Tanequil

(10th book for Once Upon a Time)

Tanequil by Terry Brooks.

Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Del Rey (August 28, 2007)
ISBN-10: 0345499115

From Publishers Weekly

Make a wish on an Elfstone and anything can happen, including a fresh second installment (after 2003's Jarka Russ) in Brooks's bestselling High Druid fantasy trilogy, part of the long-running Shannara series whose magic has been showing signs of wear. As the Free-born Federation war continues in the Four Lands, life is packed with peril for the Ohmsford family. While High Druid Grianne Ohmsford languishes in the Forbidding, a demon tracks her gifted nephew, Pen, with orders to kill him from the Druid responsible for her banishment, the evil Shadea a'Ru. Young Pen and his followers—perky Elven Elfstone carrier Khyber, grumpy dwarf Tagwen, blind Rover girl Cinnaminson and helpful Rock Trolls—seek the tanequil, a mysterious tree from which a "darkwand" must be formed that will aid Pen in rescuing his aunt from the Forbidding. Pen's parents, Bek and Rue, are also ensnared by Shadea, an uneasy ally of Sen Dunsidan, the Federation's prime minister.

In book 2 the companions continue on their quest, but not without evil things happening to deter their progress.

Although Pen is young he makes a good protagonist, and along with those that he finds willing to help him with his quest Terry  Brooks continues to write a very enjoyable story.  As in many other books: good against evil.  It’s always interesting to see how he gets his little troop into and out of circumstances, always adding twists and turns that you don’t know will happen until they do.

This trilogy is my second favorite of his next to the original Sword of Shannara Trilogy.  I find myself flying thru these books and I haven’t done that in some time!

This middle book has Pen trying to get to a tree called the Tanequil to procure a small branch from the tree that will help him save his Aunt from the Forbidding.  With no real plan in mind Pen surrounds himself with others that want to help him to help his Aunt, and by doing so, it helps his chances of success.   What he wasn’t told was how to find the tree and how to communicate what he wants from the tree.  Nor is he told what the tree might want in exchange!

A good surprise ending to book one makes you want to quickly pick up book three to see what happens next! 

So off I go to begin the last installment of this very enjoyable trilogy!