It is Book I in The Dark Legacy of Shannara trilogy, the series that takes place about 100 years after the events in Straken, featuring a hunt for the missing other-colored sets of Elfstones from Faerie.
While a new Shannara book like Wards of Faerie is a celebrated event for Terry Brooks fans, Terry had something else up his sleeve. It turns out he has gotten ahead of his publishing schedule, finishing the writing of novels earlier than the publisher needed them. In a nice gesture, Del Rey Books and Terry decided to publish the Dark Legacy volumes in six month intervals instead of keeping to the normal one-book-a-year publishing schedule.
The result? Wards of Faerie published in August 2012. Rather than coming out in August 2013, Bloodfire Quest will be published March 12, 2013!
The six month publishing schedule is interesting. Fans are getting the entire trilogy in the span of exactly one year—well, since Witch Wraith is publishing in July 2013, actually 11 months.
It leads to an even more interesting Friday Poll question:
Are you reading The Dark Legacy of Shannara trilogy as it publishes? Or are you waiting for all three books to be published before reading it?
Both are viable ways of reading the series. For me personally, I couldn’t go a month without reading a new Terry Brooks book if I knew it was in bookstores waiting. I usually wait for series to be finished—it’s the reason I haven’t read Wheel of Time or the entirety of Ice & Fire—but I just can’t wait with Terry.
But for some, the books coming out so quickly might prevent them from starting the series until it is done.
So there is my poll question. Love to hear from you!
35 responses to “Poll: Are You Reading The Dark Legacy of Shannara?”
I devour a Terry Brooks book as soon as I can possibly get my hands on it; it’s the only way to quell the hunger. If I were to wait for a whole series to be published the nigrescent plume of my imagination’s spirit withering into etheric wisps of nothingness would probably consume us all.
Reading as they come out. Since my collection is all paperback, I’m not-so-patiently waiting for Feb 2013.
I just finished “Moon over Soho” by Ben Aaronovitch – 2nd in a series that some Terry’s mystery fans will appreciate, as did he. “Midnight Riot” was the first, and there are at least 2 more in print or forthcoming.
Onward now to book 3 of Mark Billingham’s “Tom Thorne” series, “Lazy Bones” plus Hugh Tomson’s “White Rock: An Exploration of the Inca Heartland”
Reading – it is what I do.
I want to read them, but I’m still trying to work my way through the High Druid series to get caught up. Grad school knocked me behind, and career and parenthood are making hard to get back up to speed. But I’ll get there eventually!
Wait…so this is continuing from the most recent point of continuity? Does this mean the Legends series is done at two books? I didn’t really get the sense that series was finished or lead into events of First King in any meaningful way. Measure of Magic was a very short book that ended extremely quickly and I thought more was upcoming to finish that arc?
What’s happened with the Legends series?
You can read more about your questions on the FAQ page here: https://terrybrooks.net/faq/
Thanks for the link. That this is a FAQ just kind of helps support that the arc was not wrapped up “neat and tidy” IMO, I found its ending abrupt and unresolved unless I was missing chapters from my copy or something…
What wasn’t resolved? The Troll army is defeated. The Ragpicker is defeated. The Children of the Hawk is no longer a threat. The valley inhabitants have an open valley and they are safe with a broad new world open to them. All conflict is completely resolved as happens at the end of a story/series.
The reason this is included in the FAQ is because people have grown used to Terry writing 3 books and they think there is another book coming when Legends was always conceived as a two-book set by Terry.
I am waiting until a three are out to read them, but I am buying them as they come out.
You have strong willpower! There is no way I could hold out with a brand new Shannara book in my possession!
I’m actually still catching up with the rest of the books. I’m almost done with Ilse Witch, so only 10 more books to go! I already read the Legends of Shannara when they came out, but I will most likely have to re-read them now that I have more context. Either way, all 3 books will most likely be out by the time I can read the series. (I’m kind of a slow reader)
I read all the books as they are released. Have been reading them since i first found my brothers old copy of Sword of Shannara. Wish I could get on an advance readers list I have been trying for years…….. hint hint.
Well since “my” answer wasn’t an option I got to say I’m waiting for the last book. I’m in the middle of a re-read of the whole series and I’m at the end of Scions now. 😛
I am waiting until all three are released. I was a mess having to wait a year to find out what happened to a certain someone who did something at the end of a book (trying to avoid spoilers here). It rymes with bumped,
I usually buy Terry’s books the day they hit Barnes and Nobel. I could possibly wait to read all three together. I am counting the days till “Bloodfire Quest.” I have read everything he has published since “The Sword of Shannara. Terry Brooks is an amazing writer. It usually takes me about two days to read the books for first time then I reread them to catch any details I missed the first time.
I started re-reading the series before I read Dark Legacy of Shannara, but I have it ready for me when I am done. I just wanted to refresh everything that has happened so far. I can’t wait!!!!! 🙂
As much as I would love to read the new novel, I know there will be a cliffhanger at the end and I won’t be able to make it the 6 months without finding out what happens next. This is my usual protocol with a Brooks series, and I have to admit waiting ONE year for a full trilogy instead of THREE is fantastic. The trick is to avoid spoilers along the way!!! I’m looking forward to Aug. 2013 when I will consume all three in a week or so!!!
i love the shannara series, all of it, can’t wait…i often read and dream of what i’ve read…
i had a dream, the king of the silver river went to the hadeshorn, and something about the rainbow lake and the hadeshorn are or being connected….. upon returning to the rainbow lake, he calls forth walker…. was wild
Not only did I read Wards of Faerie, but I am going to reread it before I read Bloodfire Quest, and then I think I’ll reread both books before taking on Witch Wraith.
LOVE to entire series, but I am hard copy type reader. Never got into the electronic versions. So I will just have to patiently suffer and wait
An ARC is not an electronic version. It’s trade paperback, as seen in the photo above.
Does anybody know where I can find a larger map, I can read the one in WARDS OF FAERIE?????
You can buy one from Russ Charpentier in the STORE on Terry’s website.
@ Shawn Speakman:
WoT’s almost done. It may not be quite as good as The Sword of Shannara, but it’s still fantastic fantasy.
Actually I am waiting for “Bloodfire Quest”. That way I can still have one in reserve while the third one is being printed. I also plan to buy all three signed from Terry himself (through Shawn that is). Keep up the GREAT work! You are still my favorite author.
I do have another rather logical question. Will “Bloodfire Quest” and “Witch Wraith” come with graphic art as well? I would be ecstatic if this were to happen.
Yes, Todd Lockwood is finishing the interior painting for Bloodfire Quest right now. It’s awesome, from what I’ve seen so far. And he’ll be doing an interior of Witch Wraith as well.
Terry’s books are the best series I have ever read. I think I have gone through them all 2-3 times over the years. It’s wonderful to read the prior one or two books when a new one comes out and to fall back into this magical world he has created. The worst part about his books is when the latest is completed being read then I must wait in limbo for the next……
R U kidding me? How could I wait! It’s a gift that keeps giving coz I can read it over and over again ! Love it !! Love all of them! XD
Terry Brooks made me an addict to his books. I used to read Militairy Science Fiction but
that went out the door because of Terry’s books. He is my “Booklock”Lord”.
OMG! Just finished Wards of Faerie. I can’t wait for the second book to come out. I LOVE how this book brought back memories of past Shannara Series. It just makes me want to go back to my bookself and start from the very beginning again.
Just finished. Fast read and highly entertaining… As usual, now I’m stuck wanting more. Hope March gets here quick!
I think I have read most everything Terry has written, and since reading Sword of Shannara oh those many years ago, I have been hooked ever since. Of course I have never liked the interminable waiting for the next book in the series, however I always find it is well worth it. I am appreciative that I only have to wait til March this time. Thanks Terry for all you do!!!
I’ve always loved to read but Terry’s “Elfstones of Shannara” turned me on to fantasy fiction. Hundreds of books later he remains my favorite author. I could never wait to read his books. I’m drooling several days before they are released.
i have many other books i am reading right now but i would be glad for a new shannara book. but i have not seen any of these books yet. any idea where i could get one other then the internet?