The Gypsy Morph (Genesis Of Shannara Book 3)

I had planned to purchase this book regardless of what any reviewers said simply because I was already committed to the series and wanted to know what happened.

For whatever reason, this particular book was burdened with far too much useless dialog that did little to develop the story. There are too many pages of text devoted to boring, pointless conversations among the characters (or to the private thoughts of given characters). There was comparatively little action. It's almost as though Brooks is trying to give his characters more depth in this book, but it feels contrived and affected, and the effort falls flat in this book.

Greate read! I have to say that the chapters about Wills haunted me for a few nights.

I enjoyed the Genesis of Shannara series and the The Word and the Void series as much or even more than the rest of the Shannara books.

I highly recommend all of them. I hope there are more to come.

Another great novel from Terry Brooks.I wait in anticipation for every book from this author.sometime even go back and read the book from before and never get bored.if you like the likes of terry Pratchett you will love this writer AAA+++

The Gypsy Morph finally gives hope to what has been a dark series of stories. As I finish every book I can hardly wait for the next one. Terry Brooks is an intriguing writer and captivates the reader through his visual descriptions.

This was a fitting end to a long long journey that really started in Angel Fire East. The events of Nest Freemarks life and the world her child was born into blend seamlessly with this new trilogy. Well done Mr. Brooks.

I've always been a Terry Brooks fan, and read the original Shanarra series years back and loved them. This set is somewhat different. Not as whimsical, much darker, with heroes who are almost anti heroes but for all that they are a great read. I'm pretty certain that any fan of Brooks or the genre in general will thoroughly enjoy them. I know I will be reading the next series as soon as I get them.

My husband loves Terry Brooks, and this series, according to him, was the best yet. I've never seen him get so involved in book before. Of course I had to sit there and listen to him describing what he had read. Not my kind of book, but, it was his. He'd tell everybody to read this book if they're into Terry Brooks. So, he liked it and it kept him interested, so I guess it's good!

I have been reading Terry Brooks books for years and would tend to recommend his fiction just based on past performance. 'Sword of Shannara' and the related books are on just about any fantasy fan's top ten list.

I first read 'Running With the Demon' (Book one of The Word and the Void trilogy) back in 1998. I was fascinated by the concept and the writing was superb. I eagerly read the next two books and was just as impressed. I assumed that Brooks was going into a genre of writing similar to Charles De Lint (urban fantasy). What I did "not" get from any of those books at the time, was the tie-in to Shannara. As the next trilogy (The Genesis of Shannara) unfolded, I had to smack myself in the forehead for not realizing that these two trilogies were prequels to the original Shannara series.

Imagine that a writer can take a lion's portion of his works and tie them all together in such a neat package three decades down the road. It boggles my mind!!

Not much need for me to repeat the story line - others have outlined that in far more detail then I really care for. What I would like to add is that while you do not need to read all of the various Shanarra books to get into this one, you would be doing yourself a disservice by not starting back at 'Running With the Demon' and working through all ive previous books beore starting 'The Gypsy Morph'. I strongly believe it to be worth the effort!! Brooks does a marvelous job of wrapping up the major story lines (he admits at lectures and on-line that he leaves a few small threads open just to allow readers some leeway)

If you decide to read - I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

All the best,

Jay

Terry Brooks first hooked me with his original classic"The Sword of Shannara" Since then I've been on a mythical ride to enchanting lands every since.Mr. Brooks has done it again.Combining two of his best series to take us on a trip through a post-apocalyptic world in true "Brooks" fashion. Wonderful characters along with plot twists heroes and heart ache. Few do it as well and none do it better.

I purchased this as my "original" had disappeared and I'd advised my sister I had a copy for her to borrow. I thoroughly enjoy Terry Brooks as an author and have copies of most of what he has written. Thank you.

I already read this book on Google Play Store. I didn't realize I had read it before I ordered here on the store on my newly activated Kindle Fire. the store does not give you the opportunity to cancel, or get help with the digital orders. That is unfair, and not right. Very disappointed

The book however is absolutely a 5 star read!. The whole Shanara series is awesome. I'll be ordering the rest of the series from Google!

Don't buy this book!!!!! Pages missing

This is really making me mad!!!!!! So I've reordered this same book and left a message and filed a claim that the first book ordered was missing pages - YES - this book is also missing the same pages. Get your act together. This is ridiculous. If you can't do your job right, get out of the business.

Very dark with little to make the reader feel good about...anything. Hundreds of pages of doom and gloom, death and destruction and a little preaching about the value of a strong family bond. I read the book to see if it would be suitable for my grandchildren (young teens) but I won't be recommending it to them because they are seeing way too many real life tragedies on the news every night.

I loved this book as much as the rest of his books. Fabulous but.....

I ordered this book because I have been collecting his books since I was 16. When I read the book though I got to page 285 and it was not completed. I ordered a second book through the store.com and found it to be the same way. So check your book when you get it and make sure it's not the same as mine was!!!!

I've been a Brooks fan since I was like 6 years old. I've read every book he has except World (which isn't really a "book"). I got this one with eager anticipation.

For those that don't know, this is the third book of the "Genesis" series from Brooks. I reviewed Armageddon's Children, and warned people to read Word and Void series first. Well, now I'm saying that even if you read Armageddon's Children, this book will lose you.

What?

Let me start off by saying...this book confused me to no end. Brooks is all over the place with the writing, and as S. Banks mentioned, there are way too many "in my head" details put in the book. Obviously Brooks wants us to feel and think what the characters are feeling and thinking, but there is such a thing as overkill, and this book is it. A lot of IMO unnecessary descriptive context really detracts from the focus of the story and in truth, makes the book probably 50 pages longer than it really needed to be.

Additionally, characters are interjected, emphasized, then tossed aside with little remorse or consideration. Then they're reintroduced with no consistent flow. For example, a key character in Elves of Cintra (the predecessor) is incapacitated in this book by what is described as being similar to a Vulcan neck pinch by an Elf. What? Mind you, this character is supposedly a magic-imbued being who has protections against attacks and the ability to fight and defend themselves, yet a female version of Spock comes along and does a pinch and all of a sudden the character is knocked out for at least 3 chapters. O....kay.

Then we have another character who, while not directly important in this story, was quite unique and interesting in Elves of Cintra...and in this story, is taken out with one sentence in the book by a tentacle out of nowhere, not detected by aforementioned mystical character. Mind you, this unique character is blind and supposedly has enhanced awareness against danger, since they've survived alone in the mountains all this time. Yeah, okay.

Then the book jerks back to a group of people with bird names, and that's when it just falls apart. I won't even go into explicit details, but I mean you've got vehicles with lizards who are allegedly the previous owner, kids that die and are revived with no real explanation, and then of course, the subtitle of the book (who is such a lithe staple through the book that you almost forget about it) is a character that it's hard to care about, because it doesn't do anything.

I really wish Brooks would focus back on Shannara. The REAL Shannara, not a bastardization of Word/Void and Shannara. Elves of Cintra was well written, but it's really unappealing overall as a series. I want to see Brooks write about the first war, the development of the magic, the creation of the Forbidding, the first voyage to Safehold for the Bloodfire, the creation of the Ellcrys, the start of the Druids, the conversion of Brona, etc etc...

I just can't recommend this story unless you're sick of Shannara, really. If you're not really a fan you might like this, but reading Elves of Cintra and Armageddon's Children is a prerequisite.

I've read nearly every book Terry has written, starting with the original Shannara series when I was in High School. My favorite was Wishsong until the Magic Kingdom of Landover series came out (which I think was his absolute best).

I cannot express my disappointment with this latest series and book. The Series answers very few questions about what "really happens" and the final book does nothing to tie the series to any other series. I know he's planning on writing more, but after 3 books, we should have SOMETHING that ties things together in some fashion. We don't Guess we'll have to wait until, what, 2011 until we get that? Please.

I think the final book (Gypsy Morph) is his worst yet. Not because of grammar or presentation, but because of content. It was so weak in creativity, naming of things, and situations it was truly boring in many areas. Plus the way he wrote some of the children was simply absurd. Also, I don't know if anyone caught his politically correct "life partner" reference (note this was him writing, not referencing to anything today) - the first time I've seen him do this in writing. Good job Terry, bring today's garbage political correctness into your "fantasy world" so readers won't be offended. What would you think if he had called the Ohmsford husband and wife "life partners"? Please.

Terry has always lacked passion and intimacy in his books, but made up for it with adventure and semi-believable storytelling. This book fails hard to make up for what it lacks.

When you finish reading the Gypsy Morth you feel empty and devoid of learning anything new about the "transitional time" between our time and Terry's fantasy world. In reality, it was like so many other post-apocalyptic worlds.

I can honestly say that Terry wastes your time with this series. As I mentioned, you leave this last book knowing nothing of how the trilogy ties into the other worlds, and no questions are answered. It's like he didn't even care by the time you're reading the last pages of the Gypsy Morph. You blink a few times after reading the last sentence and think "what... that's it? I read through all of this to end it like this?"

I see Terry's next novel will be a Landover novel (2009). I'll probably try this, but if he doesn't nail it, I think it's time to move on. Sorry Terry, but the Genesis series was just terrible, simply terrible.

I just finished reading the Genesis of Shannara trilogy, and I have to say that even though it was good in many ways, it just gets dull and repetitive after a while. Brooks describes the devastation of the world a little too often, so that I found myself thinking "Yes, we know that already, get on with the action". He also spends too much time giving background information on the characters, which is interesting but not very relevant to the story. I think the entire trilogy could easily have been condensed into a single book which would have been much more gripping and interesting without all the dead wood (literally and figuratively).

I basically think Brooks is trying to do too many things here and tell too many different stories at once, and as a result the story is fragmented and disjointed. I would have enjoyed a straight end-of-the-world novel, and I could even have gone so far as to accept the Knights of the Word with their magic staffs. But however much I tried, the Elves just never seemed believable in a situation like this. The Faerie element seemed like a silly tack-on in a post-apocalyptic setting, at least to my taste. At times I found it hard to take the story seriously. It's not that I have anything against magic or elves per se; I love stories where they seem to fit well. It's just than in this case they didn't. Anything that was done with magic in this story could just as easily (and more believably) have been done with technology. In a story, things that serve no purpose ought not to be included.

Now of course I do realize that the whole basis for this trilogy is to connect the old world to Shannara, and maybe I'm being too harsh on Brooks since he had to work under that constraint. He might have done better otherwise. I'm just saying it didn't make for the most ideal storyline.

That said, the books were entertaining enough that I enjoyed them, just not as much as I'd hoped I might. These are the type of books that you might enjoy more in hindsight than you did while you were actually reading them.

As hordes of Oncemen, demons, and feeders are joined by skrails - winged beasts, half man half flying lizard - advance on the Ghosts, the two Knights of the Word, the Elves, and the fleeing humans from various camps, the Gypsy Morphy (aka Hawk) continues to lead the battle of good vs. evil begun in Armaggedon's Children and The Elves of Cintra. Led by Hawk's visions, magic, and promise of a new world's safety amongst the lands of the King of the Silver River, humanity races against the sands of the of the planet's hourglass of inhabitability.

With Biblical similarities to the story of Moses leading the Israelites away from an advancing army, this finale is epic in scale as well as concept and metaphor. Survival means struggle, a battle with not only the evil wishing to destroy the world, but also with the abandonment of everything familiar and comforting to those who represent good.

A battle with the massive Klee - a demon (picture a slimy moss covered swamp thing, with redwood trunks for legs and a head the size and composition of a granite beach ball - and evil beach ball) whose sole purpose is to hunt and sadistically kill, via a battle similar in emotion to the final confrontation in the Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, the Gypsy Morph. A plethora of excitement is jammed into the action pages with tense excitement as the characters join forces to protect the Elven city and the Elcryss (magic tree), Hawk and his followers (i.e. what's left of civilization).

Overall, this trilogy ender is awesome, and in my opinion nearly perfect. Sure, I would have liked to learn more about the lead antagonist Findo Gask, a demon whose power was supposed to be nearly unimaginable, and it would have been nice for there to have been more to some of the character's physical fights and struggles - as opposed to their daily ruminations regarding general minutiae - but I'm thoroughly satisfied on the whole. Although, there appears to be a slight opening for a follow-up. Could it be another Shannara trilogy in the works?

I have enjoyed Terry Brooks' books for many years. One issue I had though is that he keeps coming back to the same situations over & over again. After awhile the main themes become predictable. Yes, the characters are different, the locales vary, but all-in-all, same stuff, different book.

So when I picked up book one of this latest trilogy I was very hopeful. The premise of showing the transistion from the old world to the new was very intriguing. And through the first book, Armageddon's Children (The Genesis of Shannara, Book 1), that promise was fulfilled. Great new characters reacting to completely new situations. It didn't even seem to be a "Shannara" book at first, at least until the Elves show up about halfway though. The second book, The Elves of Cintra (Genesis of Shannara), also was very good, even though we began to see some of the old patterns emerging.

The Gypsy Morph though began to be predictable. It is still a good and exciting book, but I would have to say it is the weaker of the three. We're back to the elfstones being the tool to save the world, the city of the Elves being transported (again) to a safe haven and the true gifts of a magical being being realized. There were some curves thrown in, like the deaths of characters that you would not expect, and the final chapter was original for a Brooks book.

Did I enjoy the book? Yes. Am I interested in the next chapter of evolution in the Shannara universe? Not sure yet. We'll have to see what the plotline is. But I would definitely recommend this to the standard Brooks fan, and also to someone just starting out on his books. Overall, an enjoyable read.

Two years ago, Terry Brooks set out on epic undertaking to merge his wildly famous Shannara Series with his urban fantasy Word and the Void Trilogy. The result is the exciting and breathtaking Genesis of Shannara Trilogy which now comes to a powerful conclusion.

The boy named Hawk has fully embraced his role as The Gypsy Morph, a human created from wild magic who is destined to save a remnant of mankind from the coming apocalypse. Joined by Logan Tom and Angel Perez, the last two Knights of the Word, Hawk will now lead this group to their new home, all the while fighting off the army of demons and once-men who are out to stop them.

Meanwhile, Kirisin Belloruus, one of the mysterious Elven people, is charged with saving the Elves from the imminent destruction. He must place the Elves and their ancient city of Arborlorn within the magical Loden Elf stone, and then protect them until he can meet up with Hawk and the others. Unseen dangers and death lie around every corner and an entire race of people depend on his survival.

For years Terry Brooks has been considered one of the most important fantasy authors of our time and The Gypsy Morph reminds us why. No one mixes fantasy, suspense, mystery, and intrigue like Brooks and all of these elements are on full display here. Merging two series that were never intended to be merged is quite a feat, and Brooks not only succeeds but does so in brilliant fashion.

As always, Brooks gives us memorable and engaging heroes that stir our hearts as they face insurmountable odds and death defying challenges. The villains are everything we've come to expect: ruthless, evil, and utterly frightening. Terry Brooks also proves once again that no character is untouchable and he refuses to sacrifice good storytelling for the sake of the characters. Unlike many other contemporary fantasy writers, Brooks reminds us that good storytelling doesn't have to be saturated with profane language, sex, and unnecessary gore.

The Gypsy Morph gives us just the right amount of closure for this trilogy. However, fans will be pleased to know that the story is not over. Terry Brooks has stated that there are at least five or six more novels to come as he continues to tell the story of Shannara's early history. We'll have to wait a while longer though for the next Shannara book. Next summer Terry Brooks will treat us with a long overdue Landover novel that is sure to please his die hard fans. If you are looking for epic fantasy done right then look no further.

Terrorism, war, environmental irresponsibility, and strange diseases are bringing Earth to its end. The elves, in their mountain cities, watch helpless as humans destroy the earth and mutate into bestial, or demonic forms. One young man, the so-called Gypsy Morph, is given responsibility to bring a band of children and their caregivers into the Rocky Mountains where, somehow and impossibly, a new world will be created--or found. The elves are supposed to join him, but they have their own issues and their level of trust is low--especially as demons have infiltrated their city.

Two Knights of the Word, Angel and Logan Tom have been given the responsibility of protecting both the Morph and the elvish city. Two knights, a few elvish scouts, and a band of frightened children seem like helpless prey to the army of demons and not-men stalking them. Especially as both knights have been injured and are emotionally damaged. And the band of children, like the Israelites being led out of Egypt, have their own conflicts and concerns as they flee from what seemed like relative safety into ever-increasing danger, led by a boy who doesn't understand where he's leading them and can act only on faith.

Author Terry Brooks continues his GENESIS OF SHANNARA series with a fast-paced adventure. Logan Tom finally comes face-to-face with the demon who destroyed his family, Hawk, the Gypsy Morph, learns his girlfriend's secret, and struggles with the responsibilities he's been given--and with the limits of his own power. And Earth itself, brutalized by humanity's abuse of the environment, suffers one last horrible blow. Still, with the entire planet disrupted, what hope can the band of children have?

Brooks focusses on three primary characters--the two Knights and the Morph, but occasionally takes time out to look into more minor characters--such as the always complaining but somehow likable Panther, as well as the elf-boy Kirisin, wielder of the elfstones. A preface, with a lone soldier deep beneath the mountains in a nuclear launch site, adds to the atmosphere of current doom accompanied by future hope. Fans of Brooks's SHANNARA stories will definitely want to learn how SHANNARA evolved out of earth. GENESIS OF SHANNARA, of which THE GYPSY MORPH forms the concluding chapter, is a major work of synthesis between SF and fantasy.

The Gypsy Morph is the final book in The Genesis of Shannara trilogy, finishing the story began in Armageddon's Children and continued in The Elves of Cintra. Will the boy, Hawk, lead the children to safety? Will the elves survive their journey in the Loden? Will the Knights of the Word survive at all? How does the world end?

Brooks again masterfully weaves together the separate tales that he has created for each main group of characters, finally connecting them so the reader can gain a different perspective of the whole picture. Although, in a way, we know the outcome of this story, Brooks now fills in the details along the way. Each character is carefully crafted and has a unique personality that fits the role they must play. Brooks builds his world with so much detail that it is almost another character in the story, impacting the choices the other characters must make. Emotions run high in this book with fear and doubt only slightly tempered by hope.

The Gypsy Morph is a a satisfying conclusion to The Genesis of Shannara trilogy. It contains much darkness but finally begins the journey into the light. The Genesis of Shannara books do a great job at bridging the gap between The Word and The Void series and the rest of the Shannara story.

It's a bleak future for the world. The poisonous environment's created hideous mutations and most of the people are hiding in compounds, fighting for their lives. Two knights of the Word, Logan Tom and Angel Perez, are fighting off the forces of the demons, who are bent on destroying the rest of humankind.

Terry Brooks is a master storyteller. He kept us enchanted with Shannara for many years, then moved to the Word and the Void. Now, with the third series in this multi-book universe, he's finally telling us where Shannara originated from.

While this book stands alone, I'd suggest reading Word and the Void (my favorite Brooks) and then moving to Genesis of Shannara. Well worth the time reading.

Rebecca Kyle, December 2008

I've read nearly all of Brooks' books. I was desperately waiting for this book to come out, as the cliffhangers in the last book were so tense.

I'll admit that I could not put the book down until I finished it. It was definitely enjoyable. There were some minor twists and turns. But they were only minor. While the details are definitely NOT predictable, the plotline is. I was disappointed that this book just seemed to 'finish the story'.

I think Brooks is at his best when he describes battles and strategy (the weapons master Garet Jax one of my alltime favorites). To be honest, I think Terry got a little tired with this one--the battles just didn't have the pizzazz I expect. The best moments of all, which were surprising and enjoyable, were over so fast. One of them, involving a Parkhan Spray pointed vertically, was narrated in a way that was very surprising but depersonalized--we never get any dialogue/soliloquy from the characters during or after the event. That was a bit of a letdown for a truly classic moment.

Obviously, if you've read the first two books you simply must read this one. Perhaps I've read too much Brooks now--I can tell what's coming. But I've been saying that since Jerle Shannara, and I just keep on reading...

This is the last of the new trilogy that shows how the Word & Void stories morph into the Shannara world setting. This is a very satisfying conclusion to a three book series, and one of his best books since The First King of Shannara. It tells the story of how the boy Hawk leads a group of children, and others, along with Kristen who holds the elf city within a lodestone, to a safe haven to wait out the end of the world. And that's pretty much it, as all the preparatory stories have been told in the first two books so this was just a "road trip" of sorts where everyone is fleeing the demons and trying to make it to safety with Hawk, who is The Gypsy Morph.

The ending makes sense, closes all the threads for each character, and leaves us in a place where we are satisfied until he can get back to the series again down the road. His last book in this series was good, and this is even better. This book is one of Terry's better accomplishments, imo.

The Gypsy Morph picks up where we left off in The Elves of Cintra, but first we meet a military man who is trapped in a missile silo. This is the catalyst that will begin the end of the old world. We all know from reading Shannara that the old world will end, we just don't know how it gets there.

The action picks up with Kirisin Belleruus, having successfully aquired the Loden Elfstone is on the long journey home to his people who believe that he is a murderer. Eventually, he does make it back and does place his people in the Loden. But as always he is captured and Logan Tom, taking the place of Angel, has to find a way to save him.

Hawk and the other Ghosts are travelling with hundreds of children to the safehold that was foretold to him by the King of the Silver River. Meanwhile, they are being stalked by The Klee, a pretty vicious demon that reminds me of a serial killer in the way he acts. As with the story of Moses the caravan of people do eventually make it to their promised land, not without pitfalls and the loss of some people, though.

Eventually, everything winds down. The Demons make a last assualt. Logan Tom confronts his enemy, Findo Gask. Hawk and the Ghosts confront The Klee. I won't tell you the ending (obviously) but we know already that people do survive in reading Shannara. The ending is a little bittersweet at first but then takes a turn as w return to the missle silo for one last look at the Earth as we know it. I can't wait to see where Terry takes us next in this Genesis series.

AC and EoC have set the stage. Will Terry deliver? Of course.

I really can't describe how much I enjoyed and appreciated this series. For the first time ever, I was so connected to the characters of a book that I felt like I among them, that I knew them. The last few chapters actually nearly jerked some tears from me. The story may be a bit predictable at times, but it's still an emotional ride if you feel as intimate with the characters as I did.

Action packed with just enough suspense, this book was a near perfect ending to a timeless series. Even up to the last few pages, things kept going wrong for some people and made all seem hopeless for them. I can't wait for the 'Legends' duology to see what happens next. I'm far more into this storyline than the original Shannara books, and just want to read more about how mankind survives the apocalypse.

The only thing I would suggest changing [SPOILER ALERT] was how the main demon was killed off. Way too easy. Findo Gask has been around a long time, and dominated John Ross in the Word/Void series, and he dies just like that? I was ready for an intense battle of magic and will and passion - and THEN maybe Sim steps in and does her thing. I'm extremely happy with the hopeful ending as far as Logan and Sim's story goes, very sad about Panther and Cat and Cheney, and curious about the Ghosts. [END SPOILER]

This is easily my favorite work of fiction.

This was a fitting end to a series I was unsure of when I first picked it up. I should have known it was going to be good. It's Terry Brooks. I think after reading the series it was time to go back and see some of the 'Ancient History" of Shannara. It was good to see the King of the Silver River during the series as well. Looking back on the Word and Void series, I wasn't sure if he was starting a new fantasy series or if he was going to go the Shannara route. I think it was the right way to go. But, I digress a little. This was a great read.

To take a series that was written in the 1970s and connect it to a seemingly unrelated trilogy published in the 1990s is certainly quite a feat, but that's what Terry Brooks has done in "Genesis of Shannara." From the typical fantasy world that was introduced in The Sword of Shannara, published way back in 1977, Brooks has often hinted that the Four Lands were a post-apocalyptic portrayal of our own world, thousands of years into the future. Readers were looking out for clues to this when Running With the Demon was published in 1998, which made significant use of the term "The Word," that had been previously used in the "Shannara" series. But it was not until the publication of "Genesis of Shannara" that the link between the two series was confirmed.

By this stage a plot summary is somewhat redundant. Long story short: the world is ending and the survivors are following Hawk, a "gypsy morph" formed of wild magic, to a safe haven. Making this journey all the more difficult is an army of demons who exist for the sole purpose of wiping out humanity (and elfin-kind, many of whom are traveling alongside humans with their city and population encased in a magical gemstone). From the Word/Void trilogy there are Knights of the Word who act as protectors to the street-kids known as Ghosts, and from the Shannara series are the Elves and their Elfstones, working alongside humans for the first time in living memory.

"The Gypsy Morph" (and in fact, all of Brooks' books) is what I call "pulp fantasy," with an emphasis on thrills, action, battles (physical or magical), romance, cliff-hangers, and capture/escape/chase scenarios. Brooks provides examples of these in droves, all told at break-neck speed...but the "Genesis" trilogy had the potential to be so much *more*. This was our chance to see the birth of the Four Lands and its inhabitants, but it's less about the "genesis" of the Shannara series as it is the conclusion of our civilization and world as we know it. Had it truly been a "genesis" of Shannara, surely there would have been more links with that particular land and the origins of all the "ancient" creatures that populate it.

As others have mentioned, there are several obvious connections between the two series that could have easily been made explicit, but weren't for whatever reason. For instance, I was certain that the Lady would somehow be connected with the Ellcrys tree; or that the union of Simralen and Logan and their magic would lead to the beginning of the Shannara/Ohmsford bloodline, or (though this one's a bit of a stretch) that the book of names that Findo Gask carried around throughout Angel Fire East would somehow evolve into the sentient Ildatch book of The Wishsong of Shannara. Of course, I can't expect Brooks to remember all of these plot threads strewn throughout over four decades of writing, but these particular examples seemed blatantly obvious to me. There are components of both "Word/Void" and "Shannara" present here, but like oil and water, they never mingle in a satisfactory way.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that this trilogy was a perfect opportunity to shed some light on the history of this world and the nature of many of its inhabitants. As it is, the story comes across as a bit of a rehash of previously published books, (plotlines such as Elfstones that need finding, the Ellcrys that needs protecting, demons that need unmasking and defeating, motivational speeches that need telling) and in one case a sub-plot repeats itself twice over in this very trilogy: in the second book a demon called Delloreen hunts down a specific target at the behest of Findo Gask. In this, the third book, a demon called Klee hunts down a specific target at the behest of Findo Gask. There are too many meaningless subplots and side-quests here: nothing is gained by them, and they just come across as filler. For instance, a HUGE amount of emphasis is put on the characters of Panther and Catalya, only for the two of them to abandon the group and go in search of life beyond the confines of Hawk's proposed settlement. Since the story ends with the world engulfed in a nuclear winter, I can only assume they don't get very far.

Although the story is fast-paced and one certainly gets the sense that a lot is riding on the success of our heroes, a lot of the plot relies on contrivance. There is an irritating shuffling of characters as they continuously and needlessly keep splitting-up. The King of the Silver River can transport Hawk to his domain, but apparently lacks the power to do so for everyone else. Kirisin is the only one who can activate the power of the Elfstones...at least until it's convenient for someone else to do so. Candle looses her physic abilities for no discernible reason, and then just as inexplicitly gets them back again at the most opportune time. As the titular hero of the title, Hawk doesn't do a heck of a lot of work. Instincts guide him to the safe haven and he gets two impressive displays of power toward the end of the book, but it's really the Knights who do most of the grunt-work. Hawk just comes across as a figurehead of hope rather than the messianic leader of men that he's initially made out to be.

And what happened to Trim? I liked that little owl!

As always, Brooks displays a tendency to waffle on. The Elves provide long tracts on environmental pollution and how the nasty humans have destroyed the world; whilst the Knights of the Word introspect endlessly on how painful/precious life is, how the battle has robbed them of their youth, whether humanity is worth the effort, etc. Brooks tells us the thoughts and feelings of characters rather than simply letting us assume the obvious and experience their pain for ourselves, and he has this odd compulsion that is prevalent throughout all his work on reiterating the same plot-points over and over again. For example, we are told on page 243 that Kirisin carries: "the Loden Elfstone, which contained the bulk of the Elven nation, its talismanic tree, and its city." Er, Brooks, why are you repeating this information to us? We know all this! We were there when it happened, remember? Whatever the reason, the man just loves to repeat himself. After a while, you become proficient at the "skimming" technique.

The premise of the "Genesis" trilogy is a great one, and while it lasts it is a read that manages to be both riveting and sluggish (and if you don't think that's possible, just consider the fact that even though things repeat themselves several times, they're done at such a break-neck speed that you're not given a chance to realize it until it's over), but I can't shake the disappointment that this should have been an "answer" book, shedding light on many of the mysteries and enigmas that shroud this series. Not in a blindingly obvious "this is how it all works" way, but in a subtle way that allows for illumination at the puzzle pieces between the two worlds clicking together. But it simply isn't that type of story, and perhaps I would have enjoyed it more had I known that initially. So if you're reading this, hopefully you'll now know what to expect: it's a fine read, but the two worlds of the far-reaching series are bridged, yet never really merged.

There are few authors working today who can boast the sustained success that Terry Brooks has managed since 1977 with virtually zero breaks in between. I would have to say, with few exceptions, his novels stack up well in the Fantasy Realm as a whole against almost any other author currently working and/or who has ever written and been published. Is that to say he is the all-time best there has ever been? That's a personal question that will vary from reader to reader...and I refuse to attempt to make my opinion the only one that matters. Opinions vary--and for those who are long-time, or even new fans of Brooks will most likely agree that 'The Gypsy Morph' is yet another top-notch addition to his fantastic-and growing collection of works.

I have had the fortune of interviewing Mr. Brooks several times (once in person) and I assure you, he was asked literally THOUSANDS of times whether or not the Word & Void series was, or would be connected in ANY way to Shannara...I was one of those asking. When 'Armageddon's Children' came out, I guess that question was finally put to rest. And I must say, he put that to bed in absolutely the best style imaginable! Again, opinion's vary, but I honestly feel that just being able to come up with a plausible storyline to bridge the two was amazing. But the end rusult? Utterly fantastic.

There are critics of both the Word & Void as well as Shannara and seeing as how both series are now forever connected, I am interested to see how all the blogs will continue. I was initially quite skeptical that Terry would be able to successfully mate these two dramatically different storylines together in ANY way that could satisfy his demanding fans, but once again, even though it seems as though I am sounding like a broken record, but WOW, what a great job. The contemporary Fantasy theme of Word & Void, and the full-on Fantasy genre tied together via this Genesis was not only creative, and offered some genuine surprises and plot twists, but--at least to this reviewer--provided a sense of absolute satisfaction at how that connection was made and how it followed through.

So whats next for Brooks? I have it on good authority a new Magic Kingdom novel is in the works, and while that was never my favorite series in the genre, I still enjoyed it and look forward to diving head-first back into that realm as well. Honestly, for long time fans of Terry Brooks, how can you possibly be anything BUT impressed with 'The Gypsy Morph'? Sure, there will be those who will disagree with my thoughts, and that's ok...but chances are if you liked the 1st two books in this series, you will be more than fine with how it all goes together in this one. And again, remember, opinions vary.

Terry Brooks creates and interesting story about a boy and his children. The world is in chaos and the once men and the demons rain supreme.

I was hopping that Brooks would describe a little bit more about the evolution of Shannara. I was really hopping that he would discuss the evolution of the "freaks" and how they fit into the sword of Shannara world, but maybe he will in the future.

The book was an interesting take on the apocalypse and the never ending battle between good and evil. I was hoping that he would develop the "Lady" a little more.

The world as we know it is long gone. The pendulum for evil has sung forward and demons have come into the open preying on humans. Those people who allied with the demons have become not-men; more predatory beast than human. The bombs fell and plagues followed. Finally the demons destroyed the compounds where mankind tried to survive. The toxic atmosphere led to mutations turning people into monsters. However in this dark dismal planet called earth there remains a small feeble light of survivors of the Word trying to keep humanity from extinction.

The Lady tasks Knight of the Word Logan Tom (not the great volleyball player) to protect the Gypsy Moth, a being born of wild magic. Hawk's magic is going to lead the rest of humanity and the elves to a land where everyone can live in harmony. Elf Kirisin Belloruus is entrusted with the Elfstone to lead and protect his people from the demon horde and their monstrous allies. Hawk agrees to lead the caravan, which picks up travelers on the road as all seek a haven.

The last book in the Genesis of Shannara saga is as magical and enchanting as the entire Brooks mythos is with recurring characters and new protagonists banding together in a last ditch effort to save humanity. All the major questions from the previous fantasy tomes (see THE ELVES OF CINTRA and ARMAGEDDON'S CHILDREN) are answered with no loose ends that matter and an incredible climatic revelation. Though not a stand alone, Terry brooks delivers an outstanding finish with action, intrigue, battles, species that seem real in a time when mankind's time is ticking away.

Harriet Klausner

Terry Brooks' writing, from his very first novel, The Sword of Shannara, has been an exhilarating ride of dramatic suspense and high adventure. The first book, and indeed the first trilogy, were extremely well-written and managed to tie plotlines and themes together in a very satisfying way that rewarded the reader for investing emotionally with the characters and with what happened to them. However...with the past two series, while the writing has remained excellent as always, his conclusions have been subpar. Both The High Druid of Shannara series and this series ended in rather a too pat fashion. Yes, we all knew a certain character had to die in this book. Yes, we all saw the final battle from miles away. But that was true in The Sword of Shannara, too. What's the difference?

The difference is that the final battle wasn't merely a physical battle in Sword. Shea fought the Warlock Lord on every level of his being and won, even though he was human with human shortcomings (in other words, not the perfect hero). Not so in the last two series. To give another non-spoiler example, there is a scene close to the end of this book where an emotional "battle" of sorts is fought between two rather marginal characters in the story. However, the weight of meaning behind this battle is palpable and ties in beautifully with the rest of the storyline. Unfortunately, there is no "payoff" to this. We never see what becomes of these two characters, so what was the point? Terry Brooks lost a number of opportunities to give good payoffs in his conclusion. I can only hope his next books fix this problem.

That said, I *am* looking forward to seeing Elfstones of Shannara on the big screen. :-)

I finished this book because the story had promise. The story had so much potential, but it's main weakness is that it moved along at a sluggish pace.

The sheer number of breaks in the flow of the story due to too monologues (too often in the middle of an action scene) to delve into a character's feelings/thoughts and emotions (and flashbacks) were my biggest qualms with the story.

These dramatic tangents painted some of the characters in an 'emo' light that detracted from the story, while these tangents also detracted from the flow of the story. This happened too often.

At times, I wish I had listened to this story on audio cd, so I could more easily skip tracks of overly dramatic monologue of characters' thoughts.

The thing is, this story would have been better served by:
1) eliminating some of the rediculous dialog,
2) spending more time developing the main characters,
3) spend less time making up for lack of character building through rediculous dialog and flashbacks of events from the previous 2 novels.

I'll try not to spoil too much in this review...

The romance between Logan Tom and <another character> was given no time (or detail) to develop; especially to get to where it was at the end of the book. This romance reminded me of 2 middle school kids in love, not something serious.

In my opinion, the story could have done without the rediculously developed romances of Logan and Panther (not with eachother). :^)

There were no twists in the story and the final throwdown between good and evil was too predictable once it started to unfold. The worst part of this final conflict was when the super powerful bad guy (after a display of his power) instead of easily dispatching 2 of the characters he has sought to destroy for so long, instead (in an out-of-character way) launches into a lengthy conversation with one of them for no reason ...even suggesting (in an even more out-of-character way) he would let a knight of the word join his side.

It was messy. If the author wanted to buy time for the other good guys to catch up (and overpower) this demon, then Brooks could have done it in a more intelligent way...better than having this big bad demon idiotically, stand around conversing with his nemesis.

I do not recommend this book, or book 2. I did however enjoy book one, "Armageddon's Children" and would recommend it except that it ends unacceptably with a cliff hanger.

If the fluff was removed and some plot points changed, I would have enjoyed this trilogy instead as two, well-penned novels.

This is the 3rd in a series of books that must be read from the 1rst to the last. They keep you wanting to keep reading to see what is going to happen next. I didn't quite expect fairies and Elves in this genre of books but it was done in an interesting way.

Terry Brooks is a master of fiction and has the ability to extrapolate a frightening and depressing tomorrow from some of the unhealthy trends of today. He also offers a ray of hope and shows that nobility and selflessness are always alive in the human heart. His futuristic knights possess the same character traits that we'd like to think exist in the best of our warriors and defenders. It's a good read.

As with every single Terry Brooks novel I've read, I enjoyed "The Gypsy Morph" immensely. My work schedule only allows me to catch up with my reading in the evening, and since starting this book a few days ago, I've become an insomniac! Reading well into the night until the words are all but blurred and swimming on the pages. Even now, it's past one o'clock in the morning, and having just finished the book, I'm still thinking about it and can't get it out of my head!.

"The Gypsy Morph" brings you through a wide range of emotions: joy, fear, anger, and sadness. At one point in the story, I found my self grinning from ear to ear, while in another, on the verge of tears. Only a handful of masterful writers can involve you in the characters so deeply, that you experience their emotions right along with them. And Terry Brooks is certainly a master of his craft.

Without fail, for every one of Terry's books I've read, I've always been disappointed to turn the last page and find that there's no more. He has this uncanny ability to wrap up his stories without closing them completely. He gives you just enough to get his point across and leaves the rest of the story open for the reader to come to his/her own conclusions. Although I admire this, it can also be very frustrating!

But that aside, it was a wonderful, exciting trilogy. And Gypsy was a fantastic end. I can't wait to visit Landover again next year! It's about time!

If I could have given it 3 and a half stars I would. It really was a fun read and I am a huge Brooks fan, but some aspects of the story just seemed corny to me. For instance the guy in the missle silo. This was the forseen catalyst to the end of the world ... a very lonely and insane soldier in a silo ... really?

On a more postive side, the characters were great. You will enjoy this book, like you probably did the previous two in the series. I just wish there would have been a few more references to the rest of Shannara that this was to be the genesis of.

The last two trilogies ended on whimpers, as far as I am concerned and the build-up did not follow through.

That ended with this trilogy. The Genesis series so far has been great. The story arc begun in Armageddon's Children and The Elves of Cintra had a great climax in The Gypsy Morph. All of the storylines came together and had appropriate ends; all of the characters had their growth, even some entering the sunset in fearful times. The book had some of the grittiest moments seen in any Terry Brooks novel and forced me to put the book down and walk away out of sheer, "OMG, did he just do that?"

If you haven't read all three books, do so. Well worth it! Now we only have to wait to see what happens in this new world and see how Terry Brooks handles it!

This is an excellent book. I am constantly amazed at his characters and how he can bring them to life and well as get the reader emotionally involved with the drama of the story. Terry Brooks is my favorite author and I have been reading his work for many years. I patiently wait for next fall and his next publication. Thank you for years of fantasy and entertainment.

this was a great joining of the void series with the shannara series. had wondered for years how the great wars came about when they were described in the shannara series. also about the elves. was good to read about a "good" happening to the knights of the word. have all of the books by terry brooks. hope to read still more in the future. recommend this to complete the set.

I loved this final book in the series even though I was sad for the story to end.I loved following the stories of the Knight of the Word Logan Tom and Angel Perez.I also loved following the stories of Hawk and the Ghosts and the elves Kirisin and Simralin.While reading these books I got to know the characters and feel emotions as I experienced the dangers and triumphs that they all faced.This series is by far my favorite that I have read for many years and I see myself reading them all again someday.I'm glad that the author closed the storyline at the end even though it saddened me to say goodbye.

I was very pleased to finally get my hands on this book. Every year, I go through and read the entire collection, just to update myself for the next book. I love how this book finally binds what the Word and Void started to the world of Shannara. Now there is so much room to grow from the end of this book to First King of Shannara. I anxiously await more. Terry Brooks is the current king of fantasy.

I actually bought the second book first based solely on the fact that I like the author's work, not realizing it was part of a trilogy. Bought the first book and after reading the cover was surprised on the sci-fi type setting rather than the pure fantasy. Once again it was an excellent story and I enjoyed all three books. (Although you should really get the entire trilogy to get the full enjoyment.)

I have read all the word and the void series and the shannara series. While I was excited by his tying together of the two worlds and looking forward to the final book. This book failed miserably. For one this book starts with a character you have never heard of before Wills and goes on and on about him then when you start caring for him. It jumps back to the other characters that have been in the rest of the book. Also quite frequently there is far far too much description so much so that you can skip reading some pages and not miss a thing. I could go on but I won't just know this isn't a good book to read. Hopefully when he writes his next book it will be better

This was a good conclusion to a good series. I'm glad Terry has decided to bridge the Word and the Void and the Shannara series.

My only qualm is with the ending. There's not much of an epilogue. I would like to know a little bit about what happened to the characters. But then, maybe this is a bit premature, since there appears to be another series on the horizon.

I can only give this book (and series) a solid 2 stars. Its keeps you on the edge of your seat at times but it could have been SO much more. Terry has attempted to join his 2 successful series (Knight of the Word & the Shannara series) together to tell the epic story of the Great Wars - the wars that sundered the planet and ended civilization as we know it and gave rise to the world of the Shannara books. The problem is it doesn't feel very epic. I have been reading Terry's books since the first ever Sword of Shannara release - thats a long time ago! My kids are older than I was when I first read that book!

Terry spends a lot of time inside his character's head on trivial details that aren't relevant to the epic end of the world story this should be. We have 10 pages on Panther's emerging feelings for the half breed Kat and 2 pages about Findo Gast - the antagonist of the entire series! We get a lot of pages with useless, irrelevant dialogues like this:

"Panther stands at edge of the campfire and stops when he sees the plate of food. How had it gotten there? Who had left it? Was it for him? Surely he was hungry, having been on scout patrol all day. But something seemed odd. This food seemed to appear out of nowhere, or had he simply not noticed before in his weariness. He approached the food cautiously. Maybe if Kat were here she could tell him what to do. He missed her, more and more. In a swift move, he picks up the plate of food and eats it down. It tastes good, really good. "Man this is good food, really good", he says to no one in particular. But then he comes to a stunning realization - though he has eaten the food - he will need more tomorrow!"

So, now to be fair I made that sample up (grins) - but there are hundreds of pages of that encompassing that level of minutiae - and honestly - do we care? I want to know about the demons, the elves, the elcrys, the lady of the word, the end of the world - but we get page after page of this. Its like Terry was having problems thinking of what to say and needed to stretch it out. At times its like reading a juvenile fiction book. The demons are barely covered and we barely get to see Findo in this book at all.

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Terry really misses the opportunity to blend these 2 series together better. It feels more like a TV episode where a guest star from 1 series that stops by on another series - interesting - but incongruous. Its like Kramer from Seinfeld stopping by on Friends and doing his Kramer thing and then leaving. Example: We have 2 sets of demons - the elves' fantasy genre demons that are locked away in the Forbidding. These are the more fantasy demons that want to rule the world and such. Then we have the human form demons from the Word & the Void series - but they don't mix well. In fact we don't even address why they are separate? I thought maybe we'd learn that the human form demons were minions of those in the Forbidding - here to push the human into destroying the world. But no, sadly we are left with 2 separate races of demons that seem to have similar goals but don't see to have anything to do with other.

Then we have the Lady of the Word and the Elcrys - I thought surely we'd discover they were one & the same. They are both semi-relgious, mystical figures that personify themselves as female to their chosen ones and ask them to carry out vague and dangerous quests. Surely I thought when the elven city was restored Logan would stand before the Elcrys and realize this was the Lady he served. It makes sense? The elcrys presents herself as a human woman to her human chosen so they would accept her more? And she has done this as she needs help from the humans to save the elves & life in general. But no - the elcrys and the lady are just 2 entirely separate semi-relgious, mystical figures that personify themselves as female to their chosen ones and ask them to carry out vague and dangerous quests. What a waste of an opportunity.

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Last note: the book just ends. Yes the children and elves and few adults do arrive safely at the happy valley and are shielded from the nuclear destruction of the rest of the world. But we never get to see the elves receive their thanks from the Elcrys. The Knights of the Word never receive their pardon & thanks from the Lady. Its just over. I guess they stay in the valley for a few hundred years while the radiation subsides? This isn't really a Genesis of Shannara - there is no mention on anything Shannara - related. I thought we'd find out that Logan and Cimarlin would marry and their bloodline would produce the Shannara lineage - the combination of elfstone magic and the magic of the word but no. There is no real connection between these books and the Shannara books other than the omnipresent elf stones & the king of the silver river.

I guess we'll get another book series soon picking up where this one stopped abruptly. I don't mean to be so critical but for a series that chronicles events that Terry has eluded to for over 20 years, it falls pretty short where it could have soared.

The Gypsy Morph once again shows the creative brilliance of Terry Brooks to weave a story that plays out in our minds as we read it. Terry's ability to interweave The Genesis series into all previous Shannara titles is incredible and yet, he still manages to keep us guessing at the end of the trilogy, more specifically, who factors into the lineage of future characters we all know and love.

Terry Brooks long ago, captured me with the Elfstones of Shannara, to the point of where I must curse him for creating an insatiable thirst for more works that make the world of Shannara.

I have read everything that Terry Brooks has written over the last almost thirty years and I am so glad that he is still at the top of his game. I do not want to give any spoilers but let me simply say that the writing in this book is so good that it is comparable to his award winning "Void" series. It is a testament to Mr. Brooks that even when he is writing about the end of civilization as we know it, he sees the brightness and love that can be found in humanity. Thanks again.

I'm very disappointed that the cover image was not included when I purchased this book for my Kindle. All I get is a generic image of the publishing company's logo, not what is displayed. It felt like I paid full price for a new book, but the cashier gave me a torn, damaged book.

I'm sorry... I enjoyed The Word and the Void, but this trilogy just gradually lost my interest until this book... I am FIGHTING my way through it and I am just boooored. Maybe I just don't like his writing style... I find it long-winded (and not in that fantastic Mervyn Peake way). It's often the way of well-established authors. their editors lose their power. This book needs serious editing. Maybe then it would have retained my interest.

The Gypsy Morph is the continuation of a wondrous tale of good vs evil that could easily be compared in quality to JRR Tolkien 'Lord of the Rings' novels. Terry Brooks has done a superb job of linking the 'The Word / Void' series and the 'Shannara' series with these engrossing and powerful novels. I look forward to seeing more from him in the future as he continues to expand the link between these series.

I have read everything that Terry Brooks has written over the last almost thirty years and I am so glad that he is still at the top of his game. I do not want to give any spoilers but let me simply say that the writing in this book is so good that it is comparable to his award winning "Void" series. It is a testament to Mr. Brooks that even when he is writing about the end of civilization as we know it, he sees the brightness and love that can be found in humanity. Thanks again.

I'm very disappointed that the cover image was not included when I purchased this book for my Kindle. All I get is a generic image of the publishing company's logo, not what is displayed. It felt like I paid full price for a new book, but the cashier gave me a torn, damaged book.

I'm sorry... I enjoyed The Word and the Void, but this trilogy just gradually lost my interest until this book... I am FIGHTING my way through it and I am just boooored. Maybe I just don't like his writing style... I find it long-winded (and not in that fantastic Mervyn Peake way). It's often the way of well-established authors. their editors lose their power. This book needs serious editing. Maybe then it would have retained my interest.

The Gypsy Morph is the continuation of a wondrous tale of good vs evil that could easily be compared in quality to JRR Tolkien 'Lord of the Rings' novels. Terry Brooks has done a superb job of linking the 'The Word / Void' series and the 'Shannara' series with these engrossing and powerful novels. I look forward to seeing more from him in the future as he continues to expand the link between these series.

I would like to start by saying I think Terry Brooks is a great Author and one of my favorites. I have enjoyed every one of his books.

I just think the ending to this book could have gone a bit better. The demise of a certain bad guy was very predictable early on. I think what this series needed was another book to further tie in the old world to the new world.

this is a very good book but I think mr. brooks should return to the landover series. we have a new novelist MR. CHRISTOPHER PAOLINI WHO AT A VERY YOUNG AGE HAS CREATED A SERIES OF BOOKS. not unlike mr. brooks. whom I BELIEVE at some point he has read I have every book that mr. brooks has produced and I look to his next book lets go back to landover SIR.

Well, the Genesis of Shannara series was the first Brooks I've ever read, and I must say that the man is a genius. His writing style kept me engaged at every turn; he was never overly wordy; and his world is very interesting. I recommend this series to anyone, and this book is a well deserved ending to the series.

As with all Terry Brooks books this is a good read - fantasy and adventure with lots of action with a very satisfactory culmination. Best read as part of the series of titles but just as good on its own. Leaves one hoping that Terry will be linking this story with yet more.

Fantastically written with meticulous descriptions on the characters that really brought them to life!

A past-time well spent on this book and don't forget to get the prequels: Amargeddon's Children and Elves of Cintra too!