Witch Wraith by Terry Brooks (Dark Legacy of Shannara # 3)

So, in case I haven’t mentioned it publicly (if you know me well then you already knew about my excitement) This book is available for sale

NOW!!!!

For centuries the Four Lands enjoyed freedom from its demon-haunted past, protected by magic-enhanced borders from the dark dimension known as the Forbidding and the profound evil imprisoned there. But now the unthinkable is happening: The ancient wards securing the barrier between order and mayhem have begun to erode—and generations of bloodthirsty, monstrous creatures, fueled by a rage thousands of years in the making, are poised to spill forth, seeking revenge for what was done to them.

Young Elf Arling Elessedil possesses the enchanted means to close the breach and once more seal the denizens of the Forbidding in their prison. But when she falls into the hands of the powerful Federation’s diabolical Prime Minister, her efforts may be doomed. Only her determined sister, Aphen, who bears the Elfstones and commands their magic, has any hope of saving Arling from the hideous fate her captor has in store.

Meanwhile, Railing Ohmsford—desperate to save his imprisoned brother—seeks to discover if his famed but ill-fated ancestor Grianne is still alive and willing to help him save the world . . . no matter the odds or the consequences.–Description from Goodreads
Witch Wraith by Terry Brooks

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I come back to Terry Brooks again and again for reliable storytelling, strong characters you can forge a bond with and his manner of making you forget everything else in your life whilst reading his novels. This book is no exception to that rule and I was thrilled to see that the series continued to stay strong and interesting throughout.

First of all, if you have not had the pleasure of reading the Shannara novels, you should, in my opinion. Brooks creates they type of world where anything is possible and you never quite know what to expect next. The characters were not predictable even when I thought I had the story all figured out. I like it when that happens.

There is enough back story in this book and recapping of earlier events to make you comfortable if it has been a while since you read the prior novels, but it does not get in the way of this being a new story. There were a few parts of this I thought were slightly reminiscent of other novels by the same author, but also a lot of new material and some twists that I was unprepared for.

If you are a fan of fantasy, then you probably already know this author well. I have been a dedicated fantasy reader for a long time and it is rather difficult at this point to please me, but this book did. There is a particularly nice flow to this story. The passing of time from one book to the next was handled smoothly and this story tied up the loose ends from the former books.

In the end, this was a series I was very happy to have the opportunity to read and I would definitely recommend to others. If you have been awaiting the release of this book, you were right to do so.

This review is based on a digital ARC provided by the publisher in cooperation with NetGalley.