I absolutely love Terry Brooks and couldn't wait to visit old friends and familiar places in Small Magic. Life intervened however and I was unable to get to this book until recently. It was definitely worth the wait. From Shannara to Landover, we get small glimpses into the lives of some of our favorite side characters. I loved finding out more about some of the people who fill out the main story - the supporting actors - and make the world a richer, more vibrant place. Sometimes when reading a story, I find myself wondering what makes someone tick, or why they chose a certain path. The stories in Small Magic answer a few of these questions, while the commentary by Mr Brooks gives us a little insight into his thought process. Overall, this is a fantastic addition to any Terry Brooks collection.

First, thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for gifting me an advance copy of Small Magic by Terry Brooks, which is out in stores now.

Small Magic is a series of short stories that pulls from almost all of Brook’s many fantasy series - The Shanara Chronicles, Word & Void, and more. So, if you are even a casual fan of these series, then you will probably enjoy most of the stories collected here.

For me personally, I have not read any of Brook’s other books, so while I enjoyed most (not all) of the stories, I did feel like I was missing out on something. Although, a couple of the stories did make me want to read more of his books. Check out my BookTube video below for a more in-depth breakdown on all the stories collected in this book.

A good collection of stories. I enjoyed this book. The stories were not too long and I could read one or two and come back later. Some of the stories grabbed me a bit more than others but I liked the variety. *This book was given to me for free at my request from NetGalley and I provided this voluntary review.*

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Each story story has a great writing style. Each author did a good job writing this book. It will keep your interest from the first page. I would recommend reading this book to anyone and everyone. This book is in stores for $28.99 (USD).

this was a great collection of short stories, I really enjoyed reading something that I never really thought of before. The characters were great and I enjoyed going through each story.

I received an eARC from the publisher through NetGalley.

This was an interesting assortment of stories, some really good and others average. It's more a 3-star output, but I'm giving another as it is a good way to have compiled all of Brooks' short stories in one place.

Another caveat is that I wouldn't really recommend this to readers that aren't already fans of Brooks' work. Most of the material brings up series and characters already well-established and while they might be enjoyable on their own, someone with a familiarity with his work will get much more out of it.

This is a short story collection from Terry Brooks that combines short stories hes written over the years into one place. The majority of these stories are from the Shannara universe, but not all. I recommend this for people who've already read the Shannara books, as the short stories contain spoilers.

1. The Fey of Cloudmoor - This is the only short story in the collection that doesn't take place in any of Brook's established universes. Its just a one off about fairies kidnapping children. It was pretty interesting

2. Aftermath - This book takes place between the Wishsong of Shannara and the Elfstones of Shannara and features two supporting characters from those books. Stee Jans and Garet Jax. It reads like a bootcamp. It was okay.

3. Imaginary Frieds - This is the short story that inspired the Word and the Void series. Its interesting to see how the actual books changed from the short story. I like the changes.

4. The Weapons Master's Choice - This is another Garet Jax story (there are 3 of them I think Brooks really likes this character and didnt get to do enough with him in the Wishsong). I liked this one a lot even though I felt the romance was extremely rushed.

5. An Unfortunate Influx of Fillipians - I hated this story and it reinforced that the Magic Kingdom Universe is not for me.

6. Allanon's Quest - Interesting story from Allanon's prospective. It shows that the wise old druid character isn't as perfect and infallible as everyone thinks he is/should be.

7. Indomitable - This story happens after Wishsong and features the main character from Wishsong, Jair. He goes on an adventure Kimber Boh and Cogline. Also another Garet Jax story.

8. Don't Tell Dad - I skipped this story. I really don't like the Magic Kingdom series.

9. The Black Irix - This follows Shea and Flix from the Sword of Shannara on another adventure they don't want to go on. This features Panamon Creel to give it some spice. I wasn't a huge fan.

10. Last Ride - This was the only story I wasn't super familiar with the characters as it takes place in later books that I haven't read recently (over 20 years). It was a sweet story of a grandfather bonding with his grandson when both have extreme differences in opinions.

11. Warrior - This story follows the main character from the short story Imaginary Friends many years later. He's now a Knight of the World but different than John Ross, he only has one mission as a knight. The motivations and plot of this story doesn't make any sense to me so I didn't care for it.

Over all this is a good short story collection if you're really into Terry Brooks writing or want some additional stories featuring your favorite characters. I'm not really either one of these demographics.

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was very happy to get a chance to read this book and return to, at least for a short while to all three of his major worlds (Shannara, Word & Void, and Magic Kingdom of Landover). The minute I sat down to start reading, I was hooked. it is definitely a great book to read if you are familiar with Terry Brooks worlds and series but you might get a little lost if you aren't. I enjoyed it, especially since every time I finish a book or series, I always think about what might be happening to the characters after the end. Short stories set in those worlds helps relieve that.

This is a good book!

Review to come. Thanks to Random House Publishing for granting my Netgalley wish.

Publication Date March 2, 2021
#SmallMagic #NetGalley

Small Magic is a collection of 11 short stories which feature some of Terry Brook’s known novel. There is Shannara, Magic Kingdom and The Word and the Void.

The collection is full of heroes and their tales. Very well written and a fun read.

Highly recommend this timeless classic.

There is magic between these cover. An anthology that answers many readers questions for past characters , Garet Jax for example. If you are a Terry Brooks fan here is a delightful excursion into world familiar and distant. It was a chance to answer a few questions and experience your favorite writer as you explore world vast and ancient.

Small Magic Anthology by Terry Brooks: Magical
Escape to worlds full of adventure and magic in the first-ever Terry Brooks short-story collection, featuring both new and fan-favorite stories from all three of his major literary worlds: Shannara, Magic Kingdom, and The Word and the Void.
Here are heroes fighting new battles and struggling to conquer the ghosts of the past. Here are quests both small and far reaching; heroism both intimate and vast. Here we learn of Garet Jax’s childhood, see how Allanon first located Shea Ohmsford, and follow an old wing-rider at the end of his life. Here we see Knights of the Word fighting demons within and without, and witness Ben Holiday and his daughter each trying to overcome the unique challenges that Landover offers.
I read the Shannara chronicles when I was in high school, dating myself quite a bit. I loved them. High adventure and fantasy, it was the perfect mix. With twenty books in the series, though, I’ve found it difficult to keep up with the rest of the books. I’ve read some but not all the books. So when I saw this anthology of short stories was coming out, I truly wanted to read the book just to have the opportunity to read shorter fiction set in the world I loved from when I was young. What I discovered were magical stories set in all of Terry Brooks’ various worlds, from Shannara to the Magic Kingdom and The Word and the Void. And each story offers snapshots of those series, wondrous windows giving insight into the worlds of Terry Brooks.
Each story is offered with an introduction from Terry Brooks, providing us with some idea of the timeline of the story as set against the broader series but each one also stands alone. Even though some knowledge of the books provides a broader understanding, Mr. Brooks gives enough information in his foreword and in each story itself to keep the reader engaged and understand the events detailed in the tale. The stories add depth for those who’ve read the series and a rich introduction if you’ve not read anything.
The anthology is a broad mixture. The stories from Magic Kingdom introduce the most important characters in the series along with new scenarios. The Shannara stories give us new insight into familiar characters or characters readers have always wanted to know more about. The keystone to the book is the final fiction, a longer story about a new character within The Word and the Void series. Each story is well written, engaging, and exciting. And if you want a chance to learn more about Terry Brooks and his novels, this is the perfect way to join in.
If you love fantasy, Terry Brooks’ stories are incredibly engaging and this anthology is a wonderful way to learn more before you jump into the main series. If you’re a long time fan, you will definitely want to pick up the book as it elaborates on familiar characters or lesser known characters within the various series. It is a must buy for anyone who loves Terry Brooks.
Rating: 5 out of 5 characters.

#Small Magic by author #Terry Brooks is one of those that's so great it has to be bought for friends and family. A collection of eleven tales that are timeless. It's a combination of new and fan favorite's.
Thank you for the advance copy,
#Netgalley, #Terry Brooks, and # Random House

Terry Brooks is a true master of his art. I got this book for the backstories in the Shannara series and loved the others just as much.

Escape to worlds full of adventure and magic in the first-ever Terry Brooks short-story collection, featuring both new and fan-favorite stories from all three of his major literary worlds: Shannara, Magic Kingdom, and The Word and the Void.
This collection of eleven tales is a must-have addition to the Terry Brooks canon--a delightful way to spend time with favorite characters, and a wonderful reminder of what makes a Brooks story such a timeless classic.
I have not read any of Terry's books and I did watch a few epsodes of the Shannara Chronicles. Being new to his work I would recommend reading this book of short stories to get to know the worlds and see what attracts you to his books and go from there.
Out of all 11 short stores , 3 of them were my favorites.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for ARC to review.

In this new book you will enjoy eleven wonderfully imaginative tales that will definitely help you escape to new worlds. Brooks brings to life creatures, realms, heroes, and villains in a way that takes your mind beyond what you know but will never be able to forget. I was excited to read each new tale thinking the next couldn't possibly better than the one I just finished but I was wrong. Each tale was crafted the way only Brooks knows how to do and he makes it hard to pick a favorite. I can't wait to imagine the next world he brings to life!

What a fun book. I really enjoyed reading the short stories and learning more about some of the characters that I was already familiar with. - My only negative (if you could call it that) was that I wanted the stories to continue as they were so much fun to read. Terry Brooks is my favorite Fantasy author and this collection of short stories makes me anxious to read more of his work.

https://wishesdreamsandotherthings.blogspot.com/2021/03/book-review-small-magic-by-terry-brooks.html

The Summary:
I really liked this book. It adds on to the worlds of Mr. Brooks that I've been a fan of for a long time. While this book has a <strong>lot</strong> of <em>Shannara</em>-based stories, you don't <em>really</em> have to have read the <em>Shannara</em> series to enjoy this book, but it will help. Out of the 11 stories, 3 stories are not <em>Shannara</em>-based, so if you're hoping for a lot of <em>Landover</em> stories, sorry.

The Review:
As I said in the summary, this book adds additional depth to worlds of Mr. Brooks, that I've been a fan of since I was even shorter (you can read that as younger if you'd like) than I am today. Specifically, Mr. Brooks adds to the <em>Shannara</em> and <em>Magic Kingdom of Landover</em> worlds, plus a story unrelated to those worlds. You might say to me, "Wait, I thought I saw <em>The Word and the Void</em> stories in there too," and you'd be right, but let's be honest here, the <em>Word and Void</em> books really <em>are</em> part of <em>Shannara</em>. Mr. Brooks even incorporated them into his "Shannara - Terry's Suggested Order for New Readers Series" goodreads <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/99160-shannara---terry-s-suggested-order-for-new-readers">list</a>. I will still call out the stories that specifically are Word & Void, just because it's pretty easy and I can.

The table of contents shows:
The Fey of Cloudmoor (set in Poul Anderson's world from <em>The Queen of Air and Darkness</em>)
Aftermath (Shannara)
Imaginary Friends (Word & Void)
The Weapons Master's Choice (Shannara)
An Unfortunate Influx of Fillipians (Landover)
Allanon's Quest (Shannara)
Indomitable (Shannara)
Don't Tell Dad (Landover)
The Black Irix (Shannara)
Last Ride (Shannara)
Warrior (Word & Void)

For me, honestly, <em>The Fey of Cloudmoor</em> was the most difficult read. The reason why is very simple - I haven't read <em>The Queen of Air and Darkness</em> by Poul Anderson. I had no grounding in the world Mr. Brooks was playing in. So, that's now on my tbr list. Even with that lack of understanding, I still liked the story, it was just difficult to wrap my head around, to understand what was going on, to even really get the risks and basis of the issues. It's not like I'm unaware of the Mab, the Queen of Air and Darkness of Fairy, Queen of the Unseelie Court, potential goddess and all around probably not the easiest person/being to spend time around, from various other sources of literature (cough *<em>Dresden Files</em>* cough). That framework still wasn't quite enough to hang this story onto, so thankfully I read this before diving back into worlds that I had a much better grounding in. I think the best thing I can say about this short story though is that it made me want to read T<em>he Queen of Air and Darkness</em> by Poul Anderson so I could have that grounding and then come back to this story and really judge it based on that source material.

The other stories:
For my sanity and yours, the rest of my review will be broken into the worlds the stories are about. The only caveat I have is that while I read all of the <em>Landover</em> books and almost all of the <em>Shannara</em> books I could get my greedy hands on, it's been a <em>while</em> since I've revisited. That caveat made, reading these stories was the emotional equivilant of wrapping myself up in a warm blanket, with a cup of hot coco, with an animal curled up nearby. Since it has been so long since I was in <em>Landover</em> and <em>Shannara</em>, I'm not going to be your best source of "Did these break any hopes?" or "Were these in all ways aligned with the source stories?" Sorry. That also means that while I could identify most, if not all of the characters and vaguely remember their stories, I didn't have a lot of background data to tie to those stories anymore.

Magic Kingdom of Landover stories:
An Unfortunate Influx of Fillipians
Don't Tell Dad

The forward for "An Unfortunate Influx of Fillipians" has ties it to one of my favorite <em>Star Trek</em> episodes, so, it shouldn't be a big surprise that I enjoyed it.

I also enjoyed "Don't Tell Dad" and I think it came with a good kernel of a life lesson (even if it was handled a bit heavy-handedly) about telling the truth, even when you don't think it'll get you what you want. Remember, telling the truth saves you from having to remember what you told to who and what you said happened vs what did happen, which honestly, can be so time-consuming. Be energy efficient, tell the truth!

Shannara stories:
Aftermath (Shannara)
Imaginary Friends (Word & Void)
The Weapons Master's Choice (Shannara)
Allanon's Quest (Shannara)
Indomitable (Shannara)
The Black Irix (Shannara)
Last Ride (Shannara)
Warrior (Word & Void)

Ahhh <em>Shannara</em>. Can you tell that this world has made up a <em>very</em> large part of Mr. Brook's writing? Of course it has! With a lot of good reasons. These stories, more than the rest of the book combined, are what mentally soothed me, even as I struggled to remember the plots, character backgrounds, and ties between them all. Don't be surprised if you see these books return to my "currently reading" activity.

It's difficult for me to break these all into neat little reviews, as they kind of all flow together in the river of <em>Shannara</em> for me. I liked them. I liked the <em>Word & Void</em> stories, even though I've not read that whole subseries. I liked getting more into the stories of Allanon, Garet Jax, Jair, Panamon Creel, Tiger Ty, Kimber Boh. I wish Whisper had been around, because, duh. I wish I had already reread the <em>Shannara</em> books before reading these stories.

I guess that's the crux of my review for this group of short stories: if you like the <em>Shannara</em> stories and want to read more about the characters, this is a great book for you. However, if it's been a while since you read the <em>Shannara</em> books, maybe do yourself a favor and reread at least the original <em>Shannara</em> trilogy first. It wouldn't hurt, for "Last Ride," to have refreshed your memory from <em>The Heritage of Shannara</em> either.

Small Magic by Terry Brooks is a collection of short stories. Terry Brooks created three wonderful worlds and this collection gave us a story from each. Brooks is a wonderful writer. My biggest complaint was that first short story was built off a story that was not written by Brooks. This should have been moved to later in the collection. Overall though the stories made me happy and I cannot recommend them enough.

4 Stars for being very well written. I do not always know all of Brooks characters, but even so I get sucked in. Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group and Terry Brooks for the ARC. This was an honest review.

Small Magic is a fantastic collection of short stories from several of Terry Brooks worlds. I thoroughly enjoyed these glimpses into some of my all time favorites. Especially Garet Jax, he fascinates me so getting two stories about him was like hitting pay dirt just pure gold!!

These stories are fantastic and hands down I was thrilled to get a peak back into these worlds. I have loved Terry Brooks writing for years and I have devoured practically everything he has written.

Terry Brooks can weave world's like no other and I am a huge fan. So with that said if you love Terry Brooks get this collection of short stories it's well worth the read!!

I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review and I was thrilled beyond belief to have the opportunity!!