'Lord Of The Rings' fans and, perhaps, 'Game Of Thrones' fans will no doubt be glued to MTV for the next few weeks since the first episode of elven fantasy 'The Shannara Chronicles' aired last night (January 5th 2016). A worthy watch too, based on the trilogy by Terry Brooks.

Poppy DraytonPoppy Drayton plays Princess Amberle

The show features some up and coming talent, with British actress Poppy Drayton starring as the heroic Princess of the Elves, Amberle. She's probably best known for her appearance in TV movie 'When Calls the Heart' with Maggie Grace, but she's also had roles in 'Downton Abbey' and 'Midsomer Murders'. Austin Butler of 'The Carrie Diaries' and 'Arrow' plays the half-elf half-human Wil Ohmsford, while 'Pan's Labyrinth' actress Ivana Baquero is the roguish Rover Eretria and Manu Bennett - who also stars in 'Arrow' and, incidentally, 'The Hobbit' trilogy - plays the last Druid Allanon.

More: Read our review of 'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies'

So, what's the premise? It's 30 years since the Four Lands (which is our own planet some thousands of years in the future - time machine, anyone?) were embroiled in the War of the Races which resulted in the Demon World being imprisoned in a realm called The Forbidding and apparently wiped out all the magic in the world. The only thing that is keeping the Four Lands from demonic destruction is an ancient tree called the Ellcrys, which requires seven servants known as the Chosen to protect her. Being one of the Chosen is a great honour, usually reserved solely for men, but Amberle has other ideas.

In a race to be chosen, Amberle succeeds. But soon she begins having visions of death, blood and an apocalypse, driving her away from her home of Arborlon and her love interest Lorin. Meanwhile, Allanon has awoken from a long sleep, fully re-charged with the would-be extinct magic. He warns Elven King Eventine that the Ellcrys is dying, putting the whole world at risk from demonic forces, but there's already evil at work. The Dagda Mor has breached the Forbidding and ordered the Changeling to kill the Chosen disguised as Amberle.

Then there's Wil, whose mother recently died and left a magical artefact called the Elfstones to him. He gets them stolen after being drugged by a nomadic thief named Eretria, and now he must team up with Allanon to recover them. They must also find the Codex of Paranor to work out how to save the Ellcrys. Soon, Wil meets Amberle (the real one, not the Changeling) and the pair nearly get themselves killed by a beastly Fury who kills Amberle's aunt Pyria.

Well, there you have it. You know a series is going to be exciting if there's a death in the very first episode. Stay tuned for episode 2, 'Fury'.