The Sword of Truth Series
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I've read the entirety of it, and while I do like the series very much overall, it is exceedingly flawed.
What I liked most about the series was the way it depicted Richard in combat, which was quite fantastic.
What I liked most about the series was the way it depicted Richard in combat, which was quite fantastic.
I liked how conflicts were solved primarily through wisdom or some insight and not direct application of force - its a thinking man book series. Unfortunately its been in a steady decline (although I read only to 5th wizard's rule or so), also its deals a lot with mature issues and some find how it does that distastefull.
I'm actually reading the series for a second time. I'm about 3/4 the way through stone of tears. Let me tell you, the sisters of the light would drive me absolutely INSANE.
I've read all of them and thouroughly enjoyed them, I can't really pick out a single thing which i liked most, if I was forced to pick one............. Probably the development of relationships and rivalry's between the characters and also how a seemingly insinificant character could appear and take on a much more important role.
I read quite a few of them and I enjoyed it. Sword of Truth and the Wheel of Time series' got me through most of my downtime during highschool. Perhaps it's time I re-read the first few books.
Wasn't too thrilled with the tv series though. Just didn't like it.
Edit; Oh and what I liked most about the book was probably the Character development. Mainly as Richard transitions from his homeland to the rest of the continent and the trials he faces.
Wasn't too thrilled with the tv series though. Just didn't like it.
Edit; Oh and what I liked most about the book was probably the Character development. Mainly as Richard transitions from his homeland to the rest of the continent and the trials he faces.
Well... its been a lot of books and it seems to run out of topics towards the end - Richard gets about as badass as he can get by 3rd wizard's rule, also trying to find the right villain for the job , either they arent worth the time or they are left undefeated and the few who aren't are dead in the end so a new villain has to be found. It struggles to find things for the heroes to do - once you're the seeker of truth, a wizard (of both destruction and creation magic) and the king of over 1/3rd of the world there really isn't much left for you to do. And the focus seems to shift from main heroes to some unlikable secondary characters. Then there's the whole "rape, murder, mutilate" business all over the place.550456 said:
I read through the first book in the series and was surprised at the fact that they chose to have a sense of finality in that one book rather than stretch that story acorss the whole series.... I rate it as a great fantasy series from what i've read so far, but as Zen said, it is a little flawed and sometimes inconsistent in its character development.
I'm actually finishing up my second read through of it. I'm just under half way through the last book.
I tried reading the first book but I couldn't really get into it and eventually gave up on it. I can't really remember why, exactly, I couldn't get into it, because I do like the whole epic (and some not so epic) fantasy books.
The first couple books in the series are really good, but once I got to the naked empire I lost all desire to finish reading the series. The way Richard solves some of his problems are pretty much RICHARD DID IT! The scene when Mord Sith capture Richard and torture him one of my favorite parts from any book.
I fell in love with the series in high school or college. Don't remember which. The first couple of books are a definite read. but like the wheel of time series it gets a bit drawn out and the ending wasn't that satisfying. I still love the series and characters. I mean a bad ass Mord Sith feeding a chipmunk named chippy was awesome. Gratch is my fave character as well.
The series though brings ya up with a lot of torture and rape [Blood of the Fold]. I wouldn't suggest it for teens. but the way it all plays out really bonds you with the characters of the book.
The series though brings ya up with a lot of torture and rape [Blood of the Fold]. I wouldn't suggest it for teens. but the way it all plays out really bonds you with the characters of the book.
It's a good fairly solid series. However, it's far from good fantasy. At the time when I read it it was the best thing I'd ever read. Stone of Tears is probably the best of the whole series and definitely of the first books. Faith of the Fallen is the best of the latter books, with Pillars of Creation getting the novelty award.
It started out as a very promising and original series with its magic filling quite a nice role, but as it goes on you actually learn that as adult as Richard is he's deceptively stagnant in his growth. Basically he's always right, never makes any lasting mistakes, and will show communism what for.
Oh wait, that's right Goodkind decidedly kills off all magic in his fantasy series, which would have been cool if it wasn't an obvious ploy to get onto his anti-communism tirades.
That aside Naked Empire is set up like a video game, and the last two books were really flagging.
Seriously though, Richard's mistakes fall into two categories: One, I'm not wrong, I'm right, I'm a hero. Despite what everyone thinks about my choices.
Two, I'm wrong, but it's nothing horribly consequential that I couldn't have figured out before this whole thing got out of hand.
I have to laud Goodkind for his mature themes, he handled them well and realistically. Also his killing off of beloved and invested characters. Good, unexpected, and emotionally meaningful if not plot-meaningful.
However, the series smacks of blatant Deus Ex Machina, and Richard being really infallible when it really matters. Though a lot of stories tend to be like that.
It started out as a very promising and original series with its magic filling quite a nice role, but as it goes on you actually learn that as adult as Richard is he's deceptively stagnant in his growth. Basically he's always right, never makes any lasting mistakes, and will show communism what for.
Oh wait, that's right Goodkind decidedly kills off all magic in his fantasy series, which would have been cool if it wasn't an obvious ploy to get onto his anti-communism tirades.
That aside Naked Empire is set up like a video game, and the last two books were really flagging.
Seriously though, Richard's mistakes fall into two categories: One, I'm not wrong, I'm right, I'm a hero. Despite what everyone thinks about my choices.
Two, I'm wrong, but it's nothing horribly consequential that I couldn't have figured out before this whole thing got out of hand.
I have to laud Goodkind for his mature themes, he handled them well and realistically. Also his killing off of beloved and invested characters. Good, unexpected, and emotionally meaningful if not plot-meaningful.
However, the series smacks of blatant Deus Ex Machina, and Richard being really infallible when it really matters. Though a lot of stories tend to be like that.
I ended up reading "Faith of the Fallen" first due to a used book sale, and I still consider it to be the best book I've ever read. After reading all of them, I have to agree that while the series is good, there are several places where the story just drags for an ungodly long time. Temple of the Winds, Soul of the Fire, Pillars of Creation, and Naked Empire, while all having a purpose in the grand scheme of things, all felt like filler for the better stuff, like the final trilogy. While it sounds odd to say, the murder, torture, rape, and general "evilness" starts to get repetitive, and it feels like you're reading the same books over and over. That being said, the depiction of combat was great, and the slow-mo effect of showing the powers of the Seeker was intense. Also, the connection between the final battle of Wizard's First Rule and Confessor was a fantastic way to finish off the series. All in all, it had a few flaws, but as my first ever modern fantasy series, it blew me away.
It's flawed, cliche, and trite sometimes, but I still adore it, in only for the Richard/Kahlan relationship which flows very well.
And I'll be one of the few people you can find who genuinely loved Faith of the Fallen and didn't see it as merely an anti-communism rant. Personally, the Nicci storyline worked incredibly well.
And I'll be one of the few people you can find who genuinely loved Faith of the Fallen and didn't see it as merely an anti-communism rant. Personally, the Nicci storyline worked incredibly well.