Off the Shelf
Post-apocalyptic SF meets fantasy in Brooks’ ‘Elves of Cintra’
By LEE CLARK ZUMPE
Article published on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2007  |
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| “The Elves of Cintra,” by Terry Brooks; Del Rey Books, August 2007. |
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Fantasy author Terry Brooks continues to forge the connection between his Word and Void books and the beloved Shannara series in “The Elves of Cintra.”
“The Elves of Cintra,” the second book in The Genesis of Shannara trilogy, resumes the tale set in motion in “Armageddon’s Children,” plunging headlong into the action without wasting a single sentence delivering a summary of what has already happened.
Readers may wish to scan through the first book for a refresher, since the first trace of anything resembling a synopsis doesn’t appear until the fourth chapter.
In The Genesis of Shannara cycle, Brooks is cultivating a synthesis of literary subgenres only hinted at by other authors. The work is a hodgepodge of dystopian fiction, post-apocalyptic science fiction, urban fantasy and sword and sorcery. Few authors could intermingle elements from such dissimilar worlds into one, cohesive endeavor. The prolific Brooks, however, rises to the challenge.
There is a methodical progression at work in this new series. Where the first book rarely strayed from the landscape of a not-too-distant-future America, ravaged by wars and plagues and beset by legions of demons and once-men, “The Elves of Cintra” begins the journey into high fantasy by shifting the focus to Arborlon, an Elven city, and the quest to find the Loden Elfstone.
The first five chapters, however, mainly deal with Logan Tom, a Knight of the Word; his efforts to locate Hawk, the gypsy morph who is part human and part magical; and his guardianship of the Ghosts, a band of young street urchins living in the ruins of Seattle.
“The Elves of Cintra” unfolds amidst a bleak landscape. Darkness prevails in the remnants of human civilization, and the demon’s influence has compromised even the secretive Elven enclave in Cintra. It is understood the world will end, that the forces of the Void will triumph in that regard. The classic fantasy quest, in this instance, is to enable Hawk to lead survivors to a sanctuary where they may ride out the end of the world.
Hawk, though, continues to question his role as a leader and as a savior.
His champions face overwhelming odds. Both Tom and Angel Perez, another Knight of the Word, are confronted by delays and impediments as demons hound them. The other heroes – and there are many, including the elves Kirisin, Erisha and Simralin as well as and the members of the Ghosts – seem outnumbered and outgunned. Along the way they suffer tragedies and losses that test their resolve. Some deaths are anticipated; some are unexpected and distressing.
Brooks’ writing is in full blossom in “The Elves of Cintra.” With far less introspection to encumber the narrative, the action sequences move at breakneck pace and keep the pages turning. Occasionally, the reader may find a passage that seems underdeveloped, as if Brooks outlined an idea and planned to return to exploit later. Some of these doorways lead to new plot twists while others remain unexplored.
The second book in any trilogy is bound to leave unanswered questions and cliffhangers. “The Elves of Cintra” is no exception, but Brooks does placate the reader by resolving some story components and by showing both the looming darkness and the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. That glint of hope, of course, is tempered by the promise of further suffering.
It is the end of the world, after all.
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Article published on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2007
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