Dear Readers,

I have had the honor and opportunity to oversee the web presence for Terry Brooks for the last seven years. Although we have a professional relationship and have become good friends, I have always considered myself one fan amidst a sea of fans that crave his book every year. That said, with no other book have I felt more anticipation pour from Terry's fans than for Armageddon's Children; with no other book have I seen Terry's own anticipation build, excited for his fans to read one of the most important stories in his body of work.

Armageddon's Children is part of a story that has been percolating inside Terry for more than 25 years. Its roots are deep and their tendrils reach into Terry's other series. From the beginning pages of Terry's first book, The Sword of Shannara, fans have been intrigued by his account that the world of Shannara is built upon the remnants of an older civilization that greatly mimics our own. For two decades, fans asked Terry if Shannara was our world's future; for two decades, Terry responded with the infamous question, "Well, what do you think?"

Then in 1997, Running with the Demon was released, and Terry's myth-making broadened in unbelievable ways. It is the story of our contemporary time, a world edging closer and closer each day toward an inevitable downfall brought on by insidious creatures bent on civilization's destruction. The few who oppose the evil maintain a balance that could eventually tip in favor of darkness. When fans asked Terry if the Word/Void trilogy was the ultimate prequel to the Great Wars in Shannara, Terry would smile kindly and say, "Well, what do you think?"

Finally, after all of these years, Terry is giving a definite answer on both accounts—yes, they are the same world.

Now that the fans know the world of Word/Void is the precursor to the Great Wars eluded to in Shannara, a single question has been asked repeatedly by the fans as of late: must people read the Word/Void trilogy in order to enjoy this new book. The immediate answer is, "No." Terry has deliberately written Armageddon's Children with the new reader in mind, and he took great care in crafting the backstory as to not bore the long-time readers. But because the new story is built on the foundation of the preceding Word/Void trilogy, Armageddon's Children will resonate more deeply for those readers who have already read the preceding trilogy.

There are several months left before Armageddon's Children is released. Take the advice from a fellow fan: If you haven't read the Word/Void trilogy, treat yourself and do so before August 29th, 2006.

And regardless, all fans should get ready for one fantastic novel in Armageddon's Children!

Best Wishes,

Shawn Speakman
Webmaster, The Wondrous Worlds of Terry Brooks