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Genesis of Shannara #2
Gli elfi di Cintra
Veleni ed epidemie hanno decimato gli esseri umani e molti dei sopravvissuti sono stati spazzati via dai demoni e dai loro alleati. Gli ultimi uomini resistono rinchiusi in roccaforti, oppure vagano senza meta per le terre desolate. Pochissimi hanno la forza di opporsi al Male, individui che hanno ricevuto il dono della magia e che il fato ha destinato a grandi imprese.
Tra di essi il giovane Hawk (Falco), che deve intraprendere un viaggio fino ai Giardini della Vita per conoscere il proprio destino. Con lui Tom Logan, il Cavaliere del Verbo che ha preso in custodia i compagni di Hawk e che dovrà guidarli in fuga da una Seattle assediata dai demoni; e Angela Perez, la quale, con un secondo gruppo di rifugiati viaggia fino alle foreste dell'Oregon per incontrare gli Elfi.
Qui tenterà di convincere le creature magiche, che da sempre si nascondono alla vista degli umani, a combattere i demoni a fianco degli uomini. Ma molti elfi, nonostante tutto, si sentono ancora in salvo dall'avanzata dei demoni, e non tutti hanno intenzione di ritrovare le perdute Pietre che potrebbero aiutarli nella vittoria. Eppure, tra le loro file, si nasconde una nuova minaccia......
Tra di essi il giovane Hawk (Falco), che deve intraprendere un viaggio fino ai Giardini della Vita per conoscere il proprio destino. Con lui Tom Logan, il Cavaliere del Verbo che ha preso in custodia i compagni di Hawk e che dovrà guidarli in fuga da una Seattle assediata dai demoni; e Angela Perez, la quale, con un secondo gruppo di rifugiati viaggia fino alle foreste dell'Oregon per incontrare gli Elfi.
Qui tenterà di convincere le creature magiche, che da sempre si nascondono alla vista degli umani, a combattere i demoni a fianco degli uomini. Ma molti elfi, nonostante tutto, si sentono ancora in salvo dall'avanzata dei demoni, e non tutti hanno intenzione di ritrovare le perdute Pietre che potrebbero aiutarli nella vittoria. Eppure, tra le loro file, si nasconde una nuova minaccia......
360 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
406 people are currently reading
8297 people want to read
About the author
Terry Brooks
417 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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October 22, 2022
The breathtaking second instalment in "The Genesis of Shannara" trilogy,
In a horrifying blend of post-apocalyptic terror and new age urban fantasy, The Elves of Cintra continues the story of a world ravaged by nuclear war, plague, pestilence, famine, mindless zombie-like creatures, demons and terrifying creatures born out of devastating mutations. Deaths have numbered in the billions and humanity teeters on the very brink of extinction. Most of those few humans who have survived have reverted to a dark age in which they remain walled up in fortified compounds brutally scavenging from one another and scratching out a mean subsistence life in much the same fashion as tribes would have done during the earliest periods of mankind's existence.
Long, long ago, the Elves conquered the demon hordes wandering Earth and sealed them away in a bleak existence called "the Forbidding". But current events on the earth - the wars, the nuclear radiation, the burgeoning evil that mankind is both experiencing and causing - are weakening the walls between Earth and the Forbidding. As evil's grip on the earth tightens, its defence has been reduced to the last two remaining Knights of the Word - Angel Perez and Logan Tom - two warriors carefully chosen by the Word for their indomitable spirit who have been given a magical staff and special powers to be used in the fight against demons and "The Void".
In The Elves of Cintra, Brooks has woven an impossibly compelling magical spell, tightly drawing together the widely disparate story threads begun in Armageddon's Children.
Hawk, one of the Seattle street child gangs who call themselves "The Ghosts" magically re-appears at the side of the King of the Silver River after his near execution. He learns of his role as the Gypsy Morph whose destiny is to lead thousands of the remaining children of humankind to a nebulous and as yet undefined promised land. Knight of the Word Angel Perez teams up with the young elf Kirisin to help him, his warrior sister and their blue Elfstones in an all-important search for the Loden Elfstone. This stone is as critical to the survival of the Elven nation as the Gypsy Morph is to the humans. Although far from certain of their ultimate destination and fate, Logan Tom continues to lead the remainder of The Ghosts in their flight from a devastated Seattle. The blood-thirsty, driven demons and other minions of The Void remain pledged to the annihilation of every living thing on earth and plague the children, the Knights of the Word and the Elves with their foul attacks at every turn.
Armageddon's Children and The Elves of Cintra tell a powerful epic tale. Far more than a simple story of the unending and timeless conflict between good and evil, they spin a positively magnetic saga of love, commitment, honour, dedication, trust and so much more. For example, the tale of orphaned children attempting to raise themselves in a bleak, nuclear-blasted world without reference to parental guidance, while astonishingly reminiscent of Golding's Lord of the Flies, is fresh, exciting, heart-wrenching and most definitely not derivative in any way. The excruciating cataloguing of our human weaknesses and failings - selfishness, greed, despair, racism, lust and covetousness, to name only a few - serve as a bleak reminder of the problems which might ultimately be the foundation for humanity's eventual demise. Brooks' descriptions of a troubled world are graphic and breathtaking. His character building is deep, complex and utterly convincing.
If I can find even a single criticism, it is that the story ends on an excruciating cliff-hanger. To be sure, it constitutes a natural end of the book and a sensible break point but I'm still going to be holding my breath until I can find a copy of The Gypsy Morph. What a fabulous story, Mr Brooks. I continue to be one of your biggest fans!
Paul Weiss
In a horrifying blend of post-apocalyptic terror and new age urban fantasy, The Elves of Cintra continues the story of a world ravaged by nuclear war, plague, pestilence, famine, mindless zombie-like creatures, demons and terrifying creatures born out of devastating mutations. Deaths have numbered in the billions and humanity teeters on the very brink of extinction. Most of those few humans who have survived have reverted to a dark age in which they remain walled up in fortified compounds brutally scavenging from one another and scratching out a mean subsistence life in much the same fashion as tribes would have done during the earliest periods of mankind's existence.
Long, long ago, the Elves conquered the demon hordes wandering Earth and sealed them away in a bleak existence called "the Forbidding". But current events on the earth - the wars, the nuclear radiation, the burgeoning evil that mankind is both experiencing and causing - are weakening the walls between Earth and the Forbidding. As evil's grip on the earth tightens, its defence has been reduced to the last two remaining Knights of the Word - Angel Perez and Logan Tom - two warriors carefully chosen by the Word for their indomitable spirit who have been given a magical staff and special powers to be used in the fight against demons and "The Void".
In The Elves of Cintra, Brooks has woven an impossibly compelling magical spell, tightly drawing together the widely disparate story threads begun in Armageddon's Children.
Hawk, one of the Seattle street child gangs who call themselves "The Ghosts" magically re-appears at the side of the King of the Silver River after his near execution. He learns of his role as the Gypsy Morph whose destiny is to lead thousands of the remaining children of humankind to a nebulous and as yet undefined promised land. Knight of the Word Angel Perez teams up with the young elf Kirisin to help him, his warrior sister and their blue Elfstones in an all-important search for the Loden Elfstone. This stone is as critical to the survival of the Elven nation as the Gypsy Morph is to the humans. Although far from certain of their ultimate destination and fate, Logan Tom continues to lead the remainder of The Ghosts in their flight from a devastated Seattle. The blood-thirsty, driven demons and other minions of The Void remain pledged to the annihilation of every living thing on earth and plague the children, the Knights of the Word and the Elves with their foul attacks at every turn.
Armageddon's Children and The Elves of Cintra tell a powerful epic tale. Far more than a simple story of the unending and timeless conflict between good and evil, they spin a positively magnetic saga of love, commitment, honour, dedication, trust and so much more. For example, the tale of orphaned children attempting to raise themselves in a bleak, nuclear-blasted world without reference to parental guidance, while astonishingly reminiscent of Golding's Lord of the Flies, is fresh, exciting, heart-wrenching and most definitely not derivative in any way. The excruciating cataloguing of our human weaknesses and failings - selfishness, greed, despair, racism, lust and covetousness, to name only a few - serve as a bleak reminder of the problems which might ultimately be the foundation for humanity's eventual demise. Brooks' descriptions of a troubled world are graphic and breathtaking. His character building is deep, complex and utterly convincing.
If I can find even a single criticism, it is that the story ends on an excruciating cliff-hanger. To be sure, it constitutes a natural end of the book and a sensible break point but I'm still going to be holding my breath until I can find a copy of The Gypsy Morph. What a fabulous story, Mr Brooks. I continue to be one of your biggest fans!
Paul Weiss
July 10, 2016
#5/29 in my Epic Shannara Quest.
The second book in Brooks' Genesis of Shannara series is full of exciting, escapist fun; but some of the characters introduced in the book seem perfunctory and it reads like about 100 pages were cut from the story (the second half seems rushed). Still, it is an engrossing continuation of the story begun in Armageddon's Children, full of strange wonders and mystery with some surprisingly hefty life and death issues, that left me wanting to read the concluding volume. I like the second chapter of a trilogy to be darker than the first, but that didn't turn out to be the case. I also miss the cliff-hanger ending of the first book. The post-apocalyptic world Brooks has fashioned remains the fascinating focal point of the series.
The second book in Brooks' Genesis of Shannara series is full of exciting, escapist fun; but some of the characters introduced in the book seem perfunctory and it reads like about 100 pages were cut from the story (the second half seems rushed). Still, it is an engrossing continuation of the story begun in Armageddon's Children, full of strange wonders and mystery with some surprisingly hefty life and death issues, that left me wanting to read the concluding volume. I like the second chapter of a trilogy to be darker than the first, but that didn't turn out to be the case. I also miss the cliff-hanger ending of the first book. The post-apocalyptic world Brooks has fashioned remains the fascinating focal point of the series.
February 23, 2021
This was better than book one in the Genesis of Shannara series. Where book one dragged on and started really slow, this one picks up the pace and is also focused more on the quest of the elves. The storyline with the kids just wasn't for me, I guess. I really loved the end of the book. I hope part three keeps the momentum going!
April 28, 2015
I have no self-controlled so I immediately read this after Armageddon's Children.
February 4, 2011
The Elves of Cintra is the second book in the Genesis of Shannara series by Terry Brooks. I've been a Brooks fan since I first read Sword of Shannara back in Junior High School. While I haven't absolutely loved all of his books, I've really enjoyed most of them. Over time, he's had two series that take place more or less in "our world." The first was the Landover series which was generally more light-hearted fun with some tongue-in-cheek elements (not as farcical as say the Xanth series, but also not your sweeping epic fantasy, although some of the Landover books have some moderately engaging depth to them).
His other venture into our "modern world" started with his Word and Void stories. The idea being that there are two basic forces in the world…the Word, which reigns over the good elements and the Void which reigns over the bad. Starting in the late 90s, he put out a trilogy following some encounters between the Word and the Void in modern day America. In the series he set forth some intriguing elements such as Knights of the Word (who are servants of the Word and strive to maintain goodness and order under the direction of the Word), the Demons and Once-Men (servants of the Void who try to subvert the world of Man and bring us into darkness and destruction) and the Feeders (invisible forms that prey on negativity and thrive on chaos, anger and other disagreeable emotions and actions of humanity).
The Genesis of Shannara series picks up years after the Word and Void series and the world is in an essentially post-apocalyptic state. The government has collapsed…in fact, any real sense of civilization is all but gone. Most of humanity is huddling together for their survival either hiding in more remote areas and hoping to be left alone, or fortifying themselves in "compounds" created inside large structures such as sports arenas. Meanwhile, a variety of Demons and Feeders are subverting the land and creating an army of "Once-Men" to help seek out and exterminate mankind. Not a very pretty picture.
The first book in the series (Armageddon's Children) primarily followed Logan Tom, a Knight of the Word, on a quest to travel across the country and find a "creature of faerie" masquerading in human form as a teenage boy. The first book ended with a rather climactic cliffhanger that raised uncertainty about much of the successful progress made in the first book.
This second novel continued the story of Logan Tom but also, as the title suggests, brings in a new race of faerie creatures…the Elves. Apparently, the Elves have been essentially hiding out and living their lives for centuries, ignoring (and largely despising) Man. For those who have read some of the other Shannara books, you'll recognize some of the family and city names as well as the idea of Elcrys and the Chosen. For those unfamiliar, the Elcrys is a magical tree cared for by the Elves. This special tree has a very special function where it creates a sort of shield/barrier, called the Forbidding, behind which an immense population of extremely evil and ancient faerie creatures are trapped. Basically if the Elcrys/Forbidding fail, then our world will be overrun. With the fall of mankind, the Elcrys needs to be protected and so a quest is set out for a Chosen (one of those who cares for the Elcrys) to find a particular talisman and move the Elcrys and the Elves to safety.
Meanwhile, Logan Tom escapes from the cliffhanger ending at the end of book 1 and begins a trek southward with the ragtag family of the Gypsy Morph Hawk (the faerie creature he went to save)…to try and reunite with Hawk and lead the kids to safety.
In the style very well-known to Brooks readers, we get to follow multiple groups of characters on a variety of quests. Another Knight of the Word comes in to help the Elves. We're also given some close attention to a couple of Demons hunting the Knights, the Elves and the Gypsy Morph. So there are always at least two primary groups each on their own adventure and at times we are given some attention to the smaller groups as they slowly converge on their individual plans and get closer to one another.
This book had a lot of intricate moments of suspense and intrigue where we are made to question the motives and trustworthiness of some of the individuals. This is another hallmark of Brooks's work that I enjoy…the fact that his heroes are never perfect, often quite flawed, and they also usually tend to be faced with such odds that it truly is questionable whether or not they will succeed. There is some foreshadowing in the book that definitely suggests some or many of the key characters will NOT survive through the entire series but will end up sacrificing themselves for the good of the others. Because of this, it added the tension to each suspenseful moment or action sequence because it was always very possible that one of the key characters could be killed off as part of this sacrifice. Thus the suspense felt more real…rather than the suspense often felt where you feel on edge but you know in the back of your mind that the hero will prevail because, well, he's the hero and that's the way it works.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I'm having fun with this series both as a continuation of the Word and Void series and as a bridge to the world of magic and fantasy in the main Shannara series. I really like the ideas presented in the Word/Void series and the way they continue to develop here. It provides interesting theories and ideas related to the nature of morality, good/evil, and the overall psychology and mindset of Mankind.
As this is the second book in a series, you need to be sure to at least read the previous book before starting this one (I'd suggest the Word/Void series as well, though it's not vital). Like book 1, this book ends with plenty of things unraveling. That said, the cliffhanger in book 1 was far more dramatic than the ending of book 2. In book 2 there is actually a lot more resolution and a greater sense of hope…although there is still plenty of despair hanging over the various groups since many of their key members hang on the verge of death.
I definitely have a certain bias towards Brooks's work…as I said, I generally like almost everything I've read by him so I really feel like my own personal reading styles and tastes are very closely fitted to his writing style and stories.
Still, I feel like I can recommend this series to a somewhat wider variety of readers, especially considering the recent influx of "urban fantasy" books. I'm not a reader of urban fantasy per se, so I don't know how well this relates to that genre, but I can say that this has a feel of post-apocalyptic dystopia blended with elements of epic fantasy. Which, as far as I'm concerned, is a very fun melding and one I definitely recommend. And with that, I now need to go read the final book in the series.
****
4 out of 5 stars
His other venture into our "modern world" started with his Word and Void stories. The idea being that there are two basic forces in the world…the Word, which reigns over the good elements and the Void which reigns over the bad. Starting in the late 90s, he put out a trilogy following some encounters between the Word and the Void in modern day America. In the series he set forth some intriguing elements such as Knights of the Word (who are servants of the Word and strive to maintain goodness and order under the direction of the Word), the Demons and Once-Men (servants of the Void who try to subvert the world of Man and bring us into darkness and destruction) and the Feeders (invisible forms that prey on negativity and thrive on chaos, anger and other disagreeable emotions and actions of humanity).
The Genesis of Shannara series picks up years after the Word and Void series and the world is in an essentially post-apocalyptic state. The government has collapsed…in fact, any real sense of civilization is all but gone. Most of humanity is huddling together for their survival either hiding in more remote areas and hoping to be left alone, or fortifying themselves in "compounds" created inside large structures such as sports arenas. Meanwhile, a variety of Demons and Feeders are subverting the land and creating an army of "Once-Men" to help seek out and exterminate mankind. Not a very pretty picture.
The first book in the series (Armageddon's Children) primarily followed Logan Tom, a Knight of the Word, on a quest to travel across the country and find a "creature of faerie" masquerading in human form as a teenage boy. The first book ended with a rather climactic cliffhanger that raised uncertainty about much of the successful progress made in the first book.
This second novel continued the story of Logan Tom but also, as the title suggests, brings in a new race of faerie creatures…the Elves. Apparently, the Elves have been essentially hiding out and living their lives for centuries, ignoring (and largely despising) Man. For those who have read some of the other Shannara books, you'll recognize some of the family and city names as well as the idea of Elcrys and the Chosen. For those unfamiliar, the Elcrys is a magical tree cared for by the Elves. This special tree has a very special function where it creates a sort of shield/barrier, called the Forbidding, behind which an immense population of extremely evil and ancient faerie creatures are trapped. Basically if the Elcrys/Forbidding fail, then our world will be overrun. With the fall of mankind, the Elcrys needs to be protected and so a quest is set out for a Chosen (one of those who cares for the Elcrys) to find a particular talisman and move the Elcrys and the Elves to safety.
Meanwhile, Logan Tom escapes from the cliffhanger ending at the end of book 1 and begins a trek southward with the ragtag family of the Gypsy Morph Hawk (the faerie creature he went to save)…to try and reunite with Hawk and lead the kids to safety.
In the style very well-known to Brooks readers, we get to follow multiple groups of characters on a variety of quests. Another Knight of the Word comes in to help the Elves. We're also given some close attention to a couple of Demons hunting the Knights, the Elves and the Gypsy Morph. So there are always at least two primary groups each on their own adventure and at times we are given some attention to the smaller groups as they slowly converge on their individual plans and get closer to one another.
This book had a lot of intricate moments of suspense and intrigue where we are made to question the motives and trustworthiness of some of the individuals. This is another hallmark of Brooks's work that I enjoy…the fact that his heroes are never perfect, often quite flawed, and they also usually tend to be faced with such odds that it truly is questionable whether or not they will succeed. There is some foreshadowing in the book that definitely suggests some or many of the key characters will NOT survive through the entire series but will end up sacrificing themselves for the good of the others. Because of this, it added the tension to each suspenseful moment or action sequence because it was always very possible that one of the key characters could be killed off as part of this sacrifice. Thus the suspense felt more real…rather than the suspense often felt where you feel on edge but you know in the back of your mind that the hero will prevail because, well, he's the hero and that's the way it works.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I'm having fun with this series both as a continuation of the Word and Void series and as a bridge to the world of magic and fantasy in the main Shannara series. I really like the ideas presented in the Word/Void series and the way they continue to develop here. It provides interesting theories and ideas related to the nature of morality, good/evil, and the overall psychology and mindset of Mankind.
As this is the second book in a series, you need to be sure to at least read the previous book before starting this one (I'd suggest the Word/Void series as well, though it's not vital). Like book 1, this book ends with plenty of things unraveling. That said, the cliffhanger in book 1 was far more dramatic than the ending of book 2. In book 2 there is actually a lot more resolution and a greater sense of hope…although there is still plenty of despair hanging over the various groups since many of their key members hang on the verge of death.
I definitely have a certain bias towards Brooks's work…as I said, I generally like almost everything I've read by him so I really feel like my own personal reading styles and tastes are very closely fitted to his writing style and stories.
Still, I feel like I can recommend this series to a somewhat wider variety of readers, especially considering the recent influx of "urban fantasy" books. I'm not a reader of urban fantasy per se, so I don't know how well this relates to that genre, but I can say that this has a feel of post-apocalyptic dystopia blended with elements of epic fantasy. Which, as far as I'm concerned, is a very fun melding and one I definitely recommend. And with that, I now need to go read the final book in the series.
****
4 out of 5 stars
February 9, 2020
The Elves of Cintra is the 2nd book chronologically in the Shannara series. (I’m doing a re-read of the entire series in chronological order this year culminating with the final one, The Last Druid, publishing this year.)
This is a really good story. Good characters, exciting plot, and the setting is really well done. Elfstones, demons, Knights of the Word, the lovable but tough street kids (The Ghosts), and even hot air balloons - all made for a very gripping story. It was pretty engrossing with enough wrapping up of storylines but some good cliffhangers at the end. What will become of the good guys (and gals)? 🥶🤔😬.
I’m looking forward to finishing this trilogy with The Gypsy Morph!
This is a really good story. Good characters, exciting plot, and the setting is really well done. Elfstones, demons, Knights of the Word, the lovable but tough street kids (The Ghosts), and even hot air balloons - all made for a very gripping story. It was pretty engrossing with enough wrapping up of storylines but some good cliffhangers at the end. What will become of the good guys (and gals)? 🥶🤔😬.
I’m looking forward to finishing this trilogy with The Gypsy Morph!
August 11, 2023
There were two main POVs and one smaller POV in this book, and while both main POVs were great, and the other one was decent, I’m not gonna lie and say I wasn’t annoyed each time the POVs switched. Regardless this was a pure fun read and ended in such a way I was anxious to read the final book in this trilogy.
November 12, 2025
For a middle book, The Elves of Cintra surprised me.
Most middle books in a trilogy, particularly those in fantasy and especially those with a simple concept in play, tend to be horrifically shallow. They lack its own story as most of its energies are focused towards building to an ultimate climax, but often doesn't reach said event at all. And it leaves its reader walking away frustrated and feeling as if they haven't gained much from the story at all.
This book certainly had its fair share of all things that makes middle books the least enjoyable of a trilogy set. However, I didn't find myself annoyed after finishing it.
Instead, I felt fairly gratified.
Terry Brooks managed to maintain a good balance of closing holes while also opening others, but not to a point that the reader grew impatient with the writer. The pacing of the book wasn't rushed nor did it stretch itself too thin; it was very evenly spaced to not only gratify the readers by closing holes, but also kept them in some suspense by opening others.
By now, the story feels much less crowded as it did in the first, even though the number of characters in it is more or less unchanged. I guess the fact that by now, the reader is better able to differentiate between them and given that there's less need to establish characters gives the story that much less of a crowded feeling.
Also, the story is reasonably advanced now that all character development can now feed into the story itself as opposed to the story having to force feed the character introduction.
Now with that said, while I thoroughly enjoyed the twist and turns provided by the book, particularly some of the surprises, it is still a rather simple fantasy book. It is straightforward, cleanly written and far from complicated or confusing. Nor does it provide much depth.
It's not a bad thing, but it doesn't leave a reader with any real or lasting impression after completing the book.
I also didn't really like how the focal point character Hawk barely made any appearance in this story and how anticlimactic his turned out to be; especially given the strength of his story and the cliffhanger after book one. it made me think the whole tale lost focus, as if it got side-tracked by a side story rather than building the real one.
Although perhaps that was by design. The book is called The Elves of Cintra. It says in the title itself that it is about the side story and how it will affect the main plot rather than really playing with the main plot itself.
And perhaps that is what made this book less of a 'middle book' and more of an actual book in its own right.
And ultimately a good, uncomplicated read that didn't leave me with any sort of negative feeling after I finished it.
Most middle books in a trilogy, particularly those in fantasy and especially those with a simple concept in play, tend to be horrifically shallow. They lack its own story as most of its energies are focused towards building to an ultimate climax, but often doesn't reach said event at all. And it leaves its reader walking away frustrated and feeling as if they haven't gained much from the story at all.
This book certainly had its fair share of all things that makes middle books the least enjoyable of a trilogy set. However, I didn't find myself annoyed after finishing it.
Instead, I felt fairly gratified.
Terry Brooks managed to maintain a good balance of closing holes while also opening others, but not to a point that the reader grew impatient with the writer. The pacing of the book wasn't rushed nor did it stretch itself too thin; it was very evenly spaced to not only gratify the readers by closing holes, but also kept them in some suspense by opening others.
By now, the story feels much less crowded as it did in the first, even though the number of characters in it is more or less unchanged. I guess the fact that by now, the reader is better able to differentiate between them and given that there's less need to establish characters gives the story that much less of a crowded feeling.
Also, the story is reasonably advanced now that all character development can now feed into the story itself as opposed to the story having to force feed the character introduction.
Now with that said, while I thoroughly enjoyed the twist and turns provided by the book, particularly some of the surprises, it is still a rather simple fantasy book. It is straightforward, cleanly written and far from complicated or confusing. Nor does it provide much depth.
It's not a bad thing, but it doesn't leave a reader with any real or lasting impression after completing the book.
I also didn't really like how the focal point character Hawk barely made any appearance in this story and how anticlimactic his turned out to be; especially given the strength of his story and the cliffhanger after book one. it made me think the whole tale lost focus, as if it got side-tracked by a side story rather than building the real one.
Although perhaps that was by design. The book is called The Elves of Cintra. It says in the title itself that it is about the side story and how it will affect the main plot rather than really playing with the main plot itself.
And perhaps that is what made this book less of a 'middle book' and more of an actual book in its own right.
And ultimately a good, uncomplicated read that didn't leave me with any sort of negative feeling after I finished it.
May 1, 2011
Elves & Demons & Faeries & Goblins & Ghosts, Oh My
Prior to reading "Armageddon's Children" a few year's back I had neither read anything by Terry Brooks nor for that fact, had I ever heard about him. Also, for the most part, except for reading books like "The Road" or "The Stand" , I've had little experience with post apocalyptic, fantasy based literature. To my sincerest delight I do believe I've discovered a genre that I know will provide me with hours of blissful contentment. That is of course, if the body of literature holds up to the standards created by Mr. Brooks. Let's face it - this stuff is pure escapist fun. There are real good guys/gals who embody all of those positive attributes we assign to our heroes. Sure, his protagonists doubt themselves, feel conflicted & worry endlessly whether or not they can find their inner mettle to tackle the gargantuan challenges confronting them. But (and you already know the answer) they do. They battle terrible one & two dimensional antagonists that are literally, the scum of the earth. Little if any nuance applies here. They are evil & mean & nasty & deserve to be snuffed out.
Brooks then places these characters in a world that is falling apart - poisoned, diseased, on its last legs - our planet sways to & fro like a punch drunk boxer trying to stay off of the canvas. And within this decimated landscape, populated by these larger than life characters, Brooks sets a plot in place that gives your fingers blisters from turning the pages so quickly.
Finds a comfortable spot, pour yourself a beverage, then sit back & dive in to a world, the likes of which, you've seen before.
Prior to reading "Armageddon's Children" a few year's back I had neither read anything by Terry Brooks nor for that fact, had I ever heard about him. Also, for the most part, except for reading books like "The Road" or "The Stand" , I've had little experience with post apocalyptic, fantasy based literature. To my sincerest delight I do believe I've discovered a genre that I know will provide me with hours of blissful contentment. That is of course, if the body of literature holds up to the standards created by Mr. Brooks. Let's face it - this stuff is pure escapist fun. There are real good guys/gals who embody all of those positive attributes we assign to our heroes. Sure, his protagonists doubt themselves, feel conflicted & worry endlessly whether or not they can find their inner mettle to tackle the gargantuan challenges confronting them. But (and you already know the answer) they do. They battle terrible one & two dimensional antagonists that are literally, the scum of the earth. Little if any nuance applies here. They are evil & mean & nasty & deserve to be snuffed out.
Brooks then places these characters in a world that is falling apart - poisoned, diseased, on its last legs - our planet sways to & fro like a punch drunk boxer trying to stay off of the canvas. And within this decimated landscape, populated by these larger than life characters, Brooks sets a plot in place that gives your fingers blisters from turning the pages so quickly.
Finds a comfortable spot, pour yourself a beverage, then sit back & dive in to a world, the likes of which, you've seen before.
October 31, 2020
{3.5 rounded up}
The different chess pieces are definitely in play, a bit frustrating as this book reads out as a mere stage in the ladder toward the bleak future which is inevitable in order to serve as a new beginning. Some elements caught me a bit puzzled from what I knew from the TV show, but either they diverge significantly or it is simply further along.
For now going to enjoy the next step..
The different chess pieces are definitely in play, a bit frustrating as this book reads out as a mere stage in the ladder toward the bleak future which is inevitable in order to serve as a new beginning. Some elements caught me a bit puzzled from what I knew from the TV show, but either they diverge significantly or it is simply further along.
For now going to enjoy the next step..
November 3, 2018
This is going to be a weird review, because I think this book was actually better than the first one, but still I rated it lower? Hang on, it's going to make at least a little bit sense.
I think the main reason is the writing style. My experience with Terry Brooks's writing is that when you start reading, he writes in such a way that even reading about things that have no relevance to the plot is pleasant, and this goes on for at least a whole book. But at one point, you grow tired, and then everything turns so that even reading about crucial events are so boring you can't wait until you get to put the book down. This happened with me when I was reading the last book of The Word & The Void, and again during this book. I don't think that's a coincidence.
So, yeah. I got tired of the writing while I was in the middle of the book. I think that's a great deal of the reason why this got a lower rating. Because let's be honest, I think if I wasn't tired, I would have liked this better. There was a lot of stuff going on with the elves, which I liked much more than the children and Logan (Hawk is one of the least interesting characters ever, you can't change my mind). Again, the book seems to be a mix of at least three genres.
I'm also convinced that the chapters about Logan and the children should have been moved to the first book, while that book's elf chapters should have been moved to this book, and everything would flow better. Don't yell at me, you know I'm right.
I think the main reason is the writing style. My experience with Terry Brooks's writing is that when you start reading, he writes in such a way that even reading about things that have no relevance to the plot is pleasant, and this goes on for at least a whole book. But at one point, you grow tired, and then everything turns so that even reading about crucial events are so boring you can't wait until you get to put the book down. This happened with me when I was reading the last book of The Word & The Void, and again during this book. I don't think that's a coincidence.
So, yeah. I got tired of the writing while I was in the middle of the book. I think that's a great deal of the reason why this got a lower rating. Because let's be honest, I think if I wasn't tired, I would have liked this better. There was a lot of stuff going on with the elves, which I liked much more than the children and Logan (Hawk is one of the least interesting characters ever, you can't change my mind). Again, the book seems to be a mix of at least three genres.
I'm also convinced that the chapters about Logan and the children should have been moved to the first book, while that book's elf chapters should have been moved to this book, and everything would flow better. Don't yell at me, you know I'm right.
January 18, 2014
This is the second book of a trilogy. The first one must be read to understand this novel. This book is the continuation of the modern world which is in ruins and how it becomes the setting of the author's Shannara books.
I thought this book was better than the first book in the trilogy. Maybe because there was no setup and the action starts right away. I also thought this novel had more fantasy elements with elves, demons, magic, and a journey to rediscover something. I thought the author did a great job with the setting and I could get a feel for the world as it evolves. Also, I had more of a connection with the characters than the first novel of this series. If you have read the first book, do yourself a favor and read this one.
I thought this book was better than the first book in the trilogy. Maybe because there was no setup and the action starts right away. I also thought this novel had more fantasy elements with elves, demons, magic, and a journey to rediscover something. I thought the author did a great job with the setting and I could get a feel for the world as it evolves. Also, I had more of a connection with the characters than the first novel of this series. If you have read the first book, do yourself a favor and read this one.
July 10, 2014
A great continuation of the first book. Smooth read and excellent plot, you never go wrong with a Terry Brooks book. Very recommended
October 25, 2019
Nastavak serijala Postanje Šanare meni je lično bio za nijansu interesantniji i bolji od prvog dela. Dve velike priče započete u prvom delu sada se jasnije povezuju, i sve počinje da ima smisla.Ipak, kao i u prethodnom slučaju,kraj je ostavljen sasvim nedorečen - opet sam imao osećaj da je knjiga presečena na pola, bez ikakvog reda. Dodatni problem je što treći nastavak ove knjige nije izdat u Srbiji.
August 31, 2024
Predictable. I haven’t read a Terry Brooks book yet that I actually enjoyed the first half.
April 2, 2019
So this was a much better paced book. The last book ended on a cliffhanger which I intensely dislike. This wasn't too bad here in that all the books are written but I still really do not like that book device. Anyway this book starts as you would imagine at this point and it resolves itself fairly quickly. It was a little Deus ex Machina but if you know Brooks it actually wasn't too surprising as it's been done before many times. There was surprisingly little time spent with Hawk in this book, mainly him coming to terms with who he is based on what he learned at the end of the last one. The bulk of the time was with the Elves and the remaining Ghosts with Logan Tom.
The Elves section was good and I was pleased to see that they actually did have interaction with our world as it seemed very weird that they didn't. This part was pretty typical quest based narrative but I have to say I enjoyed it. For a trope that is apparently everywhere in the fantasy genre you don't see much of it anymore. The Ghosts with Logan Tom was more of a journey section and I thought it was well done in that it showed how people were getting by in this post apocalypse and was actually pretty good for some character growth, the only part in the Elf section that I felt was missing.
Like the last book, don't enter this book looking for something ground breaking but if you enjoy some old fashioned quest based stories this is pretty good. Looking forward to the conclusion.
The Elves section was good and I was pleased to see that they actually did have interaction with our world as it seemed very weird that they didn't. This part was pretty typical quest based narrative but I have to say I enjoyed it. For a trope that is apparently everywhere in the fantasy genre you don't see much of it anymore. The Ghosts with Logan Tom was more of a journey section and I thought it was well done in that it showed how people were getting by in this post apocalypse and was actually pretty good for some character growth, the only part in the Elf section that I felt was missing.
Like the last book, don't enter this book looking for something ground breaking but if you enjoy some old fashioned quest based stories this is pretty good. Looking forward to the conclusion.
January 2, 2009
Posted to my Livejournal in March 2008, saved here for posterity:
This series bridges his Word and the Void series and his Shannara series, and in a pretty clever way, too. In this one, Hawk, who is a street kid trying to survive in a (pre? post?) apocalyptic Seattle, turns out to be the Gypsy Morph, a magical being who is supposed to lead his chosen people to a safe haven where they can wait out the war happening between humans and demons. (Ya got that?) He has Logan, a world-weary Knight of the Word to help him and Hawk's street family to safety. Meanwhile (you knew there was a meanwhile, right?), the elves are starting to notice that the world around them is going to hell, because the Ellcrys has told young elf Kirisin that she needs to be moved to safety. For that, they need the blue elfstones, which are essential to find the Loden Stone that can move the Ellcrys. And they have Angel Perez, another Knight of the Word. And there are demons on all their trails.
Okay, that's all plot, and overly simplified, at that. I think that this series takes place before the Shannara books and chronicles the beginning of the cataclysmic war that remakes the Earth that they mention in The Sword of Shannara. (I might be wrong though, so if anyone knows, clue me in.) This book moves fast, very fast, and has a great deal of action: lots of fights, near death experiences, chase scenes, and betrayals. Characterization is also fast but strong, so that all of the major players are distinctive, if not totally original in terms of fantasy conventions. Also, I love it when disparate plot lines come together in a big, grandiose plan, and that's what this is promising. I'm looking forward to the third book. (Sadly, I attempted to reread The Sword of Shannara, a book I'd loved as a child, and all I can say is, it does not wear well with time. I could not slog through the pages of wordy scenic descriptions and the long-winded character expositions, and the "here's an elf!", "here's a dwarf!", "here's magic sword!", element, though I know that back in 1977, this stuff was not a cliche. Mostly, though, it was the poor writing: the story I loved was still there, but buried under tortured prose. I guess you can't always go back to your childhood, huh?)
This series bridges his Word and the Void series and his Shannara series, and in a pretty clever way, too. In this one, Hawk, who is a street kid trying to survive in a (pre? post?) apocalyptic Seattle, turns out to be the Gypsy Morph, a magical being who is supposed to lead his chosen people to a safe haven where they can wait out the war happening between humans and demons. (Ya got that?) He has Logan, a world-weary Knight of the Word to help him and Hawk's street family to safety. Meanwhile (you knew there was a meanwhile, right?), the elves are starting to notice that the world around them is going to hell, because the Ellcrys has told young elf Kirisin that she needs to be moved to safety. For that, they need the blue elfstones, which are essential to find the Loden Stone that can move the Ellcrys. And they have Angel Perez, another Knight of the Word. And there are demons on all their trails.
Okay, that's all plot, and overly simplified, at that. I think that this series takes place before the Shannara books and chronicles the beginning of the cataclysmic war that remakes the Earth that they mention in The Sword of Shannara. (I might be wrong though, so if anyone knows, clue me in.) This book moves fast, very fast, and has a great deal of action: lots of fights, near death experiences, chase scenes, and betrayals. Characterization is also fast but strong, so that all of the major players are distinctive, if not totally original in terms of fantasy conventions. Also, I love it when disparate plot lines come together in a big, grandiose plan, and that's what this is promising. I'm looking forward to the third book. (Sadly, I attempted to reread The Sword of Shannara, a book I'd loved as a child, and all I can say is, it does not wear well with time. I could not slog through the pages of wordy scenic descriptions and the long-winded character expositions, and the "here's an elf!", "here's a dwarf!", "here's magic sword!", element, though I know that back in 1977, this stuff was not a cliche. Mostly, though, it was the poor writing: the story I loved was still there, but buried under tortured prose. I guess you can't always go back to your childhood, huh?)
March 3, 2017
Angel Perez heads out to find the elves, so that she may help them to fulfill their quest to find the Elfstones which lead to the Lodenstone. Magic has been lost to the elves, but with the right motivation; they will get it back. Also, Angel continues to fight the female demon that has hounded her since the last compound that she saved.
Logan has found the family of children that belong to Hawk, the gypsy morph, that he has been sent to help. Hawk must come into his powers in order to lead his family and thousands of children to a safe place. The members of Hawk's family must show their own strengths (Fixit and Bear are amazing) and deal with the death of one of their own.
The demon that has hidden amongst the elves reveals themselves after Angel fights with the animal demon that has been hounding (hehhee) her. Good reveal, might have seen it coming, but maybe that's because there are only so many elven characters that we got to know. It obviously wasn't going to be a random one. He would also have to hide in plain sight and get the young heroes to do as he wanted them to (smells like Barty Crouch Jr. when you put it that way).
The action is pretty constant. There are more background reveals. I love slowly learning about Hawk's family. There are also some nice character developments. All in all, a great read that rolls along and sits well in the middle of its particular trilogy.
Logan has found the family of children that belong to Hawk, the gypsy morph, that he has been sent to help. Hawk must come into his powers in order to lead his family and thousands of children to a safe place. The members of Hawk's family must show their own strengths (Fixit and Bear are amazing) and deal with the death of one of their own.
The demon that has hidden amongst the elves reveals themselves after Angel fights with the animal demon that has been hounding (hehhee) her. Good reveal, might have seen it coming, but maybe that's because there are only so many elven characters that we got to know. It obviously wasn't going to be a random one. He would also have to hide in plain sight and get the young heroes to do as he wanted them to (smells like Barty Crouch Jr. when you put it that way).
The action is pretty constant. There are more background reveals. I love slowly learning about Hawk's family. There are also some nice character developments. All in all, a great read that rolls along and sits well in the middle of its particular trilogy.
December 13, 2010
After what my wife was saying was a fairly bad review of "Armageddon's Children", I can safely say that Terry Brooks more than made up for the slow start with the second of the trilogy, "Elves of Cintra". This is probably one of the best examples of a solid "2nd" in a trilogy, when so many trilogies tend to tank in the middle.
The merging storylines, action, and mix of fantasy/post-apocalyptic fiction were done artfully. Sure, there were predictable events and interactions, but Brooks kept the writing interesting enough to make even the most obvious turns remain exciting to read. I have to admit that I found myself going back to my tried and true Brooks' reading style of checking after a storyline break to see how many chapters it would be until the characters returned as the focus of the story. However, this would happen at EVERY point-of-view change (my own dang fault for indulging the chapter browsing). It really is something though, to have someone reading in anticipation of the point-of-view shifting back, only to become so invested in the current point-of-view that any other shifts are met with the same intense anticipation.*
*Sorry if that last statement is confusing - my mind is drawing a blank for now with more understandable rewrites.
The merging storylines, action, and mix of fantasy/post-apocalyptic fiction were done artfully. Sure, there were predictable events and interactions, but Brooks kept the writing interesting enough to make even the most obvious turns remain exciting to read. I have to admit that I found myself going back to my tried and true Brooks' reading style of checking after a storyline break to see how many chapters it would be until the characters returned as the focus of the story. However, this would happen at EVERY point-of-view change (my own dang fault for indulging the chapter browsing). It really is something though, to have someone reading in anticipation of the point-of-view shifting back, only to become so invested in the current point-of-view that any other shifts are met with the same intense anticipation.*
*Sorry if that last statement is confusing - my mind is drawing a blank for now with more understandable rewrites.
November 7, 2011
I was a little hesitant to read The Genesis books because I love the world of Shannara but I'm not really into post-apocalyptic lit. And I did enjoy the parts that were centered around the elves and their 'quest' a little more, at least for the first half of the book. But Brooks is such a great author that he had me emotionally invested in all the characters, including and especially the 'Ghosts.' I was a little lost initially because it had been so long since I read the first of the Genesis books, but The Elves of Cintra not only developed in a way so that that didn't really matter, it also made me want to get to the next book a lot sooner.
July 16, 2022
„Die Elfen von Cintra“ von Terry Brooks ist der 2. Teil der „Die großen Kriege“-Reihe, in der es um die Welt nach der Apokalypse und einen neuen Zufluchtsort für Menschen und Elfen geht.
Die Welt wie wir sie kennen existiert nicht mehr. Die gesamte öffentliche Ordnung ist zusammengebrochen. Die letzten verbliebenen Menschen leben in Bunkern oder großen Stadien. Doch auch dies bietet keinen Schutz, wenn Dämonen und Eins-Menschen sich dazu entschließen, die wenig verbliebenen Menschen auszurotten. Hoffnung verspricht nur eine Prophezeiung, in der der Morph, Elfen und Menschen gleichermaßen an einen sicheren Ort führt. Angel Perez und Logan Tom sind ein Ritter und eine Ritterin des Lichts. Ihre Aufgabe ist es, den Morph bzw. Menschen und Elfen zu schützen und ihnen beim Übergang in eine bessere Welt zu helfen und das ist keine leichte Aufgabe, denn die Dämonen und Einst-Menschen sind natürlich auch hinter ihnen her.
Ich habe mir Zeit gelassen, den zweiten Teil dieser Reihe zu lesen. 2019 habe ich den ersten Teil gelesen und dieser hat mir trotz seiner Düsternis gefallen. Die Apokalypse hatte stattgefunden, die Welt war zerstört und ein unwirtlicher Ort, an dem kaum noch leben möglich ist. In vielen Reihen wird die Apokalypse letztendlich ja doch noch verhindert, aber letzten Endes wollte ich nach der Serie Shannara Chronicles auch wissen, was die Welt verwandelt hat und so bin ich bei dieser Reihe gelandet, die die World/Void-Reihe mit den Shannara Chronicles verbindet.
Trotz der langen Zeit habe ich gut wieder in die Geschichte reingefunden. Meine Erinnerungen an den ersten Band waren vage, aber doch ausreichend genug, obwohl mir das glaube ich auch zeigt, dass der Schreibstil von Terry Brooks sehr ausschweifend ist. Die Geschichte nimmt noch die ein oder andere Abzweigung und nimmt sich viel Zeit, um ihr ganzes Potenzial zu entfalten.
In diesem zweiten Band wird sich auf die Gruppe der Kinder rund um Logan Tom und Angel Perez bei den Elfen konzentriert. Einzelnen Dämonen wird lediglich in recht kleinen Sequenzen ein Anteil an der Geschichte eingeräumt. Die Welt ist sehr düster. Von den Lagern in denen Menschen als Sklaven gehalten oder in Dämonen umgewandelt werden, bekommt man kaum etwas mit. Aber auch ohne das Zutun von Dämonen haben sich Menschen verändert und verwandeln sich in Krächzer, Eidechsen oder Spinnen.
Lichtblicke sind tatsächlich die Elfen, die sich inmitten dieser düsteren Welt, ihre kleine Oase größtenteils erhalten haben, aber auch dieser Schein trügt. Der Ellcrys, den sicher alle, die schon einen Shannara Roman gelesen haben kennen, hat um Hilfe gebeten. Ein untrügliches Zeichen dafür, dass ein Unheil droht, das verhindert werden muss. In den Abschnitten bei den Elfen erinnert diese Reihe am meisten daran, dass es eine Verbindung zu den Shannara Chronicles gibt. Hier ist vieles dann auch sehr typisch für die Reihe. Die Elfensteine müssen gefunden werden sowie ein weiterer besonderer Stein, was natürlich eine beschwerliche Reise nach sich zieht auf der viele Gefahren drohen.
Den Personen im Buch bin ich gerne auf ihrer Reise gefolgt. Ich kann allerdings nicht sagen, dass ich besonders stark bei einer Person involviert waren. Logan Tom und Angel Perez haben ihre Bestimmung und sorgen für den Schutz, der ihnen anvertrauten Menschen und Elfen. Das ist ein wenig religiös angehaucht, wie ich finde, aber alles in allem mochte ich sie. Ihre Aufgabe ist nicht leicht und beide werden von dem ein oder anderen Zweifel geplagt. Die Gruppe der Kinder, der auch der Morph angehört, wächst in diesem Teil weiter zusammen. Jeder hat seine Begabung, die für den Erfolg der Gruppe wichtig ist und ich fand es schön, dass es auch eine behinderte Person gibt, die eine wichtige Rolle im Gefüge der Gruppe hat und deshalb nach Möglichkeit auch gerettet werden muss und nicht zurückgelassen wird.
2019 war ich dafür noch nicht so sensibilisiert wie ich merke, aber in diesem Teil hat es mich doch sehr gestört. Der Morph hat eigentlich einen längeren Namen, in dem das Z-Wort vorkommt, dass ich hier nicht reproduzieren möchte. Ich bin hier sehr zwiegespalten und müsste hierzu vielleicht auch nochmal die World/Void-Reihe lesen, um das besser einordnen zu können. Ich habe keine Ahnung, warum der Autor diesen Begriff für diese Figur gewählt hat, die Menschen und Elfen retten soll. Allzu häufig kommt dieser Begriff auch nicht vor, weswegen ich das in den seltenen Momenten dann einfach ignoriert habe und ich konnte jetzt auch keine anderen Tropes entdecken, die mit diesem Begriff in Verbindung stehen.
Es gibt bis auf eine Danksagung kein Zusatzmaterial in diesem Buch. Die Anzahl der Personen ist übersichtlich, aber ich denke ein Personenverzeichnis hätte dennoch nicht geschadet. Vielleicht gibt es das am Ende des dritten Teiles, denn dies hier ist eine Reihe, die einfach mitten in der Szene aufhört, wovon ich ja kein großer Fan bin. Ich mag es sehr, wenn ein Teil der Geschichte abgeschlossen ist und man sich dann mit neuem Elan, dem nächsten Teilstück der Geschichte widmen kann.
Fazit: Ein zweiter Teil, der manchmal etwas ausschweifend war, aber mich alles in allem überzeugen konnte. Die Vorbereitungen für den großen Showdown sind getroffen, was einen sehr spannenden dritten Teil verspricht. Zwischen den einzelnen Shannara-Reihen gibt es einige Parallelen, von daher empfehle ich die Reihe für alle, die vorher schon eine Shannara-Reihe gelesen haben und die es nicht stört, wenn einzelne Elemente in jeder Reihe aufs Neue auftauchen.
Die Welt wie wir sie kennen existiert nicht mehr. Die gesamte öffentliche Ordnung ist zusammengebrochen. Die letzten verbliebenen Menschen leben in Bunkern oder großen Stadien. Doch auch dies bietet keinen Schutz, wenn Dämonen und Eins-Menschen sich dazu entschließen, die wenig verbliebenen Menschen auszurotten. Hoffnung verspricht nur eine Prophezeiung, in der der Morph, Elfen und Menschen gleichermaßen an einen sicheren Ort führt. Angel Perez und Logan Tom sind ein Ritter und eine Ritterin des Lichts. Ihre Aufgabe ist es, den Morph bzw. Menschen und Elfen zu schützen und ihnen beim Übergang in eine bessere Welt zu helfen und das ist keine leichte Aufgabe, denn die Dämonen und Einst-Menschen sind natürlich auch hinter ihnen her.
Ich habe mir Zeit gelassen, den zweiten Teil dieser Reihe zu lesen. 2019 habe ich den ersten Teil gelesen und dieser hat mir trotz seiner Düsternis gefallen. Die Apokalypse hatte stattgefunden, die Welt war zerstört und ein unwirtlicher Ort, an dem kaum noch leben möglich ist. In vielen Reihen wird die Apokalypse letztendlich ja doch noch verhindert, aber letzten Endes wollte ich nach der Serie Shannara Chronicles auch wissen, was die Welt verwandelt hat und so bin ich bei dieser Reihe gelandet, die die World/Void-Reihe mit den Shannara Chronicles verbindet.
Trotz der langen Zeit habe ich gut wieder in die Geschichte reingefunden. Meine Erinnerungen an den ersten Band waren vage, aber doch ausreichend genug, obwohl mir das glaube ich auch zeigt, dass der Schreibstil von Terry Brooks sehr ausschweifend ist. Die Geschichte nimmt noch die ein oder andere Abzweigung und nimmt sich viel Zeit, um ihr ganzes Potenzial zu entfalten.
In diesem zweiten Band wird sich auf die Gruppe der Kinder rund um Logan Tom und Angel Perez bei den Elfen konzentriert. Einzelnen Dämonen wird lediglich in recht kleinen Sequenzen ein Anteil an der Geschichte eingeräumt. Die Welt ist sehr düster. Von den Lagern in denen Menschen als Sklaven gehalten oder in Dämonen umgewandelt werden, bekommt man kaum etwas mit. Aber auch ohne das Zutun von Dämonen haben sich Menschen verändert und verwandeln sich in Krächzer, Eidechsen oder Spinnen.
Lichtblicke sind tatsächlich die Elfen, die sich inmitten dieser düsteren Welt, ihre kleine Oase größtenteils erhalten haben, aber auch dieser Schein trügt. Der Ellcrys, den sicher alle, die schon einen Shannara Roman gelesen haben kennen, hat um Hilfe gebeten. Ein untrügliches Zeichen dafür, dass ein Unheil droht, das verhindert werden muss. In den Abschnitten bei den Elfen erinnert diese Reihe am meisten daran, dass es eine Verbindung zu den Shannara Chronicles gibt. Hier ist vieles dann auch sehr typisch für die Reihe. Die Elfensteine müssen gefunden werden sowie ein weiterer besonderer Stein, was natürlich eine beschwerliche Reise nach sich zieht auf der viele Gefahren drohen.
Den Personen im Buch bin ich gerne auf ihrer Reise gefolgt. Ich kann allerdings nicht sagen, dass ich besonders stark bei einer Person involviert waren. Logan Tom und Angel Perez haben ihre Bestimmung und sorgen für den Schutz, der ihnen anvertrauten Menschen und Elfen. Das ist ein wenig religiös angehaucht, wie ich finde, aber alles in allem mochte ich sie. Ihre Aufgabe ist nicht leicht und beide werden von dem ein oder anderen Zweifel geplagt. Die Gruppe der Kinder, der auch der Morph angehört, wächst in diesem Teil weiter zusammen. Jeder hat seine Begabung, die für den Erfolg der Gruppe wichtig ist und ich fand es schön, dass es auch eine behinderte Person gibt, die eine wichtige Rolle im Gefüge der Gruppe hat und deshalb nach Möglichkeit auch gerettet werden muss und nicht zurückgelassen wird.
2019 war ich dafür noch nicht so sensibilisiert wie ich merke, aber in diesem Teil hat es mich doch sehr gestört. Der Morph hat eigentlich einen längeren Namen, in dem das Z-Wort vorkommt, dass ich hier nicht reproduzieren möchte. Ich bin hier sehr zwiegespalten und müsste hierzu vielleicht auch nochmal die World/Void-Reihe lesen, um das besser einordnen zu können. Ich habe keine Ahnung, warum der Autor diesen Begriff für diese Figur gewählt hat, die Menschen und Elfen retten soll. Allzu häufig kommt dieser Begriff auch nicht vor, weswegen ich das in den seltenen Momenten dann einfach ignoriert habe und ich konnte jetzt auch keine anderen Tropes entdecken, die mit diesem Begriff in Verbindung stehen.
Es gibt bis auf eine Danksagung kein Zusatzmaterial in diesem Buch. Die Anzahl der Personen ist übersichtlich, aber ich denke ein Personenverzeichnis hätte dennoch nicht geschadet. Vielleicht gibt es das am Ende des dritten Teiles, denn dies hier ist eine Reihe, die einfach mitten in der Szene aufhört, wovon ich ja kein großer Fan bin. Ich mag es sehr, wenn ein Teil der Geschichte abgeschlossen ist und man sich dann mit neuem Elan, dem nächsten Teilstück der Geschichte widmen kann.
Fazit: Ein zweiter Teil, der manchmal etwas ausschweifend war, aber mich alles in allem überzeugen konnte. Die Vorbereitungen für den großen Showdown sind getroffen, was einen sehr spannenden dritten Teil verspricht. Zwischen den einzelnen Shannara-Reihen gibt es einige Parallelen, von daher empfehle ich die Reihe für alle, die vorher schon eine Shannara-Reihe gelesen haben und die es nicht stört, wenn einzelne Elemente in jeder Reihe aufs Neue auftauchen.
March 15, 2020
5/32 in my Shannara re-read.
In my opinion, a step up from Armageddon's Children simply by moving even further away from urban fantasy and more solidly into what Brooks does best, which is high fantasy. Brooks is inherently a bit cheesy at times and his plotting is a bit obvious but I still enjoy his books. Sure, there's more sophisticated fantasy these days, but Brooks' stories are entertaining and quick.
In my opinion, a step up from Armageddon's Children simply by moving even further away from urban fantasy and more solidly into what Brooks does best, which is high fantasy. Brooks is inherently a bit cheesy at times and his plotting is a bit obvious but I still enjoy his books. Sure, there's more sophisticated fantasy these days, but Brooks' stories are entertaining and quick.
February 11, 2025
The Elves of Cintra is a forbidding dark tale. It is a blend of post-apocalyptic horrors and urban fantasy. It is a brilliant read. One of my favourites and that is hard because I like all of Terrys books.
June 7, 2008
Great book. I love Terry Brooks. He writes so that you can have a new book every year. The third in this triology comes out in August and I can hardly wait....I will have to divide my time between this and the new Stephanie Meyers novel that comes out in August too.
December 10, 2016
I really wished I had reviewed this series by book instead of lumping it under one book claiming how much I love it. I know I do, but I can't remember why!? Heading into another Terry Brooks book (say that 10x fast) and wanted to refresh why I love him. Oh, well. Note to self: always review books!
March 3, 2017
Can't wait until the next and last installment of this trilogy. Not the biggest fan of Terry Brooks writing style but his characterisation and plot more than make up for it. If you enjoy a good adventure try this trilogy on for size.
April 14, 2019
Even better than the first!
I think the second book is better than the first. Maybe the third will be the best of all? On to boom three!
I think the second book is better than the first. Maybe the third will be the best of all? On to boom three!
February 10, 2020
You know Terry, it's not really a trilogy if you write one big story and then just cut it into three pieces. That's just one big book cut into three pieces...come on now :-). Running with a Demon, It of the Word, and Angel Fire East, that's a trilogy. It's not really a big deal though...unless you have to BUY MORE BOOKS TO FINISH THE "BOOK"!
ANYWAY, 5 stars cause The Elves of Cintra was perfect. I'm off to find the next book.
I like how you write. I think I'm going to start writing too. I'll call myself Berry Trooks. Sounds good...I like where this is going.
ANYWAY, 5 stars cause The Elves of Cintra was perfect. I'm off to find the next book.
I like how you write. I think I'm going to start writing too. I'll call myself Berry Trooks. Sounds good...I like where this is going.
June 1, 2022
The story is really picking up its pace and suspense!
May 13, 2018
Second part to the continuation and transfer from regular/mundane reality that got disturbed in W&V series, through the post-apocalyptic devastation of human civilisation with a glimmer of hope for new future given in GoS (this trilogy), to the magic-infused faerie-inhabited universe avid fantasy readers associate with the "more" Shannara placed books of this great cycle... With Hawk magically swept from the board filled with pawns and knights of both Word and Void Logan Tom takes onto himself the burden to shepherd the Ghosts out of danger looming in Seattle to mayhaps find the Gypsy Morph placed elsewhere. Their arduous journey is lengthy and far from uneventful, with both highs and lows aplenty (from magic, through plague and mutations to megatron-style insectoid bots). During this time we are given quite a few flashbacks to how the children family came to be, who are its members and where do they come from. These pitures that Brooks interjects between the group's voyage POIs allow the readers to comprehend more the kids that stayed outside the compounds instead of the relative safety of enclosed human companionships. But more importantly than that, this book focuses greatly on the story of the creatures from the title, on the elves of Cintra. With Kirisin searching for the Elfstones and, thus, the unique ancient magic of his kin, Angel fulfills her role of the protector and defender Knight of the Word... Their journey is even more eventful and illuminating, far more adventurous and unravelling, and more magically infused than W&V, AC and this book's humans' trek. We are offered new characters, more magic and eye-opening twists of the intricate patterns of fate-woven threads of mortals' lives - some patterns thus received are not that dissimilar from other Brooks' books (but heck, that's why we like'm, ain't it?), a few look fairly obvious for any avid epic fantasy readers albeit with this unique settings' adjustments, a couple give the readers a chance to wonder "is this a trap or an aid?" or "is (s)he a friend or foe?" or "is it this simple or does it go any deeper?"... It's a great companion to the books so far and a farily neat transition to the more fantastic fantasy settings' oriented main Shannara cycle options from Brooks' arsenal. It goes without saying that again you need to be accustomed to the whole W&V cataclysm and rebirth idea, to have read the AC (GoS#1), and to only passably know a thing or two of the Shannara cycle times. It is a good read, fairly decent even though it feels like it should have been combined with AC in a single book... It's actually very good taking into consideration what Brooks tries to accomplish here - to get the reader from the industrialised human civilisation of our times through its global holocaust effects and ever-fighting remnants always bent on destroying or alienating themselves, as if the collapse and civilisation itself were mere fidgments of imagination or fairy tales gone a bit too nightmarish, to a heroic time of might and magic with lavishly green foliages everywhere brimming with life and populated with faerie, elves and other kinds of creatures and secrets long-forgotten. This is not an easy task, but Brooks manages to erect this unique bridge from W&V to Shannara. The only pitfalls of this book upon reaching the last page? Why the heck are there still so many, even more than in GoS#1, plot threads yet without a more substantial conclusion or how are we to finally reach the more classic fantasy realm by the end of the Gypsy Morph (GoS#3)... Brooks simply leaves the reader with even a few more questions left unanswered or not explained than before opening the first page, forcing her/him to delve straight into the last book of this trilogy subseries.
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