Armageddon's Children [Mass Market Paperback]

 

 

Create your own review

As my title states - I received the product on time and just as promised; no more, no less. Good job. ...and thanks.

In a horrifying blend of post-apocalyptic terror and new age urban fantasy, "Armageddon's Children" describes a world ravaged by nuclear war, plague, pestilence, famine, mindless zombie-like creatures, demons and terrifying creatures born out of devastating mutations. Deaths have numbered in the billions and humanity teeters on the very brink of extinction. Most of those few humans who have survived have reverted to a dark age in which they remain walled up in fortified compounds brutally scavenging from one another and scratching out a mean subsistence life in much the same fashion as tribes would have done during the earliest periods of mankind's existence.

The power and excitement of this debut novel of Terry Brooks' latest series rests in his convincing blend of the reality of a burnt-out destroyed human landscape with the beguiling and utterly fascinating mythological beginnings of the fantasy world that was born in full bloom in his earlier Shannara stories.

Long, long ago in a place that was definitely not far, far away, the Elves conquered the demon hordes wandering Earth and sealed them away in a bleak existence called "the Forbidding". A biblical scholar might have suggested that "The Word" ruled over the Earth and the Earth was good - a kindly, warm and benevolent place to live.

But current events on the earth - the wars, the nuclear radiation, the burgeoning evil that mankind is both experiencing and causing - are weakening the walls between Earth and the Forbidding. As evil's grip on the earth tightens, its defence has been reduced to the last two remaining Knights of the Word - Angel Perez and Logan Tom - two warriors carefully chosen by the Word for their indomitable spirit who have been given a magical staff and special powers to be used in the fight against demons and "The Void".

Perez and Tom have been charged by the Elven nation with finding a talisman called the Loden Lodestone and a magical young child called "The Gypsy Morph". Without the magic of the Lodestone and the power of the Gypsy Morph whose destiny is critical to the survival of humankind, earth is doomed. Goodness and "The Word" will disappear forever and the world will become the dominion of the demons and their dark lord, Findo Gask. "The Void" will rule forevermore.

"Armageddon's Children" is powerful indeed. Far more than a simple story of the unending and timeless conflict between good and evil, it tells a story of love, commitment, honour, dedication, trust and so much more. For example, the tale of orphaned children attempting to raise themselves in a bleak, nuclear-blasted world without reference to parental guidance, while astonishingly reminiscent of Golding's "Lord of the Flies", is fresh, exciting, heart-wrenching and most definitely not derivative in any way.

Brooks' descriptions of a troubled world are graphic and breathtaking. His character building is deep, complex and utterly convincing. On the dust jacket of the novel, Christopher Paolini, author of the young adult fantasy, "Eragon", was quoted as saying, "If you haven't read Terry Brooks, you haven't read fantasy"! Quite a compliment coming from a fellow author who might well be assumed to be in competition with Terry Brooks for the same audience. I have to agree with Mr Paolini's ebullient assessment.

I waited a long time for this one and, I think you'll agree. "Armageddon's Children" combines the earlier "Shannara" and "Knight of the Word" series in a stunning, entirely innovative new series that fantasy fans are going to eat up.

Highly recommended.

Paul Weiss

I fell in love with Terry Brooks's compelling storytelling back with the Sword of Shannara trilogy and, especially, the Heritage of Shannara, which is one the best Fantasy series I have ever read (and I have read a few). However, I was somewhat disappointed with the High Druid of Shannara and the Voyage of Jerle Shannara trilogy, which seemed to fall short of his previous works, so I had been shunning Terry Brooks for a while, not expecting to find again the exciting read I had found in his earlier works.

Well, I decided to give the Genesis of Shannara a try and boy! Was I in for a surprise - and a treat - with Armageddon's Children! This is definitely a must read for any fan of Terry Brooks, a real page turner; it has been some time since I read such a compelling story. In his usual fashion, Brooks interweaves the stories of different characters that eventually come together (well, most of them) in the end. Brooks's descriptions of a post-apocalyptic America are vivid and troubling at times.

The only aspect that I felt somewhat deficient is the storyline pertaining to the Elves; it somehow doesn't quite fit in with the rest of the book.

It still made for a fascinating read and I am sad it's over already - I can't wait to read the sequel, the Elves of Cintra, and find out what happens with Hawk and the others. Hopefully we won't have to wait too long for the third installment!

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 5 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

 

2.0 out of 5 stars I felt cheated
This book was initially marketed as Brooks' foray into post-apocalytpic fiction. As has become evident by newer subtitles and the like, this is another Shannarra book with all... Read more

Published on Sep 27 2007 by Dave the Gecko

4.0 out of 5 stars Hmmm...Best Series' Advent since the Heritage of Shannara *Potential Spoilers*
I've read all of Terry Brooks' Shannara books (and you can be sure I'll be reading the Word and the Void series in short order - somehow I just never got around to it before) and... Read more

Published on Sep 30 2006 by Odyssey

Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews

› See all 5 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

Search Listmania!