Just Read Sword of Shannara...

[John Q. Mayhem]

But how many have all of them?

Aside from the Iron Tower trilogy, of course.

I didn't think anyone else had ever read those... Actually, in spite of the blatent copying of Tolkien, they slightly reminded me of Lloyd Alexander. Don't know why, though. As a side note, Lloyd Alexander rocks.

 

[Desdichado]

I didn't think anyone else had ever read those... Actually, in spite of the blatent copying of Tolkien, they slightly reminded me of Lloyd Alexander. Don't know why, though. As a side note, Lloyd Alexander rocks.

Yes, he does. And the Iron Tower thingy by Douglas McKiernan does not. I've read 'em too!

 

[Allanon]

I seem to recall a parallel between Gollum and Garret Jax as well - both being somewhat untrustworthy characters who guide them into(?) the Place of Evil.

Garret Jax wasn't untrustworthy by my recollection. Just a diehard loner. That and he appeared in Wishsong of Shannara wish was the third book of the trilogy while the parallels drawn above are all based on Sword of Shannara the first book.

btw. Takyris thanks for a great morning laugh, I'm still draining my morning milk from my keyboard thank you

 

[Mouseferatu]

I didn't think anyone else had ever read those...

I think it's because most of us who have wish desperately that we hadn't, and have tried to blot them from our memory.

And yes, Lloyd Alexander most sincerely rocks. One of my pipe dreams is to somehow gain the license to do d20 Prydain...

 

[Hypersmurf]

Luckily, Sword of Shannara wasn't based on LotR at all. Nope. Not even a little bit.

I'm pretty sure I demonstrated that fairly conclusively in this thread a while back, but Nightfall kept insisting that it was a ripoff...

-Hyp.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I seem to recall a parallel between Gollum and Garret Jax as well - both being somewhat untrustworthy characters who guide them into(?) the Place of Evil.

Maybe you meant Slanter, rather than Garret Jax?

-Hyp.

 

[hong]

Guys, I have to apologize. I was, um, utterly making stuff up. The fact that I was saying that Shannara was based on something that came out three years after Shannara came out was intended to be a clue. I really thought that it was just a tongue-in-cheek goofy post done in deliberately snooty form that might get a laugh. I wasn't trying to deliberately troll. Sorry to anyone who took offense at what I intended as an over-the-top goofy post.

No killer instinct, that's your problem.


Hong "never complain, never explain" Ooi

 

[Allanon]

Maybe you meant Slanter, rather than Garret Jax?

-Hyp.

Slanter? Neh, drawing a parallel between Slanter and Gollum would mean that every 'opponent of the Hero' in every book in which this opponent turned from evil by having remorse would be based on LotR.

It would be as ridiculous as saying that Darth Vader was based on Golum, the Dark Side of the Force would be the Ring and the Emporer would be Sauron...
mmm... wait a minute ! George Lucas is a fraud!!!

 

[Hypersmurf]

Slanter? Neh, drawing a parallel between Slanter and Gollum would mean that every 'opponent of the Hero' in every book in which this opponent turned from evil by having remorse would be based on LotR.

Oh, I agree... but the description he used seemed to fit Slanter better than Garret Jax, for a Wishsong character.

Orl Fane is the obvious Gollum parallel in Shannara as a whole.

-Hyp.

 

[reapersaurus]

Brooks was writing well ahead of his time, and his super-scientific druidic magic actually predicted cell phones, wireless ethernet, and the concept of the prepaid phone card (metaphorically represented through the elfstones, which appear to be mere trinkets but contain ultimate power provided that the user possesses the self-knowledge, or personal identification number, necessary to unlock the power imbued into it in the form of minutes).

Lord of the Token Ring: An Examination of Druidic Magic as a Naturalistic Interpretation of Superscience in Hard Science Fiction

This is THE best load of BS I've ever read on these boards.

What makes it more classic is that it was believable enough for people to buy into it.

The Lord of the Token Ring....
(mods- any way to archive this later, or vote it for a "Best of" thread?)
____________

About Shannara - I really don't think it's the kind of series that would impress an adult (20+ years old) that has already read LotR.
And wow - that list by Allanon is sure compelling...
Still, Garet Jax kicks so much %^, the series was worth it for him alone.