Fantasy Book Club discussion

I just won a copy of Bearers of the Black Staff by Terry Brooks in the GoodReads First Reads drawing. I've heard of him but never read anything by him and I'm curious what other people think of him as well as opinions on whether I should read any of his other work before tackling this? It appears to be the start of a new arc in his Shannara world and I'm rather curious as to whether he's the type of writer where I could start at this end or should really learn the world first?

I tried to read Terry Brooks more than once. I just could not make it through a few chapters.

I haven't read him in a while. I think he has some great ideas, but when he borrows an idea from another author whether it be Tolkien or Donaldson or anyone you're familiar with, he fails to make it sufficiently his own.

Brooks keeps his arcs self contained for the most part, though there is crossover of ideas. Black Staff starts the direct sequel arc to the Genesis of Shannara trilogy which starts with Armageddon's Children. I haven't read that one but have heard that you should read the Word and the Void trilogy before tackling Genesis, and it begins with Running with the Demon.

I haven't read any of these series, though some have in this group. I want to say Jackie is familiar with them. I've read the original trilogy, the Heritage of Shannara, and the Voyage of the Jeryl Shannara trilogy. I enjoyed them all very much.

The good news is that sequentially, this new series is only third in the overall lineup (after W&V and Genesis). They're more recent, but happen before the main series.

Confusing?

I find his books to usually be very enjoyable. Sometimes however, the plots of his books seem very similar and repetitive, but I often really like the characters. And even when the stories are repetitive, I still find the books fun.

I've turned out to be a huge fan of Terry Brooks, primarily because he's simple. What you see is what you get, and though I normally don't like that kind of work, with him it's refreshing and fun. I strongly suggest, like Chris said, that you starts with Running With The Demon and the rest of the "Word and Void" trilogy, and then move onto The Genesis of Shannara.

I read these books in order of publication, not in chronological order, so to me it was quite enjoyable to trace things backwards, rather then work myself forwards. However, I went and read them all chronologically, and they seem to fall into place fairly well.

Brooks is repetitive. Brooks is repetitive. He's not overly-descriptive in his explanations of magic (usually, it's "So-and-so sent the magic blazing into so-and-so"), but I really don't care. I've no idea, really, why I like him the way I do, but I do. Totally not rational ;p

Anyway, enjoy.

Terry Brooks is for the newbies if you don't mind me saying. If you like basically Lord of the Rings and all the tropes and cliche of fantasy, go read him. He is for people who have already read Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter to get their feet wet into fantasy, like many do in part because he was to me the first true mainstream fantasy writer out there.

Terry Brooks was brave, being the 1st to publish epic fantasy after the excitement of the US edition of LOTR was published. Those of us who read LOTR when it was 1st released wanted more, and Brooks satisfied this need. He is no Tolkien, but then no one is. There have been many Tolkienian epic fantasies published since, many better than Brooks. But, if one considers the historical development of Tolkienian fantasy, Brooks deserves high honors.

Epic fantasy of course has evolved and I am enjoying many of the non-Tolkienian epics and the new generation of authors. But I still have a fondness for many of those 'copying' and expanding upon LOTR.

I've read most of his Shannara books and they are quite enjoyable, but don't expect too much.
I would say that Brooks is to Tolkien, what white bread is to wholemeal bread.

He is a bad copycat, the only fantasy author more unoriginal than him is Christopher Paolini the guy who wrote Eragon, another terrible LOTR ripoff.
If you haven't read his books don't bother starting.

I've found Brooks to be very accessible and enjoyable over the years. There is something to the LotR comparisons you often see, but after the first book I'd say Brooks has his own thing going rather nicely.

Brooks hand down is first popcorn books with the adventure of a quest always wrapped into each book.

I don't see why that means he's for "newbies". It's light reading, typical fantasy/quest stuff.. But that's what some people like. Even well read fantasy aficionados. To each their own...

I enjoy reading his books, and still keep up with them. I feel like they've gone down hill over time... But it's still nice and light, quick reads to break up heavier, more complex and/or emotional reads.

You know, I have a soft spot for Brooks, because he's the one who really got me interested in fantasy. I'd read LOTR at a very young age, but I was too young to fully appreciate it, so I didn't think fantasy was for me. Then I stumbled across [Book: Wizard at Large] a few years later and really enjoyed it. I ended up reading all of his books, both Magic Kingdom and Shannara, and I was on my way with the genre. My tastes have changed over the years, but I look back on his novels with a certain fondness.

Dawn wrote: "I don't see why that means he's for "newbies". It's light reading, typical fantasy/quest stuff.. But that's what some people like. Even well read fantasy aficionados. To each their own...

I enjoy ..."

One more added to that growing list.

Dawn wrote: "I don't see why that means he's for "newbies". It's light reading, typical fantasy/quest stuff.. But that's what some people like. Even well read fantasy aficionados. To each their own...

I enjoy ..."

Complex and emotional does not always have to be a heavy and huge book, for example take Drizzt as I will try always to find a way to come back to time and time again. It is a quick and fun read, but the text and message in those book is way above the reading level that is to me even better than most of those complex and huge books. Also the same for Ender's Game, many uses that as teaching tools for many different reasons. Both are two of my favorite characters of all time.

I'd read & loved The Lord of the Rings & was quite turned off by The Sword of Shannara. It seemed like a rip off of LOtR & wasn't nearly as good. I never read any of the other books as they came out because of that & by the time friends told me they'd gotten better, the series had grown so big that I never felt like getting into it.

I gave Brooks another try with Magic Kingdom for Sale--Sold & thought it was great fun. I really enjoyed it & several sequels, although I quit by the 4th book or so. I also liked Running with the Demon.

He writes a good, fun book, but series tend to lose my interest. I put him in the same category as Christopher Stasheff & David Eddings. None of them are Tolkien, but I've read their books several times over the years & enjoyed them. I've recommended them & given them to my kids. That's enough praise for any author.

Jim wrote: "I'd read & loved The Lord of the Rings & was quite turned off by The Sword of Shannara. It seemed like a rip off of LOtR & wasn't nearly as good. I never read any of the other books ..."

Could have agreed more and said it better my self.

Just to add I love Magic Kingdom for Sale, but saw what was happening in the other books, but part of book five, so I could not read any of the others. I think he knew that somehow when writing Running with the Demon that he was going to tie it in with his Shannara books somehow. Overall those you have said and those who are tolkien like are very predictable, no point of reading them if you know the ending of the whole thing before starting book one. Lastly, Brooks books have not gotten better, it all follows the same thing, but as time went on the speed of his adventures have gotten faster. You got to give him credit at least for been the first author at Del Rey and the longest.

Kevin wrote: "One more added to that growing list."

Trust me, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Terry Brooks's earlier books are better complex and emotional wise, with more action, and fresher than his new books.

The Elfstones of Shannara, The Wishsong of Shannara, and Magic Kingdom for Sale--Sold were very good.

Light does not equal bad.

How interesting that people are saying that Brooks is light, popcorn fare. I guess it's a difference in perception as to what's light--I can agree that his plots are light, repetitive, and often derivative, but his prose is rich, thick, and slow. To me a light read is something I can get through quickly.

I really loved Brooks when I was a teenager, and have most of his books on the shelf over my desk, but I tried to reread some of them recently and it took me forever to drag myself through them. I guess my tastes have changed. I do think in his more recent books the prose has lightened up, but that's from memory, not from recent reading.

I never quite got the whole "he ripped off Tolkien" thing, even though his were the first books I read after reading Tolkien for the first time. I do love his Shannara series and Landover books (except for the most recent one, which is the only really bad book he's written, IMHO). The Word and Void trilogy didn't quite do it for me, though it wasn't "bad." Just not my cup of tea.

Personally, I thought the Heritage of Shannara quad was the best in the Shannara world.

I agree, Brondt. I really enjoyed the Heritage series as well. Even more than the original three.

Terry Brooks is my hero. I read almost all his book. His Heritage of Shannara series are some of the best fantasy books out there. His Word and Void series (John Ross and Nest Freemark stories) are wonderful stories about horrors versus magics.

I could not agree with you more, Heritage is the best thing that Brooks has ever written. It is only one to me that had emotions and politics all wrapped up into one series. The whole series was just epic.

I'm just working through his latest trilogy Armageddon's Children, which I believe is a prequel of sorts to the Shannara trilogies. So far I'm quite enjoying it. They are fast and easy reads.