The Elves of Cintra (The Genesis of Shannara, Book 2) [Hardcover]

Terry Brooks (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 28, 2007

With his groundbreaking New York Times bestseller The Sword of Shannara and its acclaimed sequels, Terry Brooks brought a new audience to epic fantasy. Then he gave the genre a darkly compelling contemporary twist in his trilogy of the Word and the Void. Last year, in Armageddon s Children, Brooks undertook the stunning chronicle that united two unique worlds. Now that story of clashing forces of darkness and light, of Shannara s beginnings and the human race s possible end, marches forward into an unforgettable second volume full of mystery, magic, and momentous events.

Across the ruined landscape that is America hopelessly poisoned, plague-ridden, burned, and besieged by demon armies bent on exterminating all mortal life two pilgrims have been summoned to serve the embattled cause of good. Logan Tom has journeyed to desolate Seattle to protect a ragged band of street urchins and the being known as the gypsy morph, who is both mortal and magical, and destined to save mankind unless he is destroyed. Likewise, Angel Perez has her own quest, one that will take her from the wreckage of Los Angeles to a distant, secret place untouched by the horrors of the nationwide blight a place where the race of Elves has dwelled since before man existed. But close behind these lone Knights of the Word swarm the ravening forces of the Void.

As the menacing thunder of war drums heralds the arrival of the demons and their brutal minions in Seattle, the young survivors who call themselves the Ghosts are forced to brave the dangerous world of gangs, mutants, and worse to escape the invasion. And Logan Tom must infiltrate a refugee compound to rescue Hawk, the leader of the street urchins, who has yet to learn the truth about who and what he is. Meanwhile, Angel Perez has joined an equally urgent mission: to find the Ellcrys, a fabled talisman crucial to protecting the Elven realm against an influx of unspeakable evil from the dread dimension known as the Forbidding. But Angel and her Elf allies must beware for a demon spy, with a monstrous creature at its command, walks among them.

As the legions of darkness draw the noose tighter, and the time of confrontation draws near, those chosen to defend the soul of the world must draw their battle lines and prepare to fight with, and for, their lives. If they fail, humanity falls.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Extinction or survival? Brooks keeps readers hanging with the hair-raising second installment (after 2006's Armageddon's Children) of a trilogy blending his bestselling Shannara and Void series. A plague-ridden future Earth faces annihilation from Void demons, once-men and other monstrous creatures. What chance do innocent children have? A pretty good chance when Logan Tom and Angel Perez, the last Knights of the Word, have pledged to defend them. Hawk, a child suffused with unpredictable magic, also helps the Seattle street kids called the Ghosts, but when he's whisked away to the magical Gardens of Life to learn of his heroic destiny, the kids come to depend on Logan and Cat, a part-lizard girl. Playing another important role is Kirisin, a Cintra elf hiding in the Oregon woods, who finds the blue Elfstones that can lead him to the powerful, myth-shrouded Loden Stone. Celebrating his 30th year as a professional writer, Brooks provides another fascinating group of characters tackling harrowing and inspiring life and death issues. (Aug.)
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From Booklist

In a sequel as riveting as its postapocalyptic predecessor, Brooks meticulously draws out the threads running through Armageddon's Children (2006). Demonkind seems to be winning the war against humans and elves. The principal characters on the side of good are back in action, and when Hawk disappears in a flash of light after being thrown off the wall of one of the compounds, Knight of the Word Logan Tom finds himself caring for the group of street kids that Hawk had led as they fled south from a devastated Seattle. Unbeknownst to them, Hawk has been rescued by the King of the Silver River, who informs the boy that he is the Gypsy Morph, destined to lead thousands of children to the Promised Land. Meanwhile, stalked by a demon that wants to kill her, Knight of the Word Angel Perez teams with the young elf Kirisin and his warrior sister on a treacherous trek through the wilds in search of the long-lost, almost forgotten blue Elfstones needed for the desperate battle with Demonkind. Each of the youngsters matures and grows in power, making this a coming-of-age story as well as a thrilling adventure. As before, the third-person narrative shifts seamlessly from one group to the other as all make their way to the shores of the Columbia River. Estes, Sally

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Del Rey; First Edition (stated) edition (August 28, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345484118
• ISBN-13: 978-0345484116
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (69 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #288,793 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Terry Brooks is the New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty-five books, including the Genesis of Shannara novels Armageddon's Children and The Elves of Cintra; The Sword of Shannara; the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara trilogy: Ilse Witch, Antrax, and Morgawr; the High Druid of Shannara trilogy: Jarka Ruus, Tanequil, and Straken; the nonfiction book Sometimes the Magic Works: Lessons from a Writing Life; and the novel based upon the screenplay and story by George Lucas, Star Wars(R): Episode I The Phantom Menace.(tm) His novels Running with the Demon and A Knight of the Word were selected by the Rocky Mountain News as two of the best science fiction/fantasy novels of the twentieth century. The author was a practicing attorney for many years but now writes full-time. He lives with his wife, Judine, in the Pacific Northwest.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Middle Book, August 30, 2007

By 

Shawn Speakman "The Signed Page" (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Elves of Cintra (The Genesis of Shannara, Book 2) (Hardcover)

So many middle books lag -- just look at A FEAST FOR CROWS by George RR Martin -- but this one doesn't! It goes somewhere with likable characters that develop with each page turned.

The Elves of Cintra takes the characters from Armageddon's Children -- characters who are wholly unique -- and pushes them along toward the inevitable conclusion to come in the third and final book of the series. But unlike some author's middle books, this book has a climax all its own for most of its characters. No cliffhangers here, folks! I was satisfied with how the story unfolded and finished up.

The characters are fantastic and despite what one of the other reviewers said are new and invigorating. There has been no character like Angel Perez in Terry Brooks's other stories -- a hispanic woman who speaks in her native tongue sometimes and has been given great power. Angel must overcome her own doubts, doubts that have plagued her since the beginning in this deteriorated world, and she grows over this middle volume to a great final confrontation with evil.

Logan Tom is another example of a new character for Terry Brooks. He is no John Ross, no Allanon, no Balinor. He is a man destroyed from losing his family and conflicted with the new family he has been given despite not being able to follow the command of the Word. Revenge drives him. This is unlike anything Brooks has tackled before and allows him to talk about responsibility in dark times -- times much like we are living in now.

Then you have the street kids, the Ghosts. All of them are unique, all of them have never been in a Shannara book or Word/Void book. Terry spends time with each of them as they travel from ruined Seattle southward, and as this trilogy unfolds all of them will have their individual stories told.

The only drawback I could see in The Elves of Cintra is the absence of Hawk. Hawk is maybe only in the book for three chapters. He will undoubtedly be in the third book a great deal -- this middle book is the story of Angel Perez and the Elves for the most aprt -- but I felt his absence. Time will tell how his story unfolds and completes.

There were also real moments in this book when I had to reread the passage because I couldn't believe what Terry had done! No one is safe in Terry Brooks's work, and he really surprised me at times with the avenue he took the story. So be prepared for that!

Anyone who loves the Word/Void books should read this series. Anyone who loves the Shannara Elves should read this series. I look forward to reading the third book in this series!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow! This is a damned good book!!!, October 12, 2007

By 

R. Rhodes "D&D Guy" (MD) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Elves of Cintra (The Genesis of Shannara, Book 2) (Hardcover)

I have been an avid fantasy reader since grade school, but have not touched a Terry Brooks book since Sword/Shannara 20 + years ago. Unlike many books in the fantasy genre, Cintra is an extremely well written book , with outstanding character development woven throughout. A must read, especially for those fantasy buffs looking for a little intellectual stimulation along with their fire, spells and brimstone. Definitely a must read. I can't wait to rediscover the other books in the Shannara series. Enjoy!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great sequel, great character development, great story!, January 11, 2008

By 

Jason (Funkytown) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Elves of Cintra (The Genesis of Shannara, Book 2) (Hardcover)

Following in the footsteps of Armageddon's Children, the first book in the Genesis of Shannara series, The Elves of Cintra (2007) seamlessly advances the major plotlines from before, and brings about new truths, excitement and character history to an already great story.

In the previous book, the reader is left with a literal cliff-hanger. Logan Tom has found Hawk, the leader of the Ghosts and also the powerful gypsy morph, only to realize that Hawk is to be executed by being tossed from a compound's high-level wall. Just as Logan gained entry to the complex, Hawk and Tessa were being tossed to their death from high above.

Logan Tom realizes this too late, but during a frenzy at the compound he learns that when Hawk and Tessa are thrown from the compound wall, a great burst of light emerged, whisking them away into nothingness. After learning of this, Logan Tom seeks to regroup with the Ghosts sans-Hawk, and protect them/travel with them towards a safer destination. While doing so, he looks upon the harbor and realizes that hundres, if not thousands of ships approach to take on the compound. He knows that the ships carry once-men and demons, and it's time to leave.

Meanwhile, Panther flees the compound without Logan Tom, seeking to reunite with the rest of the Ghosts. He meets up with Sparrow at Pioneer Square only to be swarmed by croaks, feeders, and all sorts of other madness. It appears that the oncoming attack at the compound has all in the area in complete chaos. They finally escape to meet up with Logan Tom and the rest of the Ghosts.

Later, the Ghosts and Logan Tom encounter incredible battles, death, freaks, a long lost Knight of the Word, and a group of mutant kids. Throughout these ordeals, the reader is privy to further life history from each one of the Ghosts. Where they are from, what brought them to the Ghosts, and a deeper understanding of their character.

As this is occuring, the other Knight of the Word, Angel Perez, is travelling with the tatterdemalion, Ailie, towards the elven domain. As they are traveling, however, they are aware that the demon Delloreen is steadfast in pursuit, and determined to kill them.

Once at the elven domain, Angel and Ailie meet up with Kirisin and his older sister, Simralin, who is an elven tracker. The group minus-Kirisin meet with the king and the High Council to find out that not only will the council not assist them in saving the Elcryss, but there is also trouble amiss at the High Council; there is an intruder of sorts.

Despite the king's wishes, the group alongside the king's daughter Erisha, decide to learn about the elfstones and the Loden through the elven histories, and travel to the elven cemetary, Ashenell, to uncover more facts about the powers with which they are dealing. While there, the group faces terrible tragedy, incredible discoveries, and an understanding about the next step in their quest.

Last but not least, the reader finally learns of Hawk's powers, responsibilities, and goals as the encounter with the King of the Silver River fills in the details of the past as well as Hawk's destiny.

The Elves of Cintra (2007) ends with Angel Perez and her group discovering the Loden and its powers while dealing with the demons; Logan Tom and the Ghosts searching for Hawk; and Hawk, Tessa, and Cheney, along with Helen Rice and the rescued compound children with whom Hawk was joined making their way towards the Ghosts.

It's a highly enjoyable read that easily ties the loose-ends together, providing new excitement and new character development, and leading easily to the finale of the series. Like Armaggedon's Children, I plan on reading The Elves of Cintra at least one more time before the third volume of this series is released. I highly recommend this book.