- Hardcover: 480 pages
- Publisher: Orbit; 1st Edition edition (21 Mar 1996)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0099601915
- ISBN-13: 978-0099601913
- Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 15.2 x 4.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 512,938 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The First King Of Shannara (Shannara Trilogy Prelude)
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This novel is a Brooks masterpiece and I would strongly disagree with the guy that gave this book a flawed rating of one.This book opens powerfully;the fall of the Druid's keep with the loss of good characters Caerid Lock and Kahle Rese is particularly engaging.The 5 survivors from the slaughter at the keep embark on an epic quest to help save the Four Lands.Risca rouses the Dwarf nation,Tay unlocks the power of the Black Elfstone, whilst the remaining trio forge the Sword of Shannara.This book has a strong storyline,involving characters and excellent swords and sorcery action.Brooks has a habit of endearing the reader to his characters and then killing many of them off, as the vast majority of the cast for good in this novel perish.It is also good to be introduced to Allanon in this story as he is the central protagonist of the Sword/Elfstones and Wishsong Trilogy.Add this book to your fantasy collection.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
THE STORY:
The complacency of the Druid Council has allowed the rogue Druid Brona to become the Warlock Lord. The Druid Bremen and a small group of followers seek to counter the Warlock Lord by creating a magical artifact; the Sword of Shannara.
The complacency of the Druid Council has allowed the rogue Druid Brona to become the Warlock Lord. The Druid Bremen and a small group of followers seek to counter the Warlock Lord by creating a magical artifact; the Sword of Shannara.
WHAT'S GOOD:
'The Sword Of Shannara' was well written, but far too much like LotR to be a satisfactory read (I'm not saying LotR is bad! I'm saying lesser copycat novels are). Here, however, Brooks tells a much more original story that can either be read first or to reveal more about the people and events of the later books. I enjoyed seeing Bremen and his friends in action, each representing a different aspect of the Druid magic. This book also goes some way to tying together 'The Sword...', 'The Elfstones...' and 'The Wishsong...' as well as dropping strong hints towards the Heritage of Shannara series (things like Cogline's Druid origins and the Black Elfstone). Best of all in this book is the substory of a young orphan boy who becomes attatched to Bremen's mission. A boy named Allanon.
WHAT'S BAD:
People who've read Brooks' other Shannara books will not only be largely aware of what's going to happen here, but also will experience a 'read one, read them all' feeling in regard to his descriptions of battles against larger armies in which some magic or other turns the tide at the last minute.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is the first Terry Brooks novel that I read, and it blew me away. For a relatively short novel (copared to the Sword of Shannara Trilogy, and the later Heritage of Shannara and Voyage of the Jerle Shanarra) the storyline is surprisingly deep.
Although initially I was put off this book by thinking it was going to be Brooks attempt at being Tolkien, there is sufficient difference for any reader to be able to enjoy this book. I found it to be very well written, with characters that you can really believe in and come to love.
If you haven't read any of Terry Brooks then the Sannara series is a must, and will surely rank very highly in your fantasy collection. I highly recommend this book, and other Shanarra books. Now that Terry Brooks has finished writing the Shanarra series I feel pretty lost. I enjoyed these books immensely.
One thing I can guarantee is that once you pick this book up, you will not put it down until you are done. A brilliant series.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Good read
Was looking for this book for quite some time and found it quite cheap on Amazon. This book answers lots of questions asked from the all the other books from the Shannara series,... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Casey
Excellent value for a 'collector's item'
Bought for a good friend who is trying to replace all her paperback Terry Brooks with hardcover to keep forever. She will be delighted with this. Read more
Published on 9 April 2010 by Mrs. J. A. Canfield
A deeply emotional read
I've read all of Terry Brook's works, starting with The Sword Of Shannara, but I only recently managed to obtain The First King Of Shannara. Read more
Published on 14 Aug 2005 by Nadia
first class
one of the best, after reading the elfstones of shannara, i thought that it could'nt get better, i was wrong! this is a must read.
Published on 29 Mar 2004
The book that should not have been written
Prequels are almost always a bad idea. This one is no exception.
I found that the characters and action did not seem to fit well into the established "feel" of the Four Lands. Read more
I found that the characters and action did not seem to fit well into the established "feel" of the Four Lands. Read more
Published on 22 Oct 2003 by "kaladon"
First king of Shannara, rival to Lord of the Rings?
A superb book, should be made into a film. I can just see the battles & magic coming to life on screen, & the ending! Read more
Published on 16 April 2003 by C. J. Atchley
A Masterpiece
Terry Brooks has drawn together the stories presented as history in the first Shannara books and skilfully made them into the most exciting and best book he has written. Read more
Published on 4 Mar 2003 by Tasha
Definatly up to Terry Brook's standard, another classic...
The first trilogy relates a great deal back to the storyline of First King, leaving the reader with unanswered questions and a pestering ignorance of what the first war of the... Read more
Published on 7 Oct 2002 by Tom Wright
Fantastic but a hiccup almost ruined it
Having read the series first and then discovered this book I was initially cross, feeling I would have liked to have read this first, but afterwards felt that as much as it is a... Read more
Published on 30 Oct 2001
Surprising
I have never classed Terry Brooks as a *great* author, but he is a good one. I notice he is always compared to Tolkien, and one author or the other tends to suffer for it. Read more
Published on 23 Jan 2001
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