GENESIS OF SHANNARA The Gypsy Morph

The time—80 years in the future. The place—a United States devastated by war, pollution, and sickness. The struggle—good (aided by the Knights of the Word) versus evil. Because this book is part of a series, some orientation from the various prequels to Brooks’s Shannara novels is valuable. Phil Gigante creates an air of suspense that ebbs and flows. Through pace and timing, he regulates the tension and emotional intensity. He also maintains an air of emotional engagement through long narrative passages and moves smoothly into dialogue. Various accents differentiate a cast of characters that include demons, elves, and humans, many of whom are quite young. Gigante expresses their youthful enthusiasm and insecurities evenly and without exaggeration. J.E.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2008]