

I didn’t just enjoy reading the novels-the world became so real that I would spend hours creating Shannara fan-fiction in my mind. “The Shannara books were among the first to really capture my imagination. He is required reading.”-Brent Weeks, New York Times bestselling author of The Night Angel Trilogy Not only do I owe him for many hours of reading pleasure, I owe him my job. “Terry Brooks is a master of the craft and a trailblazer who established fantasy as a viable genre. From Shannara to Landover, his work was a huge part of my childhood.”-Patrick Rothfuss, New York Times bestselling author of The Name of the Wind “I can’t even begin to count how many of Terry Brooks’s books I’ve read (and reread) over the years. Brett, New York Times bestselling author of The Desert Spear If Tolkien is the grandfather of modern fantasy, Terry Brooks is its favorite uncle.”-Peter V. I say with all honesty I would not be writing epic fantasy today if not for Shannara. “Terry Brooks has been my constant companion over a lifetime of exploring my beloved fantasy genre. This was one of my favorite fictional worlds growing up, and I look forward to many return trips.”-Karen Russell, New York Times bestselling author of Swamplandia!

“The Sword of Shannara is an unforgettable and wildly entertaining epic, animated by Terry Brooks’s cosmically generative imagination and storytelling joy. Thus begins the enthralling Shannara epic, a spellbinding tale of adventure, magic, and myth.

To save his home, Shea must flee, drawing the Skull Bearer after him in menacing pursuit. Soon a Skull Bearer, dread minion of a mighty evil, flies into the Vale, seeking to destroy Shea. On Shea, last of the bloodline, rests the hope of all the races. The sole weapon against this Power of Darkness is the Sword of Shannara, which can be used only by a true heir of Shannara. Then the giant, forbidding Allanon reveals that the supposedly dead Warlock Lord is plotting to destroy everything in his wake. In peaceful Shady Vale, half-elfin Shea Ohmsford knows little of such troubles. Now comes a fully annotated collector’s edition of the novel that started it all-featuring never-before-shared insights into the classic tale, an all-new introduction by the New York Times bestselling author, and replicas of the original sketches for some of the long-lost, black-and-white paintings by the Brothers Hildebrandt that decorated the original edition, and a replica of the original Hildebrandt central color plate on the back of the jacket. Nineteen more Shannara volumes would follow, making the series one of the most popular fantasy epics of all time. Thirty-five years ago, Terry Brooks brought to life a dazzling world in The Sword of Shannara. THE PHENOMENAL EPIC OF GOOD AND EVIL LIKE IT’S NEVER BEEN EXPERIENCED BEFORE
