the first season of the show.

This book is quite entertaining and if this was the first fantasy book I ever read I would give it a higher rating

However this book is very unoriginal and there are much better books of it's kind. The antagonizing figures are not very compelling

The main problem with the book is it's lack of characterization. It is pretty much told in straight up 3rd person in a way that shows you no thoughts of any of the characters. Therefore, the characters seem somewhat bland.

This book did entertain me and had a few twists in and turns though

Really 2.5. Generic, predictable, and cliche. The highs and lows aren't very dramatic. Biggest problem is the huge plot holes that really kill the story. The writing is really good so that helped keep me engaged enough to finish. I doubt I'll be reading the next one though.

This is my personal favourite of Brook's earlier works, and I believe he has a soft spot for it too.

The Elchris is dying. This magical tree protects the elves and keeps the demons imprisoned, but as the tree fades, the prison walls crumble. The chosen elven princess Amberle is called on by the druid Alanon to take a seed from the Elchris to the bloodfire, so bringing about a rebirth and the imprisonment of the demons once more. Alanon sends as Amberle's protector, Will Ohmsford, who wields the elfstones. Elven magic which, among other things, has the ability to protect against danger. And meanwhile, a demon lord has broken free, and sent a tracker to hunt them down.

Once again Terry Brooks gift for weeving stories shines through. This book really has the feeling of a legend from an age long forgotten. The bitter-sweet endeng had a powerful effect on me, and, most emportantly, I never saw it coming. And I think Will Ohmsford can protect me any day.

Charles Keeding once more takes the helm to read this book, but once again it's abridged, and so once again it gets 4 stars from me. Terry Brooks, if you ever read this, do you think you could get publishers to do more unabridged recordings of your books? I'm sure your suggestions would carry more weight than mine.

This is my all-time favrite Shannara book. I really liked all of the action and sheer exitment! The Reaper, one of the demons who escapes the Forbiding, sort of gave me the creeps. I was really frightened for Wil and Amberle. The Ellcrys was a really cool plant. I wish I could have one! I love Allonon, but feel sort of sorry for him. I would highly recomend this book for anyone who likes elves, science fiction, and action! I really like the way Terry Brooks writes, with all of the description, I can really picture what's happening. I love this book and all of the others(The Sword, The Wishsong, The Scions,etc.) This, however, was my favorite as I said before. If you are like me and like big, fat books filled with suspense and thrilling moments, this is a book for you. This is a fantastic book! :)

I read these books some years ago. This is the one of the Shannara books I keep coming back to.
Characterisation is perhaps the biggest strength of the novel. Noble Will. The uncertainty yet integrity of Amberle, one of the most affecting characters I've ever read. The dignity and wisdom of Eventine. Eretria is somehow sexy and alluring, yet not at all crass. Allanon the druid is Brooks' masterpiece, brooding, powerful, monk like. The 'evil' characters, particularly the Dagda Mor, Changeling and the witch sisters are worthy opponents.
The relationships between Will, Amberle and Eretria are extremely well written and portrayed. The storyline is keeps one's heart beating and may even elicit a tear! A great book.

Okay, so I read the Sword of Shannara for a book report. Nice try, Terry, I thought, but you just don't have it. Just after I finished The Sword of Shannara, I decided to give him another chance. Brilliant idea! Elfstones of Shannara is BEAUTIFUL. How else can I describe it? Wil, Amberle, Ander, Eretria, Stee Jans and the others are simply fantastic. They are each amazingly unique and thought-provoking. You question their motives for the right reason, then find the answer within their personalities. The idea is sparkling. I mean, fantasy plots run out pretty quickly, and I've read plenty of fantasty who's plots are just overused. But Elfstones of Shannara really has a different plot. And the way Brooks portrays the emotions between Wil, Amberle, and Eretria is amazing. You fall in love with the attraction between Wil and Amberle, yet feel pity for Eretria at the same time. I was amazed at how shocked I was when I got to the end--I sat in my chair for a few minutes crying. Unlike in the Sword of Shannara, the character development goes deep. I enjoyed the way he managed to tie familiar characters from Sword of Shannara--Allanon (of course), Flick, Shea, and Eventine--into this new story. The vividness with which every setting is described, from Spire's Reach to the battles of the Elfitch is breathtaking. Very few books I've read have had that impressive descriptive quality. And the aspects of human nature Brooks delves into adds quite a bit without confusing the reader. All in all, one of the best fantasy I've ever read.

I love the TV series, and I love the book even more! This is one of the most epic fantasy novels I've read...now I can't wait to get through the rest. I'm not surprised that this is one of the most popular things on television at the moment!

I enjoyed this book. However, I disagree that this is one of his best. I definitely recommend reading if you are a Brooks fan. Next book (The Wishsong...) is way better. Hopefully this review is helpful.

I Love everything terry brooks has ever written, my father passed down the love of his writing to me I am actually named after a character in this book, Amberle, I would recommend this book to anyone no matter what type of books you like read this book

When I read this one, back in High School, I was so completely enthralled that I could not stop reading--despite other responsibilities. The journey of Wil Ohmsford, as he guards the Elven girl Amberle, while being pursued by the ultimate Demon... and trying to prevent a tear in the magickal fortifications that keep the Demon Forces on the OTHER side...is hair-raising adventure! You will pray that they make it through, and accomplish their goals. This one proves certain fanatics wrong--fantasy is not inspired by the dark forces--in fact, it proves that faith is necessary in attempting to over-come Darkness. I deeply respect and admire Terry Brooks, a man who dissed a career in Law to take-up a quill and parchment. His writing is very enticing...his words draw you into the story, and you cannot escape his world. Tolkien got me through Middle school and Terry Brooks helped me survive High School, although I must admit I read Tolkien again and again--however, Terry Brooks is the only author I feel that I can mention beside the name of the master. This novel is not a "Lord of The Rings" nock-off, it is completely original. If you are looking for copy-cat stories, you should look else-where--although, the series does contain some of the same creatures and humanoids (sort-of), they are very original and exciting. I agree with the Future scenario, because of certain buildings and such that are encountered during the journey....our world devastated and rebuilt with Magick. One aspect of Brook's series that I feel very attracted to is the character Allanon, a Druid that sleeps for centuries or decades and awakens when he is needed. I have always felt a strong connection with this character.... Interestingly, this mysterious character guards a secret Storehouse of Knowledge and strives to save humankind from the Demonic Forces that want the world to live in Ignorance and Despair.

I am quickly becoming a huge fan of Terry Brooks. I have now finished two of his books, (Sword of Shannara being the other one) and I must say that i am very impressed. I would say that his books are just as addicting and well written as JK Rowlings Harry Potter series. I love the fact that at the end of each chapter it leaves with a cliff hanger and you have to keep reading.

The Elfstones of Shannara is an exhillerating fast paced book with plenty of action, romance, character development, drama, intrigue, suspense, etc etc etc that you will find on the market today. The story is absolutely beautiful, the writing is superb and the action and suspense are second to none. The characters are realistic and the content of the book is such that it's really suitable for just about any age. (a lot of violence which you expect and want from a book like this but absolutely no swearing or sex). Imagine that... a beautiful love story that doesn't have sex. Hmmmm

I can' wait to read Wishsong of Shannara next.

This book bears the distinction for being the first and last of Brooks` works in which he turns his hand to character development ... a pity, because in this case at least, the results were magical. This book a masterpiece of fantasy with all the necessary ingredients: great characters, a complex plot and sorcerous battles weave an elaborate tapestry that puts other author`s good vs. evil conflicts in the shade. Psychological terror and wonder form a truly disturbing blend, and the entire book is it`s own, self-contained world. No previous introduction to Four Lands is necessary to enjoy this book - it was the first Shannara book I read. Guaranteed to spellbind, chill, and enchant

I had read his first book and thought good but then I read Elfstones. This book was better and I like and was suprised about the ending not exactly expecting what happened. His third book was harder for me to read for it started slow and I could not get into it like the other two.
I recommend at least reading the first two books then you can decide how much you like them before going to the third one.

This book, mind you, was great. It had little falters, but nothing to stop me from reading it. I began reading the 469 page book five days ago, and today I finished. I was hooked and became totally emersed in this book. My mind fancied the land of Shannara, and when I wasn't reading the book, my mind was always thinking about Wil and Amberle, and what may happen next. It was a book that i'll definately read again, and a book that will keep me thinking, for a while to come. I wouldn't necessarly praise Brooks for his creation of Shannara, but more for the character devolpment that he made me grow so dear too. A great book, nevertheless.

I am such a fantasy freak, and I first heard of Terry Brooks through an employee at Annies Book Stop. I read the Elfstones of Shannara over the summer, and I thought it was his most depressing book. I am a big fan of the elves, and I thought it so sad when the Reaper killed all those Hunters that were helping Wil and Amberle. Especially Crispin! I don't like Eretria much. I almost cried when I read the end! I liked it how Allanon took a stronger role in this book. What happened to the Sword of Shannara, eh? I like swords better than little blue stones. I thought this was one of Brooks's best, much stronger than the MAgic Kingdom For Sale-Sold! series.

I am a big Terry brooks fan. I love his style of writing and his character development. many people say that Terry Brooks is a copy of Tolkien. Which I think is absolutly not true. If someone compares like that they obviously have no idea what they are talking about.
Elfstones of Shannara I think Is my favorite book he has written and one of my favorite books of all time. I thought it was absolutly wonderful!
When Amberle does the transformation I cried.I have never cried over a book before but I wept like a baby. I would read this book again and again.
.........and again! ^_^

This is the best work by Terry Brooks so far. The plot is the most original of all the Shannara stories. The Sword of Shannara had a good plot but his writing style was weak, with lots of redundancies and not enough character development. This book improves on the original with its much more tangible "time limit" on the quest, as well as giving a good lesson in guerilla tactics. Both sides are intelligent and devious in their plans, and you can almost sympathize with the bad guys. The ending is great and makes the sequel much more plausible. I will reread this one many times

An excellent book of mythology, delightfully presented by the author to bring to life characters, places and of a particular era. A gripping tale of the experience of ancient demons that threaten the existence of the elves; A horde of vengeful spells holds the reader spellbound from beginning to end.The magical elfstones and the potential destruction of the elves is frightenng. Great structure and style of this book, make this an interesting book to read. I look forward to reading his other books.

 Everyday Miracles: Stories That Touch Your Heart

Terry Brooks is A great writer in all aspects. People who are comparing him to the writer of the Lord of the Rings are right he does have some similarities but when you try to make up an ancient land with dragons, elves, dwarfs, and trolls you can't miss the similarities between writers when they dicuss almost the same thing. I myself have the entire collection in both paperbacks and almost entire collection in FIRST EDITIONS.
SO IF ANY OF YOU OUT THERE HAVE A FIRST EDITION ELFSTONES OF SHANNARA PLEASE WRITE ME, IT THE ONLY BOOK IM MISSING.
[email protected]

I Love everything terry brooks has ever written, my father passed down the love of his writing to me I am actually named after a character in this book, Amberle, I would recommend this book to anyone no matter what type of books you like read this book

Personally, I wanted a different ending, but the book was a good read. I didn't read the others in the series but I am curious now about what they are like. The story ended with some of the plots left open, since they want you to buy the next in the series, but it doesn't detract from the story. Everything was well explained, as far as cultures and past happenings, and the characters were well written and easily identified. I thought it was great.

I absolutely love this book. When I was 13, I tried to read Lord of the Rings and gave up straight away. I then went and picked this up from my local library (Ignoring the advice, 'Never judge a book by its cover', I loved the art work!) and since then I have never looked back. Amberle is one of my favourite characters of all time in any book, game or movie and it still makes me sad when I think of what happens to her in the end. If you have children and want them to read well written, almost educational fantasy I would strongly recommend this. Its not violent or strong, but it is very intelligent and you feel as if you've gained something by the time you've completed it.

An amazing Tale of a land that seems to have existed in our own world. His story seems to come right out of the history books, the difference? -- It wont put you to sleep. his (T. Brooks) Battle scenarios Are soo realistically described that you almost feel that youracually in the middle of this 'battle between good and evil' Unlike Tolkien His story is fast paced, and yet still richly described. this style draws you into a world that he creates so incredibly thatyou'll find yourself wishing you had a sword at hand before you pick up this book!.. that is if you can put it down!

I read _Elfstones_ for the first time when i was 9 (i am 15 now) - it was my first fantasy novel ever! Now i have all his books (expect first kingand running with the demon) and at least 3 hundred other fantasy books in my library! This book is the best! It's an epic fantasy that wrpas you up and doesnt let you go until you've finished, and not even then you will think about it for days afterwards! I'm reeading it again, and i love the irony! I wont say more - it is a spoiler, but once you read the book, you hafta reread it to see all the irony behind all the scenes!

The ELfstones Of Shannara is the first book by Terry Brooks that I have read and I must say that it is superb. The magic is cool and superbly written. The battle scenes are riveting, detailed and adrenaline pumping to say the least. The pace is fast, the characters are well developed , especially Ander Elessedil, Wil Ohmsford , Amberle and Eretria. One sympathises with Ander. Undoubtedly , the best part of the story is its heartrendingly superb climax.

The only flaw of the story is the repetitiveness which is sometimes irritating. All in All a great book!!!

This book got so suspensful at some points that I had to get up and pace.Here is the plot :The Ellcrys tree is dying ,loosening the spell that bars the Demons from entering the world again ,therefore almost immediatlely allowing Demons to return .The only way that the Ellcrys may be saved is if her seed is brought to the magical Bloodfire .The only one that may do this is the Elf -maiden Amberle,but Amberle is almost helpless .She needs protection ,so Allanon the Druid chooses Wil Ohmsford to protect her .All he has to protect her are the magical Elfstones .

Nothing is original anymore in the fantasy genre. So stop bashing people who write about Dwarves and elves and such. Tolkien is great, the best, Yeah we all know but it would suck if you went into a book store and all they had in the fantasy section was LOTR. It's a very simple premise. Good vs Evil, a quest is envolved blah blah blah. We get it it's been done before but if you can write a good story and use these elements and people like reading about this stuff, let it be. Why complain that it sounds like LOTR. Stop already. Judge the book(s) for what they are. Good stories about Elves, Dwarves, Evil lords and Wizards. I can only read and watch LOTR so much. Please stop bashing this guy. He is a good writer and his stories are good. Better than most in the fanstasy section at your local book store.

Ohh... Brooks seems to be incapable of writing a bad novel. This is his ABSOLUTE BEST. It'll make you hate some characters, (Eretia.. grr!) Love them, Make you go crazy.. and such. The battle scenes are extraordinary, the characters are colorful, the plot is somewhat complex- somewhat simple and when you finish it, you'll be thinking about it for days afterwards. This book is everything you can possibly imagine, and more.
But the end.... Alas... I cried like hell!

A very good book. It being my first fantasy novel I read, (age 9) I'm now 13 and I've read all his Shannara and Landover series'. And much more. I recently read it a 2nd time because of i'ts quality and I was starting to forget about it(What Horror!)
I hope Terry writes more Shannara and Landover. After reading the series, I have a sizeable belief that Shannara takes place in the future, with the stone city and the old-sciences. I like the Leah's because of their strong will and I'm a highlander myself.

Keep it up Terry!

I loved this book as much as the first. Terry once again keeps the reader wanting to turn the pages. The characters are great and the plot is ever growing. I have tried to read other fantasy books but they loose the thrill in the second book. Something that Terry has not done with this continuation to the first.

There was a time when I would have ranked this as the best book I have read, but I can't play favorites anymore. Nevertheless, this is a masterful work of fantasy, and certainly Terry Brooks' best. The scope is almost epic, focusing on both a fast-paced adventure and a large-scale war. The story is also completely self-contained, something I miss in Brooks' later works.

I enjoyed most of this book, although I think that it has almost an identical plot outline as that of the Sword of Shannara: Allanon comes, and takes an Ohmsford, he hides his secrets from them, he tells them that only they can save the world, they moan and complain, they do it anyway, the quest, big battle scene, all ends well! But, don't mistake me! I enjoyed the book! If you like his other books you should read this one, for sure! My favorite part in the book is the battlescenes with the demons, and how Allanon uses his nagic to help them. What is great about this book is that it is realitstic, with alot of the 'good-guys' dieing also as well as the 'bad-guys'! I was a bit sad for Par Ohmsford, though, what happended to Amberle at the end! I think he really was in love with her.
Well, that's just my opinion!

The entire Sword of Shannara series is one of my least favorites. Elfstones of Shannara is deffinately better than the first, but that isnt saying alot. The characters arent developed enough for me, Amberle and Wil were more likeable than most in this series, but the druid Allannon bores me to tears and is the most unlikeable good guy EVER! The plot is good, but the story advances way to fast. The whole world invented here doesnt work for me. How can you live in a land that you can apparently walk across in a matter of days, and have races of people unfamiliar with each other. I mean, if your going to dream up an entire world maybe it should be bigger than Maine. Apparently other people like it, but not worth the time in my eyes. Speaking of eyes, some one stick an icepick in mine so I can never read this book again!

this is perhaps his weakest performance. the plot and the way it was carried out, made it really uninteresting at times. he is still a good writer, though uninventive, and in the end, he manages to finish the story nicely. but i wouldn't recommend starting with this book, if you want to read B.

I really enjoyed elfstones - I ready sword of the shannanra first (recommend doing the same) and I thought both books were GREAT! I highly recommend to any sci-fi fan. This series is trully one of the best sci-fi series out there!

Wow. these books get better and better! This book is by far the best yet. The demons are truly evil and you can feel the hatred they have of the elves and the hatred the Elves have for them. .... the story is great. I really suggest this book. A Brooks fan would not be let down.

THere have been a lot of reviews of this book so I will keep this short. I have really enjoyed Terry Brooks first books in the Shannara series, this book being my favorite. I loved the characters, the antagonists, the setting....everything. I always enjoy a good vs evil story, my love of this archetype starting when I read Tolkien's books.

I have never been into fantasy or SF books until I got a hold of this book. After reading the introduction, I was hooked. I love books on historical drama and the way this book was writtern was as if this was a true part of history. I only wish there was a movie producer with the talent to bring this story to the big screen. The battle between the Elves and the Demons was fantastic! I hope Mel Gibson reads this as this story would definitely top BraveHeart!

Ihave read the elfstones the wishsong the sword of the shannara to my children long ago , they never wanted me to stop ! great books they make you feel there pain love and sorrows what more could you ask for.

This book was for sure the best of the Shannara series. It has every thing a great fantasy book should have: suspense, action, mystery and a touch of horror and romance. The fighting scenes were great, and so were the romance parts. You will fall in love with Wil, Amberle and Allanon and with many other characters. The ending of the book is very shocking, and it makes most cry from what I've heard. It's a wonderful book, and i suggest picking a copy up.

An excellent book. I've read all of Terry Brooks work, and he has got better and better as an author through the years. (Though I must mention I love his first book Sword of Shannara). This book contains an excellent thrilling tale, keeping you gripped to your seat the whole time. It is one of my favourites. It is highly recommended, a real fight between good and evil, containing one of the greatest chases ever. (Our heros hunted by the Reaper).

I had heard a lot of good of this book, from my brothers. So I picked it up a few years ago, but I did not haver enough of a reading level. I waited for a while, and I read the triligy early this year. I was amazed at how well the dialog and plot was. I could not put this book down after I had read 'The Sword of Shannara" which is the first part of this triligy. I would suggest this book to anyone who wants to read a good Rock-Solid fantasy book.

Terry Brooks is probably one of the most incredible writers out there. His books seem to come to life. The characters are realistic, he can draw you into their thinking in a remarkable way. He is good at putting interesting twists in his work, he's also not afraid to have a main character die for a cause. I think that adds an element of sadness and realism to the story. He is going on 18 consecutive bestsellers and there's a reason.

This book is yet another success for Terry Brooks. In this book more than The Sword of Shanarra, you get to know the characters and genuinly feel for them. I found my self getting angry at the bad guys and feeling relieved when something finally went right for the characters. For anyone who's read the sword, I highly recomend continuing the series with this book. You won't be let down.

Brooks had me in a strangle-hold from the start to the finish of this marvelous story. In certain parts throughout the story, I was truly frightened for Wil and Amberle, who constantly had the Reaper on their heals. Wonderfully vivid descriptions of the agonizing deaths of the Elves grab your imagination and also depict the true hatred the Demons bore for the Elves. This is truly fantasy-horror literature at it's finest!

MARVELOUS, simply MARVELOUS. Follow a young elf and her companion in a quest to save the world from being overrun with DEMONS! it is soooooo exciting! i had to read it all in one day, because it wouldn't let me sleep! i think that you will be swept away by it, whoever you are. you'll LOVE it, i promise.

The Elfstones of Shannara is one of the best of the Shannara trilogy. This book would be 2nd best. The action in this book is double compaired to the first two. I like how Wil is trying to master the use of the Elfstones that is being blocked by his human blood. The ending kind of makes me sad because Amberle becomes the new Elcrys', even though it is a good thing I still wished she didn't have to become the Elcrys'.

I picked this book in a small place in OC, MD, that sells used books, and when I brought it home, I read the first ten pages and was hooked. It's the first book I've read by Brooks, and I can't wait to buy more. It was creepy, terrifying, tragic, and noble before it was done. The defeat of the demons had consequences, and the characters had (surprise!) complex motives and hidden fears. I recommend for fans of high fantasy.

Terry Brook's second novel, the sequel to the Sword of Shannara, is a solid work that while influenced by Tolkien seems less derivative of the Lord of the Rings than it's predecessor. Loads of action, interesting characters and one hell of a bad guy (the Reaper). A must read for fans of fantasy novels.

I read Sword and was kinda disappointed. I decided to give its sequel a shot and was pleasantly surprised. While this book still has your forgetable main heros, it redeems itself in that category with two cool characters, Stan Jees and Garet Jax. The plot has more originality and makes the book more interesting. It also shows new evils with the witch sisters, the Dagda, the Reaper, and the demons(very neat). Highly Recommended.

I have personally read the Shanarra series back in 1997, and had forgotten about them, just that I had throughly enjoyed them as a junior high student. So here I am 9 years later picking up the same books and caught up in the same stories that captured my imagination as a 12 year old. I would highly recommend these books to anyone that has a love for fantasy books. They are written to where anyone can get something out of the books.

When I read my first Brooks book The Sword Of Shannara, I chalked up the feeling to my not giving the book a chance; I was annoyed at the stark differences in traditional fantasy races like dwarves and elves (dwarves that are mere inches from a man in height, elves who're lucky to have longer lifespans than humans, etc.) I toughed it out, and discovered several good qualities to the story (if still having to trudge through the underbrush of amateurish writing and blatant "borrowing" from Tolkien). I was even excited from the ending.
Then, for some reason, I bought this.
This book...DEFINES dreck. I actually found myself feeling naieve for thinking his PREVIOUS work was amateurish. Let's face it, Terry Brooks has all the writing skills of a rock. And not even one of the more interesting rocks, either, I'm talking wet sandstone. Occasionally, though, he shows pure imaginative talent, but even that's few and far between in this woofer. The characters, concepts, and halfassed attempt at making a medieval-type mythos are just plain lame. Like all books by Terry Brooks that I've read, he can't resist to slip in a long, drawn out clinic on strategy and battle near the end that (along with boring me to tears) he REALLY shouldn't have put in a book that already had so much against it like this one. It was an exercise in endurance just to finish this book.
If you're around 12 to 13 years old, and are just getting into fantasy, it might be better suited to you. God knows Brooks' writing style is. To anyone who enjoys literative, picturesque, or stylish writing, or maybe just complex, sophisticated suspense in your fantasy like you'll get with Feist; RUN.
You won't even get Brooks' usual "diamond in the rough" good-story-if-you-can-wade-through-the-dreck qualities in this one. If you can endure this book with no trouble, I wonder about you; if you can endure it and read the other books in the series, you're a masochist.

Brooks does a better job with developing his characters in this book than The Sword of Shannara. In fact, this book was in general better than the first one, if somewhat shorter. The battle scenes between demons and elves are quite interesting. I wasn't very impressed with the final "nick of time" save at the end. If I could only read one Terry Brooks book, it would be this one

Terry Brooks came up with so many unique places and characters, and discribed them well enough that you could feel the coldness of stone, or the heat of the Bloodfire. This book is the best in the 3 part series, I've read them backwards. :) Wishsong-Elfstones-Sword. I loved the discription of battles, of the evil, and people. Overall a great book.

I loved this book and this it is the best in the series. The epic scale of the battles, the sheer numbers of the forces involved, Stee Jans' heroism, Allonon's power, the Dwarven Sapper's cleverness, and even the Reaper's cold stare made the book a masterpiece of epic preportions.

I have seen a lot of comparisons to Tolkien, as if Tolkien was interested in competing with other writers in his genre. Tolkien wrote and created a world. Others have come along and attempted to elaborate on that and make it their own - that's this book in a nutshell. If you enjoy Tolkien you may like this, but I think it's like a photocopy of a photocopy or a photocopy - kind of looks like the original, but blurred enough to be something else -- the original being the clearest. Brooks is a mediocre writer at best (as was shown in the writing for the Star Wars books). Come up with a new idea!

Very addictive series, great reading if you're into fantasy. The flow and reference between the individual installments is epic even before considering the many years that span from the original to the recent.

This book is my all time favorite Fantasy book. It took me only a day to read it because I couldn't put it down, partly because the plot is something that I now that I couldn't have come up with. Terry Brooks is my favorite author, and I'm glad to hear the he is still writting. I have never seen a fantasy book written so well since I read Watership Down.

This story was wonderful! I loved the characters. The only complaints I have are 1)Eventine's eyes were green in the Sword, and now they're blue, 2)Allanon does not seem as composed and forbidding and 3)It was so sad at the end. Those complaints are far outweighed by my compliments, but I can't say them without giving the plot away. Happy reading!!

This was a terrific book, one of the best fantasies I've ever read. Terry Brooks is an awesome author. The Reaper was one of the coolest villans I've ever seen in fantasy. Him stalking Wil and Amberle was probably the best part of the book. If you liked Sword, I think you will love this one.

This is a great book to introduce fantasy to young readers, however as a veteran fantasy reader it is a bit to light for my tastes. It is a very straight forward by the book fantasy novel, but it could not hold my interests. Terry Brooks may be a good author to introduce your kids to after Harry Potter, however you'd do them a greater service by sitting them down with "The Hobbit" instead.

I have read the entire series, and the "Elfstones of Shannara" still sticks out in my mind as the best story. Terry Brooks takes a fantasy world and turns it into a thriller. I have never been on the edge of my seat while reading a book.... but I was with "Elfstones of Shannara".

I read all the Shannara Series up until the scions of shannara, which I could not finish because it was the fourth Shannara that had the exact same plot. The elfstones is in my opinion the only Shannara book worth reading (Except the wishsong solely because of the addition of Garet Jax). The omshfords are called upon again to deal with something that only they can contest. Its basically a Tolkein Rehash.

The novel intertwines two plotlines: the quest of Wil Ohmsford and Amberle Elessedil to find Safehold and create a new Ellcrys, and the attempt by the Elven army and their allies to slow the Demons to give them time to find it.

This was one of my first Brooks book (I read it in 8th grade) and still one of my favorites. I have read the books before and after, up until the last two series, but this is the one of the books I remember as if I read it yesterday.

It took me awhile to decide which book was better, SOS or EOS(Sword of Shannara or Elfstones of Shannara. SOS won). EOS ends in a BOOM that leaves you hanging. If you read this book, beware. IT WILL NOT END LIKE YOU THINK IT WILL!! Sorry for shouting, but I just wanted to get across to everybody that I love this book.

Many years have passed. Flick is now old and the Shannara line continues with Will. The Elves are now in danger. The life tree which inprisions powerful demons behind a shield of magic is dying and those demons are getting loose. Allanon now needs the help of Will and his elfstones to bring a girl to the Wilderun to soak a seed of the tree in a life fire to rejuenate it. This book has many large scale battles that slowly turn into an all-out war. I am a fan of great battle scene so I particularly enjoyed this book I hope you do to

The Sword of Shannara was an epic fantasy, but it is the Elfstones of Shannara that is the reason why we love fantasy. The conflict of love and duty transposed against a background of good versus evil is just too good. Wil is probably the most human of all of Brook's characters and to be honest, one of the most believable. The ending tugs at the heartstrings because after reading the whole book, it accomplishes what a good story should do-makes you root for the hero. Sad, but refreshing to have an ending where victory is tainted by the taste of loss. It kind of reminds us that no matter how much we think we're in control, how much power we can obtain-there are just some things that cannot be changed by us no matter what we do.

I read these books some years ago. This is the one of the Shannara books I keep coming back to.
Characterisation is perhaps the biggest strength of the novel. Noble Will. The uncertainty yet integrity of Amberle, one of the most affecting characters I've ever read. The dignity and wisdom of Eventine. Eretria is somehow sexy and alluring, yet not at all crass. Allanon the druid is Brooks' masterpiece, brooding, powerful, monk like. The 'evil' characters, particularly the Dagda Mor, Changeling and the witch sisters are worthy opponents.
The relationships between Will, Amberle and Eretria are extremely well written and portrayed. The storyline is keeps one's heart beating and may even elicit a tear! A great book.

When I said that this was a good escape form reality I meant no disrespect to the novel because, as it is, this is one of my favorite books.
This tale tells of all that a fantasy book should have. Within its pages you will discover a whole new universe in which there are brave and valiant companions, deadly enemies and internal and external struggles of awesome proportions.
Will Ohmsford the son of Shea Ohmsford, is charged with a quest by the druid Allanon to porotect the elven girl, Amberle in her journey to find the necessary items to keep the world from devastation. Get this book!

This second book of the original Shannara Trilogy is a true masterpiece, even better than the SoS. Brooks has such a talent for endearing the reader to these wonderful characters, that I could not put this book down.

I read all the Shannara Series up until the scions of shannara, which I could not finish because it was the fourth Shannara that had the exact same plot. The elfstones is in my opinion the only Shannara book worth reading (Except the wishsong solely because of the addition of Garet Jax). The omshfords are called upon again to deal with something that only they can contest. Its basically a Tolkein Rehash.

Terry Brooks is A great writer in all aspects. People who are comparing him to the writer of the Lord of the Rings are right he does have some similarities but when you try to make up an ancient land with dragons, elves, dwarfs, and trolls you can't miss the similarities between writers when they dicuss almost the same thing. I myself have the entire collection in both paperbacks and almost entire collection in FIRST EDITIONS.
SO IF ANY OF YOU OUT THERE HAVE A FIRST EDITION ELFSTONES OF SHANNARA PLEASE WRITE ME, IT THE ONLY BOOK IM MISSING.
[email protected]

This book was for sure the best of the Shannara series. It has every thing a great fantasy book should have: suspense, action, mystery and a touch of horror and romance. The fighting scenes were great, and so were the romance parts. You will fall in love with Wil, Amberle and Allanon and with many other characters. The ending of the book is very shocking, and it makes most cry from what I've heard. It's a wonderful book, and i suggest picking a copy up.

Terry Brooks is probably one of the most incredible writers out there. His books seem to come to life. The characters are realistic, he can draw you into their thinking in a remarkable way. He is good at putting interesting twists in his work, he's also not afraid to have a main character die for a cause. I think that adds an element of sadness and realism to the story. He is going on 18 consecutive bestsellers and there's a reason.

I've read this book 3 times and I am STILL reading it now. Its too good. The characters, plots, villians, battles and settings is so good I sometimes wonder if Tolkien finally have a match. Especially the battle scenes. Brooks describe in great detail and tactics from line formation to the aftermath of a bloodbath. And best of all ,unlike Robert Jordan, Brooks takes his TIME to tell us exactly what is happening in a non-confusing manner. Now the villians. The Reaper is probably the best villians ever created in a fantasy novel. Even better than Darth Vader. He's original, yet in a way very deadly and actually cool. The Shapeshifter falls into this category too. This is a must read.

Ohh... Brooks seems to be incapable of writing a bad novel. This is his ABSOLUTE BEST. It'll make you hate some characters, (Eretia.. grr!) Love them, Make you go crazy.. and such. The battle scenes are extraordinary, the characters are colorful, the plot is somewhat complex- somewhat simple and when you finish it, you'll be thinking about it for days afterwards. This book is everything you can possibly imagine, and more.
But the end.... Alas... I cried like hell!

this is perhaps his weakest performance. the plot and the way it was carried out, made it really uninteresting at times. he is still a good writer, though uninventive, and in the end, he manages to finish the story nicely. but i wouldn't recommend starting with this book, if you want to read B.

I have just finished reading EOS,and like SOS,I just could not put the book down. Wonderfully realized characters,heart pounding encounters and escapes and a storyline that just flows. The book starts off with a bang and never really lets you down. Each chapter ends with you wanting more. I look forward to reading ALL the Shannara books. Can anyone recommend any other series out there besides Jordan's WOT? My e-mail address is "[email protected]". By all means get this book and start what appears to be a great series. You won't (hopefully) be dissapointed!

I have read the entire series, and the "Elfstones of Shannara" still sticks out in my mind as the best story. Terry Brooks takes a fantasy world and turns it into a thriller. I have never been on the edge of my seat while reading a book.... but I was with "Elfstones of Shannara".

Terry Brooks came up with so many unique places and characters, and discribed them well enough that you could feel the coldness of stone, or the heat of the Bloodfire. This book is the best in the 3 part series, I've read them backwards. :) Wishsong-Elfstones-Sword. I loved the discription of battles, of the evil, and people. Overall a great book.

This book is by far terry's best. The character development is just as good as tolkien if not better, and the battle in the end is the best out of them all(all shannara). Yes, the ending was great to.

This book is yet another success for Terry Brooks. In this book more than The Sword of Shanarra, you get to know the characters and genuinly feel for them. I found my self getting angry at the bad guys and feeling relieved when something finally went right for the characters. For anyone who's read the sword, I highly recomend continuing the series with this book. You won't be let down.

Brooks had me in a strangle-hold from the start to the finish of this marvelous story. In certain parts throughout the story, I was truly frightened for Wil and Amberle, who constantly had the Reaper on their heals. Wonderfully vivid descriptions of the agonizing deaths of the Elves grab your imagination and also depict the true hatred the Demons bore for the Elves. This is truly fantasy-horror literature at it's finest!

Terry Brooks is an above average writer when it comes to technical standards, but every one of his books is just boring. It's pretty surprising to me, I've never seen this before. I keep thinking I should be enjoying these books yet I'm not. They're putting me to sleep.

This is undoubtedly the best book I have ever read. The plot is filled with discriptiveness which makes feel as if you are one of elves fighting along side the brave elves against the uncountable number of demons which threaten the whole world. Perhaps it will make you feel as if you are one of the main characters such as, Wil Ohmsford, Amberle Elessidil or The druid Allanon. My point is this book is mainly a fantasy/action adventure, but it also has a hint of romance, mystery and even Drama. This book is a must read for all types of readers.

An absolutly wonderful book! Ecspecially after the "Sword of Shannara"!! I couldn't put it down, if your looking for a fantastic read, read this book. I give Terry Brooks a standing ovation for the "Elfstones of Shannara"!!

As many other reviewers have stated, the plot of this book involves an elven girl and her companion, a valeman, on their quest to save the world from a horde of demons who are attacking since the Ellcrys, a thousands-year-old tree, has begun to die, and the Forbidding, a magical wall built to keep out of the demons, has begun to crumble. Aeons ago the elves/druids/some combination thereof constructed the Forbidding to this end, and they tied its maintenance to the Ellcrys, and left it at that.

They also quickly covered up how the Ellcrys was made--that it demanded nothing less than the sacrifice of the life of an elven female--and not a sacrifice that lead to death either, but one that lead to imprisonment to the cause of holding up the Forbidding.

This book, at its core, involves a particular character ostensibly choosing to sacrifice her body, her independence, her mobility and her entire future to take on a burden that will last an unspecified length of time (thousands of years, most likely), in a ... shall we say, vegetated form.

*This person spent her entire life deliberately avoiding this fate (though she didn't understand exactly what it was).
*This person was chosen for this fate by a being who had been forced through a similar fate at an earlier time.
*One other person (Allanon, who else?) knew all of this (because, in the words of a druid, "I Knew. I Am A Druid."), and did not tell--but forced her into the situation where she would have to make the final decision.
*She understood the decision demanded only at the last minute when the balance of the entire world's existence weighted on it and there was absolutely no time left to find another solution.

And then, Allanon declares this was free choice, a fair game, etcetera.

Since when was this "free choice"? Let's see--the fate of the entire world hinges on your decision to give up your life and take up a terrible responsibility. At that rate, even if you were selfish and walked away, you'd find you had no life to return to, because by then the demons will have already destroyed your homeland, killed most of the people you know, and blotted out the sun and so on. This is the very meaning of the phrase "damned if you do, damned if you don't." Already the elven army has been decimated and the land scarred--and their blood is on your head if you don't go through with it. If you're a remotely decent person, what do you do--?

This brings up the question, was there really an alternative? Of course there was; the Forbidding/Ellcrys system was designed by mortal beings; a new system could have been devised. Why wasn't the old Ellcrys devising that system during those thousands of years? Out of bitterness? Instead, she thrust the sacrifice on a new person. Why didn't Allanon explain the horrible price, and suggest they find a new way to set up the Forbidding? Why didn't he find a way to pay that price himself, if he still felt blood had to be given? One could argue there wasn't time for all this, but there was last time!

This is nothing short of cowardice, on his part, extreme cowardice, that locked every other character in the book into their fate as though that fate were handed down from the gods. But it wasn't. It was the fault of a slothful, cowardly man. The choice forced at the end of the book was a result of -his- actions and -his- choices, not destiny. The dices were loaded and the choice had already been sabotaged.

What is Terry Brooks' social message here? From what I've read from and about the man, he didn't intend to have one--but he does. It showed up on paper, deliberately or otherwise. Allanon is a failed man--he lets not one, but many people die--peoples' deaths which he forsees--and does nothing about. This ommission -is- an act. It is nothing short of murder. Will is a failed hero; the one time he uses his healing skills on his trip (and he is, ostensibly, a Healer), is to con and deceive an inkeeper into giving him something he wants. He also (as Eretria points out) has a way of abandoning women in distress--he leaves Eretria to be a slave, ditches Amberle in the woods with a broken ankle, and later ditches Amberle again for circumstances that were out of her control (horrible circumstances). Yet these women cling to him as though he were a great friend and helper.

While Eretria does fight and throw off the bonds of her servitude, a similar servitude (actually, much worse) is later demanded of Amberle. She enters the same bondage, and with a slew of excuses from Allanon/the author to back it up.

In this story, women are relegated to slavery and virgin sacrifice, blood for the harvest, the safety and the land. Men (Ander, Wil--Shea in Sword of Shannara as well) are manipulated and coerced as well. Allanon holds undisputed power and authority--and rejects responsibility for the way in which he uses that power to subjugate others. He vanishes into the sidelines for vast swaths of this book (and Sword), leaving the sacrifices to be made by others. He doesn't act when action is called for, doesn't innovate when it could save lives, doesn't tell the truth, and doesn't even admit to his lies. He encourages other characters to act as though their destiny is ordained from above--when it is really ordained by Allanon.

This may seem a silly tirade to make about a rather silly novel, but these problems are all over fiction. One tires of reading eternally about how we are all pawns of destiny and so on and so forth. Particularly when there is usually some other character who is responsible for all of it.

At that rate, I don't ultimately care if Terry Brooks stands for control, subjugation and determination. But he should admit it! Instead he hides in his cowl like Allanon, stating that his books are for entertainment, not to make a statement or to write character-driven work. These are excuses for his short-comings--nothing more!

To say nothing of the shoddy prose. There are up to seven "wordlessly"s in half of the chapters, 3-4 at the very least. Not to mention everything being "big" or "massive", or a pronoun (just use the characters' names once in a bloody while), the writing is very tell-not-show, predictable, dull and uninvolved. And, for the record, Sword -is- a direct rip-off of Tolkien. Not just the world, but worse, the entire storyline. Even down to specific incidents. Come on! While we're at it, "A Princess of Landover" sounds a lot like the title of ER Burroughs' classic "A Princess of Mars." Which, by the way, is far superior writing to anything I've read by Brooks (not to mention, illustrating a fundamentally more useful approach to life)

Even if you -do- dig the whole pawn thing, there are much, much better examples of it (Harry Potter--which has its share of willful heroes in it too, despite the coercion done to many of them).

Anyway, if you are into the whole high-fantasy-adventure thing with the elves and dwarves and swords and sorcery, there are some -much- better writers:

Robert Jordan
David Eddings
Tad Williams
JRR Tolkien
Michael Scott Rohan
ER Burroughs (sci fi, but still adventure-based)
Terry Pratchett (who realizes the silliness of it all--and yet still writes stories that are compelling and moving)

and so on.

If you are a kid getting into fantasy, there are far superior offerings you might try:

JK Rowling
Patricia Wrede
Diane Duane
Tamora Pierce
C.S. Lewis

Or any of the above, really. And if you want to read books featuring free will instead of the oppression of authority and the illusion of unstoppable fate, try His Dark Materials, by Philip Pullman, or Dune, by Frank Herbert. Winter of the World by Michael Scott Rohan is another great example. Anything by Pratchett. You'll find yourself with something more inspiring, -and- you'll experience the joy of readable prose. Not to mention better action, higher adventure, more compelling characters, and more glorious victories!