Years have passed since Galaphile Joss and his life partner, Nirianne, established Paranor as a way to bring harmony to the Four Lands. Now their two sons are becoming men in a land of peace and plenty. Admittedly, it is a land that their eldest child, Abronja, finds rather boring. At sixteen, he longs for a way to prove himself—a chance to show he is every bit the equal of his famous father. But when the excitement he has been longing for materializes, it is in the form of an old evil: a dark sorcerer whom his father had defeated but not destroyed. And who is now back, stronger and deadlier than ever.
Galaphile has always dreaded this wicked resurgence—and not just because of what it means for the wider world. Abronja was conceived while the dark sorcerer had control of Nirianne, and Galaphile has always feared that a spark of malevolence lives on in his beloved child.
Abronja, for his part, is certain he will never be corrupted by evil. He is fully committed to his fatherʼs vision for peace and is determined to make his name by finally destroying the monster that has targeted his family. But tangling with dark magic is not a thing to be taken lightly—especially for a young man as yet untested in the ways of the world. And when the repercussions of this encounter could have consequences for centuries to come..
This is a book that’s been a LONG TIME COMING for Terry Brooks fans because it finally tells the story of the making of legendary villain Brona, who’s appeared in well-known books in the epic Shannara series. What made this release more intriguing for me was that it marks the first Shannara novel written as a collaboration between Terry Brooks and Delilah S. Dawson, with Dawson now joining Brooks in carrying this series forward. As someone who’s read Shannara for decades, I was so curious to see how this would feel compared with previous books, and I have to say, I was impressed! The writing feels true to the world I know, while bringing a fresh energy, but the characters, magic, and adventure still felt “Shannara.”
This is also the 2nd book in The First Druids of Shannara, following Galaphile, and while that book centered on the powerful mage Galaphile Joss, this story shifts the focus to his son, Abronja Joss. Abronja’s captivating from the start: defiant, ambitious, and determined not to spend his life living in his father’s shadow. He believes he has a great destiny waiting for him—but it quickly gets tangled with grief, revenge, pride, and an evil that’s been waiting to make a comeback. And there’s SO much here for longtime Shannara readers to enjoy: the Illdatch, undead creatures, seers, ancient magic, the start of the legendary Druid Order, the Druids’ magical Well, epic magical battles, and more!!
The story is told via multiple POVs, primarily following Abronja, Galaphile, and Nirianne, and the structure works really well as we get to see Abronja’s transformation from different perspectives. The opening is compelling. Abronja takes his younger brother, Einel, on his first hunting trip, and before they leave, Seer Ursula Raken gives him a prophetic warning that this journey will forever change him. And she couldn’t have been more right as tragedy strikes when an undead creature sent by the Spectral Tell kills Einel. Abronja carries his brother’s body back to Paranor, and that moment is the emotional foundation for everything that follows—be prepared to have your tissues ready for this book!! 😭
Abronja’s grief becomes an obsessive need for revenge, and I felt how deeply the loss of his brother changed him. His parents love him, but their relationship with him is never the same afterward. Nirianne, his mother, carries the trauma of losing Einel, and I could feel her pain throughout the story. She also becomes protective of Abronja as she sees how much anger and ambition are inside him.
The Spectral Tell’s return takes the story beyond Paranor to Arborlon (the capital city of the Elves), where a threat against Queen Rashannon forces Galaphile and Abronja to become involved. These chapters were some of my favorites because the world-building is so immersive, and we begin to see Abronja’s ambition and desire to prove himself take shape. There’s also a coming-of-age element, as there’s a subtle romantic possibility, while the relationship between Abronja and Galaphile begins to get strained.
The magical battles are few and far between in this book, but they are the thrilling scenes that I hoped for.Galaphile and Abronja are forced to fight side by side, and in the aftermath, the Illdatch, an ancient magical book that longtime Shannara readers know all about, becomes important. I enjoyed the way the book slowly unfolds Abronja’s relationship with his growing magic. You can see him making one “seemingly” reasonable decision after another while moving in a direction he never intended to go. His resentment builds as he feels increasingly dismissed, misunderstood, and restricted—and the new Druid Order takes center stage in his unraveling. Even though I know exactly what he eventually becomes, I found myself empathizing with him several times. He experiences loss and rejection, and there were moments where I understood why he felt he needed to take matters into his own hands.
The chapters are short, there’s a lot of really gripping dialogue, and the story is always moving and the world-building expanding. The exchanges between Galaphile and Abronja become more dramatic as they struggle to understand each other, while Nirianne’s scenes with Abronja were some of the most emotional for me. I could feel her love and protectiveness, even when Abronja couldn’t.
The formation of the Druid Order, which longtime Shannara fans have waited so long to read about, is another fascinating layer. I enjoyed seeing how the eclectic group of mages and seers from the different races came together, as well as how the magical “Druids’ Well” suddenly emerged.
Without giving away any real spoilers, the final 30% of the story is where everything gets intense. Abronja’s forced to confront some disturbing truths. I was shocked at some of his decision-making and completely captivated during the climax. The story takes an unexpected direction towards the very end, and there are heartbreaking moments that had me close to tears. And that ending! In true Shannara fashion, it feels like the beginning of something much bigger, and I can feel the emergence of a powerful evil and the pieces being put into place for what comes next—and I CANNOT WAIT to read it!!
If you’ve been reading the Shannara books forever like I have, I think you’ll find Brona very captivating. And if you’re new to Shannara, I think this series (read in order) works wonderfully as an introduction to the Shannara universe. I hope we get at least four books in this series because after that ending, I think I need at least two more to fully flesh out the evolution of Brona. I can’t wait to see where Terry Brooks and Delilah S. Dawson take the story next!!
Narrator Performance
The First Druids of Shannara: Brona is read by award-winning narrator Will Damron, who also narrated the 1st book in this new Shannara series, Galaphile.
Early in the story, Damron gives Abronja a youthful, confident voice that fits his personality. When Abronja’s preparing to take his younger brother, Einel, on his first hunt, you can hear how excited he is about sharing this experience with him, but there’s also a protective edge to his tone. Damron makes the tragedy that follows hit hard, and it’s a highlight of the entire performance. During the fight with the undead, bear-like creature, Damron injects lots of urgency and emotion to the scene as Abronja tries to save his brother. You can hear the fear and panic building in his voice as the battle gets dangerous. Then, when Abronja returns home with Einel’s body, the performance shifts. You can hear Abronja’s grief and his incredible desire for revenge—and I immediately sensed that that Abronja was going to change dramatically.
The exchanges between Abronja and Galaphile are another highlight. Damron makes Abronja’s ambition very clear, especially when he talks about wanting his own destiny rather than being known as Galaphile’s son. In contrast, he portrays Galaphile with a patient, concerned voice that suits a father trying to protect his son and steer him toward a stable life. The exchanges between Abronja and Nirianne are narrated with even more emotion. You can hear her concern and love for her son, especially as she becomes increasingly worried about who he’s becoming. And you can also hear how increasingly frustrated Abronja becomes with his parents.
The narration of the magical battles also stands out, particularly the one involving the Spectral Tell, Abronja, Galaphile, and the Elves in Arborlon. Damron’s pacing is spot on during these epic scenes, and his delivery kept me on edge and fully engaged. He makes the Spectral Tell sound threatening, powerful, and otherworldly, while his portrayal of Abronja in these scenes emphasizes how fearless and resilient he’s become.
There’s a wide variety of characters, from Elves and Humans to Dwarfs, Gnomes, Rock Trolls, Seers, and Mages—and Damron gives each a distinct, compelling voice, and the returning character voices are consistent with book one (Galaphile). I especially enjoyed the voices he gives the younger characters who become part of Abronja’s circle in Arborlon, as they sound very aligned with Abronja. Damron’s voices for the various seers are also captivating, particularly during their visions of imminent danger. At times, I felt like I was listening to the soundtrack of an epic fantasy film, and I intentionally slowed down the narration and took breaks because I didn’t want the audiobook to end!
Damron’s performance really shines during the final confrontation between Abronja and the Spectral Tell. Without giving any spoilers, his delivery makes the reveals very impactful. You can hear Abronja trying to process everything while simultaneously making quick decisions. The magical events that follow are exquisitely narrated, and during some heartbreaking moments, Damron narrates with such emotion that I was almost in tears. The performance made me empathize with Abronja more than I anticipated, even knowing where his story is headed.
Overall, Will Damron delivers an outstanding performance, just as he did with Galaphile. He’s such a natural fit for the Shannara world, and I hope he continues narrating the entire series—and more books that follow. This was one of my most anticipated audiobooks of the year, and it absolutely lived up to my expectations. If you’re new to this series, I highly recommend listening to Galaphile and Brona back-to-back for a fully immersive listening experience. I’m now desperate to listen to the next installment—and hopefully we won’t have to wait too long!
Narrator Performance
The First Druids of Shannara: Brona is read by award-winning narrator Will Damron, who also narrated the 1st book in this new Shannara series, Galaphile.
Early in the story, Damron gives Abronja a youthful, confident voice that fits his personality. When Abronja’s preparing to take his younger brother, Einel, on his first hunt, you can hear how excited he is about sharing this experience with him, but there’s also a protective edge to his tone. Damron makes the tragedy that follows hit hard, and it’s a highlight of the entire performance. During the fight with the undead, bear-like creature, Damron injects lots of urgency and emotion to the scene as Abronja tries to save his brother. You can hear the fear and panic building in his voice as the battle gets dangerous. Then, when Abronja returns home with Einel’s body, the performance shifts. You can hear Abronja’s grief and his incredible desire for revenge—and I immediately sensed that that Abronja was going to change dramatically.
The exchanges between Abronja and Galaphile are another highlight. Damron makes Abronja’s ambition very clear, especially when he talks about wanting his own destiny rather than being known as Galaphile’s son. In contrast, he portrays Galaphile with a patient, concerned voice that suits a father trying to protect his son and steer him toward a stable life. The exchanges between Abronja and Nirianne are narrated with even more emotion. You can hear her concern and love for her son, especially as she becomes increasingly worried about who he’s becoming. And you can also hear how increasingly frustrated Abronja becomes with his parents.
The narration of the magical battles also stands out, particularly the one involving the Spectral Tell, Abronja, Galaphile, and the Elves in Arborlon. Damron’s pacing is spot on during these epic scenes, and his delivery kept me on edge and fully engaged. He makes the Spectral Tell sound threatening, powerful, and otherworldly, while his portrayal of Abronja in these scenes emphasizes how fearless and resilient he’s become.
There’s a wide variety of characters, from Elves and Humans to Dwarfs, Gnomes, Rock Trolls, Seers, and Mages—and Damron gives each a distinct, compelling voice, and the returning character voices are consistent with book one (Galaphile). I especially enjoyed the voices he gives the younger characters who become part of Abronja’s circle in Arborlon, as they sound very aligned with Abronja. Damron’s voices for the various seers are also captivating, particularly during their visions of imminent danger. At times, I felt like I was listening to the soundtrack of an epic fantasy film, and I intentionally slowed down the narration and took breaks because I didn’t want the audiobook to end!
Damron’s performance really shines during the final confrontation between Abronja and the Spectral Tell. Without giving any spoilers, his delivery makes the reveals very impactful. You can hear Abronja trying to process everything while simultaneously making quick decisions. The magical events that follow are exquisitely narrated, and during some heartbreaking moments, Damron narrates with such emotion that I was almost in tears. The performance made me empathize with Abronja more than I anticipated, even knowing where his story is headed.
Overall, Will Damron delivers an outstanding performance, just as he did with Galaphile. He’s such a natural fit for the Shannara world, and I hope he continues narrating the entire series—and more books that follow. This was one of my most anticipated audiobooks of the year, and it absolutely lived up to my expectations. If you’re new to this series, I highly recommend listening to Galaphile and Brona back-to-back for a fully immersive listening experience. I’m now desperate to listen to the next installment—and hopefully we won’t have to wait too long!
The First Druids of Shannara: Brona is read by award-winning narrator Will Damron, who also narrated the 1st book in this new Shannara series, Galaphile.
Early in the story, Damron gives Abronja a youthful, confident voice that fits his personality. When Abronja’s preparing to take his younger brother, Einel, on his first hunt, you can hear how excited he is about sharing this experience with him, but there’s also a protective edge to his tone. Damron makes the tragedy that follows hit hard, and it’s a highlight of the entire performance. During the fight with the undead, bear-like creature, Damron injects lots of urgency and emotion to the scene as Abronja tries to save his brother. You can hear the fear and panic building in his voice as the battle gets dangerous. Then, when Abronja returns home with Einel’s body, the performance shifts. You can hear Abronja’s grief and his incredible desire for revenge—and I immediately sensed that that Abronja was going to change dramatically.
The exchanges between Abronja and Galaphile are another highlight. Damron makes Abronja’s ambition very clear, especially when he talks about wanting his own destiny rather than being known as Galaphile’s son. In contrast, he portrays Galaphile with a patient, concerned voice that suits a father trying to protect his son and steer him toward a stable life. The exchanges between Abronja and Nirianne are narrated with even more emotion. You can hear her concern and love for her son, especially as she becomes increasingly worried about who he’s becoming. And you can also hear how increasingly frustrated Abronja becomes with his parents.
The narration of the magical battles also stands out, particularly the one involving the Spectral Tell, Abronja, Galaphile, and the Elves in Arborlon. Damron’s pacing is spot on during these epic scenes, and his delivery kept me on edge and fully engaged. He makes the Spectral Tell sound threatening, powerful, and otherworldly, while his portrayal of Abronja in these scenes emphasizes how fearless and resilient he’s become.
There’s a wide variety of characters, from Elves and Humans to Dwarfs, Gnomes, Rock Trolls, Seers, and Mages—and Damron gives each a distinct, compelling voice, and the returning character voices are consistent with book one (Galaphile). I especially enjoyed the voices he gives the younger characters who become part of Abronja’s circle in Arborlon, as they sound very aligned with Abronja. Damron’s voices for the various seers are also captivating, particularly during their visions of imminent danger. At times, I felt like I was listening to the soundtrack of an epic fantasy film, and I intentionally slowed down the narration and took breaks because I didn’t want the audiobook to end!
Damron’s performance really shines during the final confrontation between Abronja and the Spectral Tell. Without giving any spoilers, his delivery makes the reveals very impactful. You can hear Abronja trying to process everything while simultaneously making quick decisions. The magical events that follow are exquisitely narrated, and during some heartbreaking moments, Damron narrates with such emotion that I was almost in tears. The performance made me empathize with Abronja more than I anticipated, even knowing where his story is headed.
Overall, Will Damron delivers an outstanding performance, just as he did with Galaphile. He’s such a natural fit for the Shannara world, and I hope he continues narrating the entire series—and more books that follow. This was one of my most anticipated audiobooks of the year, and it absolutely lived up to my expectations. If you’re new to this series, I highly recommend listening to Galaphile and Brona back-to-back for a fully immersive listening experience. I’m now desperate to listen to the next installment—and hopefully we won’t have to wait too long!
