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A year had passed since Ben Holiday bought the Magic Kingdom from the Wizard Meeks, only to find his road to the crown filled with pitfalls and hazards. Then one night, Ben woke to find Meeks had cast a spell to assume Ben's appearance. Ben soon found himself an outcast, unrecognized by any friend.
The most rewarding aspect to writing for Brooks is “when someone who never read a book reads [one of mine] and says that the experience changed everything and got them reading.” Because of his very engaging, quick-flowing writing style, countless numbers of young people have been introduced to the wonderful world of reading through Brooks’s adventures. The miraculous thing, however, is that these same fans – whether they’re now 20, 30, or 40 years old – still devour each new release like a starving man would a steak dinner. Credit Brooks’s boundless imagination, endearing characters, fresh storylines and underlying complexities for keeping his older, more discerning audience hooked.
Brooks began writing when he was just ten years old, but he did not discover fantasy until much later. As a high school student he jumped from writing science fiction to westerns to adventure to nonfiction, unable to settle on one form. That changed when, at the age of 21, Brooks was introduced to J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien provided Brooks with a forum “that would allow him to release onto paper his own ideas about life, love, and the wonder that fills his world," according to his web site.
In 1977, after six trying years, Brooks published novel his first novel, The Sword of Shannara. And quickly it gave him – and his publisher (the newly created Ballantine imprint, Del Rey) – quite a thrill; the fantasy adventure featuring the young Halfling, Shea Ohmsford; the mysterious wizard Allanon; Flick, the trusty companion; and the demonic Warlock Lord, was not only well received -- it was a smash, spending over five months on The New York Times bestseller list. In 1982 Brooks released the follow-up, The Elfstones of Shannara (which Brooks says may be his favorite), to equal success. He closed out the initial trilogy in 1985 with The Wishsong of Shannara, and has since completed two more Shannara sets, The Heritage of Shannara books and the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara books.
As fans of Brooks know, the man doesn’t like to stay put. “I lived in Illinois for the first 42 years of my life, and I told myself when I left in 1986 that I would never live any one place again,” Brooks said. He now spends his time between his homes in Seattle and Hawaii; he and his wife also spend a great deal of time on the road each year connecting with the fans. These same nomadic tendencies are also apparent in his writing. Instead of staying comfortably within his proven, bestselling Shannara series, Terry frequently takes chances, steps outside, and tries something new. His marvelous Landover and Word & Void series are the results. While both are vastly different from Shannara, they are equally compelling. Word & Void – a contemporary, dark urban fantasy series set in a fantasy-touched Illinois – is quite possibly Brooks’s most acclaimed series. The Rocky Mountain News called the series’ first two books (Running with the Demon and The Knight of the Word “two of the finest science fiction/fantasy novels of the 20th century.”
The Sword of Shannara was also the first work of fiction to ever hit The New York Times trade paperback bestseller list. Thanks to a faithful and growing fan base, the books continue to reach the list.
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace was not Terry's first novelization. He also novelized Steven Spielberg's 1991 movie, Hook.
Brooks’s The Phantom Menace novelization is also not his only connection to George Lucas. Both The Sword of Shannara and the original Star Wars novel, A New Hope, were edited by Judy Lynn del Rey and published in the same year (1977) to blockbuster success.
The Sword of Shannara was initially turned down by DAW Books. Instead, DAW sent Terry to Lester del Rey, who recognized Terry’s blockbuster potential and bought it. And the rest, they say, is history.
Brooks’s influences include: J.R.R. Tolkien, Alexander Dumas, James Fenimore Cooper, Sir Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and Mallory's Morte d'Arthur.
Lovestoread40
Posted December 13, 2011
I like this series - the only problem is the author spends a lot of time explaining things as if you had never read the first book. It's just a little distracting - I don't need a full refresher on who everyone was in the first book, I just finished it a few nights ago. Otherwise I am looking forward to reading the rest of this series. I like the idea of buying a "magic kingdom" from a Neiman-Marcus style Christmas catalog.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed the book many years ago in print. I enjoyed the whole series in print as well. The first in this series had a few typos, easily dismissed. The second book in the series took me out of the immersion a good book normally had and drove me to distraction. Whoever at Random House proofed this ebook should be dismissed, or broken back to the proofing kiddie books.
I don't plan to read any more of this series in ebook form.
As the black unicorn emerges from the mists, their dreams are turned into premonitions. Ben is called to return to Chicago, Questor goes in search of the lost books of magic, and Willow quests for a magical golden bridle. They are all aware of the dangers and traps that could be waiting for them, but that isn't enough to make them ignore their dreams and keep them from leaving the safety of Sterling Silver.
Ben suspects Meeks, the former court wizard and half-brother of Questor, is the manipulator behind these premonition like dreams. What is Meeks up to, and what could Meeks' plan achieve?
It's not exactly like his dream, but Questor is ultimately able to retrieve the missing books of magic, and get back to Sterling Silver with them. According to Landover's history, the fairy folk sent out unicorns to the other worlds to keep the magic alive. However, the white unicorns turned up missing, never making it through the mists and out of Landover. There are pictures of them in one of the two missing books of magic. What could that mean?
With the dreadful feeling that Meeks is near, and with the warning of the rune stone burning red hot in his pocket, Meeks piggy-backs onto Ben without his knowledge, in order to enter Landover. Meeks manipulates Ben in giving him the medallion of the King of Landover. He has also been able to gain possession of the missing books of magic too! Now, he only needs.what, for what purpose? Could it have something to do with Willow's dream and the black unicorn?
Ben finds that he is disguised by his own magic, not by Meeks', and the magic in Landover is dying. He must find a way to get his medallion back, but Meeks has conjured a demon to chase and kill him. He also has a pressing need to warn Willow, so she doesn't return to Sterling Silver with the magical golden bridle and mistakenly give it to Meeks.
Ben will meet an odd and possibly dangerous new character, the prism cat, which does and doesn't answer his questions. He is quite frustrating and puzzling. He'll also meet the Earth Mother, another creature of fairy, that will ask him to make a promise to her regarding Willow. When Ben learns from the two G'home Gnomes that Strabo and Nightshade have been stealing the gold bridle from one another, he'll see that Nightshade has returned from the mists alive and she is seeking revenge, when he attempts to steal it from her.
Everything will come to a chaotic boil when Meeks and his pet demon, Questor and Abernathy, Willow and the black unicorn, and the disguised Ben all meet at Mirwouk. Willow must figure out who is the real Ben and the true king of Landover. With the powerful aid of the prism cat battling Meeks, will Ben run out of time before he is able to undo the magic that has glamoured him, and will Willow be able to help the black unicorn before Meeks gets his talon-like hands on the magic golden bridle that will harness the black unicorn and its power?
As the black unicorn emerges from the mists, their dreams are turned into premonitions. Ben is called to return to Chicago, Questor goes in search of the lost books of magic, and Willow quests for a magical golden bridle. They are all aware of the dangers and traps that could be waiting for them, but that isn't enough to make them ignore their dreams and keep them from leaving the safety of Sterling Silver.
Ben suspects Meeks, the former court wizard and half-brother of Questor, is the manipulator behind these premonition like dreams. What is Meeks up to, and what could Meeks' plan achieve?
It's not exactly like his dream, but Questor is ultimately able to retrieve the missing books of magic, and get back to Sterling Silver with them. According to Landover's history, the fairy folk sent out unicorns to the other worlds to keep the magic alive. However, the white unicorns turned up missing, never making it through the mists and out of Landover. There are pictures of them in one of the two missing books of magic. What could that mean?
With the dreadful feeling that Meeks is near, and with the warning of the rune stone burning red hot in his pocket, Meeks piggy-backs onto Ben without his knowledge, in order to enter Landover. Meeks manipulates Ben in giving him the medallion of the King of Landover. He has also been able to gain possession of the missing books of magic too! Now, he only needs.what, for what purpose? Could it have something to do with Willow's dream and the black unicorn?
Ben finds that he is disguised by his own magic, not by Meeks', and the magic in Landover is dying. He must find a way to get his medallion back, but Meeks has conjured a demon to chase and kill him. He also has a pressing need to warn Willow, so she doesn't return to Sterling Silver with the magical golden bridle and mistakenly give it to Meeks.
Ben will meet an odd and possibly dangerous new character, the prism cat, which does and doesn't answer his questions. He is quite frustrating and puzzling. He'll also meet the Earth Mother, another creature of fairy, that will ask him to make a promise to her regarding Willow. When Ben learns from the two G'home Gnomes that Strabo and Nightshade have been stealing the gold bridle from one another, he'll see that Nightshade has returned from the mists alive and she is seeking revenge, when he attempts to steal it from her.
Everything will come to a chaotic boil when Meeks and his pet demon, Questor and Abernathy, Willow and the black unicorn, and the disguised Ben all meet at Mirwouk. Willow must figure out who is the real Ben and the true king of Landover. With the powerful aid of the prism cat battling Meeks, will Ben run out of time before he is able to undo the magic that has glamoured him, and will Willow be able to help the black unicorn before Meeks gets his talon-like hands on the magic golden bridle that will harness the black unicorn and its power?
mdchlanda
Posted October 21, 2009
I Also Recommend:
Let me preface my remarks by saying this is for an out of print audio cassette. (They [Amazon] don't have a listing for this format). This is a tale of good v. evil, with Ben Ben Holiday, and a host of odd creatures, seeking to find the Black Unicorn, and to destroy the books of magic. As part of the Kingdom of Landover series, by Terry Brooks, it creates a magical world; where the final battle between Ben, and Qwestor Thews, one of the two wizards, and half brothers, battle over the destruction of the magic books. Also, there are a talking dog, a fairy like creature, who Ben loves, and a talking cat. Mr. Brooks has created a whimsical, but fine story. The audio cassette, out of print, is well read by Mr. Dick Hill; whose ability to create various voices, and express a wide range of emotions, speaks to his credit as a reader. Fine story.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted August 30, 2004
I liked the first and third better. I liked this one better than tangle box, because I felt sorry for Horris Kew in the end.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 30, 2001
I loved this book. I just finished it awhile ago. The thing that I loved the most about this book was the plot. It was so straight-foward, but you still were integed by what the characters were doing. The only problem that I had with this book was that it tended to be a little bit predictable. I mean, I was not surprised by the ending. I still rate the book very highly and I want to tell you, read it. It is great! You'll love it!!
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Overview
A year had passed since Ben Holiday bought the Magic Kingdon from the wizard, Meeks. But unbeknownst to him, he has been the victim of a trap by Meeks, who has succeeded in stealing the Paladin and appropriating his face. Suddenly none of Ben's friends know him, but all of his enemies do. He must win it all back again--only this time on his own!From the Paperback edition.
A year had passed since Ben Holiday bought the Magic Kingdom from the Wizard Meeks, only to find his road to the crown filled with pitfalls and hazards. Then one night, Ben woke to find Meeks...