The Elfstones of Shannara

The Shannara Series, Book 2

By: Terry Brooks

Narrated by: Charles Keating

Length: 6 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

The magical Ellcrys tree is dying, loosening the spell that bars the Demons from enacting vengeance upon the land. Now Wil Ohmsford must guard the Elven girl Amberle on a perilous quest as she carries one of the Ellcrys' seeds to a mysterious place where it can be quickened into a powerful new force. But dark on their trail comes the Reaper, most fearsome of all Demons, aiming to the crush their mission at any cost.

Thus continues the enthralling Shannara epic, a spellbinding tale of adventure, magic, and myth.

©1982 Terry Brooks (P)2004 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Didn't know this was abridged until after purchase

It is tragic that this audiobook is abridged, while the two others in the trilogy are not.
in the print version, Terry Brooks says this was his favorite story.
It is a shame we do not get to HEAR the whole thing. I did not know it was abridged until after purchase.

book 2 and trilogy

I felt this book was very rushed but the story was very thin and not as enriching as its predecessor but it is part of a great trilogy

cool

this story like the last is a good view of an old story in grand stories. the volcols was what really set off the movie in the mind. it had the age of the story. like music some voice narrators can make the story amazing an others add spice in their own way. none bad none good it's just the my audience members view of each story. off to the next story.

Elfstones Are Superior to the Sword

This was an enjoyable, tight read and a clear contrast to its predecessor. I’m glad that I took the time to read it after all these years. It took me 43 years to finish Sword, but only two days to inhale a far better sequel.

I knew this was the abridged version.

Understanding this I tried to remember the book as I had read it back in the 80's. I know somethings are missing, but I can't remember just what. When I originally read the book, this I do remember, I was so involved in the characters of Will & Amberle I cried at the end. Perhaps it was the narrator, or the abridged version, but I didn't feel as close to the characters as I did back then. Granted I have reread the book in the past and came away feeling the same closeness. Unfortunately this time it wasn't there. Oh well, I purchased this version since I couldn't get the unabridged one anywhere so that I can move on to the next unabridged version of The Wishsong of Shannara. I know I will enjoy reliving the experience, with the full unabridged version, of being whisked away to the world of Shannara once again.
Please Audible and Terry Brooks, make the unabridged version of The Elfstones of Shannara available for those of us that want the full story to complete our libraries.
For those who've never read this book, read it. This book is all about the emotional connection to the characters that was absent in The Sword of Shannara. It is its heart and soul. Skip this narrated version.

wonderfully fantasy

great story. interesting plot. a classic. narrator was good. loved it, keeps you listening. on to book 3

I love Terry Brooks books.

His story telling is great and the characters are always very fleshed out and are shown flaws and all.

Great book

Terry brooks is an amazing writer I love his whole series and this one is great just like everything else that he writes. I truly recomend this and all of Terry Brooks books to readers who like fantasy novels, he is one of the best.

Great Job, very easy to listen to.

I loved it, well spoken tails like this make my 1 hr drive to and from work bareable. Great job on the voice actor. :-)

Disappointed at first, but....

Upset this was an abridged version, but it was very well done. In the end I found myself enjoying the faster pacing. It brought a bit of a stronger sense of horror to many of the darker scenes in the book than what I remembered from reading it years ago.