1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A stunning beginning, a so-so ending..., October 31, 2006
Being what I consider to be one of the biggest Terry Brooks fans in the Western Hemisphere (IMHO) I ALWAYS enjoy seeing a new Shannara novel hit the shelves. As I began reading book one, I felt that this had the makings of one of the greatest of all Shannara novels. After a series like this one has been around awhile, it takes an impressive imagination (such as Terry Brooks') to pump up the volume so-to-speak and take us to a place not even close to anywhere we had ever been before in all the previous tales involving the decendants of Jerle Shannara.
Book #1 Ilse Witch *****
Terry simply could NOT have written a better beginning to this series. It just can't get any better than this. The idea of leaving the Four Lands altogether wasn't even something I even scratched the surface of considering when I began reading. Another factor that at first I was reluctant to accept was the idea of the flying ships. I can't say exactly why, but I was a bit at odd's with this so-called *New* technology. It didn't take long for me to come around, though. I am now a big believer in the ships and find it a new and invigorating way to transport vast distances within the world of Shannara without taking up extreme lengths of time. I am always interested in finding out exactly WHAT inbred magical "Talent" each descendant of Shannara has within them that they are unaware of (most likely anyway), and even though it has become a bit of a cliche within the world that Terry Brooks has created, I still enjoy the discovery, even if the whole process is less than surprising along the way. Great storytelling and easily one of my favorite in all the Shannara series'.
Book #2 Antrax ****
Antrax picks up exactly as Ilse Witch leaves off. Our Protagonists are in a new world they know absolutely nothing of, that seems virtually immune to the affects of Magic, and yet is as dangerous a place as has any of them have ever encountered. Suddenly our Druid leader (Walker) not only has no clue exactly WHAT to do, but is in serious danger himself of losing everything, up to and including his own life. My respect for Terry Brooks expanded seriously with how he dealt with a Major Character in this series -- specifically having the courage to be willing to kill someone that until the moment it happened, I really didn't think he would do it.
Book #3 Morgawr *****
Even though the ending leaves the storyline totally open for the Shannara series that quickly followed Voyage, I wasn't thrilled with it at ALL. However, everything that led to it was absolutely wonderful. I am well aware that many fans of this series figured out WHO the Ilse Witch was from either early on or well before it was finally revealed, I have to say that either I wasn't paying attention or just ignored the obvious, because when it was uncovered I have to admit it really surprised me. What happens TO the Ilse Witch and the members of the ill-fated Jerle Shannara airship is what Morgawr is all about. The opening chapter is definitely a major departure from what I have EVER read before from Terry Brooks. He delves deeper into the darkness that are the bad guys here than at any other time in any other of his novels to date (at least that is how I viewed it). However, even though it was much darker, I enjoyed it VERY much. Incredibly compelling is the best term I could use to describe it. Again, other than the very ending, Morgawr was a real treat and an exceptional novel.
For those of you just looking for a great Fantasy Fix and you have yet to discover Terry Brooks, isn't it high time you discovered why he is one of the most successful Fantasy authors in the world? In a word: YES.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
BROOKS BOOK READER, July 27, 2004
Having read every other book in this series i found the new trilogy to be average fair when it comes to the shannara series. As with nearly every new shannara series the only returning character is the druid. All and all a great read and I highly recomend it to any fan of the series. To quickly respond to some other feedback, this is a fantasy novel and if you read through it thinking "that cant happen" of course you will not enjoy it.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
I could not put this book down!, January 22, 2011
This book is the sequel to Antrax, and is the final book in the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara series. With Antrax defeated, the scattered crew of the Jerle Shannara might have hoped that their worries were over. However, the Ilse Witch's mentor, the Morgawr, has come on a quest of his own. Grianne, in a catatonic trance, needs protection, and Bek, with Walker's words ringing in his ears, sets out to reach through to his sister. But, the world is now vastly more dangerous than any of the Shannara crew could have feared.
In this book, Terry Brooks takes the scattered crew, and brings the crew through many and diverse hardships, with danger keeping the reader ever on the edge of his or her seat. I could not put the book down! The reason I did not give it 5 stars, though, is because the story did have a certain disjointed feel to it, with one peril following another, driving the characters along before them, rather than a unified-feeling story.
That said, though, I enjoyed the suspense and action in this book. I think that this is another great Terry Brooks book, one that I would not hesitate to recommend.
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