Shannara

 I have long avoided Terry Brooks' "Shannara" series. I am Tolkien fan through and through, and frankly, the original Shannara books read like a lame version of "The Lord of the Rings." Brooks' series is, in fact, epic. Spawing nearly 20 books, with more on the way, the world of Shannara spans thousands of years, and bridges our world to the world of magic, elves and demons. I won't tell you how, since I only know the basics.

I'm looking forward to exploring a lot more. this last week, I reread "First King of Shannara," "Sword of Shannara," and "Elfstones of Shannara." The further I read, the less Tolkien-esque the world appears. the books are not necessarily written chronologically, and that bugs me. It's a psychological problem I have. I love mythology and various lore, but I like to be able to relate it to other stories through the passing of time. I remember reading C.S. Lewis' "Magician's Nephew," and upon realizing that it was a prequel smack in the middle of a series, I think I may have said, "What the crap!?"

None of this takes away from the joy of reading these books. True, they are an easy read taken on their own. However, if you are like me when it comes to mythology, it quickly becomes a complex and thoroughly enjoyable experience. Prepare to return periodically to the map provided in the front of each novel. As time progresses and the stories become more involved, the map gets larger, piece by piece; in later books, I believe characters travel outside of the known lands, something Tolkien did not do in his epic (although there is some travel involved in his posthumous works).

If you're depressed that there is no "Harry Potter 8," and you crave some light but richly textured summer reading, I suggest checking out Terry Brooks' "Shannara" series. You can start with "First King of Shannara," or "Sword of Shannara," then be prepared to spend some time in the park, under a tree, watching for elves.