It's like Terry Brooks wanted to write a sci-fi novel and realized he didn't have the technical knowledge to do so, so went back to the Shannara world to explain everything away with magic. I know the end was supposed to be a major cliffhanger, but I just didn't care enough to pick up the next book until the next day. Any metaphors that he tried to use would have been so much better if he didn't explain exactly what the metaphors were and beat them into the readers' heads that way. The sad thing is that his writing has gotten better since his first book, but he ought to be taking a class, or reading more books, or something to get his writing better than solely writing a lot. Generally awful writing and weird sci-fi/fantasy combination aside, at least the plot was semi-original [though Antrax reminds me of HAL from 2001]. ( )

Wow, much better than the first book in the series! The story is really interesting now. Walker Boh is dead and it's only book two in the series so hopefully book three will keep the momentum going. All the main characters seem to have escaped their various challenges and survived besides Walker. Antrax is finally defeated and the Isle Witch is comotosed and left in the charger of Bek and her brother the shape sister Truls Rohk.

New trouble is on its way though in the shape of the Morgawr, the Witches formed mentor. ( )

An interesting introduction of technology into the series, and I liked more of the characters this time. I was mystified by the ending, which seems to wrap up everything of importance but there's still one whole book left to go? ( )

This book is much, much more gripping than, "Ilse Witch". The potential of all the characters, particularly Bek, Ahren, and Rue Meridian, and their relationships with each other is much more fully developed and more satisfying. An enjoyable read...Brooks series keep getting better. ( )

4 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

A treat--Brooks ups the emotional intensity, October 23, 2001
Reviewer: booksforabuck "BooksForABuck.com" (Dallas) - See all my reviews

You can always count on Terry Brooks for adventure. Having dispensed with the relatively slow start of ILSE WITCH, ANTRAX throws its characters directly into action. Walker and his party are either captured by a vast artificial intelligence, by the witch herself, or are being hunted down. Yet somehow, they must survive and most importantly grow as characters. And this is where Brooks improves dramatically over ILSE WITCH.
ANTRAX puts much less attention on the powerful and interesting but not especially compelling Walker and much more on the other members of his party--boys like Bek and Quentin, on Rue Meridian and on the failed elf-prince Ahren Elessedil. These characters are much less set in their ways and much more capable of growing over the course of the novel--and grow they do.

With an excellent mix of compelling action and intriguing character, Terry Brooks delivers a superior novel.

If you loved ILSE WITCH, you're in for a treat. If you (like me) found the first volume to be only just satisfactory, then you'll be even happier to see that Brooks has hit his stride again. ( )