Wards of Faerie

The Dark Legacy of Shannara

By: Terry Brooks

Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor

Seven years after the conclusion of the High Druid of Shannara trilogy, New York Times best-selling author Terry Brooks at last revisits one of the most popular eras in the legendary epic fantasy series that has spellbound listeners for more than three decades.

When the world was young, and its name was Faerie, the power of magic ruled - and the Elfstones warded the race of Elves and their lands, keeping evil at bay. But when an Elven girl fell hopelessly in love with a Darkling boy of the Void, he carried away more than her heart.

Thousands of years later, tumultuous times are upon the world now known as the Four Lands. Users of magic are in conflict with proponents of science. Elves have distanced their society from the other races. The dwindling Druid order and its teachings are threatened with extinction. A sinister politician has used treachery and murder to rise as prime minister of the mighty Federation. Meanwhile, poring through a long-forgotten diary, the young Druid Aphenglow Elessedil has stumbled upon the secret account of an Elven girl's heartbreak and the shocking truth about the vanished Elfstones. But never has a little knowledge been so very dangerous - as Aphenglow quickly learns when she's set upon by assassins.

Yet there can be no turning back from the road to which fate has steered her. For whoever captures the Elfstones and their untold powers will surely hold the advantage in the devastating clash to come. But Aphenglow and her allies - Druids, Elves, and humans alike - remember the monstrous history of the Demon War, and they know that the Four Lands will never survive another reign of darkness. But whether they themselves can survive the attempt to stem that tide is another question entirely.

©2012 Terry Brooks (P)2012 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"[Terry Brooks is] the most important fantasy writer since J.R.R. Tolkien." ( Rocky Mountain News)

Very Good!

What made the experience of listening to Wards of Faerie the most enjoyable?

The story is classic Brooks and left me wanting more. I especially enjoyed the narrator and hope she does more. Her ability to slip into different voices for different characters helped bring the story to life.

What did you like best about this story?

I am a fan of Terry Brooks and have read everything he has written for publication. This story has believeable characters that I came to care about and want to know more about. I'm anxious for the sequel.

Have you listened to any of Rosalyn Landor’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This the first time that I've heard her narrate a book.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes.

I miss Scott Brick's narration

Odd comment, but...There seems to be a variety of readers for this series. It's interesting how the pronunciation changes of places and people. I suppose this narrator was selected since the story's main character is female. I drive 2 hours a day to work, so I am grateful for this series. Wards of Faerie failed to entice me at first, I didn't think I'd like this one, but it worked it's way through and wound up being a good choice. I do wish my favorite characters would stop being picked off in this book and his other. :)

Great story but...

If you could sum up Wards of Faerie in three words, what would they be?

The story is great but the heavy British accent takes a little getting use to, but not a negative. The drop in stars has to do with flaws in story I found but won't share to save the entertainment for others.

What other book might you compare Wards of Faerie to and why?

Anything terry brooks is a greatread

What three words best describe Rosalyn Landor’s voice?

British easy clear

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No

Any additional comments?

Definitely worth your time.

Great story but seemed like just the first half

Would you try another book from Terry Brooks and/or Rosalyn Landor?

Yes

Any additional comments?

Great story but seemed like just the first half of one book, looking forward to listening to the 2nd in the series.

I have been listening from the beginning the word and the void

One question and I do realize this is not the place to do this but (why can’t there be more than one reader for example (one woman and man) because listening to a woman try to imitate a mans voice or a man imitating an woman’s voice some times it just sounds awful. I will update when finished including my rating.

Such a great story and performance!

It’s been awhile since I’ve delved into Mr. Brooks’ work. I was not disappointed at the conclusion of this book!

Mishmash, but entertaining

What did you like best about Wards of Faerie? What did you like least?

Best:

1. The author's depiction of a non gender-biased society, people are valued for their skills and not their gender. Inherent sexism is given no space in this book.

2. Dialogue, when it's developed. In fact, the dialogue, when it heralded originality, i.e. wasn't overtly borrowing from other authors, was the very best part.

3. Direct connections between the fallibility of the character's judgements and the outcomes of their futures. Everyone makes errors in judgement. As a reader, this allowed me to better identify with the character development. Killing off characters due to their own ego indulgence or faulty judgement was strangely validating, especially in comparison to other stories that refuse to allow characters to experience the consequences of faulty/immoral decisions.

Least:

1. Liberal borrowing of concepts/passages from other book series was thinly veiled: e.g. The Hobbit... Blend of faerie species on quest to dark land, led by powerful magic person, to recover stolen powerful magic treasure that will save the land; Star Trek/Dune/Harry Potter...think Volcan mind meld ala BeniJeserat mind probe ala Dumbledor memory threads; Star Wars... undisciplined, young son(s) with extraordinary skills and passion for flying machines, desperate to assist widowed mother, possessing special magical skills -wishsong aka "the Force"; King Killer Chronicles... Tempi warrior; Clan of the Cave Bear..."the Mogur used to have a name, long since forgotten, now he is just called The Mogur" and in this story, "the Speakman used to have a name, long since forgotten, now he is just called the Speakman;" Darkover... forbidden crystals that power flying machines skimming over the land (also StarTrek dilithium crystals, and more), Harry Potter/Darkover... Order of magic, prejudice against species and attempt to annihilate/genocide, etc., etc, etc,...

2. Rush to character development: too much telling/description, too little showing/dialogue. As a reader, it's always more enriching for me to assess the characters through dialogue so I can draw my own conclusions, rather than be told what to think about the character, especially without supporting evidence.

3. The chaotic, undeveloped entrance of myriad new characters. Plot twists and complexity are one thing, ADD plot twists are another.

4. Abruptness. Everywhere.

Would you ever listen to anything by Terry Brooks again?

Yes. Despite the liberal borrowing, there was enough reconfiguration of used ideas and sprinkles of originality that I feel the need to finish the series.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No. I've seen all those movies. Give me something entirely new.

Any additional comments?

The narrator's vocal abilities were fun. Nice job.

Great read/listen

Where does Wards of Faerie rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Terry brooks is my favorite author and I can not pick just one. I love all the Shannara books.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I love how they all play off each other.Just when I start to like one the story shifts and I find another!

Have you listened to any of Rosalyn Landor’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It ended too soon!

narrator was just awful

narrator was just awful and the story was slow and just not what I was expecting from Terry Brooks

I wish I got it.

I've been working in bookshops nearly all my life, and Terry Brooks is one of those pillars of fantasy sections- a mental bookmark that helps you reshelve as you alphabetize, anything after 'br' can go past the huge colourblocked swathe he takes up on the shelf. I sort of mentally had him categorized in with Robert Jordan or Anne McCaffrey, so when I finally picked up Wards of Faerie I was surprised how little it stirred a chord in me.

It felt... adequate. Derivative of JRR Tolkein in such a serious way that it never really sparked my imagination. I've been told that the sequels get better about that, and turn into their own thing, but it doesn't come through in this book. I wish I loved it, because Brooks is pretty prolific, but for me this one was a non-starter. I finished the book but I won't pick up the next one in the series- but if you liked Mercedes Lackey or LE Modessit, Piers Anthony or anyone in that kind of big pulpy fantasy era it might be worth a go!