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"Did You Sell Your Soul for So Little?"
Terry Brooks is best known for his "Shannara" series, which is immensely popular despite being rather obviously inspired by Tolkien's plots, characters and themes. For reasons even I can't explain, I've read quite a few of these novels (despite my distain for them) and so I can say with a fair amount of confidence that "Running with the Demon" is undoubtedly Brooks's best novel. Moving away from his fantasy subworld of dwarfs, elves, magical talismans and plucky young farmboys-cum-heroes, the only thing Brooks hangs on to is his good against evil theme, placing it in contemporary America.
Modern horror in a positive vein
Capsule Summary: Rating: Excellent. A "positive horror" novel which is well-written, well-paced, and clever.
Running With the Demon
I thought this book was an excellent book! It had me hooked from page one!I sat down and finished the book within 36 hours since I wasn't able to put it down! ... Read more

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Editorial Review

John Ross, the tortured, conflicted Knight of the Word from TerryBrooks's Read more

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A page turner, but...
John Ross is a Knight of the Word (or Creator) who has had it with his lonley mission to fight the evil minions of the Void (guess who he is).After a mission that ends in tragedy Ross calls it quits and tries to make life for himself serving the homeless in Seatle with a new home and a lover.Life is good, but can Ross escape his calling to defend the world from the depredations of demons and the forces of chaos?No.Ross's past catches up with him in the form of an insidious demonic plot to seduce him into the service of the Void.However, there is hope!Nest Freemark, the girl Ross saved in Running with the Demon, is sent by the Lady, a servant of the Word, to save Ross not only from the Void, but also from the fatal consequences the Word will visit on him if he doesn't get his act together.
some of the best work Brooks has produced
When I was a young lad I would read every Shanarra novel I could find, and several times. I read all of Terry Brooks' Magic Kingdom of Landover novels. But for some reason I never picked up Running With the Demon or any of the Word/Void novels. It really makes no sense because of how much I enjoyed Brooks' work. A couple of months ago I finally read the first Word/Void novel and was stunned. Running With the Demon was quite possibly the best thing Terry Brooks has written with an argument to be made about Elfstones. What's more, it felt fresh. It was the story of John Ross, a normal man picked by the Word to be its Champion in trying to hold the balance against the Void. When the novel started, Ross had been a Knight for some twenty or so years and made his way to Hopewell, Illinois to try to stop something from happening. He wasn't sure what because his dreams only give him a location and a taste of the horrors that would be unleashed on our world if he fails. He finds a teenaged girl, Nest Freemark and her magic.
John Ross' Story Continues
A Knight of the Word begins with John Ross quiting his destiny of being a Knight.But he is still plagued by dreams of an unpeakably horrifying future (a future that may come true, just read the Shannara books).
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Good Ending for a Good Series
Good ending to a good series.Terry Brooks comes through again.

Good News and Bad News
The good news is that Terry Brooks' latest Shannara trilogy, High Druid of Shannara, is a considerable improvement over his previous effort (Voyage of the Jerle Shannara).The bad news is that this one suffers almost as much from sheer "ho hum", as the last one did from sheer implausibility.
Series fizzles out
Spoiler warning.
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A "Lord Of The Rings" knockoff
Well, I read most of the series in school, and was fairly impressed, but I saw to many resemblances to "The Lord Of The Rings". They had a wizard, a warrior prince, an elf, a dwarf, and a bunch of short people. Sounds familiar don't it? The next thing was that the characters were looking for a sword that could stop an evil being. What's the difference?!?!?!?!?!? Oh, a ring to stop an evil being.
Disappointing after all the hype
What so many other reviewers are saying about the slavish similarities to--and sometimes outright copying of--Lord of the Rings are right on the mark. True, Brooks dresses his world up differently, and adds few original touches (some of which aren't bad), but in the end this story simply fails to deliver anything new or even anything worth the time it takes to get through the 700+ pages of poorly-wrought prose. As John Gardner once said, it takes an authentic junk mind to write junk fiction, and the poor quality of the sequel bears testimony that Brooks doesn't improve a great deal after his debut novel.
The second half of book is better
I read a lot of SF Fantasy...I love the stuff! Of course, I had heard of the Shannara series but never got around to reading it until now. Love, R.A. Salvatore, Margaret Weis, Dragonlance series, Raymond Heist...I could go on. Anyway, since this book is considered one of the best in the genre, I decided to read it. I must say I had a very difficult time getting into this book. I normally take about 1-2 days to read a book, this one took 2 weeks of reading a few pages, then putting it down. I thought the beginning was not very well paced and had way too much detail. The book did start becoming interesting in the middle and I completed that part in a day. I thought the writing was average and there were several plot holes but after the first half of the book, it was a quick enjoyable read. I have just started the second book "Elfstones of Shannara" thinking it was a sequel, but it is not. It has some background but the characters are generally related in some way to the previous books' characters. The one consistent character is the druid, Allannon. The character development was slow but I thought the main characters were fleshed out well, even if they were somewhat clichéd and predictable. The story revolves around a quest by Shea, a half-elf, to retrieve the Sword of Shannara to fight the evil presence that plans to destroy the world. The story includes trials, tribulations, adventure and eccentric characters he meets along the way. At various times the book is told through the eyes of variouscharacters in the book. I give this book a 3.5 and thought it was okay enough to try the next few books in the "series". ... Read more

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hey
i would say this book was good. was kind of out of in regards to all the specific details but i got alot of the main plot.

An absorbing and straightforward plot
Very east to read and its worth buying the whole series of 5 books.Although they can be read seperately from each other the story interweaves throughout all books.I like the way the author does not let his character figure out to quickly what is happening even though the reader knows what is happening.

A well thought out novel, with a fun story
Brooks has an amazing way to twist words and thoughts together in a flow that paints a beautiful picture for his readers. When reading The Black Unicorn, I found that I was able to visualize the world that Ben Holiday and his friends traversed from day to day, and that I was able to understand, at least in part, the lives of those who would inhabit the world.
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Editorial Review

War threatens the Four Lands, and Shannara's only hope lies in Penderrin Ohmsford, but it's a dreadfully slim hope. To save his world, Pen must restore his aunt, the former Ilse Witch, to her rightful position as High Druid of Shannara. But first Pen must free his aunt Grianne from the Forbidding: the world of the demons. To have the slightest chance of freeing her, he must find the mystical tree called the Tanequil, and somehow craft a talisman from its wood. But Shadea a'Ru, the treacherous usurper of his aunt's position, will do anything to stop Pen--and she has already captured Pen's parents and forced them to reveal their son's whereabouts. Sen Dunsidan, the monstrous Prime Minister of the Federation, has armed his greatest airship with a horrible new weapon. And Pen is just a boy, accompanied on his dangerous quest by only a Dwarf, a young Elf, and a blind Rover girl.Read more

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Middle novel of a Terry Brooks story
Terry Brooks has made a career out of a complicated fantasy world where magic rules as well as politics and inter-racial warfare keeps the balance of good versus evil in a constant state of flux. In all of his books there are several steady components: The Ohmsford family through all of its generations is imbued with a strong strain of magic that they are regularly called upon to exercise even if they do not wish to do so.
series in decline
Although I loved the first Shannara series, something of the magic has departed the more recent books. Picking up where Book I left off, Tanequil tells the stories of what has happened to the world since Griane Ohmsford's betrayal. As her enemies work to solidify their rule, her family tries to find her. Spurred by the words of the King of the Silver River, her nephew, Pen, searches for the Tanequil, a magical tree, somewhat like the Ellcrys, to craft a dark wand so he can journey into the Forbidding to rescue her, but he did not count to cost before setting out, and it is dear. Meanwhile, Griane's plight is more desperate than she can imagine. Now the prisoner of the Straken Lord, she is forced to call upon her own evil to survive, risking losing herself in the process.
A great story with some re-used ideas
I'm definitely an avid Brooks fan, and this book is not a disappointment.There are some very similar elements between Tanequil and the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara series (Read more

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Editorial Review

Terry Brooks's new Shannara epic, The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara,kicks off its first volume, Read more

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A charge unfulfilled
Generations after his victory over the Shadowen, the `Dark Uncle' Walker Boh has still failed to establish a new order of Druid scholars and peace keepers.His suggestions and efforts have been met by all nations of the Four Lands with distrust.He is on the verge of giving up when fate throws him an opportunity, in the form of a castaway.A broken and presumed dead prince, bearing a map to an unknown countinent across the sea.A map which promises treasure in the form of "old world" magic.Walker is the only man who can undertake such a quest, and as such finds himself with the bargaining power to see all his goals fulfilled.
Formulaic structure...but not bad
Reading a Shannara series book is like going back to meet an old friend.You will have an enjoyable time rehashing old stories, reacquainting each other on family and friends with no surprises or expectations of being surprised.But this doesn't have to be a bad thing.
Fantastic
Excellent book.Great, heartpouding action, and as always, leaves you waiting for the next book to be written. ... Read more

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Sorry To Close This Book
I had put off reading this book for a long time.It just sat there on my bookshelf wanting to be read.But for some reason I didn't until recently.And now I know why.I hated closing this book because now I will never see Nest Freemark again.
Another page turner from a master
Angel Fire East is the last installment in the Word and Void trilogy that started with Running with the Demon.Twenty-nine year old Nest Freemark lives in her hometown of Hopewell, IL recovering from a divorce and trying to decide what to do with the rest of her life after a strange ending to her career as a professional runner.Meanwhile John Ross, the Knight of the Word, starts a mission to find and capture a gypsy morph, a creation of wild magic that can be used for good or evil, which could tip the balance in the war between the Word and the Void.Of course, the forces of the Void are hot on his trail and Nest and the people she loves most are caught in the middle as a battle for the gypsy morph is joined in Hopewell.
a fine conclusion to Word/Void
Terry Brooks wraps up his Word/Void Trilogy with Angel Fire East.It is now some fifteen years after the events of Running With the Demon and ten since A Knight of the Word.John Ross is still fighting the good fight, trying to stop the small events that he knows will tip the world closer to the power of the Void.He dreams of the future, of a world in ruin and of the events that could hold off that future.He learns that a Gyspy Morph will be born, a being born of wild and uncontrolled magic that could tip the balance in the favor of the Void if Ross fails in captured the Morph.It is raw magical energy in a physical form.Standing in Ross's path is Findo Gast.Gast is a demon sent to stop John Ross and to claim the Morph for the Void.He's a mean one, Mr. Grinch.
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A solid close to the original Shannara trilogy
Brooks proved himself capable of writing an original story with the first two books of the Shannara Trilogy, and he never falters here. While I didn't like this story as much as the other two novels, it was still well worth the read.
Amazing
I loved the Wishsong of Shannara. It was filled with so many amazing characters. My favorites are Rone Leah and Garet Jax. SPOILER WARNING! No book has ever made me cry. I was crying when Allanon and Garet Jax died. I didn't cry when Dustfinger died in Inkspell, but I cried 3 times while reading. 1: When Allanon was killed. 2: When Garet Jax was discovered dead. 3: When Brin Ohmsford talked to Allanon's shade. You will love this book. I promise.

"You are Saviour and Destroyer..."
Out of the original trilogy of Shannara novels, "The Wishsong of Shannara" is possibility the best of the three, though certainly not Brooks's best overall (not that his best is groundbreaking literature anyway). As one of the early detractors of Tolkien, Brooks's "Shannara" series caters to the fantasy buffs that just can't get enough of noble quests against evil - but with likeable characters, fast-paced narrative and some genuinely intriguing components stirred in Brooks's works aren't a complete plagaristic waste.
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Brook's greatest novel
Walker Boh was given an impossible quest.A quest he swore never to even attempt.But his curiousity got the better of him and an ancient trap has left him battered and broken.Now he has accepted the quest whole hearted, for the sake of revenge, if nothing else.His companions are Morgan Leah, whose magic sword is now usless, Quickening the elemental, whose power cannot help him, and Pe Ell, the assasin who is just waiting for an opportunity to strike.
"I Envy Your Past...I Have None..."
The second book in the four-part series "The Heritage of Shannara", focuses on Walker Boh, the most unique and intriguing character that Brooks has ever created. In an ongoing series that is filled with grim wizards, plucky farm-boys, feisty love-interests, and bland members of the Leah family thrown in for good measure, Walker Boh is a breath of fresh air and makes a compelling protagonist for the best installment of Brooks's best Shannara-based series.
The hunt for the Black Elfstone and the rise of Walker Boh
This second installment in the Heritage of Shannara series is great.Page-turning action and sob-inducing emotional drama make this one of my favorite of Brooks' novels.Great supporting characters, including Quickening and Pe Ell, contribute immensely to a roller coaster of a book that focuses on Walker Boh and Morgan Leah as they follow the King of the Silver River's elemental daughter to the land of the Stone King and his minions in search of the Black Elfstone, which could turn the tide of the battle against the Shadowen by bringing back lost Paranor and the druids of old.Evil and enormous monsters and lots of action and close calls for the heroes make for an exciting read, and the emotional drama between characters (especially Morgan Leah and Quickening) brings the story to life.
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The Scions
The Scions of Shannara is a fictional book with classic adventures and romances. The story tajes place in the Four Lands. There are different races like the dwarves, elves, humans and several others. Really Good Book
I have never even heard of the Shannara before.I bought book 3 when Iwas in grade 8.It sat on the bookshelf for about 7 years.I was sittingat home and began to read it.I couldn't put the book down.I read toabout page 100 and my dad told me I shouldn't start a series withoutreading the first book first.So I went to the Grande Prairie PublicLibrary and got out The Scions Of Shannara.I read this book in about 4 or5 days.I loved it.It had a good story line.The way Terry Brooks,described Par Ohmsford, kind of made him sound like a bad ass.Whichdescribes me.SoI really liked it.I am just starting book 2 and am onabout page 120 and it is still the same.The Shannara Heritage is veryinteresting, and would reccommend it to anyone.Especially if your stillyoung and exploring the library's to see whats out there

A really good book (The Scions of Shannara).
It follows in the footsteps of the Shannara Trilogy, with more magic and more energy that keep you guessing and hoping and right on the edge of your seat. It was a very well written and exciting book and I look forward toreading the rest of the series. ... Read more

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"Some of Us Listened to the Earth's Whisper..."
The forth and final installment in "The Heritage of Shannara" quartet, preceded by the "Scions", "Druid" and "Elf Queen" of Shannara. The premise is that the Four Lands are dying under both the totalitarian Federation and the sinister Shadowen, and the shade of the Druid of Allanon has called together three scions who can put an end to the entropy. Par is sent in search of the Sword of Shannara, Walker to bring back the Druid Keep of Paranor, and Wren to discover the missing race of Elves and restore them to the Four Lands. As the story starts, all these tasks have been completed, though with a heavy toll. Walker is trapped in Paranor by four Shadowen assuming the shape of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse; Wren is now the untested Queen of the Elves, facing an approaching army; and Par still believes he is responsible for the death of his brother, unaware that Coll is alive and well, but under the control of the Federation-leader and Shadowen Rimmer Dall.
Amazing end
Teery brooks is a genius, this book that end the heritage series is an explendid book, it conlcudes everything that happened in the first 3 books of the heritage series and it leaves you with your mouth open wishing for more.

The Final Fight For the Four Lands Begins!
The Talismans of Shannara is the conclusion to the sequence started in The Scions of Shannara and continuing in The Druid of Shannara and The Elf Queen of Shannara.All the story threads come together.Coll risks everything to save Par from complete madness.Wren and the returned Elves fight against the Shadowen controlled armies of the Federation.Walker fights the Four Horsemen.It all culmanates at Rainbow Lake where the Scions search for the missing Wren.Par comes face-to-face with his worst fears and the secret behind the Shadowen's power is revealed.
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New beginning or end of world
The Scions of Shannara by Terry Brooks is a great book. It is about two brothers Par and Coll Ohmsford who travel the Four Lands to save it. The Shadowen are evil creatures threatening the lands. They are poisoning the lands and are using Evil Magic to do it. Par controls magic of his own, the wishsong. The wishsong is a special