Straken (High Druid of Shannara, Book 3)

Good ending to a good series. Terry Brooks comes through again.

This was the best in this Shannara trilogy, it's also book #14 in the overall series. Being #14 I'm glad that Brooks' next book goes back to one of his other series. Shannara, while still exciting, was getting a bit repetitive, especially the first book of this series. This volume, like any conclusion should be, makes up for it by being fast-paced and exciting. Yes, the vililans are quickly dispatched, but why draw it out all the time? There's no doubt he'll return to this series someday, but after 14 books it will be difficult to reinvent the story. In the mean time, maybe they'll update the illustrated companion book (and add better maps this time!).

This was the best out of the three High Druid Series (at least I thought). Mr Brooks certainly knows how to keep the story going. He did a wonderful job moving from one story to another throughout the book. Sometimes when a book has four or more different adventures moving at the same time, we (as readers) might loose interest on certain adventures. However, I was eager to read everyone's little adventure. Each character was well developed and you can understand why they were acting as they did. Grianne was definitely my favorite character. Also, I liked the overall happy ending. Lately, I have been reading books with open or unhappy endings (Thanks to Grisham and Connelly). I really like the way Mr Brooks writes fast-pace, to-the-point stories. Sometimes, it is a daunting task to read some of the fantasy books, such as Goodkind and Jordan's (over 800 pages). Don't get me wrong, I don't mind reading those thick books (currently, reading George Martin's 'A Storm of Swords'). With that said, would I have enjoyed a big battle between the Straken Lord and Grianne? Probably/Maybe, but not enough to say I did not like the book or feel cheated. As a series, I liked the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara trilogy better, but this series was not too far behind. However, `Straken' had plenty of actions and imagination to match any of the voyage series books or any other fantasy books and be rated Five Stars for me. I hope this helped!!!

Straken (2005) is the third novel in the High Druid of Shannara trilogy, following Tanequil. In the previous volume, Grianne Ohmsford, Ard Rhys of the Third Druid Order, is locked into a cell beneath Kraal Reach in The Forbidding; her only chance of getting out lies in the hands of the treacherous Weka Dart. Penderrin Ohmsford has obtained the darkwand at the cost of two fingers, but his parents are captives within Panador. In this novel, Pen travels back from the Tanequil to the bridge, only to find that his friends have been captured by Gnome Hunters. The Druid leaders, Truant Rowan and Pyson Wence, try to talk him into surrendering and Pen agrees provided that his companions are released without harm. After all, he still has to get back to Panador with the darkwand. Khyber Elessedil hides on another of the ships returning to Panador. She wears a Gnome Hunter cloak and forages through the ship only at night. She is seen once, but distracts the Gnome and glides away before he can identify her. Grianne makes an agreement to take Weka Dart back to her world if some way can be found. He releases her and removes the conjure collar from her neck. They slip away through the tunnels beneath Kraal Reach. The journey is interrupted only once, but she uses the wishsong magic to destroy a Graumth chasing them; she is frightened more by the strength and insistence of the magic than by the Graumth. Bek Ohmsford and Rue Meridan escape from their cells with the aid of Trefen Morys, a young Druid faithful to the Ard Rhys. They sneak through Druid's Keep to the courtyard where the Swiftsure is moored. Trefen's companion Bellizen has prepared the airship for launching, but first the escapees must pass through the deadly arrows and bolts shot by Gnomes on the outer walls. Pied Sanderling rallies the Elves after the fire launcher destroys their airships and kills the King and his sons. Driven from their fortifications, the survivors withdraw into the hills. There Pied sets up an ambush and defeats the Federation pursuers. Then he leads his Elves east to the enclave held by Varden Wick and his Free-Born troops. Sen Dunsidan, ambitious Prime Minister of the Federation, is being advised by the Moric, a demon wearing the skin of an Elven Druid, Irida Eleri. But Sen refuses all suggestions to directly attack the Elven capital and destroy the Ellcrys, which are maintaining The Forbidding; the destruction of these trees would allow the demons to return to the Four Kingdoms. Moric is beginning to think of abandoning its current guise. Shadea a'Ru comes to believe that all her henchmen are failing in their responsibilities. She is surrounded by shirkers and losers. If she wants it done right, she must do it herself! This novel is the final volume in this trilogy. Grianne and Shadea a'Ru have similar experiences with untrustworthy subordinates, but Shadea seems incapable of learning anything from her failures. Grianne, however, shows her abilit

Straken brings an end to the "High Druid" series, and what an ending it turned out to be! Pen Ohmsford has managed to acquire the darkwand from the Tanequel which will enable him to pass over into the Forbidding to rescue his entrapped aunt Grianne Ohmsford, Ard Rhys of the druid order. However, some of Shadea's minions hve followed Pen and his group and he's been captured and imprisoned in Paranor. Khyber Elessedil, the young Elven druid, has managed to steal aboard one of the druid's airships and managed to free Pen from his cell. Meanwhile, Pen's parents Bek and Rue are also imprisoned in Paranor, but they are also set free by two druids still loyal to Grianne. Bek and Rue fly off in search of Pen, while Pen and Khyber begin their journey through the depths of Paranor searching for Shadea's sleeping chamber in order to gain him entrance into the Forbidding. Finally, Pen is able to cross over, and after some encounters with a host of strange creatures, he finally locates his aunt. Meanwhile, the battle between the Federation soldiers and the elves continues to rage. Led by Pied, the elven Captain, the elves have managed to defeat a much larger Federation force. But the Federation still possesses its deadly weapon of fire, which could destroy the whole elven army. Also, a demon from the Forbidding has been released into the Four Lands. Crossing over when Grianne was sent into the Forbidding, it is intent on destroying the Ellcrys, the ancient elven tree that holds up the wall of the Forbidding. But the demon possess the power to take on any form it chooses, making it that much harder to track. Pen and Rue have enlisted the help of Kermadec and the rest of the rock trolls, and they have planned an assult on Paranor. However, Shadea, Pyson Wence, and Traunt Rowan have set a trap to capture both Pen and Grianne when they return from the Forbidding. Will Shadea succeed with her plan to trap Pen and Grianne? Will Bek, Rue, and the Rock Trolls arrive in time to stop Shadea? What will become of the demon? I've been a Terry Brooks fan since reading the Sword of Shannara, and I've read every book since. I have to rate this series as one of his best. Watching Grianne's struggle to maintain order among the druids has been one of the high points of the series. Although I was a little disappointed with the way this book ended, it by no means detracts from the overall excellence of the book. I'm anxious to see what Terry will write about next. As for this book, I give it my highest recommendation. It is loaded with action and characters that the reader can really become attached to. Read this great book and see the final climax of a tremendous series.