The Sword of Shannara - Second runner up to Tolkien

[Dernhelm]

Has anyone read the Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks? If so, is that an awesome piece of fiction or what? Ok, I'll answer;) - Yes it is! I have read that book over and over again and simply love Mr. Brooks for bravely trying to follow in Mr. Tolkien's formidable footsteps. This book is completely riveting and well-written. If you haven't read it, I urge you to treat yourself to a masterpiece in its own right.

[Nessa]

This interests me, Dernhelm. I have heard both that it is an excellent series, as you have said, and also that it was a shameless Tolkien rip-off.... I shall have to read it and decide for myself. Thank You! :)

[Dernhelm]

LOL - don't they say that imitation is the most sincerest form of flattery? : )

One word of caution - I can not speak for the series as I thought his second book fell short of the mark. I have number three as well and while it is a decent book, in my opinion, none are inspired works the way the Sword of Shannara is.

[Gothmog]

Originally posted by Dernhelm
LOL - don't they say that imitation is the most sincerest form of flattery? : )

One word of caution - I can not speak for the series as I thought his second book fell short of the mark. I have number three as well and while it is a decent book, in my opinion, none are inspired works the way the Sword of Shannara is.

I cannot say that I am surprised to see the difference between the first book and the rest. The reason that the first one was inspired is that it was a poor copy of a true master. As for the rest. Mr. Brooks did not have a story to copy from. So what is shown in the rest of the books is that he is far from the skilled writer that he tried to make out with the 'Sword of Shannara'.
:evilcool:

[Elendur]

It has been years since I read any of the Shannara series.. but remember that it was not very good after a promising opening!
If you are looking for runners up in the fantasy Genre, then I recommend
1. The Belgariad , The Mallorean , and the Elenium series by David Eddings.
2. The Riftwar Saga and its followups by Raymond E Feist .
3. The Wheel of Time books by Robert Jordan.
4. The Sword of Truth series.. by Terry Goodkind.
All of which I found entertaining.
If you want to read the biggest Rip off ever of LOTR ( highly NOT recommended!) then get The Iron Tower by Dennis MacKeirnan.

[Catz]

Mmmm the Sword of Shannara......or Tolkien lite....the thing is it didnt add anything to the mythos, and new direction or insights....it just repeated things......which might be amusing but isnt good writing
Sword of Truth was great but very bleak....Terry Goodkind is such a depressing writer.......good but depressing....which isnt a bad thing either........
The David and Leigh Eddings books are very good, tho i wasnt that keen on the Elenium series, but thats just personal taste....
Wheel of Time....lol well you have to admit he named that series right lol...whats it up to now? book number 10?
to that list id have to add the original Conan by Robert E Howard...old fashioned pulp....great stuff
and the Morgaine Chronicles by CJ Cherryh
and the Elric books by Micheal Moorcock....fabulous stuff, fantastic and decadent and full of meanings.....
:catz:

[Elendur]

... doesn't even gat a mention????.. shame on your review Catz! Rest was pretty close to the truth though... still waiting for book 11 to come for the WOT series!
Its a bit of a bummer when you start a series new and have to wait for the author to write the rest.. happened to me with Eddings and happening .. stilll.. with Jordan.. he's a bit like the energiser bunny.. just keeps on going and going ... next book due November!? (2002!)
:thumbs:

[Catz]

ooops forgot Feist...*slaps self upside of head with trout* :trout: sooo sorry...lol and this is completely off topic but.....anyone know when Jordans gonna stop??? lol lol
as to Shannara...i think its good in one respect and that is that its drawn many readers into fantasy and SF, but hopefully they grow out of it quickly and move on to the rich and wondrous books that are out there.....Dernhelm.....i would strongly recommend that you try one or two of the books mentioned here;) :thumbs:
:catz:

[Elendur]

.. he is going to stop at 12 or 13???

and again.. poor old Feist slipped through the cracks of Catz review!!
At least I enjoyed them!!!

[Catz]

ohhhhpfbbt lol Elendur
:catz:

[Elendur]

know.. Catz actually did like the Feist books... she is now not going to write this but trust me its true!!!roflmao lol :p

[Catz]

*catz stands up shyly, looking around nervously at the room full of people....*
Hi everyone.......my name is Catz........and i.........am.......a Raymond E Fiest reader :o :blush: roflmao roflmao

and no, im not gonna tell you about them now....and its all Elendurs fault !!:p as is the fact that this thread is so far off topic even im impressed:naughty: ;) lol roflmao lol
:catz:

[Elendur]

dear Kitten... but it was a pleasant trip down a slightly off beaten track!!;)
Anyway anyone else have any recommendations for Dernhelm??
spare a thought that I have recommended her approx 47 books from those 4 authors already!!:thumbs:

[Undomiel_Evenstar]

Terry Brooks is one of my favorite authors, but I have to say that the Sword of Shannara is my least favorites of his books. Don't get me wrong I still enjoyed it -otherwise I wouldn't have proceeded to read his others, however Brooks writing and idea greatly improved after his first book.

I have always thought that The Sword of Shannara bears alot of similarities to LOTR's but its still a good tale in it own right. The series I have enjoyed the most so far by Terry Brooks is The Heritage of Shannara.

I have also greatly enjoyed Terry Goodkinds Sword of Truth Series, its very entertaining and in parts very hard to put down. I can't seem to get into Robert Jordans Wheel of Time Series though :(. I have tried several times and I can't seem to get past the first half of the book. Many people have told me its a great series, so maybe I will try again some day.

[Elendur]

difficult to get started with.. the first one is a little slow, but the story really takes off about book 3!!
The only problem for me is that he takes a year+ to writte the next installmenT!!


I started with him in 1989!!mecry

[Ronin]

speak of late posters...it is i! (with lots of time on my hand lol )

Terry Brooks is one of my favorite fantasy writers, albiet on the lite side. Love the Shannara books...with the Sword of Shannara being, perhaps, my favorite. it does seem to be a rather odd comparison to make...Shannara and LOTR...elves, gnomes/orcs, a single talisman that both wields and wards evil, and heroes beleagured almost beyond hope - thats reason enough? goodness, could say that any book after and even before Tolkien is a shameless and failing imitation of the master. and although i wholeheartedly agree with that...come on...there are only so many ideas within the realm of fantasy...give the guy a break for coming up with something different abliet all too similar.
speaking of similar, it was really disappointing to see how quickly Brooks faltered in the sequential books in the Shannara series...especially this latest trilogy which has just recently been completed and of which i'm hesistant to even finish.

same can be said for Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series. a bloody fantastic first 6 book series that has ultimately tumbled from a very high pedestal with the 7th book...Pillar's of Creation. however, the previous 6 truly are an incredible journey into an amazing world. aye, book 6 - Faith of the Fallen is an incredibly depressing book (so much so i nearly couldn't finish) yet it has such avibrant commentary (so i think) on communism and socialism pervading a world in which the faith is in so few of the many. for however much it was depressing, the final pages were amazingly uplifting. love Terry Goodkind and wholeheartedly reccomend him! :grin:

btw, i just finished Feist's Riftwar Legacy, my first foray into the world of Feist...and after so much hype...i couldn't have been more disappointed. true, based upon a computer game...but the writing was so trite and tedious...thoroughly unimanginative. really hesistant to throw myself into his other, more expansive novels.

[Catz]

goodkind is a great writer....but he set his sights too high......he should have stopped after 3 or 4 and recharged....and god is he the MOST unrelentingly dark writer out today?
i cant read him unless im feeling really up......so i havent read him in a while:rolleyes: while i admire grit in a writer, if it gets to the stage where no one wants to read it, t think youve defeated your own purpose as an author, which is to draw people into
your world
Feist.....well its been a while....id have to re read them to see if my opinions have changed
as for "Shannara"....nah, there are other authors who managed to come up with something that was more distinctive, tho perhaps harder to get into...and thats why i wont knock "Shannara" too much.....its given as ive said, a lot of readers thier first, non threatening entry onto modern SF/Fantasy.....which is an honourable enough role i think...
:catz:

[Ronin]

personally, i enjoy compounding dark moods with equally dark writing...so i've actually been rereading Goodkind lately :rolleyes:
i thought Goodkind was on a terrific roll with all 6 books and thoroughly enjoyed seeing a darker and darker picture being cast upon some of the most likable characters in fantasy (imo)...i've always hated the fairy tale ending, and this is the polar opposite...which is great not only for going against the norm but for also bring a depth of writing and character development which is credible in and of itself.
however, Goodkind just seems to be falling back on himself with book 7...in that definitely is pushing his core fan base away.

Feist...i'm sure i need to read more of his work, shall if i get the time.

ach, well of course there are more original and complex writers in the fantasy and sci-fi genre than Brooks...yet for what Shannara was and is, a light discovery of fantasy, i'll always be appreciative. certainly doesn't need to be knocked for being lite and existing in the shadow of the master himself...but then again, we all have to decide that for ourselves.
btw, ever read Brooks' Landover series?

[Catz]

compounding my mood lately would not be a good idea:(
i like Goodkind......but its pretty unrelenting for 6 books, tho i do agree its nice to see a book that acknowledges that in real life endings are often heartbreaking and messy, and that there often is no "happy ever after" no matter how much you feel a character deserves one.....but how much pressure can he put his characters and/or readers under?
i did love the way the darkness just sort of flowed thru his story tho, slowly as you say, building, darkness on darkness.....the way it happens in RL in fact....
well, tell ya what.......ill look out Landover......and this is ME saying this....actively looking for a Terry Brooks book:elfeek: :rolleyes: lol lol ....if you find one of MZBs Darkover books and give it a try...so much better than "Mists of Avalon".......do we have a deal?
:catz:

[Ronin]

*shakes a paw*...lol :rolleyes:
aye, we have ourselves a deal...have a book quota to feel in any case, so i'll pick up one of the Darkover books. one word of warning...Landover is, was for me, a little hard to get into and is very simple...but with some originality. love to hear ur opinion on it tho...maybe a year down the road, as u said...it is U saying that :rolleyes: roflmao

very true, the darkness growing and building...constantly thwarting the main characters...i guess i just really liked the fact that the 6 books are that unrelenting...with no letting up in sight. just fits me i guess...i loved the fact that Goodkind wrapped himself in his world...that the sequels weren't just, sequels...but more a continuation of a character study. i would almost liken it to LOTR in such a sense.

[Catz]

okey dokey....lol and it shouldnt take a whole year.....9 mnths at the outside.... ;):rolleyes: lol
and yeah i like the way Goodkind has sustained the mood thru all of the books.....its no mean feat over such a long time span and so many books....in a technical sense im totally in awe of the man....but i suspect my reservations on the series have more to do with my own life recently...so ill have to re read when im feeling a bit more up, when i can appreciate them better, y'know?
but that in itself is kudos for the author, that he can affect my mood so strongly...that is after all one of the aims of a book....to touch the reader....and i have to say....his does, if somewhat uncomfortably at times....:cool:
:catz:

[Gowpon]

Oh my, Terry is REALLY good!!! I love his books! Especially the Journey of Jerle Shannara!:thumbs: :thumbs:

[Ronin]

ech, just can't really get into The Voyage of Jerle Shannara...or Journey, or whatever...only reading it because of my loyalty to his prior books.

and catz...it really is a testament to Goodkind that he can affect ur mood so deeply, technically speaking...it really is amazing that he establish and maintain such consistent characters, setting, plot lines and such a rankling ambiance. but, can quite understand about not wanting the continuance of such moods. reading books like SOT actually has an opposite affect on me, lightens me whilst reading something so beautiful...in technical and artistic lights, whether it be dark or light itself. ech...i'm a weird cat...tho no kitty ;)

[Catz]

always did think you had a touch of the feline about you hon;) lol
and yeah youre right...that ability to stimulate an emotional reaction from the reader, is the aim of every writer...and there are several stories that do it to me...one in particular, that ive only ever read once...its a short story by a famous aithor and i cannot remember the title or the Author...just that i finished it bawling my eyes out, and that while it was beautiful i never want to read it again.....once was enough...its just so sad, just heartbreaking....and in literaray terms.....a triumph
:catz:

[Ronin]

why thank u darlin'...*tips hat* lol
ach, put that so beautifully...but just to remember that there is a story out there that has touched u so deeply and not to fathom the name nor the author, retains the mystery around it. i should think u really don't want to remember and try to read it again, remember the emotions as they were and not have them tainted...as it were.
it is a triumph, for an author...poet...artist...to evoke the emotions of those who see their works...something always to strive and hope for.

[Ruthiel]

Originally posted by Dernhelm
Has anyone read the Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks? If so, is that an awesome piece of fiction or what? Ok, I'll answer;) - Yes it is! I have read that book over and over again and simply love Mr. Brooks for bravely trying to follow in Mr. Tolkien's formidable footsteps. This book is completely riveting and well-written. If you haven't read it, I urge you to treat yourself to a masterpiece in its own right.

I'll take your recommendation Dernhelm and go read it. I know that one of my friends realy likes Terry Brooks. I'm gathering you do too?

:elfqueen:

[Ronin]

not sure about Dernhelm, but i would guess he does. and shall add my voice to that...in saying definitely pick it up...very light and very quick, but equally engrossing, emotional, and light on its feet....hope u enjoy! :grin:

[Ruthiel]

Thank you.

:elfqueen: ooh! And for your siganture, Ronin, here's another quote: "Your village just called. Their missing their idiot."

[Ronin]

lol...thanks ruthy...i've got a ton of quotations like that, may just be doing a revolving door on them soon ;)

[Ruthiel]

Yay! Have you heard that one before though?

:elfqueen:

[Dernhelm]

Man am I embarrassed! I posted this thread so long ago w/out more than one response that I failed to notice the discussion that has gone on! Please forgive me for not participating in the discussion. I was uanware of any further responses.

Ronin: I too have the Voyager book but I can't seem to get into it because of my love for SOS. How sad is thatlol

Here's a saying for someone whose fashion is circa 1980's: The 80's are calling, they want thier shirt back ! ( or hair etc)

[Ruthiel]

Hehe!!! I like that 80's thing....

:elfqueen:

[Lord of the Nazgul]

Through this system at school I won all of the Shannara related books, but I gave some to the library since I had them, like the Sword of Shannara. I must say, if I had never heard of Tolkien and the LotR these would be my favorite books.

[Ithildiel Noldoran]

I just got through the Sword of Shannara Trilogy, by Terry Brooks! It's basically 3 separate books, but the characters seem to be connected in all 3 storylines-the main chars in all 3 belong to the same family! ;) I thought it reminded me a little of LotR, especially the first part, The Sword of Shannara, I couldn't help but feel it was a lot like LotR; the other two, The Elfstones and The Wishsong were much more original and I found myself drawn into their fantastic worlds and anxious about what would happen to the people involved! To me...coming to care about the characters in a book means the author has done a good job! ;)

[Aletheia]

I just got the first book today & started reading it!!!
:hooray:
So I guess you guys like them then, right? I have been looking for good fantasy books for a while, it was actually the sheer size of them that drew me to the series (I like my books long & detailed) Must ask though, are there any girls in the story?
(I am a girly-girl, I know, sorry, cant help it though...:blush: )

~Leia:rose:~

[Ithildiel Noldoran]

It does have a Tolkien-esque feeling in it, I have to admit that; though Allanon is by no means Gandalf-he is much darker and the 2nd and 3rd books are much less...similar to LotR!But the writing is good, the stories draws you in and it is a great fantasy trilogy!! :grin:

Leia...the second book-The Elfstones of Shannara-is so romantic!!:love: At least it felt so to me! :grin:

[Nereid]

Oh, i have read the first one and have started on the second one ;) It is really good books! :grin:

[Ithildiel Noldoran]

Oh...you are going to love the second one, Neri!!veryhappy I am not giving away the plot too much, if I say the story is more romantic than the first one, am I? :grin:

[Onilalle]

I have the book - My Dad recommended it to me and I've only just started reading it but I'm liking what I see so far. ;)

[Ithildiel Noldoran]

I think you'll olove the whole thing, Onilalle! ;) In some parts, it just really feels like LotR!!And the characters are unforgettable! :grin:

[Onilalle]

Ooooh, I know... :hyper: there are elves too, which is always a bonus :naughty: lol I do know the character Flick Ohmsford and I'm already liking him, so I know I'll love the rest :thumbs:

[Ithildiel Noldoran]

And the elves sort of reminded me of Tolkien's elves, I'll have to admit. Flick...felt a bit like a hobbit!! :grin: I liked him too...reminded me of Frodo when he was told about the ring!!But Allanon took the cake...a dark, more mysterious version of Gandalf! ;)

[Onilalle]

Wow! :hyper: Now anything like that immediately appeals to me. ;)

[Ithildiel Noldoran]

lol I so know what you mean!!Ever since I first read LotR...anything reminding him of that, immediately draws me in!!veryhappy The same happened with Sword of Shannara!!;)

[Onilalle]

Definately. I'm so in to epic fantasy sagas like that stuff - Realism makes me so bored. lol