Worlds of Magic, Might, and Fantasy:

Worlds of Magic, Might, and Fantasy: - Terry Brooks

(1944 - )

First published Novel: Sword of Shannara (1977)
Latest Work: The Wards of Faerie (2012 Release Date)

The First Books of Shannara

Terry Brooks is one of my all time favorite fantasy writers. In the late '70s or early '80s I picked up a book titled The Sword of Shannara, a sprawling tale of adventure, magic, and war. I avidly followed Shea and Flick as they were thrust into a mission, or quest, to save their world from dark forces.

Brooks continued to develop the World of Shannara with two more books, The Elfstones of Shannara and The Wishsong of Shannara, which recount the adventures of descendants of Shea Ohmsford.

Each of these three books were written as standalone titles, but were later bundled as the Original Shannara Trilogy.

The World of Shannara

The next chapters of Shannara came after a five year break (during which Brooks wrote the Landover series), and consisted of four books, The Scions of Shannara, The Druid of Shannara, The Elf Queen of Shannara, and The Talismans of Shannara, following a new generation of Ohmsford heroes.

The next installment First King of Shannara was a prequel, the story of Jerle Shannara and the forging of the Sword of Shannara.

The Word and the Void trilogy was released over the next three year period. This series initially appeared to be a separate storyline that takes place sometime in the near future of earth, mostly in Illinois.

With another leap into the Shannara future Brooks wrote the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara trilogy, chronicling another generation of Ohmsfords called on to save the world. This set of books also reveals more of the beginnings of the Shannara setting, with the remnants of a technological past coming to light as well as new technology evolving coexistant with magic.

Series By Terry Brooks

Shannara series

The Original Shannara Series

The Sword of Shannara (1977)
The Elfstones of Shannara (1982)
The Wishsong of Shannara (1985)
Indomitable (2003) (epilogue to Wishsong)
Dark Wraith of Shannara (2008) (Graphic Novel, epilogue to Wishsong)

The Heritage of Shannara tetralogy

The Scions of Shannara (1990)
The Druid of Shannara (1991)
The Elf Queen of Shannara (1992)
The Talismans of Shannara (1993)

Prequel to the Original Shannara Trilogy

First King of Shannara (1996)

The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara trilogy

Ilse Witch (2000)
Antrax (2001)
Morgawr (2002)

High Druid of Shannara trilogy

Jarka Ruus (2003)
Tanequil (2004)
Straken (2005)

Genesis of Shannara trilogy

Armageddon's Children (August, 2006)
The Elves of Cintra (August 28, 2007)
The Gypsy Morph (August 26, 2008)

Legends of Shannara duology

Bearers of the Black Staff (August 2010)
The Measure of the Magic (August 2011)