No. 2), The Elfstones of Shannara (Shannara

When I first read The Elfstones of Shannara,I was unprepared for what i would feel while reading it. Terry Brooks has managed in this book to convey the feelings of each character to the reader in such a way that they feel them themselves. If you haven't read the book, it's about a tree called the Ellcrys that protects the world from demons that have the power to destroy it. The tree, after thousands of years of life, is dying, and unleashing the demons upon the Elves who created it. The only hope is Amberle Elessedil, a Chosen in service to the tree, who will carry the seed of the Ellcrys to the mysterious Bloodfire to be changed into a new tree. To protect her, Allanon the Druid calls on Wil Ohmsford,who has possession of the powerful Elfstones of faerie. They know that with the demons following them it will be dangerous, and they know it won't be easy to even find the Bloodfire, but they don't know the extent of the impact it will have on their lives. Definitely a book you don't want to miss, the Elfstones of Shannara combines,plot, characters, emotions, and amazing word choice to bring you a story that will instantly plant itself in your heart.

One lonely day on the brink of Spring Break I visited a book store in the local mall. My original peurpose was to purchase Stephen King's 'Dreamcatcher' and the first of the Harry Potter series. With those in hand, and on my way to the check-out counter 'The Sword of Shannara' cuaght my eye. Remembering my mother's suggestion that I read it I dug deep in my pockets and scrounged up enough for the book. I enjoyed the book so I thought I should continue with the series. The only problem I had with the first was that the beginning was slow, but 'The Elfstones' did not share that with the first. The book was engrossing I found myself only stopping to eat, sleep, school, and work(we do chicken right). The story and characters are incredible- far beyond 'The Sword'. But alas the book does have it's fault: the ending is far too depressing. I just finished it not but an hour ago and am now avoiding loose pieces of thread and sharp objects. I only hope 'The Wishsong' will live up to this awesome title. One final note: don't do drugs kids. Thank you and good night

This book blew me away! It was original, exciting and scared the heck out of me at times. The Reaper...*shudder*. It was also the first book that brought tears to my eyes at the end...and that's saying something.

Even after over 20 years, I still look back on this book fondly as one of my favorites of all time.

Perhaps after I read the 80+ books I've bought and not read I shall return to this series.

Brooks takes us on another adventure with the Shannara children and the mysterious Allanon. I loved it! Wil and Amberle definitely made up for the Ohmsford brothers in the Sword. I also loved the sultry Eretria who is undeniably one of Brooks's best characters.

The action scenes were AWESOME! Demons verses elves, Allanon verses the Dagda Mor, Wil verses the Reaper, Eventine verses the Changeling. It was absolutely enticing and intense. I especially loved the seven levels battles in the elven capital of Aborlon. Tense situations, near defeats, narrow escapes. I haven't had that much fun since J.R.R. Tolkien's The Return of the King.

A must read! If you love fantasy, you will love Terry Brooks. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

After reading "The Sword of Shannara," I was tempted to walk away from Brooks' writings completely. However, I liked "First King" enough to give him the benefit of the doubt and keep going. This book is an improvement over the novel that precedes it, but is still only an average work of fantasy. I could only recommend this book to readers at the high school level or lower; it is simply too juvenile to recommend to adult readers. Of course, if you're just looking for an easy, light read that allows you to downshift mentally, then this might be right up your alley. If you're hungry for books with substance, then I would advise you to look elsewhere.

Having gotten used to mediocre sequels from authors who know that their books will sell after writing one big hit, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Brooks actually elevated his writing in this book. While both books were great and consist of epic themes with end-of-the-world consequences, Elfstones had a lot more heart-pounding, gut-wrenching action. I mean this book is exciting.

The reluctant hero of Amberle initially doesn't understand the full importance of the quest imposed upon her. It doesn't really matter though because she darn sure understands the terrible consequences of refusing to go on (with the Reaper breathing down her neck throughout the book). All of the characters in this book are so vividly described as to be almost tangible. Honest to God, the reader feels a real connection to these heros and a real disgust/fear of the demons. This is one of a very few (maybe the only one ever) that actually brought tears to my eyes so real were the feelings.

Seriously one of the most beautifully written books i've ever come across. Strongly reccomended.

I read the Sword of Shannara and I wasn't too impressed. Oh, it was all right, but it was kind of a cookie-cutter fantasy novel. Sword borrowed heavily from The Lord of the Rings and didn't offer anything really inventive or new; Brooks simply threw a party (of mixed races) together and sent them to defeat--surprise, surprise--an evil lord. Also, Sword didn't allow readers to connect with its characters. The characters in Sword were often one-dimensional and lacked depth--they were types rather than actual people.
The Elfstones of Shannara, however, is the complete opposite. Though Sword is the most famous in the series (because it was the first), I really feel that writing Sword gave Brooks practice so he could create a much better and richer novel. Gone are the wooden, one-dimensional types. Allanon is much more complex and human in this novel. The elves, who did appear in Shannara (though described in absolutely NO detail), are the centerpiece of this novel and readers spend the majority of Elfstones within the Westland (the land of the Elves). Also, I found myself invested in the two main characters, Wil and Amberle, and actually cared about their fortunes. Wil and Amberle show genunie affection and concern for one another. There's an emotional component to Elfstones that was lacking in Sword. Does this emotional component sometimes become a bit sugary? Well, yes, but I think that every writer needs to risk dealing with the human heart. I don't care what kind of writing you like to read--sci-fi, fantasty, literary, western, etc.--CHARACTERS are what make a novel, not the endless monsters, battles, and wanderings to and fro. Whereas Sword was all convention and plot, Elfstone places its characters first.
No need to fret, though. Those who like battles and monsters will not be diappointed. Elfstones still delivers the goods expected from fantasy readers. Also, it's refreshing to see a female heroine in a male-dominated genre (though she could be a bit stronger). The ending as well is quite refreshing. I won't spoil it, of course, but the ending doesn't wrap things up with a typical "perfect" closing. The ending to Elfstones is bittersweet and I'm shocked, actually, that Brooks's editors didn't beg him to alter it. Or maybe they did and Brooks refused.
Elfstones, though not a perfect book, is still a welcome novel in a genre beleaguered by bad, or overrated, writers (i.e. Robert Jordan). I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

I have one word for this book: nonstop. Once the demons appear the book continuously has you on the edge of your seat. Any and all fantasy fans should take the time to read this book.

The plot is like this: long, long ago there was a great war between the elves and the creatures that are now known as demons. The elves finally claimed victory by creating a magic tree that was the seal on a timeless prison called the Forbidding and trapping the demons within. Now, thousands, possibly millions of years later, the tree is dying, and the demons have returned.

Now, if you're like me, you like it when the enemy in the book is dangerous beyond what anyone could guess. That is the Reaper, the most feared of all demons. See, the only way to stop the demons is to create another tree. The wise and mystical druid, Allanon, send an elf girl to do the job. With her she sends Wil Ohmsford, someone who has the power to use the legendary elfstones, which are ancient stones of great power. They have to find the Bloodfire, which is in a dangerous place in the south. If the journey alone isn't dangerous enough, the leader of the demons, the Dagda Mor, send the nearly invincible Reaper after them.

Like I said, this is a must for all readers of fantasy. The book is extremely well-written, and won't lose your interest for a second.

Normally, any sequel to a book that was written so well and with the impact of The Sword of Shannara is disappointing. Not so with The Elfstones of Shannara.

The same, incredible descriptive power that Brooks has mastered comes alive in this book as well. The battle scenes between the Elven Army and the Demons is superb, and I had a picture in my mind's eye at every turn of the page. The pacing of a good story is an art that Brooks also seems to have perfected, as the scenes shift from the battles to the quest that Wil and Amberle are on. The fear that Wil has of the Elfstones as well as the Reaper is tangible. The doubts and emotions that flow between Amberle and Wil are easy to read into, and the side characters keep my interest throughout.

The most fun I had reading this story was the valor and charisma of Stee Jans, the Free Corps commander. Peripheral characters like him cease to be peripheral to me, and make me cheer on the forces of good all the more.

While Brooks described the central part of the Four Lands well in Sword, he went a step farther in Elfstones giving each area that Wil and Amberle traversed throughout the deep Westland a mysticism and life of its own. The climactic battle between Elves and Demons, Allanon and the Dagda Mor, and Wil and the Reaper, and the rebirth of the Ellcrys are a nice end to a descriptive and well told story.

Of all Fantasy novels I've ever read, this one is the most amazing. Set in the distant future, 50 years after the previous book to be more specific, after a series of massive wars destroys all of the technology in the world, in a place called the four lands, this book is entertaining from page 1 to page 564 (the last page of the book).

The book begins with the Ellcrys, the tree that has protected the Elves (along with the rest of the world) from a demonic menace, starting to die. At the beginning, three demons escape from the Forbidding, the place where they were imprisoned since before humans evolved. These three demons are the Dagda Mor, the Reaper, and the Changeling. The Dagda Mor, lord of the demons, tells the Changeling, a demon capable of shapeshifting into whatever it wants, to become a spy in the Elven capital city. He then tells the Reaper to kill all of the chosen, the only ones capable of reviving the Ellcrys, a task that is very quickly completed, with one exception. This exception is Amberle Elessedil, granddaughter of the king of the elves, who fled from the Westland, homeland of the elves, months earlier. Her existance as a chosen is forgotten by all except the Druid Allanon, who recruits Wil Ohmsford, grandson of Shea Ohmsford, the main character from the previous book, to protect the chosen girl.

After a few close encounters with some more demons that escaped the Forbidding, Wil and Amberle eventually end up traveling with a group of thieves known as Rovers. But, after the Rover leader, Cephelo, notices the fact that Wil possesses the magical Elfstones, he kicks the two adventurers out.

Upon reaching the Elven capital, Arborlon, Wil and Amberle manage to recruit a group of Elven soldiers to travel with them as they make their way to the Wilderun, where the legendary Bloodfire, a key component in reviving the Ellcrys, hides.

After a few encounters with the Reaper, Wil and Amberle are alone again on their journey. You must read the book for yourself to find out whether or not their quest succeeds.

This book varies greatly from other fantasy novels because of its timeframe, which was explained earlier. It can also be closely related to a horror book, which anyone who reads any scene with the Reaper at night would agree. If descriptions of "bodies broken like deadwood" and "so ruined was his body that it was nearly impossible to recognize" don't scare you, I don't know what will. This horror element is almost absent from the series this book closely related to, The Lord of the Rings, as well as others of Terry Brooks' earlier works. This book would be a great read for fantasy and horror fans alike.

The main character of this book, Wil Ohmsford, is a very interesting guy. He's been training as a healer, making him seem like an odd choice to be the protector of someone. He also fights with the difficulty he has controlling the magically Elfstones, being only 1/8 elf himself. Although the demon leader is the Dagda Mor, the Reaper is really more of a main villain. It always seems to follow Wil and Amberle, whether they try to throw it off in treacherous swamps, send it flying off a cliff, or even fly over mountain ranges on a gigantic bird, it follows them everywhere. It is also completely impervious to most attacks, as noticed by its battle with the Elven Captain Crispin: "The Elf Captain's sword flashed downward toward the Demon's throat, blade splintering as it struck. The Reaper shrugged off the blow as if it were nothing". The titanic struggle between Wil and the Reaper is so interesting, you'll probably want to reread it a few times before moving on.

All of these elements add up to make one epic novel.

This is an exquizit book and it just absorbs your mind with a powerful bond which you can't break away from. A great part was when Wil is struggling with his Elfstones, to call out the power of the back of his mind to the little blue spheres. He is face to face with the monster that has tracked him an Amberle for so long, as he lifts his hand towards the evil beast.......

I was impressed with Terry Brooks' Sword of Shannara, but he was obviously just warming-up in preparation for his true masterpiece, the Elfstones of Shannara. The Ellcrys tree, created millennia ago by long-lost Elven magic, is the strength behind the Spell of Forbidding, a dimension of imprisonment for ancient evil. In quick succession, the Ellcrys begins dying, the Forbidding starts crumbling, and the demons within break free--and that's only the first dozen pages! Allanon meets his match with the sorcerous Dagda Mor, only one of thousands of unstoppable demons who fear but one thing: a rebirth of the Ellcrys. Oh, I haven't even mentioned the cunning Changeling or the fearsome Reaper--there are enough villains and heroes in these pages to fill a shelful of ordinary books. Since 1982 when I first read this novel, I've returned at least ten times. I feel I've come to know and cherish these characters, like visiting old freinds every once in a while. Of the hundreds of fictional works I've read these past three decades, only a half-dozen have been as absorbing or given me as much enjoyment as the Elfstones of Shannara.

rest of shannara excpt for maybe sword and wishsong if ur generous are lame

this would make an excellent movie

made me wnaa become a druid when I grow up

menion Leah one of awesomest characters this side of hans solo

What to say? I have read so many different fantasy novels that it would be difficult to list them. The Elfstones of Shannara takes the cake. I loved it, both the the first time that I read it and every time after. TES is one of only two books to which I have given a five star rating. The other is Assassin's Quest, a newer book by Robin Hobb. The reason for the very high rating has to do with the beauty of the story. I won't go into hyperbole and say that the book was perfect; there are things that it lacks. For example, the world and its history are not nearly as vivid as what Tolkien created for The Lord of the Rings. However, what it lacks does not take away from the vibrant and carefully drawn out plot, the calm sadness of the romance, and the disheartening trials that the characters have to face. Through it all, Terry Brooks keeps the characters alive, realistic, and human; when you finish the book you want to read it again this book is worthy of a five star rating, and whatever you might expect from it, you will get something different and better. END

I was somewhat excited to read this book. I saw that it had quite positive reviews here and I quit enjoyed the first season of the show.

This book is quite entertaining and if this was the first fantasy book I ever read I would give it a higher rating

However this book is very unoriginal and there are much better books of it's kind. The antagonizing figures are not very compelling

The main problem with the book is it's lack of characterization. It is pretty much told in straight up 3rd person in a way that shows you no thoughts of any of the characters. Therefore, the characters seem somewhat bland.

This book did entertain me and had a few twists in and turns though

Really 2.5. Generic, predictable, and cliche. The highs and lows aren't very dramatic. Biggest problem is the huge plot holes that really kill the story. The writing is really good so that helped keep me engaged enough to finish. I doubt I'll be reading the next one though.

This is my personal favourite of Brook's earlier works, and I believe he has a soft spot for it too.

The Elchris is dying. This magical tree protects the elves and keeps the demons imprisoned, but as the tree fades, the prison walls crumble. The chosen elven princess Amberle is called on by the druid Alanon to take a seed from the Elchris to the bloodfire, so bringing about a rebirth and the imprisonment of the demons once more. Alanon sends as Amberle's protector, Will Ohmsford, who wields the elfstones. Elven magic which, among other things, has the ability to protect against danger. And meanwhile, a demon lord has broken free, and sent a tracker to hunt them down.

Once again Terry Brooks gift for weeving stories shines through. This book really has the feeling of a legend from an age long forgotten. The bitter-sweet endeng had a powerful effect on me, and, most emportantly, I never saw it coming. And I think Will Ohmsford can protect me any day.

Charles Keeding once more takes the helm to read this book, but once again it's abridged, and so once again it gets 4 stars from me. Terry Brooks, if you ever read this, do you think you could get publishers to do more unabridged recordings of your books? I'm sure your suggestions would carry more weight than mine.

This is my all-time favrite Shannara book. I really liked all of the action and sheer exitment! The Reaper, one of the demons who escapes the Forbiding, sort of gave me the creeps. I was really frightened for Wil and Amberle. The Ellcrys was a really cool plant. I wish I could have one! I love Allonon, but feel sort of sorry for him. I would highly recomend this book for anyone who likes elves, science fiction, and action! I really like the way Terry Brooks writes, with all of the description, I can really picture what's happening. I love this book and all of the others(The Sword, The Wishsong, The Scions,etc.) This, however, was my favorite as I said before. If you are like me and like big, fat books filled with suspense and thrilling moments, this is a book for you. This is a fantastic book! :)

I read these books some years ago. This is the one of the Shannara books I keep coming back to.
Characterisation is perhaps the biggest strength of the novel. Noble Will. The uncertainty yet integrity of Amberle, one of the most affecting characters I've ever read. The dignity and wisdom of Eventine. Eretria is somehow sexy and alluring, yet not at all crass. Allanon the druid is Brooks' masterpiece, brooding, powerful, monk like. The 'evil' characters, particularly the Dagda Mor, Changeling and the witch sisters are worthy opponents.
The relationships between Will, Amberle and Eretria are extremely well written and portrayed. The storyline is keeps one's heart beating and may even elicit a tear! A great book.

This book was the first of the initial trilogy that I read, and I still think it's the best. It has a near-perfect blend of suspense, intrigue, hierarchal rivalry, and romance. Also, it has one of the most intriguing, exciting, and well written large-scale fantasy war scenes I've ever encountered.
This book is NOT a clone of the first book, The Sword of Shannara, as some might be led to believe. True, something goes wrong, then Allanon appears. However, he is not the main character, and with all due respect to him, one large reason he is there is to simply tie in this book with the rest of the series.
A note to all people interested in this book but turned off by all references saying it's too much like Tolkien, only worse: people don't realize that the two series are not comparable. The two authors' writing styles are different. Brooks' works tend to focus on the here-and-now, using more dialogue and action. Tolkien tends to focus on the Big Picture, using tons more detail. Neither style is bad. It's the reader's taste.
FINAL NOTE: Good literature has no specific demographic. The Elfstones of Shannara is a good read for all. It has plenty of action and intrigue, while maintaining a definite mature atmosphere.

I loved the depth to the characters in this book. It was not simply an action tale with demons and war ... it was a look into the motivation for our actions. Loved it when I read it as a teenager, and loved it again as an adult.

I've read this book 3 times and I am STILL reading it now. Its too good. The characters, plots, villians, battles and settings is so good I sometimes wonder if Tolkien finally have a match. Especially the battle scenes. Brooks describe in great detail and tactics from line formation to the aftermath of a bloodbath. And best of all ,unlike Robert Jordan, Brooks takes his TIME to tell us exactly what is happening in a non-confusing manner. Now the villians. The Reaper is probably the best villians ever created in a fantasy novel. Even better than Darth Vader. He's original, yet in a way very deadly and actually cool. The Shapeshifter falls into this category too. This is a must read.

The Elfstones of Shannara gave me the same fealing as the previous one, the Sword of Shannara. It all goes to quick and to easy. The characters don't have the depth you seem to expect when you start reading books from a known writer as Brooks is.
It is a good "holiday" book though, you can drop it anytime, do somtehing else, pick it up and go on. What I liked the best of this book are the huge battlescene's. Their the best I've ever read. The only downside to these scene's is the fact that the main character's are really invincible. They kill 20+ opponents every next scene. But ok, it is fantasy.
One last thing. Allanon makes me very curious. I want to know more about this druid that lives through the ages.

The Elfstones of Shannara is a timeless book of evil, good, love, war, magic and betrayal. It is the second book in the Shannara series and deserves respect for surpassing its original, The Sword of Shannara. The book features dozens of twists and unpredictable turns and events that keep it interesting at all times. Its deep, dark, and mystical feel gives it a genuine and thrillingly spooky feel. The main character, Wil Ohmsford is the quarter-elven descendent of the original hero and user of the elfstones, Shea Ohmsford. Wil must take the last elven "Chosen" girl to a place where a magical seed can be revived to be planted and take the place of the dying Ecrys tree, which protects the Elven race from millions of demons trapped in an eternal darkness. Such begins the enthralling epic of the land of Shannara.

My addiction to the world of Shannara started a long time ago with the Sword of Shannara (original one with the Brothers Hildebrant picture in the middle) and still continues to this day.
Elfstones has and will always be one of my favorites though. The internal struggles Wil goes through along with the struggles the Elves face with the collapse of the wall that keeps the demons out makes for a wonderful plot and Terry Brooks does a great job in telling his story.
Not many books can bring a tear to my eye but the sacrafice made at the end did the first time and still does with every re-read.
I had a chance to meet Mr. Brooks at a small book signing for Elf Queen. He took the time to talk to me and the others there and has a genuine love for his work and it shows in his writing.

This book is much better than The Sword Of Shannara in my opinion. It feels as if Terry Brooks has grown as an author and is more comfortable with his medium.
In this novel, the Ellcrys, the holder back of all evil, is in danger and is in fact dying. The demon hoardes are scrambling to get out of their prison as their prison guard, the Ellcrys, weakens. Allanon comes to the see Wil Ohmsford, grandson of Shea, and recruits him to help in the quest to save mankind. Allanon and Wil go to gather up an elven girl named Amberle who seems to be the only thing that can save the day.
Allanon knows about an arcane fact which can save the Ellcrys, and with it, mankind. This novel is the epic quest of these three individuals to save the Ellcrys against unbelievable odds.
This is a good one.

Terry Brooks is a true master of Fantasy. He captures the readers attention with an Iron Hand and keeps you spellbound till the very end. Just read his work!! He has everything in his books (altough I have only read 2) He has Trolls, Gnomes, Elves, Dragons, Demons(of all kinds),Dwarfs and my personal favorite, Allanon the Druid. I thought nothing could top Sword of Shannara. How wrong I was. The Elfstones of Shannara was sensational. I skipped a day of School just to read it. Altough I find Allanon an interesting character, I thought that the Reaper stole the show. He expressed such terror that I found him fasinating. The battle scenes between the demons and the Elves were one wild addrenilin rush after another. Do yourself a favour and read Terry Brooks's books, they'll change your life.

This book is one of the greatest books I have ever read. The storyline is absolutely ingenious and the characters and their situations are excellent. The beginning does start off kind of slow, and I didn't think this was going to be a good book, until I reached the other half. I flew through the rest of it. The Demon/Elf battles were so descriptively written and I could visualize the struggles very clearly. I think that the Elfstones are the coolest weapon that anyone could have. Again, Allanon is my favorite character, with his seemingly bottomless well of magic and spells, although the parts surrounding Wil and Amberle were my favorite. This is perhaps one of Brook's best pieces, though the ending left me saddened.

I personally love Brooks and his writing style. I have read every single one of his Shannara series and I have greatly enjoyed most of them. Although all were good, some stood out more than others. This is one of them. I read this book a long time ago but it still stands out at the best fantasy book I've read thus far. I'm not one to brazenly praise just any book I've read so this is a heartfelt review. I logged onto the store.com, wrote a scathing review for a recent, non-Brooks, fantasy book....thought for a moment on what I thought was the best fantasy book I've ever read...and made my way over here so i could counteract the review I made just 10 minutes earlier. Enjoy! You will not regret this action packed story :-)

Well, I read the reviews on page number 21, and I was shocked by the insanity. I personally love the fact that he actually describes the battle tactics and such. I really hate books in which battles are over-simplified. Also, I just love the plain story. The only thing that bothers me is the fact that the whole Ohmsford-family constantly complains about everything, and none of them can handle a weapon like a sword or an axe. That's the only complaint I can come up with.

Books like "the Lord of the Rings" from Tolkien are wonderful as well, but a bit too boring and with far too many details about the landscape and boring things like that. And I don't give a crap about the clothes that some stupid Elf or some stupid Human wears. Don't get me wrong: I love Tolkiens books, but I usually skip the descriptions of the landscapes and clothing. I am more interested in conversations and action.

Anyway, I recommend this book to everyone who is interested in fantasy :)

When I said that this was a good escape form reality I meant no disrespect to the novel because, as it is, this is one of my favorite books.
This tale tells of all that a fantasy book should have. Within its pages you will discover a whole new universe in which there are brave and valiant companions, deadly enemies and internal and external struggles of awesome proportions.
Will Ohmsford the son of Shea Ohmsford, is charged with a quest by the druid Allanon to porotect the elven girl, Amberle in her journey to find the necessary items to keep the world from devastation. Get this book!

This book was just simply brilliant! Amazing plot and outstanding characters. The whole story was filled with plot twists and events that will keep you reading. The story is completely original and is just simply great. My favorite part of the book was all the evil Demons. Each one had a different characteristic. Some were gargantuan, but others very petite. The battle scenes were very well written and the story ran smoothly. There were some drawbacks though. The climax went way to fast and the battle scenes (though well written) were extended too long. The main character's relationships with the others were very strange also. The author just builds up their relationships but then ends it all of a sudden. I enjoyed this book, better than the first, although it could be better.

Mr. Brooks more than makes up for his lack of creativity and use of Tolkien's main ideas in the Sword of Shannara with this amazing book. The Elfstones of Shannara is simply Brooks at his best. The battle scenes between Elves and Demons are extremely well written. At times you almost want to skip ahead to find out what is going to happen next. He also does a much better job of letting us know the characters more. Not to give away the ending, but when you finish the book you start to feel tears swell at times, which is something I never expected after reading The Sword of Shannara although such ability was hinted at in The First King of Shannara. I would certainly recommend this book to any fantasy fan!

Many years have passed. Flick is now old and the Shannara line continues with Will. The Elves are now in danger. The life tree which inprisions powerful demons behind a shield of magic is dying and those demons are getting loose. Allanon now needs the help of Will and his elfstones to bring a girl to the Wilderun to soak a seed of the tree in a life fire to rejuenate it. This book has many large scale battles that slowly turn into an all-out war. I am a fan of great battle scene so I particularly enjoyed this book I hope you do to

Once again, Brooks creates a wonderful and engaging story, continuing the Ohmsford line and extending the blood of Shannara. I fully enjoyed re-reading this book from my youth, and will happily continue with the Wishsong.

One of the best books I've ever read this book stands the test of time and is just as good now as it was when I was a teenager. I don't want to give any spoilers, so I'll keep this short. As part of the first Shannara trilogy it continues the tales of the heirs of the house of Shannara, the second generation, but is just as good as a stand alone novel. It was actually the first of this series I read and had no trouble jumping right in. I recommend this to any fan of fantasy, action, or just a good good story.

This book bears the distinction for being the first and last of Brooks` works in which he turns his hand to character development ... a pity, because in this case at least, the results were magical. This book a masterpiece of fantasy with all the necessary ingredients: great characters, a complex plot and sorcerous battles weave an elaborate tapestry that puts other author`s good vs. evil conflicts in the shade. Psychological terror and wonder form a truly disturbing blend, and the entire book is it`s own, self-contained world. No previous introduction to Four Lands is necessary to enjoy this book - it was the first Shannara book I read. Guaranteed to spellbind, chill, and enchant

I had read his first book and thought good but then I read Elfstones. This book was better and I like and was suprised about the ending not exactly expecting what happened. His third book was harder for me to read for it started slow and I could not get into it like the other two.
I recommend at least reading the first two books then you can decide how much you like them before going to the third one.

This book, mind you, was great. It had little falters, but nothing to stop me from reading it. I began reading the 469 page book five days ago, and today I finished. I was hooked and became totally emersed in this book. My mind fancied the land of Shannara, and when I wasn't reading the book, my mind was always thinking about Wil and Amberle, and what may happen next. It was a book that i'll definately read again, and a book that will keep me thinking, for a while to come. I wouldn't necessarly praise Brooks for his creation of Shannara, but more for the character devolpment that he made me grow so dear too. A great book, nevertheless.

I am such a fantasy freak, and I first heard of Terry Brooks through an employee at Annies Book Stop. I read the Elfstones of Shannara over the summer, and I thought it was his most depressing book. I am a big fan of the elves, and I thought it so sad when the Reaper killed all those Hunters that were helping Wil and Amberle. Especially Crispin! I don't like Eretria much. I almost cried when I read the end! I liked it how Allanon took a stronger role in this book. What happened to the Sword of Shannara, eh? I like swords better than little blue stones. I thought this was one of Brooks's best, much stronger than the MAgic Kingdom For Sale-Sold! series.

I am a big Terry brooks fan. I love his style of writing and his character development. many people say that Terry Brooks is a copy of Tolkien. Which I think is absolutly not true. If someone compares like that they obviously have no idea what they are talking about.
Elfstones of Shannara I think Is my favorite book he has written and one of my favorite books of all time. I thought it was absolutly wonderful!
When Amberle does the transformation I cried.I have never cried over a book before but I wept like a baby. I would read this book again and again.
.........and again! ^_^

This is the best work by Terry Brooks so far. The plot is the most original of all the Shannara stories. The Sword of Shannara had a good plot but his writing style was weak, with lots of redundancies and not enough character development. This book improves on the original with its much more tangible "time limit" on the quest, as well as giving a good lesson in guerilla tactics. Both sides are intelligent and devious in their plans, and you can almost sympathize with the bad guys. The ending is great and makes the sequel much more plausible. I will reread this one many times

An excellent book of mythology, delightfully presented by the author to bring to life characters, places and of a particular era. A gripping tale of the experience of ancient demons that threaten the existence of the elves; A horde of vengeful spells holds the reader spellbound from beginning to end.The magical elfstones and the potential destruction of the elves is frightenng. Great structure and style of this book, make this an interesting book to read. I look forward to reading his other books.

 Everyday Miracles: Stories That Touch Your Heart

Terry Brooks is A great writer in all aspects. People who are comparing him to the writer of the Lord of the Rings are right he does have some similarities but when you try to make up an ancient land with dragons, elves, dwarfs, and trolls you can't miss the similarities between writers when they dicuss almost the same thing. I myself have the entire collection in both paperbacks and almost entire collection in FIRST EDITIONS.
SO IF ANY OF YOU OUT THERE HAVE A FIRST EDITION ELFSTONES OF SHANNARA PLEASE WRITE ME, IT THE ONLY BOOK IM MISSING.
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I Love everything terry brooks has ever written, my father passed down the love of his writing to me I am actually named after a character in this book, Amberle, I would recommend this book to anyone no matter what type of books you like read this book

Personally, I wanted a different ending, but the book was a good read. I didn't read the others in the series but I am curious now about what they are like. The story ended with some of the plots left open, since they want you to buy the next in the series, but it doesn't detract from the story. Everything was well explained, as far as cultures and past happenings, and the characters were well written and easily identified. I thought it was great.

I absolutely love this book. When I was 13, I tried to read Lord of the Rings and gave up straight away. I then went and picked this up from my local library (Ignoring the advice, 'Never judge a book by its cover', I loved the art work!) and since then I have never looked back. Amberle is one of my favourite characters of all time in any book, game or movie and it still makes me sad when I think of what happens to her in the end. If you have children and want them to read well written, almost educational fantasy I would strongly recommend this. Its not violent or strong, but it is very intelligent and you feel as if you've gained something by the time you've completed it.

An amazing Tale of a land that seems to have existed in our own world. His story seems to come right out of the history books, the difference? -- It wont put you to sleep. his (T. Brooks) Battle scenarios Are soo realistically described that you almost feel that youracually in the middle of this 'battle between good and evil' Unlike Tolkien His story is fast paced, and yet still richly described. this style draws you into a world that he creates so incredibly thatyou'll find yourself wishing you had a sword at hand before you pick up this book!.. that is if you can put it down!

I read _Elfstones_ for the first time when i was 9 (i am 15 now) - it was my first fantasy novel ever! Now i have all his books (expect first kingand running with the demon) and at least 3 hundred other fantasy books in my library! This book is the best! It's an epic fantasy that wrpas you up and doesnt let you go until you've finished, and not even then you will think about it for days afterwards! I'm reeading it again, and i love the irony! I wont say more - it is a spoiler, but once you read the book, you hafta reread it to see all the irony behind all the scenes!

The ELfstones Of Shannara is the first book by Terry Brooks that I have read and I must say that it is superb. The magic is cool and superbly written. The battle scenes are riveting, detailed and adrenaline pumping to say the least. The pace is fast, the characters are well developed , especially Ander Elessedil, Wil Ohmsford , Amberle and Eretria. One sympathises with Ander. Undoubtedly , the best part of the story is its heartrendingly superb climax.

The only flaw of the story is the repetitiveness which is sometimes irritating. All in All a great book!!!

This book got so suspensful at some points that I had to get up and pace.Here is the plot :The Ellcrys tree is dying ,loosening the spell that bars the Demons from entering the world again ,therefore almost immediatlely allowing Demons to return .The only way that the Ellcrys may be saved is if her seed is brought to the magical Bloodfire .The only one that may do this is the Elf -maiden Amberle,but Amberle is almost helpless .She needs protection ,so Allanon the Druid chooses Wil Ohmsford to protect her .All he has to protect her are the magical Elfstones .

Nothing is original anymore in the fantasy genre. So stop bashing people who write about Dwarves and elves and such. Tolkien is great, the best, Yeah we all know but it would suck if you went into a book store and all they had in the fantasy section was LOTR. It's a very simple premise. Good vs Evil, a quest is envolved blah blah blah. We get it it's been done before but if you can write a good story and use these elements and people like reading about this stuff, let it be. Why complain that it sounds like LOTR. Stop already. Judge the book(s) for what they are. Good stories about Elves, Dwarves, Evil lords and Wizards. I can only read and watch LOTR so much. Please stop bashing this guy. He is a good writer and his stories are good. Better than most in the fanstasy section at your local book store.

Ohh... Brooks seems to be incapable of writing a bad novel. This is his ABSOLUTE BEST. It'll make you hate some characters, (Eretia.. grr!) Love them, Make you go crazy.. and such. The battle scenes are extraordinary, the characters are colorful, the plot is somewhat complex- somewhat simple and when you finish it, you'll be thinking about it for days afterwards. This book is everything you can possibly imagine, and more.
But the end.... Alas... I cried like hell!

A very good book. It being my first fantasy novel I read, (age 9) I'm now 13 and I've read all his Shannara and Landover series'. And much more. I recently read it a 2nd time because of i'ts quality and I was starting to forget about it(What Horror!)
I hope Terry writes more Shannara and Landover. After reading the series, I have a sizeable belief that Shannara takes place in the future, with the stone city and the old-sciences. I like the Leah's because of their strong will and I'm a highlander myself.

Keep it up Terry!

I loved this book as much as the first. Terry once again keeps the reader wanting to turn the pages. The characters are great and the plot is ever growing. I have tried to read other fantasy books but they loose the thrill in the second book. Something that Terry has not done with this continuation to the first.

There was a time when I would have ranked this as the best book I have read, but I can't play favorites anymore. Nevertheless, this is a masterful work of fantasy, and certainly Terry Brooks' best. The scope is almost epic, focusing on both a fast-paced adventure and a large-scale war. The story is also completely self-contained, something I miss in Brooks' later works.

I enjoyed most of this book, although I think that it has almost an identical plot outline as that of the Sword of Shannara: Allanon comes, and takes an Ohmsford, he hides his secrets from them, he tells them that only they can save the world, they moan and complain, they do it anyway, the quest, big battle scene, all ends well! But, don't mistake me! I enjoyed the book! If you like his other books you should read this one, for sure! My favorite part in the book is the battlescenes with the demons, and how Allanon uses his nagic to help them. What is great about this book is that it is realitstic, with alot of the 'good-guys' dieing also as well as the 'bad-guys'! I was a bit sad for Par Ohmsford, though, what happended to Amberle at the end! I think he really was in love with her.
Well, that's just my opinion!

The entire Sword of Shannara series is one of my least favorites. Elfstones of Shannara is deffinately better than the first, but that isnt saying alot. The characters arent developed enough for me, Amberle and Wil were more likeable than most in this series, but the druid Allannon bores me to tears and is the most unlikeable good guy EVER! The plot is good, but the story advances way to fast. The whole world invented here doesnt work for me. How can you live in a land that you can apparently walk across in a matter of days, and have races of people unfamiliar with each other. I mean, if your going to dream up an entire world maybe it should be bigger than Maine. Apparently other people like it, but not worth the time in my eyes. Speaking of eyes, some one stick an icepick in mine so I can never read this book again!

this is perhaps his weakest performance. the plot and the way it was carried out, made it really uninteresting at times. he is still a good writer, though uninventive, and in the end, he manages to finish the story nicely. but i wouldn't recommend starting with this book, if you want to read B.

I really enjoyed elfstones - I ready sword of the shannanra first (recommend doing the same) and I thought both books were GREAT! I highly recommend to any sci-fi fan. This series is trully one of the best sci-fi series out there!

Wow. these books get better and better! This book is by far the best yet. The demons are truly evil and you can feel the hatred they have of the elves and the hatred the Elves have for them. .... the story is great. I really suggest this book. A Brooks fan would not be let down.

THere have been a lot of reviews of this book so I will keep this short. I have really enjoyed Terry Brooks first books in the Shannara series, this book being my favorite. I loved the characters, the antagonists, the setting....everything. I always enjoy a good vs evil story, my love of this archetype starting when I read Tolkien's books.

I have never been into fantasy or SF books until I got a hold of this book. After reading the introduction, I was hooked. I love books on historical drama and the way this book was writtern was as if this was a true part of history. I only wish there was a movie producer with the talent to bring this story to the big screen. The battle between the Elves and the Demons was fantastic! I hope Mel Gibson reads this as this story would definitely top BraveHeart!

Ihave read the elfstones the wishsong the sword of the shannara to my children long ago , they never wanted me to stop ! great books they make you feel there pain love and sorrows what more could you ask for.

This book was for sure the best of the Shannara series. It has every thing a great fantasy book should have: suspense, action, mystery and a touch of horror and romance. The fighting scenes were great, and so were the romance parts. You will fall in love with Wil, Amberle and Allanon and with many other characters. The ending of the book is very shocking, and it makes most cry from what I've heard. It's a wonderful book, and i suggest picking a copy up.

An excellent book. I've read all of Terry Brooks work, and he has got better and better as an author through the years. (Though I must mention I love his first book Sword of Shannara). This book contains an excellent thrilling tale, keeping you gripped to your seat the whole time. It is one of my favourites. It is highly recommended, a real fight between good and evil, containing one of the greatest chases ever. (Our heros hunted by the Reaper).

I had heard a lot of good of this book, from my brothers. So I picked it up a few years ago, but I did not haver enough of a reading level. I waited for a while, and I read the triligy early this year. I was amazed at how well the dialog and plot was. I could not put this book down after I had read 'The Sword of Shannara" which is the first part of this triligy. I would suggest this book to anyone who wants to read a good Rock-Solid fantasy book.

Terry Brooks is probably one of the most incredible writers out there. His books seem to come to life. The characters are realistic, he can draw you into their thinking in a remarkable way. He is good at putting interesting twists in his work, he's also not afraid to have a main character die for a cause. I think that adds an element of sadness and realism to the story. He is going on 18 consecutive bestsellers and there's a reason.

This book is yet another success for Terry Brooks. In this book more than The Sword of Shanarra, you get to know the characters and genuinly feel for them. I found my self getting angry at the bad guys and feeling relieved when something finally went right for the characters. For anyone who's read the sword, I highly recomend continuing the series with this book. You won't be let down.

Brooks had me in a strangle-hold from the start to the finish of this marvelous story. In certain parts throughout the story, I was truly frightened for Wil and Amberle, who constantly had the Reaper on their heals. Wonderfully vivid descriptions of the agonizing deaths of the Elves grab your imagination and also depict the true hatred the Demons bore for the Elves. This is truly fantasy-horror literature at it's finest!

MARVELOUS, simply MARVELOUS. Follow a young elf and her companion in a quest to save the world from being overrun with DEMONS! it is soooooo exciting! i had to read it all in one day, because it wouldn't let me sleep! i think that you will be swept away by it, whoever you are. you'll LOVE it, i promise.

The Elfstones of Shannara is one of the best of the Shannara trilogy. This book would be 2nd best. The action in this book is double compaired to the first two. I like how Wil is trying to master the use of the Elfstones that is being blocked by his human blood. The ending kind of makes me sad because Amberle becomes the new Elcrys', even though it is a good thing I still wished she didn't have to become the Elcrys'.

I picked this book in a small place in OC, MD, that sells used books, and when I brought it home, I read the first ten pages and was hooked. It's the first book I've read by Brooks, and I can't wait to buy more. It was creepy, terrifying, tragic, and noble before it was done. The defeat of the demons had consequences, and the characters had (surprise!) complex motives and hidden fears. I recommend for fans of high fantasy.

Terry Brook's second novel, the sequel to the Sword of Shannara, is a solid work that while influenced by Tolkien seems less derivative of the Lord of the Rings than it's predecessor. Loads of action, interesting characters and one hell of a bad guy (the Reaper). A must read for fans of fantasy novels.

I read Sword and was kinda disappointed. I decided to give its sequel a shot and was pleasantly surprised. While this book still has your forgetable main heros, it redeems itself in that category with two cool characters, Stan Jees and Garet Jax. The plot has more originality and makes the book more interesting. It also shows new evils with the witch sisters, the Dagda, the Reaper, and the demons(very neat). Highly Recommended.

I have personally read the Shanarra series back in 1997, and had forgotten about them, just that I had throughly enjoyed them as a junior high student. So here I am 9 years later picking up the same books and caught up in the same stories that captured my imagination as a 12 year old. I would highly recommend these books to anyone that has a love for fantasy books. They are written to where anyone can get something out of the books.

When I read my first Brooks book The Sword Of Shannara, I chalked up the feeling to my not giving the book a chance; I was annoyed at the stark differences in traditional fantasy races like dwarves and elves (dwarves that are mere inches from a man in height, elves who're lucky to have longer lifespans than humans, etc.) I toughed it out, and discovered several good qualities to the story (if still having to trudge through the underbrush of amateurish writing and blatant "borrowing" from Tolkien). I was even excited from the ending.
Then, for some reason, I bought this.
This book...DEFINES dreck. I actually found myself feeling naieve for thinking his PREVIOUS work was amateurish. Let's face it, Terry Brooks has all the writing skills of a rock. And not even one of the more interesting rocks, either, I'm talking wet sandstone. Occasionally, though, he shows pure imaginative talent, but even that's few and far between in this woofer. The characters, concepts, and halfassed attempt at making a medieval-type mythos are just plain lame. Like all books by Terry Brooks that I've read, he can't resist to slip in a long, drawn out clinic on strategy and battle near the end that (along with boring me to tears) he REALLY shouldn't have put in a book that already had so much against it like this one. It was an exercise in endurance just to finish this book.
If you're around 12 to 13 years old, and are just getting into fantasy, it might be better suited to you. God knows Brooks' writing style is. To anyone who enjoys literative, picturesque, or stylish writing, or maybe just complex, sophisticated suspense in your fantasy like you'll get with Feist; RUN.
You won't even get Brooks' usual "diamond in the rough" good-story-if-you-can-wade-through-the-dreck qualities in this one. If you can endure this book with no trouble, I wonder about you; if you can endure it and read the other books in the series, you're a masochist.

Brooks does a better job with developing his characters in this book than The Sword of Shannara. In fact, this book was in general better than the first one, if somewhat shorter. The battle scenes between demons and elves are quite interesting. I wasn't very impressed with the final "nick of time" save at the end. If I could only read one Terry Brooks book, it would be this one

Terry Brooks came up with so many unique places and characters, and discribed them well enough that you could feel the coldness of stone, or the heat of the Bloodfire. This book is the best in the 3 part series, I've read them backwards. :) Wishsong-Elfstones-Sword. I loved the discription of battles, of the evil, and people. Overall a great book.

I loved this book and this it is the best in the series. The epic scale of the battles, the sheer numbers of the forces involved, Stee Jans' heroism, Allonon's power, the Dwarven Sapper's cleverness, and even the Reaper's cold stare made the book a masterpiece of epic preportions.

I have seen a lot of comparisons to Tolkien, as if Tolkien was interested in competing with other writers in his genre. Tolkien wrote and created a world. Others have come along and attempted to elaborate on that and make it their own - that's this book in a nutshell. If you enjoy Tolkien you may like this, but I think it's like a photocopy of a photocopy or a photocopy - kind of looks like the original, but blurred enough to be something else -- the original being the clearest. Brooks is a mediocre writer at best (as was shown in the writing for the Star Wars books). Come up with a new idea!

Very addictive series, great reading if you're into fantasy. The flow and reference between the individual installments is epic even before considering the many years that span from the original to the recent.

This book is my all time favorite Fantasy book. It took me only a day to read it because I couldn't put it down, partly because the plot is something that I now that I couldn't have come up with. Terry Brooks is my favorite author, and I'm glad to hear the he is still writting. I have never seen a fantasy book written so well since I read Watership Down.

This story was wonderful! I loved the characters. The only complaints I have are 1)Eventine's eyes were green in the Sword, and now they're blue, 2)Allanon does not seem as composed and forbidding and 3)It was so sad at the end. Those complaints are far outweighed by my compliments, but I can't say them without giving the plot away. Happy reading!!

This was a terrific book, one of the best fantasies I've ever read. Terry Brooks is an awesome author. The Reaper was one of the coolest villans I've ever seen in fantasy. Him stalking Wil and Amberle was probably the best part of the book. If you liked Sword, I think you will love this one.

This is a great book to introduce fantasy to young readers, however as a veteran fantasy reader it is a bit to light for my tastes. It is a very straight forward by the book fantasy novel, but it could not hold my interests. Terry Brooks may be a good author to introduce your kids to after Harry Potter, however you'd do them a greater service by sitting them down with "The Hobbit" instead.

I have read the entire series, and the "Elfstones of Shannara" still sticks out in my mind as the best story. Terry Brooks takes a fantasy world and turns it into a thriller. I have never been on the edge of my seat while reading a book.... but I was with "Elfstones of Shannara".

I read all the Shannara Series up until the scions of shannara, which I could not finish because it was the fourth Shannara that had the exact same plot. The elfstones is in my opinion the only Shannara book worth reading (Except the wishsong solely because of the addition of Garet Jax). The omshfords are called upon again to deal with something that only they can contest. Its basically a Tolkein Rehash.

The novel intertwines two plotlines: the quest of Wil Ohmsford and Amberle Elessedil to find Safehold and create a new Ellcrys, and the attempt by the Elven army and their allies to slow the Demons to give them time to find it.

This was one of my first Brooks book (I read it in 8th grade) and still one of my favorites. I have read the books before and after, up until the last two series, but this is the one of the books I remember as if I read it yesterday.

It took me awhile to decide which book was better, SOS or EOS(Sword of Shannara or Elfstones of Shannara. SOS won). EOS ends in a BOOM that leaves you hanging. If you read this book, beware. IT WILL NOT END LIKE YOU THINK IT WILL!! Sorry for shouting, but I just wanted to get across to everybody that I love this book.

Brooks diplays his best combination of ignoring Tolkien (unlike 'The Sword') and including a ton of original ideas (unlike what follows). The villains are the best the series has to offer, and the battle scenes are magnificent. I suspect this book would read well as a standalone novel, though I started with the first.

I must say, The Elfstones of Shannara is the best book out of all books in the Shannara series. It's better than the first and the third! I haven't read the Heritage series yet, but that is next after I finish Wishsong. Terry Brooks is an excellent writer and his Shannara series (especially Elfstones) is the best!

Wonderfull book, it was the first Terry Brooks book I have read, and so far the best. I loved it suspensefull, thrilling, romantic. My personal favorite was Amberle. The end was so sad I cryed. Well anyway I could write pages Abought this WONDERFULL book but I don't want to give away the plot. love

I had to read this book for school. At first glance I thought it would be stupid. I am usually not a person to read lengthy books. But this one blew me away. I just couldn't put it down. I would read a few pages, then stop, then pick it up again because was wondering what would happen next.

This was the first Terry Brooks novel I read, and even today, after hundreds of fantasy fiction novels, I still regard it as one of the best! My favorite part is when the troll army kneels in front of old Eventine and he cries... very poignant! I strongly recommend this book.

This was the first book of Terry Brooks that I have read. Even though it is in the middle of the series, it still had enough history of the other book in the series to bring me up to date. I am reading The Sword now and i will end up reading the remainder of the books he has written.

This book is MANY, MANY times better than the "Sword of Shannara". The characters of Wil and Amberle and their adventures were the thing that cause me to love this book even though i didn't like the first book of the series.

The Elfstones of Shannara is the greatest book ever. If you are into this kind of thing, you will be turning pages faster than you thought possible. A friend told me this was an amazing book, and most books dont live up to the hype. But this one went right over the top! You NEED to read this!

This book is by far terry's best. The character development is just as good as tolkien if not better, and the battle in the end is the best out of them all(all shannara). Yes, the ending was great to.

This book is truly FANTASIC! I love it and i know that if you read it (which you definately should), then you will think so too. Will and Amberle are faced alone to find their way to Safehold while the terifying reaper chases after... Enjoy it!

Excellant characters, excellant story line, and over and excellant book! I just started reading Terry Brooks' Shannara series and I'm really impressed. But out of the three, the Elfstones of Shannara is definately the best.

This second book of the original Shannara Trilogy is a true masterpiece, even better than the SoS. Brooks has such a talent for endearing the reader to these wonderful characters, that I could not put this book down.

Well what can i say? This is one of Brook's better books. The writting is beautiful (most of the time) and there is action and a little bit of mystery. If you have read and disliked The Sword of Shannara, you can see that he tries to repair the damage with this book and for the most part he does. BEWARE: The ending will have you cursing him all over again.

ELFSTONES WAS THE FIRST TERRY BROOKS BOOK I READ AND I MUST SAY WOW!!! I'VE READ ELFSTONES THREE TIMES NOW AND IT NEVER GETS BORING. I LOVE WHEN ALLANON IS STANDING UP ON THE WALL FACING THE DEMONS ALONE. THAT WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTS.

This blows away the lord of the rings, so much better! if youre new to the fantasy scene you should now that brooks fans and tolkiens fans HATE each other Jion brooks! Gandolf is half the man allanon is! down with tolkien!

This is a very well writen fantasy book. The characters are all well shapped and the battles are described very vividly. This is one of my favortite fantasy books.

p.s. I'm not really a "kid" but don't feel like posting the email adress.

This is the best work by Terry Brooks so far. The plot is the most original of all the Shannara stories. The Sword of Shannara had a good plot but his writing style was weak, with lots of redundancies and not enough character development. This book improves on the original with its much more tangible "time limit" on the quest, as well as giving a good lesson in guerilla tactics. Both sides are intelligent and devious in their plans, and you can almost sympathize with the bad guys. The ending is great and makes the sequel much more plausible. I will reread this one many times

Wow. these books get better and better! This book is by far the best yet. The demons are truly evil and you can feel the hatred they have of the elves and the hatred the Elves have for them. .... the story is great. I really suggest this book. A Brooks fan would not be let down.

This was a terrific book, one of the best fantasies I've ever read. Terry Brooks is an awesome author. The Reaper was one of the coolest villans I've ever seen in fantasy. Him stalking Wil and Amberle was probably the best part of the book. If you liked Sword, I think you will love this one.

I loved this book and this it is the best in the series. The epic scale of the battles, the sheer numbers of the forces involved, Stee Jans' heroism, Allonon's power, the Dwarven Sapper's cleverness, and even the Reaper's cold stare made the book a masterpiece of epic preportions.

This book is my all time favorite Fantasy book. It took me only a day to read it because I couldn't put it down, partly because the plot is something that I now that I couldn't have come up with. Terry Brooks is my favorite author, and I'm glad to hear the he is still writting. I have never seen a fantasy book written so well since I read Watership Down.

Excellant characters, excellant story line, and over and excellant book! I just started reading Terry Brooks' Shannara series and I'm really impressed. But out of the three, the Elfstones of Shannara is definately the best.

This was the first Terry Brooks novel I read, and even today, after hundreds of fantasy fiction novels, I still regard it as one of the best! My favorite part is when the troll army kneels in front of old Eventine and he cries... very poignant! I strongly recommend this book.

This book is MANY, MANY times better than the "Sword of Shannara". The characters of Wil and Amberle and their adventures were the thing that cause me to love this book even though i didn't like the first book of the series.

Wow! This book somehow bests the Sword of Shannara! A few factors make this book better. This book has a more original plot, more female characters which adds some flavour to the novel, a unique look at the westland, and much more. The Ellcrys is dying, and the Forbidding that holds the Demons --an ancient evil trapped for thousands of years-- will soon collapse, and the anniahlation of the Elves and all other races of the Four Lands is near. Amberle Elessedil, granddaughter to the Elven King, Eventine, along with Wil Ohmsford, a young man who is training to be a Healer, and at the start guided by the mysterious sorcerer (Druid) Allanon, who stays behind to protect the Elves, begin a quest to take the seed of the Ellcrys to the Bloodfire where it can grow and allow a rebirth, and reinforce the Forbidding again. But some Demons have broken through, including the seemingly invincible Reaper who kills out of intinct, and will stop them at all costs... This book is a delving into the caverns of the human soul; about sacrifice for your people and how hatred can drive something so it is so much more dangerous...The Elfstones of Shannara is a rollercoaster ride of emotions -- happy to sad, captivating, touching, amusing, thoughful, remorseful, thrilling -- and the morals go far beyond the story. If you want a book to read, get this, it is shorter than the Sword (564 to 730 pgs) and believe me, this is darker, more thrilling, and goes a lot deeper than any Brooks book except for Running With The Demon! A must read!

Several years ago, I was in the local bookstore searching for a new novel to read. I didn't recognize most of the books on the shelf, so I looked at several and one caught my eye: "The Elfstones of Shannara". Upon reading it I was transported into a world from which I hope I will never return.
Having not read it's prequel, "The Sword of Shannara", I thought that I might be confused as to what is going on. This could not have been farther from the truth. Brooks fills you in on what happened at every necessary point in the novel, so as to never leave you confused about an event that happened in the previous book.
Wil Ohmsford is definitely one of the best characters that I have ever read about. Faced with impossible odds, Wil, with only the power of the legendary, magical Elfstones, must make a perilous journey to save the world from being overrun by demon hordes, while at the same time, protecting the Elven girl, Amberle, who is the key to everything. Wil Ohmsford is continuously developed as the novel progresses, and by the end of the book, you really feel like you know him. The one thing that I find separates and makes Wil better from the main characters in "The Sword of Shannara", Shea and Flick, is that he is a healer, and it makes him more fun to read.
To top it all off, this book has one of the best endings ever written. I don't want to say anything more, so as I don't spoil it on you, but after finishing the novel you will definitely have a smile across your face. Great heroes, great villains, great writing. Brooks at his best.

One of the best books I've ever read this book stands the test of time and is just as good now as it was when I was a teenager. I don't want to give any spoilers, so I'll keep this short. As part of the first Shannara trilogy it continues the tales of the heirs of the house of Shannara, the second generation, but is just as good as a stand alone novel. It was actually the first of this series I read and had no trouble jumping right in. I recommend this to any fan of fantasy, action, or just a good good story.

I absolutely love this book. When I was 13, I tried to read Lord of the Rings and gave up straight away. I then went and picked this up from my local library (Ignoring the advice, 'Never judge a book by its cover', I loved the art work!) and since then I have never looked back. Amberle is one of my favourite characters of all time in any book, game or movie and it still makes me sad when I think of what happens to her in the end. If you have children and want them to read well written, almost educational fantasy I would strongly recommend this. Its not violent or strong, but it is very intelligent and you feel as if you've gained something by the time you've completed it.

Cannot believe they no longer let you buy the unabridged version of this book! The version they are selling has been condensed from a 20+ hour read down to just 6 hours! Are you kidding me! I've read almost the entire Shannara saga in book form and was very excited being a new member of Audible to be able to listen to them. I purchased Sword of Shannara and enjoyed it. Went to purchase the next in the series, Elfstones, and was amazed, frustrated and angry I cannot! Unbelieveable!

Read this originally 30 years ago in junior high and on a whim picked it up again a couple weeks back.
You grow so close to the characters and the world you get wrapped up in that you almost hate to see it end.
I’ll ready the First King next...that’s one I never read.
Enjoy!!!