August Ask Terry Posted

Dortha Cox writes: I love your novels. Can’t wait until the next one comes out. Can you tell us when the next one is coming and what it’s all about?

Terry Brooks replies: Thanks, Dortha. The new book is the first of four and will be another sweeping epic type story. It will involve the Four Lands and the various races and creatures, you will meet new and surprising characters, you will see the Four Lands facing an entirely new type of threat, one they don’t entirely understand. That’s about all I can say prior to publication. It will be out late next Spring or early next Summer.

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Andy Mardon writes: Just a small question. In The Druid of Shannara, what city did you base Eldwist on?

Terry Brooks replies: Eldwist is not based on any one specific ruin, city or place. It is an amalgam of all three, an image I had formed in my mind early on.

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Michael Bullock writes: I heard there is a Landover movie in the queue. Can you confirm this and maybe a little time line?

Terry Brooks replies: Landover is in limbo at this point. Warner Brothers has decided they might not want to do it after all. They are focusing on “branded products” and think Magic K does not fit this cookie cutter role. But the team is still together and looking around. We will all have to wait and see. It is intensely disappointing, but that’s how these things go.

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Matthew Feeney writes: What made you decide to write your books in such a way that main characters are constantly killed off. Many writers keep them through whole series.

Terry Brooks replies: Several reasons for this, Matthew. First, I am easily bored. With this kind of epic story, I thought for it to work it had to feel as real as possible given its backstory. So where you have your main characters constantly exposed to extreme danger, some of them are going to die. The ones most at risk, in particular, are bound to lose a few of their numbers during their quests. Second, I like to keep you guessing. I don’t want you to feel too comfortable about any of them making it through. I like the anticipation and uncertainty with knowing that characters can be killed off at any point and no one is safe. Finally, I am easily bored with writing about the same characters. Sure, the types are the same, but the persalities and backstories differ. I started out with three stand-alone books in different generations of Ohmsfords, Leahs and Elessedils, but shortly afterwards decided to jump ahead in time to change the entire nature of the Four Lands. Then it became a habit. Endless stories about the same few characters have always troubled me. How likely is it that these people would encounter the same situations over and over? How likely is it that they would be exposed to such extreme danger over and over? You get the point.

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Jeremiah writes: Does the sap of the Ellcrys or the Tanequil have any special properties? What would happen if some evil villain stole some of it?

Terry Brooks replies: Jeez, Jeremiah. Just when you think you have heard it all. Tell you the truth, I have never thought about that possibility, being fixated as I am on the magic itself. Now I suppose I won’t be able to stop thinking about it. Already am. Thanks a lot, buster!

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