Memorable Passages

"Herein lies the heart and soul of the nations.
Their right to be free men,
Their desire to live in peace,
Their courage to seek out truth,
Herein lies the Sword of Shannara."

-Terry Brooks, The Sword of Shannara

 This passage marks an important turn in one of the most influential books in my life, The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks. The book was published in 1977 and was the first mainstream fantasy fiction novel. It was heavily influenced by The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien (as was evident in the characters and general plot) but Terry Brooks shed this blanket of influence in his second book, The Elfstones of Shannara, which is my personal favorite. Although The Sword of Shannara's high fantasy origins was highly apparent, it allowed Terry Brooks to evolve into his own unique writing style and world. The Sword of Shannara was the first fantasy fiction novel to become a New York Time's Bestseller and was #1 for a staggering three months (not even The Lord of the Rings had become a New York Time's Bestseller at this point) and marked the beginning of a long and fabulous career for Terry Brooks. His world is set thousands of years into the future, after an apocalyptic even where mankind was nearly destroyed and the layout of the earth was completely changed. Man was mutated into four different species: man, dwarf, troll, and gnome. The first book follows young Shea Ohmsford (who is half-elf) through the Four Lands, attempting to stop the seemingly inevitable conquest of the Warlock Lord. The passage above is important because it is inscribed into the tri-stone that held the Sword of Shannara before it was stolen. It foreshadows the power of the Sword of Shannara and its purpose. I love this book, and I wouldn't be the same reader—or writer—that I am today without it.