Witch Wraith

April 29, 2013
Thirty-six years after the publication of The Sword of Shannara, valiant elves and druids are still swiping away at evil creatures threatening to burst out of the Forbidden to threaten the Four Lands. Brooks concludes his nigh-interminable latest Shannara trilogy with a protracted quest to regenerate the Ellcrys, the magic tree that sustains the lands and contains the monsters in the Forbidden. Along the conventionally tortuous way strewn with unpronounceable fiends, Dark Lords and sorceresses, talking lizards, and well-intentioned callow youths, Brooks sprinkles a doomed love story featuring Aphenglow Elessedil, while Aphen’s sister, Arlingfant, must confront the high price demanded by the Ellcrys. Diehard Shannara fans may savor these inflated chronicles, but others will find themselves helplessly stranded in watered-down-Tolkien country. Agent: Anne Sibbald, Janklow & Nesbit.

June 15, 2013

The Elcryss tree is dying, and the barrier known as the Forbidding that had protected the Four Lands from demons is crumbling. On a desperate mission, Elven sisters Arling and Aphen Elessedil make their perilous way into the dark land behind the Forbidding in search of the magical Bloodfire that can renew the Elcryss and rebuild the barrier. In the meantime, brothers Railing and Redden Ohmsford conduct their own search for the missing Elfstones, source of Elven magic. When Arling falls into the hands of the Federation and Redden is imprisoned by the Straken Lord, all seems lost--but the determination and loyalty of their siblings and companions means there is hope yet. VERDICT The final chapter in Brooks's latest trilogy (Wards of Faerie; Bloodfire Quest) set in his beloved world of Shannara peaks in a bittersweet conclusion that seems to set the stage for future books. A must for the numerous die-hard Shannara fans.

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2013
Witch Wraith is the final book in Brooks' Dark Legacy of Shannara trilogy and a title that will be a mainstay in the public library's fantasy collection. Wards of Faerie, Bloodfire Quest, and Witch Wraith are set 100 years after the events of Brooks' High Druid of Shannara trilogy. The magical barrier that keeps the people who live in the Four Lands safe from the most evil and dangerous creatures is crumbling, and horrific revenging acts, thousands of years in the making, seem inevitable. The young Elf Arling can seal this barrier, but she has been brought under the control of the diabolical prime minster, making her efforts impossible. Her sister, Aphen, may be the only one who can save Arling and the fate of their world. For the first time in his career, the New York Times best-selling author Brooks is publishing each book in this trilogy just six months apart, ensuring readers will be clamoring for this conclusion of the Shannara universe story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)