AUDIO

The High Druid's Blade: The Defenders of Shannara

by Terry Brooks
9 CDs. library ed. unabridged. 10½ hrs. Books on Tape. 2014. ISBN 9780804190657. $45; digital download. F
COPY ISBN
In this coming-of-age story, a stand-alone novel within Brooks's (The Weapons Master's Choice) Shannara world, Paxon Leah is the descendant of both the Leah and Ohmsford families. He has no knowledge of the power in the family sword until he's forced to use it to defend his sister against the evil wizard Arcannen. His awakening to the sword's charmed ability comes to the attention of the Fourth Order of Druids, who persuade him to come to Paranor to train and learn how to use the sword effectively. However, Arcannen is not done with the Leah family and again attacks with the goal of obtaining the magical sword. Simon Vance does his usual superb job narrating the story with distinctive characterizations of both male and female roles.
VERDICT Interest in the series may be keen as a Shannara television series is scheduled to air on MTV in 2015. This title is strongly recommended for the multitudes of Shannara fans and anyone else who loves high fantasy with a dash of steampunk. ["High adventure, lots of action, and appealing (if stock) characters make this a comfortable traditional fantasy that will appeal to the many fans of Brooks's Shannara books," read the review of the Del Rey: Ballantine hc, LJ 1/14.]
Reviewed by Deb West, Gannon Univ. Lib., Erie, PA , Nov 15, 2014
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