Books in Order
Terry Brooks Books in Order
About Terry Brooks
Terry Brooks (born 1944, Sterling, Illinois) is a titan of commercial epic fantasy whose debut novel The Sword of Shannara (1977) was the first fantasy novel to appear on the New York Times trade paperback bestseller list. He practiced law for seventeen years while writing, publishing the full Shannara epic fantasy universe across seven series and over twenty novels. The Shannara universe is set in a far-future post-apocalyptic world (revealed gradually) and spans thousands of years of history. Brooks also wrote the Word & Void urban fantasy trilogy and the Landover comic fantasy series. His work shaped the commercial fantasy genre alongside Tolkien and Le Guin.
New to Terry Brooks? Start with The Sword of Shannara for the classic experience, or The Elfstones of Shannara if you want his best standalone entry.
Shannara — Original Trilogy
The foundation of the Shannara universe. Epic fantasy in a post-apocalyptic world of elves, dwarves, and druidic magic.
Book 1![The Sword of Shannara]()
The Sword of Shannara
1977
Start here / ClassicShea Ohmsford discovers he alone can wield the Sword of Shannara against the Warlock Lord.
Get this book →Book 2![The Elfstones of Shannara]()
The Elfstones of Shannara
1982
Fan favorite / Best standaloneOften considered his best novel. A young woman and her protector race to save the Ellcrys tree.
Get this book →Landover Series
Comic fantasy — a lawyer buys a magical kingdom from a catalog. Lighter, funnier, and a great alternative to Shannara.
Book 1![Magic Kingdom for Sale — Sold!]()
Magic Kingdom for Sale — Sold!
1986
Good alternative entry pointBen Holiday buys the kingdom of Landover. Nobody respects him. Everything is broken.
Get this book →(Books 4–6)![...continues through The Tangle Box, Witches' Brew, A Princess of Landover]()
Frequently Asked Questions
What order should I read Terry Brooks Shannara books?
The Shannara universe spans seven series set at different points in a timeline. New readers should start with The Sword of Shannara (the original trilogy). Many experienced fans recommend reading in internal chronological order rather than publication order — the Legends of Shannara duology (2012) is set earliest in the timeline, though publication order is safer for avoiding confusion.
Is The Elfstones of Shannara better than The Sword of Shannara?
Many readers consider The Elfstones of Shannara a stronger, tighter novel than the debut. It can be read as a standalone without reading The Sword of Shannara first. The MTV series The Shannara Chronicles adapted Elfstones, not the original novel.
How many Shannara books are there?
There are over 25 Shannara novels across seven connected series: the Original Shannara trilogy, Heritage of Shannara quartet, Voyage of the Jerle Shannara trilogy, High Druid of Shannara trilogy, Genesis of Shannara trilogy, Legends of Shannara duology, and the Fall of Shannara quartet (2017–2020, the concluding series).