5 comments about The Black Unicorn (Landover).

1. The book itself is wonderful. However, the Kindle version is clearly an unedited OCR scan of a paper copy - it often reads a capital I as a 1, a double lower case L as an N, adds/misses spaces, etc. A simple spell check would have caught the problems, and some minor effort would have fixed them. As is, the errors make reading the Kindle version of this book an exercise in irritation. Not the quality of product I would expect from Amazon on something targeted at one of their flagship products.



2. the publisher needs to proofread the kindle version of this book. it looks like it was written on a newton.



3. i realy enjoyed the black unicorn. its great fun you dont have to be a child to appreciate this book. if you are a fantasy lover and havent read this book,do so at once



4. The Black Unicorn (1987) is the second fantasy novel in the Magic Kingdom of Landover series, following Magic Kingdom for Sale - Sold. In the previous volume, Ben and his friends faced the demons in a fight to the death. Ben called the Paladin and defeated the Iron Mark. Then he took pledges of fealty from his Lords and others.
   
   In this novel, Ben Holiday is a founding partner of a rich and well-known law firm. Then he buys the Magic Kingdom of Landover and leaves his friend Miles Bennett in sole charge of the firm. Ben spends the next year restoring the kingdom.
   
   Willow is a sylph, the daughter of the River Master and a wood nymph. She is now Ben's lover. But Ben still cannot overcome his residual feelings for Annie, his deceased wife.
   
   Questor Thews is the court wizard of Landover. He is the half-brother of the former court wizard, now known as Meeks. Questor is getting better at wizardry, but still has many misapplications of his magic.
   
   Abernathy is the court scribe. He is also a talking dog. He had once been a human, but had been transformed by Questor. Then the wizard had not been able to restore his human form.
   
   Bunion and Parsnip are kobolds. Both are retainers of the kingdom. Bunion is the court runner and Parsnip is the cook.
   
   In this story, Ben, Questor and Willow have dreams. When they discuss them at breakfast, there seems to have been an urgency to each dream. Despite warnings from Abernathy, all three set out to follow the dreams.
   
   In Ben's dream, Miles is having some difficulty. So Ben returns to Chicago to check. He encounters visions of Meeks twice during his visit, once at the end of the time tunnel and once outside the elevator on the fifteenth floor near the offices of his law firm. Miles tells him that his fears are unfounded and Ben hurries back to Landover.
   
   In Questor's dream, the hiding place of the lost magic books is revealed. So Questor and Bunion travel to the ruined fortress of Mirwouk. There they find the lost books and return to the castle.
   
   In Willow's dream, a black unicorn appears in Landover. So Willow and Parsnip search for the unicorn.
   
   Ben returns first to Sterling Silver. Shortly thereafter, Questor arrives and shows the magic books to Ben. Then Ben goes back to bed, but has a strange encounter in the night.
   
   Suddenly Meeks appears before him. This time he is not an illusion, but the real wizard. He paralyzes Ben with magic and them replaces his clothes with those of a common man. When Ben tries to use his Paladin medallion, he finds it changed to an image of Meeks. And Meeks has the Paladin medallion.
   
   Somehow Ben no longer looks like himself to others and Meeks looks like Ben. Ben tells his friends that he is the High Lord, but they deny him and have him ejected from the castle. After stewing a while, Ben realizes that Willow will bring the Black Unicorn to Meeks in his guise as the High Lord, so he heads south to intercept her.
   
   After he stops for the night, a cat appears in the clearing. It tells Ben that it is named Edgewood Dirk and that it is a prism cat. After it transforms itself to start a campfire, Ben accepts that it is from fairy.
   
   Ben soon discovers that it may talk and shoot flame, but it is still a cat. It refuses to answer his questions, but decides to accompany Ben as a guide. Ben wants to strangle it on several occasions.
   
   This tale forces Ben to face some of his buried fears and other emotions. Dirk keeps telling him about self-deception, but Ben doesn't understand. Finally, Dirk leaves him on his own.
   
   The story brings out the history of unicorns within Landover. Black unicorns have been seen before and are believed to be demons. Everyone knows that it is dangerous to touch a unicorn.
   
   The story of Landover continues with Wizard at Large. Read and enjoy!
   
   Highly recommended for Brooks fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of magic kingdoms, desperate quests, and true romance.
   
   -Arthur W. Jordin



5. Let me preface my remarks by saying this is for an out of print audio cassette. (They [Amazon] don't have a listing for this format). This is a tale of good v. evil, with Ben Holiday, and a host of odd creatures, seeking to find the Black Unicorn, and to destroy the books of magic. As part of the Kingdom of Landover series, by Terry Brooks, it creates a magical world; where the final battle between Ben, and Questor Thews, one of the two wizards, and half brothers, battle over the destruction of the magic books. Also, there are a talking dog, a fairy like creature, who Ben loves, and a talking cat. Mr. Brooks has created a whimsical, but fine story. The audio cassette, out of print, is well read by Mr. Dick Hill; whose ability to create various voices, and express a wide range of emotions, speaks to his credit as a reader. Fine story.

5 comments about Star Wars, Episode I - The Phantom Menace.

1. Although it isn't going to set yor pants on fire, the novelization of The Phantom Menace is actually quite a good book. One of the reasons why many people disliked the film version of The Phantom Menace is because the film didn't focus on its main character, Anakin Skywalker, who would one day become the future Lord of the Sith, Darth Vader. In the book, however, the story homes in on Anakin, and explores his life as a slave, laying down the narrative foundation for us to understand why Anakin becomes the man he does.
   
   Several key scenes which didn't make it into the film such as Anakin's fight with the Rhodian Greedo establishes Anakin's hidden and unpredictable fury. Also, where the film fails to explain how or where Anakin learns to fly, the book explains such matters in detail.
   
   I would recommend The Phantom Menace to all Star Wars fans simply becuase it fills in the gaps of narrative information that we don't get in the film, much of which I might add is actually information that George Lucas couldn't squeeze into the film due to its truncated running time and haphazard storytelling. There is some obscure Sith-lore to be found in this book that will peek the interest of Star Wars fans. Terry Brooks deserves props for taking many of the more pedestrian scenes in the film and giving them meaning in the book. As expected, the final lightsaber duel between Qui-gonn Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Darth Maul is quite thrilling.
   
   There are a few books (sci-fi and fantasy) that deal with the timeless tale of a young boy growing up to become a deadly agent of evil. But of them all, The Phantom Menace is in a class by itself in telling the tale of the childhood of the most infamous villian in all of science-fiction.



2. This novel is written well enough, and giving Terry Brooks credit for his talent (he is author of the best selling Sword of Shanara series) I have to say that he did a good job with the material he was given. The Phantom Menace is a bode of contention with many and as a film and book, it seemed very scattered in its layout. The film aside, the screenplay on which the novel is based seemed to want to cover a lot of ground but lacked the cohesive-ness of the original trilogy. There is one scene that does stand out and unfortunately it never made its way into the film, in which Anakin Skywalker keeps watch over a Tusken Raider child that has been trapped out in the desert. He tried to free the child but when he can't he stays all night with it to make sure nothing comes to harm it. He wakes in the morning to find himself surrounded by the child's clan and they silently acknowledge his act of selflessness and leave. This scene would have greatly enhanced Anakin's character in the film and would have been echoed beautifully in Episode II when his mother is killed by the Tuskens. In true ironic fashion, this type of tragic element would have worked so well to further empathize viewers sympathy for the title character and it was simple to boot. But in digression, this is a must read novel for die hard Star Wars fans, but not really necessary for the casual fan.



3. I read this book mainly out of curiosity. Even though I'm one of those SW fans who were very disappointed by the film, I was delighted and intrigued by the novel. As only a novel can do, it gave us a glimpse into the story as no film would have been able to do. Also, many irritations in the film (i.e. Boss Nass, Anakin's accidental space victory, and of course Mr. Binks himself), are somehow much less irritating in the novel. This novel would prove a relentless page-turner to even a slow and impatient reader.
   
   In short, Terry Brooks did a great job.



4. I'm a huge Star Wars fan and never really had read one of the books that were adapted from the movie until this one. I remember reading the first time I did back when the movie had just came out and I can remember how I spent every second I could reading this book. If you're a star wars fan like me you'll definitely enjoy the book. I love this book as it makes the movie even better as the book goes into more detail of the story line and plot that you just felt like there was something missing there in the movie. The book is very well written by Terry Brooks the detail and the thoughtfulness that was put into this book is just amazing! I love to read this over and over still!



5. There wasn't a whole lot more offered in the Novel besides another pod race and a bit more dialog. But, I found myself enjoying that little bit extra not contained in the movie.

5 comments about Wizard at Large (Landover).

1. Book arrived on time and was in very good shape. I would purchase again from Amazon.



2. I needed this book along with another to complete the series. Have read several times. Now going to next series.



3. I'm enjoying the Landover series, but the quality of the digitization hasn't been great. Still, the stories are definitely worth 4 stars. However, because the publisher has chosen to disable text to speech, the kindle book immediately loses significant value to me.
   
   Amazon should never have backed down on this feature. :(



4. In this sequel to The Black Unicorn, Questor Thews' latest attempt to break the spell on Abernathy succeeds in sending him to Earth with Ben's medallion! To make matters worse, Abernathy was swapped for a bottle containing an evil imp, one with the power to cause great trouble in Landover. Now it is up to Ben and Willow to retrieve Abernathy and the medallion from Earth, and for Questor Thews to limit the bottle's damage. But, it soon appears that neither side will find their tasks easy.
   
   This is another great book, from a really fun series of fantasy books. I didn't expect a lot out of the Landover books, the premise sounded a little immature to me. But, I nonetheless found these to be a fun series of books with interesting characters and suspenseful stories. I really enjoyed this book, Book #3 in the series, and do not hesitate to recommend it, and the rest of the series to everyone!



5. Wizard at Large (1988) is the third fantasy novel in the Magic Kingdom of Landover series, following The Black Unicorn. In the previous volume, Ben finally found the Black Unicorn. Willow was with the creature and Meeks was threatening them. Questor managed to do some credible magic and the evil wizard vanished in a bright light.
   
   In this novel, Ben Holiday is a founding partner of a rich and well-known law firm. Then he buys the Magic Kingdom of Landover and leaves his friend Miles Bennett in sole charge of the firm. Ben spends the next year restoring the kingdom.
   
   Willow is a sylph, the daughter of the River Master and a wood nymph. She is now Ben's lover. But Ben still cannot overcome his residual feelings for Annie, his deceased wife.
   
   Questor Thews is the court wizard of Landover. He is the half-brother of the former court wizard, now known as Meeks. Questor is getting better at wizardry, but still has many misapplications of his magic.
   
   Abernathy is the court scribe. He is also a talking dog. He had once been a human, but had been transformed by Questor. Then the wizard had not been able to restore his human form.
   
   Bunion and Parsnip are kobolds. Both are retainers of the kingdom. Bunion is the court runner and Parsnip is the cook.
   
   Fillip and Sot are G'home Gnomes. They are short mole-like creatures who burrow into the ground for shelter and thus are always dirty. They are fearful, talk incessantly and like the taste of household pets. These two were the first to pledge their fealty to Ben after arriving in Landover.
   
   Michel Ard Rhi is the former prince of Landover. He was tutored by the court wizard Meeks from an early age and soon developed a mean streak. After the old king died, Michel and Meeks migrated to Ben's world and fleeced buyers by selling the Magic Kingdom.
   
   In this story, Questor has found a way to transform Abernathy back to his human form, but he needs the Paladin medallion to use as a catalyst. Since Questor's magical efforts usually fail in part or completely, Abernathy is not certain that such effort would be beneficial.
   
   Despite his objections, it is obvious that Abernathy wants to regain his human form. Ben reluctantly agrees to the effort and hands the medallion to Abernathy. On the first try, Questor changes Abernathy into a full dog, without speech or hand-like paws.
   
   Embarrassed, Questor tries again and successfully returns Abernathy to his dog-like form and pushes for a full transformation into a human. But then he sneezes and Abernathy disappears. A bottle with dancing harlequins appears in his stead.
   
   Questor believes that he has exchanged Abernathy for the bottle. And he is certain that he has seen the bottle previously, but is unsure of where and when. Later he realizes that the bottle contains a Darkling, a form of demon that does dark magic for the holder of the bottle.
   
   Meanwhile, Abernathy finds himself crowded into a display case. After a while, a young girl comes into the room and soon discovers him within the case. Elizabeth lets him out and takes him to her room. Unluckily, two guards see Abernathy with her and report the news to Michel Ard Rhi, the master of the castle.
   
   Abernathy is caged in the dungeon of the castle -- which had been brought stone by stone to Washington state -- and left with only dry dog food to eat while he considers giving the Paladin medallion to Michel. But Elizabeth sneaks down a hidden stairway and brings Abernathy some real food and plots his escape from the castle.
   
   This tale leaves Ben without the medallion and missing his friend Abernathy. Fillip and Sot take the bottle and hurry toward home. Soon Ben discovers its loss and starts looking for the G'home Gnomes, taking Willow, Questor and the two kobolds.
   
   The Darkling raises havoc within Landover, passing from one holder to another and whispering dark thoughts into their ears. The next volume is The Tangle Box. Read and enjoy!
   
   Highly recommended for Brooks fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of court wizards, magical quests, and true romance. For those who have not previous read this series, the initial book is Magic Kingdom for Sale - Sold.
   
   -Arthur W. Jordin

5 comments about Magic Kingdom for Sale - Sold! (Landover).

1. With the death of his wife, all of the magic went out of Ben Holiday's world. And as such, when a Christmas catalog arrived at his door offering a magic kingdom for sale, he ignored his friend's advice, and bought it. However, there is more to the kingdom of Landover than Ben originally thought, and its problems are far more profound. Before he knows it, Ben finds himself on a quest to rebuild the kingship, and find out why the magic of Landover seems to be dying. It's going to take all of his luck and ability to succeed in his question, and even all of that just to stay alive!
   
   This is a great book, the first in a really fun series of fantasy books. I didn't expect a lot out of the Landover books, the premise sounded a little immature to me. But, I nonetheless found these to be a fun series of books with interesting characters and suspenseful stories. I really enjoyed this book, and do not hesitate to recommend it, and the rest of the series to everyone!



2. I remember reading the Shannara series when it first came out in the late 70's and early 80's (when I was still a teen and early 20's) and thought it was pretty cool. I think this is my first return to Terry Brooks since that time. I was disappointed in this series. I've been through the first two books so far and I'm not really taken with it. As a comparison, the Harry Potter series has a much larger plot arc, more sophistication and yet still manages to function at an enjoyable level for a 10-12 year old.
   
   Pros: Clean, your 12 year old can read this. Good premise, good starting idea for a series. Short and clear cut, problem and solution-not a huge plot that goes on forever.
   
   Cons: Short-not a great plot arc throughout the series. The characters are inconsistent. The hero is brilliant, yet inconceivably dumb when it fits the plot. The characters take improbable actions based on their previous experiences in the book. The twists in the plot are more like slight bends.
   
   Best reason to read this book: You like fantasy and want something with a clear cut plot that doesn't swerve from expectations....just like the stories you used to read when you were 12.



3. Since it is the first book in its series Magic Kingdom is a little dull. It spends most of the time introducing characters, locations and rules of the world. All these details are loosely hung together on a basic plot that never becomes more than what it appears at the start.



4. I had heard Terry Brooks was an excellent writer. I did not find that to be the case with this book. The story itself was somewhat interesting; the writing, however, was sorely lacking. Brooks used the same predictable vocabulary throughout. He seems to have a particular fondness for the word "trailer," which made me want to spork my eyes out.



5. I pretty much read any fantasy I could get my hands on when this book came out in the late 80's, but never picked this title up for some reason. I did read Sword of Shannara back then however. Read everything from the Conan series, to LOTR (multiple times), Piers Anthony (gah! I don't even LIKE puns!), Dragonlance, etc et al.
   
   Just now reading this as a 30 something, and it's truly forgettable if not downright bad. Definitely fantasy pulp, which was fine when I was 13, but don't have as much patience/tolerance for poor writing these days.
   
   The concept is pretty good, to be fair. So points for originality here, but the writing, oh god the writing. There were some instances where I was literally cringing as I read, it was so bad, unbelievable (not "dragons don't exist!" unbelievable, but "they would NEVER say/do that!" unbelievable) or just inconsistent enough to pull me out of the world.
   
   The world was interesting enough, but with characters so tired and cliched now (maybe not as much when this was written) that the stereotypes of good and evil were just plain boring.
   
   Muuuuch better fantasy out there than this if you are just now getting around to it.

5 comments about Witches' Brew (Landover).

1. I enjoyed the story, however as I travel a lot I rely on audio books to help me pass the travel time. I really enjoyed Dick Hill's narration, and his voices (except for Willow) were wonderful. The narration by Cameron Beierle is very flat and uninteresting. I wish now I had purchased the cassette, which did have Dan Hill's narration.



2. The final (until the next one is written) book in the Landover series! I couldn't believe how disinterested I was in Ben and Willow's storyline. I wanted to spend much more time with Nightshade and Mistaya or Abernathy, Quester, and Elizabeth. Maybe that's because I feel like Willow and Ben have gone about as far as they can go as characters. They do reveal some very personal secrets to each other in this book, but they're always accepting of each others' (mostly Ben's) faults. Mistaya, on the other hand, gets to hear Nightshade's history, though somewhat edited, and they develop a strange friendship that you know can only be doomed in the end. I think that Terry Brooks has some real potential with his villains, but we spend so much time with the heroes of the story, who are fairly bland in comparison, that we hardly ever get the villains' perspective. More Nightshade!
   
   Maybe it's just the move to Washington, but it was very cool to see Abernathy and Quester set in a local environment for me as a reader. I was hoping Elizabeth would reappear in the series, but the potential relationship between herself and Abernathy gets dumped by the wayside for Ben and Willow's story. *grumble*
   
   Okay, I'm complaining a lot. I did like this book, but I never felt pressed to keep reading, so I started and stopped several times along the way. The side characters her are much improved and, while it's not my favorite Landover book, I thought it was a good one.



3. In this sequel to The Tangle Box, two strangers appear at the gate of Sterling Silver Castle - the leader identifies himself as Rydall, King of the Marnhull, and challenging Ben Holiday to a contest over the throne of Landover. And when Ben and Willow's daughter, Mistaya, is abducted and Questor Thews and Abernathy disappear, it leaves Ben in the fight of his life. It's Ben's worse nightmare come to life, and he fears that even if he wins he will lose.
   
   But, there is more going on than meets the eye. Rydall is merely a tool of the witch Nightshade, who wants to kill Ben Holiday in a particularly nasty way, and wants to use Mistaya to do it. Questor Thews and Abernathy have been sent to Earth, and are looking for a key that will allow them to return to Landover, but the cost may be more than they could have feared.
   
   Overall, I found this to be another very good book in the series. There's a lot of great action, some really interesting monsters, and a lot of really interesting character development - we learn a lot especially about Nightshade. My one complaint against the story is that while some characters are likable (Questor Thews and Abernathy), and some interesting (Nightshade and Strabo), and some both (Ben Holiday and Willow), Mistaya is not actually either. Too formal and distant to be likable (though she is never unlikable), she is never developed enough to become interesting. I found that disappointing.
   
   But, that said, my problems with Mistaya were not large enough to at all spoil the book for me. I still found it exciting and suspenseful, and I really enjoyed it. This is a great book in a great series, and I do not hesitate to recommend it to everyone!



4. Witches' Brew (1995) is the fifth fantasy novel in the Magic Kingdom of Landover series, following The Tangle Box. In the previous volume, Horris foiled the Gorse's plans. Ben was finally reunited with Willow and his newborn child. Later, Horris was sent back to Earth and became a bestselling fantasy author.
   
   In this novel, Ben Holiday is a former trial lawyer. He has been King of Landover for about five years. He is married to Willow and has a two year old daughter.
   
   Willow is a sylph, the daughter of the River Master and a wood nymph. She is also Ben's wife.
   
   Mistaya is the daughter of Ben and Willow. Misty was gestated by soil from Landover, Earth and the fairy mists. She grew into a human looking infant, but developed more quickly. She has the body of a ten year old and the mind of someone in the mid twenties.
   
   Questor Thews is the court wizard of Landover. He was the half-brother of the former court wizard. His wizardry has improved and he has gained more wisdom.
   
   Abernathy is the court scribe. He is also a talking dog. He had once been a human, but had been transformed by Questor. The wizard has not yet been able to restore his human form.
   
   Bunion is a kobold. He is the court runner, strong, fierce and able to move faster and further than almost any other creature. He has been with Ben since the beginning of these adventures.
   
   Haltwhistle is a mud puppy. He serves the Earth Mother and has his own form of magic.
   
   Nightshade is the Witch of Deep Fell. She came from the fairy mists long ago. She hates Ben, especially since the tangle box affair.
   
   In this story, Nightshade has been observing Misty for the past two years. One day, she lets Misty find her hiding in a tree as a white crow with red eyes. After Ben calls Misty back to the picnic, the witch flies away to the Deep Fell to initiate her plans.
   
   The next morning, Willow awakens with a premonition of great harm. Then Abernathy tells them that someone is outside the gates of Sterling Silver. Ben finds a black knight and a hunched companion on the other side of the moat and a black gauntlet thrown down on the causeway as a challenge.
   
   Naming himself Rydell, the knight claims to be the King of Marnhull, an empire on the other side of the fairy mists. He threatens Landover with a huge army of conquest. He asks Ben to relinquish the throne of Landover to save countless deaths from the invasion.
   
   When Ben refuses, Rydell offers an alternative to invasion. He will send seven creatures to fight with Ben or his champion. If Ben wins all seven conflicts, Rydell will leave Landover. Otherwise, Rydell will take the throne from Ben.
   
   Ben finally accepts the challenge. He and Willow send Mistaya to her grandfather, the River Master. But Nightshade attacks the escort and tries to kill Questor and Abernathy. Yet her deadly magic is nullified by Haltwhistle and the court wizard and scribe are translated to Earth instead.
   
   Rydell announces the abduction of Misty and produces her pony as evidence. Willow recognizes the pony and scarves as belonging to her daughter. Ben sends Bunion to check whether Misty had arrived in the Elderew. When Bunion confirms that Mistaya had never reached the Lake Country, Ben starts searching for his daughter elsewhere in Landover.
   
   Meanwhile, Nightshade convinces Misty that she has been rescued from an abduction attempt by Rydell and that her parents know where she is. Then Nightshade offers to teach her magic and Mistaya accepts the offer. Nightshade soon begins her first lesson.
   
   This tale has Misty learning magic in the Deep Fell, Questor and Abernathy stranded on Earth, and the King and Queen of Landover frantic over their missing daughter. Powerful creatures appear to challenge Ben. Nightshade is gleefully anticipating the final step in her evil plot.
   
   This is the last novel in the original series. But another volume has recently appeared: A Princess of Landover. Read and enjoy!
   
   Highly recommended for Brooks fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of magic kingdoms, perilous adventures, and a very young and magical princess.
   
   -Arthur W. Jordin



5. I bought this book to replace the paperback version and complete my set in this series. This is absolutely my favorite book series. I have read it many times. I have also read Brooks' Shanara series, but it is more complicated (in the order of Lord of the Rings) and therefore harder to follow and remember all the characters. Brooks is an excellent fantasy writer (even if it seems he borrows heavily from Tolkien!)This series takes place in modern times-- now-- instead of an unknown ancient or future time. I have always wanted to go to Virginia to try to find the place where you cross over into Landover..... ;-)

5 comments about A Princess of Landover.

1. If you like the Landover series this is a nice addition to the story. Good enjoyable light read. Fun little escape to the Kingdom of Landover



2. I have read many of the other books in the series and this is without a doubt the worst. It seems to take 200+ pages for anything of interest to happen, and the book is less than 300 pages long. There really is neither interesting action nor development. I am surprised I actually finished this book.



3. Once upon a time, there was a kid who loved reading fantasy novels. His name was Steve. One day he stumbled across a novel by Terry Brooks called MAGIC KINGDOM FOR SALE--SOLD!, and he loved it. It was a fairy-tale of sorts where a struggling man in our world sees an advertisement that will allow him to purchase a magical kingdom for the sum of one-million dollars. What followed was a fantastic adventure that allowed the imagination of that kid to wander...
   
   OK, you get the point. Enough of the sappy. Terry Brooks' Magic Kingdom of Landover series was my first exposure to an Urban Fantasy-ish story, and like the first Shannara novels, holds a special place in my heart. It was very much in the tradition of Narnia, but for an older crowd. The Landover novels never really got the reviews or sales that the Shannara series did, but Brooks kept writing Ben Holiday's adventures anyway.
   
   And they got worse and worse with every novel.
   
   A PRINCESS OF LANDOVER marks the sixth novel in the Landover series, and the first one in over a decade. I had hoped this would be a reboot of sorts, and that it would recapture my imagination and return Brooks to the ranks of goodness.
   
   Instead it is the worst novel Brooks has ever published. This includes his novelizations of the movies HOOK and STAR WARS: EPISODE ONE.
   
   The book is short (300 large-print pages), which is good, because I couldn't have withstood a page more. In this 300-page novel, there are 50 pages of actual plot and story. It mainly deals with Mistaya Holiday's inability to fit anywhere, and then her running away--yep, that's it. The remaining 250 pages? Recap. That's right, we get to be reintroduced to every organism in the Landover universe. And not only once, but several times, from every PoV. Repetition is repeatedly one of the biggest repeated problems with this repetitive novel. Yes, the novel was even more obnoxious than that last sentence.
   
   How many times do I have to read the same description of a creature or event? How many times do I have to be told that Mistaya Holiday (Ben Holiday's daughter) is fifteen, but with the mind and maturity of a woman in her twenties? Apparently, Brooks needed to remind us of this once a chapter (at least). Of course, Brooks' take on the mature teenager means that she whines more than any teen in history, and actually acts more like a petulant ten-year-old than the super-mature fifteen everyone says she is. Mistaya is the worst character Brooks has ever written. No joke. It's a glaring issue, and one that cannot be overlooked.
   
   In addition, somehow the brains of every major character have been scooped out and eaten by, I can only surmise, zombies (if only zombies had actually been introduced...*sigh*). Every character is stupid in their actions and thoughts. And I swear to you, Ben Holiday spends the entire novel looking in mirrors reminiscing on the events from the prior five novels rather than looking for his daughter when she goes missing. The novel should have been titled The Magical Cliff's Notes of Landover. Seriously, the segments start, "Ben looked in the mirror and took a moment to reminisce..." These go on for pages. You know what? If I want to know about the events in those novels, I'll go out and buy the re-release omnibus editions of the prior novels. Don't beat me over the head with redundancy. Does Brooks not have an editor anymore to catch these things? Someone is riding on the laurels of prior success...bad form, Terry...are you related to the other Terry? Terry Goodkind? It would explain a lot...
   
   The villain? He is a librarian. Brooks must have read THE HISTORIAN (where Dracula's nefarious plot is to have historians catalog his library, and is also known as the worst Historical Fiction ever written), and decided this was a fantastic idea. Uh huh. Terrifying.
   
   It came to a point where I had to stop and think about what made Landover great to begin with. The Paladin, Ben Holiday and his wife Willow, Demons, Witches, faeries, dragons, magic, and the bumbling wizard with his friend the talking dog. None of these aspects were improved on. In fact the Paladin--arguably the most important aspect of the series--wasn't even shown. Magic was used three times--inexcusable in a series called The MAGIC Kingdom of Landover. Simply put, there was nothing in this story to hold my interest, and is really a Landover novel in name only. It was boring. Really, really boring.
   
   If you want a Landover novel to read, go pick up THE MAGIC KINGDOM OF LANDOVER VOLUME 1. It has the first three novels of the series in it, and they are the only ones worth reading. Don't, under any circumstances, buy A PRINCESS OF LANDOVER in hardback. If you absolutely MUST have it, wait until it comes out in paperback...then wait a little longer until some other sucker sells his paperback to a used bookstore and buy it from that store for no more than $2.00. I'm not joking. $2.00 is the most money any sane person should waste on this pathetic excuse for a novel. Was Brooks just filling his pockets here, or what?
   
   The absolute worst thing about this novel? Well, for a moment it looked like Brooks was going to be writing this garbage from now on. However, in an interview I read, Brooks mentioned he had no intention of writing anything else in this universe. If that is the case, and he wasn't misquoted, then this is one of the saddest excuses for a novel in recent history.
   
   Recommended Age: This isn't an adult fantasy. It is a poor attempt at YA that is masquerading as a novel for adults. If you are 12 years and up, you are smarter than everyone in this novel. It should tell you something when the only cover-quotes Brooks has now are from YA/Children's authors like the terrible Paolini and Pullman.
   Language: The Landover series was where Brooks allowed himself to be an adult, and it usually had more language and adult content in it. There isn't any here. It's for kids.
   Violence: Nope. Very, very disappointing. There isn't even any suspense...
   Sex: Alluded to, but nothing you don't see in Pixar movies.



4. A Princess of Landover (2009) is the sixth Fantasy novel in the Magic Kingdom of Landover series, following Witches' Brew. In the previous volume, Rydell threatened Landover with a huge army of conquest. Nightshade convinced Misty that she has been rescued from an abduction attempt by Rydell and that her parents knew where she was. Then Nightshade offered to teach her magic and Mistaya accepted the offer.
   
   In this novel, Mistaya is the only daughter of Ben and Willow. Misty was gestated by soil from Landover, Earth and the fairy mists. She grew into a human looking infant, but developed more quickly. She has the body and emotions of a fifteen year old and the mind of someone in the mid twenties.
   
   Ben Holiday is a former trial lawyer. He has been King of Landover for about eighteen years. He is married to Willow.
   
   Willow is a sylph, the daughter of the River Master and a wood nymph. She is also Ben's wife and the mother of Mistaya.
   
   Questor Thews is the court wizard of Landover. He was the half-brother of the former court wizard. His wizardry has improved somewhat, but he still cannot return Abernathy to his human body.
   
   Abernathy is the court scribe. He is also a talking dog. He had once been a human, but had been transformed by Questor.
   
   Strabo is a dragon, a huge fire-breathing magical creature. He likes young women, but doesn't care for Ben.
   
   Edgewood Dirk is a Prism cat. He is a Fae creature of the mists, with several magical powers and the personality of a cat.
   
   Haltwhistle is a mud puppy. He serves the Earth Mother and has his own form of magic.
   
   Poggwydd and Shoopdiesel are G'home Gnomes. They live in burrows, so are generally dirty. And they assume that any unwatched animal is fair game. They particularly like to dine on family pets.
   
   Nightshade is the Witch of Deep Fell. She came from the fairy mists long ago. She has been trapped in the form of her crow familiar within the Seattle zoo for the past few years.
   
   In this story, Misty is attending Carrington Women's Preparatory, a posh academy for pre-college students. She is called into the office of the headmistress about an escapade involving an illusion of Strabo, which scared some of her fellow students into leaving her alone. This is her third transgression of the rules, so she is suspended from classes.
   
   Misty is more upset with the school's unfair policies than saddened by the suspension. She decides to leave school immediately and return to Landover. She is met by Strabo, who warns her never to use his image without asking his permission. Then she finds Haltwhistle waiting for her.
   
   On the way to Sterling Silver, Misty discovers Poggwydd wrapped in rope and hung from a tree. She releases the G'home Gnome and takes him with her to the castle. Her parents are surprised to see her and even more surprised by the suspension.
   
   Ben tries to convince Misty that she had been in the wrong, but to no avail. Questor and Abernathy come up with a plan to send Misty to Libiris to restore the old library. Then Laphroig of Rhyndweir asks permission to court Misty.
   
   Her parents seem so unfair to Misty, particularly her father. He sides with Carrington's policies, wants to marry her to the ugly Laphroig, and is trying to send her off to a musty, dusty and decrepit library. So Misty leaves home and travels to her grandfather, the River King. When he sides with her parents, she runs away again.
   
   This time she -- and the G'home Gnomes -- accompany Edgewood Dirk out of Elderew. His magic shields her from detection, but he insists that Misty choose the destination. With some hints from the Prism cat, she decides to go to Libiris.
   
   Meanwhile, Nightshade is perched on the highest limb in the avian cage, observing everything with her red eyes. She had appeared suddenly in the cage, seemingly out of nowhere. Now she is thinking about her revenge and watching for a way to escape.
   
   This tale takes Misty into a very dangerous situation, involving a rogue wizard, demons from Abaddon, and a mysterious young man. Her parents are frantic about her disappearance, but resolve to wait for her to surface on her own. Naturally, Ben looks for her every day with the Landview.
   
   The story reintroduces us to Landover, from the surrounding mists to the demons underneath. All the major characters are shown or mentioned in this novel. And the plot is not much different from the previous novels.
   
   Yet this tale has its own charms. Of course, a rebellious teenager is not really charming, but it does remind me of my five daughters. One suspects that the author also has a daughter or two.
   
   Yet the situation continually rubs Misty's nose in her less delightful aspects. The G'home Gnomes surely brings some introspection from their self-centered and self-serving attitude. The Prism cat forces her to think ahead rather than act out of impulse. And then she meets some really horrible examples of such behavior.
   
   This novel better have a sequel. The conclusion solved the immediate difficulties, but the number of dangling threads would greatly please a playful kitten. And Misty is a truly delightful character. Read and enjoy!
   
   Highly recommended for Brooks fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of magical kingdoms, maturing adolescents, and parental frustrations.
   
   -Arthur W. Jordin



5. This is Mistaya's story. The familiar denizens of Landover all make cameo appearances, but are peripheral to the main storyline, Mistaya's search for independence. I kept thinking, Holden Caulfield goes to Landover. Not quite. The book is even paced, too even. There is not as much action or suspense as in the other books. The story is well written. There is enough background exposition to allow someone new to the series to understand what is going on, although I would rather someone new to the series to start with the first book because it is a much better story. The other books in the series should not be read out of order.
   
   Fans of the series waited many years for another book. While grateful for the continuation, I hope the next volume will continue the trend of increasingly complex storylines that was so evident in the first five books. Mr. Brooks has definitely left a setup for book seven.

5 comments about Armageddon's Children (Genesis of Shannara).

1. Armageddon's Children is full of action from the very first sentence. Every main character is in danger and has a battle to fight just to survive much less accomplish the task they are destined to carry out. The demons and once-men control much of the world and take joy in slaughtering and enslaving humans. Much of the human population has taken refuge in compounds, although a few have taken their chances on the streets. Some have been permanently altered from exposure to unnatural toxins and radiation.
   
   It is in this ruined world that two remaining Knights of the Word continue to fight against the Void in a futile effort to save mankind. A street kid named Hawk tries to keep his chosen family safe from the dangers that lurk around every corner even as he dreams of the day he can lead them to safety. Hidden away from the humans, the elves watch the destruction of the world and argue among themselves whether or not to even become involved in the battle.
   
   Although it is not necessary to have read the Word and the Void series before reading Armageddon's Children, I believe it would be helpful. The events in that series lay the groundwork for the Genesis of Shannara trilogy and characters and events from that series are mentioned in this one.
   
   Terry Brooks keeps the story moving at a fast pace and conveys the various emotions of each character strongly. With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, I'm eager to start on the next book in the series, The Elves of Cintra



2. ... Terry writes this amazing first book to the Genesis series. I was compelled from the beginning, got slightly bored in the middle when he introduced the Elves, and went through the last 150 pages in no time. I was happy to see the reappearance of O'olish Amaneh. Furthermore, I think Terry developed a much better Knight of the Word in Logan Tom than he did with John Ross. Angel Perez is still a bit of an enigma to me, but I'm sure her character will develop in the Elves of Cintra.
   
   The story of the Ghosts is amazing and believable. Trying to survive in a world their parents and ancestors ruined, every character in the gang serves a defined purpose. Brooks had me fooled at first with the Weatherman, having similar features to the Gypsy Morph in Angel Fire East, to the point I was almost disappointed when Hawk used magic for the first time. After reading on, I was excited about this and welcomed it.
   
   As for the cliffhanger, it's got me itching to get Elves of Cintra which cannot arrive in the post soon enough! The stage has been set wonderfully for the rest of the series; I just pray Brooks delivers, as I'm sure he will.



3. One of the many reasons I actually like this series is because Terry Brooks knows how to write very well. What began with the Shannaria series and the Knight of the Word, I found this is a breath taking nightmarish world that bridges the gap between the two.
   It's not just an excellent read, it's a must have for any die hard fantasy reader.



4. So many of Brooks novels are inspiring and exciting but Armageddon disappoints. The post apocalyptic setting is dreary and depressing with redundant descriptions. Even the characters are drab, shallow and depressing. The plot is slow in developing and then ends without any resolution. Your reward for hours of suffering through is a complete disappointment.



5. The world as we know it has been damaged beyond repair, and the Gypsy Morph conceived in Nest Freemark in "Angel Fire East" is now to begin a mission ordained many years ago. Knight of the Word, Logan Tom, is given a mission that may finally give his life meaning. And a leader of a gang of street kids holds the key to global salvation. Infused with para-phrasings of biblical stories, revealing flashbacks, and the famous hymn "Amazing Grace," "Armageddon's Children" elegantly introduces the characters who participate in the "Great Wars" that the druid Allanon glosses over in "The Sword of Shannara."

5 comments about The Gypsy Morph (Genesis of Shannara).

1. I have enjoyed the Armageddon's Children trilogy, but I was struck by that fact that a storyline telling how the land of Shannara came to be was not really all that necessary. As good as Running With the Demon was, this evolution just feels not needed at all. It doesn't add much to the mythos and I think that Terry would have been better served by giving us more real Shannara novels, complete with clueless but ready and willing Ohmsfords. Pages upon pages of italicized type as we flashback on the lives of minor characters does not help the flow of the story in the least. It feels like grinding gears in a manual transmission. One thing I really did appreciate is that there is finally a character that can instinctively use the Elfstones without hundreds of pages filled with frustration and self-doubt. Once the Elfstones were first mentioned, I thought "Oh no, here we go again." But that was not the case, which made it refreshing. And weren't the Elfstones in the first book more like lapis lazuli cubes than faceted gemstones?



2. AC and EoC have set the stage. Will Terry deliver? Of course.
   
   I really can't describe how much I enjoyed and appreciated this series. For the first time ever, I was so connected to the characters of a book that I felt like I among them, that I knew them. The last few chapters actually nearly jerked some tears from me. The story may be a bit predictable at times, but it's still an emotional ride if you feel as intimate with the characters as I did.
   
   Action packed with just enough suspense, this book was a near perfect ending to a timeless series. Even up to the last few pages, things kept going wrong for some people and made all seem hopeless for them. I can't wait for the 'Legends' duology to see what happens next. I'm far more into this storyline than the original Shannara books, and just want to read more about how mankind survives the apocalypse.
   
   The only thing I would suggest changing [SPOILER ALERT] was how the main demon was killed off. Way too easy. Findo Gask has been around a long time, and dominated John Ross in the Word/Void series, and he dies just like that? I was ready for an intense battle of magic and will and passion - and THEN maybe Sim steps in and does her thing. I'm extremely happy with the hopeful ending as far as Logan and Sim's story goes, very sad about Panther and Cat and Cheney, and curious about the Ghosts. [END SPOILER]
   
   This is easily my favorite work of fiction.



3. The Gypsy Morph is the final book in The Genesis of Shannara trilogy, finishing the story began in Armageddon's Children and continued in The Elves of Cintra. Will the boy, Hawk, lead the children to safety? Will the elves survive their journey in the Loden? Will the Knights of the Word survive at all? How does the world end?
   
   Brooks again masterfully weaves together the separate tales that he has created for each main group of characters, finally connecting them so the reader can gain a different perspective of the whole picture. Although, in a way, we know the outcome of this story, Brooks now fills in the details along the way. Each character is carefully crafted and has a unique personality that fits the role they must play. Brooks builds his world with so much detail that it is almost another character in the story, impacting the choices the other characters must make. Emotions run high in this book with fear and doubt only slightly tempered by hope.
   
   The Gypsy Morph is a a satisfying conclusion to The Genesis of Shannara trilogy. It contains much darkness but finally begins the journey into the light. The Genesis of Shannara books do a great job at bridging the gap between The Word and The Void series and the rest of the Shannara story.



4. As the tale of Gypsy Morph Hawk comes to a close, the story brings many emotional story lines to a touching end. Logan Tom finally finds and kills the demon who killed his family, with help from a new found love. Hawk and his girlfriend discover that she is pregnant, but are torn by Hawk's duty as the Gypsy Morph. The unlikely love story between Cat and Panther is confirmed. The location of what will become the Four Lands is finally found. The trilogy still leaves loose ends as to what becomes of Hawk's human side. We know that he emerges from the magic shield his Gypsy Morph part created as a fully grown man, but we don't know whether he returns to his "wife" Tessa and their child, or if he becomes an important character in the "First King of Shannara." We don't know what becomes of the Knights of the Word in the Four Lands. All we do know is that the old world we know is destroyed in a final nuclear exchange, the Four Lands survive shielded by the Gypsy Morph's magic. It leaves a tantalizing cliff-hanger for Terry Brooks' next work, "Bearers of the Black Staff."



5. Book was used but like new, delivered promptly and at a very reasonable price. It was a gift for my grandson and he could hardly put it down so I think that would classify it as a good read.

5 comments about The Elves of Cintra: Genesis of Shannara.

1. I like Terry Brooks, really I do, but more often than not I find myself getting irritated with his repetitive plot exposition and descriptions. A character will go through an action, decision, or discovery then in the rest of the story he will revisit this, describing it again and again as if we missed it the first time! The elves of Cintra was good and I liked it, but I grew tired of characters remembering how it felt when in the chapter just before bla bla bla happened and it made them feel bla bla bla.... Also it's strange how many times a character knew "instantly" what they should do or how the elf stones reacted "instantly" or the demon was "instantly" on it's feet. Lots of "instantly" happening things going on here! A lot of descriptions left me rolling my eyes due to the purple prose that weighs them down! Compare how Neil Gaimen can create a whole mood and setting with one simple sentence (he is a master at it!) where Terry Brooks goes through unnecessary paragraph after repetitive paragraph of descriptions, dialog, or exposition (mostly that he has already covered in the previous chapters!!!)
   
   I love the involved complex story and characters, but he really needs a better editor!



2. The Genesis of Shannara series is dark and depressing. Humans continue to fight each other as well as the demons and once men and the humans are clearly losing the battle. The elves have internal political workings that could cost them their chance at survival as well. It seems the fate of both the humans and elves lie in the hands of two Knights of the Word and the children they protect. One magical creature, disguised as a human teenager, must gather the survivors and lead them into their next world.
   
   Although the action slowed a bit in The Elves of Cintra, Brooks keeps the stakes high as each group must fight for their own survival and to accomplish the task they have been sent to do. Doubts creep in for many and the way is nearly lost yet somehow most keep going.
   
   Anyone who has read the Shannara books already knows where the Genesis of Shannara story must end but Brooks has captured my attention in taking us there.



3. Terry Brooks is an excelant story teller with a great imagination. You can hardly put the book down and then you must get the next book to see what happens to the chacaters. The only negative thing I have is that he takes way to much time telling us what a character is thinking, which is boring.



4. Picking up right where Brooks left off, the literal cliffhanger as it has become to be known, EoC continues the suspenseful and dramatic scene where the children are being thrown from the walls and the army is marching toward the compound while Logan is desperately trying to reach them. It's really hard to follow such a series of events by trying to build on Angel and the Elves' storyline. Had I not been stoked from the first bits of the book, maybe it would have seemed less boring.
   
   Nonetheless, it is still a good piece of writing. Angel's character really builds, as I had hoped at the end of AC, and the storyline of her and the Elves is believable (well, as believable as a fantasy book can get). The demon's identity is somewhat predictable, but more so if you are familiar with Brooks' writing.
   
   I realize the point of the book was focused on Angel and the Elves, but Hawk's two brief appearances disappointed me. I think Brooks should have given him just a little bit more attention to build our expectations for book three. The introduction of the King of the Silver River, in my own opinion, was predictable, but it definitely helps bridge these pre-Shannara books with the originals.
   
   Logan Tom's story is FRUSTRATING! Not in the sense that it's frustrating to read, but you truly feel the frustration that he feels, along with the street kids. So many hold-ups and obstacles that really don't seem to have a point other than to wear down the Knight of the Word and his charges. It really shows the post-civilization world as it could be, everyone fighting to stay alive and keep what they have. The street kids' individuality comes in handy with Fixit driving, Panther's aggression, and Sparrow's inner warrior; this really adds quality to the story.
   
   The demons were not as well tracked by Brooks as the were in AC either. It's good to build the bad guys just as much as the good guys.
   
   It's not often I rate Brooks below 5 stars, but this one just didn't keep the pages turning like the Word/Void series, Armageddon's Children, and the first two Shannara series.



5. While Gypsy Morph, Hawk, learns his true identity, and begins his mission reminiscent of Exodus the War between the Word and the Void is far from over. Knight Angel Perez makes contact with the elves, and 4 of the 5 Elfstones of earlier novels have their transportation to the Four Lands. There are tales of intrigue and mystery and the demonic subversion found in "The Elfstones of Shannara." There is fast and intense actions including a fight between true Knight Logan Tom and rogue Knight Krillka Koos. It keeps you turning pages, while introducing thought provoking parallels to Christian faith.

3 comments about Terry Brooks Landover CD Collection: Magic Kingdom for Sale-Sold!, The Black Unicorn, Wizard at Large, The Tangle Box, Witches' Brew.

1. dick hill has a very good voice and does not get over dramatic. some readers detract from a story when they get carried away--but not hill. i especially enjoyed everytime he spoke as strabo, the dragon. since i have read terry brooks, i expected that i would like the stories. with 5 books and many, many hours of listening in this package, you had to have a good reader--hill was very good.
   
   i will let other people debate which of brooks' series is best (yes, i read the shannara series). i am glad that this package was available to take me to landover for the many hours i drive all over. as exciting as counting cows or the alphabet game may be, listening to good stories such as these made the miles pass much more quickly.



2. got this cd collection for my daughter she loves cifi and she loved this set



3. Enjoy Terry Brooks as an author, reader for these books is talented and give more life to books.