When Sen Dunsidan is visited late at night by Morgawr, mentor of the Ilse Witch, he is reluctant to help. However when he is offered a short-cut to his life's dream of becoming Prime Minister he makes a pact with Morgawr to provide a fleet of airships and a loyal crew to man them.

Morgawr, betrayed by the Ilse Witch during her quest to find the books of magic, intends to follow her to gain revenge by taking the books of magic for himself. However, what he doesn't know is that the Ilse Witch, having touched the Sword of Shannara has fallen into a coma after having her soul revealed to her.

The Ilse Witch, along with the last Druid, Walker Boh are aboard the Jerle Shannara, crewed by men gathered from across the Four Lands. However, time and the Ilse Witch have reduced the crew to a minimum.

The youngest remaining members of the Jerle Shannara's crew, Bek Ohmsford, Rue Meridian, Ahren Elessidil and others are given the task of returning the Ilse Witch back to the Four Lands. A journey that will take six months and put the group directly in the path of magical enemies.

OK, I think I should start this review by mentioning that this is the first Shannara book I have read since the very first, Sword of Shannara. I suppose this didn't put me in the best position to know what was going on. Still, I didn't intend to read the intervening nine books before starting this one so I thought, what the heck, I'd have a go.

As it turned out it was a little tricky as I wasn't familiar with the characters and the world but I suppose it put me in the position of reviewing this as a straight fantasy novel rather than another volume in an ongoing saga.

So, to the review. As you might expect from one of the masters of fantasy, Morgawr is a well written, well structured fantasy tale that advances the world of Shannara. Other authors, when writing "yet another volume in the ongoing XXX saga" tend to rely on the popularity of what has gone before and just create similar, but slightly different, stories based around the same characters and the same world. With the series of Shannara books, Terry Brooks has advanced his world a long way from the original land of elves and swords. However that is not to say he has forgotten his origins. Far from it.

Despite taking the story forward he is still faithful to many of the premises established over the intervening years (OK, I have to confess, I asked a friend who has read the entire series about this bit!!!).

As with other books by Terry Brooks, the characters in this novel are superb. Sen Dunsidan is a man so consumed with the desire for power he makes a pact with Morgawr to reach his dream position of Prime Minister, careless of the fact that this will result in the death of his two closest rivals, and gives Morgawr the freedom to take as many of the prisoners from the cells as he desires to either crew a fleet of airships or simply for food...

All in all this is a well written fantasy story with a pacey style that draws the reader into the world of Shannara (although I would recommend you read all the other volumes first!!!).

Synopsis
With the armies of darkness swarming against the rapidly dwindling members of the Jerle Shannara, the last stand between good and evil begins. . .

New York Times bestselling author Terry Brooks became the master of epic fantasy with the publication of his legendary debut, The Sword of Shannara. Since then, each new novel in the Shannara saga has brilliantly built upon and deepened the world of breathtaking magic, adventure, and intrigue he created. In The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara -- his third mesmerising series -- he literally took his legions of loyal readers soaring to new heights as a colourful contingent of characters took to the skies aboard a magnificent airship on a quest fraught with wonder and danger.

Now in Morgawr, the quest at last draws to its climactic conclusion, as the forces of good and evil vying against each other to possess an ancient magic race towards an explosive clash -- and whatever fate awaits the victor . . . and the vanquished. Harrowing confrontations with the merciless Ilse Witch and the monstrous Antrax have already taken their toll on the intrepid heroes of the Four Lands. But their darkest adversary now snaps at their heels, in the form of the Morgawr -- master of the Ilse Witch, feeder upon the souls of his enemies, and centuries-old sorcerer of unimaginable might.

With a fleet of airships and a crew of walking dead men at his command, the Morgawr is in relentless pursuit of the Jerle Shannara and the crew that mans her. For the Morgawr, the goal is two fold: to find and control the fabled ancient books of magic, and to destroy the dark disciple who betrayed him -- the Ilse Witch. But the Ilse Witch is already a prisoner . . . of herself. Exposed to the awesome power of the Sword of Shannara, and forced to confront the truth of her horrifying deeds, she has fled deep into her own mind. Now at the mercy of those who seek vengeance against her, her only protector is her long-lost brother, Bek Ohmsford, who is determined to redeem his beloved sister . . . and deliver her to the destiny predicted for her by the Druid Walker Boh.

Once again, Terry Brooks weaves together high adventure, vividly wrought characters, and a spellbinding world into an irresistible story of heroism and sacrifice, love and honour. In Morgawr, fans of the Shannara mythos will find both a satisfying finale and the promise of new wonders yet to come.