The Elves of Cintra

Terry Brooks has done something extremely unusual in fantasy trilogies. He made a great middle book. Brooks picks up where he left off in "Armageddon's Children" and whisks the reader into the harrowing world of a future earth in the process of being overrun by demons, once-men, and monsters of ancient Faerie. Weaving four stories together so tightly that he doesn't skip a beat, Brooks continues the stories of the Ghosts, Angel Perez, the Cintra elves and the endangered Elcrys, Logan Tom, and Hawk, the boy/gypsy morph in their fight against the forces of the Void. There is barely time to breath and you won't be able to put this one down. In the midst of all of this the noble human element shines through in heroism, self-sacrifice, and the struggle to stand up for what is right even in the face of ridicule and danger to oneself. Bravo Mr. Brooks. I can't wait to read the next installment.

Hawk is missing, having vanished into a blast of white light after being thrown from a wall in ARMAGEDDON'S CHILDREN. His family, the Ghosts, hunts for him in desolate Seattle. Invading demons and horrifying creatures beyond description are hot on their trail, looking to overrun all that once was about our world. In the meantime, Hawk learns of his past, of his magic and of his destiny to lead thousands to safety, though he refuses to believe his own worth. Kirisin struggles to persuade the Elves of Cintra that they are needed for a great quest. They must seek out the Elfstones, which have long been lost to the world. Failing in this mission will result in nothing less than the extermination of Elven society. A human, Angel Perez, infiltrates their society and urges the Elves to listen to Kirisin. Ultimately, as the quest reaches its climax, disaster strikes and Angel and Kirisin are forced to flee. They have the Stones, but their use gives away their location to the demons that pursue them on their new-found and more important quest for a land of safety for the Elves. In ARMAGEDDON'S CHILDREN, Terry Brooks began the process of blending his Shannara and Word & Void series. The first book in the Genesis of Shannara trilogy hinted at those links between the two interconnected worlds. Now, in THE ELVES OF CINTRA, he boldly makes those connections clearer, even going so far as to answer some of the questions that have stuck in readers' minds for years. ARMAGEDDON'S CHILDREN was, perhaps, one of the strongest novels Brooks has ever produced. THE ELVES OF CINTRA surpasses its predecessor with ease, and it also does an excellent job of avoiding the pitfall of middle installments of a series. In general, second books are nothing more than great fillers that serve barely to go anywhere and leave little in the way of interesting developments. In addition to propelling the main story forward, THE ELVES OF CINTRA also contains its own major arc, one that is introduced and completed, giving a sense of closure while also leaving readers reaching for the next book to continue the main tale. Characters carried over also grow and become more substantial. Hawk is a prime example and Logan Tom continues to be of great interest, but the female Knight of the Word, Angel Perez, impresses me the most. She is a young and tenacious woman with incredible skills that we finally get to see her make use of. In some ways she eclipses Hawk and Logan in this story, though there is no doubt that Hawk is the main driver of the series. THE ELVES OF CINTRA remains a gloomy and gritty piece of a post-apocalyptic pie that is full of outstanding epic ingredients and characters. There are the most villainous of the vile and the most heroic, and there are those who are lost along the way. Brooks makes you care, makes you grieve and, most importantly, makes you hope --- emotions that could be lost in the hands of a lesser author. --- Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard

I have been an avid fantasy reader since grade school, but have not touched a Terry Brooks book since Sword/Shannara 20 + years ago. Unlike many books in the fantasy genre, Cintra is an extremely well written book , with outstanding character development woven throughout. A must read, especially for those fantasy buffs looking for a little intellectual stimulation along with their fire, spells and brimstone. Definitely a must read. I can't wait to rediscover the other books in the Shannara series. Enjoy!

The world as we know it is coming to an end plagued by disease, once-men, and demons. As a Knight of The Word, Logan Tom has been charged with protecting the only one who can lead the innocent safely into the new world. In order to find him, Logan must lead a group of street kids on a dangerous journey that will challenge them at every turn. Another Knight of The Word, Angel Perez, has been charged with helping the Elves to find an important talisman that will protect them in the face of imminent danger. Despite her doubts and fears concerning this mythical race, she allows honor and duty to guide her on a dangerous trek into the unknown. Terry Brooks is one of the premiere storytellers of our time, and he has proven it once again in this gripping installment of the World of Shannara. In Armageddon's Children, Brooks began the challenging task of connecting his Word & Void Series with his epic Shannara Series. The Elves of Cintra takes us deeper into the world of the Elves and the plight they find themselves in as their very existence is threatened. Here Brooks gives us even more insight into the origins of the Ellcrys, the Elfstones, and Elven magic. Connecting two series that were never meant to be connected is no doubt a daunting task, but Terry Brooks has seamlessly made the transition. As always we are treated to the core foundations of Brooks's superb writing: engaging dialogue, strong characters, commitment to story, and breathtaking action sequences. Surprises and twists lurk around every corner also adding to the richness of the story. The Elves of Cintra marks 30 years as an author for Terry Brooks, and he has proven once again that he belongs on the throne of the fantasy genre. Just like every time I finish a Terry Brooks novel, I simply cannot wait for more.

So many middle books lag -- just look at A FEAST FOR CROWS by George RR Martin -- but this one doesn't! It goes somewhere with likable characters that develop with each page turned. The Elves of Cintra takes the characters from Armageddon's Children -- characters who are wholly unique -- and pushes them along toward the inevitable conclusion to come in the third and final book of the series. But unlike some author's middle books, this book has a climax all its own for most of its characters. No cliffhangers here, folks! I was satisfied with how the story unfolded and finished up. The characters are fantastic and despite what one of the other reviewers said are new and invigorating. There has been no character like Angel Perez in Terry Brooks's other stories -- a hispanic woman who speaks in her native tongue sometimes and has been given great power. Angel must overcome her own doubts, doubts that have plagued her since the beginning in this deteriorated world, and she grows over this middle volume to a great final confrontation with evil. Logan Tom is another example of a new character for Terry Brooks. He is no John Ross, no Allanon, no Balinor. He is a man destroyed from losing his family and conflicted with the new family he has been given despite not being able to follow the command of the Word. Revenge drives him. This is unlike anything Brooks has tackled before and allows him to talk about responsibility in dark times -- times much like we are living in now. Then you have the street kids, the Ghosts. All of them are unique, all of them have never been in a Shannara book or Word/Void book. Terry spends time with each of them as they travel from ruined Seattle southward, and as this trilogy unfolds all of them will have their individual stories told. The only drawback I could see in The Elves of Cintra is the absence of Hawk. Hawk is maybe only in the book for three chapters. He will undoubtedly be in the third book a great deal -- this middle book is the story of Angel Perez and the Elves for the most aprt -- but I felt his absence. Time will tell how his story unfolds and completes. There were also real moments in this book when I had to reread the passage because I couldn't believe what Terry had done! No one is safe in Terry Brooks's work, and he really surprised me at times with the avenue he took the story. So be prepared for that! Anyone who loves the Word/Void books should read this series. Anyone who loves the Shannara Elves should read this series. I look forward to reading the third book in this series!