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Terry Brooks

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The Elfstones of Shannara (The Sword of Shannara Book 2) Kindle Edition

by Terry Brooks (Author), Darrell K. Sweet (Illustrator) Format: Kindle Edition

4.5 3,594 ratings

Book 2 of 3: The Sword of Shannara

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ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR FANTASY TALES OF ALL TIME. NOW AN EPIC TV SERIES.

Thousands of years after the destruction of the age of man an d science, new races and magic now rule the world, but an imminent danger threatens. A horde of evil Demons is beginning to escape and bring death upon the land. Only Wil Ohmsford, the last of the Shannara bloodline, has the power to guard the Elven Princess Amberle on a perilous quest to the save the world, while the leader of the Demon force aims to stop their mission at any cost.

Praise for Terry Brooks

“Shannara was one of my favorite fictional worlds growing up, and I look forward to many return trips.”—Karen Russell, author of Swamplandia!

“If Tolkien is the grandfather of modern fantasy, Terry Brooks is its favorite uncle.”—Peter V. Brett, author of The Skull Throne

“A great storyteller, Terry Brooks creates rich epics filled with mystery, magic, and memorable characters.”—Christopher Paolini, author of Eragon

Reading age

8 - 12 years
Book 2 of 3

The Sword of Shannara
Print length

576 pages
Language

English
Grade level

3 - 7
Lexile measure

960L
Publisher

Del Rey
Publication date

October 10, 2000
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On Kindle Scribe
ISBN-13

978-0593725443
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Terry Brooks

“Shannara was one of my favorite fictional worlds growing up, and I look forward to many return trips.”—Karen Russell, author of Swamplandia!

“If Tolkien is the grandfather of modern fantasy, Terry Brooks is its favorite uncle.”—Peter V. Brett, author of The Skull Throne

“A great storyteller, Terry Brooks creates rich epics filled with mystery, magic, and memorable characters.”—Christopher Paolini, author of Eragon

From the Inside Flap

Ancient Evil threatens the Elves: The ancient tree created by long-lost Elven magic, is dying. When Wil Ohmsford is summoned to guard the Amberle on a perilous quest to gather a new seed for a new tree, he is faced with the Reaper, the most fearsome of all Demons. And Wil is without power to control them....

From the Paperback edition.

From the Back Cover

The magical Ellcrys tree is dying, loosening the spell that bars the Demons from enacting vengeance upon the land. Now Wil Ohmsford must guard the Elven girl Amberle on a perilous quest as she carries one of the Ellcrys' seeds to a mysterious place where it can be quickened into a powerful new force. But dark on their trail comes the Reaper, most fearsome of all Demons, aiming to crush their mission at any cost.

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

About the Author

Terry Brooks has thrilled readers for decades with his powers of imagination and storytelling. He is the author of more than thirty books, most of which have been New York Times bestsellers. He lives with his wife, Judine, in the Pacific Northwest.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

The night sky brightened faintly in the east with the approach of dawn as the Chosen entered the
Gardens of Life. Without, the Elven city of Arborlon lay sleeping, its people still wrapped in the
warmth and solitude of their beds. But for the Chosen, the day had already begun. Their trailing
white robes billowing slightly with a rush of summer
wind, they passed between the sentries of the Black Watch, who stood
rigid and aloof as such sentries had stood for centuries gone before the
arched, wrought-iron gateway inlaid with silver scroll and ivory chips.
They passed quickly, and only their soft voices and the crunch of their
sandaled feet on the gravel pathway disturbed the silence of the new day
as they slipped into the pine-shadowed dark beyond.

The Chosen were the caretakers of the Ellcrys, the strange and wondrous
tree that stood at the center of the Gardens--the tree, as the legends
told, that served as protector against a primordial evil that had very
nearly destroyed the Elves centuries ago, an evil that had been shut
away from the earth since before the dawn of the old race of Men. In all
the time that had followed, there had been Chosen to care for the
Ellcrys. Theirs was a tradition handed down through generations of
Elves, a tradition of service that the Elves regarded as both a coveted
honor and a solemn duty.

Yet there was little evidence of solemnity in the procession that passed
through the Gardens this morning. Two hundred and thirty days of the
year of their service had gone by, and youthful spirits could no longer
be easily subdued. The first sense of awe at the responsibility given
them had long since passed, and the Chosen of the Elves were now just
six young men on their way to perform a task they had performed each day
since the time of their choosing, a task grown old and familiar--the
greeting of the tree at the first touch of sunrise.

Only Lauren, youngest of this year's Chosen, was silent. He lagged
a bit behind the others as they walked, taking no part in their idle
chatter. His red head was bent in concentration, and there was a deep
frown on his face. So wrapped up in his thoughts was he that he was not
aware when the noise ahead ceased, nor of the steps that fell back
beside him, until a hand touched his arm. Then his troubled face jerked
up abruptly to find Jase regarding him.

"What's the matter, Lauren? Are you sick?" Jase asked. Because
he was a few months older than the rest, Jase was the accepted leader of
the Chosen.

Lauren shook his head, but the frown did not leave his face entirely.
"I'm all right."

"Something is bothering you. You've been brooding all morning.
Come to think of it, you were rather quiet last night, too."
Jase's hand on his shoulder brought the younger Elf about to face
him. "Come on, out with it. Nobody expects you to serve if
youaO(TM)re not feeling well."

Lauren hesitated, then sighed and nodded, "All right. It's the
Ellcrys. Yesterday, at sunset, just before we left her, I thought I saw
some spotting on her leaves. It looked like wilt."

"Wilt? Are you sure? Nothing like that ever happens to the
Ellcrys--at least that's what wea've always been told," Jase
said doubtfully.

"I could have been mistaken," Lauren admitted. "It was getting
dark. I told myself then that it was probably just the way the shadows
lay on the leaves. But the more I try to remember how it looked, the
more I think it really was wilt."

There was a disconcerted muttering from the others, and one of them
spoke. "This is Amberle's fault. I said before that something
bad would come from having a girl picked as a Chosen."

"There were other girls among the Chosen, and nothing happened
because of it," Lauren protested. He had always liked Amberle. She had
been easy to talk to, even if she was King Eventine Elessedila's
granddaughter.

"Not for five hundred years, Lauren," the other said.

"All right, that's enough," Jase interrupted. "We agreed
not to talk about Amberle. You know that." He stood silently for a
moment, pondering what Lauren had said. Then he shrugged. "It would
be unfortunate if anything happened to the tree, especially while she
was under our care. But after all, nothing lasts forever."

Lauren was shocked. "But Jase, when the tree weakens, the Forbidding
will end and the Demons within will be freed . . ."

"Do you really believe those old stories, Lauren?" Jase laughed.

Lauren stared at the older Elf. "How can you be a Chosen and not
believe?"

"I don't remember being asked what I believed when I was chosen,
Lauren. Were you asked?"

Lauren shook his head. Candidates for the honor of being Chosen were
never asked anything. They were simply brought before the tree--young
Elves who had crossed over into manhood and womanhood in the prior year.
At the dawn of the new year, they gathered to pass beneath her limbs,
each pausing momentarily for acceptance. Those the tree touched upon the
shoulders became the new Chosen, to serve until the year was done.
Lauren could still remember the mix of ecstasy and pride he had felt at
the moment a slender branch had bent to touch him and he'd heard
her speak his name.

And he remembered, too, the astonishment of all when Amberle had been
called . . .

"It's just a tale to frighten children," Jase was saying.
"The real function of the Ellcrys is to serve as a reminder to the
Elven people that they, like her, survive despite all the changes that
have taken place in the history of the Four Lands. She is a symbol of
our people's strength, Lauren--nothing more."

He motioned for them all to resume their walk into the Gardens and
turned away. Lauren lapsed back into thought. The older Elf's
casual disregard for the legend of the tree disturbed him. Of course
Jase was from the city, and Lauren had observed that the people of
Arborlon seemed to take the old beliefs less seriously than did those of
the little northern village from which he came. But the story of the
Ellcrys and the Forbidding wasn't just a story--it was the
foundation of everything that was truly Elven, the most important event
in the history of his people.

It had all taken place long ago, before the birth of the new world.
There had been a great war between good and evilaO"a war that the Elves
had finally won by creating the Ellcrys and a Forbidding that had
banished the evil Demons into a timeless dark. And so long as the
Ellcrys was kept well, so long would the evil be locked from the land.

So long as the Ellcrys was kept well . . .

He shook his head doubtfully. Maybe the wilt was but a trick of his
imagination. Or a trick of the light. And if not, they would simply have
to find a cure. There was always a cure.

Moments later, he stood with the others before the tree. Hesitantly, he
looked up, then sighed in relief. It appeared as if the Ellcrys was
unchanged. Perfectly formed, her silver-white trunk arched skyward in a
symmetrically balanced network of tapered limbs clustered with broad,
five-cornered leaves that were blood-red in color. At her base, strips
of green moss grew in patchwork runners through the cracks and crevices
of the smooth-skinned bark, like emerald streams flowing down a mountain
hillside. There were no splits to mar the trunk's even lines, no
branches cracked or broken. So beautiful, he thought. He looked again,
but could see no signs of the sickness he had feared.

The others went to gather the tools they would use in the feeding and
grooming of the tree and in the general upkeep of the Gardens. But Jase
held Lauren back. "Would you like to greet her today, Lauren?" he
asked.

Lauren stammered his surprised thanks. Jase was giving up his turn for
the most special of tasks, obviously in an effort to cheer him.

He stepped forward under the spreading branches to lay his hands upon
the smooth-skinned trunk, the others gathering about a few paces back to
recite the morning greeting. He glanced upward expectantly, searching
for the first beam of sunlight that would fall upon her form.

Then abruptly he drew back. The leaves directly above him were dark with
patches of wilt. His heart fell. There was spotting elsewhere as well,
scattered throughout the tree. It was not a trick of light and shadow.
It was real.

He motioned frantically for Jase, then pointed as the other came
forward. As was their custom at this time, they did not speak, but Jase
gasped as he saw the extent of the damage already done. Slowly the two
walked around the tree, discovering spots everywhere, some barely
visible, others already darkening the leaves so badly that their
blood-red color seemed drained away.

Whatever his professed beliefs concerning the tree, Jase was badly
shaken, and his face reflected his dismay as he went back to confer in
whispers with the others. Lauren moved to join them, but Jase quickly
shook his head, motioning to the top of the tree, where the dawn's
light had almost reached the uppermost branches.

Lauren knew his duty and he turned back again to the tree. Whatever else
was to happen, the Chosen must greet the Ellcrys this day as they had
greeted her each day since the beginning of their Order.

He placed his hands gently on the silver bark and the words of greeting
were forming on his lips when a slender branch from the ancient tree
dipped slightly to brush his shoulder.

--Lauren--

The young Elf jumped at the sound of his name. But no one had spoken.
The sound had been in his mind, the voice little more than an image of
his own face.

It was the Ellcrys!

He caught his breath, twisting his head to glimpse briefly the branch
that rested on his shoulder before turning quickly back again. Confusion
swept through him. Only once before had she spoken to him--on the day
of his choosing. She had spoken his name then; she had spoken all their
names. It had been the last time. She had never spoken to any of them
after that. Never--except to Amberle, of course, and Amberle was no
longer one of them.

He looked hurriedly at the others. They were staring at him, curious as
to why he had stopped. Then the branch that rested upon his shoulder
slipped down to wrap about him loosely, and he flinched involuntarily
with its touch.

--Lauren. Call the Chosen to me--

The images appeared quickly and were gone. Hesitantly Lauren beckoned to
his comrades. They came forward, questions forming on their lips as they
stared upward at the silver-limbed tree. Branches lowered to clasp each,
and the voice of the Ellcrys whispered softly.

--Hear me. Remember what I tell you. Do not fail me--

A chill swept over them, and the Gardens of Life were shrouded in deep,
hollow silence, as if in all the world only they were alive. Images
filled their minds, flowing one after the other in rapid succession.
There was horror contained in those images. Had they been able, the
Chosen would have turned away, to flee and hide until the nightmare that
possessed them had passed and been forgotten. But the tree held them
fast, and the images continued to flow and the horror to mount, until
they felt they could stand no more.

Then at last it was finished, and the Ellcrys was silent once more, her
limbs lifting from their shoulders and stretching wide to catch the
warmth of the morning sun.

Lauren stood frozen, tears streaming down his cheeks. Shattered, the six
Chosen faced one another, and in each mind the truth whispered
soundlessly.

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.

From the Paperback edition.

From AudioFile

[Editor's note: The following is a combined review with THE SWORD OF SHANNARA and THE WISHSONG OF SHANNARA.] -- Actor Theodore Bikel brings a strong authority to this fantasy series involving the aftermath of the wars of the ancient evil, featuring gnomes, elves, warlocks, Druids, and many other typical fantasy objects, scenes and characters. The Sword can only be used by a true heir of Shannara; elfstones guard against evil; and so does the magic wishsong, which can make plants bloom or turn green to autumn gold. Bikel's deep, slow, precise voice transitions into characterizations as he performs the various parts effortlessly, and with consummate skill. D.R.W. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000FBFOEG
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Del Rey (October 10, 2000)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 10, 2000
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 7522 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 576 pages
Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1101965606

Best Sellers Rank: #51,766 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #403 in Fantasy Adventure Fiction
- #1,208 in Epic Fantasy (Kindle Store)
- #1,233 in Sword & Sorcery Fantasy eBooks

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Terry Brooks

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Terry Brooks is the New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty-five books, including the Genesis of Shannara novels Armageddon's Children and The Elves of Cintra; The Sword of Shannara; the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara trilogy: Ilse Witch, Antrax, and Morgawr; the High Druid of Shannara trilogy: Jarka Ruus, Tanequil, and Straken; the nonfiction book Sometimes the Magic Works: Lessons from a Writing Life; and the novel based upon the screenplay and story by George Lucas, Star Wars(R): Episode I The Phantom Menace.(tm) His novels Running with the Demon and A Knight of the Word were selected by the Rocky Mountain News as two of the best science fiction/fantasy novels of the twentieth century. The author was a practicing attorney for many years but now writes full-time. He lives with his wife, Judine, in the Pacific Northwest.

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Cam

Elfstones (of Shannara)

Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2013

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Okay, first review on Amazon. Let's do this.

First, a little background. Elfstones of Shannara is a 1982 fantasy novel written by Terry Brooks as a follow-up to his best-selling The Sword of Shannara. Now, I'll go ahead and say... I couldn't finish Sword. I plan to one day, but initially I found that there wasn't a hook to keep me reading Sword. But I had read several reviews telling how good Elfstones, and in his book Sometimes the Magic Just Works, Brooks jokingly lamented the fact that every says his second book is his best work. So I picked this one up, and I can tell you for certain, this is indeed something special.

The story is that the magical Ellcyrs tree is dying, and the barrier it is holding to keep the ancient Demons from the world of the mortal is dying. So, the mysterious Allanon sets out to find Wil Ohmsford, grandson of the first book's protagonist. He then tells Wil that his mission is to protect the elven girl Amberle, who is the last of the Chosen, the Ellcrys sworn protectors. All the while, the Elves of the city of Arborlon prepare to battle the ever-growing army of demons, led by one known only as Dagda Mor, and his associates the Changeling and the Reaper, the last of whom is hot on the trail of the two young travelers.

The story sounds like your typical fantasy fare, and it is, but it is made up for in several areas. First are the characters. I am of the firm belief that if you have a sort of generic story, but really good characters, then your audience will still be incredibly invested, and the characters here do that well. Wil is a great protagonist in that you get a very strong sense of obligation and honor from this guy. He doesn't really want this task to be placed on his shoulders, but he does it because he feels it is the right thing to do. Amberle REALLY doesn't want to do what has been placed on her shoulders, but she's still pretty likeable, and by the end, you understand her reasons for not wanting to. Prince Ander of the Elves, is really easy to sympathize with, since as second born, he has never had much to do with the kingdom, but now has a lot of his plate. And Allanon... is pretty much Obi-Wan or Gandalf, but he's still cool enough that you don't mind.

The second thing is the style of writing. Brooks is really good at describing an area or tone without going into too much detail; just enough that you get an idea, but can still have your own mental images. When he describes the appearances of the demons, just the most twisted and terrifying images occur in my head. The forests sound either approiately beautiful or gloomy.

An interesting thing to note is that the book switches to tell the story of Wil and Amberle's travels and the struggles of the Elven army against the Demons. And if I had to make one personal nitpick, it's that I don't find the army scenes as engaging as the relationship between the two young travelers. But that's me personally. The changes aren't too drastic, and aflow pretty well, so I feel they won't bother others that much.

Finally, I want to give a personal reason why I love this so much: it is the first book to get me weepy-eyed. Without spoiling anything, the ending of the book is bittersweet. AMAZINGLY bittersweet, in fact. Even though it ends on a happy note, it's not without sacrifice or consequence. Which given the stakes at hand makes sense. Also, this was the book that made me want to get into writing and made me realize my love of fantasy. So, even though this review is kind of all over the place, I'd say that if you have a similar love of fantasy, or just want a good book, this is one I would personally recommend.

8 people found this helpful

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Greenman

Review of The Elfstones of Shannara

Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2016

Verified Purchase

As I mentioned in my review of The Sword of Shannara, I decided to try some of these Terry Brooks books after seeing the MTV series. I was pleased to visit again with Allanon, Eventine and even old Flick.

I actually finished this books weeks ago but was reading another that was a real slog to get through. I'm back in my sci-fi fantasy world now and happy to be back.

I liked this book much more than The Sword. The characters of Wil Ohmsford and Amberle are much easier to connect to than the ones in The Sword. Throughout The Sword of Shannara, I was distracted by the obvious connection to The Lord of The Rings. This story, although in the same Shannara universe, is much different. The impending loss of the Ellcrys, the journey to Safehold in search of th e Bloodfire, is very compelling, even more so than the TV series. The character of the Dagda Mor is much more scary than on the series but the confrontation between him and Allanon was a bit disappointing in this book. That being said, the interaction between Will and Amberle and Eretria was very interesting. Not to be a spoiler but Cephelo died much too easily in this book.

The interaction between Ander and Arion and Eventine was much more involved in this book and I liked that that Ander became the better of the two. It is the characters in books that do it for me. We all want to read a book with a series of characters we can identify with accompanied by a great story. The Elfstones of Shannara does this well. You love the hero and you hate and fear the opposing characters. You have the ever present mystery figure of Allanon and the Terry Brooks constant Ohmsford family person in this series.

I really liked this book and I am not a big fan of these fantasies that revolve around swords, elves, demons and wizards. Mr Brooks has done a good job here...worth a look.

20 people found this helpful

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Not the same book

Good

Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2023

Good

Fantasy storytelling at very best!

Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2023

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I very much enjoyed both The Sword of Shannara and the Elfstones of Shannara. Terry Brooks is a wonderful writer with a very fertile and amazing imagination. With his excellent wordsmithing skills, Terry really brings intriguing characters in their many amazing adventures to life! I just wanted to keep reading late into the night, and often did so. I'll be back for more of Terry Brooks brand of fantasy for sure!

One person found this helpful

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Mr. Jared C. Serra

Far Superior in Every Way

Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2016

Verified Purchase

I only mildly liked The Sword of Shannara. I found it so derivative of Lord of the Rings that it was hard to keep interested. It took me a while to start this second book. I am sure happy I decided to give book two a shot. This was far superior in every way!

The two main characters are great. Both Wil and Amberle are a true delight. Another character that I didn't think I would love at the outset was Ander. Yet by the end he had won me over. All in all it is their personalities that kept this story going.

The plot is also very good. It is a journey novel. With every new interaction that the characters found themselves in was fun and exciting. Also the resolution was very gratifying. This is one journey worth taking.

A complaint that I have with Elfstones is the battle sequences can get a little boring. To often they just devolve into battle description.

I hope the rest of the books maintain this ones quality. Onto book 3!

2 people found this helpful

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Marine Girl

Brooks' second masterpiece

Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2021

Verified Purchase

I read Tolkien in college. Some might say the Sword of Shannara was an updated or modernized version of LOTR, and they would not be completely wrong. In Elfstones, however Brooks takes things in a new and exciting direction. A more menacing and universal threat, new and frightening villains, and an endless sense of despair that your favorite characters just aren't going to make it really had me turning the pages to the wee hours. The ending was climactic and a bit disturbing but in a good way. I'm onto his next book already and don't see me slowing down anytime soon. Love the series.

3 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

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Glen Battye

An excellent fantasy series.

Reviewed in Canada on January 20, 2024

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I love this series Great story.

Aditya

Good Book

Reviewed in India on June 18, 2020

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The book was amazing I'm watched the shannara chronicles first next I started reading shannara books, the book full of fantasy I like it,

M. W.

Eine spannende Reihe

Reviewed in Germany on November 19, 2018

Verified Purchase

Wer die Amazon Serie: Shannara Chronicles gesehen hat der wird diese Reihe lieben. Wobei ich empfehlen würde zuerst the first King of Shannara zu lesen, da dies den Auftakt für die Shannara Famiele darstellt um die es in dieser Serie geht.
Gut geschriebene Serie. Bin im Zweiten Band und finde den Schreibstil des Autors sehr angenehm zu lesen..Einziges Manko: Es ist so fesselnd oder umfassend wie die Besten dieses Genres: G.R.R. Martin, S. Erikson, J.R. Tolkien & A. Tchaikovsky

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Anneline

Excellent

Reviewed in France on July 30, 2016

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I loved this version...the book is nothing like the series and for me,much better than the series!!!Well worth reading the book....

One person found this helpful

Diana

One of the best books from the Shannara series, alongside The Sword of Shannara.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 13, 2016

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This is a second time I'm reading this book and it's still an amazing ride through adventures even for the second time round. Great characters and a captivating plot (even for a person with attention problems, which speaks volumes!). And I particularly like Terry Brooks' writing style, it doesn't have pages long descriptions of nature, doesn't have sex, and it's easy to read (as in, the sentences aren't cumbersome and full of old English words). There are also strong female characters that I, as a girl, can connect to. I very much appreciate the fact that the female characters don't get sexualised in Terry Brooks' books, - something that is found everywhere in media and books nowadays and is very off putting for me, personally. Thus far I found that Terry Brooks' books are the best fit for me, and The Elfstones of Shannara is one of my favourite books of his. This book is great for anyone who likes epic fantasy and due to the writing style is suitable for younger readers as well.

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The Elfstones of Shannara (The Sword of Shannara Book 2) Kindle Edition

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