Review by grogu_djarin - The Druid Of Shannara

grogu_djarin 's review for:

The Druid Of Shannara by Terry Brooks

4.0

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Overall Thoughts:
I found this to be far better than The Scions of Shannara and it probably is my favorite Shannara book so far. Where I felt The Scions of Shannara largely retreaded old ground, this book turns a new page and expands the world and its history in interesting ways. It does more character work than the other books combined and puts a lot of focus on characters' thoughts, motivations, and internal conflicts. The book is also a lot more focused narratively than The Scions of Shannara, with the bulk of the story focusing on Walker Boh and Morgan Leah, and only minimal shifts in perspective. While I do enjoy stories with multiple perspectives, the story is ultimately stronger for keeping it to a minimum, since it allows more time for the characters to shine and for their stories to be more engaging.

Likes:

I loved the ending and found it very satisfying. While the twist is a bit predictable, even hinted at, it still felt earned.
Walker Boh and Morgan Leah were my two favorite characters in The Scions of Shannara and I really enjoyed following both storylines in this book. They get a lot more character depth and development in this story. Both characters also complement aspects of the Hero's Journey, with Walker refusing the call and Morgan doubting himself but still accepting the call to action.
Pe Ell is a surprisingly complex anti-hero and he's well written. You know his motivations right from the beginning, but his internal conflict is so well handled I kept finding myself cheering for him.
There are some good supporting characters such as Horner Dees and Carisman. These characters actually get some backstory and development unlike supporting characters in prior Shannara books. Cogline also returns.
Quickening might be Brooks' best female character so far and she's vividly written. Her magic entrances others to follow her, and it's written in a way that makes you believe it. Even without her magic, she is a capable character showing great fortitude and intelligence, despite moments of innocence and vulnerability.
Unlike The Scions of Shannara, which mostly revisited locations from the first Shannara trilogy, most of the locations in this book are brand new which makes the adventure feel fresh.
This book starts to explore some of the pre-history of the Shannara world. There isn't much, but what is there does contribute to the unique worldbuilding of Shannara being a post-apocalyptic series.

Dislikes:

Roughly half the book takes place in Eldwist. It's an interesting location at first, with many dangers of its own, but continually reading about stone streets begins to feel a bit drab.
While this book is about Walker restoring the Druids and Paranor, it does feel like a bit of a diversion from the broader Shadowen arc as they largely sit out this story.

Other Notes:

Even though the description describes this as Walker's book, I'd say it's just as much Morgan Leah's. Both characters get plenty of focus and strong character arcs.
The other scions (Par, Wren, etc) both make brief appearances via perspective shifts to see what they're doing during this story, but don't expect any resolutions to their arcs.

Would Recommend To:

If you enjoyed the previous book, The Scions of Shannara, this book is even better. It's also a good read if you didn't fully enjoy The Scions of Shannara but liked the premise since this book is a much stronger entry.

Do Not Recommend To:

Anyone who hasn't read the previous book, The Scions of Shannara, as this is a direct sequel and continues that story.