Author Terry Brooks and Shannra and other series question.

[Othello]

Ok I LOVE http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/terry-brooks/ (Terry Brooks book link) as an author. I have read I read the initial three Sword, Elfstones, Wishsong plus the First King prequel, the Heritage series (Scions, Druid, Elf Queen and Talismans) and The Voyage of the Jerle Shanarra series (Ilse Witch, Antrax, Morgwar) and the High Druid series (Jarka Ruus, Tanequil and Straken) Now I have the entire Word and the void series but have never been able to really get into it but from everything I've seen it appears a necessary step to enjoy/understand the later series Genesis of Shanarra (Armageddon, Elves, Gypsy Morph), Legends of Shanarra (Black staff and Measure of the Magic) and now the new Dark Legacy series (Wards of Faerie). Is this the case? It seems like they are one REALLY long series of prequels to the original Sword of Shanarra book and is basically the telling of the "great Wars" stuff that Allanon alludes to in his back story telling to Shea.

Any suggestions/comments on how necessary the Word and void series is and if not where's a good start?

 

[Scout101]

They're a change of pace, but not bad. I wouldn't skip them, only because they later end up tying into the Genesis series, so you'll miss the backstory for that series by skipping the Word series.

You can get by without it, but since you've committed to that many books anyway, what's a couple more?

 

[Technobuilder]

I've never read anything by Terry Brooks except for the first book and half of the second book in The Word & The Void Trilogy.

I received all 3 books as a gift several years ago from friends who knew I was an avid Dresden Files (by Jim Butcher) fan.

I enjoyed the first book Running with the Demon well enough, but honestly it was a bit slow for my tastes. I just never really connected with the characters (which is really important for me) and so I just kind of stopped in the midst of Book 2 one day and haven't picked it back up since... (They're still sitting on my bookshelf right now.

I'll probably try and finish them one day, but there's other stuff out there I'm more interested in at the moment.

No plans to read Shanarra, except I might try for the original first few books. We'll see.


Anyways, I agree with the above, if you've read all the other books, what's a few more.

 

[DigificWriter]

I don't personally see the sense in not reading the Word and the Void Trilogy since it is ultimately as important to the Shannara universe and overall Shannara story as the Star Wars Prequels are to the Star Wars universe and overalll Star Wars story.

If you are going to avoid reading the Word and the Void Trilogy, though, I would also avoid reading the Genesis of Shannara Trilogy and Legends of Shannara duology because they are intimately connected to the W&V Trilogy.

 

[Venardhi]

Personally, I think Running With the Demon is by far his best work as a single novel. It feels restrained, and taut and teasing almost with this magical world boiling up under the surface of our own. I could take or leave the rest of the trilogy, particularly Angel Fire East which drops the ball, but RWtD is the closest he has ever come to brilliant.

 

[DigificWriter]

I liked all three books in the W&V Trilogy a lot, but my favorite installments in the Shannara saga are the Genesis Trilogy and Elfstones.

I've got a question of my own to pose: If you were introducing somebody to Shannara for the first time, would you tell them to read the books in publishing order, chronological order, or a combination of both?

 

[Scout101]

I'd do the original series first, personally. From there, they can choose to go back or forward in time as they like. Maybe the original 3, then the follow-on 4, THEN can go back to the genesis series, and then jump to future again?

Although as a first book, the First King of Shannara may be a more interesting jumping on point than the Sword of Shannara. Same feel, but remember it as being tighter, and should stand alone.