The Heritage of Shannara

The main characters in this book second guess everything to a fault, they just whine and whine about who they are, and what has been "done" to them... it is really tiring. They eventually step up but it is like pulling teeth... and even when doing what they are destined to do they complain the entire time and second guess themselves.

I have never enjoyed reading science-fantasy until I read Terry Brooks first book, The Sword of Shannara. I spent years waiting for the next book to be release. And now, 30+ years later, I am reading them all over and I am still as entertained as I was back then.

Loved the whole Shannara series. I am reading them for the second time and down the road maybe a third time. It still holds my attention and I don't know where the time went I get so engrossed in the stories.

I read the prequells to this book series, so when I came accross this entire collection I was thrilled, I love the way Terry brooks continued the shannara family story, and still managed to have a good story line, unlike some authors who run out of good ideas. So yes I would recommend this book to any avid reader

Terry Brooks continues to put forth another great Shannara series. I think this one was by far one of my favorites. It had action, suspense, loyalty, friendship, sacrifice, and adventure. A must read!

The Heritage of Shannara combines the Scions, Druid, Elfqueen and talismans of Shannara into one large voulme with some pretty nifty new cover art to boot.
And that's all folks!
As much as I loved these books, there is no compelling reason to drop the money to buy this edition as there is no extra material or the like to justify a seperate purchase (unless of course you do not own the originals.)
While it may be true that this is an attempt to provide a cheap(er) alternative to those who do not already own the books and would like them in hardcover, the long time fans who bought the books in hardcover are left out here. Some insights from the author, some art work or something of the like would have gone a long way toward making buying this worthwhile for those who own the original.
I give the stories within this book 5 stars.
The book itself gets 1 star.

I love Terry Brooks works and I love this set of books. Unfortunately, the store sees fit to ruin these books by offering this extremely flawed ebook edition rife with formatting errors. The random hyphens I can deal with. Even the weird space that appears before punctuation at the end of sentences. What cannot be forgiven are the complete lack of spaces between paragraphs when a character transition occurs. Terry Brooks likes to tell his stories from several characters' perspectives. He moves from one narrative thread to another quite often. This is signaled in the print editions by a large space between paragraphs or even the start of a new page. The ebook edition eliminates this and jams everything together. Without the visible spaces, the narrative transitions are jarring, annoying and often create confusion. Also, why on earth are there no page numbers? Anyway, I returned this and will try an ebook edition from another vendor. DO NOT BUY THIS! At least, not until the store fixes it.

Ok, i've seen quite a few people make a similar review of this product, but didn't think it could be as bad as they said...boy was I wrong! The story itself is 5 stars. Hands down one of the best epic fantasy novels out there (well it's 3 books, but they are all included in the Heritage). The reason I give it a 1 star review is like I said above, many people have said that the formatting of this ebook is terrible, and they are so right. In the real books (paper books) Terry uses large amounts of white space between paragraphs to let you know of a character change. There have been so many times while reading the ebook that I am reading about one character then all the sudden things aren't making sense and then only realize that it was a spot where Terry changed to a different part of the story line and different characters. The change is quite abrupt. There is not even a couple of extra lines of white space to let you know it's a change in character, it just goes from one paragraph to the next.

TL;DR, Awesome story, ebook format makes it very hard to read.

Many fantasy writers have produced great work; curiously, Terry Brooks doesn't always seem to get the credit he deserves for being among them. Sure, his first novel exhibited growing pains, and yes, later in his career Brooks has been willing enough to produce his share of commercial product. But the uneven nature of his work shouldn't detract from the fact that he has written some high quality material. The Elfstones of Shannara, for instance, is an early highlight. And Brooks’ later 4 volume Heritage of Shannara series is yet another enjoyable fantasy work of real merit. In fact, Heritage strikes me as Brooks’ most mature and accomplished Shannara offering.

Of course, Brooks' fantasy is undeniably influenced by Tolkien. This aspect of his work, at least as much as his inconsistency, surely accounts for Brooks being underrated. Yes, The Sword of Shannara was a Lord of the Rings clone, but over time Brooks has better learned to use Tolkien as a tool rather than a crutch, using familiar elements to produce original work in his own voice. Of course, Tolkien influenced fantasy-even good Tolkien influenced fantasy-is certainly not as trendy as it once was, and many fantasy review sites love to badmouth Brooks as a derivative hack content to write about elves and dwarves while the genre has allegedly evolved to a higher state. Such sites tend to deplore the fact that Brooks sells so many books, and are happy to point the reader to alternatives. However, following their advice-which often means being wiling to hop on board the next big trend-sometimes leads fantasy readers astray. I know this from personal experience. I got into George Martin, for instance, only to be disappointed. ASOIAF, despite some entertainment value, offers a morally empty world view and a series that is-after book 3-no longer even interesting. Even when new fantasy offerings that "break the mold" are of high quality, they can come with other problems. For instance, the remarkably talented and accomplished Steven Erikson has produced books that, despite their merits, are anything but user-friendly.

Great traditional fantasy-like Tolkien's Lord of the Rings or Leguin's A Wizard of Earthsea-is both fortifying and accessible. The same cannot be said for some new fantasy, regardless of whatever other merits it might possess. Brooks' excellent Heritage series-though it doesn't quite reach the dizzying heights of Tolkien or Leguin-shares the aforementioned qualities of great traditional fantasy. It is nourishing, broadly accessible fare. It is also quite enjoyable. Readers tired of “the next big thing” might want to give it a try.

The Heritage of Shannara tells one overarching story in 4 parts, unlike the Sword of Shannara series, which is basically 3 loosely connected stand alone tales. The different installments of the Heritage series are of fairly consistent high quality, which is yet another difference from the earlier work, and Brooks' writing has improved as well. In the first book, The Scions of Shannara, the shade of Allanon (some 300 years after his death), lays a charge on the "children of Shannara" to redeem the 4 lands from the evil Shadowen. Each character is given a separate and seemingly impossible task. The first book focuses of Par Ohmsford's quest to find the lost Sword of Shannara, and also on the political opposition to the all devouring Federation. Victories prove ambiguous, and the reader finishes with more questions than answers. I found it the least satisfying of the 4 books, in large part because it involves more stage-setting than payoff, but it certainly was good enough to make me want to find out what would happen next.

Book 2, The Druid of Shannara, focuses primarily on Walker Boh's journey outside the 4 lands in an attempt to obtain the means to bring back Paranor and the Druids. This beautiful tale of faith, hope and sacrifice is my favorite single volume in the Heritage series. Book 3, The Elf-Queen of Shannara, focuses mainly on Wren Ohmsford's journey to the island of Morrowindle in search of the Elves, who went missing from the 4 lands, and who need to be brought back. Walker's attempt to become a Druid is also explored. Wren is severely tested in this brutal book, as is Walker. What I particularly like about Elfqueen is how-with echoes of C.S. Lewis' The Abolition of Man-it lays bare the difference between the way of the Druids and the path the Elves of Morrowindle have taken. The fourth and final volume, The Talismans of Shannara, is a real triumph of plotting and a rousing conclusion. The unmasking of Rimmer Dall's long-running "game" with Par is a highlight.

This series utilizes Terry Brooks' improved writing and ample storytelling abilities to great effect. Each book is good, and the overall story ensures that the whole really is greater than the sum of its parts. Moreover, the tales from the first Shannara series help to provide an enriching "back story" to this tale. Brooks, as always, is good at producing a colorful, interesting cast of supporting characters. In terms of the main players, Walker Boh and Morgan Leah stand out. Finally, there is a moral seriousness that shines through in this series; Brooks endeavors to instruct as he entertains, providing nourishment to the reader and some implicit criticisms of our present world, which Brooks obviously thinks is in as much trouble as the 4 lands.

It would be fair call Brooks’ vision conservative, both culturally and politically. For instance, though his series is not explicitly Christian, it is definitely Christian friendly. Also, its attitude toward urban life ranges from ambivalent to hostile, and it is antagonistic toward political centralization. It distrusts modern science emancipated from moral control, and it articulates a traditional conception of education as learning to live up to and pattern one’s self after exemplars.

Perhaps Terry Brooks’ “conservative” vision helps explain some of his enduring popularity; perhaps too it explains a certain amount of the critical hostility. (Much like how some, but not all opposition to Terry Goodkind stems from this author’s libertarianism.) Brooks is a good ol’ boy at heart, and has produced fantasy which seems like it would especially appeal to those with an emotional allegiance to what is sometimes called “flyover” country.

When Terry Brooks is on his game, as he is here, he can produce some memorable, enjoyable, and rewarding work. "Traditional" fantasy can still be vital fantasy. Definitely recommended.

I've read nearly everything Terry Brooks has written, and the Heritage of Shannara is the finest series of all the books set in the world of Shannara, especially if you like hardcore fantasy with very well-developed and varied characters. You will feel like you've been immersed in a very rich and vivid world almost on par with Tolkien's Middle Earth, and you'll find yourself eager to turn the pages to figure out how the multiple intertwined storylines all come together. Par, Coll, Wren, Garth, and Walker Boh are all very memorable characters, and the relationships between them feel well-drawn and believable.

If you also like science fiction, you may prefer the Genesis of Shannara series, which begins to explain how the modern United States became transformed into the world of Shannara after a cataclysmic war and the onset of demons from the Void. It contains a mixture of technology, post-apocalyptic survivors, and magic that I found very unusual and engaging. The first book in that trilogy is Armageddon's Children. A similar blend of magic and technology (though leaning slightly more toward fantasy than sci fi) is the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara trilogy, in which the first book is entitled Ilse Witch.

If you prefer more realism with your fantasy, you may prefer the Word and the Void series, which is set in the modern United States in a small town in Illinois and in Seattle. It describes the Knights of the Word and their combat with the demons of the Void. The first book in that trilogy is Running with the Demon. Although it seems to be a totally different universe than Shannara, the Word and the Void series is in fact describing the forces that will eventually cause the present day United States to become Shannara and which will give rise to much of the magic that pervades that world. I think that the Word and the Void series is also Brooks at his storytelling best, like the Heritage of Shannara series here.

Having read nearly all of Brooks' books (including unrelated series, like Magic Kingdom for Sale, Sold!), I can say confidently that the four series I've mentioned here (Heritage of Shannara, Word and the Void, Genesis of Shannara, and the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara) are by far the best. I highly recommend them. For the purest fantasy experience, start with the Heritage of Shannara quadrilogy. You won't be disappointed.

After reading the original 'Sword of Shannara' back in oh, I think it was '78 I have been a HUGE supporter of Terry Brooks as one of THE most talented authors working today, and easily one of the most creative. When I first spotted 'Scions' I nearly fell over with excitement. Even though I admit I had absolutely NO idea what the word 'Scions' meant, I didn't really care! It said, 'Shannara' on the front and that was all I needed. I also admit as I reached the conclusion to this first novel I had NO idea it was book 1 of a series. I recall thinking with around 100 pages left to go, how in the WORLD could he wrap all of this up so quickly? My answer came at the last page when I saw the notice that the story would continue in 'The Druid of Shannara'.This did two things simultaneously: INFURIATED ME for forcing me to wait an additional year to read what happens next & it made me thrilled to know that I wouldn't have to wait 4-5 years before another Shannra novel came out.
I felt that 'Scions' was THE PERFECT way to start off this series. True to the history of the rich tales of the 4 Lands, the Shade of Allanon calls together the 'Scions' of the house of Shannara and charges each of them a task which on the surface seems not just difficult, but downright impossible. Par & his brother Coll are instructed to locate the lost Sword of Shannara. The Dark Uncle, Walker Boh is given the task of returning Paranor to the world and in so doing become a Druid himself -- which he despises, and finally Wren is charged with bringing back the Elves. Elves, WHAT elves? The entire Elven city of Arborlon disappeared -- literally -- years before and nobody has a clue as to what happened to them, and of course Allanon is vague at best in helping them to achieve these goals.
'The Druid of Shannara' has been my least favorite of all the Shannara novels and to this day I can't exactly put my finger on why that is. Maybe it was the pace of the story of Walker traveling to Eldwist to discover the Black Elfstone in order to restore Paranor. I was originally excited to see what would happen to him after his ill-fated trip which cost him his arm, but for some reason, the story just didn't move for me. Maybe I need to read this one again.
'The Elf Queen' is one of my favorite of ALL the Shannara stories. The voyage to the island, the travel through the jungle of demons and finally reaching the fabled destination of Arborlon was a journey well worth taking. Truly the high point of this 4 book series.
'The Talismans' has probably the best opening of ANY Shannara novel to date. Absolutely stunning the way Brooks takes us to the newly restored Druid's Keep and uses the Four Horsemen to trap Walker from leaving. I couldn't have asked for a better way to start off this final novel in the Heritage series. Unfortunately I've felt that with about 60 or so pages left it seemed as though the loose ends were all tied together a bit too quickly for my personal tastes, almost as if Terry was attempting to hit the deadline and wrapped things up way too fast -- but that is just MY opinion.
Overall the Heritage series is a great addition to the incredible Shannara Epics and 3 of the four novels are truly exceptional. Highly recommended, especially for fantasy lovers.

The Heritage of Shannara series is, by far, the best of Brooks' Shannara series. The Sword of Shannara is good, but you can see where the author has developed into a better writer with this set of books. The characters are much more three dimensional, the magic is new and unusual, and the plotting is exceptional. Brooks is sometimes accused of being the Stephen Spielberg/George Lucas of the fantasy world, and he's certainly no Robert Jordan or Tolkien, but the books are good on their own merits. I feel like Brooks reached the pinnacle of the Shannara series with this set. The books that follow - The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara - don't come close to being this good. This set of four books in one hardbound edition is definitely worth the price.

I was introduced to the world of Shanara rather late, age of 29. I read the first three books and enjoyed thema greta so, so much so that I went right out and bought the Heritage of Shanara as well. After all, four books for the price of one you really can't go wrong.

As with the Sword of Shanara trilogy I was not disappointed t ll with these books. They tell an epic tale, with believable characters and a unique setting that makes you just want to keep reading. I have heard from others that the Heritage series is the pinicale of writing for Brooks so I have yet to purchase anything beyond this series. But, even if you only read up to these books as I have done you will not be disappointed. Fantastic reads and a great epic journey.

Enjoyed the book very much. I thought however some of the words used were not of the time period suggested. As a example kaleidoscope. Not an item they would ha known about. There were several more that I have never heard of. If it had not been for the context in which it I would never guessed it's meaning. Enjoyed the story line as always. Think I have read all of Shannara series and enjoyed all of them. I'm an old man. Maybe one would think to old for this genre but I believe book would be enjoyed by anyone young or old who likes this kind of storytelling.

Staring out with the Scions, Terry set out a very broad story arc that had me captivated. it was straightforward enough, but left a lot of room that he could stretch his legs. One of the things that I have loved about Mr. Brooks is his ability to paint a great mental image. One of the things that I dislike about Mr. Brooks is his tendency to over describe the surroundings and I find my self skipping a few paragraphs to get to the action. Once it starts though, it's usually intense...

My favorite was the Druid of Shannara, which featured the reluctant hero, Walker Boh. I thought that the situation that Terry put him in was perfect for his characteristics, as well as the company he kept.

I would fully recommend this series, especially to those that enjoy Tolkein and the like. Both are long winded at times, and dwell on details so that you have the best mental image. If you're a newcomer to the series, I'd suggest that you read the first 3 books before digging in here. Not that there are a lot of references that would be missed, but it's better to understand the nature of the powers that the heroes weild, and the forces that they contend with. Great for long trips, or in the class that the instructor seems to drag on forever, you'll find yourself flying through them in no time.

This set of books is by far the best that Terry Brooks has written. His poetic writing style, exciting plot, and deeply developed characters amaze me every time I read these books. Although I praise The Heritage of Shannara highly, it isn't perfect. It may take a while to get into the book, but I promise after the first few chapters, you're hooked! Also, occasionally he reuses events and tactics from the Shannara Trilogy. But other than that, these books are absolutely wonderful!! Hope you enjoy them as much as I have!

While most of Brooks novels up to this point have been self-stories such as the First King of Shannara, The Sword of Shannara, The Elfstones of Shannara, and The Wishsong of Shannara, this one is a 4 book long story. For the reader out there who loves a book that you can sink into and just relax and love the world -- this is it. High quality writing through the entire story, with great plot twists and a healthy atmosphere. You barely have time to dream about one plot line when you are met with another, and as the boy in everyone used to read books without being to put them down, this happens here as well.
A+++ without hesitation. My personal favorite is the wonderful detail of the city life that Terry Brooks brings to bear in Callahorn. Also the four horsemen battling with our one armed druid is awesome.

Magically deep series for the fantasy fan. Mythology, detailed otherworlds, and compelling characters. This guy is one of the bestselling fantasy authors alive, has a 'Shannara' tv series in production, and has written a bestselling Star Wars novelisation for George Lucas. A wonderfully inexpensive holiday in this 4-in-one edition.

I read this series as the four separate books when they were released in the 90's. One of the upsides of the story is how Brooks goes back to many familiar places seen before in the first three Shannara books, and introduces relatives of many of the original key characters. Brooks' style doesn't bog you down in details and the reading is easy and well-paced. Unfortunately, one of the problems I had with the series upon several readings is that after a while, you start wondering how it is possible each of the main characters is able to avoid the jaws of death so many times without even a scratch. It becomes nearly silly by the end of book four. Brooks also seems to rely on many of the same plot devices, albeit with different characters, over and over again. It's even more noticeable if you've read the original three books.

I am of new reader of Terry Brooks stories and am trying to read them in the order he advised via his web page. This is the 2nd series (combined books) that I have read. Similar to the Sword of Shannara as reading goes but since the timeline is much later we have all new characters except for Allanon and Cogline. I love Walker Boh and Wren. I can't wait to finish this one and
start another. Just finished and loved the ending

I won't say that definitively. But, maybe it is. The first book is rather boring, I think, but the last three are so thrilling that by the time you get to them you realize that book 1 is just an introduction for a complex and powerful story. Really quite highly recommended. Might be my favorite series, ever!

I have to agree with most of the other reviews here that this is an awesome collection. I loved all the Shannara books but this really is a five star masterpiece. Do yourself a favor and take a chance on this series. You'll be glad you did.

This is an exciting and riveting book in the new Shannara series and deserving of five stars. However, I only gave it four, for the following reasons. I really dislike a book that the story doesn't end when the book does and you have to wait a full year to read the continuation; to many of the good guys get killed in his books and being in my mid 60's, I am afraid I might not live long enough to read all of the books.

There are many time where Brooks has some character have a nervous breakdown in the middle of the story. These are supposed to be people who kill with sharp weapons. hilarious. The elfstones I found good. Brooks has a great slant on the tolkein esque theme with the druids but it is streched very thin here. I wouldn't pick them up again. Read the elfstones and maybe the sword of shannarra, they are pretty good these four are kinda rehash and Brooks is all over the place like first something is impossible to beat, then ok you can beat it later. I hate that.

This book (which is actually four separate novels combined) is another average effort by Brooks. If you have read the "Sword of Shannara" trilogy, then you won't get much new here. I won't write Brooks off as a bad writer because he isn't. However, I won't hold him up as a great writer either. His work is light, easy to read and just entertaining enough to keep you reading. There is nothing exceptional about this or any of Brooks' writings. Recommended if you're looking for a casual fantasy series; otherwise I would seek authors who deliver more substance.

I have really enjoyed the series and characters. The only thing I don't like about Brooks writing is it seems with such a long book and story, all of the real excitement is packed into a short, tiny conclusion at the end. Other then that, I really enjoy his books.