Straken / Terry Brooks

Straken

category: fantasy, author:

Terry Brooks

book 3 of High Druid of Shannara
original copyright 2005,
read in February 2011

Agamedes' opinion: 8 out of 10

I do have some doubts about Brooks' books. With Straken, however, he gets it right!

This is book three of a series. The series is a part of the continuing saga of Wish Song, Elf Stones, druids, demons and... well... an entire world of magic. The full series, in fact, starts from present-day Earth and links into a future, post-apocalyptic world of fantasy. (See The Gypsy Morph for a bit more detail.)

There is a general problem with books by Brooks: the characters have too little self-determination. They tend to drift along, depending on the right thing happening when it is needed. Which is a rather weak way of maintaining suspense...

With Straken, there is still a lot of last minute solution discovery. This time, however -- it works.

The hero thinks, Oh dear, I don't know how to use the necessary magic.

But then he thinks, But that's the way my magic works -- and I know it will happen this time.

There is still suspense -- we don't know how the magic will operate -- but it is not artificial suspense. It is a part of the way that the magic works. So the hero takes positive action -- and puts himself in the place where he knows that the magic will work.

The overall story is also more positive than the last Brooks books that I read. The Word and Void series is rather depressing: the best possible ending is to be hidden away while the rest of the world goes to pot. Straken is a more traditional story, with villains defeated and heroes triumphant.

There are some sad endings, or endings which are not quite, happy ever after... Yet there is a strong feeling that there will be some peace and goodwill to come. They may not live happily ever after -- but there are good signs that the heroes will, at least, have a small time of peace and quiet.

By itself, this book three is quite readable and enjoyable. I will look out for books one and two -- but not in any great rush. I have already had the happy ending!

And I will approach other Brooks books with slightly heightened expectations.

..o0o..

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