Publishers Weekly recently interviewed fantasy author Terry Brooks, asking him several questions about his latest release, Dark Wraith of Shannara. Dark Wraith is the first book in Brooks's Shannara series to be released as a manga, and its official synopsis suggests that it might be a good jumping-in point for new readers. Here's the cover art and publisher's description:

"Possessing an awesome power he is only beginning to understand, young Jair Ohmsford must summon the devastating yet darkly seductive magic of the wishsong on a fateful mission to save his friends . . . and protect the future from the forces of evil.

If you’ve never ventured into the wondrous world of Shannara, consider this an ideal opportunity. Prepare to enter the breathtaking realm of the Four Lands, where beings both noble and sinister have quested and clashed, crossed swords in the names of darkness and light, and engaged in adventures rich with mystery and majesty."

I'm usually bored by epic fantasies (particularly the many, many titles featuring befuddled young men with "awesome power" wrestling with "devastating yet darkly seductive" magical forces), but a manga version might be more my speed....

Labels: Fantasy, manga, Terry Brooks