The Sorcerer's Daughter: The Defenders of Shannara

Hardcover book was delivered with torn binding twice... boxes were fine in each occasion, which tells me they were already torn when placed into the box for shipping.
Returned first time around as the tear was really bad, but second copy was less damaged so I just kept it.

I am a big fan of Terry Brooks! The stories have always been so rich in characters. However, keeping track of them has been a challenge. So, I really appreciate his more recent work; which, tends to zero in on a handful of the characters...good and bad. This latest book is no exception. Learning how the next generation learns to live with the blessing/curse of magic. Of course, Brooks always reminds us, even when good triumphs over evil, something is lost. Looking forward to his next book!

Terry Brooks is one of my favorite authors but this book was a huge disappointment. The characters were never developed nor the story line. The book seemed that it was written for the MTV crowd and not his true fans. I wish I could erase what I read from my mind.

I have been reading Terry Brooks books for several years. For whatever reason he has decided to use his books to promote the gay agenda, last book of his I will read. Too bad, but these types of books do not need to delve into current political agendas. Very disappointing.

I think this will be my last Shannara book. I have every single one starting with the Word and Void books. But over the years I find that they are all the same. The constant "I have to go forward". "I can't go on", "I must go forward", "I can't go on" with every single character is too annoying. The constant repeating of where they have been and the constant questioning of themselves of the characters is overwhelming.
Also, Brooks' use of the word anew throughout the books is just crazy. It's everywhere! "She turned her head anew" "They walked forward anew". "He ran forward anew". (Shaking my head) I am a huge reader who falls into a book and it can seem as if I am there. Brooks' use of anew and the constant repetition of character's indecision makes me suddenly aware I am reading...brings me right out of the book. I am done with Shannara.

Continuing a trend of throw-away Shannara stories, The Sorcerer's Daughter picks up a short time after the events of the plodding Darkling Child. Several of the same characters re-appear, notably Arcannen and Paxon Leah.

But the rambling plot-line may as well have been cobbled together from the author's notes by the editors, and is seriously non-compelling.
(** lightweight spoilers in this para **)
The plot and geography are disjoint. There's a not very believable romance. There's a scary sort of secondary villain, but she's in a random location and never really tied to Arcannen. The trend of throw-away druids continues (despite early books painstakingly describing the years of rigor it took to become any level of druid). There's not as much focus on the kind of intriguing steam-punk aspects (flying sailing ships with ray guns) and a little too much "we've suddenly evolved to modern cities with giant walls". There's no epic battle. There's maybe four pages of his old style of battle writing. Other than an odd section of "we walked two days and now we're in the uncharted wilderness", there's little sense of the grandeur of this magic-riddled land.
(** end of lightweight spoilers **)
It's as if you took all of the standard Shannara elements, stripped out most of the fun bits, and randomly assembled the remainder. It doesn't read well.

I loved Brooks' early works, they were part of my initial love of fantasy/SF. Those first Shannara books were compelling, the Word and Void series were gritty and intriguing. Even the subsequent books were good, especially the trilogies Voyage of the Jerle Shannara and High Druid of Shannara. But things started to fade off after that. I can respect a senior author riding his legacy after having contributed so much to the genre, and I suspect he has contractual obligations with the publisher. But the quality of the recent work has diminished tremendously to the point where I'd say this storyline and its fantasy world have been played out.

Sorcerer's Daughter may pass for lightweight beach reading, but I suspect the time has come to put this series to bed. Even for fans, this one is humdrum. Not Recommended.

I have been reading Terry Brooks books for several years. For whatever reason he has decided to use his books to promote the gay agenda, last book of his I will read. Too bad, but these types of books do not need to delve into current political agendas. Very disappointing.

I think this will be my last Shannara book. I have every single one starting with the Word and Void books. But over the years I find that they are all the same. The constant "I have to go forward". "I can't go on", "I must go forward", "I can't go on" with every single character is too annoying. The constant repeating of where they have been and the constant questioning of themselves of the characters is overwhelming.
Also, Brooks' use of the word anew throughout the books is just crazy. It's everywhere! "She turned her head anew" "They walked forward anew". "He ran forward anew". (Shaking my head) I am a huge reader who falls into a book and it can seem as if I am there. Brooks' use of anew and the constant repetition of character's indecision makes me suddenly aware I am reading...brings me right out of the book. I am done with Shannara.

Continuing a trend of throw-away Shannara stories, The Sorcerer's Daughter picks up a short time after the events of the plodding Darkling Child. Several of the same characters re-appear, notably Arcannen and Paxon Leah.

But the rambling plot-line may as well have been cobbled together from the author's notes by the editors, and is seriously non-compelling.
(** lightweight spoilers in this para **)
The plot and geography are disjoint. There's a not very believable romance. There's a scary sort of secondary villain, but she's in a random location and never really tied to Arcannen. The trend of throw-away druids continues (despite early books painstakingly describing the years of rigor it took to become any level of druid). There's not as much focus on the kind of intriguing steam-punk aspects (flying sailing ships with ray guns) and a little too much "we've suddenly evolved to modern cities with giant walls". There's no epic battle. There's maybe four pages of his old style of battle writing. Other than an odd section of "we walked two days and now we're in the uncharted wilderness", there's little sense of the grandeur of this magic-riddled land.
(** end of lightweight spoilers **)
It's as if you took all of the standard Shannara elements, stripped out most of the fun bits, and randomly assembled the remainder. It doesn't read well.

I loved Brooks' early works, they were part of my initial love of fantasy/SF. Those first Shannara books were compelling, the Word and Void series were gritty and intriguing. Even the subsequent books were good, especially the trilogies Voyage of the Jerle Shannara and High Druid of Shannara. But things started to fade off after that. I can respect a senior author riding his legacy after having contributed so much to the genre, and I suspect he has contractual obligations with the publisher. But the quality of the recent work has diminished tremendously to the point where I'd say this storyline and its fantasy world have been played out.

Sorcerer's Daughter may pass for lightweight beach reading, but I suspect the time has come to put this series to bed. Even for fans, this one is humdrum. Not Recommended.

In THE SORCERER’S DAUGHTER, Paxon Leah, a Druid, is a member of a delegation sent to help make peace between the Druids and the Federation; while he takes on this mission, his younger sister Chrysalin is left in the care of his life mate Leofur. Indeed Chrysalin is of age by now, or close to it, but she possesses a skill called the Wishsong that puts her in constant peril.

But everything that can go wrong seems to go wrong. At the meetings Paxon is attending – with one duty being to keep all the attendees safe—many of the delegates from both sides are killed or injured. Chrysalin is kidnapped, practically before Leofur’s eyes. It is imperative to Paxon that he get to the bottom of who was behind the attack on the delegation, and just as imperative to Leofur to find Chrysalin. Is the same person – Arcannen, who, though Leofur’s father, seems to be the personification of evil -- behind both events? Or was it someone else? What were the motives? Who is Imric, the shape-shifter who very reluctantly agrees to help Leofur find Chrysalin, and what are his motives?

Readers who have not read the first two books in THE DEFENDERS OF SHANARRA series shouldn’t have much trouble picking up on who’s who and where this is taking place (maps in the front matter), but knowledge of the first two books of DEFENDERS OF SHANARRA is very helpful. Since I have read the first two books of this series, this leads me to hold at a very solid four stars.

This book borders on 3.5 stars. I liked this book better than the previous book in the series The Darkling Child. It moved better, and there was better and deeper conflict.

Two major storylines follow Paxon and his crew and the "Sorcerer's Daughter" Leofur in their quests.

However, Paxon has the cool sword right? So he should use it in awesome ways, but it seems like Paxon has worse aim than a stormtrooper. He seems to miss each swing, and he really never does a good job protecting. That's not to say that things should always go his way, the feeling I got is that he's just not very competent, but when he's referred to in the narrative as being a great protector and being awesome, but his actions show otherwise, it's a let down.

The story line with Leofur was interesting, much more than what happened in the previous book and was much more interesting than Paxon's journey in this novel.

The novel was good, it just wasn't great, and I was hoping for something more. Fans of Shannara will probably like it.

[Spoiler section]

Without giving away too many spoilers [but giving a few below, so stop reading if you don't want spoilers]...

I was very disappointed with the ending of the book.

We didn't see Arcannen really until the end. It was a giant void in the narrative to not have him present, and the explanation for why just didn't work well for me.

When it was over, it was hard to care because he was absent for so much of the book.

So that was pretty frustrating.

When this most recent Shannara trilogy started it was advertised as 3 standalone books, albeit connected by a common thread. They were being compared to First King of Shannara in that regard. Nothing could be further from the truth. Not only is it a continuing story, but all three books could easily have been condensed into a single novel. But then why sacrifice a three book paycheck for a good story?

Except this is not a good story. Brooks has long been criticized as becoming lazy and derivative, even to the point of recycling his own plots verbatim with a different title. I can forgive all that because at the end of the day Ive been entertained. Not so here. The Sorcerers Daughter is just a bad book. It took me 3 weeks to read this thing because I just didnt care. The villian who started out well in book one is now almost non existant and finally becomes an actual presence in the second to last chapter only to cement himself as the lamest bad guy in Shannara history. The climax is embarrassingly short and unsatisfying and leaves the reader in the same emotional state as our hero Paxon Leah who all but states in the pages themselves "Wait. Is that all there is?" And not in a good way.

This was painful. As the conclusion of a trilogy it added NOTHING to the Shannara mythos and will likely go down in history as the Star Wars Holiday Special of the Brooks canon.

Im not sure whats going on with this Kindle book but the content is all messed up. Im barely 20 pages in an I have sections/paragraphs repeating and content jumping so there is no flow. Did I get a corrupt file? Help!

"The Sorcerer's Daughter" the third novel in "The Defenders of Shannara" series heats up with the assassination of the Federation's delegation at negotiations with the Druid representatives and their guards in Arishaig. Unjustly accused of perpetrating the crime, the Druids lead by Paxon Leah escape only to play a chess game with Fero Darz and his Ministerial Watch as each tries to out think the other in a dash to reach Paranor.

As Paxon and the Druids flee from Federation forces, his sister Chrysallin (Chrys) is kidnapped while walking outside the Druid Keep. With her life- partner Paxon away on a vital Druid mission Leofur enlists the aid of an unpredictable and dangerous shape shifter Imric Cort to track down Chrys. Tethered to Imric in thought and emotion to stabilize him and stave off any signs of madness from his ability, Leofur never expects that she'll have to choose between the two men who love her.

The story is fast-paced and action-packed after the Druid's ship is downed in a storm and they're forced to trek across dangerous terrain trying to evade the Federation, and as Leofur and Imric in their quest face a vicious, cruel witch in the deadly stench of Murk Sink. Yet although Paxon and Leofur suspect that Arcannen Rai may be at the heart of their troubles there is no evidence at first to suggest he is. The atmosphere is filled with uncertainty and fear as both Paxton and Leofur face hostile landscapes and fierce creatures dredging inner strength and courage to face each trial. Skilfully Terry Brooks builds intensity and suspense as the story moves swiftly and smoothly to an explosive conclusion.

In this story emotions are high as Leofur bound to Paxon as his life-partner begins to evaluate their relationship after she's tethered to Imric and they search for Chrys. Lacking purpose in her life with Paxon away so much and feeling useless she gravitates to Imric, a man with a grim past who fears losing himself in his need to shape shift. Both haunted by abuse, and tethered by a bond that defies explanation Leofur's feelings for Imric begin to change, amplifying after he admits he's fallen in love with her. Torn by her love for both men she faces a difficult choice.

With every novel, the characters develop in complexity like the Highlander and Druid's Blade Paxon Leah. Shattered after Avelene's death, his objectivity crumbling Paxon finds solace in Leofur but on a mission to save the Druid delegation from the Federation he fights his personal demons , gaining new strength and determination in the face of adversity. Honest, understanding and honourable he finds meaning in his calling, but is naive when it affects his relationship with his life-partner. Leofur Rai is resourceful, determined and independent wanting to be useful. With a similar past to Imric's who depends on her for his sanity and life, she discovers a connection so strong that it could affect her future. Arcannen Rai continues in his plan to control the Druid Order and their magic, his power hunger growing with the dark magic he wields. He's unforgiving and deceptive escalating the tension and energy in this story.

I thoroughly enjoyed " The Sorcerer's Daughter" , definitely the best of the Defenders of Shannara series, although each novel is considered a standalone story.

I would like to thank Del Rey & NetGalley for a copy of this e-ARC to review. While I received this ebook for free, that has no impact upon the honesty of my review.

Goodreads Teaser: "The third stand-alone Shannara novel in the Defenders of Shannara series, following The High Druid's Blade and The Darkling Child, easily accessible to new readers of epic fantasy.

The daughter of a reviled sorcerer, Leofur is nothing like her dreaded father. When her life-partner, Paxton Leah, leaves on a dangerous mission, Leofur protects Paxon's sister. When she is abducted Leofur is forced to choose between saving Paxon's from a mission gone badly awry, or hiring the services of the best tracker in the world to go after her life-partner's sister."

Once again Brooks brings us back to Shannara and it's wonderful world, peopled by amazing characters. This time we follow Leofur, Chrysallin, and Paxton on their separate journeys, each attempting to ultimately reunite with the others. Though this book is billed as Leofur's story, Paxton and his sister Chrysallin both have equal roles to play, or very close to it.

I liked Leofur's forthright personality, her determination, and willingness to look at things and really give them the attention they deserved. That was true of her friends, her history, and most especially herself. She never rushes into things, but slowly she always reaches the right decision for herself. And she's smart enough to know that she can't be something for others if it isn't also providing at least as much satisfaction for her, though for a time she looses her way. In fact, her journey to rescue Chrysallin is also a journey of self-discovery; though of course that is clearly not her intention at the beginning of this self-appointed rescue mission.

Chrysallin is the one we know the least about, at least in this book. But she had her own story, so in this one she is relegated to supporting cast. It's a position she plays well, although she does step more actively into the story from time to time. Rather than having a heavily interactive role, in this she is mostly living in her own mind. She is a stalwart friend, but I found her need for others to perpetually rescue her a tad pathetic.

Then there's Paxton. As Chrysallin's brother he is obsessed with her protection, as Leofur's life partner he is, well, he's rather lacking. To promise to be a life partner and never be with said partner, that right there screams 'problem' in the world of romantic relations. The fact that he always has, and always will, put his job ahead of his partner tells us all we need to know about his use to Leofur. That's not to say that he's a bad guy, because he's anything but; he's simply not cut out for a committed relationship to anyone with a life of their own.

Though their roles begin small, both Imric, the shape-shifter that Leofur enlists to help rescue Chrysallin, and Miriya, a Druid that is part of the group Paxton has been tasked with protecting, grow to be powerful characters in their own right. Their roles are rather fluid, changing as the story evolves.

The adventures of all parties are entertaining, scary, and moving, in no particular order. They are pretty much true to form for books by Mr. Brooks and promise to engage the reader and keep you wrapped up in the story. Nothing happens without a reason, even if as the reader we don't see the reason for several chapters to come. It's so nice watching each story come full circle, or as close an approximation as is possible. So although this book is part of a series it could be read as a stand-alone without to much trouble. As always Brooks has created compelling people to populate his much loved world of Shannara, using them to grab the reader and sweep them into the latest adventures taking place there.

Paxon Leah, the Druid's Blade, and protector to the Order has come a long way since Defenders of Shannara first began. Now he faces a challenge that will compromise the order and destroy those he holds dear. The dark sorcerer Arcannen Rai strikes into the heart of Druid and Federation strongholds with a twofold attack. One, as the Druids and Federation forces are meeting to forge a peace agreement. The other, the abduction of Paxon's sister Chrysallin who has come into her own magic from Paranor.
This latest offering in the Defenders of Shannara has Leofur, the dark sorcerer Arcannen's daughter and Paxon's lifemate coming into her own.
Horrified that Chrysallin has been taken whilst under her care Leofur is determined to bring her back. She is joined in her quest by a shape shifter, Imric. They must join together psychically, a process that brings its own share of angst and burdens for both.
As their quest goes forward, they find themselves battling the feared witch Melis of the Murk Sink fens and the very land itself. Meanwhile Chrysallin is doing all she can to hold fast.
Paxon and the few remaining Druids escape from the Federation stronghold, pursued and outnumbered they crash in the wilds. Their journey back to Paranor is fraught with similar dangers and deaths. Once at Paranor they are besieged from within and without as Arcannen works to seize for himself magics that will enhance his dark powers.
Magic powers and twisted logics come into play as both Paxon and Leofur are taken into places that are dangerous and difficult, physically and emotionally.
Another roller coaster read with a very human side given to the use of the magics that come into play. Leofur comes to a place of realization about her own path forward that resonates well with all that unfolds.

A NetGalley ARC

I will try to make sure this is as spoiler free as possible. Terry Brooks has taken me on many many magical journeys through the years and I never want to take anything away from someone else’s experience in this world.
The Sorcerer's Daughter is a fine tale that takes you on another journey through the beautiful Four Lands. This installment is the third of a trilogy of books that are mostly stand alone, although there is a common thread and story throughout the three. This one carries you on two different journeys, one with our main male hero through this series, and the other one with a strong returning female character. A little something for everyone. Both journeys are different. One takes you on the path home with revelations coming from outside and the other takes you to find someone else and with more of an internal journey about finding yourself with the changes going on around you. There is magic and creatures. There are good guys and bad guys, and the bad guys certainly leave their mark. Arcannen returns as a threat who has been one of my favorite “bad guys” in recent years. He was fleshed out very well in previous novels. I would’ve liked to have seen a little more from him in this book as his evil genus knows no bounds. But knowing him from other books his threat still hangs large over the characters coming in. There is also a new character named Imric. I wouldn’t call him a side character since he is so involved in the story, but he is one of the more fascinating characters we have met that aren’t an Ohmsford, or a Leah. He has his own power, and we can see the rules and drawbacks to it as well. One of the things Terry does very well is flesh out how the magic works. Everything is always very well thought out, and very easy to imagine what it would be like if I had that power. I feel like that’s important in world building. You have to be able to imagine something that we can’t see here in the real world. And Mr. Brooks is the best at bring magic into your world.
My only complaint would be that I would have liked it to be a little bit longer. The length is in line with the previous books in the series, but with two separate quests to end this particular subseries, I could have seen this being just a little bit longer. But when your biggest complaint is that you want more of something, you know what you’re getting is worth your while.

I very highly recommend this book, as well as all of the other Shannara books to date. This is an amazing series and worth a read. Or two.

I received a digital copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review, although I also purchased the hardback version of this book. I want to have this on my bookshelf to go with the rest of my prized Shannara collection.

This is another great read in the Shannara series by Terry Brooks. I read mostly Science Fiction, specifically Space Opera/Military Science Fiction, but I always return to the Shannara series as it is one of the best Fantasy series I have ever read. In this one Paxon Leah and the Druids are meeting with the Federation council in order to find a peace between them when they attacked by a magical monster. The monster only kills the members of the Federation council thus making it look like the Druids have betrayed their trust. The Druids are forced to flee for their lives , lead by Paxon Leah. They suspect right away that Arcannen, a powerful and evil sorcerer, and an enemy of the Druids and especially Paxon Leah, is responsible but have no way to prove it. In the meantime unknown to Paxon, Arcannen has had an evil which kidnap Paxon's sister Chrysallin, who has been left at Paranor under the care of Paxon's life mate Leofur. Leofur decides to go to her rescue with the help of a shapeshifter named Imric. This book is action packed and has interesting characters and a great story line. I recommend it to all fans of Fantasy, The Shannara series and fans of Terry Brooks. I impatiently wait for the next book in the series.

It would be impossible for a fan of Shannara not to love The Sorcerer's Daughter (The Defenders of Shannara) by Terry Brooks. It might be equally difficult for newcomers to the series to start with this book. I did not see it as a stand-alone book since there were references to past events. Reading the Defenders of Shannara in order would be my best recommendation.

The overall tone of this series is different from the beginning series of The Sword of Shannara since it is seemingly geared to a younger crowd. Or maybe it is that I was part a younger crowd when I found the first series 35+ years ago. The expansion of individuals with their personalities and struggles is as important in The Sorcerer’s Daughter as the battle between good and evil in the Sword Series.

The characters, especially Leofur, are deeply multifaceted. Along with the characters is the complex relationships between them. As usual there are many twists and upsets in this story that much be handled carefully; making it a complicated story. It is a novel that makes you pay attention as you read.

4.5 Stars
The publisher through Net Galley provided a copy.

The author is finally back in stride. After the last trilogy was disappointing, this third book in the current trilogy brought back the plot and character development that had been missing in Mr. Brooks' novels for several years. He breathed new life into the Shannara series that had been tarnished in the Legends of Shannara series. Druids, magic, flawed and tormented heroes, heroines, and societies - they are all here! To discuss any of the plot is to give away too much.
Do not pick this book up without having read The High Druids Blade and The Darkling Child, to enhance your enjoyment of The Sorcerer's Daughter. Though not up to the high levels established by the Sword of Shannara and Elfstones of Shannara, this is still good, escapist fantasy.
One quibble - it seems maybe Mr Brooks has been reading too many romance novels. Though he has always been careful to explain characters' feelings and motivations, there were too many long, repetitive passages, especially regarding the shape-shifter, that pushed the action sequences into a background role.

I don't know HOW he continually manages to drink from the same trough and come up with entirely new ways to entertain me, but thankfully Terry Brooks chose writing as his career after his first novel took off more than 30+ years ago. Some have been better than others, but they ALL have been fun to read without question.

From shape shifters to huge, dangerous creatures to misuse of magic, there is plenty going on within this tale within the land of Shannara. As another reviewer pointed out, its like we have two stories running parallel of one another here, and that is definitely the case. From Leofur, daughter of sorcerer Arcannen Rai, to Chrysallin, Paxon, the Federation (still around) and so many more, Brooks has managed to come back to the world which put him on the map, and manage to do it in the third act, and yet still a stand alone novel. The first 3 Shannara books are some of my all-time favorite, and I had wondered when he would get around (if ever) to writing another stand alone book (aside from First King of Shannara). He finally got back to it and I must say Terry hasn't lost any of his magical charm. It would seem in his particular case, lightning really CAN strike more than once--or actually many, many times.

If you like your fantasy big, bold and entirely original, look up Terry Brooks and discover for yourself how great fantasy can be. Oh, and don't judge his work based on the nearly unwatchable MTV Shannara Chronicles that started out good, but quickly turned into a tragic disappointment. Trust me, there is a reason why Terry Brooks has sold millions of novels. Its not an accident. While The Sorcerer's Daughter is a stand alone book, I would read the previous two books in the Defenders of Shannara series first just to give you a better backstory, but by all means, it isn't necessary.

Kudos to Terry once again. You truly are the Master when it comes to Fantasy.

I will start out by saying I love Brooks and the Shanara series/saga; I've been reading them since I was a kid and am always excited when I see a new series start because I just know it's going to be good. That being said, this entire series was such a let down. Yes, Brooks' writing is totally formulaic and the plots are all pretty obvious at this point, what's going to happen, same characters . . . BUT they've still been a good read with characters that you care about and a plot that's interesting. This book and this series in general has to be the worst of Brooks I have ever read. I had to force myself to read this last book. Getting past the first few chapters was pure drudgery! I was never invested in the characters of this series and though it could (and should) have ended with the second book. Moving on with this third installment glosses over so much and feels like something that Brooks felt obligated to write but didn't really care much about at all. I have hope that the Shanara series isn't coming to an end, and particularly on a bit of a low note like this, and will always check out what Mr. Brooks has to offer because he has written so many enjoyable reads. If you are new to the Shanara series I would not recommend starting here as this is the final book in a series and some of, I feel, Mr. Brooks' worst work; go back to the beginning and see what a magical place Brooks has created and work your way up from there.

I found this latest Defenders of Shannara novel to be everything I have come to appreciate about Terry Brooks and his massive series based on Shannara. The characters are all great, especially Imric, an enigmatic and fascinating character who can shapeshift into any creature he wants - but this power comes with a great price, one that I felt made his character so interesting.
I give this book five stars.
Dean Lappi - Author of The Aleph Null Chronicles

This is the third and final segment of the Defenders of Shannara trilogy. The popular Shannara series of books will come to an end after the next trilogy. He will grace us with connector novels on occasion, but that’s the best we can hope for.

This book takes us on a wild ride from Paranor to the Federation counsel and the Murk Sink. Paxon Leah is the high druid’s blade and he joins the druid peace contingent as they meet with the Federation counsel for a summit. Things don’t always go according to plan, however, and Paxon and the druids soon find themselves fleeing for their lives. The journey back to Paranor isn’t a walk in the park, and Paxon realizes something is not quite right among his charges.

Paxon’s sister Chrysallin and Leofur Rai (The sorcerer’s daughter) have bonded and become best friends in the time that Leofur has been in Paranor to be with Paxon. However, on one of their walks, Chrys and Leofur are set upon and Leofur knocked unconcious. When she awakens, Chrysallin is gone. Leofur jumps into action to get her back before Paxon returns. She puts herself in great danger to gain the aid of the only tracker with the skill to find those that took Chrys. Their journey takes them through the land and eventually to the Murk Sink, where life and death become a little less clear.

Another tale of Shannara with familiar settings and some what familiar characters. This tale takes place after The High Druid's Blade. Paxon is world weary and facing, once again, implacable odds and daunting sorcery.

Paxon is not the carefree young man we met in The High Druid's Blade. He is now married to the daughter of his nemesis. That provides a wealth of complications to his life. In addition, his sister is showing the legacy of the Wish Song magic which makes her a prize in the armory of whoever can control her.

Back story is important in these books and Brooks doesn't provide much of a back story. If you have read them continuously that isn't a problem but a new reader would find themselves scratching their head with great frequency.

Paxon Leah is still a likeable main character and the world of the Druids is always entertaining.

It has been several years since I read a Terry Brooks novel. The Sorcerer’s Daughter is a good one to start with. Like several of his other books, this story takes place in Shannara too, but it is a stand alone - so it would make a good introduction. It contains many of the same characters and you won't need to know any prior knowledge of previous stories. In this novel, Leofur is the daughter of a tyrannical sorcerer and she teams up with the hero, Paxon Leah, the High Druid's blade, to thwart her father's evil intentions.

There is a touch of everything in this book - romance, tragedy, treachery, flying machines, a steampunk style setting, and an adventurous quest. It is perhaps due to this denseness that sometimes I felt the characters became drowned in the story, and did not stand out enough. There were plenty of twists and turns and a very evil villain that definitely did not disappoint.

All in all, this is a great book to start with to get to know Terry Brooks and the world he creates.

Thank you to the author and publisher. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for visiting my blog,[...], where the greatest historical fiction is reviewed! For fascinating women of history bios and women's fiction please visit [...]

There are some books that you start reading and their epic nature ends up making them feel like an assignment. Usually an enjoyable assignment, but something that you need to work at to complete. That is not the case with this work. In fact, I found this installment of the series to be very straightforward and uncomplicated and I finished it faster than any other installment previously.

I really don't like to give away too much of the story in reviews since I think experiencing the story is the main component of enjoying the author's work. In many of Brooks' works, there is so much going on and so many different story threads to keep track of that it can be, well, work. If I remember correctly, this installment had only two different stories: one involving Paxon and the other centering on Leofur. This made things easy to track and also kept the time in suspense during context switches to a minimum. If you prefer the more complex, multi-thread stories, this may not be fore you, but I enjoyed it this time.

While I found the stories to be mostly predictable, I am a fan of the Shannara universe and felt that this remained true and provided some resolution to events that were left outstanding from the previous installment of the series.

The Sorcerer's Daughter is a good conclusion to The Defenders of Shannara "trilogy." I am reluctant to call it a true trilogy, because each book has been excellent as its own stand-alone story. However, for maximum enjoyment I think it's best to have a good understanding of the entire Shannara series.

When I first began this trilogy, I misunderstood and thought that the Defenders of Shannara was the last trilogy of the Shannara world. So I was kind of confused by the ending of The Sorcerer's Daughter, because it seemed like there was more to be said. So I went back over some articles and realized I had them mixed up. The Defenders of Shannara, in Brooks' words, is a "pre-conclusion trilogy." All three books work really well to help set up what will be the final books. I'm hoping we'll see Paxon & Chysallin Leah again, or at least find out what happened in their lives after the events of this book. The Sorcerer's Daughter ended on a satisfactory note to me (I fist pumped when Arcannen met his well-deserved messy end), but it definitely left me wanting to know more about how the world of Shannara will finally conclude. We should know a little more about that in August 2017, and I am definitely looking forward to it.

It's been a long time since I've read Shannara, coming back to the world only through the TV series, and although I plan on a re-read (this series totally deserves a re-read) this book did not at all depend on knowledge of the other books. It was as fun as I remember Shannara to be. A great summer (or any time) read.

The Sorcerer's Daughter is pretty typical of a Shannara book by Terry Brooks.This is the third book in the Defenders of Shannara trilogy and while each book can supposedly stand alone, I found it very helpful to have read the other two before reading this one. Without the background the other books provided on the main characters, I think much of their story would have felt incomplete.

Brooks provides a good balance between the outer conflict involving groups of people and the inner conflicts of individuals as they struggle to find their personal paths. Characters discover strengths, weaknesses, hidden talents,and desires as they are tested in multiple ways.

The story moves forward at a consistent pace even as it switches between the main story lines. Endings are never final in Shannara but always leave the door open to more adventures.

Brooks certainly has another hit on his hands with this novel. However, while it says it's a standalone and can be read by newbies, I do think it would be more enjoyable if the reader had read past books and had a good grasp on the land and characters the story centers around.

I remember reading the Sword of Shannara, when I was younger than my son is now. I loved those books. I didn't know that there have been so many more Shannara books since then and a TV show that I need to catch up on.

Leofur is the evil Arcannen’s daughter. Paxon is the High Druid’s Blade. Many years in the future since Sword of Shannara and this book has a steampunk feel with its blend of technology and magic. This is an exciting, epic fantasy adventure installment to the Shannara series. I enjoy these books and I like this author a lot. There are a lot of books that I need to catch up on that I've missed in the Shannara world. I liked these characters and want to continue reading about their adventures. 4 stars.

I haven't read Terry Brooks in a while and it was nice to read The Defenders of Shannara. I'll tell you right off the bat, read the them in order. The Shannara saga continues with this series and this is the third, so read the first two and then come to this one. With that said, I found it a relatively good read and engaging. It is not on my top favorite lists, but still, Terry spins a good tale. The characters are interesting and engaging, and involve druids and shapeshifter. It was not a quick read for me, and it slowed up a little at times, but over all, a 4 star book.

This is my first book in the Shannara series. I've been interested in it over the years but have never started reading it. It intrigued me that this was a stand alone and no knowledge of the world was required.

Clearly as I'm reading it there are allusions to past stories, but they're clear enough that I'm not lost. It probably would have been helpful to start with the first Defenders of Shannara book but it's totally ok without it.

The story has grabbed me and not let go. I have been unable to put it down and have devoured the book in just a few days. The characters are fun, complex and have great struggles they have and will overcome.

There were a couple of plot points that were meant as surprises that I kinda figured out early on. That doesn't mean it's predictable though. If you allow it, you will feel the emotions and get caught up in their world.

I've already bought Book 1 and intend to read the whole series.

One note, and it may be irrelevant because I have an early reader edition, is that the map at the beginning is hard to read. I found myself looking back at it several times but found I couldn't make much out on it.

Arcannen Rei is back and he is still interested in ruling the world of Shannara. He shows up in time to frustrate the latest attempt between the Druids and the Federation to find a way for both to live and let live in the world. Of course his appearance causes all kinds of mayhem and the kinds of magical creatures and situations that Terry Brooks is well known for and loved. This volume does not disappoint. It is the continuing story of The Defenders of Shannara featuring Paxon and Chrysalline Leah. We’ve met them both in the previous two volumes in this series as they grew up together; learned about their individual powers; and fought Arcannen to a draw.

This volume brings the arc of Arcannen’s story to an end, but may not be the end of the series. Unlike previous Brooks offerings that were clearly trilogies of distinct stories that ended at the conclusion of the third volume, these stories could be perceived as standalone novels. While there are three novels that detail the struggle against Arcannen, the protagonists and the world that we are left with can certainly be continued with other antagonists.

In this story we meet another witch who hides in a corner of the world that we’ve never visited before. She is demented, and twisted, blood thirsty, and very powerful and it takes an incredible imagination to create her and the amazing environment she built around herself. She plays a key role in this book. Other interesting beings are found from a series of plants that communicate through their roots to hunt, a Sleath (another incredible magic creature), and even a shape-shifter in a starring role on the side of good.

There are a few errors and points that make you go ”huh? For instance, at one part of the action, a party is attacked by a dragon who makes a bunch of people off a cliff ledge, followed by the dragon himself. The dragon does not fly, nor does he breathe fire. Interesting. Other errors will hopefully be caught in the final editing stages (I was given an Advanced Reader Edition, so it has some typos and the like) – I am referring to a party that is mentioned as containing four, or five, or six people. The true number being six.

Even with all of this, the main part of the story is hinted at in the title: “The Sorcerer’s Daughter”. This novel is about the growth and development of Leofur Rei. Leofur is the love interest of Paxon, but during the course of this novel she matures into a fully-fledged and major character in her own right. She is Chrysallin’s friend, and is helping her heal from the events of the previous novel, but that is clearly not enough. She takes on a major role in this book – to the point that this book is more about her than it is about anything else. As we read the book, we see her evolve from being a simple love-interest and helper into someone who is looking for the defining purpose of her own life. She ends up finding it in a way that I found rather appealing. There is a clear branching point in this book and this series could also grow to follow her activities from here on out. Or, maybe Terry Brooks will base a trilogy on her future life and adventures?

Terry Brooks has done it again. he has extended his world of Shannara in an exciting and intriguing way and gave us a book that is fun to read. There are clearly threads that can go on from here while at the same time, this book closes off some paths and story arcs that needed to be dealt with. I highly recommend this to all fans of Terry Brooks and the world of Shannara!

The Sorcerer's Daughter is an epic fantasy adventure and is the third book in the Defenders of Shannara series. The main characters we see in this novel are Leofur and Paxon. While the two are life partners, they end up going on separate adventures in this tale. Paxon, as the Ard Rhys' Blade, must accompany him and the other druid delegates to peace talks with the Federation. While there, complete bedlam ensues and he and the druids soon find themselves on the run. Meanwhile, Paxon's sister is kidnapped and Leofur takes off in hot pursuit of the kidnappers with a uniquely gifted tracker in tow. As she searches high and low, she comes to some difficult conclusions pertaining to her life in Paranor. Both find themselves dragged through the ringer either directly or indirectly due to the machinations of Leofur's father, the evil sorcerer Arcannen Rai. With danger lurking around every turn and dark magic shadowing them both, will Paxon and Leofur ever make it back to Paranor in one piece?

I would first like to state that I recieved this free through NetGalley for an honest review. That being said, I found this a good addition to the Shannara books. It is an action-packed standalone full of magic, mayhem, and even love in the most unexpected of places. The characters are rich with detail; the plot is full of crazy twists and turns. Not to mention, the foreshadowing was excellent. While I didn't like this quite as well as some of the earlier Shannara works, this is a wonderful story in its own right. My only complaint being that it was just a little bit of a slow starter. Fans of fantasy adventure books will swoon with delight over this tale as they should with any of the previous Shannara stories. This is not a book to be missed.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book from Net Galley and Random House, the publisher. It was with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, the store, Goodreads and my blog. I also posted the review on my Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google Plus pages.

I requested this book because I have read all of the other Shannara books and I am a fan of Terry Brooks, the author. I will do my best not to give away too much of the plot.

Like his other Shannarra books I found The Sorcerer's Daughter to be engaging and a quick read as it it hard to put down. It continues the story line developed in earlier novels in this series. This book develops in to two main character story lines. One is based on Paxton, the Druid's Blade and the other is on Leofur, Arcannen's daughter. A new shapeshifter character, Imric Cort, is introduced in this book causing Leofur to reassess some of her decisions.

This book can be read as a stand alone novel, but I recommend at least reading the other books in The Defenders of Shannara series to give it more depth and meaning.

I recommend this book for Terry Brooks fans, followers of the Shannara series and those who enjoy a good fantasy novel.

This book had two separate storylines about a husband and wife facing a dual attack by her nasty father, the evil socceror. I enjoyed her storyline more, but Terry Brooks did a good job of synching the timelines and related plot information.

What can one say? Terry Brooks has no equal and he still writes great books after all these years. This is a good book to discover him with, and of course a must read for all his fans. Highly recommended to all who love epic fantasy.

I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley and Random House, Ballantine, Del Rey.

I've noticed the novels written by Terry Brooks, in fact it would be hard to miss them if you are a fan of fantasy fiction. Even so, this is my first time reading one of his books. I thought since this is described as a stand alone book it would introduce me to the world of Shannara and some of the characters. I did not have any trouble picking up the story right here because the author made that easy for me. What had gone on in the past, well, there are enough backstory remarks to give me some idea of that but probably on a very superficial level. After all, there are a lot of stories about Shannara.

THE SORCERER'S DAUGHTER starts out with a meeting between the Federation and the Druids to work out differences -if they can - so they can live in grudging acceptance of each other even if not exactly in "peace". Paxon Leah is attending the conference as the High Druid's Blade. He has left Leofur Rai back in Paranor to watch over his sister, Chrysallin who is trying to recover her wishsong, her ability to perform her magic. Naturally Arcannen Rai, Leofur's father and a powerful sorcerer, is going to use every power he has to keep the two sides apart. After all, it's to his advantage.

This fantasy world has it all: Druids, magic, witches, trolls, a powerful evil sorcerer, swords, shape shifting and airships. That last word in the list tripped me up there for a minute as I was reading. How interesting it was to get the feeling of a time period that reminded me of medieval times and yet find airships and even rapid firing guns. I liked the book, probably more along the lines of a 3.5 rating for me, but not quite captivating enough to merit 4 stars.

Terry has always been a masterful character developer. I have read everything he has written (that I know of) and patiently for every new work. His plots are top notch, his scenes and transitions are wonderful and he never disappoints. This work is one more in a line of great books by Terry Brooks.