Terry Brooks was born in Illinois in 1944, where he spent a great deal of his childhood and early adulthood. He received his undergraduate degree from Hamilton College, where he majored in English Literature, and his graduate degree from the School of Law at Washington & Lee University.

A writer since high school, he published the Sword of Shannara, in 1977, the grand result from years of trying to retain some form of sanity while studying law at Washington & Lee University. It became the first work of fiction ever to appear on the New York Times Trade Paperback Bestseller List, where it remained for over five months. The Elfstones of Shannara followed in 1982, once again bringing us an epic novel of wonder and adventure in the eagerly awaited sequel to The Sword of Shannara. The Wishsong of Shannara, published in 1985, finished the remarkable trilogy. Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold! began a bestselling new series for him in 1986, stetching the bounds of fantasy to a new, unseen height. The Heritage of Shannara, a four-book series returning to the very heart that made him such a success, concluded with publication of The Talismans of Shannara in 1993.

Then in September 1997, Terry Brooks released his darkest, most complex masterwork yet, Running with the Demon. A novel whose setting is the very Illinois town he grew up in, it weaves together family drama, fading innocence, cataclysm, and enlightenment. Next came A Knight of the Word, continuing the saga, and Angel Fire East finished up the trilogy with an amazing climax.

At the moment Terry has returned once again to the Shannara series with a new trilogy titled The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara. The first book, titled Ilse Witch, takes place after the events of The Talismans of Shannara where Walker Boh is still a Druid and is trying to do something to reform the Druid Council. The following books will be titled Antrax (forthcoming September 2001) and Morgawr (forthcoming September 2002). Once the trilogy is wrapped up there will be two more, single Shannara books written.

Terry was a practicing attorney for many years, but now writes full-time. He lives with his wife Judine in the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii.