The Chronicles of Shannara
I was mildly and pleasantly suprised to see this pop up on my tv series feed. And then I felt a moment of apprehension. Not because MTV was doing it, just that it was being done at all.
I had not real vested fangirl interest in 'Legend of the Seeker' - I wasn't a huge fan of Terry Goodkinds book, but nonetheless, I barely got through a handful of episodes.
I approached the Chronicles with trepidation.
Its been years since I read the first books of the series. I recently read one of the newest installments and was disappointed at how poor the story telling was and the the writing. I feared that my teenage reading self recalled the Shannara series with more fondness than it deserved in my mature, cynical opinion.
However, I remembered the fascination I had with the world Terry Brooks had created. Not a true fantasy world, but a sci-fi fantasy mix, with the old world being our current one and the new world a hybrid of sci-fi and fantasy. I remain enchanted with his world-building and ideas, if a little frustrated with some of the back story. I tried the 'Shannara Gensis' stories, but lost interest as they were set in the old world, not at the beginning of the new races. Perhaps I should try them again. (Oops, I may have sold them to a second hand book store).
So, the series.
First - I love the relics of the old world. The cinematography, the effects, the scenery - gorgeous gorgeous. The battered ruins of Seattle and Washington state strewn all over. However, given that the books are set at least a thousand years after the great wars, longer more likely, there would not be as many relics/ruins/moss covered cars as there are in the series. Just saying. Nature reclaims civilization pretty darn quick. I give you that the Space Needle might be recognisable, but.... I am hesitant. But it still looks cool.
I have no issue with the re-invention/re-iteratio of the story. I find it interesting that they went with the Elfstones, rather than the Sword of Shannara first, but ok. What I do have issue with is: Wil Ohmsford. Or rather the actor cast to play him. Too young, too feeble, too weak looking, too pretty boy.
Everyone else, so far, ok. Slade Wilson as Allanon was an iffy moment for me initially, and I don't like how he pronounces Shannara, but then as a reader I've very often had my own pronunciations of names in my head that haven't stood the test of a) what the author intended or b) how they are actually pronounced. There was a character in a book who did that too - Mathilda? I cant' recall.
I'm 4 episodes in and enjoying it so far. What I have done though is go back and re-read the Elfstones and have discovered the following:
1. Terry Brooks was a much better writer early on. His recent work is now lazy. The early stuff bears traces of his later weaknesses but I think his editors were more robust early on.
2. The original story is better - strange that. At first I thought making the chosing of the Chosen a visible event was better, but seeing how Terry laid out the narrative in the book, well, it feels more natural. Oh well.
3. He hardly mentions relics/ruins of the old World. I know at least two later books involve ruins of a city, but the four lands are notably silent on ruins and relics. I think I like the visual depiction in the series more.
So, on the series, I remain cautiously optimistic.