Kevin's Watch

ninjaboy wrote:

Orlion wrote:

Vraith wrote:Although I don't think it's epic fantasy [except, perhaps "Dark Tower"] Stephen King has an almost heroin-like addiction to long walks.
Browning's Roland does a pretty epic walk, though it's only in, what? 100 lines or so?

He wrote a novel once called "The Long Walk" Strangely, I'd say that's one of his best.

He then took it up a notch with 'the Running Man'

and really took off with "The Night Flier"

Terry Brook's Shannara series has some epic walks in it

Ah, but is the series epic?

( I'm afraid that not much is often thought of Brooks around here. )

--A

Avatar wrote:Ah, but is the series epic?

( I'm afraid that not much is often thought of Brooks around here. )

--A

I'd think about him more if he'd been thinking while writing...
It might have been epic if he'd walked away from the pages without writing all that shannara stuff.

I see no one has mentioned the "Chain of Dogs" from Dead House Gates, or the survivors of Y'Ghatan's desert stroll from the Bonehunters.

Mr. Broken wrote:I see no one has mentioned the "Chain of Dogs" from Dead House Gates, or the survivors of Y'Ghatan's desert stroll from the Bonehunters.

I think those two are in a class by themselves.

I wave of awe washes over me every time I see the words Chain of Dogs.

catfairy wrote:Terry Brook's Shannara series has some epic walks in it

I agree.

Yet, Terry Brooks' Shannara doesn't go down too well on the Watch. Which is a little odd, considering both Shannara and the Land emerged aroundabout the same time, and both have been compeared to ideas found in Tolkien's Middle-Earth.

As a young reader I was drawn to Brooks work quite possibly because of the sheer volume of what was available to me, and lets face it there is some talent there, but as I matured (as a reader) I found it lacked substance , left me empty. Then I discovered authors like Donaldson, Gaiman, Erikson, and Herbert. There was just no going back after that. The Shannara novels are now the Harlequin romances of high fantasy, junk food, no meat, I tend to be carnivorous when reading. So just to stay on topic, I took a long walk away from Brooks, and currently haunt the backwater's of the Malazan Empire.

The original Shannara trilogy is great fun. Great fight scenes; great magic duels; etc. And I really like the undefeatable Garet Jax finally getting the challenge he had longed for his entire life. Great moment of fulfillment.

But, as Mr. Broken just said, Brooks lacks in depth. Is there a site where they discuss his books in the same detail and depth, and with the same passion, that we have done here for years? Is it complex enough that different people have different understandings and explanations of it, and we can all understand how the other can see it their way? At what points have people been moved to tears?

So many years ago, I think as they came out, I read the Scions books. Again, they were fun. But there was nothing different. Nothing new. Nothing like the colossal difference between the First and Second Chrons. It was just the same, fun read.

Still, the original trilogy are very fun books!

Fist and Faith wrote:The original Shannara trilogy is great fun.

I never finished reading the final chapters to The Wishsong, but the Sword and the Elfstones are two of my favourite reads. Extremely clever story mechanisms (like tumblers in a lock) - not too disimilair to Stephen Donaldson's method of story telling. Belief is, as belief does.

When I lived in Nottingham, Stephen Donaldson visited the city to promote Fatal Revenant. Terry Brooks was in town within the same month. At the time I did wonder if there was something significant about both authors doing a tour of Britain then - naaaah - just coincidence.

How the heck did you read all that, but not the final chapters of the last book?? I don't remember her name, but the sister who was the more powerful of the two becomes extraordinarily powerful. It's fun to see!

I've tried reading The Wishsong many times down the years. The last attempt was back in December...I guess I just stopped caring what would happen at the end. Shannara was place I knew, or recognised, a long time ago. It no longer exists for me now. Magic repossessed .

I think that had to be why I totally forgot to attend the Terry Brooks' book signing.

I happened to work next to a store in Albany, NY, where he was doing a signing. I had no idea, and just happened to see his name on the window. I ran home and got Wishsong, and had him sign the page where Garet Jax fights the jachyra.

I agree with Krazy. I did finish Wishsong, but I was very unimpressed. Song had a good ending, I thought, and Elfstones was just great fun. I loved how the main character managed to master the Elfstones and still had a tough go at the demon assassin. Seriously, when he blasted him, I was thinking "Laaaaame." But the bugger came back and epicness ensued

Well, I'm not gonna fight for the honor of Shannara! There are very cool moments in Wishsong. Allanon vs the Jachyra. Garet Jax vs the Jachyra. The Mwellret hearing the magic in Jair's voice, then magically forcing it out of him. Brin capturing the Grimpond. And Brin joining her Wishsong with the Ildatch, becoming unspeakably powerful. But no, the books aren't a story that moves me, and I've never heard anyone else say it moved them. Just good, fun adventure.

Fist and Faith wrote:There are very cool moments in Wishsong. Allanon vs the Jachyra. Garet Jax vs the Jachyra. The Mwellret hearing the magic in Jair's voice, then magically forcing it out of him. Brin capturing the Grimpond. And Brin joining her Wishsong with the Ildatch, becoming unspeakably powerful.

It has been so long since I read that book that I don't even remember some of those characters. Allanon, okay, and the Mwellret is ringing a bell. But -- seriously, the girl's name was Brin?

And no, I'm not going to re-read the book to refresh my memory!

Only thing I remember about Wishsong was the cover art on the copy I tried to read.

--A

aliantha wrote: Allanon, okay, and the Mwellret is ringing a bell. But -- seriously, the girl's name was Brin?

You think Brin is the funny part?
I snort to myself, wondering when Allanon's brothers Gambanon and Narcanon were going to show up.

Pretty sure Allanon was a sex-addict.