The world and the void

[garreth Jacks]

has any body read this series of books my brother has and said they where ok but they are diffrent from his other books (terry brooks) what do you think of these books

[Jay]

Hi Garreth Jacks

First it's Word/Void, and it is a departure from the traditional high fantasy that Brooks has rippe...I mean written. In many ways this series, at least to me restored Brook's integrity as a viable writer, and IMHP the Word/Void series represent his best work by far. I think one of the installments, Angel Fire East represents the best single work Brooks has ever written.

The differences is that much of the story takes place in the "real world" and deals with the constant ongoing battle between the Word, and the Void. In Running with the Demon (the first book) you will be introduced to John Ross, a Knight of the Word. Brook's first time developing reasoanbley good characters, and thougthful dialogue.

As I said before this represent the first time IMHO that Brooks has written something close to being able to be called original and write believalble characters with some form of depth, and is his best work. That said fans of strictly high fantasy (for example his Shannara series) probably won't take to this series, there are no stereotypical elves running around, nor is magic employed at the end of novels to tidy up a loose plotline.

IMHO Word/Void represents by far Brook's best written work, and in saying that it means it's a slightly above average as a series comparitively in regards to the rest of fantasy IMHO.

[GOLLUM]

Gareth Jacks!

Welcome to the boards!

I've read everything Terry has ever published and YES Word/Void is his best work IMHO.

Bye for now.

[rune]

I love the Word series by Brooks and found it to be one of his best series I quite like dark fantasy and I felt this series (handy it only been three books) had a good mix

[Azash]

Originally Posted by garreth Jacks

has any body read this series of books my brother has and said they where ok but they are diffrent from his other books (terry brooks) what do you think of these books

Mod edit (knivesout) potential flamebait removed

[Winters_Sorrow]

Where's Isolde when you need her?

It's "insipid" and "they're" (preferably they are)

Oh, and you'll notice Garreth hasn't actually read them - his brother has, and he just asked if anyone else has and what their opinion of them was.

No need for name-calling

[Circus Cranium]

I read the first one, and started the second. While it was a pleasant read, I wasn't overly crazy about the characters. I prefer the Shannara series. Running with the Demon felt a lot like a mediocre King story to me. Again, not bad, just didn't turn me on.

[Mithridelle]

Overall, a very good series that has some interesting plot twists and lovable characters. Coming out of the shadows of the magnificent series Shannara would be very hard, but I feel that The Word and the Void has done so rather admirably.

[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)

[GOLLUM]

Originally Posted by Tansy

I1With 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.

You're correct. The books he's now writing are prequels tothe world of Shannara and have the Word and Void in there. These current books fit b/w Word/Void and the Shannara series.

[Tansy]

Well I've just finished the second of the trilogy and I am really enoying them, however I kinda know it all has to end badly due the fact that Shannara is set in a post-apocalyptic world that these events are leading up to

It's not Nest that creates the forbidding is it? Just have a feeling that it's Nest and John that allow humans to carry on living after the end of the world as they know it (queue REM) and that must involve banishing demonkind somehow. I'm now thinking Nest becomes the first Ellcrys..hmm I think I need coffee lol

[Tansy]

Okay I've just finished this and it's left me wondering - are there any more Word and the Void books planned?

I was expecting this to lead up to the cataclysmic events that ended the modern world but it stopped quite a way short. I just wondered if he was planning to tell the story of


****spoiler.. (well kinda)*******
Nest's child

and the story of the apocalypse.

Or is it possible that the world of Shannara is just a possibile future - a future that happens if the Void wins over the Word? A future at the time of John and Nest isn't decided yet? Ok I'm rambling..I should stop posting on here before Caffeine

I think there is a huge story yet to be written where the Void thinks they have won but the Word gets the last laugh and lays down the foundation for the World of Shannara to emerge (The Elves, The Ellcrys, what drove the men undergrounds to become dwarves, how the trolls/gnomes became trolls/gnomes, the first druids etc, etc). I know it has been mentioned in the Shannara books, but events tend to be warped and changed with time and re-telling. I think the "real" story behind the myth could be a fab read


Guess I shall just have to wait and see