I'm 74 years old, so I have a different perspective on this than younger people do. I read Lord of the Rings in the mid 1970s and fell in love with fantasy. I wanted more. But in the mid to late 70s there was almost nothing else. Fantasy was almost dead. Terry Brooks almost single handedly saved fantasy. He wanted to pay tribute to LOTR with his own story. Publishers basically told him and other writers to give them more Tolkien. So he did. I will always love the writings of Mr. Brooks because he saved fantasy and gives us a fun adventure to get lost in. It's easy to criticize him all of these years later. But you have to look at this through the lens of time. He made it possible for Jordan, Sanderson, and many others to tell their stories now. Thank you, Terry Brooks.
Well, from what I remember reading, most fantasy at the time was pulp fantasy and found in magazines and such. Also a lot of the stuff was really really experimental and esoteric like wizard of earthsea, nine princes of Amber and Elric. I remember reading one review from the 80s on the belgariad series that said "thank God this is just a fun good vs evil story and not some meditation on morality with a dwarf." Sword of Shannara pretty much started the 80s high fantasy paperback boom. I don't think Sword of Shannara should be dismissed for being derivative, I think it showed other fantasy authors that it's fine to sit in his shade.
I don't know that it's fair to say that fantasy was "almost dead." Lots of truly foundational fantasy was published in the mid to late 70s, the issue was that anything other than tropey Tolkienian fantasy was marketed very poorly.
The first book (Sword) was REALLY derivative and mediocre (a classic first book, where the author is learning how to write and mainly just copies his favorite fantasy books), but it immediately gets quite a lot better -- Elfstones and Wishsong are probably my favorites of the series, and those are the next two books.
This is a spot on comparison...i read it in 1977 and thought it was OK but generic it was just a lesser version of LOTR some of the later books were much better
@@greentriangler Yeah, you might be right, those might be better than Elfstones/Wishsong. I really loved the last book in that series. I also really liked the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara series. I felt like the series dipped after that.
The book that hooked me on fantasy as a teenager nearly 40 years ago, without this book I would never have read Tolkien, Jordan, Sanderson or Abercrombie. Thank you Terry Brooks 🙏
I saw Terry Brooks at a book signing. When asked about pronunciation, he clarified how he pronounces it (SHA-nah-rah), but then said "When I'm writing it, it's my book, When you are reading it, it is yours. Pronounce it however you like"
I’ve been a fan of Terry Brooks my whole life and read all more than thirty Shannara novels. It’s only the first book, The Sword of Shannara, that’s written like this. After that Brooks got better and better and by the end, when I finished the conclusion, The Fall of Shannara series, I was sad that it ended, only to become overjoyed to learn that Brooks is writing another Shannara novel after all. The rest of the series after The Sword of Shannara is far from just tropey, and very diverse. There are books set in modern day, post apocalyptic ones (I mean early American post apocalyptic ones, in essence almost all books in the series are post apocalyptic). His characters are well developed and believable. And his world building is outstanding.
@ The Fall of Shannara was already a quadrilogy. Terry Brooks is writing a whole new Shannara series at the moment. That’s what I referred to. The first book is planned for March 2025. It’s titled Galaphile and will be part one of The First Druids of Shannara.
The second through maybe the tenth book or so are good, but after that, I lost my interest in the series. Elfstones is definitely the biggest highlight.
I see a lot of people in the comments saying that the first book is mid, but that Elfstones and Wishsong are huge improvements. I will add that not only are Elfstones and Wishsong absolute bangers, but First King (the prequel) and the entire 4 book Heritage sequels series are FUEGO. Sword of Shannara is a little rough, but after that, Brooks finds his legs and goes on a real run.
The paint-by-numbers nature of this book makes a lot of sense when you learn about why Terry wrote it and the context in which it was released. Terry read and loved LOTR, and after hating law school, decided he wanted to write. he saw a real lack of accessible fantasy books, and basically set out to write his own version of LOTR that would be easier to read for average people and younger readers. It just so happens that publishers were looking for the same thing. So it really succeeds at exactly what it set out to do. This was an excellent review, and I appreciate your honesty, because many people really just dismiss it as a shitty LOTR rip-offl
Nah, There was enough original fantasy being published back then .The Hugo or Nebula awards already existed (and I don't think he ever won any of those ?) It sold well because there was a market for 'paint by numbers ' pulp. Brooks jumped into that, and was at the right place at the right time . Good for him. But it doesn't make his writing less mediocre.
@@spiritualanarchist8162 Yes there was original fantasy published, and most people didn't read it. People wanted tolkien-esque fantasy and that's what Brooks wanted to write. And yes his writing is mediocre but this book also saved the genre from being merely a tiny niche and is the main reason fantasy had a resurgence.
@@Ironworthstriking 'most people ' didn't read fantasy anyway. The current hype has been building up the 25 /30 years Too be honest, I started reading SF/Fantasy around 84/85. So that's later. Goodkind was just one of many already . Now I never heard anything about him introducing Fantasy to the masses '. But I was very young and there was no internet. So maybe I missed that part . His is certainly used to be one of the more famous writers.
@ I believe it’s simply an observable phenomenon that Brooks popularity showed publishers there was market demand for epic fantasy, which lead to a boom in the 80s and then the 90s. Which is why we see such an influx with writers such as Raymond Feist, David Eddings, Tad Williams, Weiss/Hickman, etc. which of course led to Goodkind, Jordan, Hobb, and Martin in the 90s.
@@Ironworthstriking One should be a bit careful making such conclusions in hindsight. Is it causation or correlation ? Was there some upward trend going on ? Would Feist not have been where he is today without Good kind ? etc. LOTR and Harry Potter are a few examples how a single book(series ) broke all expectations and influenced fantasy publishing. Stephen King popularized the Horror genre for a bigger audience . I never heard this about Goodkind . (Atleast not in Europe.) Anyway, I'm going to have a look into this because i'm rather curious by now. If the man did change the perception of fantasy he deserves the credit, . Thank you for your input.
I loved this series as a kid. Revisited it as an adult, and really disliked it. The writing style just really bothers me now for some reason, with a third person omniscient narrator who tells you the characters' thoughts except when the thought is suddenly something the author does not want you to know.
I'm the same way with RA Salvatore's books, loved them as a kid and teenager, but God after reading so many great fantasy and sci-fi writers I just can't read those books anymore.
Same. This was the series that got me into Fantasy when I read it as a kid in the 80s. I loved it and my first D&D character was even named Walker Boh because I loved the books so much. It was fantastic back then, but the genre has evolved and improved a lot since then.
@@winglessrayven4294 I'm starting to relate with this a bit. Though I somehow just can't get invested in new authors (mainly its the worlds), lately, as I've been revisiting Salvatore, I just keep noticing all these little things that make the writing not great. I just finished The Cleric Quintet, and I was shocked by how rushed and sloppy the conclusion to that series was, and I certainly wouldn't have identified any of these issues when I was younger. With that being said, what is it that you find about Salvatore's writing that makes it unreadable? Not that I'm disagreeing, but as he's my main inspiration for my own work, I'm naturally curious. Of course understanding that he has a different stylistic approach than "greater" writers, I have to think that his style is perhaps considered more juvenile, or sprawling and rushed, with minimal character work.
@@KyleMifflin i feel with him it's the shallow nature of the world, the plots aren't that deep, that the characters never really grow except the a few.
I'm a massive fan of the whole Shannara saga, it was my introduction to fantasy, which is now a lifelong love. But the BEST part of it is the eight prequels, from 'Running with the Demon' onwards. It's HIGHLY original, sets out the lore and the history beautifully, and the way it builds from our world in the late 90s through to the world of Shannara is GENIUS. Check it out.
The thing I really enjoyed about the book when I first read it, was what the ultimate resolution was to dealing with the BBEG. *spoilers* How the reason the sword was a danger to him, wasn't that it had some uber attack that could cleave through armies, but the fact that it could simply cut through lies. And I liked the idea that the entire concept of undeath in that reality, was sort of like how flying worked in the Douglas Adams books. How it's basically you tricking yourself and reality, into thinking you can do this thing, and nobody noticing it's breaking the rules. How the spectre was just that, an echo. He was actually dead, and being forced to face that Truth, would unravel his undeath existence. Because it was a lie. I thought that was a really neat twist on the premise when I was a kid. I'd read enough fantasy stories by that point (roughly middle school), to have a familiarity with the tropes, and I remember thinking "oh....well that was kind of clever and fresh. Nice little twist there"
This resolution of the big bad for me as a kid reader was a huge factor in my thorough love of the fantasy genre-because it wasn’t pure brawn that won the day, but, a clever workaround that showed that the big bad… really wasn’t that bad if we just stopped to think for a second and say. Naw fam. You ain’t it. And then, that being what makes it not it. It was a powerful lesson for me as a kid that truth, honesty, and love are more powerful than hatred and lies.
@@ojhilom2786 yep, and I liked how it was presented in the book. I know Daniel didn't like it, but I felt it was well done. Just a bit of "moment of clarity" for the protagonist. Kind of like the way in the Merlin miniseries on Scifi, where the way to defeat Mab was to just simply forget her. That as long as they BELIEVED she was a threat, she was. But that it was all a veil of lies, and the Sword was what revealed that. Pay no attention to the man behind the mirror, kind of thing. Can't recall another book having a resolution like that since.
Yes, the Warlock Lord was just a nasty bully, desperate to hang on to power. All that it really took was someone who had the courage to face their own truth calling him on his lies. I think the lesson there is pretty great. It's the reverse of a cop out. When it comes down to it the Battle of Good vs Evil is won through self acceptance and honesty, not deeds of arms. Where in Tolkien its won due to compassion. It's a bit clunky but as a kid who had just finished LotR and wanted more, the Shannara series was something I quickly devoured.
@@ActionNerdGo yeah, the other books that come after, up through I think Wishsong (which is roughly where I stopped reading I think?) were really good.
I read this as a 12 year old, and could see that it was a giant rip-off of the Hobbit. It has a Wish version of Gandalf and the whole Evil Lord thing is solved by a shitty twist. I later read "Magic Kingdom For Sale / Sold" and liked it a lot better. This one? It is a good first effort and is highly, highly over-rated. I knew that as a twelve year old.
Part of the fun I had with these books was the constant lore that built on itself. As you read more of the books the elements like the wishsong and the druids all build on each other. I'd say the defining books of this series for me is The Voyage of the jerle shannara or any of the books with Walker Boh, Allanon's successor.
This is the book which introduced me to High fantasy works, and made me fan of it. Later I discovered LoTR and WoT and I find them better, but The sword of Shannara will always have a special place in my heart.
Yeah, I've read all his books and it was the gateway that really got me into fantasy books. Obviously read so many other great books but Brooks will always have a special place in my paperback heart.
Awesome mentions! I will say that, for me, thanks to my bro in law, HOW WoT begins its breathtaking prologue surpasses both beloved titles of LotR: FoTR's seemingly endless intro/preface/notes/short history ALL before the Gaffer's tale in slow burn chapter one and SoS's arguably slow burn that's more of a stroll. LotR, I realized, is best begun by skipping the preambles and jumping headlong into the main story first and heck the entire trilogy then the wealth of the legendarium to choose from to embark next, including the Silmarillion! If SoS can be surpassed, then I imagine the supposed "slog" of Winter's Heart will be, for me, an absolutely escapist joy of long prose in a thick paperback for a long winter! I don't think that's factored in often enough on booktube: mood and the season. That's what fantasy is for.
For anyone who started reading pre 1990's this was the book that got us into fantasy. Like any long series, some are better than others, but overall, a great series. Terry deserves any accolades he gets. For these booktubers to pick it apart breaks my heart. It won't be for everyone, just like any series. Still beloved!
Tolkien says this could have been your earth, you will never see it as it was. Brooks says this could one day be your earth, but you will never see it as it will be. The same longing for something we can't have, didn't even know we wanted.
Sword of Shannara was my introduction to fantasy as a child. It is tough to read now. However, I do still enjoy my rereads of Elfstones, Wishsong, and the Scions Tetrology every year. It might be a trope to say, "Keep reading, it gets better," but I do believe this about the Shannara series.
Elfstones is definitely better. For whatever reason I thought Wishsong was kinda bad even as a preteen. But the Heritage of Shannara sub series is also better.
Allanon was a great example of showing vs telling in writing. Everything around him says he's powerful and mysterious, but everything we see is mostly just a grumpy bastard who's outlived joy. Menion Leah was my favourite. his character has stuck with me for the last 20+ years when all the rest are either Allanon or fuzzy grey outlines of characters.
2:45 It shoudl be noted that when brooks did the Fantasy world is our wolrd after an apocalyupse no one had done that before, he's the trope inventor there.
@@russelljackson8153 I dont count pulp. Also that looks like he most heavy handed cold war allegory I've ever seen. Shannara is about healing and rebuilding.
Not really. Post apocalypse fiction started way back in the 19th century . Post Apocalypse Fantasy stories had a peak in the 50/60's after the atomic bomb became a thing.
Shannara was my introduction to both fantasy and multi-book stories back in grade school. I'm supremely grateful to the series for that. I decided to express my gratitude by reading the entire Shannara series a few years ago. I did it. I'm glad I did. But... I don't know that I would recommend this to anyone but the most diehard fans. Elf stones of Shannara will forever will be a favorite. The prequels were fun. However, most of the later books just felt a little repetitive and forgetable to me. That said... Thank you Terry Brooks for showing me these fantasy worlds existed. Forever in your debt just for that.
I felt the same way. The later books got repetitive and lacked the depth of themes explored in some of the other books. My favorite was the Heritage and especially the Talismans of Shannara. He was still a new author with a lot to say, but his writing was much improved at that point, and the end fight with the Shannara turned druid was fantastic.
@PhoenixCrown so actually... Talismans was officially my first book. I bought it at a school book fair because there was a guy in a cloak fighting a grim reaper riding a dinosaur on the cover lol. Had no idea what was going on and THEN I discovered I had to read other books first. Completely blew my mind at the time that that was a thing.
I always felt the series was meant to be repetitive. Like every new book just slips on like an old shoe. I know it, it's familiar, comforting. Even though it's a new batch of moms home made Mac and cheese it always tastes like you remembered.
This was the first “modern” fantasy book I read. I was 10 years old in 1977. I grew up reading my fathers Howard, Burroughs and Carter. After those older stories Shannara was the first modern read for me. It’s definitely full of tropes. However, you need to remember when it came out. These tropes weren’t quite as tired or severe back then. Reading this for the first time today I can see how a person would roll their eyes at it. All that said it sets up a wonderful fantasy universe and Brooks got progressively better as the years rolled by.
Shannara is one of my fav series. Edit: Possible spoilers for overall series world set up... I love how chronologically the story starts in what could be our modern day and evolves from there. All the different magical races stemmed from mutated humans, except the elves cause they were never gone, just hidden from humans. The formula of all of the books is the same; we start with a group they get split and go on side quests to find the sacred thing (usually the elf stones), then come back together for the final battle. Through that we see how vast the world stretches; simple, yes, but still enjoyable. I never finished the total series so I may go back and start from the beginning. Thanks for reminding me of this.
Would this be considered a spoiler maybe? I've already found this out in passing unintentionally which intrigues me even more and yet I also maybe wished I had at least read the SoS trilogy up to First King of Shannara maybe before finding out, so I could say I never knew until much later on? But it's almost inevitable when you encounter Armageddon's Children and slowly begin to piece it together and then it's upfront confirmed in the MTV series...
@@genghisgalahad8465 The book series is nearly four decades old. But, I suppose I could be one of very few that doesn't worry about spoilers when a property is that old. I'll edit in a warning.
I read Lord of the Rings in 1977 and was so blown away I had to have more. I discovered Sword of Shannara and Niel Hancock's Circle of light and Donaldson's Thomas Covenant chronicles all about the same time and absolutely loved them all and still do. If you look at them in 2024 you might criticize them but if you first encountered them in 77 you would appreciate them so much more.
Also Allanon is mano bBennet and so good, and gets character conflict and being, a fun grumpy adass mentor. Honestly the female leads too are so good. Its MTV so of course they do fanservice, but yeah the actors really make it good, Austin Butler too is good in being sassy at times and conflicted. Oh and good conflicts. I think season 2 went, i just dont like the dude the show wanted to hype but else, very fun even tragic. And the thief girl is a scene stealer.
I'm excited that you've made this video. The Sword of Shannara is the book that got me into fantasy and I've been waiting to see your review since I discovered your channel during covid. As a series, Shannara definitely has some inconsistency in quality, with significant highs and lows, but the next two books are some of the best he wrote and I hope you'll also review them on your channel soon.
It's a primer for kids before they've head deep into Tolkien and hard-core fantasy. Loved it as a kid. Made me feel super grown-up. Probably not some thing that I would enjoy now though. Although....I cried at the last book. For the villain. IYKYK
I re-read this book recently, I liked it overall, and yes... It was partly because of the nostalgia factor. I was surprised to feel quite moved right at the very end when a certain character returns to shady vale. It's weird how you get older and different things in novels speak to you.
I absolutely love this series and have immense nostalgia for the first book...but the first time I read it, I almost gave up multiple times within the first 150 pages. So I definitely hear you on how rough getting through the beginning of the book was! And I'm also glad you didn't give up. (Especially the final battle--still one of the best I've read!) And you're right...the subsequent books do get better in a LOT of ways. I definitely recommend reading the next two books in this trilogy and seeing where Brooks goes from here. Also, as others have commented, the fact that this book came out in the 1970s when fantasy was on a downswing and did so much to revive it as a genre is huge. It's not great now, but for its time it was epic.
The Sword Of Shannara was the book that got me addicted to reading and inspired me to be a writer when I was a wee lad. I have a fondness for it for sure
I am curious if you will keep reading into the series. I read them as a teen, and most of them again as an adult, and still enjoyed them. My favorites of the entire thing are probably the Heritage (Scions, Druids, elf queen and Talismans), which i feel are the strongest natively and it takes the world into some pretty interesting places as far as technology and politics go.I also liked the three books after those, as it also makes use of some different ideas. It is also interesting to watch some of the magic and history passed down through bloodlines as the books continue. Some magical items even evolve, or become magic if they weren't before.
I got the 1st The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara book for christmas in 2000/01 , not sure, but reading that trilogy before going back to the earlier books definitely made it easier to ignore the flaws. Also I was 12/13 and that trilogy was probably the first time I encountered "what if sailing ships but they fly?".
Elfstones was my intro to fantasy growing up. Basically this series is what got me caught in fantasy. I wasn’t a strong reader as a kid - fighting with dyslexia and whatnot, until this series! These books gave me the love of reading that I needed.
It's been almost 30 years since I read The Sword of Shannara, and you are making me feel like reading it again. I was a child and I remember NOTHING! (and btw, I need you to talk me into finishing the first book in The Wheel of Time because I'm struggling)
Very similar boat! I binged most of these in middle school and 25 years later all I have are some really strong images and emotions with little remembered context.
One important thing to realize here is that Brooks was literally learning to write a fantasy novel with this book. Over the next two decades, he got better and better with each subseries over the next 20 years... while also fleshing out his world as our distant future rather than a mythical past, culminating with The Word and The Void - which takes place in the modern day and begins the process of connecting our world with Shannara's.
I found this book in a local bookstore when I was a kid. I loved the art work on the cover and bought the book. I completely loved it and each following book gets better and better.
Agree with so much of what you said here. This was the book that got me started on fantasy, so it will always have a dear place in my heart. I was too young for anything to be "cliche" (I hadn't read LOTR yet), and it was such a magical story. I didn't know what "exposition" was, and maybe my memory comes from the later books, but ALLANON TURNS INTO A BADASS. Lastly, I actually loved the way Shae defeats the Warlock Lord--it was so unexpected it was an interesting twist AND I felt it was justified by what was alluded to in the history (how Shae's dad failed to defeat him). When I rediscovered my love for fantasy as an adult, I read TONS of the Shannara books, and they start to feel pretty repetitive, lacking the strong theme in the Sword and instead just kind of light entertainment. If you're interested in the series, def start with the Sword, and if you like it, finish the trilogy, but my recall is the BEST by far is the HERITAGE OF SHANNARA tetralogy. Enjoy!
I am the reader I am today because of Terry Brooks. It was the first adult fantasy novel I ever read (I was 12 at the time), and it made me a lifelong lover of reading and fantasy.
I asked about Shannara a couple of years ago in Patreon, and so glad it's finally cycled through. I truly hope you continue the ride and look forward to seeing your thoughts on Brooks' evolving style with each set of books, in Shannara.
Loved the whole "Heritage of" series. Fun and interesting experience. It's contiguous unlike the original trilogy. Also, all the powers / swords / stones are blended into the narrative. The Shadowen are taking over and the descendents are tasked with bringing back the lost artifacts and people. Walker Boh was my favorite character.
Brooks’s publishers basically wanted to see if the market would respond to another LOTR style series; the parallels were less intentional from the young Brooks, but absolutely encouraged and goaded on by the publishers. Once sword did well, they turned him loose and he made the series/epic his own thing. Though throughout the epic I’ve felt some saminess at times, he’s still a cozy read for me when I do read him. :)
Sword of Shannara is a Tolkien redux, of the kind that the publishing industry demanded as the price for publishing it at all. Brooks didn't really come into his own until the Wishsong, after he had some time to flesh out what is still one of the most intriguing mythologies in fantasy literature.
I read this in the day and felt similarly. Elfstones and Wushsong were definitely more enjoyable but could speak to how they hold up. The fantasy genre was much narrower back then, so this was the cream of the crop at the time.
I read this immediately after LOTR and for me, it actually scratched that itch of wanting more of that type of fantasy. Oh and I read it like 20 years ago up to Straaken (book 13). And it took a lot of book hunting (not all book stores in the Philippines have it) for me to be able to get all books and that experience in itself was very satisfying. (Wishsong is my fave). Thanks for reviewing this... very nostalgic for me.
I totally agree, his character relationships are what actually keep you reading! Even though it seems formulaic now, I thought it was really fun to read and “pay homage to” one of the most impactful, classic stories that shaped where fantasy is today (even though I DNFed the next book in the series)
I was about 12 or so when I first read TSOS. Even then I’d read enough to recognise the tropes and stereotypes and the, let’s be honest, not great dialogue, but I still loved it. I remember thinking at the time (and stand by it) that Terry Brooks is extremely skilled at relationships, scene setting and motion description. The quality of the writing does improve vastly over the series, as you can see Brooks honing his skills. I’d really recommend his Landover series as an example of just how delightful and inventive his work can be.
1:50 Terry Brooks’ books were the bees knees. I read a few of his books when I was in my mid 20’s (2005 timeframe) I a thought they still held up fine. In fact, there is something about that style that is refreshing, simple, and conjures images in the reader’s mind. I miss this style in today’s writing. It should also be noted, this is the first book, and the rest of the series does its own thing.
That feeling you got about the bad guy at the end is the exact feeling I got at the end of The Great Hunt. I know you love Jordan, but that is why I never continued Wheel of Time.
Great video, love getting to watch your stuff. Shannara is an enjoyable series(more so when i was younger), the Word and Void trilogy plus the Genesis of Shannara trilogy show how our world turned in the fantasy world if you were curious about that transition.
I read the book over a weekend while visiting my dad, just because it was a big book on the shelf. I was 9 or 10. For that audience, I think it is brilliant.
As a fan of the Shannara series, your critique is pretty much spot on. It is very much so a "first book". As you predict, it gets better by leaps and bounds in the second book. And i would argue with "recent world events" it hits a little different now. The thrid book is my favorite of the first trilogy. And he continued to grow as a writer, not only learning how to donit better, but perfecting what he already knew. I hope to get to hear your thoughts on them someday soon.
And I am back after the video and I agree. One of the things that marks a decided shift in the series for me was when it went from every other year or every three years to every year book release. The stories were physically shorter but the narratives were still so bulky that it just felt so fast. And my final note for some hindsight is big three in that first trilogy is carried by the characters. Probably the least compelling story but one of my favorites because the characters just make it happen for me.
A friend loaned me Sword when it came out, as soon as he finished reading it, because he knew I was going to love it. I had read Tolkien earlier in the '70s, so I already loved that kind of fantasy story. I loved Terry Brooks and his books as they came out. Wiley doesn't perfect I also enjoyed the TV series starring Austin Butler that MTV made, and was really glad to see something from that world on my screen. I enjoyed your review of the book, and while I think I enjoyed the book itself more than you did, I appreciate it the good points that you brought up. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us.
I have read all of Terry's books and my favourite work of his is still the first ones I ever read. I found the Word and the Void trilogy in my highschool library when I was 14 and I have reread them as an adult and I still feel like they are some of his strongest books. My personal favourites anyways.
When this book came out, I was deep into science fiction and fantasy. The general opinion around me at the time was, this was not a serious attempt at fantasy. I read it and enjoyed it, but it was not quite fluff, but close. It was the transmutation of high fantasy into light reading, that spawned a vast industry. That's how I remember it, but that was the general opinion. The truth may lie elsewhere.
I accidentally discovered Shannara in a second hand book store. I picked up the single-book trilogy of "The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara". I had never heard of the series previously, but it was so good that I went back and read all the series within the series backwards to learn all the lore that led to the voyage. I highly recommend doing the same if you have not started this series. The voyage is still my favorite trilogy, and it made me appreciate the entire back story.
The people I knew who read fantasy as we grew up thought “Sword” was fine, but “Elfstones” is awesome. Just FYI, Allanon is the only through character in this trilogy. And Brooks must have traveled in time to see your review, because it is hilarious how he leans into his strengths in Elfstones while minimizing your criticisms.
I had a dream where I was at a halloween party and daniel was wearing a beard in some fantasy costume. I talked to him for like 10 minutes before realizing who it was and then we talked books for like 5 minutes before we went on our way. Wild
This is one of my favorite books of all time. It works for kids and adults. When I was a kid I didn’t understand the sword and its purpose but revisiting it as an adult. I realized how it works and how it’s a satire and anogoly for modern society. Well brilliant. Better than any of the sequels and I read the next 25 novels.
I also want to add to the "pulling from other authors": if you strip every story down to it´s basic plot points, then yes a lot of stories are the same. But the actual story can be very diffrent. That´s why two people can use for example the heroes journey as a base for their plot, but in the end they have two completly diffrent stories. Doesnt mean anyone ripped off the other
I read Elfstones before Sword back in the early 80s. Brooks really opened the fantasy floodgates for me. Oh, and my friends and I still call them the Sha Na Na series.
I remember a really old interview with Terry Brooks about how derivitive of zlord of the Rings this book is, and he basically said it definitely was because that is what his publisher asked him to do. From there he had a lot more freedom to tell a story that he wanted to tell a unique story, and it really shows with this series. Elfstones changes in some major ways.
I didn’t care for the first trilogy, though I did enjoy the twist about _why_ the Sword was able to vanquish the dark lord. I decided to pick up the Legacy tetralogy because Brooks had the time to improve his craft. I . . . also didn’t care for it. Edit: yo, love the rock version of your outro!
Brooks even says he saw LoTR and was amazed they were still printing that. That is why he wrote Sword. Yes, very inspired by it. He never shied away from that. I agree with most of your criticism and appreciate your praise as well. The info dumps were bad and the first half was a bit of a slog. Also, the final confrontation was a bit lack-luster (His book First King of Shannara does a much better job explaining what the sword actually does - hindsight!). What Books does do, is he keeps the main theme from most/all his books: technology vs magic. And unlike most who do it once, Brooks often does the young/innocent protagonist. His writing improves and like most fans, think his second book is his best. I always think of it as fantasy Die Hard. He does some very interesting things with his world if you keep reading. Interesting choices. He does have his own style, and I can still read a fight scene and know the feel of it. It's like if you know Sam Rami movies, you know the feel of his fight scenes - whether it is Army of Darkness or Spiderman. Thanks for giving it an honest try. Hope you try at least one more.
Thank you. This is actually a great example of why there needs to be a more acknowledged "Introduction to Fantasy" sub-genre. Like you said, there are so many good but predictable stories that are about "the farmboy/lad" who is destined to save the world. These stories should be recommended primarily (as you have) to new fantasy readers. It's why The Elenium, by David Eddings hits so hard - it hits as a contrast to these intro-to-fantasy stories. It's why we don't start teaching the Dada movement as the introduction to poetry, we start with Shakespeare and then the Romantics, so that when you get to Dada, it blows your mind, as it was intended to do. There is a flow to this... a weave as it were, and while there is no beginning there is _a_ beginning, and the Eye of the World or the Sword of Shannara are excellent places to begin.
While not on the level of my favorite series (WOT), I did enjoy the Shannara books quite a bit back in the day. My favorite of the first trilogy though, was Wishsong and I'm betting that yours will be that one as well once you get there. There is a 4 part series after after the trilogy that starts with Scions of Shannara and they were even better than the trilogy. There were some pretty gnarly cliffhangers at the end of certain books. Also, there is a prequel to Sword of Shannara called the First King of Shannara that is worth reading as well. I love the characters in that one. Enjoyed your review. Keep them coming and I'll keep listening. 😊
I read the book after having read Lord of the Rings, though by then I was in my mid-twenties. I did not recognize the similarities at the time, and while I can see them now, they still do not bother me because the worlds are vastly different. I also never encountered your difficulty with the info dump by Alanon nor the lengthy conversation at the close, but I was blessed with excellent retention and a love of lore, and though it has been some time, I could probably give more or less the general speech that Alanon gave the boys.
As a teen, I definitely came away from "Sword of Shannara" thinking "ok so that was just LotR again." I wasn't yet savvy enough to read into themes and underlying subtext. But I will say that starting with "Elfstones," Shannara became something wholly new and exciting, and the series (all of them) remain some of my favorite fantasy stories ever.
The Sword of Shannara is PERFECT as "Baby's first Epic Fantasy". It was the first really big fantasy that I read (6th grade. I read The Hobbit in 5th but it didnt really resonante with me. Shannara did) and I absolutely fell in love with the genre because of it. (To be fair though, I was already a big Mythology guy. Epic Fantasy was just the next step in that journey)
I have read many of the comments and replies. I do see a lot of nostalgia defending the book and I truly understand that. I’m looking at the review whether I should read/listen to it now, not back when there wasn’t a lot of fantasy. I can find fantasy everywhere now. I have read/listened to every single thing in Sanderson’s Cosmere and that is by far my favorite, but have also experienced many other fantasy books, some really good, and some average. Objectively looking at this series, is it worth getting into?
No matter what anyone says, SOS will always have a very special place in my heart. It was the first fantasy book I read and it made me fall in love with the genre. I reread and understand the faults, but to me its my perfect. I know its full of tropes, but for me I had never read any tropes.
When I was 13 years old, starting middle school. I wanted everybody else to think I was really smart, so my plan was to go to the library find the most massive novel I find. That search ended with the Sword of Shannara that had the awesome Hildebrandt brothers Illustrations. This book started a lifetime love of not only reading but fantasy and all of its forms.
This was the first fantasy series I read as a teenager. Therefore I will always have a soft spot for it. As others said, the series does get better, but at the time I fell in love with it. I had not read LOTR. I love how easy to read it is. I reread it every now and then and it's almost like cosy fantasy to me, because it comes with such a wave of nostalgia. I can't be unbiased and I don't need to be. I always love Shannara.
Super nostalgic series for me, but definitely not up to the quality of even some of its contemporary's. Formative work for me that I would have trouble returning too. Your commentary makes me wish to return to it though.
Sha-NAH-Rah This book is great for getting INTO fantasy - it captures the "adventure" vibe perfectly, and is relatively familiar. The "Heritate of Shannara" series is FANTASTIC - really brings some great unique things into the fold here. Absolute favourite series to this day, except for Codex Alera.
I’m 52, and when I read Sword of Shannara as a teen I never read it as high fantasy. To me this was a young adult, quick read, fantasy series. If you keep that in mind it’s a fun read.
My brother in law ended up recommending me this book. The First King (prequel) and Sword were by FAR the hardest books to get through. I still have 3 trilogies until I finish, but The Genesis of Shannara is my favorite trilogy and the later/shorter they are, the better they tended to be for me :D
Like many here, "Sword" has a special place for me as the first "fantasy" book that really got me into the genre in my late teens. I had seen the old Rankin Bass LOTR cartoons, so I had a general idea that the story in "Sword" was familiar. I am glad that Brooks moved beyond the "starter" model in subsequent volumes, "Elfstones" still stands out as my favorite of the series. They books are basically a fun/escapist read for me. I'm not looking for genre breaking series all the time, and Brooks' work has always been a familiar "friendly" style that I can jump back into whenever I want. I do think you have good critical points in regard to "Sword" I have been reading the book to my kids off and on and noticed "Yeah, this is the guy's first work". But the kids are entertained, and that's the point. Also, I convinced my wife to read it too, she was one chapter in, looked at me, and said "Flick? Seriously, there is a guy named Flick in this book." Great way to start off right? But she did finish the book. Finally, Glad my boy Menion Leigh gets a positive shout out from. He's the dude!
Just started getting into the video so not sure how it is going to go but out of everything I have ever read, the word and void is my all time favorite series. The connection with Shannara was shaky but cool in my unprofessional opinion but Word and Void I like to revisit at least once a year.
Hey Daniel I've been viewing your videos for years and enjoy your reviews. Posting a comment for the first time. Spot on review but I really really recommend you read the 2nd book in this series. I'd be very curious to see what you think.
It was/is comforting that you start with the tropeyness (if that's even a word), so that the twists and other developments seem more impactful when they eventually deliver. Even the MacGuffin that is actually a real thing (i.e. and not merely a MacGuffin like the briefcase for Marsellus Wallace). It can be a little tedious, particularly on a reread; even in the 80's it was seen as highly (but not entirely) derivative of LotR. But the world building is superb, and the whole affair gets better over the next couple books (Elfstones and Wishsong). The second trilogy was still very strong, but losing heat in the shadow of the first outing. I'll admit I didn't get much farther than that, though more because of "life" and not because of the books per se.
![Stromae, Pomme - “Ma Meilleure Ennemie” (from Arcane Season 2) [Official Visualizer]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/1F3OGIFnW1k/mqdefault.jpg)
I'm 74 years old, so I have a different perspective on this than younger people do. I read Lord of the Rings in the mid 1970s and fell in love with fantasy. I wanted more. But in the mid to late 70s there was almost nothing else. Fantasy was almost dead. Terry Brooks almost single handedly saved fantasy. He wanted to pay tribute to LOTR with his own story. Publishers basically told him and other writers to give them more Tolkien. So he did. I will always love the writings of Mr. Brooks because he saved fantasy and gives us a fun adventure to get lost in. It's easy to criticize him all of these years later. But you have to look at this through the lens of time. He made it possible for Jordan, Sanderson, and many others to tell their stories now. Thank you, Terry Brooks.
❤
Agreed ❤️
Well, from what I remember reading, most fantasy at the time was pulp fantasy and found in magazines and such. Also a lot of the stuff was really really experimental and esoteric like wizard of earthsea, nine princes of Amber and Elric. I remember reading one review from the 80s on the belgariad series that said "thank God this is just a fun good vs evil story and not some meditation on morality with a dwarf."
Sword of Shannara pretty much started the 80s high fantasy paperback boom. I don't think Sword of Shannara should be dismissed for being derivative, I think it showed other fantasy authors that it's fine to sit in his shade.
@@jackkroesen7680 completely agree
I don't know that it's fair to say that fantasy was "almost dead." Lots of truly foundational fantasy was published in the mid to late 70s, the issue was that anything other than tropey Tolkienian fantasy was marketed very poorly.
The first book (Sword) was REALLY derivative and mediocre (a classic first book, where the author is learning how to write and mainly just copies his favorite fantasy books), but it immediately gets quite a lot better -- Elfstones and Wishsong are probably my favorites of the series, and those are the next two books.
This is a spot on comparison...i read it in 1977 and thought it was OK but generic it was just a lesser version of LOTR some of the later books were much better
@@wildfire160 Yeah, Sword is almost a scene-for-scene, character-for-character copy of LotR.
The whole series was one of my favorites when I was a kid, but for me Heritage was when it really got good.
@@greentriangler Yeah, you might be right, those might be better than Elfstones/Wishsong. I really loved the last book in that series. I also really liked the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara series. I felt like the series dipped after that.
The Heritage of Shannara were my favorite, and by far the Talismans (final in the tetralogy) was incredible.
The book that hooked me on fantasy as a teenager nearly 40 years ago, without this book I would never have read Tolkien, Jordan, Sanderson or Abercrombie. Thank you Terry Brooks 🙏
Samesies. After I read the first 7 Shannara books, I moved on to Wheel of Time, and life has never been the same =)
Same!
Same here it hooked me as well.
Same here.
I only dabbled in this series growing up, but every pronunciation that isn't shuh-nar-uh still has me absolutely shook
This is the only correct pronunciation
The first time I heard someone say SHAN-nara I was baffled.
I saw Terry Brooks at a book signing. When asked about pronunciation, he clarified how he pronounces it (SHA-nah-rah), but then said "When I'm writing it, it's my book, When you are reading it, it is yours. Pronounce it however you like"
@@Yuukanna I love that generosity!
@@Yuukanna I have heard this exact anecdote before! It must be a thing he's had to say a *lot* over the decades.
Don’t worry it gets progressively better. Not to mention he did what Sanderson wants to do with the Cosmere and made the era changes pretty well.
I’ve been a fan of Terry Brooks my whole life and read all more than thirty Shannara novels. It’s only the first book, The Sword of Shannara, that’s written like this. After that Brooks got better and better and by the end, when I finished the conclusion, The Fall of Shannara series, I was sad that it ended, only to become overjoyed to learn that Brooks is writing another Shannara novel after all. The rest of the series after The Sword of Shannara is far from just tropey, and very diverse. There are books set in modern day, post apocalyptic ones (I mean early American post apocalyptic ones, in essence almost all books in the series are post apocalyptic). His characters are well developed and believable. And his world building is outstanding.
I'm really glad to know this now as far as prose! glad you also mentioned the above Fall of Shannara books that has a fourth title!
@ The Fall of Shannara was already a quadrilogy. Terry Brooks is writing a whole new Shannara series at the moment. That’s what I referred to. The first book is planned for March 2025. It’s titled Galaphile and will be part one of The First Druids of Shannara.
The second through maybe the tenth book or so are good, but after that, I lost my interest in the series. Elfstones is definitely the biggest highlight.
I see a lot of people in the comments saying that the first book is mid, but that Elfstones and Wishsong are huge improvements. I will add that not only are Elfstones and Wishsong absolute bangers, but First King (the prequel) and the entire 4 book Heritage sequels series are FUEGO. Sword of Shannara is a little rough, but after that, Brooks finds his legs and goes on a real run.
I would agree mostly, except that after the books started leaning on the airships and energy weapons I lost interest.
I agree 100%.
The paint-by-numbers nature of this book makes a lot of sense when you learn about why Terry wrote it and the context in which it was released.
Terry read and loved LOTR, and after hating law school, decided he wanted to write. he saw a real lack of accessible fantasy books, and basically set out to write his own version of LOTR that would be easier to read for average people and younger readers. It just so happens that publishers were looking for the same thing. So it really succeeds at exactly what it set out to do.
This was an excellent review, and I appreciate your honesty, because many people really just dismiss it as a shitty LOTR rip-offl
Nah, There was enough original fantasy being published back then .The Hugo or Nebula awards already existed (and I don't think he ever won any of those ?) It sold well because there was a market for 'paint by numbers ' pulp. Brooks jumped into that, and was at the right place at the right time . Good for him. But it doesn't make his writing less mediocre.
@@spiritualanarchist8162 Yes there was original fantasy published, and most people didn't read it. People wanted tolkien-esque fantasy and that's what Brooks wanted to write. And yes his writing is mediocre but this book also saved the genre from being merely a tiny niche and is the main reason fantasy had a resurgence.
@@Ironworthstriking 'most people ' didn't read fantasy anyway. The current hype has been building up the 25 /30 years Too be honest, I started reading SF/Fantasy around 84/85. So that's later. Goodkind was just one of many already . Now I never heard anything about him introducing Fantasy to the masses '. But I was very young and there was no internet. So maybe I missed that part . His is certainly used to be one of the more famous writers.
@ I believe it’s simply an observable phenomenon that Brooks popularity showed publishers there was market demand for epic fantasy, which lead to a boom in the 80s and then the 90s. Which is why we see such an influx with writers such as Raymond Feist, David Eddings, Tad Williams, Weiss/Hickman, etc. which of course led to Goodkind, Jordan, Hobb, and Martin in the 90s.
@@Ironworthstriking One should be a bit careful making such conclusions in hindsight. Is it causation or correlation ? Was there some upward trend going on ? Would Feist not have been where he is today without Good kind ? etc.
LOTR and Harry Potter are a few examples how a single book(series ) broke all expectations and influenced fantasy publishing. Stephen King popularized the Horror genre for a bigger audience
. I never heard this about Goodkind . (Atleast not in Europe.)
Anyway, I'm going to have a look into this because i'm rather curious by now. If the man did change the perception of fantasy he deserves the credit, . Thank you for your input.
I loved this series as a kid. Revisited it as an adult, and really disliked it. The writing style just really bothers me now for some reason, with a third person omniscient narrator who tells you the characters' thoughts except when the thought is suddenly something the author does not want you to know.
I'm the same way with RA Salvatore's books, loved them as a kid and teenager, but God after reading so many great fantasy and sci-fi writers I just can't read those books anymore.
Same. This was the series that got me into Fantasy when I read it as a kid in the 80s. I loved it and my first D&D character was even named Walker Boh because I loved the books so much. It was fantastic back then, but the genre has evolved and improved a lot since then.
@@winglessrayven4294 I'm starting to relate with this a bit. Though I somehow just can't get invested in new authors (mainly its the worlds), lately, as I've been revisiting Salvatore, I just keep noticing all these little things that make the writing not great. I just finished The Cleric Quintet, and I was shocked by how rushed and sloppy the conclusion to that series was, and I certainly wouldn't have identified any of these issues when I was younger.
With that being said, what is it that you find about Salvatore's writing that makes it unreadable? Not that I'm disagreeing, but as he's my main inspiration for my own work, I'm naturally curious. Of course understanding that he has a different stylistic approach than "greater" writers, I have to think that his style is perhaps considered more juvenile, or sprawling and rushed, with minimal character work.
@@KyleMifflin i feel with him it's the shallow nature of the world, the plots aren't that deep, that the characters never really grow except the a few.
@@winglessrayven4294 Fair enough, I can see all of that. Thanks for the reply!
I'm a massive fan of the whole Shannara saga, it was my introduction to fantasy, which is now a lifelong love. But the BEST part of it is the eight prequels, from 'Running with the Demon' onwards. It's HIGHLY original, sets out the lore and the history beautifully, and the way it builds from our world in the late 90s through to the world of Shannara is GENIUS. Check it out.
The thing I really enjoyed about the book when I first read it, was what the ultimate resolution was to dealing with the BBEG. *spoilers*
How the reason the sword was a danger to him, wasn't that it had some uber attack that could cleave through armies, but the fact that it could simply cut through lies. And I liked the idea that the entire concept of undeath in that reality, was sort of like how flying worked in the Douglas Adams books. How it's basically you tricking yourself and reality, into thinking you can do this thing, and nobody noticing it's breaking the rules. How the spectre was just that, an echo. He was actually dead, and being forced to face that Truth, would unravel his undeath existence. Because it was a lie. I thought that was a really neat twist on the premise when I was a kid. I'd read enough fantasy stories by that point (roughly middle school), to have a familiarity with the tropes, and I remember thinking "oh....well that was kind of clever and fresh. Nice little twist there"
This resolution of the big bad for me as a kid reader was a huge factor in my thorough love of the fantasy genre-because it wasn’t pure brawn that won the day, but, a clever workaround that showed that the big bad… really wasn’t that bad if we just stopped to think for a second and say. Naw fam. You ain’t it. And then, that being what makes it not it. It was a powerful lesson for me as a kid that truth, honesty, and love are more powerful than hatred and lies.
@@ojhilom2786 yep, and I liked how it was presented in the book. I know Daniel didn't like it, but I felt it was well done. Just a bit of "moment of clarity" for the protagonist. Kind of like the way in the Merlin miniseries on Scifi, where the way to defeat Mab was to just simply forget her. That as long as they BELIEVED she was a threat, she was. But that it was all a veil of lies, and the Sword was what revealed that. Pay no attention to the man behind the mirror, kind of thing.
Can't recall another book having a resolution like that since.
Yes, the Warlock Lord was just a nasty bully, desperate to hang on to power. All that it really took was someone who had the courage to face their own truth calling him on his lies.
I think the lesson there is pretty great. It's the reverse of a cop out. When it comes down to it the Battle of Good vs Evil is won through self acceptance and honesty, not deeds of arms. Where in Tolkien its won due to compassion. It's a bit clunky but as a kid who had just finished LotR and wanted more, the Shannara series was something I quickly devoured.
@@ActionNerdGo yeah, the other books that come after, up through I think Wishsong (which is roughly where I stopped reading I think?) were really good.
I read this book when I was like 12 years old. I had not read any fantasy other than children's books.
Needless to say, I fell in love with it.
I read this as a 12 year old, and could see that it was a giant rip-off of the Hobbit. It has a Wish version of Gandalf and the whole Evil Lord thing is solved by a shitty twist.
I later read "Magic Kingdom For Sale / Sold" and liked it a lot better. This one? It is a good first effort and is highly, highly over-rated. I knew that as a twelve year old.
Part of the fun I had with these books was the constant lore that built on itself. As you read more of the books the elements like the wishsong and the druids all build on each other. I'd say the defining books of this series for me is The Voyage of the jerle shannara or any of the books with Walker Boh, Allanon's successor.
This is the book which introduced me to High fantasy works, and made me fan of it.
Later I discovered LoTR and WoT and I find them better, but The sword of Shannara will always have a special place in my heart.
Same here
Yeah, I've read all his books and it was the gateway that really got me into fantasy books. Obviously read so many other great books but Brooks will always have a special place in my paperback heart.
Awesome mentions! I will say that, for me, thanks to my bro in law, HOW WoT begins its breathtaking prologue surpasses both beloved titles of LotR: FoTR's seemingly endless intro/preface/notes/short history ALL before the Gaffer's tale in slow burn chapter one and SoS's arguably slow burn that's more of a stroll. LotR, I realized, is best begun by skipping the preambles and jumping headlong into the main story first and heck the entire trilogy then the wealth of the legendarium to choose from to embark next, including the Silmarillion! If SoS can be surpassed, then I imagine the supposed "slog" of Winter's Heart will be, for me, an absolutely escapist joy of long prose in a thick paperback for a long winter! I don't think that's factored in often enough on booktube: mood and the season. That's what fantasy is for.
Same!
For anyone who started reading pre 1990's this was the book that got us into fantasy. Like any long series, some are better than others, but overall, a great series. Terry deserves any accolades he gets. For these booktubers to pick it apart breaks my heart. It won't be for everyone, just like any series. Still beloved!
Tolkien says this could have been your earth, you will never see it as it was. Brooks says this could one day be your earth, but you will never see it as it will be. The same longing for something we can't have, didn't even know we wanted.
Sword of Shannara was my introduction to fantasy as a child. It is tough to read now. However, I do still enjoy my rereads of Elfstones, Wishsong, and the Scions Tetrology every year. It might be a trope to say, "Keep reading, it gets better," but I do believe this about the Shannara series.
@@brycebarrow4376 Elfstones and Wishsong are my favourite ones. If I'm introducing someone to Shannara, I'll give them Elfstones.
Elfstones is definitely better. For whatever reason I thought Wishsong was kinda bad even as a preteen. But the Heritage of Shannara sub series is also better.
Allanon was a great example of showing vs telling in writing. Everything around him says he's powerful and mysterious, but everything we see is mostly just a grumpy bastard who's outlived joy. Menion Leah was my favourite. his character has stuck with me for the last 20+ years when all the rest are either Allanon or fuzzy grey outlines of characters.
I really enjoy your more classic look back at books and book series. Hope too see more of this... for good or ill :P
2:45 It shoudl be noted that when brooks did the Fantasy world is our wolrd after an apocalyupse no one had done that before, he's the trope inventor there.
Empire of the East by Fred Saberhagen. Did it before and better.
@@russelljackson8153 I dont count pulp. Also that looks like he most heavy handed cold war allegory I've ever seen. Shannara is about healing and rebuilding.
Not really. Post apocalypse fiction started way back in the 19th century . Post Apocalypse Fantasy stories had a peak in the 50/60's after the atomic bomb became a thing.
@spiritualanarchist8162 OK nuclear post apocalyptic fantasy.
@@DaDunge Fair enough ;)
Shannara was my introduction to both fantasy and multi-book stories back in grade school. I'm supremely grateful to the series for that. I decided to express my gratitude by reading the entire Shannara series a few years ago. I did it. I'm glad I did. But... I don't know that I would recommend this to anyone but the most diehard fans. Elf stones of Shannara will forever will be a favorite. The prequels were fun. However, most of the later books just felt a little repetitive and forgetable to me.
That said... Thank you Terry Brooks for showing me these fantasy worlds existed. Forever in your debt just for that.
I felt the same way. The later books got repetitive and lacked the depth of themes explored in some of the other books.
My favorite was the Heritage and especially the Talismans of Shannara. He was still a new author with a lot to say, but his writing was much improved at that point, and the end fight with the Shannara turned druid was fantastic.
@PhoenixCrown so actually... Talismans was officially my first book. I bought it at a school book fair because there was a guy in a cloak fighting a grim reaper riding a dinosaur on the cover lol. Had no idea what was going on and THEN I discovered I had to read other books first. Completely blew my mind at the time that that was a thing.
I always felt the series was meant to be repetitive. Like every new book just slips on like an old shoe. I know it, it's familiar, comforting. Even though it's a new batch of moms home made Mac and cheese it always tastes like you remembered.
This was the first “modern” fantasy book I read.
I was 10 years old in 1977. I grew up reading my fathers Howard, Burroughs and Carter.
After those older stories Shannara was the first modern read for me.
It’s definitely full of tropes. However, you need to remember when it came out. These tropes weren’t quite as tired or severe back then.
Reading this for the first time today I can see how a person would roll their eyes at it.
All that said it sets up a wonderful fantasy universe and Brooks got progressively better as the years rolled by.
Shannara is one of my fav series.
Edit:
Possible spoilers for overall series world set up...
I love how chronologically the story starts in what could be our modern day and evolves from there. All the different magical races stemmed from mutated humans, except the elves cause they were never gone, just hidden from humans. The formula of all of the books is the same; we start with a group they get split and go on side quests to find the sacred thing (usually the elf stones), then come back together for the final battle. Through that we see how vast the world stretches; simple, yes, but still enjoyable. I never finished the total series so I may go back and start from the beginning. Thanks for reminding me of this.
Would this be considered a spoiler maybe? I've already found this out in passing unintentionally which intrigues me even more and yet I also maybe wished I had at least read the SoS trilogy up to First King of Shannara maybe before finding out, so I could say I never knew until much later on? But it's almost inevitable when you encounter Armageddon's Children and slowly begin to piece it together and then it's upfront confirmed in the MTV series...
@@genghisgalahad8465 The book series is nearly four decades old. But, I suppose I could be one of very few that doesn't worry about spoilers when a property is that old. I'll edit in a warning.
Absolutely incredible video!!! (I’m 16 seconds in but can see the future)
So can Allanon... lol.
The first book is pretty mediocre. I stand by book 2 being amazing though.
@@conflictt3224 elfstones and wishsong are great.
I read Lord of the Rings in 1977 and was so blown away I had to have more. I discovered Sword of Shannara and Niel Hancock's Circle of light and Donaldson's Thomas Covenant chronicles all about the same time and absolutely loved them all and still do. If you look at them in 2024 you might criticize them but if you first encountered them in 77 you would appreciate them so much more.
The tv show had a younger Austin Butler as the lead and he took his shirt off.. so pretty good.
Also Allanon is mano bBennet and so good, and gets character conflict and being, a fun grumpy adass mentor.
Honestly the female leads too are so good. Its MTV so of course they do fanservice, but yeah the actors really make it good, Austin Butler too is good in being sassy at times and conflicted. Oh and good conflicts. I think season 2 went, i just dont like the dude the show wanted to hype but else, very fun even tragic.
And the thief girl is a scene stealer.
Please remember the absolute DESERT of unabashed fantasy back then.
It was terrible, we had to survive on Moorcock, LeGuinn, McCaffey, Zelazny, Leiber, Adams, Donaldson, Lee, Bradley etc.
And can’t forget the added Hildebrandt illustrations!🧑🍳💋👍
I'm excited that you've made this video. The Sword of Shannara is the book that got me into fantasy and I've been waiting to see your review since I discovered your channel during covid.
As a series, Shannara definitely has some inconsistency in quality, with significant highs and lows, but the next two books are some of the best he wrote and I hope you'll also review them on your channel soon.
It's a primer for kids before they've head deep into Tolkien and hard-core fantasy. Loved it as a kid. Made me feel super grown-up. Probably not some thing that I would enjoy now though.
Although....I cried at the last book. For the villain. IYKYK
Lier
I re-read this book recently, I liked it overall, and yes... It was partly because of the nostalgia factor.
I was surprised to feel quite moved right at the very end when a certain character returns to shady vale.
It's weird how you get older and different things in novels speak to you.
This book is what got me started reading fantasy. It is not the best book of his but it holds a special place in my heart.
I absolutely love this series and have immense nostalgia for the first book...but the first time I read it, I almost gave up multiple times within the first 150 pages. So I definitely hear you on how rough getting through the beginning of the book was! And I'm also glad you didn't give up. (Especially the final battle--still one of the best I've read!) And you're right...the subsequent books do get better in a LOT of ways. I definitely recommend reading the next two books in this trilogy and seeing where Brooks goes from here.
Also, as others have commented, the fact that this book came out in the 1970s when fantasy was on a downswing and did so much to revive it as a genre is huge. It's not great now, but for its time it was epic.
The Sword Of Shannara was the book that got me addicted to reading and inspired me to be a writer when I was a wee lad. I have a fondness for it for sure
I am curious if you will keep reading into the series. I read them as a teen, and most of them again as an adult, and still enjoyed them. My favorites of the entire thing are probably the Heritage (Scions, Druids, elf queen and Talismans), which i feel are the strongest natively and it takes the world into some pretty interesting places as far as technology and politics go.I also liked the three books after those, as it also makes use of some different ideas. It is also interesting to watch some of the magic and history passed down through bloodlines as the books continue. Some magical items even evolve, or become magic if they weren't before.
I got the 1st The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara book for christmas in 2000/01 , not sure, but reading that trilogy before going back to the earlier books definitely made it easier to ignore the flaws.
Also I was 12/13 and that trilogy was probably the first time I encountered "what if sailing ships but they fly?".
Elfstones was my intro to fantasy growing up. Basically this series is what got me caught in fantasy. I wasn’t a strong reader as a kid - fighting with dyslexia and whatnot, until this series! These books gave me the love of reading that I needed.
When you explained the theme/synopsis of the book in the beginning of the video I knew immediately I'd love this book
Haven't even watched yet, but Betteridge's law of headlines almost certainly applies...
It's been almost 30 years since I read The Sword of Shannara, and you are making me feel like reading it again. I was a child and I remember NOTHING! (and btw, I need you to talk me into finishing the first book in The Wheel of Time because I'm struggling)
Very similar boat! I binged most of these in middle school and 25 years later all I have are some really strong images and emotions with little remembered context.
I stopped Wheel of Time at Book 5 and haven't gone back since, though many urge me to finish the series.
One important thing to realize here is that Brooks was literally learning to write a fantasy novel with this book. Over the next two decades, he got better and better with each subseries over the next 20 years... while also fleshing out his world as our distant future rather than a mythical past, culminating with The Word and The Void - which takes place in the modern day and begins the process of connecting our world with Shannara's.
I found this book in a local bookstore when I was a kid. I loved the art work on the cover and bought the book. I completely loved it and each following book gets better and better.
Agree with so much of what you said here. This was the book that got me started on fantasy, so it will always have a dear place in my heart. I was too young for anything to be "cliche" (I hadn't read LOTR yet), and it was such a magical story. I didn't know what "exposition" was, and maybe my memory comes from the later books, but ALLANON TURNS INTO A BADASS. Lastly, I actually loved the way Shae defeats the Warlock Lord--it was so unexpected it was an interesting twist AND I felt it was justified by what was alluded to in the history (how Shae's dad failed to defeat him).
When I rediscovered my love for fantasy as an adult, I read TONS of the Shannara books, and they start to feel pretty repetitive, lacking the strong theme in the Sword and instead just kind of light entertainment.
If you're interested in the series, def start with the Sword, and if you like it, finish the trilogy, but my recall is the BEST by far is the HERITAGE OF SHANNARA tetralogy. Enjoy!
I am the reader I am today because of Terry Brooks. It was the first adult fantasy novel I ever read (I was 12 at the time), and it made me a lifelong lover of reading and fantasy.
I asked about Shannara a couple of years ago in Patreon, and so glad it's finally cycled through. I truly hope you continue the ride and look forward to seeing your thoughts on Brooks' evolving style with each set of books, in Shannara.
Loved the whole "Heritage of" series. Fun and interesting experience. It's contiguous unlike the original trilogy. Also, all the powers / swords / stones are blended into the narrative. The Shadowen are taking over and the descendents are tasked with bringing back the lost artifacts and people. Walker Boh was my favorite character.
Brooks’s publishers basically wanted to see if the market would respond to another LOTR style series; the parallels were less intentional from the young Brooks, but absolutely encouraged and goaded on by the publishers. Once sword did well, they turned him loose and he made the series/epic his own thing.
Though throughout the epic I’ve felt some saminess at times, he’s still a cozy read for me when I do read him. :)
Sword of Shannara is a Tolkien redux, of the kind that the publishing industry demanded as the price for publishing it at all. Brooks didn't really come into his own until the Wishsong, after he had some time to flesh out what is still one of the most intriguing mythologies in fantasy literature.
I read this in the day and felt similarly. Elfstones and Wushsong were definitely more enjoyable but could speak to how they hold up. The fantasy genre was much narrower back then, so this was the cream of the crop at the time.
I read this immediately after LOTR and for me, it actually scratched that itch of wanting more of that type of fantasy. Oh and I read it like 20 years ago up to Straaken (book 13). And it took a lot of book hunting (not all book stores in the Philippines have it) for me to be able to get all books and that experience in itself was very satisfying. (Wishsong is my fave). Thanks for reviewing this... very nostalgic for me.
It gets better. Keep reading.
I totally agree, his character relationships are what actually keep you reading! Even though it seems formulaic now, I thought it was really fun to read and “pay homage to” one of the most impactful, classic stories that shaped where fantasy is today (even though I DNFed the next book in the series)
I was about 12 or so when I first read TSOS. Even then I’d read enough to recognise the tropes and stereotypes and the, let’s be honest, not great dialogue, but I still loved it. I remember thinking at the time (and stand by it) that Terry Brooks is extremely skilled at relationships, scene setting and motion description.
The quality of the writing does improve vastly over the series, as you can see Brooks honing his skills. I’d really recommend his Landover series as an example of just how delightful and inventive his work can be.
1:50 Terry Brooks’ books were the bees knees. I read a few of his books when I was in my mid 20’s (2005 timeframe) I a thought they still held up fine. In fact, there is something about that style that is refreshing, simple, and conjures images in the reader’s mind. I miss this style in today’s writing.
It should also be noted, this is the first book, and the rest of the series does its own thing.
That feeling you got about the bad guy at the end is the exact feeling I got at the end of The Great Hunt. I know you love Jordan, but that is why I never continued Wheel of Time.
I really do love your book reviews, they really do help me find new/ new to me series
Great video, love getting to watch your stuff. Shannara is an enjoyable series(more so when i was younger), the Word and Void trilogy plus the Genesis of Shannara trilogy show how our world turned in the fantasy world if you were curious about that transition.
I read the book over a weekend while visiting my dad, just because it was a big book on the shelf. I was 9 or 10. For that audience, I think it is brilliant.
As a fan of the Shannara series, your critique is pretty much spot on. It is very much so a "first book". As you predict, it gets better by leaps and bounds in the second book. And i would argue with "recent world events" it hits a little different now.
The thrid book is my favorite of the first trilogy. And he continued to grow as a writer, not only learning how to donit better, but perfecting what he already knew.
I hope to get to hear your thoughts on them someday soon.
And I am back after the video and I agree. One of the things that marks a decided shift in the series for me was when it went from every other year or every three years to every year book release. The stories were physically shorter but the narratives were still so bulky that it just felt so fast. And my final note for some hindsight is big three in that first trilogy is carried by the characters. Probably the least compelling story but one of my favorites because the characters just make it happen for me.
Book of Swords by Saberhagen had kind of a similar world background
Also, Terry was amazing in that interview lol
I loved the Book Of Swords.
Oh my God! You just unlocked a core memory for me. I haven't thought of these in decades. I loved that series.
A friend loaned me Sword when it came out, as soon as he finished reading it, because he knew I was going to love it. I had read Tolkien earlier in the '70s, so I already loved that kind of fantasy story. I loved Terry Brooks and his books as they came out. Wiley doesn't perfect I also enjoyed the TV series starring Austin Butler that MTV made, and was really glad to see something from that world on my screen. I enjoyed your review of the book, and while I think I enjoyed the book itself more than you did, I appreciate it the good points that you brought up. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us.
I have read all of Terry's books and my favourite work of his is still the first ones I ever read. I found the Word and the Void trilogy in my highschool library when I was 14 and I have reread them as an adult and I still feel like they are some of his strongest books. My personal favourites anyways.
When this book came out, I was deep into science fiction and fantasy. The general opinion around me at the time was, this was not a serious attempt at fantasy. I read it and enjoyed it, but it was not quite fluff, but close. It was the transmutation of high fantasy into light reading, that spawned a vast industry. That's how I remember it, but that was the general opinion. The truth may lie elsewhere.
I accidentally discovered Shannara in a second hand book store. I picked up the single-book trilogy of "The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara". I had never heard of the series previously, but it was so good that I went back and read all the series within the series backwards to learn all the lore that led to the voyage. I highly recommend doing the same if you have not started this series. The voyage is still my favorite trilogy, and it made me appreciate the entire back story.
The people I knew who read fantasy as we grew up thought “Sword” was fine, but “Elfstones” is awesome. Just FYI, Allanon is the only through character in this trilogy. And Brooks must have traveled in time to see your review, because it is hilarious how he leans into his strengths in Elfstones while minimizing your criticisms.
Nice Video again Daniel!
I had a dream where I was at a halloween party and daniel was wearing a beard in some fantasy costume.
I talked to him for like 10 minutes before realizing who it was and then we talked books for like 5 minutes before we went on our way. Wild
I read it when I was 9 and I loved it. I have always seen it as more of a children's book as a result.
This is one of my favorite books of all time.
It works for kids and adults.
When I was a kid I didn’t understand the sword and its purpose but revisiting it as an adult. I realized how it works and how it’s a satire and anogoly for modern society.
Well brilliant. Better than any of the sequels and I read the next 25 novels.
I also want to add to the "pulling from other authors": if you strip every story down to it´s basic plot points, then yes a lot of stories are the same. But the actual story can be very diffrent. That´s why two people can use for example the heroes journey as a base for their plot, but in the end they have two completly diffrent stories. Doesnt mean anyone ripped off the other
I read Elfstones before Sword back in the early 80s. Brooks really opened the fantasy floodgates for me. Oh, and my friends and I still call them the Sha Na Na series.
Damnit, now I want to watch the interview 😂 nice one
I remember a really old interview with Terry Brooks about how derivitive of zlord of the Rings this book is, and he basically said it definitely was because that is what his publisher asked him to do. From there he had a lot more freedom to tell a story that he wanted to tell a unique story, and it really shows with this series. Elfstones changes in some major ways.
Thank you for acknowledging the importance of including ELMS as an essential aspect of any true fantasy work. The most significant of all trees. 20:27
I didn’t care for the first trilogy, though I did enjoy the twist about _why_ the Sword was able to vanquish the dark lord. I decided to pick up the Legacy tetralogy because Brooks had the time to improve his craft.
I . . . also didn’t care for it.
Edit: yo, love the rock version of your outro!
Brooks even says he saw LoTR and was amazed they were still printing that. That is why he wrote Sword. Yes, very inspired by it. He never shied away from that. I agree with most of your criticism and appreciate your praise as well. The info dumps were bad and the first half was a bit of a slog. Also, the final confrontation was a bit lack-luster (His book First King of Shannara does a much better job explaining what the sword actually does - hindsight!). What Books does do, is he keeps the main theme from most/all his books: technology vs magic. And unlike most who do it once, Brooks often does the young/innocent protagonist. His writing improves and like most fans, think his second book is his best. I always think of it as fantasy Die Hard. He does some very interesting things with his world if you keep reading. Interesting choices. He does have his own style, and I can still read a fight scene and know the feel of it. It's like if you know Sam Rami movies, you know the feel of his fight scenes - whether it is Army of Darkness or Spiderman. Thanks for giving it an honest try. Hope you try at least one more.
Thank you. This is actually a great example of why there needs to be a more acknowledged "Introduction to Fantasy" sub-genre. Like you said, there are so many good but predictable stories that are about "the farmboy/lad" who is destined to save the world. These stories should be recommended primarily (as you have) to new fantasy readers. It's why The Elenium, by David Eddings hits so hard - it hits as a contrast to these intro-to-fantasy stories.
It's why we don't start teaching the Dada movement as the introduction to poetry, we start with Shakespeare and then the Romantics, so that when you get to Dada, it blows your mind, as it was intended to do. There is a flow to this... a weave as it were, and while there is no beginning there is _a_ beginning, and the Eye of the World or the Sword of Shannara are excellent places to begin.
While not on the level of my favorite series (WOT), I did enjoy the Shannara books quite a bit back in the day. My favorite of the first trilogy though, was Wishsong and I'm betting that yours will be that one as well once you get there. There is a 4 part series after after the trilogy that starts with Scions of Shannara and they were even better than the trilogy. There were some pretty gnarly cliffhangers at the end of certain books. Also, there is a prequel to Sword of Shannara called the First King of Shannara that is worth reading as well. I love the characters in that one. Enjoyed your review. Keep them coming and I'll keep listening. 😊
Haven't read Sword yet, but I really enjoyed Elfstones and Wishsong. Hope you continue the series.
I read the book after having read Lord of the Rings, though by then I was in my mid-twenties. I did not recognize the similarities at the time, and while I can see them now, they still do not bother me because the worlds are vastly different.
I also never encountered your difficulty with the info dump by Alanon nor the lengthy conversation at the close, but I was blessed with excellent retention and a love of lore, and though it has been some time, I could probably give more or less the general speech that Alanon gave the boys.
Journey Of The Jerle Shannara trilogy is amazing so much better than his earlier stuff.
As a teen, I definitely came away from "Sword of Shannara" thinking "ok so that was just LotR again." I wasn't yet savvy enough to read into themes and underlying subtext.
But I will say that starting with "Elfstones," Shannara became something wholly new and exciting, and the series (all of them) remain some of my favorite fantasy stories ever.
The Sword of Shannara is PERFECT as "Baby's first Epic Fantasy". It was the first really big fantasy that I read (6th grade. I read The Hobbit in 5th but it didnt really resonante with me. Shannara did) and I absolutely fell in love with the genre because of it. (To be fair though, I was already a big Mythology guy. Epic Fantasy was just the next step in that journey)
Watching Daniel eat an ice cream cone for 20+ minutes. 🍦😂
I have read many of the comments and replies. I do see a lot of nostalgia defending the book and I truly understand that. I’m looking at the review whether I should read/listen to it now, not back when there wasn’t a lot of fantasy. I can find fantasy everywhere now. I have read/listened to every single thing in Sanderson’s Cosmere and that is by far my favorite, but have also experienced many other fantasy books, some really good, and some average. Objectively looking at this series, is it worth getting into?
No matter what anyone says, SOS will always have a very special place in my heart. It was the first fantasy book I read and it made me fall in love with the genre. I reread and understand the faults, but to me its my perfect. I know its full of tropes, but for me I had never read any tropes.
Second series is where it really starts to shine
When I was 13 years old, starting middle school. I wanted everybody else to think I was really smart, so my plan was to go to the library find the most massive novel I find. That search ended with the Sword of Shannara that had the awesome Hildebrandt brothers Illustrations. This book started a lifetime love of not only reading but fantasy and all of its forms.
This was the first fantasy series I read as a teenager. Therefore I will always have a soft spot for it. As others said, the series does get better, but at the time I fell in love with it. I had not read LOTR. I love how easy to read it is. I reread it every now and then and it's almost like cosy fantasy to me, because it comes with such a wave of nostalgia. I can't be unbiased and I don't need to be. I always love Shannara.
I dnfed this book years ago, but I will pick it up again now, you reignited my interest :D
Super nostalgic series for me, but definitely not up to the quality of even some of its contemporary's. Formative work for me that I would have trouble returning too. Your commentary makes me wish to return to it though.
Glad to see a look at one of my first fantasy favorites!
Sha-NAH-Rah
This book is great for getting INTO fantasy - it captures the "adventure" vibe perfectly, and is relatively familiar.
The "Heritate of Shannara" series is FANTASTIC - really brings some great unique things into the fold here. Absolute favourite series to this day, except for Codex Alera.
I’m 52, and when I read Sword of Shannara as a teen I never read it as high fantasy. To me this was a young adult, quick read, fantasy series. If you keep that in mind it’s a fun read.
My brother in law ended up recommending me this book. The First King (prequel) and Sword were by FAR the hardest books to get through. I still have 3 trilogies until I finish, but The Genesis of Shannara is my favorite trilogy and the later/shorter they are, the better they tended to be for me :D
Like many here, "Sword" has a special place for me as the first "fantasy" book that really got me into the genre in my late teens. I had seen the old Rankin Bass LOTR cartoons, so I had a general idea that the story in "Sword" was familiar. I am glad that Brooks moved beyond the "starter" model in subsequent volumes, "Elfstones" still stands out as my favorite of the series. They books are basically a fun/escapist read for me. I'm not looking for genre breaking series all the time, and Brooks' work has always been a familiar "friendly" style that I can jump back into whenever I want.
I do think you have good critical points in regard to "Sword" I have been reading the book to my kids off and on and noticed "Yeah, this is the guy's first work". But the kids are entertained, and that's the point. Also, I convinced my wife to read it too, she was one chapter in, looked at me, and said "Flick? Seriously, there is a guy named Flick in this book." Great way to start off right? But she did finish the book.
Finally, Glad my boy Menion Leigh gets a positive shout out from. He's the dude!
Just started getting into the video so not sure how it is going to go but out of everything I have ever read, the word and void is my all time favorite series. The connection with Shannara was shaky but cool in my unprofessional opinion but Word and Void I like to revisit at least once a year.
Every time you say "nukular", I die inside. Thanks for the content.
Hey Daniel I've been viewing your videos for years and enjoy your reviews. Posting a comment for the first time. Spot on review but I really really recommend you read the 2nd book in this series. I'd be very curious to see what you think.
It was/is comforting that you start with the tropeyness (if that's even a word), so that the twists and other developments seem more impactful when they eventually deliver. Even the MacGuffin that is actually a real thing (i.e. and not merely a MacGuffin like the briefcase for Marsellus Wallace). It can be a little tedious, particularly on a reread; even in the 80's it was seen as highly (but not entirely) derivative of LotR. But the world building is superb, and the whole affair gets better over the next couple books (Elfstones and Wishsong). The second trilogy was still very strong, but losing heat in the shadow of the first outing. I'll admit I didn't get much farther than that, though more because of "life" and not because of the books per se.