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Posted By: Jason Sep 29, 2000 - 10:14 am

How late am I with this? Plenty late. But hey, a guy has to live a real life too you know (oh, perish the thought!). So here goes:
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Terry Goodkind is a master at subtle manipulation and in this next chapter of the Sword of Truth novels Soul of the Fire, it shows. Our hero Richard Rahl must face off against the deadly Chimes (whose sole purpose is to erase magic from the world), try to convince the people of Anderith to side with him to battle the Imperial Order, and deal with the fact that truth is far too easy to hide, especially when that truth threatens the love between Richard and his wife Kahlan.
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To bring people up to speed on Terry Goodkind’s wonderful series, Richard Rahl was originally a woods guide that was thrown into a world of incredible magic and dangerous secrets. The first four books explain Richard’s rise to power as the heir of D’Hara, his victory over his monstrous father Darken Rahl, and his realization that he is one of the most powerful wizards in the world. New enemies and dangers rear their ugly heads in every book, allowing the reader to feel like they are not bogged down with reoccurring bad guys we thought were dead or boring quests that seem endless. Never in the series does Goodkind forget to define the growing relationship between Kahlan and Richard, or portray those things that try to draw them apart. It may seem like too much for some readers to have a lead character with so much potential, but Goodkind balances this out by showing real emotions in Richard, coupled with a childlike innocence at the great responsibility and powers given to him. I also like how Goodkind includes rules of magic, one for each book, showing wizards as people that need to control the amazing force they posses. The rules explain how people see wizards and vice versa, and how those with superior power have a responsibility to their fellow humans.
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This series doesn’t include the epic romance creatures of elves or dwarves, undead or dragons. Instead, human characters that have true souls and must experience many human triumphs and tragedies drive the books. Soul of the Fire is no different; placing the characters in jeopardy by showing how low humanity can go to achieve its greedy dreams. I would recommend picking up any of Terry Goodkind’s works today, and look out for the newest Sword of Truth novel Faith of the Fallen.

Posted By: glow16 Apr 03, 2001 - 08:28 am

Okay, although I'd agree that the writing's good, the world well developed and Goodkind comes up with some amazingly original and clever concepts, I think that Kahlan and Richard have become very boring characters. I really enjoyed the first few books, but after awhile the relationship between the primary characters started to wear on my nerves. If they love each other so much how come they still can't be honest with each other? One of them's always sneaking off to do something dangerous and decieving the other one 'cause they don't want them to get hurt. Ha. It just gets a little old.

Posted By: huji Apr 17, 2002 - 10:01 am

I actually agree with Glow16. Even though GoodKind is among my very favorite authors, he has come to a point in his books where it is becoming less enetrtaining. In my opinion, and I am pretty sure many others feel the same about this, I want to see Richard develop more skill with his magic, be able to use his Additive and Subtractive magic with skill and efficiency. It bothers me to see Richard get his ass kicked one time after another, I mean come on, he is a war wizard, you know? Sure he wins in the end, but even then he usually doesn't even know what he is doing. I think for GoodKind to really capture peoples' attention, is to create more action using Richard's own powers and such.
Also, like glow said, some of the other characters are getting kind of boring. I am sure they will shape up though, Terry knows what he is doing, I can't wait to read the last couple of books, it definately still has my undivided attention. By the way, is there a website that throuroughly describes each book of Goodkind's?

Posted By: ryan13 Apr 20, 2002 - 01:39 pm

I don't know if any of you have read the new book, Pillars of Creation, but if you haven't yet my opinion is DON'T! I loved the first few novels in this series but i started to see the same plot over and over again. Either Richard or Kahlan is taken away then they are reunited at the end. Pillars of Creation was a real shock because it didn't seem to follow Goodkinds previous writing style at all. I was very disappointed with it. I will continue to read his books however in hopes that something better will present itself. I also agree with what Huji said, let Richard learn some magic. He hasn't learned anything and there have already been seven books!

Posted By: Daelish Jul 08, 2003 - 08:28 pm

Something has always confused me about this series. At the end of the first or second book I remember a line something like "he was now a war wizard in full control of his powers" or something like that and he uses the powers instinctively to blast a whole in a wall. And then when at the end of the next book he obviously uses a LOT of magic consciously when he meets up with Kahlan and makes her hair grow. But then at the beginning of all the books he's back to square one and completely clueless. It's ANNOYING. Can someone explain this to me?

Posted By: Craal Aug 11, 2003 - 01:56 pm

I don't know what's going on with that Daelish but I just finished Naked Empire and I hate to say it just stunk. Same rehashed scenario... 7 books later Richard is still a wuss as a wizard. He get's poisoned! Oh NO not again... lets see he's been captured and tortured umpteen times. He's been beaten and bruised and had to suck in an entire plague into his being. I guess poisoned was all that Goodkind could think to do. Zedd gets captured! Then he gets rescued... how many times has that happened so far? Kahlan sacrifices herself... again only to be rescued by her one true love....

In conclusion, just as in Jordan's last book this book did not progress the story one iota. It didn't even set up the next one! just seven hundred pages of dribble we didn't need to know. As far as I can tell Neither Pillarsof Creation nor Naked Empire (which deals with the pillars of creation) leads anywhere. In fact in the end Richard so much as says "Wow! this was a waste of time" just like I as a onetime diehard fan of Goodkinds work.

These epics are annoying me as of late

Posted By: Amaunette Nov 06, 2003 - 07:34 pm

I agree with all thats been said so far. But as if faults in the story and characters weren't bad enough, the reason I don't like the way "Sword of Truth" is going is because Goodkind is preaching at us now. Like we need him to tell us how to live our lives. These lessons began in the series as a way to introduce moral lessons and meaning into the brutality of magic and adventure, but its become an empty reason to torture already worn-out notions of good and evil. It's old and tired, and worse, its become WORK to read.

Posted By: gypsychic Nov 07, 2003 - 06:52 am

And of course it's still "Everyone loves Richard" - even the dang goat follows him around.

Posted By: glow16 Jan 12, 2004 - 08:18 pm

Amen,Amuanette. It's also an allegory for the sitation that was going on at the time he wrote it. Whatever your position on the war in Iraq, you have to admit the part where he chops off the head of the woman screaming "No war!" is just a little obvious. Does he really think his readers are too stupid to make their own decisions about their personal politics and just enjoy a little escapist fiction? Feh! No more for me.

Posted By: Adam Jan 13, 2004 - 03:13 am

The Kahlan character annoys me. How many times does she have to ride naked into the arms of the enemy and get half-killed before Richard Rahl realises she's a complete moron? He should dump her and hook up with one of those nifty Mord Sith girls.

Posted By: glow16 Mar 13, 2004 - 06:55 pm

Right on Adam! The Mord Siths kick a**.
Literally.