The first book of the triumphant four-part conclusion to the Shannara series, from one of the all-time masters of fantasy. The age of peace that has reigned across the Four Lands is now at an end. An army of invaders, wielding a terrible new magic, is cutting a bloody swathe across the far north . . . The fate of the world now rests on the shoulders of an exiled druid, a conflicted warrior and a young woman struggling to master a powerful magic. As the conflict grows, they will face dangerous adversaries and deadly challenges - and the consequences of their actions will determine the future of the Four Lands. Through twenty-eight novels written over the course of forty years, Terry Brooks's Shannara series has entranced millions of readers around the world. Now, with THE BLACK ELFSTONE - the first book in the Fall of Shannara - Terry begins to bring his epic vision to a grand conclusion. 'Terry's place is at the head of the fantasy world' Phillip Pullman 'I can't even begin to count how many of Terry Brooks's books I've read (and re-read) over the years' Patrick Rothfuss 'I would not be writing epic fantasy today if not for Shannara' Peter V. Brett 'A master of the craft . . . required reading' Brent Weeks