The Elfstones of Shannara

infobox Book |
name = The Elfstones of Shannara
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption = 1st hardcover edition.
author = Terry Brooks
illustrator = Darrell K. Sweet
cover_artist = Darrell K. Sweet
country = United States
language = English
series = "Original Shannara Trilogy"
genre = Fantasy/Epic fantasy
publisher = Del Rey Books
release_date = 1982
media_type = Print (Hardcover, Paperback, Mass market paperback)
pages = 576 pp (Mass market paperback)
isbn = ISBN 0-345-30253-2 (1st Edition hardcover)ISBN 0-345-28554-9 (Mass market paperback)
preceded_by = The Sword of Shannara
followed_by = The Wishsong of Shannara

"The Elfstones of Shannara" is an epic fantasy [cite web |url=http://www.terrybrooks.net/novels/index.html |title=Terry Brooks' official website|accessdate=2008-05-02 |last= Speakman |first=Shawn |authorlink= |year=2008 |publisher= ] novel by Terry Brooks. It is the first sequel to "The Sword of Shannara" and the second book in "The Original Shannara Trilogy". It provides the history of the Elves, which was only hinted at in the preceding story, and follows Wil Ohmsford, grandson of Shea (the hero of the first book) and inheritor of the Elfstones.

The novel intertwines two plotlines: the quest of Wil Ohmsford and Amberle Elessedil to find Safehold and create a new Ellcrys, and the attempt by the Elven army and their allies to slow the Demons to give them time to find it.

History of the Elves

Before the dawn of mankind was the age of Faerie, an era from which many powerful spirits (such as the King of the Silver River) came. The Elves, extremely long-lived and possessing great magic, created the Elfstones. However, as a necessary balance to the light, darkness was also created in the beginning of time; from this darkness the Demons were born. After years of battle between the light and the dark, the Elves summoned their greatest magic and created the Forbidding, a spell that imprisoned the Demons beyond the confines of the world. They also created the Ellcrys, a beautiful silver tree with crimson leaves to maintain the Forbidding. Unfortunately, this drained nearly all the strength of the Elves, leaving them with very little magic. Most of the creatures of Faerie died out in this period of waning magic; yet the Elves survived, though diminished in splendor. In time, they came to resemble more and more the human race that had recently evolved, both in strength and longevity. Afraid of the rapidly multiplying humans, Elves went into hiding, remaining one with nature, ever guarding the Ellcrys. Even when mankind nearly destroyed the world in the Great Wars, the Elves lived on, spending their last remaining magic to save the Ellcrys. In the aftermath of the destruction, as mankind split into four distinct races, the Elves took that opportunity to come out from hiding. Indeed, most believed that the Elves were just another offshoot of mankind, like the Dwarves, Gnomes and Trolls. The Elves emerged as leaders in the new world; it was the Elf Galaphile who summoned the first Druid council at Paranor.

Plot Summary

The Beginning

The magical Ellcrys tree was beginning to die, thus weakening the spell that held the Forbidding. The Ellcrys spoke to the Chosen, telling them of a rebirth, a process which enables a new Ellcrys to be born--but this can only be done at the fountain of the Bloodfire. The Chosen then informs their Prince Ander Elessedil and King Eventine Elessedil of the matter. However, there is no one who knows of the location of the Bloodfire. A search in the ancient Elven library reveals one reference to the Bloodfire. It states that it lies in a place named "Safehold". At the same time, a powerful Demon, the Dagda Mor, escapes from the waning Forbidding, bringing with it the Reaper and the Changeling. The Dagda Mor then sends the Reaper to kill all the Chosen. Eventine finds himself at a loss, for only the Chosen can make the rebirth of the Ellcrys happen.

The Last Chosen is found

The Druid Allanon appeared and went to the ancient Druid keep, Paranor, in an attempt to locate Safehold. After learning its location, Allanon was ambushed by the Dagda Mor and a handful of Furies.

He retreated to Storlock for a time, and then went to Havenstead with Wil Ohmsford--who is a Healer, a descendant of Jerle Shannara and bearer of the Elfstones--to find Amberle Elessedil, who is King Eventine's granddaughter and a Chosen, who abandoned her duty to the Ellcrys and fled the Elven capital, Arborlon. She eventually agreed to return to Arborlon with them, only giving in when Demon Wolves were closing in upon them.

Ambushed by Demons and the Beginning of the Quest

En route, close to the Silver River, Allanon, Amberle and Wil were ambushed by Demon wolves. Allanon fended off the Demons while Wil and Amberle escaped to safety. The King of the Silver River took them in and sheltered them just before they would have been caught; after talking with him, the duo managed to regroup with Allanon and return to Arborlon. Amberle received a seed from the dying Ellcrys and prepared to go to Safehold with Wil, six Elven companions and the Captain of the Home Guard, Crispin.

After they journeyed by boat to the Elven outpost at Drey Wood, however, the group found the entire garrison that had been stationed at the outpost dead--and the Reaper, who had killed all of them. They managed to escape by setting off down the river once more, but two of the Elven guards were ran down and killed in the process. The party then goes to the Matted Brakes, where another two of the group are killed by a unknown massive creature. After escaping from the Brakes, the remaining group of five found themselves at an ancient Elven fortress named Pykon. The group made the decision to rest the night there, but the Reaper found them again and killed the final two Elven hunters. Wil and Amberle ran into the network of tunnels inside of the Pykon to try to find Crispin, who had gone into there to try to find a way out. Wil and Amberle finally lost the Reaper by destroying a bridge over a gorge, but they lost Crispin as well. The duo met the young Wing Rider Perk soon after, who agreed to take them into the Wilderun on his Roc, Genewen.

"Good" versus "Evil"

Meanwhile, Allanon and the Elves went to war with the Demons, beginning the War of the Forbidding. The Elven army took up two positions in two mountain passes named Halys Cut and Worl Run. Having no weapons, the Demons used human-wave tactics in the ensuing battles and literally ran over the Elven army, even managing to injure King Eventine. Ander's brother, Arion Elessedil, was killed as well in Worl Run. Defeated, the Elven force retreated first to Baen Draw, successfully defending it until it was discovered that they were being flanked. They then retreated to Arborlon, their last line of defense. In the process, they lost their commander, Kael Pindanon. Shortly after their return to Arborlon, Dwarf and Troll contingents joined them, uniting banners from all four of the Four Lands for the first time in history.

The Hollows

Amberle and Wil traveled to the Hollows, domain of the Witch Sisters, but they found out that the Elfstones were stolen by Cephelo, a Rover. Wil leaves Amberle and pursued Cephelo. Eretria, daughter of Cephelo, helped Wil to locate Cephelo only to find that he and the rest of his followers were killed by the Reaper. Wil regained the Elfstones and traveled back to the rim of the Hollows with Eretria. He found Amberle missing. Hebel appeared and agreed to track Amberle for Wil. Together with Hebel's dog, Drifter, they tracked Amberle to Mallenroh's tower. Mallenroh captured them and decided to keep the Elfstones for herself , locking them up.

After the Witch Sisters fought and killed each other, Wil, Eretria, Hebel, and Drifter escaped with Amberle, the Elfstones, and Mallenroh's servant, Wisp; who brings them to the Bloodfire. Amberle absorbs both the Bloodfire and the seed of the Ellcrys. The Reaper attacks them and kills Wisp, but Wil destroyed him by focusing the power of the Elfstones upon his cloaked face. Wil had Amberle call Perk, who brought Wil, Amberle and Eretria back to Arborlon.

The Siege of Arborlon

By this point, the Demons had begun a full frontal assault upon Arborlon. Despite desperate attempts to blunt the attacks, the seven gates fell one by one to the superior numbers of the Demons. The Demons eventually broke through the last of the Elven capital's major defenses (the seventh gate). At this point, Allanon engaged and defeated the Dagda Mor in a titanic battle while the forces of "good", now severely depleted, regrouped at their last line of defense: the Gardens of Life, where the Ellcrys resided. The Demons tried to reach the Ellcrys to destroy her, but they were held back by those forces of "good" just long enough so that Wil and Amberle could fly in. Amberle touched the dead Ellcrys and was transformed into the new Ellcrys; and with this action, Amberle restored the Forbidding, banishing the Demons back to their alternate universe.

Film adaptation

The rights to a movie adaptation for all of the Shannara novels have been sold to Warner Bros until 2010.cite web |url=http://www.terrybrooks.net/movies.html |title=Terry Brooks Movies, on his official site |accessdate=2008-07-22 |last= Speakman |first=Shawn |authorlink= |year=2008 |publisher= ] "The Elfstones of Shannara", the first planned movie, will be filmed and directed by Mike Newell, [ [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1051220/ The Elfstones of Shannara (2009)] ] who was also responsible for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. [ [http://imdb.com/name/nm0001565/ Mike Newell at IMDB.] ] This movie is expected to start filming in 2008 and finished sometime during 2009. "The Elfstones of Shannara" will probably be followed by an adaptation of "The Sword of Shannara" in 2010 or so. [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1047529/ The Sword of Shannara (2010)] Note that the sequence of the movies differ from the sequence of the books, although Terry Brooks believes that this is the best starting place for adapting the "Shannara" novels.

Character List

Main characters

* Allanon
* Amberle Elessedil
* Ander Elessedil
* Changeling (demon)
* Dagda Mor (demon)
* Ellcrys
* Eretria
* Eventine Elessedil
* The Reaper (demon)
* Stee Jans
* Wil Ohmsford

Minor characters

* Amantar
* Arion Elessedil
* Artaq (horse)
* Browork
* Cephelo (deceased)
* Cormac (deceased)
* Crispin (deceased)
* Dancer (roc)
* Dardan
* Dayn (Wing Rider; Perk's uncle)
* Dilph (deceased)
* Drifter (dog)
* Ehlron Tay
* Emer Chios
* Flick Ohmsford
* Flyn
* Gael
* Genewen (roc)
* Hebel
* Herrol
* Jase
* Kael Pindanon
* Katsin (deceased)
* Kerrin (deceased)
* Kian (deceased)
* King of the Silver River
* Kobold
* Lauren
* Manx (dog)(deceased)
* Mallenroh
* Morag
* Ped (deceased)
* Perk
* Rhoe
* Rin
* Spitter (horse)
* Went (deceased)
* Wisp (deceased)

Additional Covers

References