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Matt's Reviews > The Elfstones of Shannara
The Elfstones of Shannara
by
by
Matt's review
bookshelves: shannara
Sep 21, 2014
bookshelves: shannara
Read 2 times. Last read May 16, 2020 to May 31, 2020.
2020 re-read review. The Elfstones of Shannara is the 10th book chronologically in the Shannara series. There isn’t much I can add to my previous review, so I’ll just say I really love this book. Highly recommended!
———————————————————————————
2019 re-read of The Elfstones of Shannara.
This is probably at least my 6th reading of Elfstones, and I loved every minute of it. What a great way to kick off my 2019 reading journey!
I have been a fan of the Shannara series and Terry Brooks for 30 years now, and his books will always be special to me. This is one of the books that really started my life-long love of reading, and I have to say that I love this story just as much now as when I first read it probably 30 years ago.
The Elfstones of Shannara and especially this version of the novel is a labor of love in two parts. I've read interviews of Mr. Brooks and he explains in his book Sometimes the Magic Works: Lessons from a Writing Life how much time, effort, and re-work he had to do to get this story right. After his publication (and success) of his first book, The Sword of Shannara in 1977, readers wanted a follow up/sequel to Sword. Mr. Brooks wrote one which was originally titled the Song of Lorelei, but his editor basically made him re-write the whole thing over, because the plot just didn't work. Brooks recalls in How the Magic Works that he had to re-write and edit this numerous times. I can only imagine how frustrating that must have been to him. The end result of that additional re-work effort is this wondrous novel. I for one, am thankful for it. This book is magical.
This version is a special limited edition, leather-bound copy printed by Shawn Speakman by Grim Oak Press. Being such a loyal, practically life-long fan of the Shannara series, I had to have this version. Shawn is a super fan of Terry Brooks and the Shannara series, and he also operates Terry's website: Terry Brooks' website. This version has new illustrations by Marc Simonetti, and a beautiful fold out map of the Four Lands. It is one of my prized possessions in my personal library and I'm thankful for Shawn and Grim Oak for publishing this version.
I won't go into a synopsis of the plot, because people who have read the book will already know it, and potential readers can get it from the book cover. I'll just say that it is epic fantasy at its finest. It is an extremely satisfying fantasy story with believable, relatable, characters, an unforgettable setting, and a plot that is very well devised and executed. 5 stars all the way!
———————————————————————————
2019 re-read of The Elfstones of Shannara.
This is probably at least my 6th reading of Elfstones, and I loved every minute of it. What a great way to kick off my 2019 reading journey!
I have been a fan of the Shannara series and Terry Brooks for 30 years now, and his books will always be special to me. This is one of the books that really started my life-long love of reading, and I have to say that I love this story just as much now as when I first read it probably 30 years ago.
The Elfstones of Shannara and especially this version of the novel is a labor of love in two parts. I've read interviews of Mr. Brooks and he explains in his book Sometimes the Magic Works: Lessons from a Writing Life how much time, effort, and re-work he had to do to get this story right. After his publication (and success) of his first book, The Sword of Shannara in 1977, readers wanted a follow up/sequel to Sword. Mr. Brooks wrote one which was originally titled the Song of Lorelei, but his editor basically made him re-write the whole thing over, because the plot just didn't work. Brooks recalls in How the Magic Works that he had to re-write and edit this numerous times. I can only imagine how frustrating that must have been to him. The end result of that additional re-work effort is this wondrous novel. I for one, am thankful for it. This book is magical.
This version is a special limited edition, leather-bound copy printed by Shawn Speakman by Grim Oak Press. Being such a loyal, practically life-long fan of the Shannara series, I had to have this version. Shawn is a super fan of Terry Brooks and the Shannara series, and he also operates Terry's website: Terry Brooks' website. This version has new illustrations by Marc Simonetti, and a beautiful fold out map of the Four Lands. It is one of my prized possessions in my personal library and I'm thankful for Shawn and Grim Oak for publishing this version.
I won't go into a synopsis of the plot, because people who have read the book will already know it, and potential readers can get it from the book cover. I'll just say that it is epic fantasy at its finest. It is an extremely satisfying fantasy story with believable, relatable, characters, an unforgettable setting, and a plot that is very well devised and executed. 5 stars all the way!
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Reading Progress
May 30, 2014
–
70.21%
"A lot of people consider this to be Terry's best book. It really is good. Highly recommended!"
page
396
September 21, 2014
– Shelved
December 26, 2018
–
Started Reading
December 26, 2018
–
0.0%
"This is a leather-bound, limited edition of The Elfstones of Shannara published earlier this year by Grim Oak Press. I have 4 other versions of this book, but I had to have this special edition. Elfstones is one of my all-time favorite books, and I’m looking forward to reading this novel again!"
page
0
December 26, 2018
–
1.42%
" The legend was not legend. The legend was life. Evil did indeed lie beyond a Forbidding that the Ellcrys maintained. Only she kept the Elven people safe.
And now she was dying."
page
8
And now she was dying."
December 29, 2018
–
13.48%
"
Wil turned to Allanon. “I will come with you.”
It wouldn’t be much of a novel if Allanon had not convinced Wil that the Elven nation needed his help. The rest of the Shannara series ultimately hinges on Wil Ohmsford’s decision to go with Allanon and help him. Wil based his decision on upholding the greater good, at the potential expense of his moral being as a healer at Storlock."
page
76
It wouldn’t be much of a novel if Allanon had not convinced Wil that the Elven nation needed his help. The rest of the Shannara series ultimately hinges on Wil Ohmsford’s decision to go with Allanon and help him. Wil based his decision on upholding the greater good, at the potential expense of his moral being as a healer at Storlock."
December 30, 2018
–
16.31%
"
The door opened and an Elven girl stepped through. She was small, even for an Elf, her body slender and brown with sun. Chestnut hair fell all the way to her waist, shadowing a child’s face at once both innocent and knowing. Her eyes flashed briefly to Wil—eyes that were green and deep with life...
I love this first description we get of the character, Amberle."
page
92
I love this first description we get of the character, Amberle."
January 2, 2019
–
30.85%
"This is probably my 5th or 6th reading of Elfstones. One thing I’m noticing is that there is a lot more foreshadowing about the ending than I realized."
page
174
January 13, 2019
–
Finished Reading
November 5, 2019
– Shelved as:
shannara
May 16, 2020
–
Started Reading
May 16, 2020
–
0.0%
"Even though I read this last year, I’m dedicated to doing a chronological re-reading the entire Shannara series. Elfstones is another one of my favorites in the series. Here goes!"
page
0
May 19, 2020
–
23.4%
"A couple observations I have during this re-read:
The Blue Elfstones seem to warn Wil Ohmsford through his dreams of the impending danger of the demons that hunted him and Allanon down in Havenstead.
Also, Amberle knows 100% what she’s getting into. I had never realized this, but it seems to be pretty clear - almost like writing on the wall.
I love how in touch with nature that Amberle is. #Foreshadowing"
page
132
The Blue Elfstones seem to warn Wil Ohmsford through his dreams of the impending danger of the demons that hunted him and Allanon down in Havenstead.
Also, Amberle knows 100% what she’s getting into. I had never realized this, but it seems to be pretty clear - almost like writing on the wall.
I love how in touch with nature that Amberle is. #Foreshadowing"
May 27, 2020
–
53.72%
"Just reached chapter 30 of The Elfstones of Shannara. This is another Shannara book that I’ve read so many times over the years that I know what will happen at every turn - but I still enjoy every minute of it."
page
303
May 31, 2020
–
Finished Reading
