The Wishsong of Shannara
core novel 1985 Shannara
Record
| First published | 1985 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 3.99 (56,218 ratings, collected 2026-09-12) |
| First-edition ISBN | 0-345-31823-4 |
| First-edition date | 1985-05 |
| Internal chronology | 12 |
Synopsis
The third novel of the Original Shannara Trilogy follows a new generation of the Ohmsford family. The dark, sentient tome known as the Ildatch, believed destroyed, has resurfaced in the Eastland and spawned monstrous servants called the Mord Wraiths, who threaten the Four Lands from their stronghold. The Druid Allanon returns to recruit Brin Ohmsford and her brother Jair, siblings who have each inherited a different form of the family's magical Wishsong ability, Brin's able to alter reality and Jair's to create illusions. Allanon needs Brin's power to penetrate the Maelmord, a living jungle said to kill anyone who enters it, so that the Ildatch can be destroyed for good. Brin, Jair, and their companions, including Rone Leah, wielder of the enchanted Sword of Leah, the Weapons Master Garet Jax, and the gnome Slanter, set out on the dangerous journey east.
Where it sits
- Universe: Shannara
- Series: The Original Shannara Trilogy core; position 3 of 3 in the series' recorded order
- Author: Terry Brooks
Awards (verified)
- Locus Award (Best Fantasy Novel), 1986: finalist; Locus reader-poll placement, ranked 16th.
Notes
- From the series record (The Original Shannara Trilogy): The Sword of Shannara (1977) was the first new novel published by Del Rey Books.
Neighbouring works
Publication order and internal chronology are tracked as two separate orderings and are never conflated: a book's place in one says nothing about its place in the other.
- Publication order, within the series The Original Shannara Trilogy: position 3 of 3: previous The Elfstones of Shannara (1982)
- Internal chronology, within Shannara: position 12 of 32: previous The Elfstones of Shannara (1982) · next The Scions of Shannara (1990)
Sources
- Terry Brooks official site
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shannara
- https://www.isfdb.org
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wishsong_of_Shannara
- https://www.sfadb.com/Terry_Brooks
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