Monday, April 17, 2017

Antrax by Terry Brook ~ Review

Title: Antrax (Voyage of the Jerle Shannara #2)
Author: Terry Brooks
Genre: Adult, Fantasy
Length: 405 pages
Publisher: Del Ray
Release Date: September 18, 2001
Source: Library Book
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

A new novel by Terry Brooks is always a cause for celebration. For more than twenty years, the New York Times bestselling author of the classic Shannara epic has proven himself one of the modern masters of fantasy, winning the hearts and minds of devoted readers around the world. In his last acclaimed novel, Ilse Witch, a brave company of explorers led by the last Druid, Walker Boh, traveled across unknown seas in search of an elusive magic. Yet perhaps Boh and his team were lured there for sinister, unforeseen purposes . . .

Now in Antrax, as the crew aboard the airship Jerle Shannara is attacked by evil forces, the Druid’s protégé Bek Rowe and his companions are pursued by the mysterious Ilse Witch. Meanwhile, Boh is alone, caught in a dark maze beneath the ruined city of Castledown, stalked by a hungry, unseen enemy. 

For there is something alive in Castledown. Something not human. Something old beyond reckoning that covets the magic of Druids, elves, even the Ilse Witch. Something that hunts men for its own designs: Antrax. It is a spirit that commands ancient technologies and mechanical monsters, feeds off enchantment, and traps the souls of men.

With the Jerle Shannara under siege and Antrax threatening the bold and unwary, the Ilse Witch finds herself face-to-face with a boy who claims to be the brother she last saw as an infant. Now a young man, Bek wields the magic of the wishsong and carries the Sword of Shannara upon his back. Unsure whether to trust Bek or to slay him, the Ilse Witch takes him prisoner. One has come pursuing truth, the other revenge. Yet both seek Walker Boh–with the fate of the Four Lands hanging in the balance. 

Return to the world of beloved novelist Terry Brooks, where creatures drift up from the earth like mist, a hypnotic song can kill, a sword can cut through a veil of lies–and one man, the true heir of an ancient magic, must choose between betrayal and redemption.


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Antrax is an amazing mix of fantasy and technology. As the crew of the Jerle Shannara explores Castledown, things come crawling out of the woodwork. Castledown is nothing like what they expected and the prize they seek is even further out of reach than even the Druid anticipated. Castledown is heavily protected, and by a type of entity that none have seen before. As the entity searches for those he wants to keep and eliminate the ones he doesn't...well...a whole lot of things happen.

There are lots of traditional fantasy elements, a bit of sci-fi, and lots of action. Tons of characters, so be sure to read this when you won't be easily distracted or you may lose track of who is doing what and where everyone is. As with most of Terry Brooks' series, you need to read this one in order, and while it isn't necessary to read the previous series in the world of Shannara, it would definitely help.

There's a lot of big reveals in Antrax, but there are even more questions that are brought up or left un-answered. Even though there was so much going on, I had a hard time staying engaged with all the moving pieces. While Terry Brooks' books always have a lot going on, this one seemed to be a little more choppy as it jumped around from place to place and group to group.

There were some characters that I really loved, and I was excited to see how the grew and developed through the pages. The Ilse Witch's story in Antrax was quite interesting. She had some pretty big surprises up her sleeve, and the seer shocked me several times. When the story all ends, we don't really have an ending. While some storylines may have seen some version of resolution, there are many threads left hanging for the next story. This world has such a rich history, and I'm really enjoying see how the story continues.




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