I once had the opportunity to meet Mr. Brooks and he graciously took the time to sign every book I had, somewhere in the neighborhood of 25 books. He did not just sign them, he made each book's title page something special with a different message on each one. As a result, I would read - and enjoy - anything Mr. Brooks published. You might say I am a bit biased. So...take this with a grain of salt. This one was truly a standout. The character development is exceptional, bringing the story to life and making every moment resonate. The pacing of the narrative is perfectly balanced, keeping me hooked from start to finish. Overall, this is an excellent book

I posted the following review on 1/5/19 on Goodreads, LibraryThing, and Amazon, and copied the link to my Facebook page and Twitter feed;.

I have to start this review stating outright that I am a huge fan of Terry Brooks and the Shannara series. I know a lot of reviewers have mentioned that this book just rehashes old plot lines, but I personally don't think that is a problem when you're talking about an epic fantasy series as long as the Shannara series, and more importantly, if the writing itself remains fresh and includes enough surprises along the way to keep the reader engrossed in the story. Having read Wards of Faerie, I can say that I wasn't disappointed. Just when I thought I knew where the story was taking me, it would go in another direction entirely, and, as an avid reader, that keeps me invested and wanting more.

The story begins with the diary of a young elfin girl who falls in love with, and is betrayed by, a darkling boy. That is the start of an epic quest for the missing elfstones (something any lover of the Shannara books will understand), involving the druids of the Fourth Order, trolls, gnomes, Ohmsfords, a Leah, and others (including a rather unhinged seer) that they pick up along the way. They fight enemies on many fronts, human and magical creatures alike, and lose many of their own as a result.

The characters are many, but they are woven into the story in such a way that you get to know them intimately. The back stories are worked in effortlessly so you become invested in the characters naturally without feeling like the information given was force fed to you.

One of my favorite things about the books Terry Brooks writes is his use of imagery to describe things that would otherwise be rather mundane. For example: " 'I don't like speaking to other people.' The voice was soft and whispery, the soft sound of clothing being unfolded, hardly more than that." He doesn't just say "He spoke softly," and leave it at that. He takes it just a hint further, and draws the reader an even better picture. I homeschool my son and they are big on teaching imagery in relation to stories and essays the kids write, so I'm always on the lookout for good examples to show him LOL.

In summary, I enjoyed this book very much, and, as it is the first book in a new series entitled "The Dark Legacy of Shannara," I am looking forward to reading the rest of the books that follow.

I was given a copy of this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.