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The Dark Legacy of Shannara #1
Wards of Faerie
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Fantasy (2012)THERE WAS AN AGE WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG.
It was a time before the coming of humans,a time when magic was the dominant power - and it was named the age of Faerie. It was during this age that the Elfstones protecting the Elven race disappeared - to be lost for thousands of year. Ever since a bitter war has raged between the forces of good and evil.
It was a time before the coming of humans,a time when magic was the dominant power - and it was named the age of Faerie. It was during this age that the Elfstones protecting the Elven race disappeared - to be lost for thousands of year. Ever since a bitter war has raged between the forces of good and evil.
369 pages, Paperback
First published August 21, 2012
537 people are currently reading
9946 people want to read
About the author
Terry Brooks
378 books77.8k followersTerry Brooks was born in Illinois in 1944, where he spent a great deal of his childhood and early adulthood dreaming up stories in and around Sinnissippi Park, the very same park that would eventually become the setting for his bestselling Word & Void trilogy. He went to college and received his undergraduate degree from Hamilton College, where he majored in English Literature, and he received his graduate degree from the School of Law at Washington & Lee University.
A writer since high school, he wrote many stories within the genres of science fiction, western, fiction, and non-fiction, until one semester early in his college years he was given The Lord of the Rings to read. That moment changed Terry's life forever, because in Tolkien's great work he found all the elements needed to fully explore his writing combined in one genre.
He then wrote The Sword of Shannara, the seven year grand result retaining sanity while studying at Washington & Lee University and practicing law. It became the first work of fiction ever to appear on the New York Times trade paperback bestseller list, where it remained for over five months.
A writer since high school, he wrote many stories within the genres of science fiction, western, fiction, and non-fiction, until one semester early in his college years he was given The Lord of the Rings to read. That moment changed Terry's life forever, because in Tolkien's great work he found all the elements needed to fully explore his writing combined in one genre.
He then wrote The Sword of Shannara, the seven year grand result retaining sanity while studying at Washington & Lee University and practicing law. It became the first work of fiction ever to appear on the New York Times trade paperback bestseller list, where it remained for over five months.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 594 reviews
May 16, 2022
“As if you could ever protect your children from what life might bring their way. Or even from themselves and their impulses.”
There's magic and a sense of wonder in the unfolding quests in the Shannara novels. Such quests are a hallmark of high fantasy, the type of novels I first read when I was in junior high and high school. Returning to them and the world of Shannara felt like something of a homecoming. And yes, this is another quest novel. However, that didn't matter. It was deceptively easy to get caught up in Terry Brooks' Wards of Faerie (The Dark Legacy of Shannara #1). The quest which drives this story became increasingly complex as I turned pages and it was fun! Enjoyable read!
Aside: It was exciting to meet Terry Brooks at GenCon. He was warm and gracious and was generous with his time. It was clear he enjoyed connecting to his many fans. Happy to find he was a great guy!
There's magic and a sense of wonder in the unfolding quests in the Shannara novels. Such quests are a hallmark of high fantasy, the type of novels I first read when I was in junior high and high school. Returning to them and the world of Shannara felt like something of a homecoming. And yes, this is another quest novel. However, that didn't matter. It was deceptively easy to get caught up in Terry Brooks' Wards of Faerie (The Dark Legacy of Shannara #1). The quest which drives this story became increasingly complex as I turned pages and it was fun! Enjoyable read!
Aside: It was exciting to meet Terry Brooks at GenCon. He was warm and gracious and was generous with his time. It was clear he enjoyed connecting to his many fans. Happy to find he was a great guy!
July 5, 2018
Wards of Faerie is Terry Brooks recycling old ideas. You would think the Shannara setting has some predetermined cyclical timeline forcing events to repeat again and again. Somehow, this book is still enjoyable because of the same remarkable, unputdownable suspense that Brooks is a master of. But of course, it is pointless to read unless you have read and enjoyed all the previous ones, and you wish to know how it all goes.
September 18, 2012
I started this new Shannara book with only one concern: that I would be frustrated not to be able to read the next 2 books right away to know the end of the story. Well... this concern was short-lived.
I could not find the magic that stuck me to the previous books of Shannara. Although well written, I found absolutely no novelty in the story. It felt more like bits and pieces from the previous ones, gathered to make a new book. I struggled to find anything original.
So, let's go on another adventure to find more Elfstones. So be it, although it sounds like a pretext. Oh, and the usual monsters are coming back from the world were they were banished, and oh, the druids end up with almost the same issues to deal with as the previous books. (won't spoil this one, although you may be disappointed)
Overall, I was left with the feeling that the Shannara series has just lasted for too long and the author had better look for new stories, rather than making more money on his past successes, deeply harming the world he has created.
Quite disappointing.
I could not find the magic that stuck me to the previous books of Shannara. Although well written, I found absolutely no novelty in the story. It felt more like bits and pieces from the previous ones, gathered to make a new book. I struggled to find anything original.
So, let's go on another adventure to find more Elfstones. So be it, although it sounds like a pretext. Oh, and the usual monsters are coming back from the world were they were banished, and oh, the druids end up with almost the same issues to deal with as the previous books. (won't spoil this one, although you may be disappointed)
Overall, I was left with the feeling that the Shannara series has just lasted for too long and the author had better look for new stories, rather than making more money on his past successes, deeply harming the world he has created.
Quite disappointing.
April 15, 2024
2024 reread: So, this year I promised myself some fantasy reading time. I decided to go for some of the trilogies that belong to Terry Brooks' long Shannara series, because I enjoyed them immensely first time around but had never really expressed my thoughts on these books individually. The stories all have a somewhat similar storyline, so by not reading all 36 books in one go again, it will be less of a "bother" to me, and I will be able to appreciate the separate stories more.
One of the Elven princesses, Aphenglow, decided to join the Druid Order to study magic, and because of it, she is shunned by her family and the other Elves. The Elves are distrusting of the Druids because of issues in the past. During her year of studying old Elven literature with her Druid knowledge, she might have found a clue on where the elfstones are, magical artifacts that have been missing for generations.. Aphenglow returns to the Druids to wake their leader, who is in a deep slumber. A group of druids, elves and other characters set out to find the lost elfstones. Meanwhile, the Federation, a group of people who loathe magic and rather trust on science, realise what the druids are up to and try to interfere.. hoping to rid the world of magic.
The thing in these stories that slightly bother me are that most characters have no personality. It's also because there are so many of them in this series! A few characters are really well done and believable, so Terry Brooks really knows how to write them. It's just that some are so generic but play a big role in the stories that you can't really forget about them. Most of them are too strong, too epic and too smart.
But this aside, these are really enjoyable stories for fantasy lovers. I find all the Shannara stories very entertaining, especially once in a while. This book features a quest in a beautiful described world, featuring cool air ships and weird creatures, which ticks all my fantasy boxes. ✅
2017: I liked this one a lot. You could say all Terry Brooks books are kind of the same with similar characters and similar story lines, but that doesn't bother me as much. I think he does keep adding new twists and I really like his way of writing. I loved Aphenglow and her story.
One of the Elven princesses, Aphenglow, decided to join the Druid Order to study magic, and because of it, she is shunned by her family and the other Elves. The Elves are distrusting of the Druids because of issues in the past. During her year of studying old Elven literature with her Druid knowledge, she might have found a clue on where the elfstones are, magical artifacts that have been missing for generations.. Aphenglow returns to the Druids to wake their leader, who is in a deep slumber. A group of druids, elves and other characters set out to find the lost elfstones. Meanwhile, the Federation, a group of people who loathe magic and rather trust on science, realise what the druids are up to and try to interfere.. hoping to rid the world of magic.
The thing in these stories that slightly bother me are that most characters have no personality. It's also because there are so many of them in this series! A few characters are really well done and believable, so Terry Brooks really knows how to write them. It's just that some are so generic but play a big role in the stories that you can't really forget about them. Most of them are too strong, too epic and too smart.
But this aside, these are really enjoyable stories for fantasy lovers. I find all the Shannara stories very entertaining, especially once in a while. This book features a quest in a beautiful described world, featuring cool air ships and weird creatures, which ticks all my fantasy boxes. ✅
2017: I liked this one a lot. You could say all Terry Brooks books are kind of the same with similar characters and similar story lines, but that doesn't bother me as much. I think he does keep adding new twists and I really like his way of writing. I loved Aphenglow and her story.
July 11, 2012
Terry rarely disappoints but sometimes he hits a double home run. WARDS OF FAERIE is one of those books. Set 120 years after the events of the High Druid of Shannara trilogy, Terry introduces us to the Fourth Druid Order, led by Ard Rhys Khyber Elessedil. She has taken up the mantle once carried by Grianne Ohmsford a century earlier. But when a diary bearing cryptic information about the lost multiple-colored sets of Elfstones from Faerie is found in the Elven archives, the Ard Rhys must gather a group of powerful questors to search out the lost Stones at all costs -- before the prevailing science of the Federation swallows the Four Lands whole.
Some people find Terry formulaic. Sometimes he is. But this is not one of those stories. He is doing things with this new Dark Legacy of Shannara trilogy that he's never done before -- and the Four Lands will NEVER be the same again! Great characters, a plot that is fast-paced, and a battle at Paranor one has to read to believe! Definitely a great read for fantasy fans!
Some people find Terry formulaic. Sometimes he is. But this is not one of those stories. He is doing things with this new Dark Legacy of Shannara trilogy that he's never done before -- and the Four Lands will NEVER be the same again! Great characters, a plot that is fast-paced, and a battle at Paranor one has to read to believe! Definitely a great read for fantasy fans!
June 11, 2013
It's a funny thing. Every time i reread sword of Shannarra i realize, yet again, that Terry Brooks writing is not, actually, that good. His language is archaic in a cumbersome (rather than beautiful) way. His characters tend to be - well, not one dimensional, but not three either. And the story line is almost blatantly predictable. But then,i think, why keep reading? Two utterly redeeming qualities: within the story line there are always surprises in either imaginative elements or how those elements are combined, and, what its probably even more important,mr. Brooks clearly recognizes the importance of symbolism in his stories-perhaps more so than most other writers i have read. Symbolism, in Mt book, is what makes any fantasy story worth reading. And it cannot be deliberately manipulated or scripted. Symbolism in fantasy runs so deep, touches those things ago far below our surfaces, that the only thing a good writer can do its to let it take over the story and make it its own. That,imho, brooks does superbly. And that is whyi will continue to read all of his books.
October 7, 2012
Come on, I can't believe after 35 years of publishing Terry Brooks is still writing the same simple plot structure in every book he writes of setting out on a quest. I mean how many times can you do that with basically the same characters and similar quests, but jumping a few years in the timeline. If I kept writing the same thing over and over again I would have gotten tired of it already, but I guess he never will.
I wish he would just finished the Shannara series, as many who wrote in the 70s and 80s have or trying to finish their series. Then afterwards never to write anything ever again.
I know that he was an important figure for fantasy by putting fantasy in the mainstream, but enough is enough already.
I wish he would just finished the Shannara series, as many who wrote in the 70s and 80s have or trying to finish their series. Then afterwards never to write anything ever again.
I know that he was an important figure for fantasy by putting fantasy in the mainstream, but enough is enough already.
August 26, 2012
All in all, this was one of my more favorite Terry Brooks books in some time. I should say that I consider myself a huge fan of this author though and objectively speaking, it's probably not the ideal place to come into the series, but it's also not too difficult to do so. It provided some brand new looks into some of the mysteries fans have been wondering about since Sword of Shannara, his first book and just the fact that there are so many mysteries that are still left to be covered in more detail means that these books never get stale and never lose their interest for me.
Wards of Faerie delivered on that level, it delivered as a well-paced, down-hill read that kept the pages turning and the interest level high. Was some of it predictable? Absolutely. But this isn't a mystery. It's not a detective novel. It's okay that some of it is predictable.
My problem with it is the same problem I've had for some time now. I just personally don't like this format. I saw the indicator at the bottom of my Kindle when it read 80% and was immediately flooded with a sense of disappointment. I knew, going in, that what I was reading wasn't going to be a complete story. It's only the first third of a story. That's been the way of things for some time now. I don't like it. I feel that a reader deserves a beginning, a middle and an end in every book. I don't mind that the three books are linked into one story, but I think each book deserves an ending rather than a drop off.
Because of that, I find it impossible to review this as a book. I see it as the first third of a book. I think it's amazing as far as the first third of a story goes. I was engrossed and interested and read it practically no time at all. I got lost in it--the way only Terry Brooks can get me lost in a story. But in the end, there was no end. This was made even more clear when I read the first chapter of the next book that was included in my purchase. It was like turning the page and reading on--not starting a new book.
Do I recommend it? Absolutely. Did I like it? You bet. Do I disagree with the premise of telling one story over three books without making each book into something unique and individual? I do. The only thing that separates this book from the beginning of the next one is the choice to stop where everyone was either in trouble or in shock or in trouble with outcomes that are unknown.
It's hard to accept that my favorite Terry Brooks book (Elfstones of Shannara) will always be my favorite book of his because he no longer writes books that have a story self-contained in them. Perhaps a series of books will become my new favorite series--but as long as it takes multiple books to tell one story and end of every book but the last in each series is just a cliffhanger, I know that as much as I enjoy his books and his writings, there will be a bit of disappointment at the end of every book.
I wish I was patient enough to wait for an entire series to be released before reading it. I'm not. I enjoy Brooks' work too much. I can't possibly wait and not read something he's written. I enjoy his writing too much. It's become too important to me. I'm glad, at least, he's releasing this series over a shorter span of time, but I can't help but resent this formula that chooses cliffhangers over endings.
Wards of Faerie delivered on that level, it delivered as a well-paced, down-hill read that kept the pages turning and the interest level high. Was some of it predictable? Absolutely. But this isn't a mystery. It's not a detective novel. It's okay that some of it is predictable.
My problem with it is the same problem I've had for some time now. I just personally don't like this format. I saw the indicator at the bottom of my Kindle when it read 80% and was immediately flooded with a sense of disappointment. I knew, going in, that what I was reading wasn't going to be a complete story. It's only the first third of a story. That's been the way of things for some time now. I don't like it. I feel that a reader deserves a beginning, a middle and an end in every book. I don't mind that the three books are linked into one story, but I think each book deserves an ending rather than a drop off.
Because of that, I find it impossible to review this as a book. I see it as the first third of a book. I think it's amazing as far as the first third of a story goes. I was engrossed and interested and read it practically no time at all. I got lost in it--the way only Terry Brooks can get me lost in a story. But in the end, there was no end. This was made even more clear when I read the first chapter of the next book that was included in my purchase. It was like turning the page and reading on--not starting a new book.
Do I recommend it? Absolutely. Did I like it? You bet. Do I disagree with the premise of telling one story over three books without making each book into something unique and individual? I do. The only thing that separates this book from the beginning of the next one is the choice to stop where everyone was either in trouble or in shock or in trouble with outcomes that are unknown.
It's hard to accept that my favorite Terry Brooks book (Elfstones of Shannara) will always be my favorite book of his because he no longer writes books that have a story self-contained in them. Perhaps a series of books will become my new favorite series--but as long as it takes multiple books to tell one story and end of every book but the last in each series is just a cliffhanger, I know that as much as I enjoy his books and his writings, there will be a bit of disappointment at the end of every book.
I wish I was patient enough to wait for an entire series to be released before reading it. I'm not. I enjoy Brooks' work too much. I can't possibly wait and not read something he's written. I enjoy his writing too much. It's become too important to me. I'm glad, at least, he's releasing this series over a shorter span of time, but I can't help but resent this formula that chooses cliffhangers over endings.
October 16, 2023
The story was fine, the writing was good but the characters were pretty bad. All the characters no matter their age or position acted exceedingly young, with the main character acting like a petulant child.
2.5/5
2.5/5
April 5, 2017
Plot- 4 Stars
Characters- 4.5 Stars
Setting- 4 Stars
Normally in a Terry Brooks Trilogy it is the second or third book that starts to hit you in the feels. Not the case this time. Between Pleysia, Bombax, and Arlingfant (Yeah some interesting names in this one. Well more than ususal) I got the feels. I disliked Pleysia at first but her confession later really turned my view around. Eh I'm sentimental. Bombax, poor Bombax. Made even worse by Aphenglows thoughts afterward. And of course Arlingfant, a girl who dreamed big, yet will have to change her dreams. It was good to see Allanon again in the Shannara universe. He was one of my favorite Druids.
This book is just a sad reminder that The Shannara books are coming to an end. After reading over 20 books, spanning hundreds of years (in Shannara time of course), it make me a little sad that new stories and characters will not be coming in this fantastic land. Simply put, Terry Brooks is a brilliant writer. Easily my top 3 favorite authors.
Overall, it has the action, love triangle (couple in this case), Magic and great characters you come to expect from Mr. Brooks.
Would I read the next book? I am sure the Druids know. Heck they know everything. For us regular folk, yes. I have the next two books in the series, ready to read.
Characters- 4.5 Stars
Setting- 4 Stars
Normally in a Terry Brooks Trilogy it is the second or third book that starts to hit you in the feels. Not the case this time. Between Pleysia, Bombax, and Arlingfant (Yeah some interesting names in this one. Well more than ususal) I got the feels. I disliked Pleysia at first but her confession later really turned my view around. Eh I'm sentimental. Bombax, poor Bombax. Made even worse by Aphenglows thoughts afterward. And of course Arlingfant, a girl who dreamed big, yet will have to change her dreams. It was good to see Allanon again in the Shannara universe. He was one of my favorite Druids.
This book is just a sad reminder that The Shannara books are coming to an end. After reading over 20 books, spanning hundreds of years (in Shannara time of course), it make me a little sad that new stories and characters will not be coming in this fantastic land. Simply put, Terry Brooks is a brilliant writer. Easily my top 3 favorite authors.
Overall, it has the action, love triangle (couple in this case), Magic and great characters you come to expect from Mr. Brooks.
Would I read the next book? I am sure the Druids know. Heck they know everything. For us regular folk, yes. I have the next two books in the series, ready to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2012
Overall: I don’t think that this is Terry Brook’s best work. The language and writing is expertly done but both the plot and characters feel like they were lazily done. I had so much trouble reading this book because it felt that all the author’s energy was on world-building and everything else was lacking. There is no romance in this book (and I mean none). If you want to read a bestseller novel by Terry Brooks, this is not the book to read.
Characters: There is such a huge cast of characters that it is hard to really connect to any of them. There wasn’t any emphasis on individual character development or growth. Basically, the characters that you meet in the beginning will behave the same exact way at the end. Aphenglow and Bombax are supposedly in love with each other but I’ve never seen less chemistry between two characters in a novel. Not only does it not feel like they love each other, they don’t even seem to have any care or worry for the other. Drustan Chazhul is the villain and he is about as developed as a bucket of rocks. He hates magic. Wants to destroy everyone who uses magic. His bark is much scarier than his bite – it feels like his 2nd in commander is actually the one pulling the strings and Drustan is merely there just to be there.
Plot: The story begins with Aphenglow discovering an old diary that hints at the missing elfstones. Aphenglow tells the Druid leader (Ard Rhys) and the Druids go on a mission to retrieve them – without her. Meanwhile, Aphenglow’s family is very upset that she is a Druid and this weights heavily on her mind while she is put in charge of protecting Paranor in Ard Rhys’s absence. This is the main plot of the story but it is hidden beneath chapters and chapters of introducing minor characters and sub-plots, none of which get resolved by the end. There are “twists” but none of them are hard to figure out. There are a lot of coincidences and you never really feel like the danger is real.
Ending: Cliffhanger. Still have zero clue about the elfstones. I won’t be checkout out future books in this series...but I'll probably give Terry Brooks another chance and read one of his other series.
Characters: There is such a huge cast of characters that it is hard to really connect to any of them. There wasn’t any emphasis on individual character development or growth. Basically, the characters that you meet in the beginning will behave the same exact way at the end. Aphenglow and Bombax are supposedly in love with each other but I’ve never seen less chemistry between two characters in a novel. Not only does it not feel like they love each other, they don’t even seem to have any care or worry for the other. Drustan Chazhul is the villain and he is about as developed as a bucket of rocks. He hates magic. Wants to destroy everyone who uses magic. His bark is much scarier than his bite – it feels like his 2nd in commander is actually the one pulling the strings and Drustan is merely there just to be there.
Plot: The story begins with Aphenglow discovering an old diary that hints at the missing elfstones. Aphenglow tells the Druid leader (Ard Rhys) and the Druids go on a mission to retrieve them – without her. Meanwhile, Aphenglow’s family is very upset that she is a Druid and this weights heavily on her mind while she is put in charge of protecting Paranor in Ard Rhys’s absence. This is the main plot of the story but it is hidden beneath chapters and chapters of introducing minor characters and sub-plots, none of which get resolved by the end. There are “twists” but none of them are hard to figure out. There are a lot of coincidences and you never really feel like the danger is real.
Ending: Cliffhanger. Still have zero clue about the elfstones. I won’t be checkout out future books in this series...but I'll probably give Terry Brooks another chance and read one of his other series.
March 21, 2015
3.5 stars if I could.
Terry Brooks, the master of fetch quest stories, continues on with the start of another Shannara trilogy, and once again, I am gobbling it up like candy. I just can't help myself.
I have been reading Terry Brooks since...well...since I learned how to read books on my own. This man, this author, has been a part of my childhood and now a part of my adulthood my entire life. I have grown up with Shanarra and the Four Lands have always been there for me, because of this, these books will forever hold a very special, very magical, place in my heart.
That said, I have to admit that this first volume in The Dark legacy trilogy is pretty friggin generic. The villain(s) is bland and completely forgettable, most of the cast of characters are shallow and underdeveloped and overall the majority of the plotline is transparent and predictable.
Did I still enjoy it? HELL YEAH I DID! Despite all the obvious flaws, there is some real gold in here. There are some great action scenes and some pretty awesome environments. This is only the opening chapter in a three-part story structure and I have some very high hopes for the second book. Most importantly, however, is that this is a Shannara book in a traditional fantasy setting, and after the last handful of Brooks books (mostly post/pre-apocalyptic), it's really good to be back!
I know this isn't the most glowing review, but if you are reading this and have the same love for Shannara as I do, you would be doing yourself a disservice by ignoring this offering from an author who has, over the years, almost single-handedly shaped the fantasy genre that we all so love and adore.
August 10, 2012
I have to tell you, when I got approval to read this ARC, I jumped up and down. I love Terry Brooks and I grew up with the Shannara books. So, the chance to read Wards of Faerie was huge.
The Story- There’s so much to tell. This story takes place seven years after the High Druid of Shannara series and brings in a bit of the past from The Word and The Void and other prequels.
Science is once again beginning to thrive in the world, and many are wary of its potential. Young eleven druid Aphenglow learns of a time during the pre-world of Fairy, that more than one set of Elf Stones existed, and that these long lost stones might contain enough magic to balance the rise of science.
A quest arises, and a group of heroes take off into the world that was, traveling into the lands that were destroyed by humans and nuclear weapons. They are met by mutated creatures and forced to travel into the darklands, where the evil fairies of the past have been exiled.
My Thoughts- Wow, Terry Brooks is one of the best fantasy authors of this generation. Having read all of the Shannara books and The Word and The Void books, this new edition is so exciting, tying in bits of the past and again bringing in our favorite heroes, the Druids of Paranor, the Leah family and the Ohmsfords.
A truly intense story filled with twists and turns, action and betrayal, and great fantasy, I loved this book. There is so much going on that it is hard to cover every topic, but if you are a fantasy lover, this book is for you.
Great characters, incredible plot turns and a story that will continue on in book number 2, The Bloodfire Quest.
The Story- There’s so much to tell. This story takes place seven years after the High Druid of Shannara series and brings in a bit of the past from The Word and The Void and other prequels.
Science is once again beginning to thrive in the world, and many are wary of its potential. Young eleven druid Aphenglow learns of a time during the pre-world of Fairy, that more than one set of Elf Stones existed, and that these long lost stones might contain enough magic to balance the rise of science.
A quest arises, and a group of heroes take off into the world that was, traveling into the lands that were destroyed by humans and nuclear weapons. They are met by mutated creatures and forced to travel into the darklands, where the evil fairies of the past have been exiled.
My Thoughts- Wow, Terry Brooks is one of the best fantasy authors of this generation. Having read all of the Shannara books and The Word and The Void books, this new edition is so exciting, tying in bits of the past and again bringing in our favorite heroes, the Druids of Paranor, the Leah family and the Ohmsfords.
A truly intense story filled with twists and turns, action and betrayal, and great fantasy, I loved this book. There is so much going on that it is hard to cover every topic, but if you are a fantasy lover, this book is for you.
Great characters, incredible plot turns and a story that will continue on in book number 2, The Bloodfire Quest.
September 21, 2012
Another start to an adventure in the Four Lands by Terry Brooks. This builds on the previous Shannara stories as hints are uncovered to where the lost Elfstones may be found. Once again, the Ohmsfords are called on to help the Druids find the lost magic. This first book in the series introduces us to the new generation of Druids, Ohmsfords, and Leahs as well as setting the stage for new intrigue in the human-run Federation and the Elven Kingdom.
I hate to say that this is formulaic, but it does follow a standard Shannara story for the most part. Unknown magic, unknown peril, power-hungry politicians, science vs. magic, and a journey into unknown dangers. That doesn't detract from this being an entertaining story. Terry sets up an interesting quest and leaves us right at the edge wondering how our protagonists will proceed and what the next move of their enemies will be. Of course, the biggest downfall to this is waiting for the next volume to be released so we can continue the story.
I really liked the book even though it pretty much follows the normal Shannara pattern. To me, there's a reason that pattern works and why I keep reading the series. I enjoy the characters, the magic, the quest, the conflict, and the internal struggles of the players. I like learning more about this world with its mix of science, magic, and hints of the past. I would definitely recommend this if you've read Terry's work before, though probably not as a starting place to jump into this world.
Disclosure: I was given an advance copy of the ebook by the publisher with no expectations on their part. The reviews written here are my own and were not influenced in any way by the publisher.
I hate to say that this is formulaic, but it does follow a standard Shannara story for the most part. Unknown magic, unknown peril, power-hungry politicians, science vs. magic, and a journey into unknown dangers. That doesn't detract from this being an entertaining story. Terry sets up an interesting quest and leaves us right at the edge wondering how our protagonists will proceed and what the next move of their enemies will be. Of course, the biggest downfall to this is waiting for the next volume to be released so we can continue the story.
I really liked the book even though it pretty much follows the normal Shannara pattern. To me, there's a reason that pattern works and why I keep reading the series. I enjoy the characters, the magic, the quest, the conflict, and the internal struggles of the players. I like learning more about this world with its mix of science, magic, and hints of the past. I would definitely recommend this if you've read Terry's work before, though probably not as a starting place to jump into this world.
Disclosure: I was given an advance copy of the ebook by the publisher with no expectations on their part. The reviews written here are my own and were not influenced in any way by the publisher.
February 11, 2025
Terry has a tried and true formula with his books but it is his masterful art of story telling and world building and characterization that wraps it all up nicely in whatever tale he has conjured.
Wards of Faerie is another dark tale that is the first book in The Dark Legacy of Shannara and the four worlds.
Wards of Faerie is another dark tale that is the first book in The Dark Legacy of Shannara and the four worlds.
July 29, 2012
This book was reviewed by Michael Cummings, senior reviewer with the Fantasy Book Addict.
It was with a little trepidation that I began reading Wards of Faerie. It had been decades since I’d last read a Terry Brooks novel, and the Shannara series was never one I had gotten into too deeply, mostly for a lack of resources. I knew that over the years the breadth of the story had grown, and that series that didn’t used to be related, like the Word and the Void, had been incorporated into the larger mythos. Still, most of my exposure came from a summer reading through the Magic Kingdom books. Could I jump in unscathed?
The Wards of Faerie, as it turns out, is very open to the new reader. A brief run through wikipedia wouldn’t hurt the new reader, but Terry Brooks is ever the consummate story teller, and with almost no effort gives us a story that is very easy to fall into. It is a world where science and magic are at ends with each other, with many of the secrets of magic lost even to the Druids, caretakers of such knowledge. Aphenglow Elessedil, an elf and a Druid, stumbles upon a lost journal that hints at the whereabouts of the famed elfstones. The Druid’s quest to recover the elfstones will mean the gathering of a party and following a vision beyond the known lands as they seek out the lost elfstones.
You can read the rest of the review here: http://www.fantasybookaddict.com/2012...
It was with a little trepidation that I began reading Wards of Faerie. It had been decades since I’d last read a Terry Brooks novel, and the Shannara series was never one I had gotten into too deeply, mostly for a lack of resources. I knew that over the years the breadth of the story had grown, and that series that didn’t used to be related, like the Word and the Void, had been incorporated into the larger mythos. Still, most of my exposure came from a summer reading through the Magic Kingdom books. Could I jump in unscathed?
The Wards of Faerie, as it turns out, is very open to the new reader. A brief run through wikipedia wouldn’t hurt the new reader, but Terry Brooks is ever the consummate story teller, and with almost no effort gives us a story that is very easy to fall into. It is a world where science and magic are at ends with each other, with many of the secrets of magic lost even to the Druids, caretakers of such knowledge. Aphenglow Elessedil, an elf and a Druid, stumbles upon a lost journal that hints at the whereabouts of the famed elfstones. The Druid’s quest to recover the elfstones will mean the gathering of a party and following a vision beyond the known lands as they seek out the lost elfstones.
You can read the rest of the review here: http://www.fantasybookaddict.com/2012...
December 27, 2012
Almost 5 stars, and that is something I never thought I would say again about a Terry Brooks book. It's taken 30 years but Brooks has written a book that plays to our expectations and then subtly subverts them.
Things start off according to the Shannara formula, a druid discovers some long lost magic and then goes about collecting a bunch of characters with familiar last names (Ohmsford, Leah, etc.) so that they can go on an adventure to retrieve the long lost magic for the greater good. But then you start to notice little things, like an obsessive compulsive Ard Rhys whose lack of foresight borders on the incompetent, some brutal deaths and incapacitations, and a dynamic political world enacting machinations on multiple fronts. There is more going on here than what we are first presented on the surface.
The only reason I didn't give this five stars is that this book is, like a lot of first books in a Shannara trilogy, the sacrificial lamb that sets up the rest of the Trilogy. The self contained subplots were very good and well resolved, but this book only offers a brief glimpse of what is to come before cutting to the end. I can see where the rest of the trilogy is going, and it is quite exciting, but setup and exposition is still just setup and exposition, and it will make this book seem pale compared to what is to come.
Great job Terry. I look forward to reading Bloodfire Quest.
Things start off according to the Shannara formula, a druid discovers some long lost magic and then goes about collecting a bunch of characters with familiar last names (Ohmsford, Leah, etc.) so that they can go on an adventure to retrieve the long lost magic for the greater good. But then you start to notice little things, like an obsessive compulsive Ard Rhys whose lack of foresight borders on the incompetent, some brutal deaths and incapacitations, and a dynamic political world enacting machinations on multiple fronts. There is more going on here than what we are first presented on the surface.
The only reason I didn't give this five stars is that this book is, like a lot of first books in a Shannara trilogy, the sacrificial lamb that sets up the rest of the Trilogy. The self contained subplots were very good and well resolved, but this book only offers a brief glimpse of what is to come before cutting to the end. I can see where the rest of the trilogy is going, and it is quite exciting, but setup and exposition is still just setup and exposition, and it will make this book seem pale compared to what is to come.
Great job Terry. I look forward to reading Bloodfire Quest.
September 13, 2013
Terry Brooks è un maestro. La Spada di Shannara è stato il mio primo libro fantasy, all'epoca avevo undici anni e di tempo ne è passato. Fatta eccezione per la saga di Landover, ho letto tutti i romanzi di Brooks e ho assistito, libro per libro, a un progressivo peggioramento della sua scrittura. Purtroppo "I guardiani di Faerie" non fa altro che confermare la mia teoria che questo grande autore non sappia più cosa scrivere.
Lo schema si ripete: una magia smarrita, la ricerca, il Divieto, elementi che sono alla base dell'Universo di Shannara, ma che trovo ampiamente sviluppati nei romanzi precedenti. Tralasciando alcune scelte stilistiche e la gestione del POV che non condivido, "I Guardiani di Faerie" è diventato interessante solo verso pag. 200.
Altro aspetto è la cura del testo da parte di Mondadori: non ho letto la versione in inglese, ma i traduttori si meritano una ramanzina. Il romanzo è pieno di parole come "cerca" o "ricuperare" che hanno molestato la mia lettura, per non parlare di ripetizioni e qualche "elfa" messo a destra e manca. Considerato il prezzo di copertina, Mondadori dovrebbe imparare a rispettare quelli che ancora oggi comprano libri.
Lo schema si ripete: una magia smarrita, la ricerca, il Divieto, elementi che sono alla base dell'Universo di Shannara, ma che trovo ampiamente sviluppati nei romanzi precedenti. Tralasciando alcune scelte stilistiche e la gestione del POV che non condivido, "I Guardiani di Faerie" è diventato interessante solo verso pag. 200.
Altro aspetto è la cura del testo da parte di Mondadori: non ho letto la versione in inglese, ma i traduttori si meritano una ramanzina. Il romanzo è pieno di parole come "cerca" o "ricuperare" che hanno molestato la mia lettura, per non parlare di ripetizioni e qualche "elfa" messo a destra e manca. Considerato il prezzo di copertina, Mondadori dovrebbe imparare a rispettare quelli che ancora oggi comprano libri.
March 8, 2022
I’m starting to learn that everything I read by Terry Brooks will be enjoyable. Not only is the writing style fabulous but the drama he develops on the page is unmatched. Every time I open one of his novels I literally can’t get enough. I scream and shout no matter where I’m at and I don’t care who I make uncomfortable because I enjoy myself and that’s that. I encourage all my bookish friends to read at least one epic fantasy this year and I promise you’ll feel the same sense of whimsy I do.
Happy reading everyone 😍🥰🙂😍
Happy reading everyone 😍🥰🙂😍
October 13, 2014
Terry Brooks is one of my long standing favourite fantasy writers. I have read and been enthralled by many of his books. The first of a trilogy the book basically is concerned with a search for long lost elven stones and the remaining druids. I don't like giving away lots of the plot of any novel so I will only say it is full of exciting dark twists and turns, has lots of characters and I have the next in the series on my list of "to buy" books. Magical!
May 4, 2022
3.5 stars, rounded up due to a couple of mildly surprising character deaths near the end.
May 6, 2016
Initial Thoughts
Oh. My. God. This book has destroyed me - I am in a heap of NOPE right now. I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH. I will definitely be continuing the series and also buying every single book written by Brooks. Right now I just can't even begin to describe how much that punished my heart. I suggest not getting attached to characters because the amount of death in this is terrifying.
----------------------------------------
Wards of Faerie
This book was so much fun to read. For some reason it distinctly reminded me of The Hobbit - I think perhaps because of the serious adventure vibes I got from reading it. It’s a crazy whirlwind of adventure in a beautifully fantastical world that has you donning your pirate costume and swish and flicking your wand. I thoroughly enjoyed everything this book had to offer and it certainly became something that I looked forward to going back to at the end of the day.
What Happens
Wards of Faerie is the first book in a related series to Brooks’ other (and very popular) series, The Shannara Chronicles. I’ve seen some other people say they struggled with this one not having read the other series - but I got through just fine. However, I cannot even express how much I want to read The Shannara Chronicles now. This is fantasy to the core. It’s about Aphenglow (Aphen for short) who’s a druid and determined to discover the missing elf stones. In this world there are humans, elves, gnomes (omg, I love gnomes, why are there not more gnomes in books??), goblins, ghost things, druids, and many other cool magical beings. WHICH IS HEAVEN. Although, sadly, the book could have done with a few more dragons, *pointedly looks at book two*.
This hunt for the elf stones is sparked from a small hint that Aphen finds in an old diary. Although it’s never going to be an easy journey. No-one seems to like the druids (and the reasons for this were somewhat elusive) so their plight to save magic but be the ones to then keep the elf stones raises most eyebrows. The world becomes a very dangerous place for the likes of Aphen to be in - not only is she a druid, but she’s an elf (and these two things are generally a no-no) and she’s within the royal family. So she has a pretty big lot going for her. She has to watch her back, as well, because there’s a nefarious band of people who want her removed - which means we get plenty of really cool fighting scenes.
There are also flying ships. Just thought you should know.
The Weirdly Named Characters
There were two things that I about the array of really quite awesome characters:
1. I like these characters a lot. I wonder how many Brooks will kill. And;
2. I have no idea how to pronounce any of their names.
I won’t tell you the scale of death in the book but it’s a fantasy novel with multitudes of characters. I wouldn’t be counting your chickens. There being so many characters also meant there were plenty of personalities to absolutely adore.
Me, realising I'd become attached to a character who was probably going to die.
The Twins
My favourite(s) had to be the twins. The two boys, Redden and Railing (I told you the names were weird) were such an entertaining duo and their obsession with the ship/hovercraft thing was very Star Wars-esque. I loved how much they reminded me of Fred and George Weasley, too. They were almost a bit of light relief to the book (but if I’m being honest everything is relatively serious) and I’m really curious to see what happens to them in the next book. Let’s just say they’re left in a pretty interesting situation.
Aphenglow and Bombax
I did like Aphen but she wasn’t my favourite character. She’s also by no means a stand out heroine of all the fantasy books I’ve read. She was quite a detached character who made for a good protagonist but ultimately was a little tricky to relate too. Especially the whole romance thing which was far too pragmatic for me to be able to ship anything. I think Bombax (her ‘partner’) could have done with a bit more time and focus on his story. He’s not there for a lot of the book and he does play an important role but I would’ve liked to have seen more of his character.
Arlingfant
Apart from having a ridiculously not-okay name, Arling was actually a pretty cool character. I enjoyed the sister relationship between her and Aphen but again, everything was just a fraction too distant for me. Maybe this is just how Brooks writes his characters - so much energy is put into creating a stunning world that’ll blow your mind, leaving a couple of potholes in the road when it comes to relationships between characters. But then . . .
Cymrian
Ohhh boy, I loved Cymrian. He is such a smoking hot and capable character. He IS going on a list of fictional-men-to-look-out-for, or maybe, fictional-characters-to-pull-out-of-book. He's a personal body guard for Aphen (although she's determined that she doesn't need him) so of course he heroically saves her life several times throughout the book. I loved him so much, it hurts how much I love him. He better damn make a move with Aphen in book two BECAUSE IT’S SO OBVIOUS THAT HE HAS FEELINGS FOR YOU. *howls* Aphen is such a bumblehead. Maybe it’s not Brooks at all. Maybe Aphen is just far too focussed on her work and so is missing out on all the fun.
Farshaun and Stoon
These two, although not related to each other in the book, were my favourite sidekick characters. Farshaun is such a wizened old thing and he is a great influence on the twins, in my opinion. I feel like he’s going to do something very awesome very soon. But we will see. Stoon is a masterfully wicked villain. He’s a quiet assassin and you never know who’s side he’s on. I know I shouldn’t like him, but I so totally do. I can’t WAIT to see what he does in the next book!
Mirai and Oriantha
Finally, I have to mention this two bundles of curiosities. Mirai being the twins’ best friend and the hinge to one of the greatest love triangle ever to probably happen very soon. I can’t wait for that one. I really want to know more about her character - why is she so darn good at everything? And Oriantha is sooo cool. I won’t say anything more about her because of spoilers but she’s definitely one to look out for.
What I Adored
There was obviously a lot that I loved about this book. I loved the story, the characters were great, and I loved the magic and intrigue. One of my favourite things though was the actual setting. Brooks creates this world so wonderfully well it’s crazy - I have never used a map in a book more than I did whilst reading this one. I was intensely tracking the movements of all the characters and trying to work out where they’d all meet up and why they were going where they were.
I love the promise of adventure that comes with this book too. I thought it was so sneaky how Brooks ends the book because it’s not packaged with a ribbon, let me tell you that. It’s almost as if he’s decided to put the pen down and take a break - and now us readers have to wait with baited breath for the story to continue. The story simple seize up where they’re at and some of the cliff hangers are BRUTAL. The images painted in my mind from this book are amazing and it makes me want to whip out some paint brushes to draw up the scenery. This is literally the perfect fantasy adventure story.
Summary
This book is just one big, fat yes from me. I loved every inch of it and I seriously cannot wait to continue the journey and encounter even more awesome things. If you’ve read A Game of Thrones and enjoyed it, they I will hesitantly slide this across the table to you because I think you’ll enjoy this one too. Otherwise, this is a great read for all fantasy dwellers and I highly recommend it!
Happy reading!
Oh. My. God. This book has destroyed me - I am in a heap of NOPE right now. I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH. I will definitely be continuing the series and also buying every single book written by Brooks. Right now I just can't even begin to describe how much that punished my heart. I suggest not getting attached to characters because the amount of death in this is terrifying.
----------------------------------------
Wards of Faerie
This book was so much fun to read. For some reason it distinctly reminded me of The Hobbit - I think perhaps because of the serious adventure vibes I got from reading it. It’s a crazy whirlwind of adventure in a beautifully fantastical world that has you donning your pirate costume and swish and flicking your wand. I thoroughly enjoyed everything this book had to offer and it certainly became something that I looked forward to going back to at the end of the day.
What Happens
Wards of Faerie is the first book in a related series to Brooks’ other (and very popular) series, The Shannara Chronicles. I’ve seen some other people say they struggled with this one not having read the other series - but I got through just fine. However, I cannot even express how much I want to read The Shannara Chronicles now. This is fantasy to the core. It’s about Aphenglow (Aphen for short) who’s a druid and determined to discover the missing elf stones. In this world there are humans, elves, gnomes (omg, I love gnomes, why are there not more gnomes in books??), goblins, ghost things, druids, and many other cool magical beings. WHICH IS HEAVEN. Although, sadly, the book could have done with a few more dragons, *pointedly looks at book two*.
This hunt for the elf stones is sparked from a small hint that Aphen finds in an old diary. Although it’s never going to be an easy journey. No-one seems to like the druids (and the reasons for this were somewhat elusive) so their plight to save magic but be the ones to then keep the elf stones raises most eyebrows. The world becomes a very dangerous place for the likes of Aphen to be in - not only is she a druid, but she’s an elf (and these two things are generally a no-no) and she’s within the royal family. So she has a pretty big lot going for her. She has to watch her back, as well, because there’s a nefarious band of people who want her removed - which means we get plenty of really cool fighting scenes.
There are also flying ships. Just thought you should know.
The Weirdly Named Characters
There were two things that I about the array of really quite awesome characters:
1. I like these characters a lot. I wonder how many Brooks will kill. And;
2. I have no idea how to pronounce any of their names.
I won’t tell you the scale of death in the book but it’s a fantasy novel with multitudes of characters. I wouldn’t be counting your chickens. There being so many characters also meant there were plenty of personalities to absolutely adore.
Me, realising I'd become attached to a character who was probably going to die.
The Twins
My favourite(s) had to be the twins. The two boys, Redden and Railing (I told you the names were weird) were such an entertaining duo and their obsession with the ship/hovercraft thing was very Star Wars-esque. I loved how much they reminded me of Fred and George Weasley, too. They were almost a bit of light relief to the book (but if I’m being honest everything is relatively serious) and I’m really curious to see what happens to them in the next book. Let’s just say they’re left in a pretty interesting situation.
Aphenglow and Bombax
I did like Aphen but she wasn’t my favourite character. She’s also by no means a stand out heroine of all the fantasy books I’ve read. She was quite a detached character who made for a good protagonist but ultimately was a little tricky to relate too. Especially the whole romance thing which was far too pragmatic for me to be able to ship anything. I think Bombax (her ‘partner’) could have done with a bit more time and focus on his story. He’s not there for a lot of the book and he does play an important role but I would’ve liked to have seen more of his character.
Arlingfant
Apart from having a ridiculously not-okay name, Arling was actually a pretty cool character. I enjoyed the sister relationship between her and Aphen but again, everything was just a fraction too distant for me. Maybe this is just how Brooks writes his characters - so much energy is put into creating a stunning world that’ll blow your mind, leaving a couple of potholes in the road when it comes to relationships between characters. But then . . .
Cymrian
Ohhh boy, I loved Cymrian. He is such a smoking hot and capable character. He IS going on a list of fictional-men-to-look-out-for, or maybe, fictional-characters-to-pull-out-of-book. He's a personal body guard for Aphen (although she's determined that she doesn't need him) so of course he heroically saves her life several times throughout the book. I loved him so much, it hurts how much I love him. He better damn make a move with Aphen in book two BECAUSE IT’S SO OBVIOUS THAT HE HAS FEELINGS FOR YOU. *howls* Aphen is such a bumblehead. Maybe it’s not Brooks at all. Maybe Aphen is just far too focussed on her work and so is missing out on all the fun.
Farshaun and Stoon
These two, although not related to each other in the book, were my favourite sidekick characters. Farshaun is such a wizened old thing and he is a great influence on the twins, in my opinion. I feel like he’s going to do something very awesome very soon. But we will see. Stoon is a masterfully wicked villain. He’s a quiet assassin and you never know who’s side he’s on. I know I shouldn’t like him, but I so totally do. I can’t WAIT to see what he does in the next book!
Mirai and Oriantha
Finally, I have to mention this two bundles of curiosities. Mirai being the twins’ best friend and the hinge to one of the greatest love triangle ever to probably happen very soon. I can’t wait for that one. I really want to know more about her character - why is she so darn good at everything? And Oriantha is sooo cool. I won’t say anything more about her because of spoilers but she’s definitely one to look out for.
What I Adored
There was obviously a lot that I loved about this book. I loved the story, the characters were great, and I loved the magic and intrigue. One of my favourite things though was the actual setting. Brooks creates this world so wonderfully well it’s crazy - I have never used a map in a book more than I did whilst reading this one. I was intensely tracking the movements of all the characters and trying to work out where they’d all meet up and why they were going where they were.
I love the promise of adventure that comes with this book too. I thought it was so sneaky how Brooks ends the book because it’s not packaged with a ribbon, let me tell you that. It’s almost as if he’s decided to put the pen down and take a break - and now us readers have to wait with baited breath for the story to continue. The story simple seize up where they’re at and some of the cliff hangers are BRUTAL. The images painted in my mind from this book are amazing and it makes me want to whip out some paint brushes to draw up the scenery. This is literally the perfect fantasy adventure story.
Summary
This book is just one big, fat yes from me. I loved every inch of it and I seriously cannot wait to continue the journey and encounter even more awesome things. If you’ve read A Game of Thrones and enjoyed it, they I will hesitantly slide this across the table to you because I think you’ll enjoy this one too. Otherwise, this is a great read for all fantasy dwellers and I highly recommend it!
Happy reading!
May 1, 2018
I must have read about twenty of Terry Brooks’ books over the years and I think I enjoyed all of them. This one is no exception
I read this book a couple of years ago, but when I wanted to continue the series I found I did not remember much about it. Does that mean the book is forgettable? Maybe… but I liked it enough to buy the rest of the trilogy at the time. So I decided to read it again. Whilst reading it, I remembered most of the characters, but I still did not remember the story. At least this made the re-read feel like a new read!
This is clearly the first book in a quest series. Most of the book is taken up by getting to the quest and meeting/finding the people that will go on it. I have to say, I am a sucker for these kind of books and Terry Brooks’ books in particular. I find them very comforting and easy to read. They have a clear purpose, good v evil, etc.
This book is not exactly fast-paces, but there is enough action and I enjoyed getting to know the characters and the world building, which is just extensive enough without being overly descriptive. I love how Brooks’ various Shannara series span hundreds of years, but a lot of the places remain the same, so they are recognisable from previous books.
Yes, maybe if you read a couple of Brooks’ books you have read them all, but I love his style. The characters are always reluctant participants or at least filled with self doubt. A few of the characters are related to characters in previous books, the Elessedil and Ohmsford families making an appearance of course. I was familiar with the races (men, elves, dwarves, elves, trolls and gnomes). There is violence, but nothing graphic and sometimes I kind of like that.
This book pretty much followed the familiar format and therefore it felt like an old friend, warm and comforting.
I really liked the cliffhangers the book ended on and it beats me why I did not continue this trilogy a couple of years ago. I will do so soon!
(On a side note, this particular edition is of awful quality - the plastic film on the cover started peeling off almost immediately!)
I read this book a couple of years ago, but when I wanted to continue the series I found I did not remember much about it. Does that mean the book is forgettable? Maybe… but I liked it enough to buy the rest of the trilogy at the time. So I decided to read it again. Whilst reading it, I remembered most of the characters, but I still did not remember the story. At least this made the re-read feel like a new read!
This is clearly the first book in a quest series. Most of the book is taken up by getting to the quest and meeting/finding the people that will go on it. I have to say, I am a sucker for these kind of books and Terry Brooks’ books in particular. I find them very comforting and easy to read. They have a clear purpose, good v evil, etc.
This book is not exactly fast-paces, but there is enough action and I enjoyed getting to know the characters and the world building, which is just extensive enough without being overly descriptive. I love how Brooks’ various Shannara series span hundreds of years, but a lot of the places remain the same, so they are recognisable from previous books.
Yes, maybe if you read a couple of Brooks’ books you have read them all, but I love his style. The characters are always reluctant participants or at least filled with self doubt. A few of the characters are related to characters in previous books, the Elessedil and Ohmsford families making an appearance of course. I was familiar with the races (men, elves, dwarves, elves, trolls and gnomes). There is violence, but nothing graphic and sometimes I kind of like that.
This book pretty much followed the familiar format and therefore it felt like an old friend, warm and comforting.
I really liked the cliffhangers the book ended on and it beats me why I did not continue this trilogy a couple of years ago. I will do so soon!
(On a side note, this particular edition is of awful quality - the plastic film on the cover started peeling off almost immediately!)
March 1, 2013
(review originally found on The Raven's Quill)
Wards of Faerie is the first book of Terry Brook’s latest fantasy trilogy, The Dark Legacy of Shannara. As one of the most renowned living epic fantasy authors, Brooks once again delivers a story full of grand odysseys, subterfuge, and hidden surprises—not to mention his colorful host of characters.
The main plot is simple enough. As with all epics, the lead cast of characters find themselves undertaking a dangerous and life-altering quest, brought on by the impending threat of a government (known as the Federation) intent on destroying the Druid order and colonizing the rest of the free world. However, when the main cast of characters is separated side quests surface, and each group is left pursuing a task no less important than the others.
The story begins with an elf named Aphenglow, who is member of the Druid order housed at the magical stone fortress, Paranor. She has been searching in Arbolon—city of her kin, the elves—for the whereabouts of lost magics for almost a year, and is just about to relent her task when she stumbles upon a diary written ages ago, in the time of the Faerie. In it, she finds a story of star-crossed lovers, as well as the only documentation of the fabled missing elfstones. Thousands of years ago, these magic talismans all but disappeared, leaving only the blue elfstones and the black elfstone. No one knows what these lost stones do, but they are sure to be powerful. Taking what she knows back to Paranor, the Ard Rhys, Khyber Elessedil—head of the Druid order—embarks on a quest to find the missing relics in order to secure peace throughout the four lands. However, a dark omen hovers over the quest, promising that no one will return unscathed—if they return at all.
As is always the case with Brooks, this book is engaging and well written. Adept at his craft, Brooks manages to get to the point when the situations requires it as well as indulge in wonderfully detailed descriptions. His characters are interesting and human, as well as diverse and unique. What makes his writing all the more realistic is that none of his characters are truly ever safe from being killed off, even the members of the main cast. This ability to thoughtfully get rid of characters that are usually safe in other tales helps to make Brooks work more engaging, as no character’s fate is certain. And those that do survive one series usually cross over to serve as a bridge for the next, and such is the case with Khyber Elessedil, who was a main character in Brooks’ High Druid of Shannara series. In fact, there are numerous references to his prior works in this novel, most especially to the Voyage of Jerle Shannara series. And this is where my main complaint lies.
Something I’ve always loved about Brooks’ work is that anyone can pick up a new series and not feel like they’ve missed too much of anything. Even though four series precede this one(excluding the pre-shannara books), enough references are made to past events that anyone new to the world of Shannara can chose to start anywhere. For those of us who have read Brooks' prior books however, some of the common threads seen in Wards of Faerie may prove to be a little too similar for comfort. While Brooks always includes common themes in his books in order to connect on generation of stories to another, some of the commonalties between the Voyage of Jerle Shannara series are a little too heavy handed. Once again, a voyage is being conducted to find missing elfstones. Once again, this voyage is prompted by the sudden discovery of lost information. Once again, this voyage is lead by the Ard Rhys, and once again the Druid is not being entirely forthright to the crew(although to be fair, this trait is simple a fact of life for Druids in the Shannara series). The cast of characters is also somewhat reminiscent of the cast from Jerle Shannara, including a Leah, an eccentric seer, and a shape-shifter. Now, these commonalities don’t make Ward of Faerie a bad book by any means, but they do make it more predictable than usual. Also, to be fair I should clarify that Ward of the Faerie bears similarities to Isle Witch, the first book in the Jerle Shannara series, and not necessarily the entire series itself. This is also the first book in the Dark Legacy series, which leaves the story more time to distinguish itself from that of its predecessors.
Overall, I quite liked this book. The quality of writing was top-notch as per usual, and the characters are interesting. The story, though parts of it may be a little too reminiscent of the stories of previous series, is still engaging and enjoyable. I finished the book hungering for the next in the series, and I have high-hopes it--scheduled to come out this March. I should also add that a lovely illustration and fold-out map can be found a the end of the book. This is the first time that Brooks has done this, and I sincerely hope that he continues. It was a nice surprise and it added more value to an already valuable purchase.
Favorite quote:
"She was close to breaking at that point, all her preparations and the steeling of her resolve shattered and vanished, and she felt naked and exposed. Everything about her revealed in an instant and nothing left hidden. The dead knew her. The dead could see all she was and all she ever would be, and it was terrifying."
Wards of Faerie is the first book of Terry Brook’s latest fantasy trilogy, The Dark Legacy of Shannara. As one of the most renowned living epic fantasy authors, Brooks once again delivers a story full of grand odysseys, subterfuge, and hidden surprises—not to mention his colorful host of characters.
The main plot is simple enough. As with all epics, the lead cast of characters find themselves undertaking a dangerous and life-altering quest, brought on by the impending threat of a government (known as the Federation) intent on destroying the Druid order and colonizing the rest of the free world. However, when the main cast of characters is separated side quests surface, and each group is left pursuing a task no less important than the others.
The story begins with an elf named Aphenglow, who is member of the Druid order housed at the magical stone fortress, Paranor. She has been searching in Arbolon—city of her kin, the elves—for the whereabouts of lost magics for almost a year, and is just about to relent her task when she stumbles upon a diary written ages ago, in the time of the Faerie. In it, she finds a story of star-crossed lovers, as well as the only documentation of the fabled missing elfstones. Thousands of years ago, these magic talismans all but disappeared, leaving only the blue elfstones and the black elfstone. No one knows what these lost stones do, but they are sure to be powerful. Taking what she knows back to Paranor, the Ard Rhys, Khyber Elessedil—head of the Druid order—embarks on a quest to find the missing relics in order to secure peace throughout the four lands. However, a dark omen hovers over the quest, promising that no one will return unscathed—if they return at all.
As is always the case with Brooks, this book is engaging and well written. Adept at his craft, Brooks manages to get to the point when the situations requires it as well as indulge in wonderfully detailed descriptions. His characters are interesting and human, as well as diverse and unique. What makes his writing all the more realistic is that none of his characters are truly ever safe from being killed off, even the members of the main cast. This ability to thoughtfully get rid of characters that are usually safe in other tales helps to make Brooks work more engaging, as no character’s fate is certain. And those that do survive one series usually cross over to serve as a bridge for the next, and such is the case with Khyber Elessedil, who was a main character in Brooks’ High Druid of Shannara series. In fact, there are numerous references to his prior works in this novel, most especially to the Voyage of Jerle Shannara series. And this is where my main complaint lies.
Something I’ve always loved about Brooks’ work is that anyone can pick up a new series and not feel like they’ve missed too much of anything. Even though four series precede this one(excluding the pre-shannara books), enough references are made to past events that anyone new to the world of Shannara can chose to start anywhere. For those of us who have read Brooks' prior books however, some of the common threads seen in Wards of Faerie may prove to be a little too similar for comfort. While Brooks always includes common themes in his books in order to connect on generation of stories to another, some of the commonalties between the Voyage of Jerle Shannara series are a little too heavy handed. Once again, a voyage is being conducted to find missing elfstones. Once again, this voyage is prompted by the sudden discovery of lost information. Once again, this voyage is lead by the Ard Rhys, and once again the Druid is not being entirely forthright to the crew(although to be fair, this trait is simple a fact of life for Druids in the Shannara series). The cast of characters is also somewhat reminiscent of the cast from Jerle Shannara, including a Leah, an eccentric seer, and a shape-shifter. Now, these commonalities don’t make Ward of Faerie a bad book by any means, but they do make it more predictable than usual. Also, to be fair I should clarify that Ward of the Faerie bears similarities to Isle Witch, the first book in the Jerle Shannara series, and not necessarily the entire series itself. This is also the first book in the Dark Legacy series, which leaves the story more time to distinguish itself from that of its predecessors.
Overall, I quite liked this book. The quality of writing was top-notch as per usual, and the characters are interesting. The story, though parts of it may be a little too reminiscent of the stories of previous series, is still engaging and enjoyable. I finished the book hungering for the next in the series, and I have high-hopes it--scheduled to come out this March. I should also add that a lovely illustration and fold-out map can be found a the end of the book. This is the first time that Brooks has done this, and I sincerely hope that he continues. It was a nice surprise and it added more value to an already valuable purchase.
Favorite quote:
"She was close to breaking at that point, all her preparations and the steeling of her resolve shattered and vanished, and she felt naked and exposed. Everything about her revealed in an instant and nothing left hidden. The dead knew her. The dead could see all she was and all she ever would be, and it was terrifying."
July 29, 2012
It was with a little trepidation that I began reading Wards of Faerie. It had been decades since I'd last read a Terry Brooks novel, and the Shannara series was never one I had gotten into too deeply, mostly for a lack of resources. I knew that over the years the breadth of the story had grown, and that series that didn’t used to be related, like the Word and the Void, had been incorporated into the larger mythos. Still, most of my exposure came from a summer reading through the Magic Kingdom books. Could I jump in unscathed?
The Wards of Faerie, as it turns out, is very open to the new reader. A brief run through wikipedia wouldn't hurt the new reader, but Terry Brooks is ever the consummate story teller, and with almost no effort gives us a story that is very easy to fall into. It is a world where science and magic are at ends with each other, with many of the secrets of magic lost even to the Druids, caretakers of such knowledge. Aphenglow Elessedil, an elf and a Druid, stumbles upon a lost journal that hints at the whereabouts of the famed elfstones. The Druid’s quest to recover the elfstones will mean the gathering of a party and following a vision beyond the known lands as they seek out the lost elfstones.
It's always a pleasure to read something written by a master of the craft, and this was no exception. Brooks has spent over thirty years developing this world, and the world-building shows. The world that this story is set in has a depth that we can see just beneath the surface without being dragged through it, which helps the story move along at a good pace. The characters that populate it are well developed and believable, rather than the stock two dimensional characters that seem to litter the genre so often.
Knowing in advance that this will be yet another trilogy, though, I do have to say I was a bit disappointed with where the book ended. This isn't just the poignant disappointment of a story that ended sooner than the reader may have wanted. The bulk of the book was spent developing characters and introducing us to the world as it is, but just as the party is formed and the real action began to start up, the book came to an end.
My rating of this book came after a lot of thinking, and ultimately was tied to the fact that the story, the meat of why we are reading, is cut too short too soon. Knowing that we are only looking at a trilogy, it seems as though too much time was spent developing characters rather than moving the plot along. Fans of the milieu will enjoy the book, knowing that it will lead somewhere in the next book. Casual readers, though, I think will be put off unless they are already committed to seeing the story develop in the next volume.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House for giving me the opportunity to review this work and providing an advanced reader’s copy.
The Wards of Faerie, as it turns out, is very open to the new reader. A brief run through wikipedia wouldn't hurt the new reader, but Terry Brooks is ever the consummate story teller, and with almost no effort gives us a story that is very easy to fall into. It is a world where science and magic are at ends with each other, with many of the secrets of magic lost even to the Druids, caretakers of such knowledge. Aphenglow Elessedil, an elf and a Druid, stumbles upon a lost journal that hints at the whereabouts of the famed elfstones. The Druid’s quest to recover the elfstones will mean the gathering of a party and following a vision beyond the known lands as they seek out the lost elfstones.
It's always a pleasure to read something written by a master of the craft, and this was no exception. Brooks has spent over thirty years developing this world, and the world-building shows. The world that this story is set in has a depth that we can see just beneath the surface without being dragged through it, which helps the story move along at a good pace. The characters that populate it are well developed and believable, rather than the stock two dimensional characters that seem to litter the genre so often.
Knowing in advance that this will be yet another trilogy, though, I do have to say I was a bit disappointed with where the book ended. This isn't just the poignant disappointment of a story that ended sooner than the reader may have wanted. The bulk of the book was spent developing characters and introducing us to the world as it is, but just as the party is formed and the real action began to start up, the book came to an end.
My rating of this book came after a lot of thinking, and ultimately was tied to the fact that the story, the meat of why we are reading, is cut too short too soon. Knowing that we are only looking at a trilogy, it seems as though too much time was spent developing characters rather than moving the plot along. Fans of the milieu will enjoy the book, knowing that it will lead somewhere in the next book. Casual readers, though, I think will be put off unless they are already committed to seeing the story develop in the next volume.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House for giving me the opportunity to review this work and providing an advanced reader’s copy.
December 24, 2014
Go to Raiding Bookshelves for more Reviews.
Publication Date: August 21st, 2012
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
ISBN: 0345523474
Age Group: Young Adult/Adult
Genre: Fantasy/Adventure
Source: ARC provided by Edelweiss
Lootability: ***
Wards of Faerie is Terry Brooks' 22nd book, chronologically and in publication order, of his esteemed Shannara trilogy. I was lucky enough to score an ARC galley from Edelweiss and so I have completed the first instalment of the latest Shannara series.
The other elfstones. Where, oh, where could those elfstones be? What do they do? Why can't the blue seeking stones find them? The elfstones have been lost for a millenia, maybe more, and almost everyone has given up hope of finding them until Aphenglow comes across the diary of a young girl and suddenly everyone is in the running trying to find the fabled elfstones.
What I Liked: There have been a few leading ladies in the Shannara books but I can always relate to them immediately. They've been strong, independent and adventurous and Aphenglow is living up to her ancestors. It's been nice, in these later series, to get more of the Druid perspective, especially in the post Walker Boh period, they're a lot less pulled together than they seem and Aphenglow has that appealing calm nature with an obvious innocence and naivety that shows she doesn't have everything organised perfectly. It's also nice to see that the Druids aren't always holding back information because they can, it appears that they don't have much more to go on than the people they recruit.
It was good to see the characterisation of the Druids, Aphenglow's relationship with her sister, her mother, her Royal Grandfather, and with Bombax. She was human (elf) and that was a relief.
Show Spoiler
Now on to the Omsfords! As the Druids always say, there must be an Omsford aboard if a mission is to succeed! This time we have Omsford twins Reddin (named after another old favourite) and Railing who have a passion for building and manning airships. They're very fun and even better their old family friend from Leah is a woman! It's about time too.
What I Didn't Like: I'm going to be blunt here. The story ended almost as soon as it started. It's becoming a real problem in the book world where everything has to be split into three parts. Most of the time, I feel like it is unnecessary and it's only being done to speed up publishing dates. Personally, I'd rather wait a few years for a whole book than pick it up in dribs and drabs.
Fortunately, Brooks is WAYYYYYY ahead and is releasing three books this year and we will receive Bloodfire Quest in March 2013 and Witch Wraith in August 2013. I'm already excited.
Publication Date: August 21st, 2012
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
ISBN: 0345523474
Age Group: Young Adult/Adult
Genre: Fantasy/Adventure
Source: ARC provided by Edelweiss
Lootability: ***
Wards of Faerie is Terry Brooks' 22nd book, chronologically and in publication order, of his esteemed Shannara trilogy. I was lucky enough to score an ARC galley from Edelweiss and so I have completed the first instalment of the latest Shannara series.
The other elfstones. Where, oh, where could those elfstones be? What do they do? Why can't the blue seeking stones find them? The elfstones have been lost for a millenia, maybe more, and almost everyone has given up hope of finding them until Aphenglow comes across the diary of a young girl and suddenly everyone is in the running trying to find the fabled elfstones.
What I Liked: There have been a few leading ladies in the Shannara books but I can always relate to them immediately. They've been strong, independent and adventurous and Aphenglow is living up to her ancestors. It's been nice, in these later series, to get more of the Druid perspective, especially in the post Walker Boh period, they're a lot less pulled together than they seem and Aphenglow has that appealing calm nature with an obvious innocence and naivety that shows she doesn't have everything organised perfectly. It's also nice to see that the Druids aren't always holding back information because they can, it appears that they don't have much more to go on than the people they recruit.
It was good to see the characterisation of the Druids, Aphenglow's relationship with her sister, her mother, her Royal Grandfather, and with Bombax. She was human (elf) and that was a relief.
Show Spoiler
Now on to the Omsfords! As the Druids always say, there must be an Omsford aboard if a mission is to succeed! This time we have Omsford twins Reddin (named after another old favourite) and Railing who have a passion for building and manning airships. They're very fun and even better their old family friend from Leah is a woman! It's about time too.
What I Didn't Like: I'm going to be blunt here. The story ended almost as soon as it started. It's becoming a real problem in the book world where everything has to be split into three parts. Most of the time, I feel like it is unnecessary and it's only being done to speed up publishing dates. Personally, I'd rather wait a few years for a whole book than pick it up in dribs and drabs.
Fortunately, Brooks is WAYYYYYY ahead and is releasing three books this year and we will receive Bloodfire Quest in March 2013 and Witch Wraith in August 2013. I'm already excited.
September 26, 2013
Terry Brooks is a terrific writer. The world he's created is incredibly detailed, alive, interesting. His characters are also compelling and he writes very good plots. However, after many years writing about the same world, it's only natural that the author will start to repeat himself. There are a lot of familiar themes and situations and even characters that are easily recognised from past novels. I've read every single book Terry Brooks has written, with the exception of his short stories. After so many years, I for one, could pretty much predict where the story was going. From the beginning, it was pretty obvious that part of our heroes would end up in The Forbidding. Which is a good thing, I always thought that this particular feature of the World of Shannara was completely underused in The High Druid of Shannara Trilogy. Hopefully it'll be better developed this time around. The failing of the Ellcrys was also pretty much obvious, being that the sister of the main protagonist is a member of The Chosen. The closing down of Paranor was also something that was apparent from the moment that part of the Druids were left behind while the others went in search of the Elfstones. All this is not bad, but it feels too familiar to make it really interesting. It's fun, but no incredibly so.
Not to sound overly negative, I have to say that this volume is much better than the last two chapters in the history of the Four Lands (High Druid of Shannara and Legends of Shannara). I feel it's kind of a mix between The Elfstones of Shannara and The Scions of Shannara. I'll wait and see where it finishes up. Hopefully it'll be on a high note.
And finally: Isn't magic supposed to be constantly evolving? How come The Wishsong remains the same after so many centuries? The only thing that 'changes' is that it skips generations of Ohmsfords. It would be nice if the Ohmsfords got something new. And also, what happened to Khyber Elessedil? During The High Druid of Shannara, she was much smarter than she's been so far.
Not to sound overly negative, I have to say that this volume is much better than the last two chapters in the history of the Four Lands (High Druid of Shannara and Legends of Shannara). I feel it's kind of a mix between The Elfstones of Shannara and The Scions of Shannara. I'll wait and see where it finishes up. Hopefully it'll be on a high note.
And finally: Isn't magic supposed to be constantly evolving? How come The Wishsong remains the same after so many centuries? The only thing that 'changes' is that it skips generations of Ohmsfords. It would be nice if the Ohmsfords got something new. And also, what happened to Khyber Elessedil? During The High Druid of Shannara, she was much smarter than she's been so far.
November 5, 2012
I didn't like the last book, The Measure of the Magic: a bit of an awkward title, hard-to-pronounce villain's name, politics when I want adventure. At first I felt the title was a bit... off... but not so much as I thought the last book's was. So I went into this one sceptical, but hopeful.
And boy, was I happy with it. This is definitely Terry's BEST in several years. I liked the Armageddon's Children trilogy and Bearers of the Black Staff, but it was good to be back to the other end of the Shannara timeline, and the long wait for the mythical "post Straken" book has arrived at last, and it doesn't disappoint.
It has mystery. It has a new type of Elfstone... but it's nowhere to be found. It has a kickass female lead character, which women will love and men won't mind. It has assassins. It has an epic quest, airships, assassins, flamethrowers, assassins, good foreshadowing, backstabbing, the Wishsong, assassins, I'm pretty sure there was a manipulative Second In Command to the King of the elves dictating the terms of the elfstones... and did I mention assassins? There's a very definite end times vibe running through it, so maybe they'll prevent a second apocalypse... or maybe not. It has mixed up versions of all the usual Shannara trappings, which is nice. Twin Ohmsfords with Rover blood (they might have been part Leah, I'm not sure). Yeah, it's all there. It's all different, also. It's nice to see a Druid order that works, isn't lazy or cut-throat, and it's heartbreaking what happens to them. It's got COOL characters, which is always a plus. Plenty of jaw-dropping awesome moments.
My cover has the dragon's head in metal, too, which is cool.
Highly recommended. Long-time fans will love it. New readers might be overwhelmed by all the references, but I feel it would make them want to go back and read everything else by this author.
So good when a book has this kind of effect. So glad Terry put a lot of effort into making this a good read.
And boy, was I happy with it. This is definitely Terry's BEST in several years. I liked the Armageddon's Children trilogy and Bearers of the Black Staff, but it was good to be back to the other end of the Shannara timeline, and the long wait for the mythical "post Straken" book has arrived at last, and it doesn't disappoint.
It has mystery. It has a new type of Elfstone... but it's nowhere to be found. It has a kickass female lead character, which women will love and men won't mind. It has assassins. It has an epic quest, airships, assassins, flamethrowers, assassins, good foreshadowing, backstabbing, the Wishsong, assassins, I'm pretty sure there was a manipulative Second In Command to the King of the elves dictating the terms of the elfstones... and did I mention assassins? There's a very definite end times vibe running through it, so maybe they'll prevent a second apocalypse... or maybe not. It has mixed up versions of all the usual Shannara trappings, which is nice. Twin Ohmsfords with Rover blood (they might have been part Leah, I'm not sure). Yeah, it's all there. It's all different, also. It's nice to see a Druid order that works, isn't lazy or cut-throat, and it's heartbreaking what happens to them. It's got COOL characters, which is always a plus. Plenty of jaw-dropping awesome moments.
My cover has the dragon's head in metal, too, which is cool.
Highly recommended. Long-time fans will love it. New readers might be overwhelmed by all the references, but I feel it would make them want to go back and read everything else by this author.
So good when a book has this kind of effect. So glad Terry put a lot of effort into making this a good read.
September 1, 2016
The twenty-fourth book in the Shannara saga rejoins the Ohmsford clan for a new three-part adventure. Skipping down the generations of his hero-family has always been Brooks’ way, and this time the gifted twins Redden and Railing get their turn on the world’s stage in a hunt for the Elfstones. In a thinning world reclaiming the science of old Earth (Brooks’ Four Lands is Earth long after a sorcerous apocalypse), the return of the magic Elfstones represents a great hope.
The multi-character story resembles many of Brooks’ other books, with this first part of The Dark Legacy of Shannara predictably setting up the quest. There’s a lot of history mentioned throughout, and although Brooks generously fills in the back plot, a familiarity with earlier trilogies makes this more rewarding.
A bigger question is whether Brooks can cut it in this day of super-violent, gritty fantasy. He was never the greatest writer, and although in later years he’s attained a superior craftsman’s level of skill, his writing is hardly gripping. On the other hand, there is a certain avuncular comfort to his storytelling, and action does build toward the end. It’s the book equivalent of a two-beer Dungeons & Dragons session with good friends, with all the warmth that implies. If you’re sick of fantasy mutilations and mud, and the real world is biting, brew some cocoa, put your slippers on and let Wards of Faerie whisk you off for a few pleasant hours.
Fact: Originally, The Word and The Void trilogy was supposed to be a new start for Brooks, only later did he decide to make it about Earth becoming Shannara’s fantasy land, linking his new and old work into one.
The multi-character story resembles many of Brooks’ other books, with this first part of The Dark Legacy of Shannara predictably setting up the quest. There’s a lot of history mentioned throughout, and although Brooks generously fills in the back plot, a familiarity with earlier trilogies makes this more rewarding.
A bigger question is whether Brooks can cut it in this day of super-violent, gritty fantasy. He was never the greatest writer, and although in later years he’s attained a superior craftsman’s level of skill, his writing is hardly gripping. On the other hand, there is a certain avuncular comfort to his storytelling, and action does build toward the end. It’s the book equivalent of a two-beer Dungeons & Dragons session with good friends, with all the warmth that implies. If you’re sick of fantasy mutilations and mud, and the real world is biting, brew some cocoa, put your slippers on and let Wards of Faerie whisk you off for a few pleasant hours.
Fact: Originally, The Word and The Void trilogy was supposed to be a new start for Brooks, only later did he decide to make it about Earth becoming Shannara’s fantasy land, linking his new and old work into one.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 594 reviews