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3.41 AVERAGE
3.41 AVERAGE
This feels like a play for play ripoff of LOTR lol.
adventurous
challenging
funny
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Not diverse at all, only a few female side character/love interests
I don't know what really needs to be said here. It's sloppy and plodding at times but it has a big fun adventure.
This is not my thing but it is a lot of people's thing and so I figured I'd check it out and see what all the hullabaloo for the last fifty years has been. And while I'm not impressed, I do think there are lessons to be taken from this.
Also, feels like a very clear and large influence on the Wheel of Time. More so than Lord of the Rings, honestly. In fact, I'd say the Wheel of Time is basically this plus Dune.
This is not my thing but it is a lot of people's thing and so I figured I'd check it out and see what all the hullabaloo for the last fifty years has been. And while I'm not impressed, I do think there are lessons to be taken from this.
Also, feels like a very clear and large influence on the Wheel of Time. More so than Lord of the Rings, honestly. In fact, I'd say the Wheel of Time is basically this plus Dune.
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It starts very derivative of LOTR but as you read and start to realize the character motivations, the conflict between the lands, and the trip to Shannara's version of Mordor... it's still pretty clearly heavily inspired by LOTR, but I think you need to really give it a chance because Terry Brooks is excellent at creating likeable characters and really making you feel their conflict and how the smallest internal conflict can impact an entire land of people. Sure, it's derivative of Lord of the Rings and the prose very clearly takes notes from Tolkien's prose (albeit slightly more accessible), but there is still a damn good story here. If you like Lord of the Rings, you'll probably like this if you go into it expecting a derivative yet very different and more personal take on the Tolkien universe.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
like yeah i'll give anything five stars sure but also. i spent HOURS on DAYS reading this how could i not have gotten attached enough to give it five stars.... shea was there when i was planting my garden seeds... shea was there when i was hanging up lights around my fence.... shea was there when i was meticulously refolding and reorganizing jeans at work.... that's my friend shea forever like we've soul bonded basically. shame there's only ONE fucking book about him and now i have to read about his fuckass grandson. no offense. ok i have to learn to forgive that boy asap i cannot be beefed out with him before i've even given him a chance or what shot do i have to enjoy that silly looking mtv show about him...... girl you love a silly looking low budget fantasy tv show.... you must not be your own enemy on this matter..... peace and love on planet earth okay i will learn to forgive him. he better be just like shea though
anyway. crazy how this was long as fuck and yet still to be honest could have used a little more.... wish the conclusion had been a little more. idk. feel like it didn't wrap itself up well on an emotional level. like damn terry you made me care about all these guys and didn't even write their reunion when shea gets back to his brother and friends? you made me care about shea and his prince friend (it's an audiobook i do not know how to spell his name i've been calling him the gay prince this entire time sorry to that man) and then didn't even write them finally finding each other and then their journey back home and what would have been where they parted again once shea and flick were back with their dad? after the emotional wringer they were just put through? no scene of flick and the prince finally setting aside their differences and realizing they don't just tolerate each other out of love for shea but genuinely have come to respect and care for each other as individuals...... full offense terry but cassandra clare would have done this way better AND she would have had something to say about that prince being gay as fuck. she can write action just as well as your dumb ass AND she can write everything else too. watch your back man.
anyway. crazy how this was long as fuck and yet still to be honest could have used a little more.... wish the conclusion had been a little more. idk. feel like it didn't wrap itself up well on an emotional level. like damn terry you made me care about all these guys and didn't even write their reunion when shea gets back to his brother and friends? you made me care about shea and his prince friend (it's an audiobook i do not know how to spell his name i've been calling him the gay prince this entire time sorry to that man) and then didn't even write them finally finding each other and then their journey back home and what would have been where they parted again once shea and flick were back with their dad? after the emotional wringer they were just put through? no scene of flick and the prince finally setting aside their differences and realizing they don't just tolerate each other out of love for shea but genuinely have come to respect and care for each other as individuals...... full offense terry but cassandra clare would have done this way better AND she would have had something to say about that prince being gay as fuck. she can write action just as well as your dumb ass AND she can write everything else too. watch your back man.
adventurous
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book is a product of its time. It’s just very predictable and if you’ve read fantasy from this time, you’re not going to be surprised by anything— it’s got a lot of tropes. It’s your call if that’s what you want to read!
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
For a series that has created so many series since, it wasn't much of a surprise that I enjoyed it. It feels a little too close to Lord of the Rings for my taste but I can both appreciate that it embracing fantasy this way has contributed to fantasy as we know it. I can also understand that the proximity to Tolkien might lessen as the series continues, veering off to become its own thing. The characters were OK though I hope they improve as the series continues. Shea was generally just the "apprehensive hero", Flick was annoyingly stubborn, Allanon was generically vague which could be quite irritating at times and would have outright disliked were I not considering the fact that this was not necessarily such an abundant trope at the time it was written. Though also tropey I did find Menion enjoyable and was probably my favourite characters. Overall I enjoyed it enough to continue, with the hopes the story becomes its own tale as the series goes on.