I don’t even remember when I first discovered Terry Brooks and the Shannara series. But, my bookshelf has second-hand hardback copies of the first Shannara trilogy (The Sword of Shannara, The Elfstones of Shannara, and The Wishsong of Shannara).
For my copies of the four-book series Heritage of Shannara (The Scions of Shannara, The Druid of Shannara, The Elf Queen of Shannara and The Talismans of Shannara), I remember buying them from the Hawaii State Library during one of their sales. Once again, they are used books.
But, the rest of the Shannara series, I am proud to say that I bought the hardback copies first hard.
So, though I have never met Terry Brooks, I feel that he is an old friend. And though I will never go to Shannara or hold the Sword of Leah, I feel as if I know them so well.
To me, reading the latest book, “The Darkling Child 
But the attraction is the same. The characters continue to fascinate and Terry Brooks always make them three-dimensional. And though, “The Darkling Child” is a standalone book, I am still anticipating the next book because though every book in the series can be enjoyed on its own, they are also interconnected. After all, that is the magic of Shannara.
The Darkling Child: The Defenders of Shannara
From New York Times bestselling author Terry Brooks comes a thrilling stand-alone novel in his legendary Shannara series—the perfect place for new readers to begin.
After taking up his enchanted sword against the dark sorcerer Arcannen, Paxon Leah has become the sworn protector of the Druid order. Now a critical hour is at hand, as a beloved High Druid nears the end of her reign and prepares to pass from the mortal world to the one beyond. There is little time for Paxon to mourn his friend and benefactor before duty summons him. For in a distant corner of the Four Lands, the magic of the wishsong has been detected. Paxon must accompany a Druid emissary to find its source—and ensure the formidable power is not wielded by the wrong hands.
But danger is already afoot in the village of Portlow. Gentle traveling minstrel Reyn Frosch possesses the uncanny gift, and curse, of the wishsong. And now his coveted abilities have captured the malevolent interest of none other than Arcannen—whose quest for power is exceeded only by his thirst for vengeance. The lone survivor of a brutal assault on a notorious pirate city, the sorcerer is determined to retaliate against the Federation’s elite military guard—and use the devastating power of the wishsong as his ultimate weapon.
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