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The Thunder ChildScience Fiction and Fantasy |
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The Thunder Child Book Reviews by Joshua Johnson
For those people who love Brooks’ Knight of the Word series, you are in luck—this book’s for you. Those who love the Shannara series will also be delighted. Mr. Brooks has decided to bridge the gap between his best-selling post-apocalyptic fantasy series and his perhaps too-short modern fantasy series with this newest novel. Lest you fear disastrous results, let me ask you, how can he go wrong with slightly futuristic weaponry, demons (Knight of the Word style), and Elves? The lead character (as much as Brooks ever has only one lead character) is Logan Tom, a child born after our time, into a time that the Knights of the Word (magical protectors, paladins for the force of good, the Word) have long feared. After years of demons (similar to knights, but they serve the Void—an embodiment of evil) hunting humans and Knights, there are only scatterings of humanity left. Knights are no longer crippled when they receive their staff—as John Ross was in previous Knight of the Word books—they are, however still haunted by dreams, dreams of their recent past. For fans of O'olish Amaneh (I confess that I am a big fan of the American Indian Vietnam Vet) -- he’s back, and, in typical Brooks fashion, he sets Logan on a task that only he can accomplish, which will save a small portion of the population, ostensibly setting them onto a path that leads to the Shannara series. What makes me think that? Well, while Logan is making his slow way toward the Gypsy Morph from the last book in the Knight of the Word series (who is, of course, the world’s only hope), another Knight, Angel Perez, is sent, via a tatterdemalion, to find the Elves. In bits and pieces, we find that the Ellcrys (a magical tree from the Shannara series, which protects the world from a different sort of demon, an older and meaner sort) is in trouble, and must be moved to a new place, or the demons will get out. While all of this mess is going on, we get glimpses of what life is like for people in what used to be large cities. Most have formed themselves into small compounds built from old sports stadiums. Some form themselves into bands or street gangs. One such band names themselves the Ghosts. Each has taken on a name that fits their personality. None seems older than their early twenties, most are younger. They live by what they can scavenge and because they have formed a loose family around Hawk, their leader. Soon Logan Tom finds the grouping of kids, and events begin to coalesce around them to a cliffhanger conclusion (literally). In a manner that Brooks fans have come to expect, heroes, partially reluctant heroes, are chosen. Governments stall when they shouldn’t, so what needs to be done is done by individuals. Expect more from this series -- yes, this is a new series. And, according to the Deseret News, Armageddon's Children will be a series of nine books (or three trilogies), if Brooks has his way…”
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