THE WISHSONG OF SHANNARA - INSCRIBED TO THE AUTHOR'S CHILDHOOD BEST FRIEND
New York: Del Rey / Ballantine Books, 1985. First Edition. The concluding volume in Brooks's best-selling Sword of Shannara Trilogy. "One of the most commercially successful Tolkien retreads, Brooks's saga substitutes a magic sword for the eponymous ring and elves for hobbits, but retains all the essential tragi-comic elements of the classical quest as race against time to avert the coming of evil" (Barron, Fantasy Literature: A Reader's Guide 4A-51). An extraordinary association copy, inscribed in an early hand to Brooks's childhood best friend. Brooks and Farnham were both born in 1944 in Sterling, Illinois, met in elementary school, and grew up together. While their education and careers took them to different parts of the country, the two maintained contact until Farnham's death in 2022, and Brooks inscribed a copy of nearly all of his books for Farnham at the time of publication. A significant copy. Item #7350
First Printing, cloth issue. Octavo (21.5cm); dark blue paper-covered boards and black cloth backstrip, with titles stamped in metallic pink on spine; dustjacket; [x],499,[7]pp; illus. Inscribed by the author on the front endpaper to his childhood best friend Christopher C. Farnham (1944-2022): "For Chris / Belatedly – Wishing you the start of a happy new life. You've earned it. / Terry / 6/89." Light hand-soil to covers, modest wear and rubbing to backstrip, with a slight forward lean; contents clean; Very Good+. Dustjacket is unclipped (priced $18.95), with some light surface wear, mild curling to upper rear flap, and a few tiny tears to crown; Near Fine.
Price: $1,000.00