Jarka Ruus is a fantasy

Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...

 novel

Novel

A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....

 by Terry Brooks

Terry Brooks

Terence Dean "Terry" Brooks is an American writer of fantasy fiction. He writes mainly epic fantasy, and has also written two movie novelizations. He has written 23 New York Times bestsellers during his writing career, and has over 21 million copies of his books in print...

. It is the first book in the High Druid of Shannara

High Druid of Shannara

High Druid of Shannara is a trilogy of fantasy novels in the Shannara series by Terry Brooks. Set 20 years after the events of The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara, the series chronicles the adventures of Pen Ohmsford as he seeks to rescue his aunt, the High Druid Grianne Ohmsford.-Jarka Ruus:The...

trilogy in Brooks' Shannara

Shannara

Shannara is an epic fantasy series of novels written by Terry Brooks, beginning with The Sword of Shannara in 1977 and continuing through Bearers of the Black Staff which was released on August 24, 2010, as well as a prequel, First King of Shannara...

series, and takes place 20 years after the events of The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara

The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara

The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara is a trilogy by Terry Brooks set 130 years after the Heritage of Shannara. Similar to its predecessor, this is one cohesive story following the happenings of Bek Rowe, Walker Boh, and Grianne Ohmsford, among other characters.-Characters:*Ahren Elessedil*Antrax*Ard...

. It was first published in 2003.

Plot summary

In the 20 years since the events chronicled in The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara, Grianne Ohmsford

Grianne Ohmsford

Grianne Ohmsford was abducted from her burning home when she was a young child by a powerful and evil warlock called the Morgawr, who knew that the power of the Wishsong held by the Ohmsford family had the potential to destroy him. He brainwashed Grianne into believing that it was the Druids,...

 has become High Druid, or Ard Rhys, of the new Druid Council

Shannara Druids

The Druids are an order of historians, philosophers, magic-users, teachers and researchers in the Shannara series of epic fantasy novels by Terry Brooks.-Druid magic:-Paranor:...

, but not without misgivings by many over her former life as the evil Ilse Witch

Grianne Ohmsford

Grianne Ohmsford was abducted from her burning home when she was a young child by a powerful and evil warlock called the Morgawr, who knew that the power of the Wishsong held by the Ohmsford family had the potential to destroy him. He brainwashed Grianne into believing that it was the Druids,...

. In a bid for power, a group of Druids led by Shadea a'Ru use unorthodox magic called "liquid night" to send Grianne out of the Four Lands and into the Demon

Demons (Shannara)

Demons is a common name for many different creatures in the Shannara series of epic fantasy novels by Terry Brooks. The 'true' demons were sealed long ago within an alternate universe, named the Forbidding; this prison is 'maintained' by the Ellcrys, a sacred Elven tree; if she dies, the Forbidding...

-infested world of the Forbidding. Tagwen, Grianne's loyal Dwarf aid, sets out to restore her, seeking the aid of her brother Bek Ohmsford. Finding Bek and his wife Rue Meridian

Rue Meridian

Rue Meridian is a fictional character from The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara and High Druid of Shannara trilogies by Terry Brooks.-Biography:...

 otherwise disposed, Tagwen joins forces with their son Pen

Pen Ohmsford

Penderrin Ohmsford, or Pen for short, is a character from the Shannara series by Terry Brooks.The son of Bek Ohmsford and Rue Meridian, Pen grew up around airships and was thus a superb pilot. However, unlike his father, Pen seemed to have no magic of his own, and his parents' distrust of the...

, who has a supernatural ability to commune with nature. Advised by the King of the Silver River

King of the Silver River

The King of the Silver River is a fictional character from the Shannara series of epic fantasy novels by Terry Brooks. He has appeared in many of the novels in the series as a recurring character.- Biography :...

, they set out in search of the legendary Tanequil tree, which they are told can provide a means to reach Grianne in the Forbidding. They are joined by the elf

Elves (Shannara)

Elves are one of the races in the Shannara series of epic fantasy novels by Terry Brooks. They are the only race of the faerie creatures still in the World, though they now have become mortal. Though Elves usually refers to the Westland Elves, Elves can be split into two: the "Land Elves" and the...

 Ahren Elessedil, now a Druid, and his niece Khyber (heir to the magic Elfstones

Shannara artifacts

Many magical artifacts appear in Terry Brooks's epic fantasy Shannara series.- The Druid Histories :The Ildatch is a book of black magic in the novel The Wishsong of Shannara by Terry Brooks. This book is from the "Old World", before the Four Lands were shattered by war. Its story was told to...

), as well as the mysteriously empathic Rover girl Cinnaminson, for whom Pen develops strong feelings. Along the way, they are stalked by traitorous Druid minions and their spider-like assassin accomplice, Aphasia Wye. They manage to defeat one of the pursuing Druid airships, but at the cost of Ahren's life and Cinamminson's capture.

Meanwhile, Grianne finds the Forbidding to be a dark mirror of the Four Lands. Exploring this horrific land known locally as Jarka Ruus, she encounters an enigmatic and somewhat annoying creature called Weka Dart. After defeating a dragon like creature and knocking Weka Dart out of a tree, she has a frightening encounter with the shade of Brona

Warlock Lord

The Warlock Lord is the principal villain of Terry Brooks' novel The Sword of Shannara....

, the most legendary evil from the Four Lands, and Grianne is captured by a party of Demons.

Characters

• Ahren Elessedil
• Aphasia Wye
• Brona
  Warlock Lord
  The Warlock Lord is the principal villain of Terry Brooks' novel The Sword of Shannara....
  
  
• Cinnaminson
• Gar Hatch
• Gerand Cera
• Grianne Ohmsford
  Grianne Ohmsford
  Grianne Ohmsford was abducted from her burning home when she was a young child by a powerful and evil warlock called the Morgawr, who knew that the power of the Wishsong held by the Ohmsford family had the potential to destroy him. He brainwashed Grianne into believing that it was the Druids,...
  
  
• Iridea Eleri
• Kermadec
• Khyber Elessedil
• Pen Ohmsford
  Pen Ohmsford
  Penderrin Ohmsford, or Pen for short, is a character from the Shannara series by Terry Brooks.The son of Bek Ohmsford and Rue Meridian, Pen grew up around airships and was thus a superb pilot. However, unlike his father, Pen seemed to have no magic of his own, and his parents' distrust of the...
  
  
• Pyson Wence
• Sen Dunsidan
• Shadea a'Ru
• Tagwen
• Terek Molt
• Traunt Rowan
• Trefen Morys
• Weka Dart

External links

• Del Rey Online | High Druid of Shannara: Jarka Ruus by Terry Brooks - official webpage for mass market paperback edition.
• Terry Brooks Official Website