I love Terry Brooks. I've loved him since I cracked open The Sword of Shannara. But lately the man has fallen behind in his ways to amaze me. This book the second book after Armageddon's Children is a luke-warm follow up to its predecessor. At times it just plays like a bridge between the first book and the climax. Logan Tom has found the gypsy morph of Nest Freemark's time but now the boy Hawk has disappeared. Step in the King of the Silver River, who has been in almost every Shannara novel and frankly I'm tired of the man. No offense Terry. Anyway, Hawk learns of his mission and then is sent back. But we don't pick up that story thread until 200 pages into the book. The rest of the plot is the Ghosts traveling south to meet up with Hawk. Many pitfalls happen along the way (my personal favorite is the Senator) but it has a mostly happy outcome. Angel Perez has trouble of her own. She must convince the elves that they are in danger, elves that do not trust humans. Kirisen Belloruus with blue elfstones in hand goes with Angel and his sister to find the mysterious Loden elfstone. But a demons are tracking them. Who the demon is, is a mystery worth savoring. Flaws in this plotline are that we have already explored the blue elfstones' and the Loden's capibilities. I would have liked to have seen some different ones. In closing: there is a glimpse of the future with the demon that Findo Gask summons and a question of what will Hawk actually do? All and all it is a good and fast-paced read. And I still love Terry Brooks. Rating: ****
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