First King of Shannara (Shannara Trilogy, Prequel) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Terry Brooks (Author) "The old man just appeared, seemingly out of nowhere..." (more)
Key Phrases: netherworld creatures, spiked barricades, winged hunters, Warlock Lord, Jerle Shannara, Black Elfstone (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Dark forces are on the move from the Northlands, and Bremen, an outcast Druid, learns of the huge Troll armies on the march and the Skull Bearers who act as their spies. To save the Druids, Bremen must convince the people of the Four Lands that their only hope lies in uniting -- and in using the magic they fear above all else. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly
You can't find the Four Lands on any map of J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth; but, given all the elves, dwarves, warlocks, trolls and gnomes that run rampant in the setting of Brooks's many Shannara novels (The Talismans of Shannara, etc.), readers can be forgiven for trying. Tolkien's influence is so strong in this prequel to The Sword of Shannara (1977), which launched the series, that many of the events here seem predictable or repetitive. Set 500 years before the events of Sword, the novel chronicles the destruction of ivory-towered Paranor and its Druid scholars, tracing the subsequent adventures of the outcast Druid-magician Bremen. With a handful of companions, he must find and hide the Black Elfstone from the Warlock Lord and forge a magic sword for Elven King Jerle Shannara to wield against the warlock. Brooks's prose generates a breakneck pace, but it lacks depth of characterization and also the wealth of linguistic invention that the most satisfying high fantasy offers. As an allegory of the eternal struggle between good and evil, the vital basis of fantasy, Brooks's mythical universe also suffers from a crucial dearth of those magical moments of heart-stopping revelation when, against all hope, against all reason, against all the forces of evil, salvation comes at last. Author tour.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Del Rey; First edition (January 29, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345396537
• ISBN-13: 978-0345396532
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (150 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #78,485 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terry Brooks, master of storytelling, weaves his greatest., December 27, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: First King of Shannara (The Sword of Shannara) (Hardcover)

Once again, Terry Brooks masterfully weaves his storytelling magic in The First King of Shannara, the eighth installment in the popular Shannara series. A prequel to the series, this book embodies the classic fantasy world in which the battle between good and evil predominates in the story. Brooks, master of his art, allows these "Tolkein-esque" elements to form only the backdrop of a solidly forged epic, powerful and moving, allowing readers to embrace characters as only Brooks can create and develop them. In great detail, The First King of Shannara answers many of the questions raised in previous books: the fall of Paranor and the Druids, the forging of the Sword of Shannara , the discovery of the Black Elfstone, the origin of Allanon , and more. Hundreds of years after the First War of the Races, the outcast Bremen, the last of the Druids, is the only force that convince the people of the Four Lands that their only hope to prevent subjugation lies in uniting -- and in using the magic they fear above all else. Whether dedicated fan or first time reader, this novel will enthrall you, capturing your full attention and binding you to the web woven by Terry Brooks. This book in the least deserves the highest recommendation, and connot be done justice by any summary, however massive. Only by personally experiencing the latest work of Brooks can one understand the wonder and proportion of it.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Prequel to a Great Triology!, January 4, 2003

By	AbeStreet (Mayfield Heights, OH United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: First King of Shannara (The Sword of Shannara) (Hardcover)

Having read the other 10 Shannara books first I put off reading this prequel to the original SWORD OF SHANNARA. While I like Brooks writing it seems that the 7 Shannara books that followed the original triology are less and less original in plot and weak on character development. However I felt that I had to read this book if for no other reason so that I can claim to have read all 11 Shannara books.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I thought the background history on Breman and the castle at Paranor was insightful and actually fills in the gaps for things mentioned in other Shannara books. I also enjoyed reading about the other druids and the different walks of life they came from and returned to. There is various background information on various places and people that will have direct or indirect roles in other books. Finally fans of Shannara are treated to the origin of Allanon.

The only complaint I have is the ending of the book. The final hundred pages of the book devotes to much time to detailing battle scenes and not enough to the confrontation of the Warlock Lord and King Jerele. Anyway, this book is a good read. It would be a good stand alone read but for those who have read other Shannara books they will find it very interesting. Out of the 11 Shannara books I would place this fourth in my line of favorites. Right after the first triolgy; THE SWORD, ELFSTONES and WHISHSHONG OF SHANNARA.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Standard fare, though enjoyable, September 7, 2006

By	Al Tenhundfeld (Charlottesville, Virginia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This was my first book of the Shannara series. I had read Brooks' Landover series when I was younger and enjoyed them. Travelling through the airport, I picked up this book as a guilty pleasure on a long flight. I do not recommend it.

First, I don't think you should start the series with this book; that was my mistake. I didn't realize it was actually a prequel, not the first of the series.

There was little fresh or innovative here. It was basically the standard fantasy story with elves, dwarves, a time of great magic at some point in the distant past, and an overwhelming purely evil villain threatening to conquer the free peoples of Middle Earth...I mean The Four Lands.

Brooks can write well, but I feel that he really didn't put his heart into this novel. The plot and characters are mostly formulaic and hackneyed. One of the major characters is named "Kinson Ravenlock." I think that says it all. If you love the series and want to know some background information, this novel could be enjoyable, I suppose. Just don't expect very much.