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hotsake's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I found this a thoroughly engaging and entertaining entry in the strangely yet consistently evolving series. While I liked all of the POVs I would've preferred a single POV following Sider Ament as he was my favorite character.
mjfmjfmjf's review against another edition
3.0
Series 6 Book 1 or Book 20 overall. I gave up on the Shannara series a long time ago - got rid of my books except for the first one. I only picked this one up because of reading for the Endeavour award. That said, it was not too bad - for some reason I had forgotten that Shannara had basically turned into Gamma World. Still the writing was not too objectionable - the plot a bit obvious. 3.5 of 5. And I don't expect to pick this series back up.
jasmyn9's review against another edition
4.0
I feel like this book is the real beginning of the world known as Shannara. The Legends of Shannara series starts after "our" world has ended and a small enclave of various races and creatures have taken shelter within a magical foggy shield. The world has been kept at bay as it crumbles under countless disasters, but this small group has lived in peace behind their magical walls, forming the beginnings of the kingdoms and regions I've grown to love over the vast Shannara series.
But the walls begin to crumble, and the outside world comes calling in a rather vicious and bloodthirsty way. Having been protected for so long, the people of Shannara are not prepared and don't even really believe the scouts who spotted the intruders - and the invaders. The outside world has been struggling to survive, and the formerly sheltered valley looks like a place they want to call home as well.
I found a lot of those traditional fantasy elements that I love so much. A handful of people slowly becoming a small part of 5 or 6. Different races and regions coming together, trying to save a world that doesn't even know (or want to admit) that it needs saving. Enemies and dangers hiding in plain sight and betrayal always a possibility with each new turn. By the end of the book, the lines have been drawn and many of the sides have been determined, but I haven't even gotten to the big fight yet. Things are still being prepared, and you never know what could happen next.
But the walls begin to crumble, and the outside world comes calling in a rather vicious and bloodthirsty way. Having been protected for so long, the people of Shannara are not prepared and don't even really believe the scouts who spotted the intruders - and the invaders. The outside world has been struggling to survive, and the formerly sheltered valley looks like a place they want to call home as well.
I found a lot of those traditional fantasy elements that I love so much. A handful of people slowly becoming a small part of 5 or 6. Different races and regions coming together, trying to save a world that doesn't even know (or want to admit) that it needs saving. Enemies and dangers hiding in plain sight and betrayal always a possibility with each new turn. By the end of the book, the lines have been drawn and many of the sides have been determined, but I haven't even gotten to the big fight yet. Things are still being prepared, and you never know what could happen next.
lonewolfbefree's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
ink_and_pages_'s review against another edition
5.0
It's no suprise that Terry Brooks is a master of modern fantasy. This book was awesome and I literally yelled out for more when it was over! Fast moving pace with interesting charaters, cannot wait for the follow-up book.
soleadohmbt's review against another edition
4.0
This gets one star higher than it deserves only because I've been reading the Shannara series since 1977 or 1978. Brooks has gotten more political since revealing the location of the World of Shannara as a post-apocalyptic Earth (which he did in previous novels). Still, it's a fun story, worth reading over the course of a few nights in the summer, and it's a delightful trip down memory lane with characters I just met.
tarana's review against another edition
5.0
Another great story. Brooks used a lot of modern idioms during a time period 500 years after destruction of modern society. Don't know why he did that, but it was my only annoyance.
sheltzer's review against another edition
3.0
This was far from my favorite Shannara book. It was very slow and then there was a payoff in the last 50 pages. But I wish the first 300 hadn't been so plodding.
nedjem's review against another edition
3.0
It had its ups and downs. I got really annoyed at the excessive use of "the boy and the girl" - or separately "the boy" and "the girl". The characters have names, there are pronouns you can use and this constant "boy/girl" is, besides annoying, confusing.
Most of the characters seemed to be copies of characters in the previous books. I also found that I liked the characters that were described the least the most. Inch, for example. The author somehow makes the main characters seem flat and without any life, while in the side characters there is room for the readers imagination to work and thus give them more appeal.
At times I do wonder why I keep reading this series when it just keeps disappointing me, but I keep up hope since I have a strong desire to read "the heritage of Shannara" anew, but only after reading the books leading up to that one.
And, I did feel some spark of hope at the end of this book, the last few chapters were really good. Some of the characters came alive more. I really hope this will continue in part two, as I have now a little more expectations for that one, than I had before.
Most of the characters seemed to be copies of characters in the previous books. I also found that I liked the characters that were described the least the most. Inch, for example. The author somehow makes the main characters seem flat and without any life, while in the side characters there is room for the readers imagination to work and thus give them more appeal.
At times I do wonder why I keep reading this series when it just keeps disappointing me, but I keep up hope since I have a strong desire to read "the heritage of Shannara" anew, but only after reading the books leading up to that one.
And, I did feel some spark of hope at the end of this book, the last few chapters were really good. Some of the characters came alive more. I really hope this will continue in part two, as I have now a little more expectations for that one, than I had before.
vaderbird's review against another edition
3.0
5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish