Ilse Witch (The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara, Book 1) [Mass Market Paperback]

Terry Brooks (Author)

Book Description

Series: Voyage of the Jerle Shannara | Publication Date: August 28, 2001

When a half-drowned elf is found floating in the seas of the Blue Divide, an old mystery resurfaces. Thirty years ago, an elven prince led an expedition in search of a legendary magic said to be more powerful than any in the world. Of all those who set out on that ill-fated voyage, not one has ever returned. Until now. The rescued elf carries a map covered with mysterious symbols–and Walker Boh, the last of the Druids, has the skill to decipher them. But someone else understands the map’s significance: the Ilse Witch, a ruthless young woman who wields a magic as potent as his own. She will stop at nothing to possess the map–and the magic it leads to.

Thus begins the first volume of a dazzling new adventure
in one of the most popular fantasy series of our time

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Terry Brooks's new Shannara epic, The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara, kicks off its first volume, Ilse Witch, with the discovery of a mad elf drifting on wreckage miles out at sea with his tongue and eyes removed and a map secreted among his possessions. The elf is revealed to be a lost prince who set out decades earlier to find old magics on another continent. Walker Boh, the Druid we last saw in The Talismans of Shannara, persuades the Elf King that both vengeance and prudence dictate a second expedition and assembles the usual crew of talented misfits to travel by airship into unknown territory. The forces of evil are on their way as well--the shadowy figure known as the Ilse Witch and the lizard-like mercenaries forced on her by her untrustworthy ally, the Morgawr, are closing in, with acquisition and murder in their hearts.

Fans of Terry Brooks will know precisely what to expect from him: undemanding sword-and-sorcery adventure with touches of the gloomily mysterious and of more complex emotions. This is Brooks at his best and this novel is the least dependent on earlier models as it becomes clear that in this sequence the relationship between good and evil is more complicated than usual. --Roz Kaveney, Amazon.co.uk --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly

Echoing with the themes, traditions and enchantments of Brooks's earlier Shannara novels, this lively new adventure, set a generation later, combines the familiar quest format used in The Sword of Shannara with an array of well-defined characters and malevolent beings. Rather than searching for a powerful sword, however, the Druid Walker and the Elven King Allardon Elessedil unite forces to retrieve an ambiguous prize, "a magic of spells invoked by words," that may fortify the Elven government and its people or destroy those who seek it. Guided by the knowledge of the dangers he will face beyond the Blue Divide, Walker spends a lengthy amount of time recruiting his crew members. For heroics, Walker enlists the aid of two Highland boys: Quentin, who has the power of the Leah family sword at his behest, and his foster brother Bek, an orphan of mysterious origins and unknown talents. Providing magical mobility are the Wing Riders, who fly the frequently unfriendly skies on giant Rocs. A female seer and empath, a shapeshifter with a dubious past, a dwarf, a number of Elven soldiers and several colorful, Gypsy-like Rovers who captain, navigate and repair the airship Jerle Shannara round out Walker's questing crew. Throughout, the inimical Ilse Witch, a powerful young sorceress and Walker's bitter rival, shadows the expedition as it overcomes several near fatal encounters. Although this first volume in Brooks's proposed trilogy sputters to a slow start, bogged down by necessary background information and character development, Brooks nevertheless manages to intensify and tighten the story's momentum as the Jerle Shannara reaches its final destination. Fans familiar with the Shannara series, and new readers as well, will enjoy this first Shannara tale in four years. Major ad/promo; 12-city author tour; simultaneous Random House Audio. (Sept.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 456 pages
• Publisher: Del Rey; Reprint edition (August 28, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345396553
• ISBN-13: 978-0345396556
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (181 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #281,361 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #18 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Authors, A-Z > ( B ) > Brooks, Terry > General

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

41 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent - want more, September 11, 2000

By 

Ahem. (Emerald City, Oz) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ilse Witch (The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara, Book 1) (Hardcover)

After a long while of nothing in the way of Shannara, Terry Brooks has revived the dearly loved series. His new series begins 130 years after "The Talismans of Shannara" left off with Coll and Par Ohmsford. Now a castaway from a previous voyage to discover lost magic has arrived in the mainland 30 years after his departure. With the castaway is a map chronicolling his journey. The druid, Walker Boh, now known just as Walker, undertakes the perilous journey with an elite few aboard the sleek airship named the "Jerle Shannara."

This book is an excellent revival of the old series and I couldn't put it down for 2 days until finished. One problem is the author failes to make some of the main characters appealing but this is forgiven because of the outstanding storyline and mood throughout the book. You will be doing yourself a favor getting this, but make sure you have plenty of free time because you will call off previous engagements in favor of this book.

The one true problem is that the book leaves the reader so badly hanging that he is afraid he will fall.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book., October 24, 2000

By 

Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ilse Witch (The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara, Book 1) (Hardcover)

In this first of the series, author Terry Brooks brings us back to his world of the Shannara series. When a blinded and muted elf washes up on the coast, carrying a mysterious map, the Druid Walker is summoned. Walker organizes a mission, peopled by an unusual collection of elves, humans, a dwarf, and a mysterious man of unknowable powers. But, an evil witch, the Ilse Witch, with powers to rival Walker shadows the party and dread prophecies bode ill for the mission. Undaunted, the party sets off in a new airship, into the unknown depths of the Blue Divide.

Being the first book in a series, this book contains a good deal of character introduction and development. Through it all though, Terry Brooks keeps the story moving, with the pace of the story accelerating as the chapters roll along. His introduction of the magical/technological airships is a fascinating development. Overall, this is a great book, and well worth you time and money.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Terry Brooks grabs me in again!, September 7, 2001

By 

Pepper (Newburgh, IN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ilse Witch (The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

My first Shannara book was read in the late 70s when I should have been studing for college finals. Now I'm 40 something with work, home, kids and somehow Brooks reels me into his world again. Like life there's not an ending to this book, but there are lots of questions. How much can you trust others? What do you hide from those you love? How can you reconcile the good and evil that exists in all of us? If someone you loved saved your life, but destroyed others' lives how would you feel about them? I like fantasy but I usually feel like I don't have time for those epic fantasy novels in my life right now. 10 min to read before bed is pretty good for me. But Brooks books are quick reads even though they are hefty in size. I especially like that the names are not unmanagable. Sometimes I might not get to read for fun all week, with those polysyllable names found in some fantasy books I forget who's who. Bek, Quentin, Hunter Predd, Isle Witch - a foreign flavor but names that stick. I'll be reading the next in this series and the next and the next....