Terry Brooks

[rune]

I have read nearly all of Terry Brooks books apart from the Magic Kingdom of Landover series. Has anyone read this series and what thoughts can you share about it

[Sci-fi_gEEk]

I'm in about the same boat. I've read all of his Shannara books but I haven't been able to bring myself to read his other stuff. I've heard of the Landover series and another one....demon something....bah!! I can't think of the title and I'm too lazy to go check. Anywho, I anxiously await someone who, unlike myself, has something helpful to post .

gEEk

[Shoegaze99]

Originally Posted by Twelve

People have called Brooks a Tolkien mimic, but I don't see how he mimics Tolkien more than any other fantasy writer.

Even in the sixth grade, when I first read “The Sword of Shannara,” I was pretty stunned by how overt the “influence” of “The Lord of the Rings” was on the story. From the Dark Lord back after years of silent to the pseudo-Nazguls to the Moria sequence to the ‘mean’ Gandalf and beyond (Orl Fane as Gollum, the famous sword, Skulldor, to Gand—errr, Allanon’s sacrifice), even at that fairly young age I couldn’t help but notice the parallel courses these two fantasy works took.

That did not stop me from enjoying the story, of course, enough so that I read the next two Shannara books as well. Though the blatancy of “Sword” gnawed at me, I ground through it and enjoyed the adventure.

After that, however, I had little interest of forging on through more Innocent Youths Go On Quest Involving Magic Relic Of Great Power, and thus left Shannara behind. It began to feel stale very quickly. And when I tried to return to “The Sword of Shannara” for a reread some time later, I was very put off by just how clear the “influence” was. I can understand the appeal for some people, but it’s not a world I am inclined to revisit.

Other writers have done a fine job of taking what Tolkien gave the world of fantasy and making it their own; reshaping, reimagining, and repainting, using what have become fantasy cliches to great effect. I think with "The Sword of Shannara," Brooks failed utterly in that task.

I’ve read a pair of the Landover novels (“Magic Kingdom For Sale” and “The Tangle Box”) and enjoyed them. Light-hearted without venturing in Xanth territory, fun adventures with interesting characters and situations. I can’t claim that I was hooked, but they provided a pleasant diversion from the more serious and grim fare on the shelves these days. They are certainly recommended. Brooks’ novelization of “The Phantom Menace” was also decent, too. Better than the film. It appears as if he has improved on his craft since “The Sword of Shannara.”

[Marianne]

The Running With the Demon series is urban fantasy and very good. A complete departure from the sword and sorcery type story. I think he said he was hoping to write another modern fantasy in this series.

[Circus Cranium]

I wasn't thrilled with Running with The Demon, but I did finish it. I am back in love with Brooks though now that I'm reading the last Shannara series, Voyage of Jerle Shannara.

As for the Magic Kingdom series, I did read the first one, and really enjoyed it. But then I tried to read The Black Unicorn and got really bored and put it down. I think at that point, the novelty of a lawyer thrust into being king of a broken down kingdom he buys in a catalogue has worn off; and that was really the fun of the story to begin with.

[Matt Burnham]

I read Magic Kingdom For Sale a long time back. I like the way it has fun with fantasy conventions. I heard there was a film of it on the way