The Sorcerer's Daughter by Terry Brooks

"The inspiration for the epic MTV series, the world of Shannara is brimming with untold stories and unexplored territory. Now bestselling author Terry Brooks breaks new ground with a standalone adventure that's sure to thrill veteran readers and recent converts alike"--

"In this, the third stand-alone Shannara novel in the Defenders of Shannara series (following The High Druid's Blade and The Darkling Child), the daughter of a reviled sorcerer, Leofur is nothing like her dreaded father. When her life-partner, Paxon Leah, leaves on a dangerous mission, Leofur protects Paxon's sister. When she is abducted Leofur is forced to choose between saving Paxon from a mission gone badly awry, or hiring the services of the best tracker in the world to go after her life-partner's sister"--

I received a copy from NetGalley. Paxon, Leofur, and Chrys are basking in the uneventful days at Paranor. After battling Arcannen twice, losing friends and nearly their lives, they are enjoying the break. But, it doesn't last. Paxon must go to a meeting with the Federation to better the relationship with the Druids. Arcannen has other plans for everyone. I really enjoy this series.

2.5 stars - Metaphorosis Reviews

In this third book in the Defenders of Shannara subseries, rogue wizard Arcannen Rai is again set on damaging the Four Lands as best he can, setting in motion events that put the Druids and the Federation at each other's throats.

I've never been a fan of Shannara. From the very first books, it seemed to me not only an obvious copy of Tolkien, but a fairly weak one. After a couple of books in the series, I gave up. I liked a few of Brooks' other books - the first Landover books, before they got tired, and thought the first of his Word & Void series was adequate, but didn't see a reason to follow on.

Obviously, many others have disagreed. Brooks has sold a lot of his Shannara books, and turned the series into a complex world. Unfortunately, it's still not one I like very much. This book, the third in a sub-trilogy, takes place long after the original books, in a time when magic and science attempt to co-exist. However, Brooks' attempt to graft steampunk onto his Tolkien-inspired magic universe doesn't work, especially with tools that are only thinly disguised from their real-life inspirations.

Content aside, I've always thought of Brooks as a decent writer. Here, however, he seems to hardly even try, with what feels like rote deployment of tropes and techniques. Most of the book is an uninspired and slow-moving chase. Things proceed almost entirely as expected, even when the detail of the events is thinly credible at best. I can recommend this only for existing Shannara fans.