Jarka Ruus: High Druid of Shannara, Book 1
Written by Terry Brooks
Narrated by Charles Keating
3.5/5
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About this audiobook
More than a quarter of a century after The Sword of Shannara carved out its place in the pantheon of great epic fantasy, the magic of Terry Brooks's New York Times bestselling saga burns as brightly as ever. Three complete series have chronicled the ever-unfolding history of Shannara. But more stories are still to be told-and new adventures have yet to be undertaken. Book One of High Druid of Shannara invites both the faithful longtime reader and the curious newcomer to take the first step on the next extraordinary quest.
Twenty years have passed since Grianne Ohmsford denounced her former life as the dreaded Ilse Witch-saved by the love of her brother, the magic of the Sword of Shannara, and the destruction of her evil mentor, the Morgawr. Now, fulfilling the destiny predicted for her, she has established the Third Druid Council, and dedicated herself to its goals of peace, harmony among the races, and defense of the Four Lands. But the political intrigue, secret treachery, and sinister deeds that have haunted Druid history for generations continue to thrive. And despite her devotion to the greater good as Ard Rhys-the High Druid of Paranor, Grianne still has bitter enemies.
Among the highest ranks of the Council she leads lurk those who cannot forget her reign of terror as the Ilse Witch, who covet her seat of power, and who will stop at nothing to see her deposed . . . or destroyed. Even Grianne's few allies-chief among them her trusted servant Tagwen-know of the plots against her. But they could never anticipate the sudden, ominous disappearance of the Ard Rhys, in the dead of night and without a trace. Now, barely a step ahead of the dark forces bent on stopping him, Tagwen joins Grianne's brave young nephew, Pen Ohmsford, and the wise, powerful elf Ahren Elessedil on a desperate and dangerous mission of search and rescue-to deliver the High Druid of Shannara from an unspeakable fate.
Expect no end of wonders, no shortage of adventure, exhilaration, suspense, and enchantment, as Terry Brooks demonstrates, once again, that there is no end to his magic of invention and mastery of storytelling.
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Reviews for Jarka Ruus
261 ratings5 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I’ve been wanting to get back to the Shannara world after completing The Voyage of Jerle Shannara series a few years ago, but to be honest, I was disappointed in that trilogy and always found an excuse not to start Jarka Ruus. Which, as it turns out, was a huge mistake.Brooks hasn’t given his Druids a large voice before – preferring to keep their thoughts and motives a secret. In previous books saw more of Walker than Alannon, who Brooks kept aloof from the reader. We peeked into Walker’s life – how he worked, his responsibilities as a Druid, and how his magic worked – but never enough, because the stories have always been about the Ohmsfords and Elessdils, with some guidance from the Druids. In Jarka Ruus we finally see the Four Kingdoms from a Druid’s perspective, and we get a glimpse into the ancient and mysterious order. We see the politics that rule them, the pressure that Grianne, as their leader, endures, and emerge better equipped to understand her predecessors. The difference in Grianne is marked – no longer the dreaded Ilse Witch, she has become more thoughtful, pragmatic, and selfless.Another refreshing change is that while Pen Ohmsford conforms to the role of reluctant hero, he isn’t like his father Bek, or even Shea, the original Ohmsford hero. Pen never loses sight of his goal to rescue his aunt. He isn’t as incredulous or unbelieving as his ancestors were. I found his daring admirable and his romantic exploits cute. Another awesome addition to the cast is Arhen Elessdil, who was one of my favourite characters in The Voyage of Jerle Shannara series. His niece Khyber is also great – a brave, headstrong girl who quickly learns that there are many types of courage and actions mean much more than words. On the other hand, the fourth member of the team – Tagwen – is like none of the Dawrvish characters before him: although he is trustworthy and kindly, he lacks courage and foresight and his constant second-guessing set my teeth on edge.All the familiar aspects of Terry Brook’s writing make an appearance – amazing world building, the presence of the Elf-stones, a chase half way across the world with shadowy figures at the party’s heels, and a force of darkness manipulating events to suit itself. It’s easy to see why Brook’s is considered a master of Fantasy writing, and I was glad to have enjoyed Jarka Ruus so much after being disappointed in the preceding trilogy.Fans of the Shannara series shouldn’t miss this book, which kicks off an amazing new series by taking the story into uncharted territory. As Brooks pushes the magical, geographical and historical boundaries of the world he created so long ago, he displays a maturing of writing style and character arc development which is wonderful to see. I look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy soon!You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Decent. Didn't feel like a stand-alone book but more like a book written for a trilogy. I know this is part of a trilogy, but most books in a multi-part series feel like a stand-alone book that has a somewhat conclusive ending. This did not.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Rachel is headed for San Francisco to take part in her brother's wedding. But before she can do that she must attend the Annual Witches Convention to clear her name. Before she leaves town things start to fall apart quickly and she is reduced to sharing a ride with Trent Kalamack. With assassins on their tail, it'll be a miracle if Rachel and company make to California in one piece.This is the 9th book in The Hollows series, and it's still fresh and exciting as ever. Pale Demon is a roller coaster ride, and I loved every minute. An epic road trip that changes everything. Kim Harrison is a master at capturing the reader. She writes amazing characters that find their way to your heart, even the villainous ones.There are so many things I'm eager to say about the book, but everyone would be a spoiler. This installment really wowed me, maybe even more than the previous books. I loved and hated the ending. Loved it for what it might bring in the future and hated because it was the end of the book. When it comes to this series I always want more. It's definitely a must read.I recommend both this book and the series. But if you are new to this series, I highly recommend you start with book one: Dead Witch Walking.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This book features the return of a recurring character, the former opponent of the Druids and Ohmsfords, the Ilse Witch. Without giving too much away (spoiler warning for those who haven't read the previous series) she has reformed and rejoined her family and is now working for good, not evil. This book also features the return of the creatures beyond the Forbidding, the demons who were pushed back there in Elfstones of Shannara. The combination of the Ilse Witch and the demons gives this a bit of a different twist, and makes it an excellent book for Shannara fans.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This is the 12th Shannara book, and the first in the High Druid of Shannara trilogy. I've been reading them since The Sword of Shannara came out in paperback, so about 30 years. Unbelievable.It starts 20 years after the end of the last trilogy--the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara. Grianne Ohmsford is now the Ard Rhys (head druid) of the newly restored Druid Council, but she's encountering resistance, as there are those who don't trust her based on her history as the Ilse Witch, and those who want power for themselves. And there are those who would use that dissatisfaction for their own ends.When Grianne Ohmsford is abducted, it falls to her young kinsman, Penderrin, whose only magic is the ability to communicate with animals, and Khyber, the niece of the Elven Prince, to rescue her.There's the mystery of who abducted her and who's behind it, and the coming-of-age adventure of the two young heroes, complete with magic, spirits, creatures, and treachery. And the flying ships, which my 12-year-old is quite excited about.Jarka Ruus is pretty much standard fantasy--or maybe it just seems that way, because this world has been part of my fantasy reading for so long. It was a fun, interesting story, with likeable characters, and if it didn't have anything I didn't expect, it also didn't lack anything I did expect.