From AudioFile
The seminal tale of Brooks's successful fantasy series, THE SWORD is a captivating listen aided in large part by Charles Keating. Keating could read the Oxford English Dictionary and make it sound compelling. Brooks's tale is well crafted and often gripping, as long as you don't mind the blatant Tolkien influence. Story line, characters, and the battle between good and evil are all similar, but the author's gift of clear writing and the reader's ample vocal gifts combine to create an audiobook you may want to keep in your library. The overly convenient ending is a bit boilerplate, but as a modern fairy story, SHANNARA works admirably. D.J.B. © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine


Book Description
Living in peaceful Shady Vale, Shea Ohmsford knew little of the troubles that plagued the rest of the world. Then the giant, forbidding Allanon revaled that the supposedly dead Warlock Lord was plotting to destory the world. The sole weapon against this Power of Darkness was the Sword of Shannara, which could only be used by a true heir of Shannara--Shea being the last of the bloodline, upon whom all hope rested. Soon a Skull Bearer, dread minion of Evil, flew into the Vale, seeking to destroy Shea. To save the Vale, Shea fled, drawing the Skull Bearer after him....



From the Inside Flap
Living in peaceful Shady Vale, Shea Ohmsford knew little of the troubles that plagued the rest of the world. Then the giant, forbidding Allanon revaled that the supposedly dead Warlock Lord was plotting to destory the world. The sole weapon against this Power of Darkness was the Sword of Shannara, which could only be used by a true heir of Shannara--Shea being the last of the bloodline, upon whom all hope rested. Soon a Skull Bearer, dread minion of Evil, flew into the Vale, seeking to destroy Shea. To save the Vale, Shea fled, drawing the Skull Bearer after him....

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Sword of Shannara is Book One of the beloved New York Times bestselling fantasy saga of the same name. The Sword of Shannara is the fetching tale of young Shea Ohmsford. Last in the Shannara bloodline, Shea is the only person who can possibly wield the Sword of Shannara, a powerful weapon that happens to be the last hope against the evil Warlock Lord who is plotting to destroy the world. The Shannara series continues for many enjoyable volumes.

--Andrew LeCount

ANNOTATION

Long ago, the wars of the ancient Evil had ruined the world and forced mankind to compete with many other races--gnomes, trolls, dwarfs, and elves. But in peaceful Shady Vale, half-elfin Shea Ohmsford knew little of such troubles. Then came the giant, forbidding Allanon, possessed of strange Druidic powers, to reveal that the Warlock Lord was plotting to destroy the world.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Living in peaceful Shady Vale, Shea Ohmsford knew little of the troubles that plagued the rest of the world. Then the giant, forbidding Allanon revaled that the supposedly dead Warlock Lord was plotting to destory the world. The sole weapon against this Power of Darkness was the Sword of Shannara, which could only be used by a true heir of Shannara—Shea being the last of the bloodline, upon whom all hope rested. Soon a Skull Bearer, dread minion of Evil, flew into the Vale, seeking to destroy Shea. To save the Vale, Shea fled, drawing the Skull Bearer after him....

SYNOPSIS

The sword of Shannara is the first volume of the classic series that has become one of the most popular fantasy tales of all time.

Long ago, the wars of the ancient Evil ruined the world. In peaceful Shady Vale, half-elfin Shea Ohmsford knows little of such troubles. But the supposedly dead Warlock Lord is plotting to destroy everything in his wake.

The sole weapon against this Power of Darkness is the Sword of Shannara, which can be used only by a true heir of Shannara. On Shea, last of the bloodline, rests the hope of all the races.

thus begins the enthralling Shannara epic, a spellbinding tale of adventure, magic and myth...

FROM THE CRITICS

AudioFile

[Editor's note: The following is a combined review with THE ELFSTONES 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

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