Terrence Dean Brooks American science fiction writer. Date of Birth: 08.01.1944 Country: USA

1. Biography of Terry Brooks
2. The Sword of Shannara
3. The Shannara Trilogy
4. The Heritage of Shannara
5. Other Works

Biography of Terry Brooks

Terry Brooks is an American science fiction and fantasy writer. He was born in 1944 in Illinois, where he spent his childhood and youth. He attended college and later graduated from the Washington and Lee University School of Law. While in college, Brooks began writing and penned several stories in the genres of science fiction, western, and realistic fiction.

The Sword of Shannara

In 1977, Brooks wrote and published "The Sword of Shannara," a fantasy novel. The plot of the novel revolves around the last descendant of the elven Shannara lineage, who is the only one capable of wielding the magical Sword and saving the Four Lands from the sorcerer Brona. In his debut, Brooks clearly embraced the influence of J.R.R. Tolkien and openly acknowledges it. "The Sword of Shannara" became the first science fiction book to reach the New York Times bestseller list, where it remained for over five months. Following this success, Brooks decided to pursue writing professionally, leaving behind his legal career to dedicate his time to writing books.

The Shannara Trilogy

In 1982, Terry Brooks published the sequel, "The Elfstones of Shannara," and in 1985, "The Wishsong of Shannara" concluded the trilogy about the Ohmsford family. Brooks then relocated to Seattle and in 1986, wrote "Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!," an ironic tale about an ordinary citizen named Ben Holiday who unexpectedly becomes the ruler of a magical kingdom. This book marked the beginning of his new Landover series, which was later expanded with "The Black Unicorn" and "Wizard at Large."

The Heritage of Shannara

In 1990, Brooks returned to the Four Lands and wrote "The Heritage of Shannara" tetralogy, which deviated from the previous fairy tale epic canons and delved into technomagic and post-apocalyptic themes. In subsequent years, Brooks did not dwell on one series for long, alternating between the Shannara and Landover worlds, allowing him to explore new ideas. In 1996, he wrote "First King of Shannara," a prequel to the entire epic, and recently, he has been working on an even earlier period in the history of the Four Lands.

Other Works

In addition to his Shannara and Landover series, Terry Brooks has also written the novelization of the film "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace," and the "Word & Void" trilogy, a dark fantasy series. He has written the foreword for Robert Salvatore's "Icewind Dale Trilogy." In the mid-1990s, there were plans to adapt "The Sword of Shannara" into a film, but Brooks withdrew the rights after reading the proposed screenplay, as it deviated too much from the original story by placing it in a post-apocalyptic universe. A film adaptation of "Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold!" directed by Stephen Sommers is scheduled for release in 2008.