"Bloodfire Quest: The Dark Legacy of Shannara" (Del Rey), by Terry Brooks

"Bloodfire Quest," the second book in the trilogy that started with "Wards of Faerie," explodes from the first page. And the action doesn't stop until the novel's cliffhanger ending.

Most middle books in a trilogy have a lot of filler to stretch the story over three books. Not this one. Author Terry Brooks doesn't waste a word in this intense and exhilarating fantasy.

Reading "Wards of Faerie" will help with the nuances of "Bloodfire Quest." The setup from the first book forces various characters to accept their fate, and everyone questions their true destiny.

Several quests happen simultaneously throughout the novel, and all of them are essential to the story and the world that Brooks has built. The author balances character development with intense action, and he has a gift for creating characters the reader cares about.

Brooks is one of the best fantasy writers in the business, and "Bloodfire Quest" is better than its predecessor. Fortunately, readers will only have to wait until July, when "Witch Wraith," the final book in the series, will be published.

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Online:

http://www.terrybrooks.net/