Elena Rainn

Zach P

Kyrsten Iris

Fede Bonino

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Watashi Wa Jigabudesu

Karl Halmos-Westram

lonely loser

Ljsly Bernard

Miguel Barreto Carrillo

Leonel González

Tim M

You can find an alternative cover edition for this ISBN here and here.A rich selection of background and source materials is provided in three areas: Contexts includes probable inspirations for Dracula in the earlier works of James Malcolm Rymer and Emily Gerard. Also included are a discussion of Stoker's working notes for the novel and "Dracula's Guest," the original opening chapter to Dracula. Reviews and Reactions reprints five early reviews of the novel. "Dramatic and Film Variations" focuses on theater and film adaptations of Dracula, two indications of the novel's unwavering appeal. David J. Skal, Gregory A. Waller, and Nina Auerbach offer their varied perspectives. Checklists of both dramatic and film adaptations are included.Criticism collects seven theoretical interpretations of Dracula by Phyllis A. Roth, Carol A. Senf, Franco Moretti, Christopher Craft, Bram Dijkstra, Stephen D. Arata, and Talia Schaffer.A Chronology and a Selected Bibliography are included.

The King of Landover has had his identity stolen by an evil wizard! Everyone believes the wizard to be Ben Holiday, the King, and Ben Holiday appears to them as a stranger. He is cast out of his castle by his friends. Thus begins a journey searching for the woman, Willow, who in turn is on a journey looking for the Black Unicorn. This is a tale of magic, demons, dragons, unicorns, self-discovery and understanding, and love.This was a fun read. When my ex's dad bought me the first book in the series years ago, when I finished it, I had turned to my ex and said, "Wow, that was campy fantasy." I hold by that assessment. It felt like fun, campy, classic fantasy.My favorite character by far, was a Prism Cat from the fairy realm, named Edgewood Dirk. Ben Holiday is not the brightest crayon in the box, by a long shot and Dirk spends all of his time cat-slapping sense into him. Of course, this sense takes almost 220 pages to sink in. I had the "twist" figured out pretty quickly; Ben, however, had to have it kicked into him by a talking cat. The themes were strong; though, from time to time, I felt like I was being bludgeoned by said themes with a brick, because Ben was just so oblivious.Ben spends the entire book looking for this sylph, Willow. He obsesses over her at every fucking turn and yet, it takes him until the very very end to admit to himself that he (view spoiler)[is in love. (hide spoiler)]

When a half-drowned elf is found floating in the seas of the Blue Divide, an old mystery resurfaces. Thirty years ago, an elven prince led an expedition in search of a legendary magic said to be more powerful than any in the world. Of all those who set out on that ill-fated voyage, not one has ever returned. Until now. The rescued elf carries a map covered with mysterious symbols–and Walker Boh, the last of the Druids, has the skill to decipher them. But someone else understands the map’s significance: the Ilse Witch, a ruthless young woman who wields a magic as potent as his own. She will stop at nothing to possess the map–and the magic it leads to.\
  Thus begins the first volume of a dazzling new adventure in one of the most popular fantasy series of our time\


Angel Fire East marks the close of Terry Brooks's Word and Void trilogy, which began with 1997's Running with the Demon. In this book, the story returns to Nest's native Hopewell, where once again Nest and John must face off against the Void. This time, the demon is the ancient Findo Gask, along with his sidekicks: a giant albino demon, a shapeless ur'droch who lives only to kill, and a self-destructive psycho named Penny Dreadful.  The story begins when John Ross shows up at Nest Freemark's door with a young boy. He reveals that the boy, who he calls Little John, is actually a gypsy morph, a creature born of wild magic and capable of enormous deeds, for good or evil. Both sides have approximately one month to unravel Little John's secrets and recruit him for their cause. Because after one month, the magic that holds him together will tear him apart, and his powers will be lost forever.

Five hundred years have passed since the devastating demon-led war that tore apart the United States, leaving nothing but scorched and poisoned ruins, and nearly exterminating humankind. Those who escaped the carnage and blight were led to sanctuary by the boy savior known as the Hawk ? the gypsy morph. In an idyllic valley, its borders warded by powerful magic against the horrors beyond, humans, Elves, and mutants alike found a place they believed would be their home forever. But after five centuries, the unimaginable has come to pass: The cocoon of protective magic surrounding the valley has vanished. When Sider Ament, the only surviving descendant of the Knights of the Word, detects unknown predators stalking the valley, he fears the worst. And when Panterra Qu and Prue Liss, expert Trackers from the human village of Glensk Wood, find two of their own gruesomely killed, there can be no doubt: The once safe haven of generations has been laid bare and made vulnerable to whatever still lurks in the wasteland of the outside world.Together, Ament, the two young Trackers, and a daring Elf princess race to spread word of the encroaching danger ? and spearhead plans to defend their ancestral home. But suspicion and hostility among their countrymen threaten to doom their efforts from within ? while beyond the breached borders, a ruthless Troll army masses for invasion. And in the thick of it all, the last wielder of the black staff and its awesome magic must find a successor to carry on the fight against the cresting new wave of evil.

Harrowing confrontations with the merciless Ilse Witch and the monstrous Antrax have taken their toll on the intrepid heroes aboard the airship “Jerle Shannara”. But their darkest adversary now snaps at their heels, in the form of the Morgawr - feeder upon the souls of his enemies and centuries-old sorcerer of unimaginable might with a fleet of airships and a crew of walking dead men at his command. The Morgawr's goal is twofold: find and control the fabled ancient books of magic and destroy the dark disciple who betrayed him - the Ilse Witch. Now at the mercy of those who seek vengeance against her, the use Witch's only protector is her long-lost brother, Bek Ohmsford, who is determined to redeem his beloved sister . . . and to fulfill her destiny.

With peace reigning in the Magic Kingdom at last, Ben Holiday was finally free to lie back and watch his daughter grow. Which she did - by leaps and bounds. Born a seedling and nourished by soil from Landover, Earth and the fairy mists, Mistaya was a unique child, as dazzling as her mother, the sylph Willow, and fiery and impatient with those who couldn't keep up with her lightning- fast development. But Ben's idyll was not to last. The dark and pitiless Rydall, king of lands beyond the fairy mists, was at the gates of Sterling Silver. His armies ready to invade if Ben would not accept his challenge: to face and defeat seven different champions of Rydall's choice. And accept he must, for Mistaya had been snatched from her guardians by foul magic and only Rydall had the key to her fate ...

Brave explorers led by the last Druid, Walker Boh, traveled across unknown seas in search of an elusive magic. But now it seems that Walker and his team were lured there for sinister, unforeseen purposes. As the crew aboard the airship Jerle Shannara is being attacked by evil forces, the Druid's protege, Bek Rowe, and his companions are being pursued by the mysterious Ilse Witch. Meanwhile, Walker is alone, caught in a dark maze beneath the ruined city of Castledown, stalked by a hungry, unseen enemy. It is alive, but not human, coveting the magic of Druids, elves, even the Ilse Witch. It hunts men for its own designs. It is Antrax: a spirit that feeds off enchantment and traps the souls of men. And with it, the fate of the Four Lands hangs in the balance.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Expect no end of wonders and suspense, no shortage of adventure and enchantment, as Terry Brooks begins the next extraordinary quest in the magical world of Shannara. . . .Twenty years have passed since Grianne Ohmsford denounced her former life as the dreaded Ilse Witch. Fulfilling the destiny predicted for her, she has established the Third Druid Council and dedicated herself to its goals of peace, harmony among the races, and defense of the Four Lands. But despite her devotion to the greater good as Ard Rhys, the High Druid of Paranor, Grianne still has bitter enemies. Even her few allies—chief among them her trusted servant Tagwen—know of the plots against her. But they could never anticipate the sudden, ominous disappearance of the Ard Rhys, in the dead of night and without a trace. Now Tagwen joins Grianne’s brave young nephew, Pen Ohmsford, and the wise, powerful elf Ahren Elessedil on a desperate and dangerous mission of search and rescue—to deliver the High Druid of Shannara from an unspeakable fate.BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Terry Brooks's The Measure of the Magic.

Events that began in "Jarka Ruus," Book One of High Druid of Shannara, come swiftly to a head in this second thrilling volume. Alliances are made, trusts are betrayed, and prices are paid. Throughit all, Terry Brooks orchestrates the action with the flawless hand of a master mythmaker- fashioning another exquisite link in his chain of bestselling epics.Loyal to none but herself andlethal even to those closest to her, Shadea a'Ru now holds sway as High Druid of Paranor-her ascension to power all but unchallenged in the wake of Grianne Ohmsford's sudden, mysteriousvanishing. Only Shadea and her catspaw-the treacherous Prime Minister Sen Dunsidan-know the secret fate of the true Ard Rhys . . . for it was they who engineered it, by means of dark magic. And nowGrianne languishes in the fearsome and inescapable netherworld called the Forbidding.Their bloodless coup a success, the corrupt pair, and their confederates within the Druid Council, seeks to maketheir dominion over the Four Lands absolute-with the aid of a devastating new weapon. But it could all be undone if Grianne's young nephew, Penderrin, succeeds in his frantic quest to rescue her.Shadea's airship-borne minions and the relentless assassin under her command continue their fierce pursuit of Pen and his comrades. Eluding death is only half the battle for Pen. To breach theForbidding and bring Grianne back to the natural world means finding the fabled Tanequil . . . and the talisman it alone can provide. That means journeying into the Inkrim-a dreaded region thick with shadows andhaunted by harrowing legends. It also means striking a bargain more dire than Pen could ever imagine. But there can be no turning back. For in her unearthly prison, the Ard Rhys faces a demonic plight too hideous tocountenance. . . .

Twenty years ago, Terry Brooks turned fantasy fiction on its head with The Sword of Shannara, the first fantasy novel to make the mainstream bestseller lists, and the first in an unbroken string of thirteen bestselling books. Now, in Running with the Demon, Brooks does nothing less than revitalize fantasy fiction again, inventing the complex and powerful new mythos of the Word and the Void, good versus evil still, but played out in the theater-in-the-round of the "real world" of our present. On the hottest Fourth of July weekend in decades, two men have come to Hopewell, Illinois, site of a lengthy, bitter steel strike. One is a demon, dark servant of the Void, who will use the anger and frustration of the community to attain a terrible secret goal. The other is John Ross, a Knight of the Word, a man who, while he sleeps, lives in the hell the world will become if he fails to change its course on waking. Ross has been given the ability to see the future. But does he have the power to change it?At stake is the soul of a fourteen-year-old girl mysteriously linked to both men. And the lives of the people of Hopewell. And the future of the country. This Fourth of July, while friends and families picnic in Sinnissippi Park and fireworks explode in celebration of freedom and independence, the fate of Humanity will be decided . . .A novel that weaves together family drama, fading innocence, cataclysm, and enlightenment, Running with the Demon will forever change the way you think about the fantasy novel. As believable as it is imaginative, as wondrous as it is frightening, it is a rich, exquisitely-written tale to be savored long after the last page is turned.

THE SWORD OF SHANNARA: Long ago, the world of Shea Ohmsford was torn apart by war. But the half-human, half-elfin, Shea now lives in peace - until the forbidding figure of Allanon appears, to reveal that the long dead Warlock Lord lives againTHE ELFSTONES OF SHANNARA: Ancient evil threatens the Elves and the Races of Man. For the Ellcrys, the tree of long-lost Elven magic, is dying - loosing the spell of Forbidding that locks the hordes of Demons away from Earth. Only one source has the power to stop it: the Elfstones of Shannara. THE WISHSONG OF SHANNARA: Evil stalks the Four Lands as the Ildatch, immemorial book of evil spells, has stirred to eldritch life. Once again Allanon, ancient Druid Protector of the Races, must seek the help of a descendant of Jerle Shannara.

Landover was a genuine magic kingdom, complete with fairy folk and wizardry, just as the advertisement had promised. But after he purchased it for a million dollars, Ben Holiday discovered that there were a few details the ad had failed to mention. Such as the fact that the kingdom was falling into ruin. The barons refused to recognize a king and taxes hadn't been collected for years. The dragon, Strabo, was laying waste to the countryside, while the evil witch, Nightshade, was plotting to destroy no less than everything. And if that weren't enough for a prospective king to deal with, Ben soon learned that the Iron Mark, terrible lord of the demons, challenged all pretenders to the throne of Landover to a duel to the death - a duel no mere mortal could hope to win. But Ben Holiday had one human trait that even magic couldn't overcome. Ben Holiday was stubborn.

For centuries the Four Lands enjoyed freedom from its demon-haunted past, protected by magic-enhanced borders from the dark dimension known as the Forbidding and the profound evil imprisoned there. But now the unthinkable is happening: The ancient wards securing the barrier between order and mayhem have begun to erode—and generations of bloodthirsty, monstrous creatures, fueled by a rage thousands of years in the making, are poised to spill forth, seeking revenge for what was done to them. Young Elf Arling Elessedil possesses the enchanted means to close the breach and once more seal the denizens of the Forbidding in their prison. But when she falls into the hands of the powerful Federation’s diabolical Prime Minister, her efforts may be doomed. Only her determined sister, Aphen, who bears the Elfstones and commands their magic, has any hope of saving Arling from the hideous fate her captor has in store. Meanwhile, Railing Ohmsford—desperate to save his imprisoned brother—seeks to discover if his famed but ill-fated ancestor Grianne is still alive and willing to help him save the world . . . no matter the odds or the consequences.

Horror stalks the Four Lands. The Ildatch, immemorial book of evil spells, has stirred to eldritch life, sending its foul Mord Wraiths to accomplish at last Mankind's destruction. Once again Allanon, ancient Druid Protector of the Races, must seek the help of a descendant of Jerle Shannara. Brin, daughter of Wil Ohmsford, born with the magic of the Wishsong which alone can open a way to the Ildatch, reluctantly joins him on his perilous journey east; meanwhile her younger brother Jair learns that Brin will fail and die, unless he can reach her in time. And as Brin walks into the trap the Ildatch has set, Jair must travel through the very heart of evil to reach her...

”The Druids stepped back as the first of those things slouched into the light. It was a Skull Bearer, hunched and massive within its black cloak, claws extended before it. All sharp edges and flat planes, all hardness and bulk, it filled the corridor and seemed to suck away the very air. Red eyes burned into the three who cowered before it, and it shoved its way past them disdainfully. Leathery wings beat softly. With a hiss of satisfaction, it seized the young Elven guard, ripped out his throat, and cast him aside. The Druids flinched as the rending sprayed them with the victim’s blood.”The Druids have been crippled by the horror of the misuse of magic in the first war of the races, which destroyed the old world and sent the race of man into banishment. The Druids have made themselves toothless, shut up with their books and minor spells in the castle keep of Paranor. When Bremen appears, demanding to see the council to warn them of the coming dangers, the last thing they want to do is believe a druid who has been cast out. They’d have done well to listen. The Warlock Lord, Brona, a druid who has been twisted by dark magic, has risen in the north and has browbeaten the trolls into an army of chaos. He has skull bearers, other druids who have been warped into sadistic, brutal, powerful monsters. He is marching south, and the first he will come for are the druids. Bremen can only convince a small band of druids to leave the keep and come with him. Magic will have to be used again, and it may even need the help of the old sciences as well. There is little time to convince the Races to come together as one. This reminds me of the slow responses by countries who were still recovering from the devastation of World War One and couldn’t even fathom the possibility of having to fight yet another world war. ”Only by uniting could the free Races hope to prevail. But it would take time for them to decide to do this if left to their own devices. Politics would slow any decision making. Self-interest would generate an ill-advised caution. The free Races would debate and consider and be made slaves before they realized what had happened to them.”If Hitler hadn’t dithered at Dunkirk, the war might very well have been over before the US could get in the war. In this case, the Dwarves are nearly destroyed before the Elves can muster their army for war. Bremen has a vision of a sword, a very special sword, made with magic and old science and held by a great Elven leader. Like with most visions, clarity is an issue. Bremen dispatches his small band in various directions on different quests as he tries to discover the proper way forward to destroy something seemingly too powerful to stop. ”Dust began to rise from the parched plains, the wind stirring it in wild clouds, and the size of the army seemed to swell even more, to rise on the dust as if fed by it. The silence shattered, and the light changed. In the roil of the dust and thunder of the army’s coming, Death lifted its head in expectation and looked about.”I approached the Shannara canon ass backwards. I watched the TV show The Shannara Chronicles before I decided to approach the books. I rarely do this, but in this case, it might end up working out okay. I was itching, of course, to read The Sword of Shannara, the first and most lauded of the Shannara Chronicles, but after some research, I decided to read First King of Shannara, a prequel to the trilogy. This was a dicey decision because the prequel is far from the book that Sword pertains to be, but I was interested in learning about the lead up to what I already knew about Shannara. I hope that this means that I will enjoy Sword more because I have more background material already lodged in my head before reading the first page. There is a bit of frothing at the mouth about Terry Brooks and the similarities between his world of Shannara and the world of J. R. R. Tolkien. I’m far from an expert on fantasy novels. In fact, I rarely read them, but I do find that throwing one in the reading queue occasionally does pleasantly shake me out of my reading comfort zone. In this case, I did become caught up in the quest aspects of the novel and enjoyed taking an hour or so a day to lose myself in the magical wilds of Shannara. I chose to see Brooks' Shannara books as an ode to Tolkien. I perfectly understand Tolkien purists choosing to see this series as a ripoff. Given the fact that Brooks has published many books in the realm of Shannara to great acclaim, I would say that most fantasy readers have chosen to see the series the same way I do. Please Tolkien purists, do not send large, wart infested trolls after me or ninja dwarf assassins or Elven arrow sharpshooters or *shudder* a Skull Bearer. I will warn you, I do have a fierce Scottish Terrier who prefers a bit of variety in her diet...if you know what I mean. If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.comI also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten

Terry Brooks is one of a handful of writers whose work defines modern fantasy fiction. His twenty-three international bestsellers have ranged from the beloved Shannara series to stories that tread a much darker path. Armageddon’s Children is a new creation–the perfect opportunity for readers unfamiliar with Brooks’s previous work to experience an author at the height of his considerable storytelling powers. It is a gripping chronicle of a once-familiar world now spun shockingly out of control, in which an extraordinary few struggle to salvage hope in the face of terrifying chaos. Logan Tom is doomed to remember the past and determined to rescue the future. Far behind him lies a boyhood cut violently short by his family’s slaughter, when the forces of madness and hate swept our world after decadent excesses led to civilization’s downfall. Somewhere ahead of him rests the only chance to beat back the minions of evil that are systematically killing and enslaving the last remnants of humanity. Navigating the scarred and poisoned landscape that once was America and guided by a powerful talisman, Logan has sworn an oath to seek out a remarkable being born of magic, possessed of untold abilities, and destined to lead the final fight against darkness.Across the country, Angel Perez, herself a survivor of the malevolent, death-dealing forces combing the land, has also been chosen for an uncanny mission in the name of her ruined world’s salvation. From the devastated streets of Los Angeles, she will journey to find a place–and a people–shrouded in mystery, celebrated in legend, and vital to the cause of humankind . . . even as a relentless foe follows close behind, bent on her extermination. While in the nearly forsaken city of Seattle, a makeshift family of refugees has carved out a tenuous existence among the street gangs, mutants, and marauders fighting to stay alive against mounting odds–and something unspeakable that has come from the shadows in search of prey. In time, all their paths will cross. Their common purpose will draw them together. Their courage and convictions will be tested and their fates will be decided, as their singular crusade begins: to take back, or lose forever, the only world they have.In Armageddon’s Children, Brooks brings his gifts as a mythmaker to the timeless theme of the unending, essential conflict between darkness and light–and carries his unique imaginative vision to a stunning new level. Prepare for a breathtaking tour de force. To those who are new to Terry Brooks, welcome. And to those who have read him for many years: prepare for a dramatic surprise.From the Hardcover edition.

Eight centuries ago the first Knight of the Word was commissioned to combat the demonic evil of the Void. Now that daunting legacy has passed to John Ross - along with powerful magic and the knowledge that his actions are all that stand between a living hell and humanity's future.Then, after decades of service to the Word, an unspeakable act of violence shatters John Ross's weary faith. Haunted by guilt, he turns his back on his dread gift, settling down to build a normal life, untroubled by demons and nightmares.But a fallen Knight makes a tempting prize for the Void, which could bend the Knight's magic to its own evil ends. And once the demons on Ross's trail track him to Seattle, neither he nor anyone close to him will be safe. His only hope is Nest Freemark, a college student who wields an extraordinary magic all her own. Five years earlier, Ross had aided Nest when the future of humanity rested upon her choice between Word and Void. Now Nest must return the favor. She must restore Ross's faith, or his life - and hers - will be forfeit...

The Gypsy Morph concludes the "Genesis of Shannara" trilogy. This trilogy worked to bridge the gap between Terry Brooks's fantasy world set in a more traditional fantasy setting (elves, dwarves, trolls, castles, knights, magic, etc) and Terry's books set in our own contemporary world (his Word and Void series). Granted, even though the Word and Void books were set in our current time, there was still plenty of magic, demons and other fantasy elements. The Genesis of Shannara examines the end of our world as it currently exists. Over the course of the trilogy, a handful of people (human, elves and others) must band together not to overcome and destroy the evil forces…but to escape them.For the first two books there is a lot of running, scheming and fighting but it was still somewhat ambiguous as to how these young survivors will actually eventually survive. In The Gypsy Morph, that question is often brought to the forefront, especially by the Morph himself (a faerie creature in human form). He knows that he is supposed to help with the gathering of the survivors and that he is to lead them somewhere, but he has no idea where he is leading them or what they will do once they get there.In many aspects, this series had a lot of elements core to a fantasy-adventure novel. It has the strong, battle weary knight, the unlikely underdog heroes, the overly vile villain, and a seemingly impossible quest. All of this was fun and entertaining. But what it didn't have as a super obvious element was HOW things would finally be resolved.Brooks really enjoys filling his novels with tension as primary characters are separated and brought to the brink of death and disaster again and again. The book usually had at least two story threads going at one time, each following one or more main character. By alternating these threads, he was able to create a fair degree of tension and then pan over to the other story arc in order to let the tension simmer and come to a boil. By having characters in each arc attached to or anxious for characters in the other arc, it increased our ties to the characters because the reader felt the same tension the characters felt for those who were "off stage" at a particular moment.In many of Brooks's books (and indeed in many fantasy novels), I've wondered about the possibility of religious allegory. While some writers are very explicit (C.S. Lewis) and others adamantly deny the possibility (J.R.R. Tolkien), I'm not sure if Brooks has taken a stance on the subject. I know he's commented about the Word/Void series being relatable to the troubles in society today and that naturally carries over into this series, but I'm not sure about his stance on religious allegory.However, this series explicitly brings up and explores the Old Testament story of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt. Society is in chaos so there isn't much in terms of organized education, religion or any organization at all really. But the Mother character in the book has told "her children" (the Ghosts) stories over the years. One story in particular has resonated with them…the story of Moses and the Exodus from Egypt. Furthermore, they've come to understand that Hawk (the human form of the Gypsy Morph) will act as their own Moses and lead them to the Promised Land.This story is brought up a few times throughout each novel and indeed the Exodus that the children and others take is evocative of the flight from Egypt. In this novel, however, there is one particular scene that struck me as drawing very heavily on the Moses story. (*potential spoiler, but I'll try to walk lightly*) Basically the survivors are backed up against a large body of water with very little choice for escape. I fully expected there to be a "Parting of the Red Sea" moment…though that might have been a little too overt and trite. Instead of a duplicate "escape" method, we're given a parallel miracle of sorts that had similar enough characteristics to make me think of the Bible story but was still different enough to make it fit in this story.At the same time, I felt a little bit robbed by the "simplicity" in overcoming the challenge. Along the journey there were so many fights that seemed insurmountable and were very tense and exciting. This particular fight had a sort of deus ex machina that left me a little less than satisfied. It was still spectacular and fun, but a little anti-climactic. I know that a lot of the book was filled with knock-down, drag-out battles and fights so perhaps extending this one would have been overkill. But I was left wanting just a bit more.The final couple of chapters of the book wrapped up the end of our own world and the beginning of a new world to come. I felt like the "end of the world" method was realistic enough but felt a little jarring going from the fantasy adventure to the catalyst that ended the world. It worked alright though. I'm still a little worried about the logistics of how the survivors will survive long enough to emerge into a new world, but I felt like it was wrapped up adequately….I'll just have to dive into the next series (Legends of Shannara) to see what happens "500 years later."All in all, I found this a good conclusion to the series and overall I really enjoyed this series. While it was similar in tone and feel to much of Brooks's other books, it was unique enough that it felt fresh. Setting it in the ~near future also made it more intriguing to me. If you've read this book/series, let me know your thoughts. If you haven't, give it a try and let me know if you liked it.4 stars out of 5****

With his groundbreaking New York Times bestseller The Sword of Shannara and its acclaimed sequels, Terry Brooks brought a new audience to epic fantasy. Then he gave the genre a darkly compelling contemporary twist in his trilogy of the Word and the Void. Last year, in Armageddon’s Children, Brooks undertook the stunning chronicle that united two unique worlds. Now that story of clashing forces of darkness and light, of Shannara’s beginnings and the human race’s possible end, marches forward into an unforgettable second volume full of mystery, magic, and momentous events.Across the ruined landscape that is America–hopelessly poisoned, plague-ridden, burned, and besieged by demon armies bent on exterminating all mortal life–two pilgrims have been summoned to serve the embattled cause of good. Logan Tom has journeyed to desolate Seattle to protect a ragged band of street urchins and the being known as “the gypsy morph,” who is both mortal and magical, and destined to save mankind unless he is destroyed. Likewise, Angel Perez has her own quest, one that will take her from the wreckage of Los Angeles to a distant, secret place untouched by the horrors of the nationwide blight–a place where the race of Elves has dwelled since before man existed. But close behind these lone Knights of the Word swarm the ravening forces of the Void. As the menacing thunder of war drums heralds the arrival of the demons and their brutal minions in Seattle, the young survivors who call themselves the Ghosts are forced to brave the dangerous world of gangs, mutants, and worse to escape the invasion. And Logan Tom must infiltrate a refugee compound to rescue Hawk, the leader of the street urchins, who has yet to learn the truth about who and what he is. Meanwhile, Angel Perez has joined an equally urgent mission: to find the Ellcrys, a fabled talisman crucial to protecting the Elven realm against an influx of unspeakable evil from the dread dimension known as the Forbidding. But Angel and her Elf allies must beware–for a demon spy, with a monstrous creature at its command, walks among them.As the legions of darkness draw the noose tighter, and the time of confrontation draws near, those chosen to defend the soul of the world must draw their battle lines and prepare to fight with, and for, their lives. If they fail, humanity falls.

A mother and her two sons move to a small coast town in California. The town is plagued by bikers and some mysterious deaths. The younger boy makes friends with two other boys who claim to be vampire hunters while the older boy is drawn into the gang of bikers by a beautiful girl. The older boy starts sleeping days and staying out all night while the younger boy starts getting into trouble because of his friends' obsession.

1987 film by Joel Schumacher, Richard Donner

84 years later, a 100 year-old woman named Rose DeWitt Bukater tells the story to her granddaughter Lizzy Calvert, Brock Lovett, Lewis Bodine, Bobby Buell and Anatoly Mikailavich on the Keldysh about her life set in April 10th 1912, on a ship called Titanic when young Rose boards the departing ship with the upper-class passengers and her mother, Ruth DeWitt Bukater, and her fiancé, Caledon Hockley. Meanwhile, a drifter and artist named Jack Dawson and his best friend Fabrizio De Rossi win third-class tickets to the ship in a game. And she explains the whole story from departure until the death of Titanic on its first and last voyage April 15th, 1912 at 2:20 in the morning.

In Seattle, detective Quentin Conners is unfairly suspended and his partner Jason York leaves the police force after a tragic shooting on Pearl Street Bridge, when the hostage and the criminal die. During a bank heist with a hostage situation, Conners is assigned in charge of the operation with the rookie Shane Dekker as his partner. The thieves, lead by Lorenz, apparently do not steal a penny from the bank. While chasing the gangsters, the police team disclose that they planted a virus in the system, stealing one billion dollars from the different accounts, using the principle of the Chaos Theory. Further, they find that Lorenz is killing his accomplices.

McMurphy has a criminal past and has once again gotten himself into trouble and is sentenced by the court. To escape labor duties in prison, McMurphy pleads insanity and is sent to a ward for the mentally unstable. Once here, McMurphy both endures and stands witness to the abuse and degradation of the oppressive Nurse Ratched, who gains superiority and power through the flaws of the other inmates. McMurphy and the other inmates band together to make a rebellious stance against the atrocious Nurse.

After his death sometime in his 43rd year, suburbanite Lester Burnham tells of the last few weeks of his life, during which he had no idea of his imminent passing. He is a husband to real estate agent Carolyn Burnham and father to high school student Jane Burnham. Although Lester and Carolyn once loved each other, they now merely tolerate each other. Typical wallflower Jane also hates both her parents; the three suffer individually in silence in their home life. Jane tries to steer clear of both her parents. Carolyn, relatively new to the real estate business, wants to create the persona of success to further her career, aspiring to the professional life of Buddy Kane, the king of the real estate business in their neighborhood. Lester merely walks mindlessly through life, including at his job in advertising. His company is downsizing, and he, like all the other employees, has to justify his position to the newly hired efficiency expert to keep his job. Things change for Lester when he falls in love at first sight with Jane's more experienced classmate, Angela Hayes. Both Janie and Angela can see Lester's sexual infatuation with Angela, who courts such attention from any man as a sign that she is model material, she having once appeared in Seventeen and is a career to which she aspires. Lester's infatuation with Angela gives him a reenergized view on life, where he openly doesn't care anymore what anyone thinks about what he does, anyone except Angela. This infatuation coincides with the Fittses moving in next door: homophobic disciplinarian US Marine Colonel Frank Fitts who rules the house with a military fist (that fist being both figurative and literal), his semi-comatose wife Barbara Fitts, and their bright and quietly subversive 18-year-old son Ricky Fitts, who openly abides by his father's rules while behind the scenes lives by his own quite different perspective. Much like Lester's infatuation, Ricky immediately becomes infatuated with Jane; he considers girls like Angela as ordinary. The entry of Angela and the Fittses into the Burnhams' lives ultimately leads to each of the players confronting what is truly in his or her heart.

It's the last day of school at a high school in a small town in Texas in 1976. The upperclassmen are hazing the incoming freshmen, and everyone is trying to get stoned, drunk, or laid, even the football players that signed a pledge not to.

Agent James Bond 007 (Pierce Brosnan) is on a mission which includes a media tycoon, his former lover and a Chinese Agent. Elliot Carver (Jonathan Pryce) wants to complete his global media empire, but in order for this to work, he must achieve broadcasting rights in China. Carver wants to start up World War III by starting a confrontation over British and Chinese waters. Bond gains the help of Wai Lin (Michelle Yeoh) on his quest to stop him, but how will Bond feel when he meets up with his former lover, Paris (Teri Hatcher), who is now Carver's wife.

1997 James Bond film directed by Roger Spottiswoode

Jumanji, one of the most unique--and dangerous--board games ever, falls into the hands of the curious teen, Alan Parrish, in 1969. Mysterious and magical, the game strands the unsuspecting boy in the lush, savage forests of a mythical realm. Nearly three decades later, the game releases him before the awed eyes of the young orphaned siblings, Judy and Peter Shepherd. Now, the wild and incessant beat of the jungle's tribal drums is calling for the now-adult Alan and the other hesitant players, as the one who rolls the dice must never leave undone what the roll has started. Has anyone ever escaped from the game and Jumanji's formidable foes?

Following the death of his employer and mentor, Bumpy Johnson, Frank Lucas establishes himself as the number one importer of heroin in the Harlem district of Manhattan. He does so by buying heroin directly from the source in South East Asia and he comes up with a unique way of importing the drugs into the United States. As a result, his product is superior to what is currently available on the street and his prices are lower. His alliance with the New York Mafia ensures his position. It is also the story of a dedicated and honest policeman, Richie Roberts, who heads up a joint narcotics task force with the Federal government. Based on a true story.

After a botched bank robbery attempt, the skilled getaway driver, Carl "Luke" Lucas, finds himself sentenced to the maximum-security correctional facility, Terminal Island, to fight for his life on Death Match: Weyland Corporation's profitable pay-per-view gladiator TV show. However, in search of even greater profit, the steely TV producer, September Jones, comes up with Death Race: a lethal car race where the most dangerous inmates compete against each other in heavily modified vehicles. Now, Carl has a choice: win five races to get his freedom, or forever rot in jail. Will his decision mark the beginning of a new era and the birth of the ultimate Death-Race driver, Frankenstein?

A Christmas themed, three-part anthology-style video. The first part, "Donald Duck: Stuck on Christmas", is essentially a retelling of

Billy Tepper is the leader of a group of rebellious boys at The Regis School. He has already been expelled from three prominent private schools. His best friend, Joey Trotta, is the son of the Head of the New York Mafia; Billy, all their friends and many other kids at the school have equally influential and prominent, if more law-abiding, parents. When Luis Cali's father is put in jail, he heads for the Regis School to put the son of the judge in charge of the case under hostage, only to find he has been removed. However, once he realises who the parents of the rest are, he decides the entire student body of the Regis School would be an even better bargaining chip.

Karen McCoy is a thief who after getting caught is sent to prison for 6 years. After getting released she tries to see her son but her ex won't let her and tells her that he told their son she's dead. Karen's boss, Schmidt who left her in prison wants her to help him with a job. But she refuses. She tries to go straight but her parole officer makes things tough for her. Eventually she learns that Schmidt and her parole officer are working together to get her to do the job. When she still refuses, they grab her son. She then does the case work, one of Schmidt's people, Barker tries to help her.

Set in the 1970s in a metropolis called "Bay City," this is the tale of two police detective partners, Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson, and Dave Starsky, who always seem to get the toughest cases from their boss, Captain Dobey, rely on omniscient street informer Huggy Bear and race to the scene of the crimes in their souped-up 1974 Ford Torino hot rod, telling the story of their first big case (as a prequel to the TV show), which involved a former college campus drug dealer who went on to become a white collar criminal.

A lone man, recently released from prison, seeks out the people from his past who he believes betrayed him. While he forces each to atone for their sins, he must also face what meting out vengeance will do to his immortal soul. Meanwhile, he's not the only one looking to settle old scores: hired by the man responsible for the events which led him to prison, an eccentric contract killer follows his every move. Scenes of them crossing paths, sometimes violently, are interspersed with the assassin's self-realizations of how to deal with struggles within his own life. As if old enemies and hired guns aren't enough, a young female detective begrudgingly works alongside a veteran investigator looking to simply survive his last two weeks on the force before retirement, as they seek out the brazen ex-con who has been blazing a path of gasoline-powered destruction in his vintage Chevelle.

Miles Logan is a jewel thief who just hit the big time by stealing a huge diamond. However, after two years in jail, he comes to find out that he hid the diamond in a police building that was being built at the time of the robbery. In an attempt to regain his diamond, he poses as an L.A.P.D. detective...

After a botched attempt to make a bust in a Detroit chop shop, the effectively unorthodox police officer, Axel Foley, once more, finds himself in sunny Beverly Hills, hot on the trail of an elusive gang of cold-blooded killers. There--with the aid of old friends, Serge; the recently promoted, Billy Rosewood, and his partner, Jon Flint--Axel sniffs out the criminals' hideout which is nestled right under everyone's nose: in Southern California's bustling theme park, WonderWorld. Now, all that's left to do is to convince the people and the police that the park's impeccable chief of security, Ellis DeWald, is a ruthless villain; and that the immaculate amusement park is, in reality, a graceful and impenetrable facade for a sinister operation. How hard can it be?

And just like that, Globodyne Corporation--the big media institution where the affluent suburbanite and the company's Vice President, Dick Harper, works--collapses in a grand scandal, Enron-style. To make matters worse, in the worst possible time, Dick's stressed-out travel agent wife, Jane, decides to quit her job--and if this isn't enough--their savings are gone, and nothing can stop Dick and Jane's downward spiral. Now, after a series of failed attempts to keep a job, the desperate and impoverished couple has only one method to stay afloat: to summon up the nerve and steal their way out of misery. However, are Dick and Jane cut out for a life of crime?

Jack Hammond is sentenced to life in prison, but manages to escape. To get away from the police he takes a girl as hostage and drives off in her car. The girl happens to be the only daughter of one of the richest men in the state. In a while the car chase is being broadcast live on every TV-channel, covering the event from helicopters, the backseat of a police car, the pavement of the highway etc.

Earl and Hank have only one thing in common: they're both L.A.P.D. rejects. One just got kicked out, the other can't even get in. After confronting each other on opposite sides of the law during a traffic stop that escalates out of control, these two luckless individuals end up partnered as lowly security guards. Despite being damned to the lowest rung of the law enforcement ladder, Earl and Hank uncover a sophisticated smuggling operation led by Nash and his band of thugs. When Earl and Hank get their hands on some hot property, they go on the run from, first the bad guys, then the L.A.P.D.--led by Lt. Washington and Detective McDuff. What these two unlikely partners do to law enforcement is a crime, but they just might save the day. That is, if they don't kill each other first.

Deputy Police Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, formerly Atlanta police officer and CIA-trained interrogator, is given the opportunity to run her own division of elite officers of the Los Angeles Police Department. Her unusual procedure for obtaining confessions, blatant disregard for politics, and southern accent make her a marked woman. However, with all the bluster and bravado, she still maintains her title, The Closer.

American television police procedural TV series

The series follows John Nolan, a 40-year-old man who moves from his comfortable, small-town life to Los Angeles to pursue his dream of being a police officer for the Los Angeles Police Department. He must navigate the dangerous, humorous, and unpredictable world of a "young" cop, determined to make his second shot at life count.

2018 American police procedural television series

The FBI teams up with a formerly-institutionalized scientist - who was performing experiments on the fringe of real science - and his son to investigate weird crimes that are seemingly part of a larger pattern, and may be connected with a global company called Massive Dynamic.

American science fiction television series

The series follows the life of anti-social, pain killer addict, witty and arrogant medical doctor Gregory House (Hugh Laurie) with only half a muscle in his right leg. He and his team of medical doctors try to cure complex and rare diseases from very ill ordinary people in the United States of America.

The three Halliwell sisters discover that they are descendents of a line of female witches. Each has a special ability (stopping time, moving objects, seeing the future), and they can also combine their abilities into the "Power of Three" to fight demons, warlocks, and other evils.

American supernatural drama / fantasy television series (1998–2006)

A modern take on the cases of Sherlock Holmes, with the detective now living in New York City.

"In every generation there is a chosen one... she alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the slayer." Buffy Summers knows this tale by heart, and no matter how hard she tries to be just a "normal girl", she can not escape from her destiny... Thankfully, she is not alone in her quest to save the world, as she has the help of her friends, the hilarious (and surprisingly quite effective) evil-fighting team called "The Scooby Gang". Together, Buffy & co. will slay their demons, survive one apocalypse after another, attend high school and college... and above all, understand that growing up can truly be Hell sometimes... literally.

1997 American supernatural drama TV series

For Emma Swan, life has been anything but a happy ending. But when she's reunited with Henry - the son she gave up for adoption ten years ago - on the night of her 28th birthday, everything changes. The now 10-year-old Henry is in desperate need of Emma's help because he believes from reading a book of fairy-tales that she's the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming - who sent her away from the Enchanted Forest to be protected from a curse that was enacted by the Evil Queen. Emma initially refuses to believe a word of Henry's story but soon finds that his hometown of Storybrooke, Maine is more than it seems. Because it's in Storybrooke that all of the classic characters we know are frozen in time with no memories of their former selves - except for the Evil Queen, who is Storybrooke's mayor and Henry's adoptive mother Regina Mills. Now, as the epic "Final Battle" for the future of both worlds approaches, Emma will have to accept her destiny and uncover the mystery behind a place where fairy-tales are to be believed.

The body of a young girl (Laura Palmer) is washed up on a beach near the small Washington state town of Twin Peaks. FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper is called in to investigate her strange demise only to uncover a web of mystery that ultimately leads him deep into the heart of the surrounding woodland and his very own soul.

American drama television series from 1990–1991

Colt Seaver is a combination bounty hunter and stuntman. He drives a big GMC truck with a eagle painted on its hood. He chases after bad guys and returns them to the Los Angeles area. He has two companions, Howie and Jodie. These two companions usually follow Colt in his adventures and sometimes they are on their own.

Former insurance claims investigator Nathan Ford heads a team of former top-criminals. They handle 'unorthodox' cases of people unlikely to get their due through regular channels and legal procedures. That often involves stinging or otherwise scamming criminals. Nate's team is altered at times, and his professional as well as personal past repeatedly seems to catch up.

Richard "Rick" Castle is a millionaire playboy who recently killed off his main character when a serial killer starts killing people like he does in his books. He teams up with New York police detective Kate Beckett to solve the case. He finds inspiration in Detective Beckett and starts shadowing her for his next book.

American police procedural comedy-drama television series (2009-2016)

Popular animated series featuring Scooby-Doo, a Great Dane who joins four California high school students (Fred, Daphne, Velma and Shaggy) on many quests to solve strange mysteries. Each mystery is current and unusual and involves the group stopping someone from wreaking certain havoc on the world. The gang were always driving in the Mystery Machine, returning from or going to a regular teenage function, when their van develops engine trouble or breaks down for a variety of reasons. Their (unintended) destination turns out to be suffering a monster problem, and the gang volunteers to investigate the case. Eventually, enough clues are found to convince the gang that the ghost or monster was a villain. Invariably, the ghost or monster was apprehended and revealed to be an apparently blameless authority figure or otherwise innocuous local who uses the disguise to cover up a crime or scam. After proclaiming "And I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you meddling kids!", the villain was then taken away to prison, and the gang was allowed to continue on their way to their destination.

In a world where witches, vampires and daemons live discreetly among humans, Diana Bishop is the last in one long line of distinguished witches. Unwilling to embrace her heritage she has immersed herself in her career as a historian. Her particular interest is alchemy and she visits Oxford to research some of Elias Ashmole's papers. She requests Ashmole 782 and as soon as she receives it she knows there is something uncanny about it; when she opens it she is shocked. She learns that 782 has been presumed lost for a very long time and that each species of Creature desires it. She is besieged and threatened and knows that, to protect herself, she must uncover all the mysteries of 782. She encounters the enigmatic vampire, Matthew Clairmont, who offers to help her; their mutual attraction is immediate, undeniable and inexplicable because they both know that witches and vampires are not supposed to trust each other. Diana makes her choice and accepts Matthew's help. This precipitates them into conflict with the Creature world.

When the body of a young man is discovered in a derelict building, Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) Cassie Stuart is called in to investigate with her partner, Detective Sergeant (DS) Sunil "Sunny" Khan (Sanjeev Bhaskar). Jimmy Sullivan was a homeless runaway away boy, murdered in 1976 when the building was a hostel. His diary implicates four suspects; a clergyman, an eminent entrepreneur, a community worker, and a disabled house-bound husband caring for his wife. Each has a secret to hide. As their lies unravel, the people they love most begin to wonder what else they might be capable of. Nothing in this case is black and white. Can you ever really know the people closest to you? What secrets have they buried?.

A sexy, suspense-driven legal thriller about a group of ambitious law students and their brilliant, mysterious criminal defense professor. They become entangled in a murder plot that will shake the entire university and change the course of their lives.

2014 American legal drama television series

Nathan, Kelly, Simon, Alisha and Curtis were expecting their community service to be boring. However after a freak thunderstorm they discover that it is anything but dull. Bestowed with strange powers, the five very different teens realize they have a lot more to worry about than just picking up litter, especially as they discover that they are not the only ones who have been given strange powers. Secrets will be revealed, feelings brought to the surface and relationships formed and broken. But hey, its only 12 weeks of community service; what's the worst that could happen?

Patrick Jane is a crime consultant with the California Bureau of Investigation. He has a particular gift for astute observation and reading people, honed through years of being a faux psychic. His gift makes him brilliant at solving murders, which is why the CBI have him around. However, his motive for taking on the role is purely one of revenge: find and kill the man who killed his wife and daughter - Red John.

American crime television series (2008-2015)

A young CIA operative/trainee, Annie Walker, is sent into the field to work for the DPD (Domestic Protection Division). Auggie Anderson is a blind tech operative, and is Walker's guide in her new life in the CIA. Walker's cover story is that she works at the Smithsonian Museum.

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