Witch Wraith by Terry Brooks : Review

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.

Witch Wraith by Terry Brooks – book three of The Dark Legacy of Shannara, and the 30th installation to the Shannara series is an enthralling and captivating read — a thoroughly satisfying conclusion to the trilogy.

As a whole, there were instances in the series, and throughout Witch Wraith where it seemed as if there was simply too much going on, and too much left for it to all wrap up neatly. This left me worried that the conclusion would be rushed, and not at all satisfying. However, I’m glad to say that my suspicions were incorrect. The pacing of this book was probably among the best out of the other concluding books to his trilogies.

As well — one of my other main concerns with this novel is that it would feel a bit repetitive; the quest of Arlingfant mirroring that as Amberle, and at times, it did, and added a fair amount of predictability to that storyline.

Otherwise though, I did really love this novel. Brooks has a wonderful way with description, and creating interesting and dynamic characters. Without giving anything away, there were some scenes in here that were among my favourite in all of his novels. As well — with the events that take place throughout this novel, the entirety of The Four Lands will be changed. I, for one, am looking forward to reading just how that plays out in the future.

Witch Wraith, and the entirely of The Dark Legacy of Shannara series effectively wraps up plotlines that began in the earlier series – The Voyage of Jerle Shannara and the High Druid of Shannara. Fans of fantasy, and of Terry Brooks will not be disappointed with this latest installation.

Witch Wraith is set to be released July 16 from Del Rey.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.