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With notes from Terry Brooks placed in the book’s margins to illuminate the history of his debut novel, The Annotated Sword of Shannara is now available!
THE PHENOMENAL EPIC OF GOOD AND EVIL LIKE IT’S NEVER BEEN EXPERIENCED BEFORE
Thirty-five years ago, Terry Brooks brought to life a dazzling world in The Sword of Shannara. Nineteen more Shannara volumes would follow, making the series one of the most popular fantasy epics of all time. 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.
Long ago, wars ravaged the world. In peaceful Shady Vale, half-elfin Shea Ohmsford knows little of such troubles. Then the giant, forbidding Allanon reveals that the supposedly dead Warlock Lord is plotting to destroy everything in his wake. The sole weapon against this Power of Darkness is the Sword of Shannara, which can be used only by a true heir of Shannara. On Shea, last of the bloodline, rests the hope of all the races.
Soon a Skull Bearer, dread minion of a mighty evil, flies into the Vale, seeking to destroy Shea. To save his home, Shea must flee, drawing the Skull Bearer after him in menacing pursuit.
Thus begins the enthralling Shannara epic, a spellbinding tale of adventure, magic, and myth.

Shawn has catalogued the progress of The Annotated Sword of Shannara from its inception a year ago through its various stages of production. Click the links below:
- Part I – Why I was hired to work on this project!
- Part II – Interviewing Terry at his Oregon home!
- Part III – The final annotations being edited by Anne Groell!
- Part IV – Placing the annotations where they belong!
- Part V – Proofing the final book!
- Part VI – Creating Cover Art!
As the last entry in Creating The Annotated Sword of Shannara series of blog posts, Terry will be answering questions about the book! That interview will come in early November!
Rare Signing: Terry will not be touring for this book. The Signed Page is making signed copies available for those of you who love to collect Terry’s work! Also, Terry’s long-time webmaster Shawn Speakman worked alongside the author and is partially credited with creating the annotations in this new edition. Shawn is more than happy to sign the book as well if you select that choice.
11 responses to “Buy Now: The Annotated Sword of Shannara”
Can’t wait to add this to my collection! Looks like another reading of the sword will have to be added to my lst of rereads lol!)
Absolutely!
I absolutely love the shannara series, have them all and can not wait until, the new book annotated sword of shannara comes out!!!!!!
I have a 1st edition of his entire Shannara series in hardback. Brought new when released. Been a fan since the start. I am off the month of December and plan to rereading the series as suggested in the reread list.
Just preordered. Can’t wait to reread
Cool. I just got into his work just a few years ago and have put this on the must read list.
Barnes and Noble didn’t have it when I went there. Do some book stores get it late?
Hey Casper,
I had the same issue when I went to my local B/N. Apparently it’s supposed to be on display, but they decided to keep them in the back stock room instead of putting them on the sales floor.
So, after tracking a copy down, I tried to buy it only to learn that B/N wasn’t discounting it in stores like they are online.
The nice lady at the customer service desk told me it was $35 to walk out with it that night, or I could buy it there and have them ship it to my home for $19.80 plus $3.99 shipping.
It made no business sense to me and I decided to get it on Amazon instead.
I just got my copy Saturday. I am really enjoying it so far! I’m taking my time and really absorbing it this time. (I’ve probably read it 5 times already, but it never gets old).
I hope there is an annotated Elfstones some time in the future. I can’t wait for Bloodfire Quest in March. It will be a bday present for me!
Thanks to Shawn for his work on the annotated version.
Awesome, just got my signed copy from terry and shawn from the signed page. Thanks so much!
I think it would be totally awesome if you created a web page dedicated to the characters you create. That would be icing on the cake for us fans. Something like this…
http://shannara.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Characters
Maybe hire someone to beef it up a little bit with 3D animations of your Characters. =)