The Sword of Shannara

The Shannara Series, Book 1

By: Terry Brooks

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 26 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

The Sword of Shannara is the first volume of the classic series that has become one of the most popular fantasy tales of all time.

Long ago, the wars of the ancient Evil ruined the world. In peaceful Shady Vale, half-elfin Shea Ohmsford knows little of such troubles. But the supposedly dead Warlock Lord is plotting to destroy everything in his wake. The sole weapon against this Power of Darkness is the Sword of Shannara, which can be used only by a true heir of Shannara. On Shea, last of the bloodline, rests the hope of all the races.

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

©1977 Terry Brooks (P)2003 Books on Tape, Inc.

review

i really enjoyed the story; however it was a lot of info and a bit hard to follow at times. i had to listen to it over and over, but i was so interested in finding out what would happen to everyone i didn't mind it.
i am not a fan of the reader. he never pronounced shannara correctly NOT ONCE and it drove me crazy every time he said the word I'd get annoyed and distracted.
If he reads all of the sries I will not be getting them on here.

An amazing story!!!

One of my favorite books of all time. It's an amazingly well told story, with many subplots and wonderful characters, that rivals any other in it's genre. And it was even better than the first time having it read to me by Audible. Awesome

Classic fantasy tale with a cool twist

There's a deceptive allusion to a destroyed modern world in the Shannara series that is very satisfying, as are the weird collisions of science fiction and magic that suffuse throughout the book. Scott Brick's narration is epic in scope and he is the living voice of the druid Allanon. My only criticism is that Brooks writes his Valemen protagonists out to be irritatingly provincial and cowardly, to the point where you really kind of are hoping for them to get squished. And this comes back in the later books. Brick doesn't help by softening their voices so that they sound like Elijah Wood's equally irritating interpretation of a Hobbit. If you can get past that annoyance, and it is a minor one, then this is an amazing story in an incredible and highly under-rated series.

Great Travel Companion

Love it. Great reading
Great storyline and suspense. It really make you think about how our perceptions are controlling the way we get along as people of the world.

Good read

Terry Brooks created an interesting world with a unique Idea for how the world became that way

Everyone's biased opinion!

I read this book about 30 years ago for the first time and thoroughly enjoyed it as I did this reading of it, although the narrator is a little flat and out of whack with the voices, and yes the characters were reminiscent of Tolkien but the world and the problems were not. Amongst the ratings I see everyone complaining about a Tolkien ripoff and I believe that is due to an overwhelming bias because of similarities that people can't seem to get around to see the story is intricately different.

Charming little high stakes adventure.

Genuinely don't get the comparisons to Lord of the Rings. A magic figure grabs an unlikely hero to stop an evil sorcerer. Besides that, you'll struggle to find a similarity.
If you enjoy Wheel of Time, you'll love this, however, as Robert Jordan took most of the story and setting right out of Brooks hands and made it worse.

great book unbearable reading.

I love the series, and with my eyes are failing me being able to listen to them is fantastic. however the narration is so horrible! I am stunned they actually let this get published. the same droning in and out in and out influctuation throughout the entire book never changes. and when there is emotion added to the reading, It's usually the same and half the time it's in the wrong place. But it's the In and out, In and out drowning that just makes it unbearable and I couldn't finish it.

a pathetic nod to lord of the rings

I read this series when it first came out. I'm embarrassed I finished it then, and even more to have recently "listened" to it, telling myself, "I must have been snobbish ". No, I was right then.
Embarrassed for the complete lack of originality and complete inability to give my imagination a chance. Brooks is for empty headed dander heads.

It was as good as I remember it from 1977

I love this book. It was the first fantasy I read after Tolkien and even though you can see similarities in places it is a wonderful adventure with people you care about.