The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks is a classic fantasy novel that follows the story of Shea Ohmsford, a young hero who, along with his companions, must save the world from the evil Warlock Lord. The book is often compared to The Lord of the Rings for its epic quest storyline and fantastical elements. Readers have noted similarities in character types and plot devices, but also appreciate the different writing style that makes the characters more accessible than Tolkien's. The book is described as a direct descendant of LOTR, focusing on the ongoing hero Allanon, a druid who manipulates the other characters in the story.
The plot of The Sword of Shannara unfolds as Shea and his companions embark on a journey to find the legendary Sword of Shannara to stop the evil god threatening their world. Despite being criticized for similarities to LOTR, readers find the magic and world-building of the story captivating. The book is praised for being a classic sword and sorcery tale with hints of Tolkien but still standing on its own as a great beginning to an exciting series. The writing is described as descriptive and immersive, drawing readers into a world of magic, adventure, and memorable characters.
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From The Publisher:
The Sword of Shannara is the first volume of the classic series that has becomeone of the most popular fantasy tales of all time.
Long ago, the wars of the ancient Evil ruined the world. In peaceful Shady Vale, half-elfin Shea Ohmsford knows little of such troubles. But the supposedly dead Warlock Lord is plotting to destroy everything in his wake.The sole weapon against this Power of Darkness is the Sword of Shannara, which can be used only by a trueheir of Shannara. On Shea, last of the bloodline,rests the hope of all the races.
Thus begins the enthralling Shannara epic,a spellbinding tale of adventure, magic, and myth . .
Ratings (93)
Incredible (4) | |
Loved It (29) | |
Liked It (18) | |
It Was OK (22) | |
Did Not Like (14) | |
Hated It (6) |
Reader Stats (155):
Read It (83) | |
Currently Reading (1) | |
Want To Read (41) | |
Did Not Finish (15) | |
Not Interested (15) |
5 comment(s)
Getting through this book was tough. I wanted to read it, because it's considered one of the classic staples of the genre (or so I've heard), but... it's dry. Really really dry.
Firstly, it is so obviously a retelling of Lord of the Rings that it was shocking. And secondly, like LotR (which I love), it is filled with miles of descriptions on every detail of every setting (which I skim, mostly, on re-reads).
It was so slow that I couldn't keep my attention on it for more than 20 min or so at a time. And that's so unusual for me - I plow through books at hyperspeed, generally. It felt like I had ADD or something.
So I was disappointed. Maybe it's just that this book was so a product of its time that it doesn't read well to modern audiences, which is fair. There are tons of books that were beloved in my youth that, as an adult I tried to re-read and regretted it horribly, because it destroyed the book for me (I'm looking at you, Dragonriders of Pern). But whatever the reason, I definitely won't be reading onward. I barely finished this one.
This was mediocre writing at best - it is a debut novel, so I am confident that this could get better, but the tension is lacking, the character development is lacking, and having read as much Fantasy as I have by now, the originality is lacking -
This is a novel best saved for those getting into the genre and not already years vested, because everything that is said and done on these pages has been done before (or after, depending on the timeline of your reading experience) -
Shannara started a new generation of writing, and this is still and simply the straight form of farm boy hero with a destiny, however, I feel that I have moved well beyond this, and I could not take this novel seriously anymore.
This is great if you are getting your children into the Fantasy genre, and I will most likely have my young boys read this when they get a bit older, but I for one could not continue the interesting sounding world of Shannara that had no real value for the learned and aged like myself.
This is a copy and paste of The Lord of the Rings, but not as good.
The writing style never clicked with me. Too long in the boring parts. Too passive in the action parts. Too "telling not showing" with characterization.
Maybe just me. I could not get past the first few chapters
What can you read after
The Sword of Shannara?
About the Author:
Terry Brooks has thrilled readers for decades with his powers of imagination and storytelling. He is the author of more than thirty books, most of which have been New York Times bestsellers. He lives with his wife, Judine, in the…
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