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Baitball Blogger

(46,715 posts) Tue Apr 9, 2019, 09:34 PM Apr 2019

Who read Terry Brook's Sword of Shannara?

It's a trilogy but only two of the books have been able to make it to television. They're shopping around for someone to take on the third book, but the longer it takes, the more unlikely it will happen.

So, in short, was the third book worth reading to learn what happens?

8 replies

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Highlight:

Who read Terry Brook's Sword of Shannara? (Original Post) Baitball Blogger Apr 2019 OP

I read them many, many years ago. Silver Gaia Apr 2019 #1

I saw quite a bit similarities with the Harry Potter Stories. Baitball Blogger Apr 2019 #2

The original Shannara series was actually the first high fantasy series Silver Gaia Apr 2019 #6

Do you know that DU has a fiction group? TexasProgresive Apr 2019 #3

I'll repost this in that group tomorrow morning. Baitball Blogger Apr 2019 #4

No, start reading the third book now. WheelWalker Apr 2019 #5

The book was fun and we still have it. akraven Apr 2019 #7

It's been a while since I read them Ron Obvious Apr 2019 #8

Silver Gaia

(4,544 posts)

1. I read them many, many years ago.

Reply to Baitball Blogger (Original post)

Tue Apr 9, 2019, 09:46 PM

Apr 2019

I would say yes. The books are MUCH better than the TV series, too. (I tried to watch it, but just couldn't do it.) There are many more books, too. The third one in the original trilogy ends this PART of the Shannara stories, but Brooks doesn't stop there. I hope that helps!

Baitball Blogger

(46,715 posts)

2. I saw quite a bit similarities with the Harry Potter Stories.

Reply to Silver Gaia (Reply #1)

Tue Apr 9, 2019, 09:52 PM

Apr 2019

Which, I suspect, is due to the fact that magic genres have several things in common. Similar gimmicks, but different story lines.

Silver Gaia

(4,544 posts)

6. The original Shannara series was actually the first high fantasy series

Reply to Baitball Blogger (Reply #2)

Tue Apr 9, 2019, 11:55 PM

Apr 2019

to be written following in the tradition of J.R.R. Tolkien. That's what Terry Brooks was aiming for. I still have a copy of the first Sword of Shannara paperback. The copyright date is 1977. So, it predates the Potter books (low fantasy) by 20 years, and is more closely related to Tolkien's work (both high fantasy), which predates it by 23 years.

As I said, the books are better than the TV show in that they are deeper, and more complex and sprawling. Which book did the series begin with? It isn't Sword, but further in. Right? I had forgotten that about the show. So, I don't know for sure which book or books you'd need to read. I'm just saying that if you enjoyed the show, you'd probably enjoy the book or books you'd need to read to finish the story.