The Last Druid

By: Terry Brooks

Narrated by: Simon Vance

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Hope blooms anew for the Four Lands in this riveting conclusion, not only to the Fall of Shannara series but to the entire Shannara saga—a truly landmark event over forty years in the making!

Since he first began the Shannara saga in 1977, Terry Brooks has had a clear idea of how the series should end, and now that moment is at hand.

As the Four Lands reels under the Skaar invasion—spearheaded by a warlike people determined to make this land their own—our heroes must decide what they will risk to save the integrity of their home. Even as one group remains to defend the Four Lands, another is undertaking a perilous journey across the sea to the Skaar homeland, carrying with them a new piece of technology that could change the face of the world forever. And yet a third is trapped in a deadly realm from which there may be no escape.

Filled with twists and turns and epic feats of derring-do—not untouched by tragedy—this is vintage Terry Brooks, and a fitting end to a saga that has gathered generations of readers into its fold.

Critic reviews

Praise for Terry Brooks

“The Sword of Shannara is an unforgettable and wildly entertaining epic, animated by Terry Brooks’s cosmically generative imagination and storytelling joy.”—Karen Russell, New York Times bestselling author of Swamplandia!

“If Tolkien is the grandfather of modern fantasy, Terry Brooks is its favorite uncle.”—Peter V. Brett, New York Times bestselling author of The Core

“I can’t even begin to count how many of Terry Brooks’s books I've read (and re-read) over the years. From Shannara to Landover, his work was a huge part of my childhood.”—Patrick Rothfuss, New York Times bestselling author of The Name of the Wind

“Terry Brooks is a master of the craft and a trailblazer who established fantasy as a viable genre. He is required reading.”—Brent Weeks, New York Times bestselling author of The Night Angel Trilogy

“The Shannara books were among the first to really capture my imagination. My daydreams and therefore my stories will always owe a debt to Terry Brooks.”—Brandon Mull, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Beyonders series and the Fablehaven series

Great conclusion

Really enjoyed this conclusion to the Shannara series. All 32 books have been interesting and great to listen to / read. Thanks Terry Brooks for the stories and the adventures

Astounding

Awesome read. I hoped for a different ending. Maybe Terry Brooks will surprise us again.

Resolutions galore

First, I read this book prior to listening the the previous three. The story can stand on its own if you don't mind a few "who is that"s. The various threads are relatively independent, and straight-forward quests. The style is action-with-obstacles. I never felt lost or lost interest in the story.
[Having written the above, I have now read the previous three novels and reread this one. Only The Last Druid seems worthy of a reread, and I am very glad I followed this pattern.]

However, what I want in stories is a clever presentation that drops hints, causes me to ponder tropes and their twist), makes me curious about links to older literature. Such things are not Brooks style. I want to feel that the story teller is packaging a story already knowing the end and teasing me to figure it out (Brooks says this is the ending he wants). So as much as I enjoy the story and feel drawn to or away from certain characters, there is just a bit more that I would want to give 5 stars.

Having now listened to the first 3 books I have not found what I wanted so I stay with a 4 star rating. The story still seems like a 4 book recitation of what happened rather than what I wished for above (maybe I need to use the WishSong).

As for the marketing, 4 books for the YA audience might be the right and profitable call, but in reality this could have easily been two books. Each book is just a chapter, not a story.

The best!

I've read all of Terry Brooks books and love them all! I hate to see this be the last. Listen and enjoy!

An acceptable ending

The four books are mediocre at worst. At least the series (which i started sixteen years ago) being over was less painful this way, and it left an obvious point for someone else to pick up the torch, or not.