[Tansy]

I just picked this up and started reading it today and it's really drawn me in, so much more original than the Sword of Shannara, however, I do think he possibly had this in mind from the start and with Sword he hadn't realised how LotR it was till it was finished. Being close to your work you can miss the obvious and he was a big fan of Tolkein as many writers are.

With the Word and the Void I'm getting a sense that this is the events that happened in the last days of the world as we know it. I.e. beofre the apocalyptic event that destroyed the modern world and science. I think this is the forerunner to Shannara.

I like his take that the future has gone medieval, magic replaced science instead of the usual science kills off magic. In a way it fits with the cycle of life and with preserving the balance that seems to be prevalent in his stories. The more I read of Brooks the more I think that he had a long term goal in sight and he envisioned writing of the world pre and post apocalypse.

I was starting to get into Erikson, but as I didn't have GotM with me today I started the Word and the Void and now think I will probably complete this trilogy before continuing Erikson as I'm so tired from work and Brook's writing style is so much easier to read, although I am thinking probably less rewarding in the long run compared to Erikson. I just want to be able to read Erikson when I am fully awake and concentrating, whereas with Brooks I can just glide along nice and easily and not have to think too hard (which isn't a criticism, I love books that I can just sit back and enjoy the ride with instead of having to work out the twists and turns all the way)