Head on over to Terry Brooks’ website for more info, including your chance to own your own map of the Four Lands. The Four Lands is the fictional world where Terry Brooks’ Shannara series is set. Each land, named after the compass point it faces, is home to a certain race of people.
@MikeEdenfield Right. Thought I said that. Quotes about life being hard but getting through it.
I just looked up Allanon's History Lessons in the first book actually, and it is generic - civ of science, Great War, mutant survivors (plus Elves), nothing specific. Jerle Shannara made it heavy obvious travelling over an ocean to get to 'Parkasia', and then Genesis makes the post-Earth explicit. I seem to recall fans comparing maps to make the link as well, but maybe that was when Parkasia was introduced. (I guess I didn't assume Sean meant Earth either shrug)–Jan 6 '16 at 20:50.
Although there are some differences between the series and and the books, the concept of the Four Lands being in our future isn't one of them. The books are set several thousand years in the future, but I suspect the series isnt quite that far ahead in the future, which would explain why some buildings are still recognisable.I believe the first mention of Shannara being set in the future was in the, part of the heritage of Shannara series of books.
Notably the Eldwist is an ancient city turned to stone, whose buildings are described very much like our skyscapers (this was how I remember it, please someone correct me if I am wrong).However in his books Terry Brooks has established an extending from the late 20th century into the future history of the Shannara series of books.Have a look at the Word and the Void series and the Genesis of Shannara series to see how our modern age turns into the world you see in the Shannara Chronicles.