Key Trilogy
paranormal romance
Series · epic fantasy
High Druid of Shannara
The High Druid of Shannara series by Terry Brooks has 3 known books (3 published) and is best read in publication order, starting with Jarka Ruus (2003). The latest book with a fully recorded publication date is Straken.
- Books
- 3 known books (3 novels)
- Published
- 3
- First published
- 2003
- Status
- completed
- Shelved under
- Fantasy
- Last checked
Start here: Jarka Ruus (2003) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The date order of published books and any announced future entries — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
Jarka Ruus
Jarka Ruus is a novel by Terry Brooks, published in 2003 at 422 pages. It opens the High Druid of Shannara series and is followed here by Tanequil. The series ran to completion in 2005 across 3 books.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Jarka Ruus - Book 2:
Tanequil
Tanequil is a novel by Terry Brooks, published in 2004 at 392 pages. It's book 2 in the High Druid of Shannara reading order, sitting between Jarka Ruus and Straken.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Tanequil - Book 3:
Straken
Straken is a novel by Terry Brooks, published in 2005 at 368 pages. It's book 3 of High Druid of Shannara, following Tanequil as the most recent entry in the reading order. The series ran to completion in 2005 across 3 books.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Straken
About the High Druid of Shannara series
Terry Brooks's High Druid of Shannara trilogy picks up two decades after the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara, with Grianne Ohmsford -- the former Ilse Witch -- now serving as Ard Rhys, head of the restored Druid order, still shadowed by suspicion over her past. Jarka Ruus opens as rival Druids led by Shadea a'Ru use forbidden magic to banish Grianne into the Forbidding, a demon-infested alternate realm, forcing her great-nephew Pen Ohmsford -- son of Bek Ohmsford and Rue Meridian, gifted with an uncanny ability to commune with nature -- to lead a rescue mission built around the legendary Tanequil tree, said to be the only way to reach her. Tanequil and Straken follow Pen's quest party, including the Elven Druid Ahren Elessedil, his niece Khyber (heir to the Elfstones), and the Rover girl Cinnaminson, as they're hunted across the Four Lands by the traitor Druids and their assassin, the spider-like Aphasia Wye, while Grianne herself endures escalating horrors within the Forbidding, including an encounter with the shade of the ancient evil Brona.
The trilogy pays off plot threads seeded across the two previous cycles -- Grianne's redemption arc from the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara and the Druid order Walker Boh rebuilt in Heritage of Shannara -- while introducing Pen and Khyber as the next generation set to carry the saga's central bloodlines forward into Brooks's later Shannara books.
Frequently asked questions
What order should I read the High Druid of Shannara trilogy in?
Publication order: Jarka Ruus, Tanequil, Straken — one continuous rescue mission across all three books.
Do I need to read the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara trilogy first?
Yes — this trilogy is set twenty years later and assumes you know Grianne Ohmsford's history as the Ilse Witch and her role as Ard Rhys, head of the Druid order.
Who is Pen Ohmsford?
The son of Bek Ohmsford and Rue Meridian, gifted with a rare ability to commune with nature; he leads the mission to rescue his great-aunt Grianne from the Forbidding.
What is the Forbidding?
A demon-infested alternate realm that rival Druids banish Grianne Ohmsford into using forbidden magic, setting the trilogy's rescue plot in motion.
Is this trilogy a complete story on its own?
Yes, though its characters — particularly Pen and Khyber — continue into Brooks's later Shannara sub-series.
How many books are in the High Druid of Shannara series?
3: Jarka Ruus (2003), Tanequil (2004), and Straken (2005).
If you like the High Druid of Shannara series
Reading order last verified .