# The Sword of Shannara



## Hobbit-queen (Oct 3, 2004)

I love this series of books written by Terry Brooks. It reminds me a lot of The Lord of the Rings in the adventurous sence. Has anyone else read these books and if so, what do you think about them and their relation to LoTRs?

Always,
Hobbit-queen


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## e.Blackstar (Oct 5, 2004)

Ihave read several of them, including the original series and the Scoins of Shannara. They are all very good-I think that I like the Scoins series and the Sword the best. I also started to read the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara trilogy, and got through Ilse Witch and halfway through Morgawr before quitting-it got too boring. I may borrow Margawr and Antrax from my friend sometime and start reading again soon.

May your peages remain uncreased, 
The Nightwalker


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## Eledhwen (Oct 6, 2004)

I hadn't heard of these books, but thanks for the tip. Just in time for the Christmas shopping lists I'm building for my three younger daughters.

Were you aware that Lonna Williams ('Lonna' on this forum) writes fantasy books for teens?


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## Beleg (Oct 7, 2004)

Sword of Shannara was one of the very few fantasy series that absolutely bored me - the writting was middlin' poor, plot and characters seemed a bad rip-off of Tolkien and I abandoned the book half-way through ... Though I'd say that for 10-13 year old's it is a pretty good series, would help them get into the fantasy genre as a stepping stone towards maturer, better fantasy. 

Eledhwen, thanks for revealing that. I looked her up at google and hence found her webpage. Very intresting though from the samples on her website I don't think her books are for teens - they seem like something I would have enjoyed, really enjoyed 6-8 years ago. So I guess pre-teen would be a better lable. Young Adult fantasy is an excellent sub-genre. some great talents there in the form of De Lint, Brian Jacques, Rowling, Emma Bull, Le Guin, Susan Cooper, Eoin Colfer, Pullman etc


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## Triandra (Oct 7, 2004)

I did somewhat enjoy the books, but thought that the characters were a ripoff of Tolkien's.


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## greypilgrim (Oct 7, 2004)

One of his characters was named Beren (can't remember which book). 

My favorites were the sword of, the elfstones of, the last king of, plus the elf queen of. (  Shannarra, duh  )


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## Hobbit-queen (Oct 7, 2004)

Ah, yes. I really liked The Elfstones of Shannara and the Wishsong of Shannara.

I am currently reading the Talismans of Shannara. It is pretty cool so far.
I have to do a book report of it. I need to buy these books. The problem is that there is a million of them! There isn't quite a million, but there is a lot. I haven't read them all yet. Only about five. The only real problem I have with these books is that all of their story plots are simmilar. This is basically how it goes.
1) They find out they are in danger
2) Run off on an adventure to retrieve some object or person
3) Meet strange people
4) Make friends
5) Make enimies
6) Get the object or person
7) Turn back
8) Get lost
9) Find a strange person that knows the way
10) Run into trouble
11) almost die
12) win the battle and all is good.

Well, somewhere in between sombody always dies. People dying actually makes for a good read. It makes you cry, and cry and cry.
Just like in the Fellowship of the Ring when Gandalf falls off the Bridge of Kazad-dum. I cryed my eyes out. Well....just until I read the Two Towers, then I was fine.

Always,
Hobbit-queen


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## Astaldo (Oct 8, 2004)

How many books are of these series?


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## Triandra (Oct 8, 2004)

The only one I read from cover to cover was the Elfqueen of Shannara. I read the Talismans halfway. Sorry, but Elessidil sounded like a name from the Lord of the Rings. Other than that, I thought they were pretty good. Even though I obly read 1 and a half, the story plots do sound the same. I still prefer LotR to the Shannara series.


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## Hobbit-queen (Oct 8, 2004)

There are about seven of these books in my school's library. Yeah, there's a school in Hobbiton. Anyway, there is alot. I kind of started reading them in the wrong order. I started with the Wishsong and went up from there. They are big books too. I think the Wishsong is about 515 pages. The copy I had was that long. They are very good. I recommend reading them. My favorite one is the Elfstones of Shannara. It is a very cool read. I liked it from beggining to end.
Of course, I'm 14 and a lot of teens like me enjoy these. 

Always,
Hobbit-queen


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## e.Blackstar (Oct 8, 2004)

Yeah, I read the Scoins of Shannara first, which was okay caus ethey stand on their own okay. However, I don;t recommend that you emulate me. 

After that, I read the Sword of Shannara, and then the others in order. That Halloween, I was Whren Ohmsford, and had a perfect costume for it! (Basically like her on the hardcover edition of the ElfQueen of Shannara-blue shirt, khaki-ish pants tucked into black boots, burgundy cape, elfstones in a pouch around the neck, staff in hand, hair kinky and ears pointy.  )


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## 33Peregrin (Oct 21, 2004)

A year or two ago I got The Sword of Shannara from the library along with many other books. I began it, got in about 100 pages, then it was time to turn it back in. I enjoyed what I read of it. Then I got the book for Christmas last year- and I have not gotten a chance to read it. If I have any hope in reading it now, it will have to wait for Christmas Break. I haven't really read even one book for fun since school began this year. Oh well. I do know though, how similar the books are to LOTR. I wouldn't be surprised. I have actually read one book by Terry Brooks, and I cannot remember the name of it. All I know of it was that it spoke of his writing life, what he does to become such a great writer, and what influenced him. There is a large chapter called Following Tolkien's Trail, and it talks forever about how Tolkien inspired him. Anyways, I have forgotten the Title of this book, and I am far too lazy to even bother to remember it.


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