I recently finished listening to the epic book The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks on audio. It was excellent. The book had very many qualities that were similar to Tolkien’s epic Lord of the Rings trilogy. They were so similar at times that I almost could guess what might happen next. Still, Brooks has a unique voice and writing style. I loved his characters, his themes, and his world. Most of all, I loved the message in his story.
Half-elf Shea Ohmsford lives in Shady Vale with his adopted brother Flick and his uncle. One day, a mysterious visitor comes to the vale looking for someone. That someone happens to be Shea.
Shea discovers that this stranger is no other but the great historian known by the name Allanon. Allanon has come to tell him that the fate of the world rests on his shoulders. Shea Ohmsford, unaware of who his parents even were, learns that he is the last heir of the elvin line of Jerle Shannara, who was the bearer of the legendary sword of Shannara. The evil Warlock Lord called Brona is rising his forces against the Four Lands, and Shea, using the sword, is the only one who can stop him.
Throughout the book Shea acquires a company of friends to travel with him to retrieve the sword and find a way to stop the Warlock Lord. Among these are his adopted brother Flick and his friend Prince Menion Leah.
Allanon, their guide, is very mysterious about the entire adventure and does not even tell them what the sword of Shannara will do to stop the evil lord. Instead they have to trust him.
This is one of the themes that I liked in Terry Brook’s story. Throughout the course of the book Shea and his friends have to struggle with doubting Allanon. Shea, Flick, and Menion each have to seperately accept that he isn’t going to explain everything to them, but that they need to trust him anyway. Terry Brooks also made another point in his book which I loved even more: that truth, no matter how each of us individually views it, will never change. He illustrated through the example of the evil Brona that no matter what illusions or lies we have believed or taught ourselves, that it does not change the truth.
It’s uncomfortable to think about, but there are people in the world who cannot hear the truth. If they came into contact with it and were forced to see it in all of its bluntness, it would destroy them. Or in their minds, even worse: it would cause them to change. For me this book was a good reminder that sometimes how I see a situation or how I feel isn’t the actual truth, though I might think it is.
No matter what we each individually believe is the truth, there is only one truth, and nothing we humans can do can ever change that. God is the Maker of the truth.
The Sword of Shannara is engaging, well-written, well-developed, and a masterpiece of art and fantasy. I highly recommend it. For Tolkien, Lewis, and MacDonald fans it is sure to please.
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