Terry Goodkind's Sword of truth series

Another opinion (two... technically) for what it's worth.

My wife loved at least the first two in the series and recommended I try it out, I quite liked the first and felt the second... lingered? It felt like it took a while to get anywhere.

My only real problem with it was that it seemed so... predictable. There didn't seem to be much in the way of shades of grey. The bad guy is a proper irredeemably bad guy and that point is made quite clearly, there's powerful evil servants, who the good guy resists (and turns one of?... if memory serves me), there's trials and dangers and... well, everything you'd expect, but none of it really felt like a surprise to me?

Anyway, point is, if you're after something enjoyable, there's several million copies sold that say it obviously is, and my wife really likes it/them :) But for me.... it was lacking something crucial, perhaps just it didn't keep me guessing or thinking too hard about it?
 
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Just started reading this. The first few chapters are interesting - reminds me a lot of the first Wheel of Time book by Robert Jordan - though perhaps a little simpler (as in not describing the socio-political history of the settlement - which Jordan actually did really well).

What I really notice is how close to third person Terry Goodkind writes - we continually feel how Richard's emotions affect his body, especially tension and fear; on top of general telling of his state. I found a lesson in this, for me.

I'm only four chapters in, but there's also a decent sense of mystery, so far.

Not very strong on historical realism - feels like a RPG world than a serious pseudo-mediaeval - but interesting enough so far.
 
Hey Guys,
This is actually my first post, but I just wanted to say that I enjoyed the Sword of Truth series. It had it's ups and downs. I would read one book and enjoy it, but read the next and consider it mediocre at best. Pillars of Creation was the worst book in the series for me. Law of Nines is undoubtedly Terry Goodkind's worst book.

Yeah, he does get incredibly preachy. I was able to look over that, because I enjoyed the depth at which he explained the stories canon. Everything was explained really well. Although, I could see how some people would consider that boring.
 
Thanks,
Yeah, I'm a huge Pratchett fan. I'm also a huge Science Fiction and Fantasy fan in general, but have few friends to discuss the genre with. That's why I joined this forum. Reading through a lot of these threads has made me realize that I'm just scratching the surface of the genre, and this makes me very happy.
 
WFR was my first ever fantasy book and I loved it. It doesn't hold up to rereads though, but there are portions and certain plot points which I still think are excellently written, and you won't find anywhere else. This is where the book thrives. It's these and the characters which will keep you reading the sequels, even the god awful ones.

Heather Myst said:
ratsy,

Faith of the Fallen was my favorite book in the series so I guess everyone has different reactions to the same thing. I love how Richard won't let anything come between him and Kahlan and I just can't get enough of the Mord-Sith.

I think The Omen Machine was the only book that I really didn't enjoy in the series.
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Yes, I love the Mord sith as well. The Omen Machine was undoubtedly awful for many reasons, but the third kingdom bounced back nicely from the black hole which was that first book. It wasn't great, but I didn't cringe reading it. These new SOT books no longer hold any interest for me, but I'll likely read the last one in the series just for the hell of it. If Goodkind was going to write anymore books within this world he should have done spinoffs of Cara, or Nicci, another Mord Sith or even Rachel. Going back to Richard and Kahlan and adding absolutely nothing new to their characters was a huge mistake.
 
I've read all of the first part of SOT series and now trying to finish the 2nd part. The first part up to a point was ok. Actually the first 3-4 books were quite nice. After that it started deteriorating and after 6 or 7 it got really bad! I had to finish the tale so I stayed up to the end but was greatly disappointed by it as most ppl I've talked about it were. Still I tried the Omen machine and I was completely disgusted. I had gotten Goodkind out of my list of writers to look for but a few days ago I had to go and see if he has printed anything new. I found out that there were 2 more books in that new series following the SOT and am trying now to finish The 3rd kingdom. I don't know why i try it so much but I suppose i want to see where it gets them. It is really awful in my opinion and I suppose the next one will be in the same path but oh well, I'll keep trying to finish it. Actually, to tell u my sin, I jump places all the time in every single page. It's soooooo boring!!!
 
I kept with it, because I find it really hard to stop reading a series when I've started it, but there was just far, far too much rape and sexual abuse in it (which I don't particularly want to read about). Most of it wasn't really necessary for the plot.
 
That's the reason actually I keep going on too Kathryn. I am trying to be patient and finish it. I do really hope that Goodkind starts working on something else sooner or later. I want to see if he has evolved a little bit.
 
I liked the first book , bought the second book but have never gotten around to reading it.
 
I am currently reading wizard's first rule, and I am near the end of the book.
I find it to be an all right read.
 
Brian Turner said:
Just started reading this. The first few chapters are interesting - reminds me a lot of the first Wheel of Time book by Robert Jordan - though perhaps a little simpler (as in not describing the socio-political history of the settlement - which Jordan actually did really well).
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I seem to remember Goodkind being quoted as telling a fan that if he thought his books were similar to Jordan's then maybe he wasn't old enough to understand his books, I think that was the same time he said he didn't write fantasy, he wrote about the human experience.
 
I read the entire series, to include the prequel short that was released. I guess that's some kind of testament as to how I enjoyed the series :D. Truth be told (no pun intended), I thought the first three were the best, then I just read the next few because I was a fan. Then the series ended terrifically with the last three books.

After that, Goodkind started what is sort of a re-branding of the series. All the main characters are around, but he's specifically stated that the Sword of Truth series is over. I think the third of this branch just came out. Without going into too much detail, I find that I do not enjoy these as much.

Let us know if you decide to continue on to Stone of Tears!
 
I just finished reading wizard's first rule.
I thought there is a bit too much sexual violence.
I really don't like sexual torture.
Yet, I will be moving on to reading book 2 of the sword of truth series.
 
I read the first one and, er, wasn't vastly impressed. Somewhere, I have a copy of the one where the hero cures all the peasants of Communism by making a statue. Ironically, the cover of the edition I've got makes the statue look exactly like the sort of thing Stalin would have put up: Dignity of the Proleterians or something like that.
 
Finally managed to finish The third kingdom and severed souls. Booooooring!!! I just want the story to be finished. Could u pls mr Goodking finish the story in the next book and start something new?
 
Heather Myst said:
Seems like I'm all alone here but I loved the series and I would suggest you read book one and see what you think.
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I'm with you Heather! I enjoyed the series, and I'm sorry it's finished - or is it? One never knows. It 'finished' with Confessor and came back again. I liked the characters, the violent stuff was really just the way it was in the Dark Ages, and I greatly enjoyed the strong females: Kahlan, all the Mord-Sith, Nicci and so on. I hate the big strong man has to save the woman kind of storyline, you know: man fights evil man as woman stands and watches, biting her nails, instead of bashing the guy over the head. Terry's women don't need a man's help! As regards the fans and his attitude, I've seen some really lovely letters he's sent to fans, and a number of people have said he was great at posing with them for photos. Never met him myself, so can't give a personal view. I have received an e-Mail from him however, and he told me that there was a statue of a winging Greek goddess (Nike I presume) in the town he lived in, showing her in a heroic pose. He was inspired by that to come up with a powerful female character, and Kahlan Amnell was the result.
 
chongjasmine said:
I just finished reading wizard's first rule.
I thought there is a bit too much sexual violence.
I really don't like sexual torture.
Yet, I will be moving on to reading book 2 of the sword of truth series.
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I read book 2 also. Bad mistake. I'm not reading any more of the Sadism peddled by this author as fantasy.
 
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