This story focuses on Garet Jax, arguably the most popular character Brooks ever created. Though Garet Jax appeared in just one book, The Wishsong of Shannara, fans were so enamored that Terry Brooks later crafted a novella around him. Indomitable was based on just the possibility of seeing the character again, and didn't even deliver the "actual" goods. Now comes The Weapon Master's Choice to fulfill the promise.
Set some unspecified time before the events of Wishsong, this short story has a mysterious woman approaching Garet Jax to secure his skills in rescuing her distant and unknown village from an evil invader. She's clearly hiding something from him, but Jax is intrigued enough to accept the task anyway. A brief adventure follows, in which we get to see the Weapons Master in action.
The story isn't revolutionary, but few writers can pull off something truly profound in the short story format. Brooks himself has acknowledged that novels are his medium, and that this series of short stories have been a sort of experiment for him. Still, this is an entertaining story. It contains some of the elements that are typical in a Terry Brooks story, but weaves them together for a conclusion that's rather unconventional for him. And along the way, his writing style is brisk and easy to read as always.
Overall, I liked this story a touch better than his previous one, Allanon's Quest. Brooks has said he intends at least one more in the series, and it will be interesting to see what character he focuses on. Garet Jax and Allanon were almost mandatory, given the passion of his fan base. Perhaps in the next volume, he'll focus on a character that ignites his passion more. But this one is still a fun read for his longtime fans. I give it a B+.
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