Bloodfire Quest: The Dark Legacy of Shannara

This continues the Shannara series from Terry Brooks, and I couldn't wait until it came out. I started reading it when I bought it on the store and then I finished it last night. Very good book from beginning to end. Thank you Terry for continuing the Shannara series at its very best.

I have been a fan of the series and Terry brooks writing style for a long time. I also like that the fact that he has sped up the narrative which, obviously, allows him to finish this series in three books.

Once again, Terry Brooks has managed to enthrall me with his brilliant art of story-telling. The characters come to life as the next generation of Ohmsfords and Ellessidils (sp?) journey on their adventures. I couldn't wait to see what each next page would reveal. Oh, hurry and release the next book, please!

I've read every single Shannara - for the last decade I've chewed through each one the moment it came out. The latest is not really His best work. We've been saving the Ellcrys before. We've gone to the forbidding before. We've done both much better before. The main challenge with this one is that it is a rehash of Elfstones. And Elfstones remains in my mind the single best Shannara ever. Tough to beat. Foolish to try.

Also, way too many people are killed off. Too many characters ending up head-on-pike.

With his usual aplomb, Terry brooks provides a well developed story that is interesting and creative. The surprises are somewhat expected, and seem a bit contrived at times, but it works well. Sure wish that all those poor suckers that get killed off making an ultimate sacrifice for the good of mankind had faces, names and lives outside of their brief spot in the story where they get mercilessly terminated.

Trouble continues to brew in Shannara in this second book in the latest Shannara trilogy. This is not a stand-alone novel--like with the first, this book ends leaving one in eager anticipation for the third.

The Ellcrys seeks a successor. Paranor is destroyed and abandoned. The Federation, with a new and more insidiously dangerous leader, has spies and agents even within the realm of the Elves.
The Ard Rhys and one of the Ohmsford boys are captives in the Forbidding.
Help may rest in two Elven sisters, one who bears the Elfstones.

Some of this may seem familiar--the Four Lands are rarely ever safe.

But what always resonates well in the world of Shannara are the conflicts and choices facing the characters. There are tensions between individuals and societies: The Elf-girl Alphen, in choosing the life of a Druid, is estranged from her mother, and not trusted by most Elves. She pledges to help her sister, one of the Chosen of the Ellcrys, to find a way through a painful, perhaps terrible, life-choice. But Alphen is torn as to how to do that, without losing her sister forever. Redding and Railing, the Ohmsford boys, both love the Rover girl Mirai, but must also honor their bond to each other, no matter where that bond may lead them. The Federation seeks to dominate the rest of the Four Lands. It has already sent assassins after Alphen and her sister, and it destroyed Paranor, in attempt to acquire or end the Druid magic. But how will it respond if and when the Forbidding opens-and it is already weakening and open in some places-and all the monstrous and demonic hordes kept locked in there surge forth into the Four Lands.

There are also the terrible choices the characters face. How can they search for Grainne Ohmsford, the former Ard Rhys, the Ilse Witch, when they don't know where she may be, or even if she still lives. Yet she may hold the key to stopping the demonic horde from invading. What will Arling decide-to take up the task given her by the Ellcrys, or can she find an alternative but successful way to protect her lands and peoples?

Some characters surprisingly (or perhaps not so) won't last beyond this second book in the latest trilogy. The deaths of characters for whom the reader cheers lends a bit of darkness to this otherwise noble tale of brave questing. But the novel is a page-turner, even if a bit familiar. One can hope things will end well, but one is left not quite knowing who will be the final hero. That wondering is the magical draw of the Shannara stories.

Gotta say this three book series, so far, has reminded me so much of the original three books (Sword, Elfstones and Wishsong) and the Heritage series. Complex, suspenseful, and extremely entertaining. I am on the edge of my seat reading these like I was when I was a teenager reading the orginal series, and again in my twenties reading the Hertiage series.

I've always been impressed with Mr Brook's ability to captivate me as he weaves his stories, from the word and void series, to the Landover series (which I read while deployed in Iraq). I might add that I have never laughed outloud while reading a book till the Magic Kingdom for sale...Sold book.

Shannara continues, in my opinion, to the best best fantasy series that exists. Nothing comes close to it now, and I believe that everything that comes afterwards will be compared to it.

Good job Mr Brooks, keep up the great work!

I loved this addition to the Shannara Series. It is much like the other books he's written, but it gives further insight to what happened to some of the other characters from the past, and shows how history repeats it self, just like in our world. I don't know if this happened to anyone else, but I am missing pages 281 thru 296 in my book.

At first I was bothered that he's done the bloodfire/in the forbidden thing before, but the more I read the more interesting it got. Once I was halfway through I couldn't put it down. Great book by an amazing author. I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good book.

I was so looking forward to getting this book because I thought it was a true hard cover. I got it today, the shipping was amazing, and it's nothing more than a paperback with a hard cover. Really disappointing! I guess I'll have to read the description better next time.

I am sorry, after reading other reviews of which I cannot agree with, I found this second book of Dark Legacy of Shannara series to be very disappointing and a huge let down and is the worst that I have read. The first book of the series was bad enough, but this one "takes the cake". I was an avid Brooks fan, but after following the fantastical, can't put the book down, second to none original Shannara series, in this latest series the magic and that wonderful Brooks fantasy has all but gone for me. I skipped so many pages out of boredom on the decks of the flying ships - which I hate with a passion as they don't belong in this world of fantasy - trying to find somewhere of interest, and only found this in the small parts where the magic and the monsters did resurface akin to the age old magic of Shannara. I know I will buy the 3rd edition as I want to know how the Ellcrys Tree comes out, just hope the indecision of the characters doesn't drag on again, and hope the flying ships crash beyond repair and resurrection at the very beginning of the book, otherwise it will be a book with very few pages read.

I got my first copy the day it was released. Got to page 280 and the next page was 297. Did a replacement and got my new copy last night. Again missing pages 281-296. I'd do a replacement request again but is it going to be missing the same pages? Trying to find an email address for the store ...

This book picks up right after the first book "Wards of Faerie" and it just gets worse for the group of heroes. The Ard Rhys and party are still in the Forbidding and that is bad, very bad, and Aphenglow Elessedil has taken her sister to the Bloodfire to renew the Ellcrys, but the idiot humans are pursuing them thinking there is magic to be found. And the elves are starting to get ready for the failing of the Forbidding. And another quest to bring back a former druid is underway (which I won't spoil). There are a lot of storylines going on, and some get skipped for a while, but its all good, because its like chaos is going on in The Four Lands, and that's how the story flows.

Brooks is not being nice here, it's one of his darkest series (and this book specifically) that he has ever written, and I like it. It remind me of his earlier work like The Elfstones of Shannara" which is his best work, in my opinion, and so far these first two books are as good as anything he has written. You know somehow this is going to end up fine in the end, but right now after reading this second book in the series I don't know how, as he's just decimated everyone that was introduced in the first book in this series. It's very exciting, and it's been making me turn the pages as fast as I can read wanting more. Great stuff; the best Brooks in a long while, and highly recommended!

"It all came down to Aleia Omarosian—the first of the Chosen, the original Ellcrys, but also the one responsible for the theft of the missing Elfstones."

I'm with Arlingfant Elessedil. When Ellcrys really chooses you run from the scene screaming. After all we know what happened last time.
Who wants to turn into a rooted tree even if it does live for age upon age?
Arlingfant and her sister Aphenglow Elessedil are of the Chosen who live at Arborlon and tend to the tree Ellcrys. The tree that maintains the barrier between the Four Lands and the Forbidding. But Ellcrys is dying and needs a successor.
Ellcrys has chosen Arlingfant.
"You will carry my seed to the Bloodfire and immerse it and then return to me, and through you I will be renewed and the Forbidding will hold".
Arlingfant knows what this will mean for her!
Aphenglow knows about the elf stones and knows that these might be all that stand between her sister and her frightening future. The search is on. Aphen also knows that she and her sister are linked by heredity back to Aleia Omarosian and that this is not coincidence.
Once again Brooks had me wading through a sea of unbelievable action, a quest for the magical Elfstone, the terrifying Forbidding and the race to save the Four Lands. The choices to save the four lands and block the creatures from the Forbidding is growing slimmer. A maelstrom of relentless action from the opening pages.

A NetGalley ARC

The mission to recover the long-lost elf-stones has ended with destruction of the druid order, the loss of most of the quest's members, and the capture of the Ard Rhys and Redden Ohmsford. Worse, the barrier that has separated the four lands from the forbidding is weakening and the monsters are at the verge of spilling over, destroying the lands of elves and humans.

The breakdown in the barrier is caused by the slow death of the great tree, Ellcrys, who has selected Arling, an elf-princess, to be her unwilling heir. Now, Arling's sister, Aphenglow, must abandon her quest for the stones and help Arling discover how to renew the tree... and somehow prevent the sacrifice that is necessary if the barriers are to be renewed.

Author Terry Brooks can tell a compelling story (which is why he now has dozens of Shannara stories as well as his other series and books). And BLOODFIRE has its good moments, especially the battle between Aphenglow and the elf-hunter Cymrian (on one side) and the assassin Stoon with his trio of mutant-killers. I felt that the story ended on a high point, with a real cliff-hanger (sorry guys, it's a series, you don't get a resolution), with the strongest elements of the novel bringing up the end, and with clear objectives for the protagonists as they wrestle with the sequel. Too much of BLOODFIRE, though, was all about getting there. Arling resolves not to come to terms with her selection by the Ellcrys, Redden sits in prison and worries, Redden's brother, Railing, tries to decide what to do not that his brother is captured (and possibly dead). Shapeshifter (and daughter of a druid) Oriantha wanders around looking to rescue Redden (although her motivation for doing so isn't especially clear), while not actually doing much.

There seems to be a tendency in fantasy series to flip from story aspect to story aspect, to juggle a collection of independent story lines, to make sure new story lines emerge as older ones wrap up, and to never actually get anywhere. Combined with middle book-itus, this can make for some painful reading. Fortunately, BLOODFIRE QUEST avoids the worst of these dangers. We have a primary story line (the quest for the Ellcrys), a primary character (Aphenglow), and a ticking clock (the breakdown in the barrier). Still, it seemed to me that we spent way too much time waiting, discussing options (or refusing to accept the reality that there were no options). Brooks's strong story-telling at the end helped sell the next book, but it also made me wonder why it hadn't been on display the whole way through.

If you're a fan of Shannara, and especially if you've been reading THE DARK LEGACY mini-series, you'll want to grab BLOODFIRE. It definitely isn't one of those books where nothing happens to the point where you can skip the whole thing. I wouldn't recommend starting here, though.

The second book in Terry Brooks's trilogy, The Dark Legacy of Shannara, Bloodfire Quest does not disappoint. Unlike the middle books of his last three Shannara trilogies, Bloodfire Quest causes the reader to turn pages as fast as they can be read. I haven't read a Shannara book in three sittings or less since the fourth volume of the Heritage series. This book as well as the first book in the Dark Legacy trilogy was reminiscent of Brooks' earlier works. In short, Brooks has put a new fire into the series which was desperately needed. The last five Shannara books were written to tie his Shannara world to that of the Void series and in my opinion none of them were anywhere close to being a good Shannara entry.

The problem with Brooks' trilogies is that the middle books have tended to drag and extend the conflict in the story lines. I have thought that he could have just added three or four chapters to the first and last books in those trilogies and just skipped the middle book altogether. The plots were good, but I felt like the middle books were created as a way to make money for the publisher. This is definitely not the case with Bloodfire Quest. As a devoted Shannarite who has read every book in the long running series I equate this trilogy with the Heritage series as being action packed and containing a good plot line with interesting characters. Actually, the plot line is so interesting that some of the secondary characters aren't as fleshed out as they could be, but that does not detract from the book at all.

The main characters are fleshed out quite well. I do wish he would stop killing off the Troll Guards who along with Elven Hunters are the Shannara equivalent of red shirt wearers in Star Trek. There is no point in even bothering to give them names as they only exist to die in defense of others. Brooks does well though in creating suspense for the rest of the cast by adding in elements of human behavior and then stirring the pot. The hunger for power and the willingness to disregard ominous warnings is familiar to readers, but then that is reflective of reality.

The end result is that I am really hungry for the concluding volume of this trilogy. I felt that way after reading Wards of Faerie and I have not felt this way since the first volume of the Ilse Witch trilogy. With that said, I am glad to see that Brooks has gotten his game back with the Dark Legacy trilogy.

The Dark Legacy continues, with the Bloodfire Quest. Young Arlingfant, twin sister of the Druid Aphenglow, is chosen by the dying Ellcrys (Amberle, from The Elfstones of Shannara) to become the next Ellcyrs, but Arlingfant doesn't want it, probably because she does not want to turn into a tree, but reluctantly, she takes on the quest because she has to protect the world from the creatures of the Forbidding. But this is NOT "The Elfstones of Shannara." Edinja, new ruler of the Federation tries to stop them but sending out an assassin and Federation troops, for what reason, we don't know, nor does she seem to know what she is really doing in this case.
Meanwhile, two other quests take place in this book. Redden, the Ard Rhys (Khyber Elessidil), and some of their companions find themselves in the Forbidding, where they meet up with Tael Riverine. Many of the main characters are killed, and Tael's goal is to find Grianne Ohmsford and make her his wife and bear his children, and sets out on his own quest to find her. Grianne, as we remember was once the Ilse Witch and later the High Druid who was pulled into the Forbidding as Tael Riverine's prisoner, but she later escaped, from the previous trilogies, "The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara" and "The High Druid of Shannara." Grianne, however, went to the sleep in the Tanequil and was never seen again. It was rumored that she awoken but no one knew for sure, and we don't find out until the next book.
In the last quest, Railing sets out to find his brother Redden, with the help of Mirai Leah, a female highland, descendent of Menion in the original Sword of Shannara. Railing starts by setting out to search for Grianne, to see is she will return to Tael Riverine, (or at least fight him, which is my own guess), but he encounters the King of the Silver River telling him not all is as it seems, and that he must avert his quest. Whether or not he does remains to be seen.
There is a surprise ending, a cliff hanger, that will want you to buy the next book, Witch Wraith. In the meantime, this book is full of surprises, and many of the main characters are killed, to fulfill a prophecy. (Only one will come back from the Forbidding). There is also a battle in the Fangs, the very northeast corner of the Four lands after the Walker Boh crashed and those left behind from the entrance to the Forbidding find themselves battling gruesome creatures, probably from the Forbidding.
All in all, it is an interesting book, the second of The Dark Legacy of Shannara. Obviously, read the first book before coming to this one. The third will be coming out this summer, so you don't have to wait long.

The is the second book in " The Dark Legacy of Shannara" series; the Ellcrys tree is dying and has to be renewed to keep the horrors trapped in the Forbidden land from escaping. Arlingfant Elessedil has been chosen and is reluctant to take the seed to the Bloodfire, knowing the ultimate cost of that decision. She fights her inner fears and weaknesses as her sister Aphenglow and the elf hunter Camprian struggle to help the young girl even if it means accompanying her on a search for the Bloodfire. Entwined into this plot Terry Brooks has woven the struggle of the Ard Rys, Kyber Elessedil, and her party as they search for the lost elf stones inside the Forbidden. Because the magical barrier is failing the Ard Rys has found a way into the wasteland but can she and her party find a way out of the chaos and death that lurks inside. Like all of Terry Brooks novels the story is filled with action and suspense, magical creatures, heroism, courage, and self-sacrifice.
Once in the grip of the novel it never lets you go. Even the ending leaves the reader with high expectations for the third book in the series. I have always been an admirer of Terry Brooks writing style, the way he blends triumph and tragedy, human weakness and strength of character, and I highly recommend it to everyone who loves high-fantasy.

Wards of Faerie only hinted at what was coming. There may be more chaos and death in this cycle of Shannara than any other. Brooks doesn't go into the level of darkness of Goodkind of others, but that has been overdone. Give enough detail and let your mind fill in the rest. Longtime fans of Shannara will also like how closely tied this series is to some of the previous books (in particular the The High Druid of Shannara Trilogy). Most of Brooks' series are designed to be far removed from the previous (not that you have to read High Druid, but you'll want to after this). This book ends with much turmoil for the heroes, who will survive? Yes, there is some familiar themes in here: elfstones, Ellcrys, etc., but I have to wonder if Brooks is setting us up for something far bigger?

Bloodfire Quest (2013) is the second Fantasy novel in the Dark Legacy subseries of the Shannara series, following Wards of Faerie. The initial volume in this sequence is The Sword of Shannara.

In the previous volume, the action returned to the time of the Four Lands a century after the Third Druid Order. The elves no longer had much use for their magic. Yet Aphen was looking within the ancient Elf archives for information about lost or discarded talismans and spells.

Almost a year to the day after starting her search, Aphen found a diary from thousands of years past. It related the loss of most of the Elfstones. A Darkling boy had stolen them all except the blue seeking-stones.

That evening, an assassin tried to strangle her. Arling intervened and saved her life, but the assassin escaped. later, Aphen learned the assassin was not alone.

Another attempt was made against her the next day. This time Aphen was fully alert and successfully resisted him. Despite her efforts to catch him alive, she used too much force and killed the assassin. He was a human.

Aphen returned to Paranor and reported her findings. She suggested that the Ard Rhys be awakened. Only Pleysia argued against the wakening.

In this novel, Aphenglow Elessedil is a young Druid. Aphen is the granddaughter of the King of the Elves.

Emperowen Elessedil is King of the Elven people. He has ruled for eighty years and has health problems. He is looking forward to relinquishing the throne.

Ellich Elessedil is the brother of Emperowen and the great-uncle of Aphen. She calls him Uncle, but he has been more like a father to her. He is married to Vera.

Arlingfant is Aphen's sister. Arling is a Chosen tending to the Ellcrys, the magical tree of the elves.

Khyber Elessedil is the Ard Rhys of the Druids. She is resting in Druid sleep while waiting for the others to need her. The magic keeps her informed of events.

Pleysia Ariana is an Elf. She is also a member of the Fourth Druid Order.

Seersha is a Dwarf. She is also a Druid.

Carrick is a Human. He is also a Druid.

Carce Coram is a Dwarf. He was formerly a king of the dwarves.

Orintha is a half breed. She is the daughter of Pleysia and a shapeshifter.

Woostra is a Human. He is not a Druid, but is trusted with their records at Paranor.

Cymrian is an Elf. He serves as Aphen's protector.

Redden and Railing Ohmsford are young twins with a human father and an elven mother. Insofar as anyone knows, they are the last living males in the Ohmsford family. Their father died while helping the Druids and now their mother Sarys hates magic and Druids.

Mirai Leah is a Rover. Redden and Railing are in love with her, but she treats them both equally.

Drust Chazul was the Minister of the Treasury within the Federation. Then he was the compromise selection as Prime Minister.

Edinja Orle is a sorceress from a magical family. She had lost her bid for the post of Prime Minister and then she disappeared.

Stoon is a very talented assassin. He had an exclusive contract with Chazul.

Tesla Dart is an Ulk Bog. She is the niece of Weka Dart. She is always moving around.

In this story, the Ellcrys mindspeaks to Arling and tells her that the tree needs her assistance. The Ellcrys is dying and Arling is chosen to take a seed to the Bloodfire to quicken it. Arling wants to help, but is terrified of the consequences. She runs home and tells Aphen that she cannot become the next Ellcrys.

Aphen calms her sister and suggests explaining to the Ellcrys that she is not the proper candidate for the task. She accompanies Arling to the Ellcrys and watches her try to refuse the task. The Ellcrys knows how Arling feels, but insists that Arling is the only Chosen who can perform the task.

Aphen and Arling return to Paranor with Woostra and Cymrian. Woostra and Aphen enter the keep though an escape tunnel and climb to the records room. They discover the general area of the Bloodfire and then return to Arborlon.

Aphen and Arling confer with Emperowen and Ellich about the dying of the Ellcrys. Aphen asks for, and gets, the blue Elfstones to find the Bloodfire. Then Aphen and Arling prepare to leave on their quest.

A changeling spy of Edinja hears their plans and attacks Aphen on their way to the airport. Cambrian foils the attack and they hurriedly take off on the quest. The spy observes their departure and sends a message to Edinja.

Chazul was killed by Stoon after the failed assault on Paranor. Now Stoon works for Edinja and usually meets her in the bedroom of the Prime Minister's official suite.. One day, she summons him to her private quarters.

Edinja is celebrating the year of their association. She also wants him to discover more about Aphen's quest. Stoon tries to refuse the orders, but she insists. She also gives him three magically mutated creatures to protect him from Aphen.

Meanwhile, the Ard Rhys is searching for the missing Orintha and Carce. She and the others follow the path of the dragon that had flown off with the two. As they travel, they meet Tesla and she accompanies them.

The Ulk Bog warns them not to follow the dragon. Pleysia surges ahead to find her daughter. Soon, only Redden and the Ard Rhys are left.

Seersha has remained behind with the weak and wounded. They are attacked by Goblins, killing Carrick and others and breaking Railing's leg. Then Carce returns from the Forbidding.

Carce reports that Khyber and Redden have taken been taken by the Jarka Ruus and Pleysia was killed. Orintha and Tesla have stayed behind to try to rescue the captives. Seersha breaks the coin to signal Mirai to come pick them up.

Mirai tries to rescue them, but a storm disrupts the rescue attempt. The airship is wrecked and Mirai is left hanging in a tree. Mirai is rescued by Seersha.

This tale leaves the Druids missing their leader. Mirai and Railing return without Redden, but vow to rescue him from the Forbidding. Yet first they have another task.

Most of the questers looking for the Elfstones are lost. Aphen and Arling are still looking for the Bloodfire. Stoon soon follows Aphen in the search for the Bloodfire.

The author has learned how to terminate characters. The next installment in this sequence is Witch Wraith.

Highly recommended for Brooks fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of various magics, political intrigue, and a bit of romance. Read and enjoy!

-Arthur W. Jordin

This is an improvement over the first book in the trilogy, in large part due to the absence of the bumbling, inept druids that plagued the first installment. Granted, they're still outmatched in this novel, but for far better reasons than just being gullible and foolish.

So it's a nice change of pace when it looks like Bloodfire Quest is heading toward more of the adventure that has made past Shannara books so enjoyable. Unfortunately, the adventures seem short-lived. The first half of the book involves a lot of backtracking, returning to locations already covered in book one. The titular quest itself doesn't seem to start until very late, and though it's packed with plenty of action, the book seems to end before the quest gets very far. And while that part of the story is slow to get moving, the other half (involving the rest of the heroes trapped in the first book) seems to take up very little real estate in this book. It's almost as though that part of the story is skimming along too quickly, especially compared to the slow pace of the main quest.

So I'm not sure what to make of this series at this point. I was pretty excited to see such a short interval between publishing dates for each part of the trilogy. It certainly makes it easier to resume the story and remember the characters involved. But the way the action and story telling have been truncated in this book I almost get the impression that we're reading a duology that's been split into a trilogy. It's a good way to make more money I suppose.

And will Mr. Brooks get more of my money? Probably. But based on the pacing to this point I'm fully expecting a final installment that is jam-packed with action and adventure. Let's hope that's the case.

(Three-and-a-half stars)

The book is called "Bloodfire Quest". Yet they don't come anywhere near said artifact. If that's not telling, I don't know what is.

So the book is the second in the Dark Legacy of Shannara series. I bought it on Audible since I had a free one and there was simply no way I was paying $14 for a Kindle edition (I note that as of the date of this, the Kindle edition has FINALLY dropped to a more reasonable $8, of course since Witch Wraith: The Dark Legacy of Shannara is due to come out next month). I also figured I would use this as an additional opportunity to make greater use of audio books as, depending on the reader, I have found them to be entertaining as I grow older. The reader of this one does an excellent job of bringing the characters to life, so I highly recommend it - just not at full price, mind. Look for Immersion Reading pricing or something if you have a compatible Kindle.

Anyway, in "Bloodfire Quest", there is a strong focus on the events in the Forbidding and Arling's hesitation, bordering on refusal, to take up the charge of becoming the next Ellcrys. Unlike in The Elfstones of Shannara (The Sword of Shannara), the Ellcrys this time has a much better and clearer memory of what needs to be done. If you haven't read Elfstones I suggest you do so if only for the comparison in characters. There, it's clear the Ellcrys was totally not expecting the events that were about to unfurl that led her to become the tree. Here, you're left wondering if it's Amberle or someone else that replaced her afterwards. Since the death of the Ellcrys is always marked by breaches in the Forbidding, and given the anger of Tael Riverine at the end of The High Druid of Shannara Trilogy, one might assume that another breach attempt was made, but it's never clear what happened.

My problem with this book was two-fold. First, it read out as 80% conflicted love interests and 20% true action. Second, not only did it seem to throw out nearly everything that was built up in Wards of Faerie, the book felt like it was trying to go in a totally different direction. If I had to draw an analogy, it was like Wards of Faerie was like something from Books' Heritage series in terms of writing style and appeal, where Bloodfire Quest is more like the Voyage series. "Rehash" is mentioned by other reviewers and that felt quite strong here. The actual faerie magic itself is rarely seen or used, and you've got a lot of artifacts from previous series. There's a Federation who is being controlled, evil magicians, a conflicted Elf, and for the first time, a Leah who is essentially pointless.

While I haven't read the third book, I know some who have. All I can say, is that I will add this and the third to my collection, both at the $8 price. It's a strong probability I will skip the full price on this series. I will hope with crossed fingers that Brooks can go back to the great writing style and delivery he showcased in The Heritage of Shannara.

This is a great middle act for this series. Everything about this is awesome. It's nicely dark as all middle acts should be and everything goes to crap. Maybe it's me, but it seems we have a higher body count of major and main characters than in other series in Shannara-land. Maybe I'm wrong. But good continuation of the plot. Cannot wait to read book 3.

In a time when the world was young, before the age of man, when magic ruled the day in a world of Faerie, the Elves waged war against demons and darkness. Understanding that the world needed balance but no longer wanting endless war, the Elves called upon all their strength and crafted the Forbidding --- a magical barrier that imprisoned the demons and kept the Four Lands free and safe. But the barrier could only be maintained by the Ellcrys, and should the Ellcrys die, the Forbidding would fail and the demons would be loosed.

Within the pages of BLOODFIRE QUEST, author Terry Brooks brings the world to just such a brink. The Ellcrys is beginning to fade, but she has named her successor --- young Arlingphant Elessedil. Arlingphant, however, is terrified and heartbroken, for to take on the role of the Ellcrys is to sacrifice yourself, to give up life in order to give the Ellcrys tree new birth and keep the world safe. This rebirth requires the finding of the Bloodfire, and so a quest must be mounted to locate the fountain before it's too late. Arlingphant is reluctant to take on this task, wanting instead to join her sister, Aphenglow, as a Druid. Wanting to keep her life.

The Druid Order, however, is in shambles following the events in WARDS OF FAERIE. Paranor has been sealed following the failed siege by Drust Chazhul, and the Ard Rhys Khyber Elessedil has undertaken a mission to locate the two lost Elfstones. The Ard Rhys and her companions have now discovered that the Forbidding is, in fact, failing, and they have found themselves trapped on the other side, in the land of the Jarka Ruus. Hunted by savage beasts and the Straken Lord, Tael Riverine, the team seeking the Elfstones is no longer concerned with their quest. Their only hope now is to stay alive. Surprisingly, they find aid in the form of Tesla Dart, a creature related to Weka Dart, who once saved Ard Rhys Grianne Ohmsford from Tael's prison.

Outside the wavering Forbidding, Seersha and her crew have likewise been besieged by beasts, every night seeing their group diminish under a savage onslaught. Railing Ohmsford suffers with a broken leg and longs for his brother, Reddon, to return safely. But he is losing hope that any of them will survive. When the last ragged survivors learn that Khyber Elessedil and Redden Ohmsford have become prisoners to the Straken Lord, their hopes fade further, for what he demands for their release is impossible: bring back Grianne Ohmsford to him. But the former Ard Rhys is nothing but spirit now, and so the fate of the Four Lands is set to tip into calamity.

BLOODFIRE QUEST does not suffer your often standard second book syndrome -- that volume that serves only to tie the beginning and ending of a trilogy together. This novel is packed with multiple story arcs that interconnect, and is teeming with action and despair alike. It is, in every respect, a true page-turner. Longtime fans of the Shannara series will enjoy the deepening history with the Grianne Ohmsford/Tesla Dart/Tael Riverine connections. New readers will not be lost if they've not read the previous books, though they absolutely should read WARDS OF FAERIE beforehand. And once again, waiting for the finale will not be an issue as the final installment, WITCH WRAITH, will hit shelves later this summer.

Terry Brooks shows no signs of slowing down or becoming stagnant in his ideas. Shannara continues to deepen, and Brooks continues to color his world with new hues, making each return visit a worthwhile one. His characters, particularly with this installment, are extraordinarily burdened by seemingly impossible odds and by losses that mount with every passing chapter. The relationships within are strained, some are deepened, and new unions must be formed if Tael Riverine is to be stopped and his demons secured behind a Forbidding made strong by a reborn Ellcrys. BLOODFIRE QUEST is an epic adventure packed into 350 pages, delivering more of a punch than many trilogies provide in three books.

Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard

Another great read by Mr Brooks! Picks up right after the Wards of Faerie and holds you at the edge of your seat until the end ... which leaves you wanting to get to the next in the series.
I love how all the books in the Shannara series are tied together. Keeps all of the older stories alive and relevant.
Looking forward to the next!

I really like the technical ability of Terry Brooks, but let's face it, nothing happens in this book. In fact, the plot line actually regresses. As I read the book, I found myself saying "no, don't do that, it I wouldn't do it" way too often. The whole book centers around groups of people making bad decisions in what seems to be an effort to fill pages.

I understand this strategy, but at least in George R.R. Martin's books, he does things, plots move along, people die in interesting ways... Can't say that much happens in this book that you could not summarize in 2-3 pages.

I enjoyed this book as much as the first. I was glad to see some people get what was coming to them but sorry to see so many new friends senselessly lose their lives. Why did they HAVE to go after those stupid elf stones? I am anxious to read the next book! Counting the days till it comes out.

This is my favorite of the three novels in the Dark Legacy of Shannara series. So many twists and turns and each of the characters storylines is as good as the others. Just Excellent. Whoever edited this series did a great job.

Having waited anxiously for this work, I have to say I am somewhat disappointed- it felt very familiar, very slow moving, and just not that intriguing. Not what I have come to expect from Terry. Hope the next one changes direction and moves a little faster. Haven't we already heard about the elcrys and the bloodfire?

I can never get tired of Terry Brooks' writing...whether it's about elves and Shannara or Landover with its special magics. He creates worlds and characters that seem as though they could come alive off the pages. The life lessons woven within each story are worth learning. Anxious to read the next book in this series. It can't come quickly enough!

Look, I love Terry Brooks. That being said, I don't think this book will win any awards. It was well written and fun to read. It further explores the Shannara world, which is always fun. I liken it to eating a Twinkie. You can eat it and enjoy it for what it is. That's the same here.

Druids, Elves, Ohmsfords, Ellcrys, Elfstones, the Forbidding, Wishsong, the King of the Silver River etc. It's all very repetitive. In fact, if you've read one Shannara series, you've read them all. No seriously, if you've read one Shannara series chances are you've literally read them all.

Despite general repetitions, Terry Brooks writes a great story. Multiple story lines, interesting characters and exciting action sequences move the reader quickly through the book. Usually a new twist or two is thrown in for good measure. Through two books nothing mind blowing, but enough to keep it fresh. Hope there's something more in the third book.

Three stars from this reader. More historical ties, new exploration to the east and south, more new technologies/magics, etc. welcome. But keep it coming Mr.Brooks and we will keep reading.

I really liked this book... Terry Brooks is a great writer... I'm just upset that it ended & have to wait till summer when I will forget what happened in this book, lol... Really disappointed in Railing thought he would make the right decision... Sighs!!!

Having waited anxiously for this work, I have to say I am somewhat disappointed- it felt very familiar, very slow moving, and just not that intriguing. Not what I have come to expect from Terry. Hope the next one changes direction and moves a little faster. Haven't we already heard about the elcrys and the bloodfire?

I can never get tired of Terry Brooks' writing...whether it's about elves and Shannara or Landover with its special magics. He creates worlds and characters that seem as though they could come alive off the pages. The life lessons woven within each story are worth learning. Anxious to read the next book in this series. It can't come quickly enough!

Look, I love Terry Brooks. That being said, I don't think this book will win any awards. It was well written and fun to read. It further explores the Shannara world, which is always fun. I liken it to eating a Twinkie. You can eat it and enjoy it for what it is. That's the same here.

Druids, Elves, Ohmsfords, Ellcrys, Elfstones, the Forbidding, Wishsong, the King of the Silver River etc. It's all very repetitive. In fact, if you've read one Shannara series, you've read them all. No seriously, if you've read one Shannara series chances are you've literally read them all.

Despite general repetitions, Terry Brooks writes a great story. Multiple story lines, interesting characters and exciting action sequences move the reader quickly through the book. Usually a new twist or two is thrown in for good measure. Through two books nothing mind blowing, but enough to keep it fresh. Hope there's something more in the third book.

Three stars from this reader. More historical ties, new exploration to the east and south, more new technologies/magics, etc. welcome. But keep it coming Mr.Brooks and we will keep reading.

I really liked this book... Terry Brooks is a great writer... I'm just upset that it ended & have to wait till summer when I will forget what happened in this book, lol... Really disappointed in Railing thought he would make the right decision... Sighs!!!

Bloodfire Quest starts quickly, picking up right where Wards of Faerie left off, and stays interesting and action-packed throughout the whole book. I found it exciting enough to complete in a single long afternoon. However, after finishing I was left with a profound "meh" feeling.

No matter how exciting or interesting the story was, I just couldn't get myself to care about any of the characters. A lot of character development from Wards of Faerie seems all but forgotten. Some of the new character development is unbelievably forced into about 2 paragraphs. Furthermore, one of the characters has developed an angsty love interest problem that reads like the character is in junior high and not a life-or-death situation.

Also, the foreshadowing in this book is more akin to hitting you in the face with what is about to happen. The outcome of every major event was revealed nearly every time at least a chapter before. Unfortunately, the included preview for Witch Wraith reveals that it's probably going to follow this predictable path as well.

This is a book that could have benefited from it being longer. Better character development and depth would have taken it a long way. Even so, it's still a very good continuation to the series, and I'm really looking forward to Witch Wraith this summer.

As others have noted, much of the plot is recycled and dialogue is stunted. I remember the original books being so much better than the last few series. A lot of running around for no apparent reason or sudden deaths of characters. (Some minor characters (trolls, elven hunters, etc.) just end up missing or quickly dismissed as dead and major characters seem to lack common sense resisting their own deaths). If you are looking for more complexity, try the Malazan Books of the Fallen.

When I saw that the entire Dark Legacy series was available I decided to start reading the Shannara books from the very beginning. now I am 75% though Bloodfire Quest. I am so disappointed but will finish this book and the series because I have already purchased them. It is very difficult to become attached to any of the characters because Terry seems to want to give them the George RR Martin treatment. But I will slog through the rest and then move on to other authors.

The good news is that Terry Brooks will be releasing each book within a six month span of the last one, so over the course of a year you will be able to read all three books in the series. The bad news, for me at least, is that I won't want to.

I had attempted to begin to read the Shannarah series before, but found myself bored and gave up. Then about 7 months ago I decided to give it another go and read Wards of Faerie. Wards was very slow to start, but finally at the very end the story picked up and I was on board. I thought this the second book in The Dark Legacy of Shannara trilogy would pick right up where the last one left off. While the story did, the action did not. The story picks up with Alring still trying to whine her way out of being the the next Ellcrys. Finally we get to Ard Rhys and crew where the real action should be, and are literally given two pages of action before those character's return to discussing everything too. Once again I got bored and abandoned the book.

I am still huge fan of Terry Brooks Magic Kingdom of Landover series, but I can not connect with Shannarah. The story moves to slow for me, there is a lack of action, and the characters are not endearing to me. I will not be reading the last book in the trilogy, and I will not be attempting to read any of the other books past or future in the Shannarah series.

Terry Brooks manages to continue his story and keep the suspense going. Quests happen all over and the heroes are scattered to different parts of the world. This is a nice fusion of old Shannara history and something new that is still a magical tale. If you liked the previous books, you will like this.

First, I've read EVERY book and story written by Brooks, including his writing memoirs. He is indeed one of my favorite authors.

This book however, and this trilogy to this point, is a tired rehash of old plot points and reused narratives. I haven't been this disappointed since re-reading Sword of Shannara a couple of years back and realizing just what a terribly poor, badly written adaptation of Tolkien it really was. His writing certainty improved after that - and today I consider him to be a phenomenal story-teller... Assuming there's a story to tell that is.

Quite simply, it's boring. Every time I turned the page, I found myself wondering aloud 'haven't I already read this story?' My hope is that the next one will present newer and better material; with a dose of something other than lost elf stones and dying trees. Some of the earlier books introduced exciting new characters and challenges that stood well on their own - it's time to reawaken that spirit of imagination.