Bloodfire Quest

November 5, 2012
Brooks, continuing his long-running Shannara high fantasy series, picks up the story begun in The Wards of Faerie just as anguish strikes Arlingfant Elessedil, the sister of doughty young Druid Aphenglow. Arlingfant is Chosen by the dying sacred tree Ellcrys to become its new avatar, and asked to sacrifice her earthly life to resurrect Ellcrys and reseal the magical Forbidden realm where fearsome demons threaten to escape their centuries-long confinement. Arling will have to carry the Ellcrys's seed to the mysterious Bloodfire, but neither she nor Aphen knows its location, leading inevitably to a quest. Brooks splits his questors into several groups, each with its own grisly trials and often horrid fates, the better to reveal several aspects of his fictional universe. Each sister continually declares she "is there" for the other, a somewhat jarring intrusion of contemporary idiom into the otherwise convincingly colorful fictional world. Shannara fans will delight in Brooks's sorcerous action, skilled characterizations, and rapid-fire storytelling twists, but readers new to the series may yearn for a glossary to tell the heroines and monsters apart. Agent: Anne Sibbald, Janklow & Nesbit.

January 1, 2013
The second book in Brooks' ongoing Dark Legacy of Shannara epic-fantasy trilogy. Brooks continues the adventure begun in his last book, 2012's Wards of Faerie, set in his long-running Shannara fictional universe. In the last installment, the young Elven Druid Aphenglow Elessedil helped assemble a group--including her relative, the magic-wielding Ard Rhys Khyber Elessedil, and Railing and Redden Ohmsford, who could summon the magical wishsong, among others--for a quest to find and recover the legendary missing Elfstones in order to keep them from those who would use them for evil purposes. Some of the questing party wound up outside of their own land and in the grim Forbidding, where, at the start of this book, they find themselves trapped; there they face dangerous creatures, including giant insects and Goblins. Meanwhile, those on the other side of the Forbidding wall, including an airship-piloting Aphenglow, her sister Arlingfant, Elven Hunter Cymrian and an injured Railing, face battles and challenges of their own. As with many fantasy trilogies, this second book is a bit heavy on exposition at times and seems to serve mostly as a buildup for more dramatic events in the third and final installment. That said, Brooks mixes things up here with several sharp battle scenes, for which he brings his distinct talent, giving a true grandeur to clashes involving terrifying creatures and powerful magic. Brooks' fans, it also bears mentioning, will have a relatively short time to wait for a resolution to the story, as the final book of the trilogy, Witch Wraith, is currently set to be published in 2013. A fine middle chapter to Brooks' latest Shannara adventure.

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October 15, 2012

Bad news: dangerous creatures are breaching the magical barrier, now beginning to deteriorate, that has imprisoned them since time immemorial. Even as some folks prepare for battle, others go on a quest whose success will ultimately assure peace--and cause the death of a young girl. Second in a new Shannara trilogy publishing on a boom-boom-boom schedule every six months. Obviously huge.

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from February 1, 2013
She selected Arling among all the Chosen to take the seedling to Bloodfire. However, in the face of this much-needed sacrifice, Arling ran away, turning her back on the peace and prosperity her land has known. For taking the seedling to Bloodfire will result in Arling's death, a death that would come far too soon in such a young life. By running away, Arling guarantees the eventual fall of the Forbidding, the magical barriers that lock away dangerous and evil creatures. From the first pages to the harrowing ending, Bloodfire Quest, the second installment of Brooks' newest trilogy, is a thrill ride that will leave readers wanting more. Librarians can only expect major demand from their sf fans, and this volume, paired with the first, might be just the right place to introduce new readers to this fine writer. High-Demand Backstory: For the first time in Brooks' career, he will publish a novel every six months until the end of this new series; librarians need to get on the bandwagon and hang on as every new one appears.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)

December 1, 2012

A magical barrier that protects the land from ravaging monsters is eroding. Also dying is the Ellcrys, a magical tree whose existence is vital to the protection of the land. The tree chooses the elf Arlingfant Elessedil to undertake the quest that will transform her into the new Ellcrys. Accompanied by her sister Aphenglow and a few chosen companions, the reluctant Arling sets out on a journey that, in order to succeed, can only end in her death. VERDICT Since the 1977 publication of The Sword of Shannara, the adventures of the people of the Four Lands have attracted a huge readership. The second volume of Brooks's new trilogy (after Wards of Faerie) continues the themes of love, duty, sacrifice, and transformation that have resonated with fantasy lovers. A strong backstory and vivid world make this a must-read for series fans. [See Prepub Alert, 9/24/12.]

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.