The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara: Ilse Witch
-
-
4.3 • 27 Ratings
-
-
- $8.99
-
- $8.99
Publisher Description
For more than twenty years, New York Times bestselling author Terry Brooks has proven himself one of the modern masters of fantasy, winning the hearts and minds of devoted readers around the world with his classic Shannara epic.
When a half-drowned elf is found floating in the seas of the Blue Divide, an old mystery resurfaces. Thirty years ago, an elven prince led an expedition in search of a legendary magic said to be more powerful than any in the world. Of all those who set out on that ill-fated voyage, not one has ever returned.
Until now.
The rescued elf carries a map covered with mysterious symbols–and Walker Boh, the last of the Druids, has the skill to decipher them. But someone else understands the map’s significance: the Ilse Witch, a ruthless young woman who wields a magic as potent as his own. She will stop at nothing to possess the map–and the magic it leads to.
Return to the world of beloved novelist Terry Brooks, where creatures drift up from the earth like mist, a hypnotic song can kill, a sword can cut through a veil of lies–and one man, the true heir of an ancient magic, must choose between betrayal and redemption.
BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Terry Brooks's The Measure of the Magic.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Echoing with the themes, traditions and enchantments of Brooks's earlier Shannara novels, this lively new adventure, set a generation later, combines the familiar quest format used in The Sword of Shannara with an array of well-defined characters and malevolent beings. Rather than searching for a powerful sword, however, the Druid Walker and the Elven King Allardon Elessedil unite forces to retrieve an ambiguous prize, "a magic of spells invoked by words," that may fortify the Elven government and its people or destroy those who seek it. Guided by the knowledge of the dangers he will face beyond the Blue Divide, Walker spends a lengthy amount of time recruiting his crew members. For heroics, Walker enlists the aid of two Highland boys: Quentin, who has the power of the Leah family sword at his behest, and his foster brother Bek, an orphan of mysterious origins and unknown talents. Providing magical mobility are the Wing Riders, who fly the frequently unfriendly skies on giant Rocs. A female seer and empath, a shapeshifter with a dubious past, a dwarf, a number of Elven soldiers and several colorful, Gypsy-like Rovers who captain, navigate and repair the airship Jerle Shannara round out Walker's questing crew. Throughout, the inimical Ilse Witch, a powerful young sorceress and Walker's bitter rival, shadows the expedition as it overcomes several near fatal encounters. Although this first volume in Brooks's proposed trilogy sputters to a slow start, bogged down by necessary background information and character development, Brooks nevertheless manages to intensify and tighten the story's momentum as the Jerle Shannara reaches its final destination. Fans familiar with the Shannara series, and new readers as well, will enjoy this first Shannara tale in four years. Major ad/promo; 12-city author tour; simultaneous Random House Audio.
Customer Reviews
Great read.
Taking Shannara to a new level.
Good start to a new adventure
This one got off to a bit of a slow start for me. Terry Brooks has always had a great way of writing about the journey, the preparation, the traveling, the planning. But I don't think he quite hit that mark in this one. There are some fairly unique characters and a couple big surprises along the way to prepare for the journey, but it just wasn't enough to really pull me through that section of the story.
Once we were underway, things got a little better. The aura of danger and being chased was amazing, but the highlights of their stops seemed to be rushed sometimes. I wanted to know more about each stop, see more of the islands, and more of the adventure.
But, true to form, Terry Brooks still dragged me into the story and by the end of the book the characters had taken over and I needed to finish the story. Left with a bit of a cliffhanger, I'll be requesting book two soon!