Brona by Terry Brooks & Delilah S. DawsonMy rating: 5 of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Brona, the second book in The First Druids of Shannara series, provides a fantastic⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ addition to the origins of the Druid Council and their fortress Paranor, as well as the origins of the Warlock Lord. I recommend reading the first book in this series, Galaphile, before beginning Brona because of the multiple references to events in the earlier story. (To learn more about the earlier book read my spoiler-free review of Galaphile).
This second book in the series resumes the tale about 17 years after the events of Galaphile. After their last battle with the Spectre Telle, Galaphile and his life-partner Nirianne have continued to oversee the construction of Paranor while raising their 2 sons, 16 year old Abronja, nicknamed Brona, and his 10 year old brother Ional. Although the Spectre Telle has not been seen in many years, they remain vigilant and often travel throughout the Four Lands to improve relations and establish peace between the races of Humans, Elves, Gnomes and Trolls. When at home in Paranor, Galaphile continues to train Brona in the use of magic, which he did not start until Brona turned 14, in spite of his older son's eagerness to begin earlier.
In many ways, Brona is a "coming of age" tale. It is chock-full of new experiences, both tragic and heroic, as well as quests and battles. It's also a tale of the struggle between youth and experience, knowing when to act and when to wait, and the need to be seen as being skillful and able to handle new responsibilities without constant supervision.
Most of all, this is a tale of a young man who desires to step out from beneath the perceived shadow of his parents' accomplishments, and of the burdens he carries being unable to forgive himself for a tragedy caused by a mistake in judgement. His drive to increase his magical skills, his desire to prove himself, and the overconfidence of youth make him particularly vulnerable to the temptations and traps set by evil forces at work within the Four Lands.
Longtime readers will recognize many elements of the story, while enjoying new discoveries about the Druids, Paranor and the Four Lands. Newcomers and longtime readers alike will enjoy the adventures that occur, celebrate the victories and mourn the losses.
In March of 2025, Shannara author Terry Brooks announced that he was stepping back from day to day writing and was passing the Shannara torch to sci-fi/fantasy author Delilah S. Dawson. This semi-retirement meant that Brooks, 81 years old at the time, could continue to be involved and provide guidance to his chosen successor, without having the burden of writing the full book by himself. Brona is the result of that first collaboration, and is a more-than-worthy addition to the Shannara canon. It's a fantastic story and I look forward to reading what comes next.
Recommended.
Thanks to the publisher, Del Rey for offering me an eARC to review.
