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March 2, 2005
Terry Brooks' The Druid of Shannara
The second book in the Heritage of Shannara series was probably the one out of all four that I enjoyed the most. The Druid of Shannara really concentrates on Walker Boh's quest to find the Black Elfstone, a magical device of incredible power, that changes whoever uses it. It negates magic, but only by bringing the magic into the stone's bearer. Joining him is Quickening, an elemental, the creation and the daughter of the King of the Silver River, one of the few left living of the very earlist time in the Four Lands. Morgan Leah, the current bearer of the Sword of Leah also joins him, as well as an assassin, Pe Ell, whose appointed responsibility is to use his powerful knife, the Steihl to kill Quickening.
The characterization was phenominal. From the childish curiosity and ancient knowledge of Quickening, to the dark threads within the mind of Pe Ell. Most especially, I enjoyed the internal struggle that confronts Walker Boh, dealing with the loss of his arm as well as his aversion to Druids and everything they stand for, despite the fact that his destiny is to restore the Druid's Keep, Paranor, and become one of them.
Finally, I was fascinated with the stone city of Eldwist full of trap doors and hidden mechanics, and its denizen the Stone King, Uhl Belk, who had stolen the Black Elfstone and was becoming undone by it. Much of the book takes place in the stone streets and stone buildings of Eldwist, but the story does not get mired there.
You can by the book here: The Druid of Shannara (Heritage of Shannara (Paperback))
Posted by Bastique at March 2, 2005 10:54 PM