Terry
Brooks’ first novel, “The Sword of Shannara,” fulfills most of the tenets of an
old-fashioned fantasy story and the structure of Western classical mythology.
In many ways, the adventures of Shea Ohmsfold and the company from Culhaven is
analogous to Frodo Baggins’ adventure with the Fellowship out of Rivendale.
That Tolkien heavily influenced Brook’s narrative is without question; but that
doesn’t detract from my assessment that Brooks is an excellent writer.
Brooks
is a master world-builder and his greatest talent is capturing the right words
to paint a canvas in the reader’s mind, illustrating every scene with powerful
and distinguished clarity. We enter the Four Lands of Brooks’ debut novel,
immersed in every excruciatingly detailed scene, as would characters that have
never left their own backyard. Yet as with many first-time writers, Brooks is
still finding his groove and his descriptions are often long, often
uneconomical. Streams of paragraphs seem to flow down the page before any
action or dialogue even takes place. But his ability to paint scenes serves him
well in depicting the climactic Battle of Tyrsis. Brooks weaves story threads
gracefully, building up dramatic tension, and culminating in a battle that his
writing portrays as both epic in scope and tragic for those involved.
In
his later novels, over time, Brooks becomes more adept at characterizations and
diversifying their point-of-views. In “Sword”, some characters, though not all,
suffer from a lack of inner complexities and unstrained development. My
favourite characters are arguably the most original and well-developed. Panamon
Creel is the brave, if morally ambiguous, rogue who despite being a thief, is
anchored to the side of good by his code of honor. In his reluctance to accept a higher calling
in being Shea’s protector and companion, he reminds me of the swashbuckling Han
Solo from “A New Hope.” Like Han, Panamon rises beyond his own expectations and
is selflessly transformed by his heroic actions to serve the greater good. I
liked that he dresses much in red, a traditional color for heroes in Japanese
culture, foreshadowing his role late in the novel. His mute Troll companion,
Keltset Mallicos, is stoic and introverted. He is the embodiment of integrity
and a steadfast will. Unlike vast numbers of his race who’ve surrendered to the
Warlock Lord, Keltset chooses exile rather than be converted to the ranks of
the Skull Kingdom, even after the rest of his family was slaughtered, and
because of his strength of will, his tongue was cut. Keltset demonstrates that
his actions forever speak louder than words. These two are Brooks’ most complex
characters in “Sword of Shannara,” because unlike the others who wear
everything out in the open, these two are layered in their emotional
intricacies and multifarious traits.
While
reading “Sword of Shannara” will likely remind you of “Lord of the Rings,” I
recommend this epic narrative to anyone who loves modern fantasy. Terry Brooks
is a master at work. Near the last third of “Shannara,” Brooks’ narrative and
style begin to identify themselves, and we see the seeds of growth from a
writer whose skills certain flourish into creating some of the most
entertaining and enduring fantasy stories ever written.
