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mxsallybend's review against another edition
3.0
It has been a very long time since I last read a Terry Brooks novel but, as was the case with Raymond E. Feist bringing his Riftwar Cycle to a close, the prospect of seeing Shannara come to an end brought me back.
The Black Elfstone feels very much like a return to form for Brooks, despite it's disappointing page count and its unprecedented weight of darkness. It's a broad-sweeping epic fantasy, with multiple stories intertwined, a dire threat to the Druids, and a seemingly unstoppable force marching upon The Four Lands.
Everything and everyone here are in conflict, ranging from the intimate (between individuals) to the massive (between races). The only problem is, with such a short novel to kick-off the series, it isn't always clear how or why those conflicts are relevant. For instance, the whole storyline with Tarsha Kaynin' brother is a bit muddled, although I suspect his magical madness is establishing him as a foil for his sister somewhere down the line.
The characters are reasonably strong and interesting, something Brooks has always excelled at, but their motivations are somewhat suspect. For instance, Drisker Arc is an ex-Druid who evokes memories of Allanon, complete with his estrangement from Paranor, but his willingness to trust in old foes is foolish. Similarly. Dar Leah is a swashbuckling sort of hero, at the forefront of the action throughout the book, but it seems like he can't decide on when to take a stand - and it costs him. Finally, Tarsha Kaynin may be one of the strongest female characters Brooks has written, but even she can't decide between loyalties and impulsive frustration.
What ultimately redeems all of those flaws, however, is the finale. The Black Elfstone has a big climax, and pays off beautifully.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
The Black Elfstone feels very much like a return to form for Brooks, despite it's disappointing page count and its unprecedented weight of darkness. It's a broad-sweeping epic fantasy, with multiple stories intertwined, a dire threat to the Druids, and a seemingly unstoppable force marching upon The Four Lands.
Everything and everyone here are in conflict, ranging from the intimate (between individuals) to the massive (between races). The only problem is, with such a short novel to kick-off the series, it isn't always clear how or why those conflicts are relevant. For instance, the whole storyline with Tarsha Kaynin' brother is a bit muddled, although I suspect his magical madness is establishing him as a foil for his sister somewhere down the line.
The characters are reasonably strong and interesting, something Brooks has always excelled at, but their motivations are somewhat suspect. For instance, Drisker Arc is an ex-Druid who evokes memories of Allanon, complete with his estrangement from Paranor, but his willingness to trust in old foes is foolish. Similarly. Dar Leah is a swashbuckling sort of hero, at the forefront of the action throughout the book, but it seems like he can't decide on when to take a stand - and it costs him. Finally, Tarsha Kaynin may be one of the strongest female characters Brooks has written, but even she can't decide between loyalties and impulsive frustration.
What ultimately redeems all of those flaws, however, is the finale. The Black Elfstone has a big climax, and pays off beautifully.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
joellenroberts's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
r_lind's review against another edition
4.0
God book. I was hoping it would be similar to the earlier series I read where each book was semi stand alone. Not so here.
futuregazer's review against another edition
2.0
Aggressively mediocre. Obviously a setup book for bigger stuff, but.....well, for one, I generally tend to prefer series-entries that at least feel like they have some individual identity or resolution, even if they don't stand on their own. I don't mind cliffhanger endings if the story got somewhere with an arc.
But this....it's all setup and nothing else. A very poor showing to my eyes at least. Surely, even if Brooks can only tell the story he wants with all this setup in place first he could have....added some things? Not so much padding as setting - some conversations between Tarsha and locals in her village that are NOT focused on her brother might have given us a sense of the wider world and where Shannara stands today as opposed to how it was in other eras - the feel, not just the tech level. To be honest, all the siblings growing up stuff was HEAVILY, almost exclusively narrated rather than given actual scenes, and it was in some ways odd that it took Tarsha so long into the book to become an ACTUAL viewpoint character.
The timeline was also very odd, starting out at present day and then jumping back into the kids' childhoods with no obvious delineation, though this could have easily been the audiobook for me. Still, it was odd even if it was shown with say, italics, as is sometimes the Brooks way.
Finally, letting the whole book hang on the mystery of who the invaders are is....well, a choice. A dangerous strategy normally, but especially when you don't even pump up their mystery. What we know: they seem to have a foreign language, they can kinda appear and disappear, they are led by mysterious figure A who is a young lady, and at least one of them can talk and act like a normal person for a while. That's not mysterious, that's unknown. Mysterious involves throwing a couple things in that don't seem to fit - yes young lady does not normally fit with our view of invading army leader, but that's just because people are hung up on trends. Give us anything more about the invaders and then the young lady part might have something to not fit with. Right now it just smacks of: "I put a young lady in to be mysterious, and to have plot relevance later, but I'm going to take forever getting to that. Whoooooooo; mystery!" waggles fingers in a silly way. Again, unknown, not mysterious.
Oh, and Shae Ohmsford had really better come back as a Chekov's gun, because I like authors remembering to put ordinary coincidences into books, but that's a ridiculous way to again just go "But who is he? mystery?" While at the same time, doing a callback. Look, I'd love a Shae callback - have a minstrel in a tavern who happens to start singing about the legend of Shae and Flick. Great. Coincidence and homage, but not needless mystery. If you'd like an ordinary coincidence - just resolve it, and have the kid explain in book that he picked it from a legend, after jump scaring the reader. Then, it's still interesting, but not this "Is he going to have relevance to the plot" meta 'mystery' for the the reader.
Hmmm....I thought I was just lightly bored by this book - but apparently I see a lot more problems then I thought at first. Huh.
But this....it's all setup and nothing else. A very poor showing to my eyes at least. Surely, even if Brooks can only tell the story he wants with all this setup in place first he could have....added some things? Not so much padding as setting - some conversations between Tarsha and locals in her village that are NOT focused on her brother might have given us a sense of the wider world and where Shannara stands today as opposed to how it was in other eras - the feel, not just the tech level. To be honest, all the siblings growing up stuff was HEAVILY, almost exclusively narrated rather than given actual scenes, and it was in some ways odd that it took Tarsha so long into the book to become an ACTUAL viewpoint character.
The timeline was also very odd, starting out at present day and then jumping back into the kids' childhoods with no obvious delineation, though this could have easily been the audiobook for me. Still, it was odd even if it was shown with say, italics, as is sometimes the Brooks way.
Finally, letting the whole book hang on the mystery of who the invaders are is....well, a choice. A dangerous strategy normally, but especially when you don't even pump up their mystery. What we know: they seem to have a foreign language, they can kinda appear and disappear, they are led by mysterious figure A who is a young lady, and at least one of them can talk and act like a normal person for a while. That's not mysterious, that's unknown. Mysterious involves throwing a couple things in that don't seem to fit - yes young lady does not normally fit with our view of invading army leader, but that's just because people are hung up on trends. Give us anything more about the invaders and then the young lady part might have something to not fit with. Right now it just smacks of: "I put a young lady in to be mysterious, and to have plot relevance later, but I'm going to take forever getting to that. Whoooooooo; mystery!" waggles fingers in a silly way. Again, unknown, not mysterious.
Oh, and Shae Ohmsford had really better come back as a Chekov's gun, because I like authors remembering to put ordinary coincidences into books, but that's a ridiculous way to again just go "But who is he? mystery?" While at the same time, doing a callback. Look, I'd love a Shae callback - have a minstrel in a tavern who happens to start singing about the legend of Shae and Flick. Great. Coincidence and homage, but not needless mystery. If you'd like an ordinary coincidence - just resolve it, and have the kid explain in book that he picked it from a legend, after jump scaring the reader. Then, it's still interesting, but not this "Is he going to have relevance to the plot" meta 'mystery' for the the reader.
Hmmm....I thought I was just lightly bored by this book - but apparently I see a lot more problems then I thought at first. Huh.
hotsake's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
There are four main POVs in this book.
Tarsha Kaynin, I flip flopped my feelings for her throughout the book.
Dar Leah, His story started off weak but got better as the book went on.
Drisker Arc, By far my favorite POV of the novel and I wanted more of his story.
Tavo Kaynin, I felt like skipping his sections because I just didn’t like him or care about his story.
This was an uneven story but I still enjoyed it better than anything from the previous trilogy.
Tarsha Kaynin, I flip flopped my feelings for her throughout the book.
Dar Leah, His story started off weak but got better as the book went on.
Drisker Arc, By far my favorite POV of the novel and I wanted more of his story.
Tavo Kaynin, I felt like skipping his sections because I just didn’t like him or care about his story.
This was an uneven story but I still enjoyed it better than anything from the previous trilogy.
nachtfalke's review against another edition
5.0
By Hextor, this is excellent! I am a long-time follower of the series, though not always a fan; this one, though, takes me back to the glory that Shannara was during the 90s. :) Wonderful book, and quite possibly the introduction to a last, strong circle of stories! :)
disneydamsel1's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
weaselweader's review against another edition
5.0
“Always there had been the threat that magic, like science, might be misused.”
It simply has to be said! As the Shannara universe enters its fifth decade and the series novel count approaches 40, it is difficult to believe that Terry Brooks writing remains as compelling, as imaginative, as thrilling, as provocative, as evocative and as exciting as the day I first drooled over The Sword of Shannara. It is no small matter of personal pride for me that I can say I was one of those lucky fantasy lovers who stumbled upon the epic Shannara fantasy when it was actually first published and that I have been an ardent fan ever since I first encountered it in the late 1970s. To say that I was enchanted by Shea Ohmsford and Allanon, not to mention the magnificent illustrations of the Brothers Hildebrandt would be a masterpiece of understatement. As the Ringwraiths did in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, Brooks’ imagining of the Skullbearers simply gave me goosebumps. A first edition illustrated trade paperback copy sits with no small pride in a valued place on my bookshelves.
In The Fall of Shannara, recently deposed and exiled High Druid Drisker Arc faces assassins and an unknown enemy force. This new and terrifying foe, already endowed with powerful and hitherto unknown magic, would seek to destroy the entire High Druid Council, to pulverize Paranor, the Druid’s secluded and magically protected fortress, and to add to their own power with the dangerous and almost unlimited power of the Black Elfstone. It rests only with Drisker Arc, Darcon Leah, the Blade and sworn guardian of the Ard Rhys and the Druid Council and young Tarsha Kaynin, an untested enchantress who has inherited the Ohmsford family Wishsong magic, to protect the Four Lands from domination by this evil. Tarsha Kaynin faces the additional problem of rescuing her brother from the madness and self-destruction that seems to be consuming him as a result of the same Wishsong bequest blocking his efforts to control it.
The theme is the time-tested chestnut, “good versus evil”, but in the hands of Terry Brooks, every book seems to be new and thrilling. There’s nothing stale here and every page begs to be turned so a reader can get on with this absorbing new tale of Shannara and the dangers facing the Four Lands. I am looking forward with considerable relish to the sequel, The Skaar Invasion.
Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
It simply has to be said! As the Shannara universe enters its fifth decade and the series novel count approaches 40, it is difficult to believe that Terry Brooks writing remains as compelling, as imaginative, as thrilling, as provocative, as evocative and as exciting as the day I first drooled over The Sword of Shannara. It is no small matter of personal pride for me that I can say I was one of those lucky fantasy lovers who stumbled upon the epic Shannara fantasy when it was actually first published and that I have been an ardent fan ever since I first encountered it in the late 1970s. To say that I was enchanted by Shea Ohmsford and Allanon, not to mention the magnificent illustrations of the Brothers Hildebrandt would be a masterpiece of understatement. As the Ringwraiths did in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, Brooks’ imagining of the Skullbearers simply gave me goosebumps. A first edition illustrated trade paperback copy sits with no small pride in a valued place on my bookshelves.
In The Fall of Shannara, recently deposed and exiled High Druid Drisker Arc faces assassins and an unknown enemy force. This new and terrifying foe, already endowed with powerful and hitherto unknown magic, would seek to destroy the entire High Druid Council, to pulverize Paranor, the Druid’s secluded and magically protected fortress, and to add to their own power with the dangerous and almost unlimited power of the Black Elfstone. It rests only with Drisker Arc, Darcon Leah, the Blade and sworn guardian of the Ard Rhys and the Druid Council and young Tarsha Kaynin, an untested enchantress who has inherited the Ohmsford family Wishsong magic, to protect the Four Lands from domination by this evil. Tarsha Kaynin faces the additional problem of rescuing her brother from the madness and self-destruction that seems to be consuming him as a result of the same Wishsong bequest blocking his efforts to control it.
The theme is the time-tested chestnut, “good versus evil”, but in the hands of Terry Brooks, every book seems to be new and thrilling. There’s nothing stale here and every page begs to be turned so a reader can get on with this absorbing new tale of Shannara and the dangers facing the Four Lands. I am looking forward with considerable relish to the sequel, The Skaar Invasion.
Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss