The High Druid's Blade: The Defenders of Shannara

Haven't read a Shannara book in a while, so I decided to give this a shot. It was fun. Not earth shaking, but fun. That was clearly what Brooks was going for though since the scale is much smaller, and I think he succeeded.

As he begins to wrap up his legendary series, Terry Brooks goes in a new direction. Things feel fresh, yet familiar at the same time.

Best positive: the majority of the sorry doesn't take place on a friggin airship! Woohoo!

As I have read all of the Brooks novels I couldn't help but feel that this one kind of led one back to the very first ones. I say this because I was disappointed in the last two. Although not as good as some of the others it is well worth the read!

A great read. Terry Brooks will always remain as one of my favorite sci-fi fantasy writer. He draws the reader into his richly woven stories every time. I finished the whole book in one sitting and couldn't put it down.

This was a decent book, but not nearly as good as most of the earlier ones. Not a lot happens that is a surprise, and the book seemed to be kinda short for the cost. I'll buy the next one, for sure, but I hope it goes back to the quality of earlier works.

This was a decent book, but not nearly as good as most of the earlier ones. Not a lot happens that is a surprise, and the book seemed to be kinda short for the cost. I'll buy the next one, for sure, but I hope it goes back to the quality of earlier works.

I've been a fan of Terry Brooks for around 30 years now. Some of the books are among my all time favorites, such as Sword of Shannara. Others, not so much, but still interesting to read. Some have gotten a little too repetitive to me, like the Dark Legacy series.

The High Druid's Blade is no Sword of Shannara, but I still enjoyed reading it. I've always liked the Leah characters, so a book written from their perspective is a fun change. Although, if one was to be exact about it, it's still in a way from the perspective of an Ohmsford due to the fact that they've intermarried a couple of times.

Although the book didn't really end with a cliff-hanger, it still doesn't feel entirely like a "stand-alone novel." I enjoyed it on it's own merits, but I also want to find out more, hopefully with the next Defenders of Shannara, The Darkling Child. I am very curious as to who the darkling child might be. I have my suspicions, though I don't want to spoil it for others, so I am looking forward to seeing if my guess is correct. And while I am sad that the books will soon come to an end, I think it's time. Unfortunately the last 9 or so just have not been what I'd hoped for. However, I do think most Shannara fans will enjoy The High Druid's Blade and hopefully the rest in The Defenders of Shannara.

The High Druid’s Blade (The Defenders of Shannara #1) is the new novel from acclaimed fantasy author Terry Brooks, and a new entry in his best-selling world of Shannara. A stand-alone novel in a themed series, The High Druid’s Blade is marketed as both a return to a familiar setting for fans, and an ideal starting point for those new to his works – like me. With cover quotes from authors such as Patrick Rothfuss, Peter V Brett, and Brent Weeks, I felt rather ashamed that I am only now venturing into Shannara to see what Brooks has to offer…

As a descendant from the Leah and Ohmsfords bloodlines, both royalty and magic are in Paxon Leah’s blood, though neither are part of his relatively rural life as a merchant. After his sister is abducted, Paxon gives chase and shooses to take with him an old sword handed down through the generations, one with legends surrounding its use. Tracking down the kidnapper Arcannen, the blade in Paxon’s possession comes to life with an ancient magic, assisting Paxon and setting him on a new path. With Druid training, Paxon learns much of the old ways and the use of magic, honing his skills to train as protector of the Druids. But Arcannen has not finished with Paxon, and he’s determined to get his hands on the sword at any cost…

One of the first things you’re hit with in The High Druid’s Blade is a history infodump. We learn the history of the Leahs and the Ohmsfords, with a little about our protagonist Paxon and his current situation. It’s not a great start, and this form of explanation-heavy text is more common in the first half of the novel than is ideally welcome. Not only do we have to read through extended sections, the narrative doesn’t move along at any sort of steady rate. The early chapters can cover weeks and months of time, giving detail on events and what Paxon is doing, but not letting us invest in the story or characters.

However, while the above is a common trait during the first half of The High Druid’s Blade, once all the setting up and explanations are done we’re left with a thoroughly readable and exciting second half. The characters come into their own, and the finer nuances of the plot really start to shine through: the pages can’t turn quickly enough.

The High Druid’s Blade is a relatively simple fantasy story with only a couple of small detours into something more substantial, which is much less than I expected. In truth, The High Druid’s Blade reads in a more YA vein than a typical epic fantasy, with the forces of good and bad relatively clear cut without much grey areas. I’m not sure if this is common with Brooks’ other novels, or if it’s simply a change in style for this stand-alone tale.

It’s obvious from the early pages of The High Druid’s Blade that this is a world rich in history, and one which Terry Brooks is intimately familiar with. Add to that his easy prose and you’ve got a novel that is enviably readable. However, not everything here hits the right notes. The High Druid’s Blade is an easy and enjoyable read, not too taxing, and as an entry point for Shannara I felt completely comfortable in the world despite the mentioning of events that clearly relate to previous novels. Will I read more of this rich setting? The jury’s out on that, but it’s not off the table by any means.

Terry Brooks has been publishing books since the 1970s and has written two dozen set in his fantasy world of Shannara. The High Druid’s Blade is his newest. I had the opportunity to read and review an advance reader copy.

The High Druid’s Blade is advertised as “the perfect jumping-in place for new readers,” and I am indeed a new reader of Terry Brooks. Before reading this book I knew nothing of Shannara. The story was easy to read and to get drawn into. Although there are made up names and words, they are not abundant to the point of distraction (although I did wonder how some of them were pronounced – Leofur? is it just like it reads? sounds odd). The introductory material is brief, only 8 pages, before we plunge into action on page 9.

The plot is not overly complicated. There are many characters, but for the most part the attention is focused on only a few. There are several strong female characters. I had a little trouble keeping all the Druids apart, although I was easily able to guess the name of the traitor in their midst long before the Big Reveal.

I did tire of the many references to things that happened in the past, no doubt nods to previous works. They sometimes felt a little forced, like Brooks was trying to make sure this book tied in to his older books for long-time readers. Although this is advertised as “the first stand-alone Shannara novel,” it obviously isn’t. The ending clearly points to at least one sequel.

I’ll admit, I was not wowed by The High Druid’s Blade. I know Brooks is one of the modern fantasy greats and I expected more somehow. It was good but not great. However, I probably shouldn’t judge an author by his 25th (or whatever it is) novel set in his fantasy world. I did enjoy reading The High Druid’s Blade and will be on the lookout for the sequel.

Good news and better news for new readers to the Shannara world. Good News is 'The High Druid's Blade' is book one in the Defenders of Shannara series. Better news it is set 100 years after the events in most recent book and the new series will be loosely-connected, stand-alone novels. The best news is that if you like this book there are 27 existing books to enthrall you until the next in the series is published in 2015. Now, the bad news is the author recommends reading them in order. However that didn't deter me once I went to the author's website and saw all the cool information available, I knew that if I got confused I could have all my questions answered quickly - you should check it out it really is a terrific website. And yes, I think that reading the series from the beginning would be the way to go, still I enjoyed this book and and guess I will enjoy the rest of the series even more,

I got this info from the web and hope it helps you.

Shannara series: The list below represents Terry Brooks' suggested reading order for new readers,"It is important to make a note right now for new readers. If as a new reader you read the novels in chronological order, you will be significantly spoiling your foray through Terry's work."

The Sword of Shannara (1977)
The Elfstones of Shannara (1982)
The Wishsong of Shannara (1985)
The Scions of Shannara (1990)
The Druid of Shannara (1991)
The Elf Queen of Shannara (1992)
The Talismans of Shannara (1993)
First King of Shannara (1996)
Running with the Demon (1997)
A Knight of the Word (1998)
Angel Fire East (1999)
Ilse Witch (2000)
Antrax (2001)
Morgawr (2002)
Jarka Ruus (2003)
Tanequil (2004)
Straken (2005)
Armageddon's Children (2006)
The Elves of Cintra (2007)
The Gypsy Morph (2008)
Bearers of the Black Staff (2010)
The Measure of the Magic (2011)
Wards of Faerie (2012)
Bloodfire Quest (2013)
Witch Wraith (2013)
The High Druids Blade (July 15, 2014)
The Darkling Child (July/August 2015)
Book Three (2016?)

Allanon's Quest (July 2012) (eBook short story)
The Weapons Master's Choice (January 2013) (eBook short story)
The Black Irix (June 2013) (eBook short story)

Shannara related works:
Indomitable (2003) (short story)
Dark Wraith of Shannara (2008) (graphic novel)
Walker and the Shade of Allanon (Spring 2013)
Imaginary Friends (1991 & Spring 2013)

in the order as their events occur:

Running with the Demon (1997)
A Knight of the Word (1998)
Angel Fire East (1999)
Armageddon's Children (2006)
The Elves of Cintra (2007)
The Gypsy Morph ( 2008)
Bearers of the Black Staff (2010)
The Measure of the Magic (2011)
First King of Shannara (1996)
The Sword of Shannara (1977)
The Elfstones of Shannara (1982)
The Wishsong of Shannara (1985)
The Scions of Shannara (1990)
The Druid of Shannara (1991)
The Elf Queen of Shannara (1992)
The Talismans of Shannara (1993)
Ilse Witch (2000)
Antrax (2001)
Morgawr (2002)
Jarka Ruus (2003)
Tanequil (2004)
Straken (2005)
Wards of Faerie (2012)
Bloodfire Quest (2013)
Witch Wraith (2013)
The High Druids Blade (July 15, 2014)
The Darkling Child (July/August 2015)
Defenders of Shannara (2016?)

Miscellaneous:
The Guide to Shannara (1986)
The World of Shannara (2001) (companion book)
Indomitable (2003) (short story)
Dark Wraith of Shannara (2008) (graphic novel) [12]
Walker and the Shade of Allanon (Spring 2013)
Imaginary Friends (1991 & Spring 2013)

As a long time Terry Brooks fan, I always enjoy reading his new releases. I love returning to the world of Shannara. Even though this book is set further in the future it is still familiar. New readers won't miss a beat. The story isn't built too much upon older books. However for long-time readers will find familiar names.

The book is built around the Leah family. Paxon, the protective older brother looking to protect his crazy younger sister. All the while they get caught in a much bigger plot. Betrayal among the Druids order and a nasty sorcerer named Arcannen.

Is the story enough though? Compared to some of the amazing new releases this year does this book stand up? I find myself sort of caught. I love returning to Shannara for the nostalgia. I would recommend the book to long-time readers. I also think this is a good book for readers looking for a lighter fantasy book. Someone looking for an adventure and some fun without too much complexity. You don't have to learn a new language to read the book, or commit to 1000 pages.

At the same time the book is missing a lot. The characters just aren't developed. You barely have a chance to get to know them-- then they are in the thick of being tortured. I worry that new readers will find this one lacking.

I do hanker after works that surround the gifts of the Leah family in the Shannara stories.
The High Druid's Blade recalls those earlier stories with some alacrity.
Here we meet the solidly worthy and determined Paxon Leah and his youthful, careless yet feisty sister, Chrysallin
The Sword of Leah once again rises from decades of silence and legend and just maybe the gift of wishsong resurfaces as a desperate last measure.
A dark sorcerer, Arcannen captures Chrys and uses her as bait in order to lay his hands on the sword.
The Ard Rhys of the Druids is Alphenglow Ellesedil in Paranor. However, it seems a traitor is in their midst. Various artifacts have been stolen after awakening the sword in his defence. Paxon journeys to Paranor and the Ard Rhys gives him the opportunity to become a Druid. Since her abduction Chrys is under the watchful eye of the Druids. That changes when she is once more taken by Arcannen and rescued by the elderly woman Mischa. Chrys was to be used as the spark to bring about the downfall of Parador.
'Blade' presents a new season of adventure, never replacing that first love affair with 'The Sword of Shannara'. Instead it helps to relive the grand memories of those times.

A NetGalley ARC

My first venture into Terry Brooks' world was a short and tolerable read to pass the time between better storylines, but his style left much to be desired. The plot felt forced and convoluted, leaving me wondering "why?" many times during the read. Often found myself skipping paragraphs and pages as characters gratuitously rehashed their superfluous feelings. There was a barely evident romance aspect (which I never feel adds to the plot), but while being rare and brief was also awkward and contrived, and hinted to further development in later releases. Overall I felt as if I was reading a novice author's early works instead of a veteran writer with dozens of books under his belt. I didn't abandon this book midway, at least, but I will not read anything else from the Shannara line.

While I can't say I've read most of Terry Brooks Shannara books I have read enough to see the author has become somewhat formulaic in his efforts. It's one of the reasons I rarely pick up a Brooks book anymore. But occasionally I do revisit the land of Shannara like I would visit an old friend. There is something comforting about being reintroduced to familiar territory even if the story is a little predictable.

This tale takes place about a 100-plus years after the end of the Dark Legacy series, which to be honest I didn't read. Paxon Leah discovers he's magically inclined and better yet; he also has the long-lost magical "Sword of Leah". His sister has been kidnapped so it's up to Paxon to rescue her. The story is straight forward and interesting, though not what I would call intense. It's also interesting to note that this appears to be a stand-alone novel as opposed to the typical Brooks trilogy.

Overall a nice but typical Brooks-Shannara book. I would recommend it to the die-hard Terry Brooks fan. But also for someone like me who has read enough of his books to understand the lay-of-the-land. It's probably not the right book if you have not been previously introduced to the Shannara realm.

After the last Brooks book I read - Bearer's of the Black Staff - I swore I'd never read another Brooks book before the whole series was out. I have no willpower, and I'm glad I don't. Bearer's of the Black Staff was a huge disappointment. The High Druid's Blade was a great read!

From the beginning I liked Paxon and his sister Chrys (mostly). The story moved at a good pace and was full of some great characters. The formula is pretty much the same as always. Someone has the sword, someone has the wishsong. You know the wishsong is going to surface at some point in this book, and you know who it's going to be, but it's still fun watching it unfold.

A few things were settled too easily. The evil guy, Arcannen, was almost like-able (not good). His "mom" was scarier. Very formulaic.

I understand this book is not part of a series, so there were a few loose ends that I didn't like. It really did feel set-up to have a continuation. Oh well. I guess I have to wait and see what happens next.

I'd recommend it as a great summer read for a Shannara fan, but don't expect too much.

Paxon inherits a special sword and discovers it is magic, and he is too. Being future hero material, he good-naturedly sets out to do what heroes must do in their youth: rescue a maiden (who happens to be his sister), train with slightly mad druids, travel on assignments for the high priestess, face peril, fight evil, and generally hone his craft. He does all this with cheerful enthusiasm, like you would expect from a blossoming hero.

Meanwhile, his sister finds herself in a bucket load of trouble, and she expects Paxon to rescue her.

Criticism has been levied because this book is not as intense as some of Brooks' earlier novels. My feeling is, not every novel must be intense. Sometimes you just want to read a good story. I thought this was a very good story. I got a bunch of books this month, and this was the one I couldn't put down.

So my advice is, don't worry if you think this author peaked a few years back. Just turn the pages and read the story, and enjoy the time you spend with Paxon, who is a very nice guy.

I've read and loved the Shannara books since I was a teen. I felt that the Defenders trilogy was disjointed and choppy. His characters were half-finished.
High Druid included Khyber Elessedil from the previous series. Her character as a druid just didn't add up. Allanon slept the druid sleep and didn't seem to age for a couple hundred years. Khyber has been sleeping the druid sleep, but seems to have aged. OK- I can live with the fact that the current set of druids aren't quite up to scratch, but they just seem inept. Story lines start and end abruptly, certain characters seem to start developing then suddenly die. The reader is left with characters who aren't well developed and a story that is disjointed.
The worst is what he does to Grianne Ohmsford!
The only reason I give this series 2 starts is because of how much I enjoyed the other Shannara books. I wish I had skipped this series.

It's been over ten years since I've ventured into the world of Shannara, and after reading this book, I'm definitely going back for more.
Aaaahhh! "The High Druid's Blade" was super awesome incredible! The story was interesting and had a lot of twists and turns, the pacing consistent and the characters were realistic and compelling. And Sebec (squeeee!) I can't even. Nerdy Bookish guys are the best.
Terry never fails to make super amazing-complex characters. Paxon was pretty awesome too, and Arcannen was an excellent villain. The ending caught me off guard big-time. O_O
I can hardly *wait* for the next book in this series.
Five stars.

Hesitate to give any Shannara series book less than 5 stars. Since I have been reading Mr. Brooks and this series for 20+ years, they have become like comfort food. This series is one of the few I look forward too. That being said, I felt this book took didnt represent the Shannara series as well as it could. The characters were less nuanced and the plot seemed a little thin. I felt it got stronger towards the end and will definitely read the remainder.
Did anybody else think the line, 'Magic doesn't exist in a vaccuum' was out of place. There is no electricity in this world and felt that reference to science was out of place. Maybe I need to study Air Ship technology further.

I've read all the Terry Brooks fantasy novels and enjoy the reality in the characters and complex plotting. The High Druid's Blade seems to be missing all this. It seems to want to cultivate new young adult readers, but has been simplified too much. Mature characters are 2 dimensional and several are casualities of protecting or teaching Paxon. At this rate of attrition the Druid order would disappear quickly. Too much time is spent on Paxon's angst. And there doesn't seem to be any sense of sending out a totally inexperienced pre-Palladin to fight a highly experienced evil sorcerer Arcannen. You'd think the Druids would send out a highly trained team. So highly disappointing.

The last trilogy that I reviewed by Brooks, The Dark Legacy of Shannara, was not my favorite of the Shannara series mainly due to the ending. I felt that much was left hanging and wondered how the events of the final chapters would affect future books.

The High Druid's Blade takes place a century or so after The Dark Legacy series but so far I have seen little carry over from the events of those books. I enjoyed this tale of Paxon Leah although parts were fairly predictable as it follows Brooks usual formula.

It is important to note that this is NOT the first book in a new trilogy but instead the first of three stand alone Shannara novels that will have loose connections. This does change the reading experience somewhat as longtime Shannara fans are used to Brooks writing in short series and having endings that often transition directly into the next book. Instead The High Druid's Blade has a single main quest and the action is contained to a smaller cast of characters. Now I am curious to see how much cross over there will be in the other two books and if either of those will answer some of the questions that remain from The Dark Legacy of Shannara series.

The High Druid's Blade (2014) is the first Fantasy novel in the Defenders subseries of the Shannara series, following Witch Wraith. The initial volume in this sequence is The Sword of Shannara.

In the previous volume, Aphen and Cymrian discovered the absence of Arling after they defeated Stoon and his monsters. They headed for the Federation warship just in time to see it take off and vanish into the sky. They traveled to the next town and bought horses to follow the warship.

Aphen soon realized that they could not track the Federation ship. She used the Blue Elfstones to find the location of Arling. She and Cymrian reached Arishag much later.

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

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

In this novel, Paxon Leah is the great grandson of Mirai Leah and Railing Ohmsford. He lives in the city of Leah in the nation of Leah. His ancestors had been kings and queens of the nation. Now he runs a transfer business for his mother and sister.

Chrysallin Leah is Paxon's fifteen year old sister. Chrys has always been independent, but not she is rather wild.

Jayet is a friend of the Leah children. She is a barmaid in a tavern and Chrys spends a good deal of time three drinking and gambling.

Grehling is a fourteen year old boy. He is the son of the airfield manager in Wayford.

Aphenglow Elessedil is the granddaughter of the King of the Elves. The Elves shunned her when she became a Druid. Now Aphen is the Ard Rhys of the Fourth Druid Order.

Arcannen is a sorcerer. He collects magical artifacts.

In this story, Jayet come to the cottage to get Paxon. Chrys is having troubles back at the tavern. She got into a dice game with a stranger and lost. She didn't have the money to pay her losses and the stranger demands her services.

Paxon and Jayet quickly head to the tavern. Chrys and the stranger are gone. Paxon forces the barkeep to tell them where they went. Then Paxon runs to the airfield.

On the way, he picks up a piece of iron to use as a weapon. He sees the stranger and his sister go up the gangplank of the airship. By the time he reaches the ship, Chrys is gone and the stranger faces him.

The stranger tells him to drop the iron and it falls out of Paxon's hand. The stranger tells Paxon that his sister is going to Wayford. Then the stranger orders his men to beat up Paxon. He suggests that Paxon bring a weapon next time they meet.

When Paxon wakes, the airship is aloft and rapidly disappears. Paxon goes home and cleans up his wounds. He takes down the family sword from the wall and heads for the airfield.

Jayet meets him on the way and says she is going with him. Paxon argues, but tells her to put her bag in the Sprint. They take off for Wayford.

This tale takes Paxon and Jayet to the southern city. Grehling gives them permission to leave the airship on the field. He also tells them the name and location of the stranger. Arcannen is waiting at Dark House.

Both Paxon and Arcannen have a surprise during their confrontation. The sword comes to life and protects Paxon from Arcannen's magic. Jayet and Chrys run for the airfield as the two men fight.

Later, Aphen sends a Druid to invite Paxon to Paranor. The next installment in this sequence -- The Darkling Child -- has not yet been announced on the store.

Highly recommended for Brooks fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of the Druid Order, magical swords, and a bit of romance. Read and enjoy!

-Arthur W. Jordin

Legendary fantasy author Terry Brooks has written an exciting new entry with this new novel about the Defenders of Shannara.

Paxon Leah, descendant royals and warriors who once ruled the Highlands of Leah, makes his living as an airship owner, ferrying supplies to different cities. He also has a brash younger sister named Chrysallin who might seem older than she is. Hanging above Paxon's fireplace is a black sword. Paxon has no idea what the sword is, but, in time, it will reveal itself to him.

Chrys is abducted by a dark stranger after losing a game of chance and is whisked away to the city of Wayford. The stranger's name is Arcannen and his possesses great magic. Learning of his sister's abduction, Paxon sets off to find her. Arcannen wishes to trade Chrys' freedom for Paxon's sword. Paxon manages to free his sister and escape from Arcannen, but this is only the beginning of this story, for Paxon will soon be summoned by Aphenglow Elessedil, Ard Rhys of the Druid order, to come to Paranor to train as a protector of the Druids. In the course of the story, Paxon Leah will have more encounters with Arcannen, learn the true power of his sword, and discover a traitor among the Druids. Arcannen will stop at nothing to gain possession of Paxon's sword. he also has designs of his own for Paranor and Aphenglow.

I've read every one of Terry Brooks' books, and I found "The High Druid's Blade" to be an exciting new story. The character development is good, and the story has twists and turns that will keep the reader guessing. Some previous reviewers have suggested that Terry Brooks is losing his touch. I disagree. I believe this series has the potential to be one of his best. I especially enjoyed seeing the names of characters from some of the previous books, including Redding and Railing Ohmsford, Menion Leah, and Arling Elessedil. I'm eagerly anticipating book 2. Highly recommended.

Just finished this excellent book. Beyond any doubt, Terry Brooks is my absolute favorite author. I have read each and every book in the Shannara series and the Landover series. Everytime I finish one, I wait impatiently for the next.This book is filled with all the drama and mystery I expect to find in his books. They are filled with unexpected twists and turns, along with vivid descriptions and memorable characters. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys fantasy and even to those that have never thought they would enjoy fantasy. If you want to dip your toe into this genre, I highly endorse any book by Terry Brooks.

Though the High Druid's Blade is part of the Shannara series, it stands alone well enough on it's own. If you have yet to read other books in the Shannara series this is a great place to enter the realm.

I highly recommend other books by Terry Brooks, including the Landover series such as Magic Kingdom for Sale - Sold! His books are reliably captivating, so plan to set aside a full day or a weekend to read any of the Shannara or Landover books. Terry Brooks has been one of my favorite authors over the decades, including Orson Scott Card (Ender's Game), Piers Anthony (Xanth), and Heinlein (Stranger, Starship Troopers).

The last couple of series have been more a slog than an adventure. This book though had me excited for what came next had me fighting to put the book down. I was up late several nights unable to stop. This reminds me of his earlier works that drew to love this ongoing series. If like me , you have become a little uninspired, this is definitely worth picking up.

I've read Terry Brooks since I was a teen. His books have never caught me up in the quality of their prose, but they have propelled my imagination with many high fantasy adventures. Brooks at his best is capable of evoking a sense of wonder and excitement, which is all one can ask for, isn't it?

I can't say I was impressed with his latest trilogy, as it seemed rather phoned in. A lot of the situations it described were dead ringers for those from earlier books. So I picked up this new standalone novel with rather a skeptical attitude. Did Mr. Brooks still have it?

I'm about two thirds of the way through at this point, and I do like this novel. It takes place chonologically further down the road than the last series, and contains characters and references that harken back to it (as is Brooks's typical MO), but the main character is new and different, as is his role in the world. It has taken me into places and events that I haven't been to before in Shannara, which is what I hoped for.

I did dock a star for the style, and the sometimes plodding pacing, which are par for the course with Terry Brooks. His language rarely rises to anything resembling poetry, and at times can be downright dull, so much so that it sucks the life out of the events he is describing. Still, if you are willing to look past that, this is a good Shannara novel.

Terry Brooks used to create fine fiction, but his books have degenerated into mush. The characters are retreads, same old, same old. Nothing new in this one that hasn't been hashed out before. I stopped buying his books several editions back and rely on the library now if I feel like reading him at all. They simply are not worth the money. I guess he is just after the money and churns out his tired, predictable drivel every year to keep the bucks flowing. But they are no longer my bucks.

I've been reading Terry Brooks for over three decades, and his books rarely disappoint. "The High Druid's Blade" is a quick read - I finished it in one day - almost half of it while waiting at the DMV.

A hallmark of Brooks is the depth and back-stories of his characters. Not so much here - this is "Terry Brooks Lite." The emphasis is on action and adventure with only the barest of character development. But it's handled well and we can emphasize with the main characters. As for the Druids - "eh." I could not really generate any empathy for them - they really were too shallow and predictable. The "mystery" of the spy could have been solved by an attentive 12 year old and was dragged out far too long.

If you're looking for a fast read with a decent plot line, that actually wraps up 90% of the questions and plot at the end, this is it. Yes there will be others in the series, but this is a stand alone book that introduces a bevy of new characters.

It is true that Terry Brooks has done Star Wars and The Magic Kingdom of Landover, but for virtually everyone who has read fantasy since the mid-’70s, the name “Terry Brooks” immediately conjures up the world of Shannara. It has become one of the pillars of the fantasy genre, and Brooks has inspired countless authors with his easy style. Normally laying out a story over several books, this time he gives us one contained story with the release of THE HIGH DRUID'S BLADE.

Paxon Leah, a descendant of Mirai Leah, whose exploits were recently explored in the Dark Legacy of Shannara trilogy, is a simple merchant living a quiet life with his mother and sister, Chrysallin. Unlike his Leah and Ohmsford ancestors, Paxon and his sibling hold no magic in their blood. Paxon's life is thrown into upheaval when the sinister mage Arcannen abducts Chrysallin. Arming himself with an aged sword that has graced the wall of their home, Paxon heads in pursuit, and in confronting Arcannen finds that the sword he wields is imbued with magic --- a magic he comes to learn is born of the purpose of the Druid, Allanon.

The Druids seek Paxon out and ask him to train to be a defender --- a knight errant --- and aid them in the retrieval of the lost artifact. They know of the Sword of Leah and will allow him to keep the magic weapon if he agrees to work with them. Arcannen, meanwhile, has his eye on the sword and intends to acquire it by any means necessary.

THE HIGH DRUID'S BLADE is a streamlined story. It does not bear any of the hallmark depth and twists one can usually find in a Brooks series. As such, the book can seem a little short and a tad simple. But threads are left out there that will wrap into the coming installments of the Defenders of Shannara series --- each of the volumes, like this one, telling stand-alone stories with some themes woven together to form a loose connection between them.

Set 150 years after the events of the Dark Legacy trilogy, THE HIGH DRUID'S BLADE slots in nicely into the gap and opens up Paxon's story. Though the main character here, Paxon needs time to grow on you. Arcannen, however, is immediately likable as the villain, and the manner in which he manipulates those around him makes you hope he'll appear in future adventures.

The world of Shannara has been explored and described over an extensive writing career, so THE HIGH DRUID'S BLADE need not spend much of its time detailing the world. This gives Brooks more time to focus his attention on the more personal story of Paxon Leah. Since this novel is one that stands alone within the larger arc of the story of Shannara, he does a very nice job of laying out some of the key points of the history without bogging down the narrative.

As such, THE HIGH DRUID'S BLADE is certainly a book that a new reader can pick up. The world will immediately feel lush and steeped in history, and the events mentioned will ignite further interest, all while laying out a shorter but interesting story. And while beginning to lay the foundations for --- dare we mention? --- the coming conclusion to this decades-old epic.

Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard.

I was surprised to see author Mr. Brooks has written many fantasy books, most of which have been in several series. This is the first of his books I've read, and I'm sorry to say it will be the last.

It was clear from the first few pages that there's a lot of history before the time when this book takes place. Just bits and pieces are stated rather matter of factly as though it's the Cliff's Notes for the series. The main character Paxon Leah is dull and uninteresting. If at one point his ancestors governed the land, the genes have sure been diluted by the time of Paxon's birth. When his sister is introduced and their relationship described, it's as though the author was tongue-in-cheek using modern American teens as the basis. It's too "cute."

I was also taken aback by the incongruities of a land that has airships for transportation, but their more of travel on land is afoot, a horse, or a carriage. Paxon has to pump water into his house manually to wash is face, but he has airships?

And then there's the matter of the family heirloom, The Sword, rumored to be infused with (outlawed) magic, but when Paxon played with it one day with no magic to be found, that rumor is dismissed as family boasting.

There's a bad guy who uses magic with impunity, though it has been outlawed in the land, and he runs a house of ill repute named. . . wait for it. . . The Dark House.

There just wasn't any subtlety to the plot, I couldn't tell if it was written for teens or adults, and I didn't care what happened to Paxon, his bratty sister, his Sprint (hand built from the ground up!) airship, or even the evil magician Arcannan. I stopped reading around 100 pages, thinking that was all the time and energy I was wiling to give this mishmash of a book.

If you're interested in fictional Druidry, I would recommend the series by Kevin Hearne, The Iron Druid. By the second page I was captivated by the iron druid himself, his circumstances, his adorable dog Oberon, and a cast of fascinating characters. The difference is daylight and dark in writing quality.

As a lover of all things Terry Brooks (minus the High Druid Series) I was excited to sink my teeth into another series from the Author. Sadly, I did not once feel any investment in the basic storyline. I am used to the more sweeping epics Brooks captivated me with in the past, and this reads like a simple and generic tale of a Young Man discovering a power and becoming a part of something larger, though not world spanning by any means.

Even the cadence of writing and the quality seemed to be for the younger reader, and maybe that was the point, to draw in new readers at a younger age. Though if that was the case, then the parts with the horrendous acts of brutality against the protagonists sister do not fit the target age.

I may or may not read the next in the Defenders series but my love for the old Shannara and Magic Kingdom for Sale books will always remain.

I haven't read anything by Terry Brooks, so I had no idea of what to expect when I started to read The High Druids Blade and I have to say I was really pleasantly surprised. The plot is filled with action, passion and excitement from the first page to the last. Paxon is a brilliant, layered character that develops really well as the storyline thunders on. I recommend this book to anyone that loves unique books. I will definitely be getting hold of more of Terry Brook's work!!

Lacks the character depth and plot intricacies of Sword of Shannara, Elfstones/Wishsong etc. and Brook's prior stories. While a decent story, it feels simplistic/shallow and aimed at a teenage audience. This story assumes the reader is acquainted with Shannara's lore and history, so definitely read the earlier stories first. The stories are better and the history is there. If it wasn't Terry I'd give it two stars.

First, a disclaimer: I've been reading Terry Brooks' books since I was in junior high. His are the only books that I buy as soon as they come out, and he's the only author whose books I will continue to always buy in "dead tree" editions, simply because I want to continue my collection of his works.
So given that I'm not going to pretend to be unbiased, I'll say that "The High Druid's Blade" was thoroughly entrertaining; a very quick read.
What's unique about this book is that it's meant to be a stand-alone novel. Fans of Brooks will know that he pretty much always writes trilogies, so getting a stand-alone story was an interesting change. It doesn't, in the end, really read like a stand-alone book, though, as Brooks leaves enough strands hanging in the end to easily pick up the story again should he chose. I think that after writing all those series over all those years has made it tough for him to really, truly write a book designed to stand by itself.
But regardless of whether we'll see more stories with these same characters or not, "The High Druid's Blade" is definitely worth the read.

This is a decent stand-alone quest type story. Good in that it concludes in one book. One star off because the characters were not as well fleshed out as they usually are (in his trilogies). Still, the characters are believable and the story was interesting. If you like Brooks, you will not be disappointed by his latest effort.

This book could be read as a stand-alone, but probably would be better appreciated after reading several of the other trilogies...

All the best,

Jay

I'm noticing that a lot of Brooks books lately feel like repackaged copies of earlier books. Bearers of the Black Staff of basically a carbon copy of Elves of the Cintra, so it is with this. Two bored youths suddenly find themselves with a magical artifact they didn't know was magical, and its totally not the Sword of Shannara or Leah. While some of the events are handled very smartly, it almost feels like Brooks just doesn't have passion for the work anymore, and that he's moving pieces around a board.

An only and pretty weak justification for this book's existence is that it introduces characters for the rest of the trilogy. By itself it's probably the weakest and the pointless of all Shannara books. There isn't much at stake, boredom and minutia seem to be the main threats facing Four Lands here. Even when things get the most precarious both main villain and the Ard Rhys have nothing better to do than... to take care of some everyday paperwork.

Exciting and good but not great dialogue.
The characters are well developed and the story line moves along at a good clip.
This would make good summer reading on a rainy day at camp.
It is not Tolkien, but it doesn't have to be.
As for an adult or more sophisticated reader it is lacking in depth and a more prehensile grasp of dialogue and story telling.
I would suggest this for the teen looking for adventure and an enjoyable read

Back in the world of Shannara, Terry Brooks works his magic. We have new characters, but remberances of the old. We have a few of the old characters within the Druids. If you have liked the series of Shannara books, this is a nice start to the next series. Old magic rises up to help out. Enjoy the read.

Squee! A new Shannara series! Love these books, and I can’t wait to see how the latest adventure turns out. I must say, I particularly like this cover. Took me ages to realize there was a partial face above the sword.

The quality of the Shannara series has been on the decline for some time now, but never more so than in this latest outing. Maybe it's because the Leah family has never been all that interesting to me in the previous novels and this one focuses in on them, or maybe it's just that the books are the same story. The difference between this book and the previous novels is that I struggled to finish it. I probably won't search out the next novels in this series.

It gets 3 stars because it had a fairly decent plot, but no more than that because apparently the Author thinks that anyone reading this will be intimately familiar with the previous books in this series.

There are quite a few shortcuts, where places or events should be described, that are either just skipped over, or referred to in reference to previous events not covered in the book.

It wouldn't work as a stand alone novel, as it was missing too much, and frankly it was tepid enough, that it evoked no desire to read the rest of the series.

My recommendation is to skip this one, unless you "just" have to read every word Terry Brooks has ever written.

The Shannara series was my first intro to fantasy and Tolkein-like novels back in middle school. I went on to read just about everything Brooks wrote including Landover, and some of the other Shannara series. After a while, I grew tired of them. They had the same structure, similar plot, etc.

It's been a while, so I figured I'd try again. That puts me in a weird spot, because while I haven't read all of the Shannara books, I do have some history with them. In this one, Brooks referenced a few things and people that I either haven't read, or it's been so long I don't remember them, whereas other references I do remember.

Here's my take on this book - while he tries to fill in the gaps of what you might have missed, it just doesn't work. You can't read this book on its own. The problem is that it seemed like he was trying very hard to make it a standalone book, or at least the first installment of a series that didn't require you to be familiar with Shannara as a whole. The way it reads, is that there's a lot of references to specific events and people in the past, but they aren't actually explained for their significance. If you're willing to just take things at face value, you could probably get by, but when the same events and people are re-referenced many times over, it made me feel like either there was something there that I'd missed, but he didn't really reveal what that was. On the other, if I'd read all the previous series and had them fresh in my mind, I'd be bored hearing those same references over and over again.

Additionally, there's certain aspects of Shannara and its constructs that were simply glossed over, which made it difficult to read without knowing the backstory. Case in point - flying airships. This is a fantasy novel, yet we have flying airships, yet magic is outlawed in most of the land. Yes, special crystals, collecting power, yadayadayada. I read the Jerle Shannara series, but I have no recollection of how the airships worked. Science, magic, I don't remember. What I do remember is going through this book wondering how the heck these things worked, because even if it was "science", it wasn't explained, not even in the least.

Last but not least, I didn't appreciate the torture scenes of a 15 year old girl, and the way Brooks gave himself a convenient "out" on this one. It's just not acceptable to focus on it happening, then in the end effectively brush it under the rug without any lasting effects.

On a positive note, I did like how the book wrapped up the story by the end. I really didn't think he'd be able to do it, as I was nearing the end of the pages, yet it seemed to flow pretty well outside of the complaints I've already mentioned. Overall, the story was decent and while some people might consider this a standalone novel, I disagree. I don't think it's good as a standalone, nor do I think it was effective continuation of a series, because it committed to being neither. For someone familiar with previous books, it makes you wade through numerous back-references, yet they won't answer key questions new people might have.

So, like others I have been reading these books since I was literally a kid - going back to the 1970's. Wow... yeah.

Anyway, most of Brook's novels in this series are 3-4 parts long, but this is a stand alone which is very nice. We re-visit the Leah family who have been in most of the series from the beginning - and in this one we get the fabled blade of Leah. I enjoyed the book, it was fairly quick to read and frankly I would be open to more of these single book entries into the Shannara series. Normally, I wait until all 3-4 of the books in a new series are out then read them all, but have a single like this is great.

More please!

Terry Brooks has revisited the Sword of Shannara series with this stand-alone book. (It refers to the Sword, Elfstones, Wishsong books however none of them are necessary to follow this story.)

All the usual's are there. Heroes-to-be with a variety of talents and skills... mostly unknown. Treachery, betrayal, and subterfuge. The talisman sword is back but it's just a myth, or so Paxon believes until it's magic comes to life in a fight with a dangerous magic user.

From their things begin to spiral out of control for Paxon and his sister. Are the Druids the good guys or is the Federation's reliance on science the way things should go? This is definitely a page turner.

Another good book from Terry Brooks.

Terry Brooks used to create fine fiction, but his books have degenerated into mush. The characters are retreads, same old, same old. Nothing new in this one that hasn't been hashed out before. I stopped buying his books several editions back and rely on the library now if I feel like reading him at all. They simply are not worth the money. I guess he is just after the money and churns out his tired, predictable drivel every year to keep the bucks flowing. But they are no longer my bucks.

I've been reading Terry Brooks for over three decades, and his books rarely disappoint. "The High Druid's Blade" is a quick read - I finished it in one day - almost half of it while waiting at the DMV.

A hallmark of Brooks is the depth and back-stories of his characters. Not so much here - this is "Terry Brooks Lite." The emphasis is on action and adventure with only the barest of character development. But it's handled well and we can emphasize with the main characters. As for the Druids - "eh." I could not really generate any empathy for them - they really were too shallow and predictable. The "mystery" of the spy could have been solved by an attentive 12 year old and was dragged out far too long.

If you're looking for a fast read with a decent plot line, that actually wraps up 90% of the questions and plot at the end, this is it. Yes there will be others in the series, but this is a stand alone book that introduces a bevy of new characters.

It is true that Terry Brooks has done Star Wars and The Magic Kingdom of Landover, but for virtually everyone who has read fantasy since the mid-’70s, the name “Terry Brooks” immediately conjures up the world of Shannara. It has become one of the pillars of the fantasy genre, and Brooks has inspired countless authors with his easy style. Normally laying out a story over several books, this time he gives us one contained story with the release of THE HIGH DRUID'S BLADE.

Paxon Leah, a descendant of Mirai Leah, whose exploits were recently explored in the Dark Legacy of Shannara trilogy, is a simple merchant living a quiet life with his mother and sister, Chrysallin. Unlike his Leah and Ohmsford ancestors, Paxon and his sibling hold no magic in their blood. Paxon's life is thrown into upheaval when the sinister mage Arcannen abducts Chrysallin. Arming himself with an aged sword that has graced the wall of their home, Paxon heads in pursuit, and in confronting Arcannen finds that the sword he wields is imbued with magic --- a magic he comes to learn is born of the purpose of the Druid, Allanon.

The Druids seek Paxon out and ask him to train to be a defender --- a knight errant --- and aid them in the retrieval of the lost artifact. They know of the Sword of Leah and will allow him to keep the magic weapon if he agrees to work with them. Arcannen, meanwhile, has his eye on the sword and intends to acquire it by any means necessary.

THE HIGH DRUID'S BLADE is a streamlined story. It does not bear any of the hallmark depth and twists one can usually find in a Brooks series. As such, the book can seem a little short and a tad simple. But threads are left out there that will wrap into the coming installments of the Defenders of Shannara series --- each of the volumes, like this one, telling stand-alone stories with some themes woven together to form a loose connection between them.

Set 150 years after the events of the Dark Legacy trilogy, THE HIGH DRUID'S BLADE slots in nicely into the gap and opens up Paxon's story. Though the main character here, Paxon needs time to grow on you. Arcannen, however, is immediately likable as the villain, and the manner in which he manipulates those around him makes you hope he'll appear in future adventures.

The world of Shannara has been explored and described over an extensive writing career, so THE HIGH DRUID'S BLADE need not spend much of its time detailing the world. This gives Brooks more time to focus his attention on the more personal story of Paxon Leah. Since this novel is one that stands alone within the larger arc of the story of Shannara, he does a very nice job of laying out some of the key points of the history without bogging down the narrative.

As such, THE HIGH DRUID'S BLADE is certainly a book that a new reader can pick up. The world will immediately feel lush and steeped in history, and the events mentioned will ignite further interest, all while laying out a shorter but interesting story. And while beginning to lay the foundations for --- dare we mention? --- the coming conclusion to this decades-old epic.

Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard.

I was surprised to see author Mr. Brooks has written many fantasy books, most of which have been in several series. This is the first of his books I've read, and I'm sorry to say it will be the last.

It was clear from the first few pages that there's a lot of history before the time when this book takes place. Just bits and pieces are stated rather matter of factly as though it's the Cliff's Notes for the series. The main character Paxon Leah is dull and uninteresting. If at one point his ancestors governed the land, the genes have sure been diluted by the time of Paxon's birth. When his sister is introduced and their relationship described, it's as though the author was tongue-in-cheek using modern American teens as the basis. It's too "cute."

I was also taken aback by the incongruities of a land that has airships for transportation, but their more of travel on land is afoot, a horse, or a carriage. Paxon has to pump water into his house manually to wash is face, but he has airships?

And then there's the matter of the family heirloom, The Sword, rumored to be infused with (outlawed) magic, but when Paxon played with it one day with no magic to be found, that rumor is dismissed as family boasting.

There's a bad guy who uses magic with impunity, though it has been outlawed in the land, and he runs a house of ill repute named. . . wait for it. . . The Dark House.

There just wasn't any subtlety to the plot, I couldn't tell if it was written for teens or adults, and I didn't care what happened to Paxon, his bratty sister, his Sprint (hand built from the ground up!) airship, or even the evil magician Arcannan. I stopped reading around 100 pages, thinking that was all the time and energy I was wiling to give this mishmash of a book.

If you're interested in fictional Druidry, I would recommend the series by Kevin Hearne, The Iron Druid. By the second page I was captivated by the iron druid himself, his circumstances, his adorable dog Oberon, and a cast of fascinating characters. The difference is daylight and dark in writing quality.

As a lover of all things Terry Brooks (minus the High Druid Series) I was excited to sink my teeth into another series from the Author. Sadly, I did not once feel any investment in the basic storyline. I am used to the more sweeping epics Brooks captivated me with in the past, and this reads like a simple and generic tale of a Young Man discovering a power and becoming a part of something larger, though not world spanning by any means.

Even the cadence of writing and the quality seemed to be for the younger reader, and maybe that was the point, to draw in new readers at a younger age. Though if that was the case, then the parts with the horrendous acts of brutality against the protagonists sister do not fit the target age.

I may or may not read the next in the Defenders series but my love for the old Shannara and Magic Kingdom for Sale books will always remain.

I haven't read anything by Terry Brooks, so I had no idea of what to expect when I started to read The High Druids Blade and I have to say I was really pleasantly surprised. The plot is filled with action, passion and excitement from the first page to the last. Paxon is a brilliant, layered character that develops really well as the storyline thunders on. I recommend this book to anyone that loves unique books. I will definitely be getting hold of more of Terry Brook's work!!

Lacks the character depth and plot intricacies of Sword of Shannara, Elfstones/Wishsong etc. and Brook's prior stories. While a decent story, it feels simplistic/shallow and aimed at a teenage audience. This story assumes the reader is acquainted with Shannara's lore and history, so definitely read the earlier stories first. The stories are better and the history is there. If it wasn't Terry I'd give it two stars.

First, a disclaimer: I've been reading Terry Brooks' books since I was in junior high. His are the only books that I buy as soon as they come out, and he's the only author whose books I will continue to always buy in "dead tree" editions, simply because I want to continue my collection of his works.
So given that I'm not going to pretend to be unbiased, I'll say that "The High Druid's Blade" was thoroughly entrertaining; a very quick read.
What's unique about this book is that it's meant to be a stand-alone novel. Fans of Brooks will know that he pretty much always writes trilogies, so getting a stand-alone story was an interesting change. It doesn't, in the end, really read like a stand-alone book, though, as Brooks leaves enough strands hanging in the end to easily pick up the story again should he chose. I think that after writing all those series over all those years has made it tough for him to really, truly write a book designed to stand by itself.
But regardless of whether we'll see more stories with these same characters or not, "The High Druid's Blade" is definitely worth the read.

This is a decent stand-alone quest type story. Good in that it concludes in one book. One star off because the characters were not as well fleshed out as they usually are (in his trilogies). Still, the characters are believable and the story was interesting. If you like Brooks, you will not be disappointed by his latest effort.

This book could be read as a stand-alone, but probably would be better appreciated after reading several of the other trilogies...

All the best,

Jay

I'm noticing that a lot of Brooks books lately feel like repackaged copies of earlier books. Bearers of the Black Staff of basically a carbon copy of Elves of the Cintra, so it is with this. Two bored youths suddenly find themselves with a magical artifact they didn't know was magical, and its totally not the Sword of Shannara or Leah. While some of the events are handled very smartly, it almost feels like Brooks just doesn't have passion for the work anymore, and that he's moving pieces around a board.

An only and pretty weak justification for this book's existence is that it introduces characters for the rest of the trilogy. By itself it's probably the weakest and the pointless of all Shannara books. There isn't much at stake, boredom and minutia seem to be the main threats facing Four Lands here. Even when things get the most precarious both main villain and the Ard Rhys have nothing better to do than... to take care of some everyday paperwork.

Exciting and good but not great dialogue.
The characters are well developed and the story line moves along at a good clip.
This would make good summer reading on a rainy day at camp.
It is not Tolkien, but it doesn't have to be.
As for an adult or more sophisticated reader it is lacking in depth and a more prehensile grasp of dialogue and story telling.
I would suggest this for the teen looking for adventure and an enjoyable read

Back in the world of Shannara, Terry Brooks works his magic. We have new characters, but remberances of the old. We have a few of the old characters within the Druids. If you have liked the series of Shannara books, this is a nice start to the next series. Old magic rises up to help out. Enjoy the read.

Squee! A new Shannara series! Love these books, and I can’t wait to see how the latest adventure turns out. I must say, I particularly like this cover. Took me ages to realize there was a partial face above the sword.

The quality of the Shannara series has been on the decline for some time now, but never more so than in this latest outing. Maybe it's because the Leah family has never been all that interesting to me in the previous novels and this one focuses in on them, or maybe it's just that the books are the same story. The difference between this book and the previous novels is that I struggled to finish it. I probably won't search out the next novels in this series.

It gets 3 stars because it had a fairly decent plot, but no more than that because apparently the Author thinks that anyone reading this will be intimately familiar with the previous books in this series.

There are quite a few shortcuts, where places or events should be described, that are either just skipped over, or referred to in reference to previous events not covered in the book.

It wouldn't work as a stand alone novel, as it was missing too much, and frankly it was tepid enough, that it evoked no desire to read the rest of the series.

My recommendation is to skip this one, unless you "just" have to read every word Terry Brooks has ever written.

The Shannara series was my first intro to fantasy and Tolkein-like novels back in middle school. I went on to read just about everything Brooks wrote including Landover, and some of the other Shannara series. After a while, I grew tired of them. They had the same structure, similar plot, etc.

It's been a while, so I figured I'd try again. That puts me in a weird spot, because while I haven't read all of the Shannara books, I do have some history with them. In this one, Brooks referenced a few things and people that I either haven't read, or it's been so long I don't remember them, whereas other references I do remember.

Here's my take on this book - while he tries to fill in the gaps of what you might have missed, it just doesn't work. You can't read this book on its own. The problem is that it seemed like he was trying very hard to make it a standalone book, or at least the first installment of a series that didn't require you to be familiar with Shannara as a whole. The way it reads, is that there's a lot of references to specific events and people in the past, but they aren't actually explained for their significance. If you're willing to just take things at face value, you could probably get by, but when the same events and people are re-referenced many times over, it made me feel like either there was something there that I'd missed, but he didn't really reveal what that was. On the other, if I'd read all the previous series and had them fresh in my mind, I'd be bored hearing those same references over and over again.

Additionally, there's certain aspects of Shannara and its constructs that were simply glossed over, which made it difficult to read without knowing the backstory. Case in point - flying airships. This is a fantasy novel, yet we have flying airships, yet magic is outlawed in most of the land. Yes, special crystals, collecting power, yadayadayada. I read the Jerle Shannara series, but I have no recollection of how the airships worked. Science, magic, I don't remember. What I do remember is going through this book wondering how the heck these things worked, because even if it was "science", it wasn't explained, not even in the least.

Last but not least, I didn't appreciate the torture scenes of a 15 year old girl, and the way Brooks gave himself a convenient "out" on this one. It's just not acceptable to focus on it happening, then in the end effectively brush it under the rug without any lasting effects.

On a positive note, I did like how the book wrapped up the story by the end. I really didn't think he'd be able to do it, as I was nearing the end of the pages, yet it seemed to flow pretty well outside of the complaints I've already mentioned. Overall, the story was decent and while some people might consider this a standalone novel, I disagree. I don't think it's good as a standalone, nor do I think it was effective continuation of a series, because it committed to being neither. For someone familiar with previous books, it makes you wade through numerous back-references, yet they won't answer key questions new people might have.

So, like others I have been reading these books since I was literally a kid - going back to the 1970's. Wow... yeah.

Anyway, most of Brook's novels in this series are 3-4 parts long, but this is a stand alone which is very nice. We re-visit the Leah family who have been in most of the series from the beginning - and in this one we get the fabled blade of Leah. I enjoyed the book, it was fairly quick to read and frankly I would be open to more of these single book entries into the Shannara series. Normally, I wait until all 3-4 of the books in a new series are out then read them all, but have a single like this is great.

More please!

Terry Brooks has revisited the Sword of Shannara series with this stand-alone book. (It refers to the Sword, Elfstones, Wishsong books however none of them are necessary to follow this story.)

All the usual's are there. Heroes-to-be with a variety of talents and skills... mostly unknown. Treachery, betrayal, and subterfuge. The talisman sword is back but it's just a myth, or so Paxon believes until it's magic comes to life in a fight with a dangerous magic user.

From their things begin to spiral out of control for Paxon and his sister. Are the Druids the good guys or is the Federation's reliance on science the way things should go? This is definitely a page turner.

Another good book from Terry Brooks.

Terry Brooks has done it again tying in the past and present, The reading was fast and involved. He grabs you in and you run with it. Cannot wait for the next book to see how Ard Rys well handle Arcannin ( Sorry for the spelling errors) If you a fan of Terry Brooks and the Shannara series, this book fits right in and an absolute must.

Thanks Terry. Much better than the last book. Not much into the torture scene. More like Terry Goodkin. But the story was good and got my attention from the beginning much like your former books. Thank you.