The Druid of Shannara by Terry Brooks
“I Envy Your Past… I Have None…”
The second book in the four-part series THE HERITAGE OF SHANNARA focuses on Walker Boh, the most unique and intriguing character that Brooks has ever created. In an ongoing series that is filled with grim wizards, plucky farm-boys, feisty love-interests, and bland members of the Leah family thrown in for good measure, Walker Boh is a breath of fresh air and makes a compelling protagonist for the best installment of Brooks’s best SHANNARA-based series.
In the previous novel The Scions of Shannara, three members of the Ohmsford family were summoned by the shade Allanon to complete three specific tasks in order to combat the rising threat of the mysterious Shadowen: to find the lost Sword of Shannara (Par), discover the hiding place of the lost elves (Wren) and restore the Druid Keep of Paranor — the mission appointed to Walker. But unlike his nephew and niece who accept the tasks, Walker has no interest whatsoever in doing what Allanon requires. Suspicious of manipulation and secrecy, he furthermore has no desire to help a world who treated him like an outcast.
But unforeseen circumstances are occurring at the edges of reality; the King of the Silver River as created a daughter out of his domain who is sent out into the world with a mysterious plan in play to assist the scions of Shannara. Her name is Quickening, and she gathers together a small band of followers to travel with her into the realm of Uhl Belk the Stone King, the King of the Silver River’s brother, in order to retrieve the Black Elfstone that he so long ago stole from the Druids.
It is this Elfstone that is essential in Walker’s task to restore Paranor to the physical realm, but it is also the talisman that has heightened the Stone King’s power; the entire land of Eldwist has gradually succumbed to stone around him. But Quickening is resolute in her determination to gain possession of the Elfstone, and soon has recruited three men whom she says will be essential to the success of the quest: Walker himself, Morgan Leah (a friend of Par who was separated from him in the last book) and Pe Ell, a shady assassin who has been sent by the Federation to dispose of Quickening — but who has decided to halt this plan till he has ownership of the Elfstone. With each of these characters distrustful of each other, and yet inexorably bound to Quickening, they set off on their journey into dangerous territory.
The Druid of Shannara is a success because of its character motivations and interactions; in particular Pe Ell and Quickening, who have deeply laid secrets at work within the story. The uncovering of these secrets and the unraveling of the travelers’ journey into the deadly Eldwist keep the reader sustained for the entire length of the book. There are a couple of side-issues that aren’t really of much importance to the overall story arc (such as a character called Carisman who has been made king of a group of primitive gnomes; it doesn’t really add much to the story) and a few silly bits (giant rats?!) but on the whole the threats are both credible and frightening. The city of Eldwist is haunted by the Stone King’s monstrous child whose creeping influence changes everything around it to stone, as well as the formidable Rake, a creeper like the one seen in the previous book — only worse.
As well as this, a few chapters are devoted to what’s going on with the other scions: Par is hiding out with the lovely Damson in the sewers of Tyrsis, convinced that he’s responsible for the death of his brother Coll, whilst Wren and her companion Garth arrange a meeting with the mysterious Addershag who has information on the missing elves.
It is probably through Morgan’s eyes that we witness most of the story, and though he isn’t quite as interesting as Walker, he’s a nice enough guy and has a crucially important part to play throughout the progression of the quartet (as opposed to other members of the Leah family that pop up in other books), and there is a bittersweet romance at work between Morgan and Quickening that is handled surprisingly well by Brooks (who tends to get corny when dealing with love-stories). Quickening herself is an enigma, childlike and yet devoted to her purpose, and her relationship with the members of the groups (not just Morgan, but Walker and Pe Ell as well) make for interesting character interactions.
Unfortunately, The Druid of Shannara suffers from a continual defect that appears throughout Brooks’s work: a tendency to waffle on. If Terry Brooks is going to remark on something within the text, he’ll compose a lengthy paragraph that ends up repeating the same point several times. Take for example Walker’s dialogue on the advantage they have over Uhl Belk:
It is true that we appear to be little more than beggars off some Southland city street, that we have nothing with which to threaten Uhl Belk, that we are as insignificant to him as the smallest insects that crawl upon the land. But that appearance may be an illusion we can use. It may give us the chance we need to defeat him. He sees us as nothing. He does not fear us. He disdains to worry about us at all. It is possible that he has already forgotten us. He believes himself invulnerable. Perhaps we can use that against him.
This is but one example, but it is a trait that shows up in every single story that Brooks has written; a long-windedness that bloats the length of the books, repeats the obvious and almost makes it seem as though Brooks considers his readers idiots who have to have certain points hammered into their heads. It’s intensely frustrating, especially when all Walker needs to say is this: “Uhl Belk considers himself so powerful that he’ll underestimate our chances. We should use that to our advantage.” There! I’ve probably saved at least seven trees!
But despite the fact that Terry Brooks needs a more ruthless editor, The Druid of Shannara is good stuff, the best installment of the best quartet within the SHANNARA saga.
THE HERITAGE OF SHANNARA — (1990-1993) Publisher: Since the death of Allanon, life in the Four Lands has drastically changed. Yet Par Ohmsford still has some power of the Wishsong. And when a message from the ancient Druid, Allanon, reaches them, Par is ordered to recover the long-lost Sword of Shannara, and the glory that once was the Four Lands…
THE VOYAGE OF THE JERLE SHANNARA — (2000-2002) Publisher: 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.
HIGH DRUID OF SHANNARA — (2003-2005) Publisher: Twenty years have passed since Grianne Ohmsford denounced her former life as the dreaded Ilse Witch — saved by the love of her brother, the magic of the Sword of Shannara, and the destruction of her evil mentor, the Morgawr. Now, fulfilling the destiny predicted for her, she has established the Third Druid Council, and dedicated herself to its goals of peace, harmony among the races, and defense of the Four Lands. But the political intrigue, secret treachery, and sinister deeds that have haunted Druid history for generations continue to thrive. And despite her devotion to the greater good as Ard Rhys — the High Druid of Paranor, Grianne still has bitter enemies. Among the highest ranks of the Council she leads lurk those who cannot forget her reign of terror as the Ilse Witch, who covet her seat of power, and who will stop at nothing to see her deposed… or destroyed. Even Grianne’s few allies — chief among them her trusted servant Tagwen — know of the plots against her. But they could never anticipate the sudden, ominous disappearance of the Ard Rhys, in the dead of night and without a trace. Now, barely a step ahead of the dark forces bent on stopping him, Tagwen joins Grianne’s brave young nephew, Pen Ohmsford, and the wise, powerful elf Ahren Elessedil on a desperate and dangerous mission of search and rescue — to deliver the High Druid of Shannara from an unspeakable fate.
GENESIS OF SHANNARA — (2006-2008) Mr Brooks is planning one more stand-alone novel in this series and he plans another Shannara trilogy. Publisher: Extrapolating from current world events, Brooks projects a worst-case scenario in which the steady destruction of all humankind is a reality. Plagues have killed half a billion, weapons of mass destruction have decimated entire populations, and the few survivors have retreated into a siege mentality, turning city stadiums into walled compounds and shutting out the “freaks” — those who have mutated from breathing the polluted air and drinking the badly fouled water. A variety of principals propel the transfixing yarn Brooks spins in this setting: Logan Tom and Angel Perez, both Knights of the Word committed to keeping the magic that binds all things together in balance; Hawk, a street kid who leads a group of other young people in Seattle; Kirisin, a young elf who is one of the Chosen safeguarding the Ellcrys, a magnificent tree upon whose existence the lives of the elves depend and whose safety is now threatened; and the demons and their minions, the once-men, who have been subverted by false promises and lies. Everything and everyone moves inexorably toward a deadly confrontation in the Northwest. Characterizations are dynamic and multidimensional, the descriptions of the land as well as the ruined cities and small towns are compelling, the action and battles are mesmerizing, and, as is Brooks’ wont, the ending is a cliff-hanger that leaves readers salivating for the sequel.
LEGENDS OF SHANNARA — (2010-2011) Publisher: The Genesis of Shannara trilogy — Armageddon’s Children, The Elves of Cintra, and The Gypsy Morph — charted the fall of our own world into the hands of once-men and demons… and the escape of a few humans, Elves, and others into a remote mountain valley walled in by impenetrable magic. For five-hundred years the survivors have lived peacefully, learning to coexist and to build a new world with the limited resources and skills available to them. Now the magic that kept them safe for so many centuries is wearing down. Frightening creatures are penetrating the barriers and wreaking havoc on the valley within. It is time for the four peoples to stand together and create the new world of Shannara.
SHANNARA’S DARK LEGACY — (2012-2013) Publisher: Seven years after the conclusion of the High Druid of Shannara trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Terry Brooks at last revisits one of the most popular eras in the legendary epic fantasy series that has spellbound readers for more than three decades. When the world was young, and its name was Faerie, the power of magic ruled — and the Elfstones warded the race of Elves and their lands, keeping evil at bay. But when an Elven girl fell hopelessly in love with a Darkling boy of the Void, he carried away more than her heart. Thousands of years later, tumultuous times are upon the world now known as the Four Lands. Users of magic are in conflict with proponents of science. Elves have distanced their society from the other races. The dwindling Druid order and its teachings are threatened with extinction. A sinister politician has used treachery and murder to rise as prime minister of the mighty Federation. Meanwhile, poring through a long-forgotten diary, the young Druid Aphenglow Elessedil has stumbled upon the secret account of an Elven girl’s heartbreak and the shocking truth about the vanished Elfstones. But never has a little knowledge been so very dangerous — as Aphenglow quickly learns when she’s set upon by assassins. Yet there can be no turning back from the road to which fate has steered her. For whoever captures the Elfstones and their untold powers will surely hold the advantage in the devastating clash to come. But Aphenglow and her allies — Druids, Elves, and humans alike — remember the monstrous history of the Demon War, and they know that the Four Lands will never survive another reign of darkness. But whether they themselves can survive the attempt to stem that tide is another question entirely.
DEFENDERS OF SHANNARA — (2014- ) Publisher: From New York Times bestselling author Terry Brooks comes the first stand-alone novel in his legendary Shannara series in almost twenty years—the perfect place for new readers to begin. Paxon Leah never thought of the old family sword hanging above his living room hearth as anything other than an intriguing ornament—until his sister is kidnapped by a sorceror. Following the dark mage with nothing but this piece of steel to protect him, Paxon stumbles into a plot to remake the world . . . and accidentally unlocks the powers of the ancient blade.
PALADINS OF SHANNARA — (2012-2013) Stand-alone short stories.
THE FALL OF SHANNARA — (2017- ) The triumphant and epic four-part conclusion to the Shannara series, from one of the all-time masters of fantasy. Across the Four Lands, peace has reigned for generations. But now, in the far north, an unknown enemy is massing. More troubling than the carnage is the strange and wondrous power wielded by the attackers—a breed of magic unfamiliar even to the Druid order. Fearing the worst, the High Druid dispatches a diplomatic party under the protection of the order’s sworn guardian, Dar Leah, to confront the mysterious, encroaching force and discover its purpose.
Related SHANNARA books:
Prequel: First King of Shannara — (1996) Publisher: Horrified by the misuse of magic they had witnessed during the First War of the Races, the Druids at Paranor devoted themselves to the study of the old sciences, from the period before the collapse of civilization a thousand years before. Only the Bremen and a few trusted associates still studied the arcane arts. And for his persistence, Bremen found himself outcast, avoided by all but the few free-thinkers among the Druids. But his removal from Paranor was not altogether a terrible thing, for Bremen learned that dark forces were on the move from the Northlands. That seemingly invincible armies of trolls were fast conquering all that lay to their south. That the scouts for the army — and its principal assassins — were Skull Bearers, disfigured and transformed Druids who had fallen prey to the seductions of the magic arts. And that at the heart of the evil tide was an archmage and former Druid named Brona! Using the special skills he had acquired through his own study of Magic, Bremen was able to penetrate the huge camp of the Troll army and learn many of its secrets. And he immediately understood that if the peoples of the Four Lands were to escape eternal subjugation they would need to unite. But, even united, they would need a weapon, something so powerful that the evil magic of Brona, the Warlock Lord, would fail before its might…
Indomitable — (2011) Publisher: Master fantasist Terry Brooks first conjured the unforgettable world of the magic-wracked Four Lands more than three decades ago, and its boundaries continue to expand into new territory. With Indomitable, Brooks provides an essential epilogue to the beloved Shannara trilogy that started it all. Two years have passed since Jair Ohmsford aided his sister Brin in her quest to destroy the evil living tome known as the Ildatch. When word comes that a single page of the book, covered in lines pulsing with dark energy, survived Brin’s magic, Jair must take up the fight alone. But Jair’s gift is not the equal of his sister’s, and as he steals into the prison fortress of Dun Fee Aran — where he almost died in his first foray against the Ildatch — he has nothing to rely upon but the power of illusion. Illusion, and the memory of an ally who died to defend him.
Having read most of this series in the 90’s, this is the book I remember most. While Brooks does tend to waffle, he pales in comparison to Robert Jordan. I read through Eddings, Brooks, then got to Jordan and continued to read Jordan until I could no longer take slogging through endless chapters dedicated to the history and heritage of the roofing shingles that happen to be slapped onto whatever building in yet another town town the characters stumbled into. Ive never read a book or a series that I actually skipped chapters and haven’t since.
Great review.