Terry Brooks - The Secret of the Sword

Pros: Sets a lot of things in motion. Begins an epic story.
Cons: Too long winded.

Back in the early 1970’s, before Lord of the Rings even became a lousy cartoon, I think author Terry Brooks set out to write a new kind of LOTR. The result is this extremely long-winded epic trilogy called The Sword of Shannara. It does succeed on ...

Pros: It eventually ends.
Cons: Terrible storytelling. Poor character formulation.

The Sword of Shannara is one of famous author Terry Brooks' earlier efforts at the writing game, and it shows. With a plot and a cast of characters with a tremendous amount of potential, The Sword of Shannara falls well short of what it could have been....

Pros: potentially interesting characters and storyline
Cons: annoying writing, the potential is never really developed

Okay, so saying I was bored may be an overstatement. The Sword of Shannara, by Terry Brooks, isn't exactly boring. On the other hand, I did occasionally feel as if I would never finish the tale of Shea the half-elf and his adventures.
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Pros: Highly entertaining, you'll love this world
Cons: none

Like many others here, I can't say enough about how wonderfully written the "Shannara" books by Terry Brooks are.
I first found this series, after reading and re-reading my copies of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy until they were about to...

Pros: Masterfully intricate. Excellent plot. Unique view of fantasy!
Cons: Characters are sometimes flat with one-sided personalities.

The Sword of Shannara was my first, post-Hobbit, true fantasy book. I had always been interested in knights & wizards and such, but I had never spent much time reading much of anything.

The Sword of Shannara was recommended to me by a...

Pros: Brooks's best series... which in my humble opinion is better than the Hobbit
Cons: fans of the Hobbit claim this is a simple rip off of the Hobbit

I can almost hear the booing and hissing as I'm writing this review...
The Sword of Shannara was my favorite book when I was growing up. Its was the first book (besides Cat in the Hat and other youthful books) that I read cover to cover that...

Pros: Great characters, great magic, creative fantasy
Cons: Borrows from Tolkien a little

If I'm not mistaken, this was Terry Brooks' first novel, and the first to introduce his wonderful world that, if my guess is correct, is actually a post-apocalyptic earth, with only hints here and there of what it once was. What Brooks has managed to do,...

Pros: lots of story lines
Cons: none

I have always been into fantasy books, dragons, wizards, trolls, elves, ect. I love it all. The Sword of Shannara is one of the best I have ever read.
Terry Brooks is a master at bringing you into various stories at one time that are all connected...

Pros: Characters you will never forget
Cons: None in my opinion

My grandfather turned me on to the writings of Terry Brooks over 10 years ago. This is when I was at an age when reading took away from my TV and play time. But I made the time for Terry Brooks.
The Sword of Shannara is a magically written fantasy...

Pros: Great story, Great characters
Cons: some unexplored areas raised by the author

This series has been compared favorably to the undeniably Great Tolkiens "Hobbit" Series. I cannot disagree with such statements. The author did a wonderful job of bringing to life awesome characters, and an in depth fantasy world. The...

Pros: Engaging storyline and characters
Cons: Can be long-winded at times, derivative

If you're familiar with Tolkien's _Lord of the Rings_, this book might start to sound familiar to you.

BUT...this doesn't mean _Sword of Shannara_ isn't good. Although Brooks doesn't quite manage to create the depth and scope of the...

Pros: Good Sword & Sorcery story
Cons: A bit too straight S&S

Don't let my review title deceive you! While this is in my category of standard Sword & Sorcery, it is a great read. Though highly reminiscent of Tolkien's work, I must ask about this genre: What isn't? That said Terry Brooks writes a very...

Pros: Wonderous book , exciting fantasy adventure, you care about the characters
Cons: maybe a little to tolkien

I guess I will start with why i enjoyed this book, or any book for that matter. When i read i play the book as a movie in my head. If the author gives you a good example as to how the characters look and act with a story that is interesting then i am...

Pros: action, the writing, characters
Cons: too much like Tolkien, too much description

I first came across this book at my library's used book sale. Before that, I'd honestly never even heard of it before. But since I am a huge fantasy buff, I was pretty much grabbing anything that looked like fantasy. Once I got home, I read this one...

Pros: Great detail and story development
Cons: Has long delays as story jumps around to the various characters

This is the first volume of what has become a long running series of epic adventures that seem to seek out the Shannara family members. Terry Brooks takes the reader on a wonderful thrill ride in a land that hints at being the remains of some greater,...