A Knight of the Word (The Word and the Void Trilogy

A favorite author of mine and my brothers..we both love the fact that he takes local settings in the northwest that we are both familiar with and so intricately weaves such magical and detailed stories... another one well done!

The first book in the trilogy "Running with Demons" was fabulous! The second book "knight of the Word" though followed the first book very well was lacking depth! The book would be a terrible read if you just picked it up and started reading without having read the first book. It was weak, laked depth, and laked excitement! Where as the first book I was spell bound and hung on lines. This book I skimmed several paragraphs per chapter as it nearly bored me to tears! Still because the first book was so good I will likely read the third book in the series!

This is a great book. If you have already read Running with the Demon you will love this. Much faster start then Running with the Demon and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I couldn't put the book down.

Tried to cancel order two hours after placement. I was ignored by oncesoldtales.
All emails are verified and logged with the store. I had to give them a one star rating, it will not let me go any lower.

The second story of John Ross (I feel like I have to call him by his whole name) and Nest is a turning of the tables. This time, John Ross is in trouble and Nest is being sent to help him save himself. John Ross has forsaken the Word and the demons are on the hunt. The biggest downfall of this one? I figured out the demon quite early on, and it really ruined the atmosphere for a lot of the story. I didn't get that OMG "surprise, it's me!" moment I was looking for.

While there are some very exciting moments, overall it seemed to move quite slowly with a lot of random sidetracks. I think they were there to confuse you a little so you couldn't guess who the demon was, but they just seemed a little too obvious. Nest was not decisive enough for my taste. I wanted her to go in and take charge, demanding that John Ross listen to her, but she just wasn't like that.

I can see how this world become the world of Shannara, but I sort of want to get to the point already. These are good, just not something that will ever become a favorite. Maybe I just want my Shannara back already!

The second volume of the Word and the Void series, is as much of a standalone novel as the first one (Running with the Demon) was, and it features many of the same characters. The main story line this time is that John Ross has decided to forsake the side of the Word and quit his role as A Knight of the Word. Unfortunately, quitting is not allowed in this world and so a battle begins for his soul between the two sides. Ross is being courted and seduced by a demon who is working as hard as it can to make sure that Ross becomes an ally of the Void. The Word is not sitting idly by either. The Lady sends emissary after emissary to him trying to get him to stay in the fold - or actually, to return to her service. The initial emissaries are the normal dream sequences - but Ross ignores them; so then she sends her other servants culminating in the recruitment of Nest Freemark who is now a 19 year old woman attending college.

The main problem I have with this whole concept is that it seems to me that there is no reason for anyone to want to take on the mantle of fighting for the good side - the Word. Look at Ross for instance, as soon as he is admitted to the fold, he is permanently disabled and bound to the staff. We are told that this is to remind him every day of his service. Also, he is haunted every night by nightmares that show him how the world will end if he screws up. Oh, these dreams eventually yield clues that allow him to redirect events and resolve things to the side of the good, but why would anyone want to do this? What are the rewards of service? If you read these two books attentively you notice that there are no rewards - only more and more demands.

In Ross's case, he makes a mistake and does not foresee all the possibilities for wrongdoing in one case and consequently he fails - which results in a massacre in which 14 young kids die. Ross is understandably upset by this setback and one would think, nay hope, that the Lady would come to his aid - but she does not do so. Instead she spurns him and does not appear to him to bolster his morale. Noticing this, the dark side dispatches one of its most feared demons to work on subverting Ross. So, what does the Lady do? She sends a few more emissaries, but also dispatches one of her assassins to be ready to kill Ross in case he deteriorates further! Why would you serve these people willingly?

As far as the story goes, it rolls along in a semi-believable fashion as we witness the battle from Nest's perspective. She is not sure why she is being asked to help, and put aside her own worldly concerns, but she eventually does. As she finds Ross, and works out all the mysteries and swirls of magic around him, she begins to unravel the plot that is ensnaring Ross and points the way out to him. Ross for some reason believes her, while not believing in all the previous emissaries, and consequently is ready for the final battle in the nick of time - a battle that introduces us to a new twist of the magic that resides within Nest!

The demon that is working on Ross is obvious from miles away. About one third of the way through the book, I figured out who it was. The author does his best to cloak this and to sow doubt at the end, but those plot twists do not really work. Also, the whole story is a vehicle for the author to present his very dark vision of current American humanity and to expound on his political views of how the world and our society have turned their backs on unfortunate people - which will ultimately cause us immense pain and destruction.

I am not sure what bothered me more: the preachiness of the book? The obvious plot? Or the utter disregard that the supposedly good side has for its own people. For all of these reasons, I rate this book as a mere two. One final note, what was the illustrator thinking about when preparing the cover? Whose house is that? It is certainly not a part of either of the first two books in this series. Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy.

Fate and destiny intertwine to trap John Ross in this, the second book of the Word and the Void trilogy. Devastated by his failure to completely prevent a tragedy at a grammar school, John decides he is not able to continue as a Knight of the Word and stops. Stops using his magic, stops following his nightmarish dreams of the future ... and eventually - seemingly - the dreams go away, eventually his link to the magic appears to go away. He is still crippled, he still requires his black staff - the token of his Knighthood - in order to walk, but he no longer utilizes it for anything else but a walking staff. He meets the woman of his dreams - a stunningly beautiful woman named Stefanie Winslow - and together they move to Seattle and begin to work for a man called Simon Lawrence - a man of extraordinary vision who works to help homeless women and children - and a man who, according to the only dream John still has, John is fated to kill.

But the Word is not so willing to give John up; despite the fact that he has renounced his place as a Knight, he still holds the magic of the Word and if a demon can twist that magic to the use of the Void, that would be a giant blow struck in the war against the Word. Nest is contacted by O'olish Amaneh - the last of the Sinnissippi - and asked to go and try to get John to take up his part as a Knight of the Word, to try to get him to believe that he is up close and personal with a demon, because one is already close to turning him to the Void's purposes.

Although the identity of the demon didn't come as much of a surprise to me - having figured it out fairly early - it was nonetheless revealed in a rather startling manner. Watching John Ross go through what he did in this book was painful in the extreme, because it is easy to understand the isolation and loneliness that he underwent as a Knight of the Word as compared to the happy life he had built for himself in Seattle, where he had a job he loved, a girlfriend he loved and a thriving social network. To watch all that come apart under the machinations of a demon AND the Word - it was quite painful. And to watch his determination to make things right anyway was somewhat awe-inspiring.

Terry Brooks can break your heart over and over and you still keep coming back because his characters speak to you in so many ways. This story was about growing up, in more ways than one. I highly recommend it.

This is the second book in the Word/Void trilogy, which reads like a quasi-spiritualist Judeo-Christian moralization of modern society. That sounds like a criticism, but actually I find it pretty compelling. The first book of the series, in fact, sets these issues out fairly succinctly and interestingly but without too much preachiness, verbosity, or judgmentalism. I haven't read the third book in the series yet but I imagine it will continue, as this one did, in the interesting concept he's come up with that the modern world is going to ruin because people just aren't nice enough (he may be right, but I doubt it).

That preamble made, the literary merits of this book left a lot to be desired. First of all, there is the considerable problem, which other reviewers have touched on, that there isn't much action. In fact, except for a tragedy scene in the beginning told in retrospect, and a couple brief if intense hunt scenes, there is no action whatsoever until the last dozen pages.

Second, and this is tied with the first, this book apparently aims to be a mystery or thriller. A who-done-it that focuses not on "who is the murderer" but instead just "who is the bad guy" (which in this series' mythology, means who is the "demon"). That can be great if you don't know who the demon is, but it was painfully, ludicrously obvious what the twist was almost from the first chapter of the book, and with the rest of the story alternating between giving even more credence to that twist and trying to throw the reader off the scent (somewhat ham-handedly), it made for boring reading.

If you are going to have a big surprise twist at the end, and want to build up to it, you either need (a) a lot of other action going on or (b) so many characters and possibilities that the reader is always in doubt about the twist until it's revealed. Neither was true here. Made for a tough read. It's not a perfect analogy, but imagine if you knew all along that Verbel was going to be revealed as Kaiser Sose, and the entire rest of the Usual Suspects was just talking with no action...you might tend to become bored, eh?

I also have to say that Brooks' description of magical battles has atrophied since Shannara. I know this is "modern" times, but the mild descriptions of how the protaginists' magic work is similar enough to how elf stones work that I felt robbed of some of the excitement in the earlier (later in time) books where there was much better excitement in the magical battles. Sorry, but sort of turning into a ghost dog is not exactly an overwhelming volcano of power and excitement.

In any event, he's a fine writer. I enjoyed the book overall, and the series moreso, but he either needs to stay away from mysteries or he needs to do a better job hiding the ball if he expects the whole paradigm of the book to be a thriller. On the whole, mediocre. I'm hopeful for the next one.

Even though two stars may seem like a bad rating, keep in mind that it technically means "fair". If stars were a grade in an essay, it would be C+ - a pass, but not a particularly brilliant one. Such is the case of "A Knight of the Word", the sequel to Terry Brooks's "Running with the Demon," a much more rewarding book.

The basic premise is a good against evil plot, embodied in the forces known as the Word and the Void. Both sides have creatures loyal to them, namely demons on behalf of the Void, and Knights for the Word. The present Knight of the Word is a man named John Ross, who lives a lonely existence; wandering an post-apocalyptic future in his dreams in order to find clues and answers to what transpired to prevent it from happening in the present (kinda like "Early Edition" and "Tru Calling" - remember those shows?)

Anyway, after a botched rescue mission that results in the deaths of several children, Ross gives up his calling and settles down to a new life. He has a girlfriend Stefanie Winslow, and they both work for "the Wizard of Oz", the nickname given to Simon Lawrence, a charity worker for homeless people. Meanwhile, the magically inclined Nest Freemark (the young girl that Ross saved in "Running with the Demon") is now nineteen years old and in a rut in her life.

All seems reasonably well, but the Word's messenger, a tatterdemalion named Arial assures Nest that Ross has made himself vulnerable to the Void by ignoring his calling, and only Nest can make him aware of a demon in his presence attempting to corrupt him. Meanwhile, Back in Seattle, an investigative reporter named Andrew Wren is uncovering suspicious facts that may prove the downfall of Lawrence's foundation and Ross's work.

It is a solid enough sequel, but not up to par with its predecessor. I enjoyed "Running with the Demon" immensely due to its environment (the far-reaching parklands) and the supporting cast. Here however, most of the old cast has died or moved on: Cass Minter and Old Bob have died, Brianna and Jared have moved away, and even the cats are gone. Brooks may be attempting to make the situation true to life, but it comes across as rather depressing. Despite the presence of Robert, Nest feels very much alone in this book, with none of the hope and promise that "Running" concluded with.

Likewise, the streets of Seattle just aren't an interesting setting as Hopewell and the park, and the change in scenery deprives us of Pick's presence. Two Bears appears in little more than a cameo, and Wraith has a relatively minor role that doesn't really have much bearing on the overall story.

I found that Nest was the more interesting character out of the two protagonists, though I can't exactly pin point why, and I liked the way the roles had been reversed from the previous book - now Nest is the rescuer. Likewise Arial was an interesting idea (a spirit made up of lost children's memories) and it was fun to see another sylvan - Boot. But I have to admit that unlike other reviewers, the secret identity of the demon did catch me off guard (gimme a break, I was only fourteen when I read it!)

Throughout the story Brooks gives us so many lectures on the plight of homeless people that I seriously hope he takes his own advice and gives generously to the poor. Hey, maybe you should take the money you were going to spend on this book and give it to a homeless fund instead! There's an idea I'm sure Brooks would approve of!

So my main grievance is that it was too far removed from the direction "Running with the Demon" seemed to be going in at its end - this instalment is too dark and melancholy. Unless you're desperate for more on Ross and Nest, I would just read "Running" and then go on to bigger and better books.

In "A Knight of the Word", the reader catches up with Nest Fremark and John Ross five years after the events in "Running with the Demon". John Ross has moved on to Seattle, where he has met and fallen in love with Stefanie Winslow, a strikingly beautiful woman. Both of them work for a homeless shelter called Fresh Start. Fresh Start is run by Simon Lawrence, a self-made man who has made it his life-long challenge to help the homeless. Ross has renounced his vows to the Word. Earlier, he suffered a traumatic personal experience. There was a hostage takeover at a school, and fourteen children were killed. Ross was foretold of this event in his dreams, but even though he thought he had everything figured out, the children were still killed. He has blamed himself for this tragedy, as well as blaming the Word for not helping him. Thus, he renounced his faith in the Word.
Meanwhile, back in Hopewell, Nest Freemark is visited by Ariel, a tatterdemalion sent by the Lady to help Ross. Areil explains to Nest that John is in great danger and Nest must warn him. Nest, now a student at Northwestern University, isn't sure what she can do, but she decides to go to Seattle.
Upon arriving, Nest finds her way to Fresh Start and immediately begins to feel ill. She steps outside to get some air, but she recognizes where the sickness has come from; a demon. Finally, Nest meets up with John and she explains to him how the Lady sent Ariel to tell her about him. John dismisses everything, saying he's perfectly happy with his life the way it is now and he has no intention of going back to being a Knight of the Word. He still blames himself for the death of the children.
Ariel then tells Nest that she's discovered a sylvan guarding one of the parks, and they go to meet him. Unfortunately, the demon found out too and he is there as well. Nest is forced to flee back into town away from the demon. She vows to herself to stay in Seattle to see everything through to the end, but will she be able to convince John before its too late?
I found this book to be very good. The characters are brought vividly to life by Brooks, and its easy to allow oneself to become immersed in their fight for survival. I thought Brooks went a little overboard with his discription of every square foot of Seattle, but he more than makes up for it by weaving a genuinely exciting tale. I highly recommend this excellent work. It will leave you wanting more.

Where as most of "Running with the Demon" was centered around Nest Freemark. This one turns it attention to John Ross, a Knight of the Word. Just in case you didn't get that from the title.
"Knight" takes place five years after the first book left off. John Ross is suffering from a crisis of faith after a botched rescue which makes him a prime target for the demons that he was fighting against to turn him into one of them.
The Lady enlists the help of Nest freemark along with a tatterdemalion Ariel to save him.
Really a good sequel. Nothing as far as continuity was forced and you can see that the author has more to tell with this series. Once again Brooks provides us with some likable and readable characters, and it proves, like it's predecessor, to be the heart of the book. For those who like quick paced action, look elsewhere. However there is one of the best chase scenes I've read hands down. Not being dramatic, but man it was good!
The book provides more insight to John Ross and makes him more of a sympathetic character. But surprisingly the Lady and Two Bears more ambiguous. I never really caught on to Two Bears in the last one, thinking he was just an awkward plot device. In this book, it's more of the same. Fans of the native american veteran should be happy, though. The one fault in the book is the author manages to be a bit magnanimous when it comes to talking about the homeless. It was well intentioned, but it was almost too much. He also comes short as a mystery writer as well.
Faults aside, this still is a good book and fans of the first installment will not be dissapointed. It definiteley makes you want to get the third in the series. Brooks again proves that he is still one of the best writers of his genre.

A Knight of the Word takes place 5 years after the events of Running with the Demon and one of the things I liked about it was how the characters have moved on. Nest has gone off to college and has kinda lost touch with her old life, like a lot of folks do in real life. Her one true friend remains Pick, the six inch sylvan twig man that keeps balance to the magic in the park. I like how Brooks shows her dealing with these feelings, it's very natural.
The roles here are flip flopped from "Demon", in that this time it's up to Nest to go to and help out John Ross, who's lost his faith. The main thing I liked about this book was how sympathetic Ross was. You just start to feel bad for the guy, the things he's gone through and had to endure. More than one man should ever have to. This makes his fall from faith all the more believable and real, in fact, considering the event that triggers it, I'm forced to admit that I probably would have too were I him.
Throughout the book, Ross deals through this problem. He can't just give up, it just doesn't work that way. It's just amazing watching him ignore the totally obvious signs and warnings that he can't give it up because he's blinded by his new life and how good he feels and how right it feels to him. It's amazing, because I've seen people do the same thing in my life, so this book kinda hit me personally there.
The mystery of who the demon is is kind of easy to figure out, and not too much of a shock when it reveals itself, but that's of little consequence, what is of the most consequence is how it effects the characters in the book. You knowing makes it that much more painful knowing how it'll probably effect Ross.
And let's not forget poor Nest, how does she go about helping this man who she has mixed feelings about. But she does, and her relationship with Ross develops further (not in THAT way, you sickos! :). A complicated relationship it is, but a real one that will stand the test of time.
Of course I would be remiss to go through the review and not mention Two Bears! This guy is just plain cool, I could probably read a whole novel on Two Bears, but I'm afraid that would undo what is so cool about him.
And let's not forget Terry Brooks, who has created two characters in John Ross and Nest Freemark that I will probably remember for a long, long time. Plus, he weaves an excellent story around them that deals with important issues such as friendship, strong characters, and the whole homeless situation, which you can see he has some real concern about (and rightly so!) So, in conclusion, Terry Brooks continues to do no wrong in my book.

SCORING: Superb (A), Excellent (A-), Very good (B+), Good (B) Fairly Good (B-), Above Average (C+), Mediocre (C ), Barely Passable (C-) Pretty Bad (D+), Dismal (D), Waste of Time (D-), Into the Trash (F)
DIALOGUE: B STRUCTURE: C+ HISTORY SETTING: B- CHARACTERS: B EVIL SETUP/ANTAGONISTS: C+ EMOTIONAL IMPACT: B- SURPRISES: C+ MONSTERS: not applicable PACING: B- OVERALL STYLE: C+ FLOW OF WORDS: C+ CHOICE OF FOCUS: C TRANSITIONS/FLASHBACKS/POV: C+ COMPLEXITY OF WORDS/SYMBOLISM/THEMES: C+ OVERALL GRADE: B-
QUICK REVIEW: A disappointment after reading RUNNING WITH THE DEMON. This time around it moved to Seattle so we lost most of the hometown feeling. Seattle was fine and there were plenty of details but the emotions weren't there anymore. No good supporting characters this time around. It's just Ross and Nest. I was disappointed that Brooks rushed through the friends; everyone is gone or dead except Robert, who now has a crush on her. They're estranged since he made a move on her at her gf's funeral. Not enough surprises this time around nor enough conflict. Too many details; too much running around; too much about Ross' pain and his new job and his new love.
Emotional resonance was lacking this time around but I least finished it.

When I first started reading "Running with the Demon," I was a bit apprehensive, because it was obviously a departure from Brooks' Shannara and Landover series, both of which I had enjoyed. Not only is in set in contemporary times, but it is darker and very introspective. That said, I enjoyed "Running" very much. This sequel is certainly worth reading, but it didn't quite live up to the previous work. For one thing, it is much shorter, which isn't always bad, but in this case it seemed like there was just less story there. There is also some truth to the contention that you can guess early on who the demon is, but it is not as blatant as some reviewers would have it. I was still in doubt a little bit until the very end. Part of the problem there was the fact that there were only two or three possibilities for the identity. The part I liked the most was the fact that both Nest and John Ross were forced to come to terms with their magic, in so! mewhat surprising fashion. I don't know if this series is destined to be a trilogy or longer, but there seems to be somewhat of a tradition that the second book of a trilogy is the weakest. This book is not bad, but I do hope that Brooks picks it up a bit in the next one.

When I was a young lad I would read every Shanarra novel I could find, and several times. I read all of Terry Brooks' Magic Kingdom of Landover novels. But for some reason I never picked up Running With the Demon or any of the Word/Void novels. It really makes no sense because of how much I enjoyed Brooks' work. A couple of months ago I finally read the first Word/Void novel and was stunned. Running With the Demon was quite possibly the best thing Terry Brooks has written with an argument to be made about Elfstones. What's more, it felt fresh. It was the story of John Ross, a normal man picked by the Word to be its Champion in trying to hold the balance against the Void. When the novel started, Ross had been a Knight for some twenty or so years and made his way to Hopewell, Illinois to try to stop something from happening. He wasn't sure what because his dreams only give him a location and a taste of the horrors that would be unleashed on our world if he fails. He finds a teenaged girl, Nest Freemark and her magic.

Five years later Nest is a college student and John Ross has given up being a Knight of the Word. He once had a vision of an event that he needed to stop and he failed. He couldn't continue to serve, the burden was too hard. But being a Knight is not a burden one can lay down. The Void wants to turn John Ross to its side. The Word needs John Ross to resume the fight. An agent for the Word contacts Nest to try to convince Ross to rejoin the fight for the Word. In just a couple of days Ross will take a step that will put him solidly on the path to the Void and he won't know it. A Knight of the Word is a novel of the continuing fight for balance between the Word and the Void, the fight for John Ross's soul, the future of Nest Freemark and ultimately the future of our world. You see, the world of the Word/Void novels is out own, just with a twist. Most people have no idea.

By this point in my life and having read nearly everything Terry Brooks has published (there are a couple of Landover novels I haven't read now) I would have said it was impossible for Brooks to surprise me. But he has. I am nearly shocked by just how good his Word/Void novels are. A Knight of the Word is the second book in the trilogy and it is just as good as Running With the Demon, possibly better. Even if a reader does not like the typical fantasy novel, I would suggest giving the Word/Void novels a chance. This is more of an urban fantasy where there is some magic, but it is in a modern setting. It's worth a look. This trilogy is the best work that Brooks has produced.

-Joe Sherry

Having read this a second time now, I find that I still rather like this book and series.

As many others have pointed out, it's now five years later, Nest is now off to College and drifting a bit as many of her friends from childhood have moved on.

And this time, Nest is called upon by the Word to go save/warn John Ross where he'd helped save her earlier.

It's very easy to spot who the demon is, especially early on. A comment they make tells you from the get go.

I'd have liked to have known what became of Jared Scott and his sister Bennitt from the first book. But that's minor. And if the book suffers, its from the Black & White dichotomy of good & evil and feeling like Christian views are being crammed at you from a Fantasy book. Regardless, I really have enjoyed Brook's Word and the Void series far better then any of his Shannara books.

Nest Freemark and John Ross return in the second installment of the series called "The Word and Void Trilogy." John Ross has forsaken his duties as a Knight of the Word and the Lady has assigned Nest to convince him to get his act back together.

While I found the story entertaining, I did not find it as gripping as the first book "Running with the Demon." Not to say I didn't like it, but we are talking apples and oranges here. Brooks slows down the pace considerably here and the characters do much more navel gazing. Perhaps the contrast in settings affects the story; while "Running with the Demon" was set in a small town, "A Knight of the Word" is set in the city. I did enjoy the chase scene between a demon and one of the characters . . . pretty intense.

If you liked "Running with the Demon" you'll like "A Knight of the Word" but just expect something different. Sometimes change is good.

A Knight of the Word begins with John Ross quiting his destiny of being a Knight. But he is still plagued by dreams of an unpeakably horrifying future (a future that may come true, just read the Shannara books).

We jump back to Hopewell, Illinois and back to Nest Freemark. She is now older, in college and waiting for her shot at the Olympics as a runner. She gets word from a strange spirit Ariel that John Ross is in danger. So she travels to Seattle, Washington to help him. Except he doesn't want help. He now works for a homeless shelter and outreach program and is in love. But his new dreams show him killing the saintly boss that he works for at the outreach program. But Nest knows a demon can not be to far behind. So she uses her own Word magic to smoke out the demon. The demon's identity and the real conflicts culminate in an explosive ending. An ending that will change both protagonists lives for good.

KNIGHT OF THE WORD by TERRY BROOKS
PERSPECTIVE: sci-fi/fantasy fan, marginally familiar with Brooks' work
Knight of the Word is second in the Brooks' Word and Void series, the first being Running With the Demon. Overall, this a good, if not spectacular book, and does its job well as a sequel to the first in the series.
The core of the plot follows Nest Freemark in a turnabout situation from the first novel - instead of John Ross coming to save her from being destroyed by a demon, she herself travels to Seattle in order to prevent Ross's corruption by another demon, who seeks to turn him from a Knight of the Word to a servant of the Void. The plot is reasonably well-tooled, although an overly significant amount of time is spent on Ross's brooding about giving up his Knighthood - it just didn't seem believable to me that after all of his service to the Word and all of the warnings he was given, that Ross would persist in his abstention of his duties to the degree that he did. Also, the identity of the demon was easily predictable, but Brooks dragged out the stating of the obvious a bit too long... towards the end the constant "build-up" towards the obvious revelation of the demon's identity, as well as certain actions the demon takes near the end of the book (that I thought would have clued Ross in to what was going on, despite his state of delusion) made the ending seem a bit anti-climactic to me.
However, the latter are a few faults in an otherwise solid offering. The characterization is consistent from the previous book, and the amount of growth and change that both Ross and Nest ultimately go through is satisfying and well presented. Brooks' description of Seattle is vivid and a stark contrast to the midwestern Hopewell of Running With the Demon. And, the plot otherwise is reasonably tight, with a modest amount of action, including a notably exciting chase scene involving Nest and the demon. Brooks did a good job of subtly recapping events from the previous book such that it isn't imperative to read it first... although it helps.
FINAL WORD: Read this book, although if you have to pick only one Word and Void book to read (me having yet to read Angel Fire East), I'd read Running With the Demon, which is the better of the two. Buy it, check it out from the library, or buy it and donate it to your local library.

I really didn't get into this story as much as I did the first in the series. Honestly I was more interested in Nest and Two Bears than I was with John Ross, so with the story starting off focused on him and his falling away from being a Knight of the Word it was off to a shaky start. It didn't help that the writing in general wasn't really that great. The redeeming feature of the story was of course the introduction of Nest and a cameo of Two Bears. I was particularly interested in seeing how Nest's powers have grown and changed and I hope that the third book in the series will focus more on that.

quite an awful followup to the last novel in the series. never mind the disgusting cover art, this book fails at finding any sort of depth. the whole homeless theme shows that there's a competent writer behind it, but this is more of the contrived crap he culled together with Running With The Demon. Characters making stupid choices, a very obvious mystery just staring at us right in the face from the very beginning, endless re-hashing of ideas and descriptions. it was so hard to get through this book, the characters are just dumb and do stupid things...I'm sorry, but Ross's reasons for giving up being a Knight of the Word was just sooo tepid. I mean, he wasn't too squeamish about having to kill a 14yr old girl just 5 years before, and now because he made one oversight (that clearly wasn't his fault, I mean, The Lady really should review people's resumes a bit better. The Word, in general, reminds me of a poorly run company that doesn't take any time to train its employees properly and never sends out the important memos), he's ready to give up saving the world and turning his back on an oath he's made to a being that's not too far from God Himself. I would expect the events of this story are what would have made him more likely to give up being a Knight. In fact, this story should have been a flashback for a better story, because it read like one. Another reviewer said it read like an outline and I think that's spot on.

I would've considered this a waste of time if I didn't feel the need to read it to get to the 3rd book in the trilogy. Angel Fire East is by far the best book in the series. Running With the Demon wasn't so great, but it was better and had more potential than this crap. A Knight Of The Word was just an unfortunate detour on the way to the first worthwhile novel in the Shannara chronology.

I liked this sequel--I thought it was even a bit better than the original. Nest is feeling adrift and alone with all her friends and family gone. John Ross, on the other hand, has quit his Knight of the Word position in despair, and for the first time has a life. And no magic. He has a girlfriend, and they work together at a homeless shelter. But the demons have not forgotten him, and Nest Freemark is sent to warn him and to try to get him to take his responsibilities on again, before it is too late.
As in the first book, there is a lot of unnecessary blabbing at the end as they explain every plot point the reader might not have got. (Not as much, though) Another disappointment was that it was dead obvious through the book who the secret demon was. And there was a particularly annoying scene where Nest was trying to stop John from doing something disastrous, and just kept saying "No, John, don't do it!" instead of explaining to him why the heck not. (I hate scenes like that.:P)

Before reaching the halfway point of the book, I found I had been lectured on environmentalism, the plight of the homeless, the unfair treatment of native americans, and the moral decay of our society. I've read religious books that preached less than this, and it was insulting. The entire story seems a thin broth to tie together a series of pontificating essays that Brooks knew nobody would publish on their own.
If you can get beyond that, you're confronted with the fact that Brooks really wants you to know that he's familiar with the Seattle landscape. He describes Seattle in such exhaustive detail that it's obvious he's trying to make the book appeal to people who live there (here, as I do), since nobody else would care about a brass pig in the Pike market. The problem is that he spreads it on so thick, it's tiresome and obvious.
All in all, the story is too thin to make it on it's own, and buried under the mounds of trash that Brooks throws on it, it's just not worth your time.

Did Brooks fluff this up for a novel? Did he find himself short, or need to upgrade his computer or have new storm windows installed? He apparently needed fundage but didn't have an idea in his head right at that moment.
For a book with "knight" in the title, the novel is awfully long on introspection -- by very non-dimensional characters -- and short on action.
I have a Lebanese friend (so you may supply the accent) who says, when viewing the first romantic exchange in a film, "Ah! Movie start now."
Twenty pages from the back cover, I said, "Ah. Story start now."
What is meant by "non-dimensional?" Well, I knew who the demon was when (spoiler coming) she was first introduced. That isn't necessarily a problem -- this is fantasy, after all, not a whodunit. The guy that got burned in the shelter fire had the aroma of the unnamed crew member on the orginal Star Trek -- you just knew he was gonna die. The most lively character in the entire book was completely unnecessary to the plot (Della the secretary). However, she was also the one character that started to nudge her way up from the one-dimensional.
There is one positive criticism -- the darned thing is short. The reason I'm not a great fan of fantasy is because the authors of same tend to think in terms of book tonnage. And, since I'm new to the genre, I have never been a Brooks reader. So, please tell me: is this what all his novels are like? If so, I don't need to waste my time. This should have been a ten page short story, and I would have felt gyped if this hadn't been a loaner.

While Running with the Demon did not get a high vote from me (the first book in this series), I could tell it had great potential and Terry Brooks did not disappoint. Again, this wasn't his best but worth the time to read. The characters are more developed and you can see huge potential for more in the future.
The one annoying thing this author did was to have the characters all figure out who the demon is but don't tell the reader. While I was pretty sure who it was, I felt stupid. The author writes things like "and then I figured out who did it. So I told him who did". Next Chapter!
Nevertheless, this was a great read. In the next book I'd like to see Nest gain more insight into her magic and a teaming up of her and John to fight more than just a demon -- introduce a few more Word characters.
Hurry up Terry -- your fans are waiting!

Terry Brooks is one of my favorite authors, and I thouroughly enjoyed the Shannara series, and Running With the Demon, and this book continues the tradition of easy, fun reading that made the other books such great sellers.
On the other hand, though, this book was WAY too predictable, with the major antagonist being obvious early on in the book. In fact, I was getting really annoyed when Brooks didn't reveal who the demon was. I mean, is there anyone out there that completely suspended thought, and didn't have a good clue as to who it was?
Personally, I would have enjoyed it more if the book would have focused around the suprises to the characters, rather than to us.
All in all, it was a fun read, but nothing more.

I have read more than a dozen Terry Brooks novels, and I believe that this to be his weakest effort. The climactic revelation of the demon at the end is predictable, and one of Brooks' main weaknesses is on full display. He has a habit of writing a climactice scene, then those involved have a meeting with someone and retell the whole story, usually it is less obvious, but in this novel, it jumps right off the page and kinda bores you.

As a fan of the Shanarra universe, I felt the need to read the word and void trilogy, already knowing that this one is connected to shanarra is pushing me along. The first novel, Running With the Demon, is far Superior, and I can only hope the finale, Angle Fire East, gets better.

In this novel, John Ross loses faith in the word and gives up. However, as a knight, that is not his choice to make. The entire novel centers on Nest trying to convince Ross that he can' quit, and if he doesn't start acting like a Knight soon, then the word will have him eliminated so that the void cannot use him to its end.

Oh well, I am looking forward to the final book, which i will read sometime in 2010.

T

I picked up this book for 2 aussie dollars ready for my flight back to the uk, and as far as time killers go i cant fault it. In fairness i would say its aimed more at 13-16 year old readers and the language reflects that, but it doesnt detract from the fact that the story is told well, and maintains a good level of interest. It reminded me of Stephen Lawhead books, which i would imagine most people would agree isnt a bad thing, and some would say just because it doesnt have metaphors which merit an "after the water-shed rating" its not just aimed at younger readers and thats so, but its just lacking that extra bite for my tastes. Still, on a long haul flight,and for 2 dollars, it did me proud!

John Ross has renounced his pledge as a Knight of the Word after he failed to save the lives of schoolchildren in a tragedy. He's now working for a homeless shelter in Seattle and trying to build a life for himself.

Nest Freemark is now a college student. She comes to Seattle to warn John that a Demon's after him and eventually will try to seduce him into the service of the Void.

This one's not as much of a page-turner as "Running with the Demon." Interest in what happens to Ross and Freemark is what keeps you reading rather than the plot itself. Overall, a decent followup, but not a thriller like "Running."

Now when I read Running With the Demon, I can't say I was terribly impressed. If it wasn't for the fact that Brooks has such a good way with words, and spins a good story dispite a somewhat bad plot, I wouldn't have finished it. So I wasn't exactly pumped about A Knight of the Word, but I read it anyway and was quite impressed! The way Brooks deals with looking into the darker side of humanity is very deep and moving. He moves you to the side of the Word without making it seem goody goody, but by showing how much humanity is in need of hero's like Nest and John. Reading about the homeless and the state in which people live forces you to look to yourself and admit that you too have never put much thought into their state, if its not one you share. But while he is managing to make you find faults in the government, Brooks also weaves a tidy little mystery, with just enough twists and climax that I'm forced to admit this was a very good book. While I think Brooks is being silly for stepping out of the traditional fantasy realm (cause he's so darn good at it!) he proves a solid point that if he wants to, he can. Read this! Do not be discouraged!

I don't know who these "reviewers" are but they are probably the same people who think only "deep" movies like Ghandi are worthwhile.
I liked this book. It was entertaining and I think it made the character of John Ross more believeable. He got tired of all the problems and failures and quit. I think everyone can relate to this. He's also taken in by someone he loves and trusts. This is also very human. I think explioting John's weaknesses in this book made it more real.
I look forward to the next "Knight" book.

Halfway through the first chapter I had the ending figured out! The only reason I kept reading is that I was hoping the author had truly fooled me. And he did... he fooled me into reading the whole damn thing and wasting all that time.
Over 20 years in the business and Brooks still hasn't learned to write. I tried to read his first book, "The Sword of Shanara", when it first came out, but I kept falling asleep and never got the ending. His pacing is plonding, his characters are flat, his descriptions are verbose and his plots are trite. Who is it that keeps buying all his books so that he makes it to the best seller list?
So many people raved about "Running with the Demon" that I decided to give it a try. It was OK! It needed work, but it was good enough to get me to read "A Knight of the Word." Well, that's that last Brooks book for me, you know the old saying, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice..." Instead I'll re-read a Charles De Lint book.

This book was wonderful. It expands on a story that was already a complete masterpiece. Our friend Nest has gone off to college and must return home to take care of some family business. Her powers have improved with age and a demon is stalking her unbeknownst. John Ross has gone through some turmoil which is expected with a character of his depth. Questioning his convictions, John resigns his post as a knight of the Word. At least until Nest argues him from that path. Some good excitement and unexpected revelations make this book a must read. As I said before, even for the non-fantasy fan. Read this book!

As you can probably tell from the subject, I am not what you would call a Terry Brooks fan. I've read all, or nearly all, of his Shannara books and found them long-winded and difficult. His 'Magic Kingdom' series was much better, though still too long-winded for my taste (I prefer a book that doesn't spend so much time in detail that you lose sight of the story).
I bought the initial book of this series because I couldn't find anything else that interested me at the airport bookstore, and I figured this would at least put me to sleep.
Surprise, surprise. The book was one of the best SF books I've ever read. The characters were 'real' and the plot was very well thought out. Still long-winded in parts, but I found the content actually enhanced the story instead of detracting from it.
This book continues that tradition. Truly one of the best SF books I've ever read, it captures the imagination and won't let go. I found myself disappointed that my neighborhood bookstore doesn't yet have a copy of 'Angel Fire East'.
However, I'm ordering it from the store as soon as I get done writing this... :)

It is now a few years later, and John Ross, Knight of the Word, has lost his way. Or, he just wants to lead a normal life. This is a common complaint of the superpowered. He decides to settle down, have a relationship, do a bit of social work and that sort of thing.

This is very seductive, and just what the Void wants. Nest Freemark must try and snap John out of it, at considerable risk, as if the Void doesn't get to him, the Word may send an agent to remove the risk he now poses.

I agree with most reviewers that this is not nearly as good as Running with the Demon, but I'm still giving it 4 stars because it was really fun to read! Yeah, the story is a bit soap opera-ish and predictable (I knew right away who the demon was, why the Shelter was set on fire, etc.) Probably what made this book very worthwhile is, once again, the presence of Nest. She is just the coolest character I've ever read in a novel! And, poor John Ross, can't he ever get a break?

John Ross has renounced his pledge as a Knight of the Word after he failed to save the lives of schoolchildren in a tragedy. He's now working for a homeless shelter in Seattle and trying to build a life for himself.

Nest Freemark is now a college student. She comes to Seattle to warn John that a Demon's after him and eventually will try to seduce him into the service of the Void.

This one's not as much of a page-turner as "Running with the Demon." Interest in what happens to Ross and Freemark is what keeps you reading rather than the plot itself. Overall, a decent followup, but not a thriller like "Running."

This was a great book, unlike what I have read at the top of this page. Brooks goes into detail about humanity, human feelings, etc., and not just about magic and fighting. It is different, because while other authors just put out the same old schtick about wizards and warriors, Brooks makes you feel the way the characters do. Don't pay attention to the negative remarks and reviews, because the people who say that this book is boring obviously didn't take the time to READ it.

This is the second book in the Word and the Void trilogy and it does not disappoint.
The book revolves mostly around Jon and his coming to terms with his Knighthood.
Disappointed and depressed over a tragedy that he was not able to prevent, Jon embarks on a dark journey that might even turn his loyalties to the dark side, or as we know it the void.
To prevent this abomination from happening, the word enlist the service of Nest and Two Bears to assist in helping Jon get back on track and save his soul.
Some have said this book isn't very interesting and doesn't show enough of the character Nest, but i beg to differ. This is Jon's story and tells if he will be able to continue being a Knight of the word and all that entails.
This is another wonderful story told by a master, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy.

I read this book and am just absolutly enthralled with the vivid scenes and the continuity of the story line that Terry Brooks has created. The setting is very close to home as I live in the Seattle area and have been to the scenes depicted in the book and have since had a very different view of them. Ah well on with the review, John Ross is an reluctant hero/Knight of the Word, his powers and strength granted to him by beings out of legend, the power has crippled his body and soul yet he must answer the cryptic visions with action and be transformed by the magic to battle the demons that are taking over Seattle WA. After a long period of self imposed exile from his service to the Word John Ross finds himself haunted and hunted by the very demons he had pledged his body and soul to destroy, when the demons start to destroy all those things that John had come to believe as his true release from his duties as a Knight of the Word He falls further into the despair that made him renounce the power and magic and the demons know that he isn't free of the power and they are attempting to drive John to such despair that he will join the side of the Void, for A Knight Of The Word would be a great prize and would add the power of the Word to the side of darkness and unspeakable horror for human kind. John Ross needs help and it comes to him in the form of a friend, a young woman named Nest Freemark. Nest also has power to wield given to her as a birthright from her father a demon of the Void and her grandmother a servant of the Word. All in all this book is a good read one of the best I've read in over 20 years and one of the Top 10 favorites I've read from Terry Brooks in the past 10 years. I can't wait until the next in this series.

I read the first book, it was not good. But I read the 2nd one to see if maybe there was some hope.
Nope, figgered this one out on page 12 just like the other one!
Good heavens!
Oh, and if you want Brooks to lecture to you about homeless people ad nauseum then read ahead! Some of the lectures in this book were straight from the writer to the reader, with no characters in between. A note to Mr. Brooks: DON'T EVER TALK TO ME WHEN I AM READING YOUR BOOK!
Oh and his scene descriptions are so detailed and looooooooong, you just skip over them to get to where the characters are actually speaking instead of moving through these long boring scen descriptions! (Terry, go talk to Stephen King. That fool can give a decription of an area in like five words and it's better than your FOUR PAGES of scene description...(no I'm not lying FOUR PAGES!))
Do not read this book or this story, it is atrocious.

I enjoyed the mystery and the utilization of magic. The magic that Nest can now use is quite intriguing, filled with so much potential! The road Ross takes is tough and riveting, so personal that it relates to everyone's misgiving in who they really are and need to be.

The minute this book hit the stores, I ran to my library and requested that they get it. And about 2 weeks later, I had it in my hands as I left the library; I couldn't wait to read it. I wasn't disappointed at all!!
If you're a Terry Brooks fan (or have read Running with the Demon), then go check out this book! It's not one of his better ones, but I will read the next book in the series, because this one was so enjoyable!

Okay, Terry Brooks is a surperb author of immagination and detail. His first demon book (Running with the Demon) was a great and fantastic book of every genre. This one I think focused on too much...drama, low action, and well, frankly I think Terry Brooks could of done alot better. But yes this was a good action (little action though) and had fine suspense. Therefore I give this book 3 stars.

Terry Brooks' imaginative power has once again created a novel that is engaging, with an interesting plot and characters. It was good to see Nest Freemark reappear, as well as learning additional hints about the Word and the nature of its magic. Brooks tackles difficult subjects, like personal responsibility and homelessness. This is admirable, since many fantasy novels are more escapist, but it sometimes interferes with the plot when Brooks stops to preach through his characters. I did guess the identity of the demon half-way through the novel, but the way John Ross handled the confrontation was interesting and led to a very satisfying ending.

I enjoyed and wished all Christmas to read this book. Finally I got it from the local library. I was so intrested I read it in 4 days. I was somewhat disappointed in his writing. His first had suspense, action, gore, and mystery this one had low action, low gore and way too slow. I am now waiting for Terry Brooks' 3rd demon book, hoping that this one will be the best of them all.

This book takes place in Seattle, WA years after the first one. Nest is 20 and John has declared he is no longer a Knight. John was traumatized by an incident that happened between the first book and this one and has made a life for himself in Seattle helping the homeless. We learn a demon is trying to seduce John to the Void so Nest is sent to save him. Long story short, some soul searching is done, a "big reveal" happens that is just not shocking by any means, and the day is saved...that's it. Not a thing really happens in this book, honestly, nothing. Started it several months ago, got halfway through and set it down to forget about it. Picked it up this weekend thinking "I should really finish this book." Few pages in and I remembered why I stopped reading it. This book is slow, really slow. Not much talking, loads of inaction, a lot of reflection on past events, and a dry monotonous pace made this book even more of a forced read than the first one. Seriously, why am I even going to bother reading the final book? I need to finish what I started.

I felt like this was definitely a bridge book between books 1 and 3 ... Story was ok, but not as much character development. I can't remember if it was this one or 3 that had some typos ... :-/ I read all three in one weekend, so it was good enough to keep me going, and overall, they we're totally worth reading. Terry Brooks writing is very engaging.

This is an Intense, eerie series, which is well written in colloquial language at a nail biting pace which leaves the reader pleasantly surprised. It has a 24esque pace that draws the reader into the said world. I enjoyed it from cover to cover.

I loved both Running with the Demon and this book. Nest is one of my favorit characters in any book and I really enjoyed the story line. It's a fun read and since it's pretty short it goes fast and is exciting. I can't wait for book 3 and I hope to learn more about the creatures higher up in the ranks of the Void and the Word. I also wonder will Nest run in the Olympics or will her magic and forces take her life in a different direction....

This is a very disappointing follow up to the first novel in this series. Very predictable plot; no real drama. Brooks had a chance to create an interesting series but has fallen way short with this second book. We learn a little more about the characters but not enough to care.
I will be hard pressed to continue with this series which in itself is disappointing. What happened to Brooks since Shannara?

I have read all of Terry Brooks books. I feel that this new series is by far the best he has done. The characters are not only ones that you care about but also relate to. The story is not a formula and has enough twists to keep the mystery and intensity at a high level through out the story.

I picked up KNIGHT because I found the first book of the series, RUNNING, somewhat interesting if not original (good vs. evil being a popular theme in fantasy books and all). Unfortunately it seems that Brooks is following the age old adage: if it works, don't fix it. This book is plagued with the same problems as the first: predictable plot and slight lack of suspense. Also, the written format is identical to the first, with the prologue/what-might-be epilogue at the beginning and the chapter/day division. Lastly, there's a huge tangent revolving around the "plight of the homeless" which is totally unnecessary and has very little to do with the *real* plot, John's fall from grace. I do hope Brooks other works are an improvement upon this one.

Nest is one of the more interesting characters Brooks has created, yet she does essentially nothing in this entire book. She seems to have this incredible power but we are barely made aware of it. What's the point in creating a great character if you don't use her? How about a bit more character development? This book reads like an outline, very sketchy with little filling in it. I was a huge Terry Brooks fan but in the last 3 years he has left me cold.

Through most of the story, the characters are in little danger, so there's not much suspense or action. When they do face the demons, the demons are so weak that they're quickly defeated. Maybe if Terry made demons a little bit more dangerous and more of a threat the story would be better.

This was a disappointing, mediocre book. Having read every book Terry Brooks has written, I found myself knowing how the book would end well before I should. The plot twists are as obvious as a parade down Main Street. Mr. Brooks should stop considering himself a successful writer and go back to basics. Otherwise, his fans can find other authors to read. He needs to be hungry and creative, not complacent and boring.

Don't get me wrong, I like Terry Brooks; or rather I liked him. While this book did keep me turning pages, it was more out of habit than anything else. I had read _Running with the Demon_, and mildly enjoyed it, so I bought this expecting more of the same. Well, I guess I got it. The story was eminently predictable: I ferreted out nearly all of the plot twists from the beginning. If you're a diehard Brooks fan, you might as well read the book, but otherwise I wouldn't reccomend it.

I enjoyed the first book and was really looking forward to this sequel. But...
What a disappointment.
The plot was totally predictable so kiss suspense goodbye. And the demons in this book are pussycats. When the main characters are not too stupid to realize that they talking to a demon, they can pretty much blow them away.
Brook patronizes us by being repetitive. Don't worry Terry, we can follow this plot.

Eventhough it starts out really slow. It soon jumps into a major climatic story about denying what you are called to do. John Ross and Ness Freemark are the ultimate in new age fantasy charecters. I would recommend it to anyone who would dare to try and contain its power.

The is the first time that I've seen Brooks stumble. The plot isn't very believable or strong and the whole theme doesn't capture you like Running did. The whole five-year jump is annoying since you want to know what happened during those years. Running was spell-binding and page-turning in its intensity . . . this one just doesn't measure up.

This book could be one of Terry Brook's best books. I loved his Shannara series, but this book changed my mind about his new series. I suggest that you read the book. It combines basic fantasy with the ways of today. Purely ingenious!

Not having read the first book, the characters were all new to me. Brooks put them down very nicely as somewhat misterious people being somewhat lost from their path. With all the flashbacks, odd creatures and well-pictured demons I can't wait for the third part to be published (will there be???)

I enjoyed reading the book but was able to predict the ending/demon about halfway through the book! Will keep your interest provided you want to read the details even though you deduced the ending/demon.

This is a case where the sequel outdid its predecessor. Once again, there was a build up to the climax. The ending did not disappoint me, as "Running With the Demon" did. This book fulfilled its promise and I am so glad I read it. I highly recommend it.

It exerts the demon in John Ross's life and it also explains the magic that we all have in ourselves. it is a little on the lopside with the adventures but it gives great descriptions of the characters and really shows them in the real world.

NO DEFINITION OF THE MAGIC, LEFT TO THE READERS IMAGINATION. SOME ACCEPTANCE BY READER OF BACKGROUND. LEAVES MUCH TO IMAGINATION, PLOT MOVES SLOWLY. STORY RESULTS ARE PREDICTABLE. THE BOOK IS A PREQUEL AND THE NEXT 2 BOOKS IN THE SERIES ARE MUCH THE SAME.

I have been a Terry Brooks fan for years, and have enjoyed many of his works. Knight of the word is the great fight between good and evil. The people are like modern day super hero's, they just don't know it. This is not his greatest work and the hero and the villain are known right away but still a good read.