In a postapocalyptic America, legions of demons and mutants known as "once-men" roam the landscape. Two teens, Logan Tom and Angel Perez, are the last surviving Knights of the Word, and may be humanity's last hope against the forces of darkness. Although the characters here are sketchily drawn, and many of the postapocalyptic tropes Brooks employs are either overly familiar or not fully developed, Hill does an admirable job of breathing life into the story and characters. He skillfully gives voice to a panoply of child characters, and alters his voice just enough to indicate their youth without becoming overly cutesy. Hill's overall tone is dark and somber, giving an appropriate ambiance to the narrative. As good as Hill is, though, this audio might have benefited from a second narrator; since the narrative unfolds in two primary threads (Logan's and Angel's), it would have been easier for the listener to keep track had there been a different narrator for each. Which is not to say that Hill's performance is in any way lacking; quite the contrary: it is exemplary. Simultaneous release with the Ballantine hardcover (Reviews, Aug. 7). (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Sequel to Brooks's Word and Void contemporary fantasy trilogy (Angel Fire East, 1999, etc.) wherein, despite all the scuffling between the Void (demons) and Knights of the Word, the bad guys won. Now, a century later, the world lies in ruins. In ghastly slave camps, adults undergo unimaginable tortures while their children are transformed into demons. Dwindling human communities hold out by hunkering down in fortress-like enclaves, awaiting the day when they'll be besieged by armies of zombie once-men, and eerie gangs of street children scavenge in the rubble of cities, where, thanks to climate change, it hardly ever rains, even in Seattle. For Findo Gask, the ancient demon of the previous trilogy, one task remains before his triumph is complete: to find and destroy the gypsy morph. This 100-year-old child, the son of Nest Freemark and the last hope of humanity, knows nothing of the past or its pedigree. Only two white-hat Knights of the Word survive, and both must protect the gypsy morph against the demons. Logan Tom approaches from the west; Angel Perez, meanwhile, runs ahead of a huge, vengeful demon. Young Hawk, leader of the Seattle Ghosts, struggles to preserve his strange, talented gang members despite threats from other gangs, mutants, giant arthropods and other horrors. Meanwhile--in a subplot that may strike readers as one complication too many--the Elves have problems, too. They kept the demons at bay, but lost their magic; now their tree of life, the Ellcrys, must be moved, and to do that they need the magical Loden Elfstone. Like the prequel trilogy: steady, absorbing storytelling, if, typically, lacking narrative tension. And don't expect any sort of ending: In anticipation of sequels, the book just ceases. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Adult/High School-Fans of Brooks, best known for his "Shannara" series (Del Rey), will be delighted by this novel. Set on Earth some 80 years from now, it is the first volume in an untitled pre-Shannara series that continues the story of the author's "Word/Void" trilogy (Del Rey). The Earth has been ravished by ecological disasters and demons, and once-men and horrible mutated monsters roam the planet. Any remaining humans are holed up in fortresses, except for the outcasts and the unwanted street children, including a group called the Ghosts, who have formed tribes to survive. Logan Tom and Angel Peres, who are Knights of the Word, have been recruited by The Lady to save and protect the gypsy morph, the offspring of Nest Freegard, previously featured in the trilogy. Brooks has an easy and fluid style; he makes a complicated plot less difficult to understand. Teens new to his work will love this introduction to his best-selling fantasies. And there are enough characters (and some surprises) from the other books to make any fan happy. Be warned, however, that the ending is literally a cliff-hanger, and readers may find it difficult to wait patiently for the next volume of this sure-to-be popular series.-Jane Halsall, McHenry Public Library District, IL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Extrapolating from current world events, Brooks projects a worst-case scenario in which the steady destruction of all humankind is a reality. Plagues have killed half a billion, weapons of mass destruction have decimated entire populations, and the few survivors have retreated into a siege mentality, turning city stadiums into walled compounds and shutting out the freaks --those who have mutated from breathing the polluted air and drinking the badly fouled water. A variety of principals propel the transfixing yarn Brooks spins in this setting: Logan Tom and Angel Perez, both Knights of the Word committed to keeping the magic that binds all things together in balance; Hawk, a street kid who leads a group of other young people in Seattle; Kirisin, a young elf who is one of the Chosen safeguarding the Ellcrys, a magnificent tree upon whose existence the lives of the elves depend and whose safety is now threatened; and the demons and their minions, the once-men, who have been subverted by false promises and lies. Everything and everyone moves inexorably toward a deadly confrontation in the Northwest. Characterizations are dynamic and multidimensional, the descriptions of the land as well as the ruined cities and small towns are compelling, the action and battles are mesmerizing, and, as is Brooks' wont, the ending is a cliff-hanger that leaves readers salivating for the sequel. --Sally Estes Copyright 2006 Booklist

(See Prepub Alert, LJ 5/1/06) (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.