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"The Shannara Chronicles" review by Suzanne 1/9/16
Airs Tuesdays, 10/9c on MTV

When I was in high school, the novel "The Sword of Shannara" by Terry Brooks came out. I enjoyed it a lot, although it reminded me of "Lord of the Rings".  After that book, came the rest of the trilogy. I don't remember how many of these books I read, if any.  The first book was the most like LOTR, so that's probably why they're not basing the series on that book. Instead, they seem to be basing it on the sequel, "The Elfstones of Shannara." That's probably a good idea because people who didn't read the original books would just think that it was nothing but a LOTR ripoff otherwise. The author was heavily influenced by Tolkien, but also by many other writers, such as Alexander Dumas.  The characters in Shannara are much more real and relatable than the ones in Tolkien's novels, IMHO.  Brooks is a much better writer in a lot of ways. He makes his stories real page-turners. That's probably why it's much better to adapt for TV.

The first episode of the TV show introduces all of the characters. The story is about the Four Lands, which is a post-apocalyptic (way in the future) Earth where the world is divided up between humans, elves, dwarves, gnomes and trolls.  The events and people in the first book are referenced heavily in the series, but it doesn't mean you have to have read the books at all. They explain everything. The three main heroes of the show are Amberle, an elven princess; Wil, a half-Elf; and Eretreria, a human thief.  This show is ideal for MTV since it does focus on younger characters, for the most part.

I enjoyed the first episode. It really did draw me in and make me interested in what was happening. I can't wait to see more! I love this kind of show, anyway, but it's nice when it's also well-done.

You'll probably recognize many familiar faces, such as Austin Butler (from "The Carrie Diaries," "Arrow," and "Switched at Birth") as Wil; Manu Bennett (from "Arrow" and "Spartacus") as Allanon; John Rhys-Davies (from lots of things, especially the Indiana Jones movies, "Sliders," the "Lord of the Rings" movies et al.); and James Remar (from "Dexter," "State of Affairs," "Legend of Korra," and "Grey's Anatomy").  It's really a great cast.

I can't wait for more episodes. I hope you enjoy it, too! You can see the first 4 episodes on their site.

MORE INFORMATION:

"The Shannara Chronicles" is an epic television event based on the sweeping, best-selling fantasy book series by Terry Brooks. Set thousands of years in the future, the story follows three heroes, Elf-Human hybrid Wil, Elvin Princess Amberle, and Human Rover Eretria, as they embark on a quest to stop an evil Demon army from destroying the world. The 10-episode first season of “The Shannara Chronicles” will premiere January 5 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on MTV, immediately following the return of fan-favorite, "Teen Wolf" at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Episode 101/102 – "CHOSEN" PARTS 1 AND 2
Thousands of years after the fall of Humankind, the Four Lands is in grave danger. The fate of the world rests on the shoulders of an unlikely trio: an Elvin Princess who dreams of a life outside of the palace walls, a beautiful, wild and wily Human Rover and a half-elf, who knows nothing of the great destiny that runs through his veins.

Having seen an apocalyptic vision of the world’s destruction, Amberle leaves the palace in search of answers. But when Wil and Allanon realize that she is the key to saving the Four Lands, they set out to
find the princess before the Dagda Mor’s Demons hunt her down.

“The Shannara Chronicles” stars genre favorites, John Rhys-Davies (“Lord of the Rings”) and Manu Bennett (“Spartacus”), along with young Hollywood stars-on-the-rise, Austin Butler (“The Carrie Diaries”), Poppy Drayton (“When Calls The Heart”) and Ivana Baquero (“Pan’s Labyrinth”).

“The Shannara Chronicles” is written for television by and executive produced by Al Gough and Miles Millar. Jon Favreau, Jonathan Liebesman, Terry Brooks and Dan Farah also serve as executive producers. The first two episodes were directed by Jonathan Liebesman (“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”). MTV is producing with Sonar Entertainment, which is also distributing the series worldwide.

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Page updated 1/9/16