[Three Gun Fish]

Fantasy nerds are an elitist bunch.

See what I did there?

[Soma]

Originally Posted by Mr Bosco

Okay, can I have an honest opinion of The Shannarra Series. I have just started reading The Sword of Shannarra, which is the first book. So far I think it's a damn good novel. Action, suspence and good plot description. All the ingredients I look for in a good book. Some people say Terry Brooks just stole his idea's and characters from The Lord of The Rings series, but I do not agree with that.

I find Terry Brook's work easier to read and it comes to the point quickly. Besides, J.R Tolkein did not inevent the concepts of good vs evil or mythial races such as Dwarfs, Elves or Orcs fighting for survival. Many fantasy series have that element.

Has anyone read the series. What do you think ?

Loved the Shannara series. I can't count how many fantasy novels I've read but The Hobbit and LOTR series is bar none, my favorite. The Shannara series comes in a close second. It's not as detailed with the names of kings of kings of cousin's third uncle type stuff but as you said, it gets to the point easier. I don't think it ripped off LOTR any more than any other fantasy book. It has it's own lore and of course there will be similarities here and there but it's a completely different book/series.

Good stuff.

Oh, the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan kinda reminds me of a cross between Shannara and LOTR although not as good as LOTR and not as easy to read as Shannara.

[Mr Bosco]

Originally Posted by Soma

Loved the Shannara series. I can't count how many fantasy novels I've read but The Hobbit and LOTR series is bar none, my favorite. The Shannara series comes in a close second. It's not as detailed with the names of kings of kings of cousin's third uncle type stuff but as you said, it gets to the point easier. I don't think it ripped off LOTR any more than any other fantasy book. It has it's own lore and of course there will be similarities here and there but it's a completely different book/series.

Good stuff.

Oh, the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan kinda reminds me of a cross between Shannara and LOTR although not as good as LOTR and not as easy to read as Shannara.

At last !

Someone else who can see a distinction. Thank You.

[RedOne]

Actually, not so much ripped off of LotR as the Wheel of Time series by the late Robert Jordan, apparently.

EDIT: And just noticed someone else also made the connection. Though the Wheel of Time books appeared on the scene first, I think.

[Ian Coe]

I've seen the audio books for the wheel of time for sale. There are a lot of books aren't there!

Is it worth getting them?

[RedOne]

Depends if you like audio books... I'd say read Eye of the World (the first) and see if you like it, but I prefer reading. Check out reviews on the audio books, otherwise, and see what they're like re: voice over quality, etc.

[Ian Coe]

Originally Posted by RedOne

Depends if you like audio books... I'd say read Eye of the World (the first) and see if you like it, but I prefer reading. Check out reviews on the audio books, otherwise, and see what they're like re: voice over quality, etc.

Thats true, I hadn't thought about that.

The narrator makes or breaks a audio book.

How long owuld you say the wheel of time takes to read. It seems like a lot of hours worth.


Is it a entertaining story as well?

[2short]

Shannara series can be very hit or miss. This was the first series of books I ever read.

Sword of Shannara and Elfstones are great books. Wishsong is good, but not as good as the first two.

The Scions of Shannara is not quite as good as the first trilogy, but still very good.

The next couple of Shannara series absolutely blow, specifically:

First King of Shannara - Stand alone book
The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara trilogy
High Druid of Shannara trilogy - this was so bad I cannot make it through the second book and never read the third.

Brooks newest trilogy is called the Genesis of Shannara. The first book was excellent. On par with his early Shannara novels. The second book was not as good but still very readable.

Brooks Word/Void series is also good, but I would not recommend his Magic Kingdom for Sale series at all.

[RedOne]

Originally Posted by Ian Coe

Thats true, I hadn't thought about that.

The narrator makes or breaks a audio book.

How long owuld you say the wheel of time takes to read. It seems like a lot of hours worth.


Is it a entertaining story as well?

It would take... a long, long time. They average about 600-800 pages (not sure on word count), and there's about 10 or so books at present, with the last one being written right now. Personally, I love them - but that being said, they really do slow down and bog a bit after book 6. The first 3, on the other hand, are great and have good character development, taking young characters out into quite a detailed, fleshed out world. The characters are noticeably different over time without it being thrust in the face of the reader, as though questioning the reader's intelligence.

I'd say read/listen to the first, and go from there.

[AdamL]

It's been a long time since I read that series, but yes, there was a progression to the story that almost mirrored Tolkien's work. The books were ok, but Tolkien did it better when he wrote them first.