Ever meet people you ‘knew’ as a kid?  I read the Shannara series by Terry Brooks when I was a kid – before I had read the Tolkien books.  So, it was my first exposure to the genre – and memorable for an impressionable youth.  I did my trilogy book report on his Shannara series.  Brooks lives up in Seattle and comes down to Portland for releases and signings on occasion.  I went to his signing at Powells and got a book autographed.

I can’t say I was into his later books on Landover, and despite a lot of what people say – the comparisons between Sword of Shannara and Tolkien are a bit too close for comfort.  Still, enjoyable to finally meet folks you’ve read and find them to be ‘normal’ and courteous.  Terry was indeed those things.