Terry Goodkind

I enjoyed the first couple SoT books and pushed on through to "Naked Empire" but I just couldn't read any more...which is sad...because I actually liked the characters/story at the beginning.

Wizard's First Rule, by Terry Goodkind

An evil overlord is preparing to attempt a spell that will give him ultimate power if he succeeds - and will kill him if he fails. A good wizard charges a youth with stopping him. If you've read a reasonable number of fantasy, you just know how this is going to end from that premise.

Have you ever wondered what motivates evil overlords to try such spells? The evil overlord of this story, Darken Rahl, already is so powerful he can dominate the world without any more power. But no, he has to get ahold of the Three Boxes of Orden so he can have enough power to be even more unstoppable, even though opening the wrong box would spell disaster. Why? Do wizards collect magical ability like Jay Leno collects cars? Is it just some sort of insecurity? We never find out, at least not in this story.

Darken Rahl is pretty much your standard evil overlord. Terry Goodkind did give him one good twist, though. Darken is a vegitarian. That alone wouldn't be too interesting - a little wierd, but not without historical precedend in our world. Well, one of Darken's important spells involves ritual canibalism. That in itself would give him a few evil points, but the fact that he has to break his own moral code to do this spell and uses it routinely anyway ratchets his evil up a few notches. Other than that, well, he's just another two dimensional evil wizard out to conquer the world.

The forshadowing was often a bit too obvious, and not just for the overall ending. I had figured out one important plot "twist" several hundred pages before the characters did, even when they had enough information to make it blatantly obvious to them.

But I liked this book anyway. While some details of the ending were all too obvious, he had hidden a few secrets that I really wanted to turn the page to find out about. He had a set of main characters that I really did care about. And I didn't know just how they would achieve the inevitable ending. This world also had some rather interesting magical ideas, such as casting spells by creating magical paintings.

They say that many plots that have been done before can still make pretty good books if given a strong treatment. I'd say that this book is proof that's true.

I really wanted to like this book, because a friend strongly recommended it. Unfortunately, I thought there was a real disconnect on many levels. It read like an R-rated book for teen (13-15) boys. I like mature themes in fantasy, too, so it really added to my disappointment. Richard seemed like a fairly passive character because a good number of helpful objects/info were practically just given to him.

I did enjoy Zed’s character, and the Confessor concept.

If you follow the series, many of these questions are answered.

Actually, I found each book to be stronger than the last; the story definitely takes direction and contains a very potent message.

I really dug the first... I think four, books. Then, I'm sorry to say, I started to feel a bit uneasy about the obvious political and social analogies he was using. It got a bit preachy.

I stopped reading at Book V. But, I remember that Wizards First Rule was one of the first fantasies I fell in love with and had to read in a single day.

Can someone explain to me briefly his social/political WV, so I don't have to read them? This is DS#2's favorite series, and I'd love to figure out what he sees in it. I tried to read... just couldn't slog through them.

I dunno if there's been a thread about him before in the past, but has anyone ever read the Sword of Truth books? So far I'm to Temple of the Winds. This is the best book series I've ever read. I heard the later books in the series aren't as good though.

I haven't read any of them yet, but I have two friends who are very, very into them.

I'll get around to them eventually. I don't like serieseses because if I like them, I end up reading the whole thing all in a row and get absolutely nothing done for a whole month. So the more they talk this series up, the further back I push it.

Maybe if I get in a horrible accident soon or something.

I loved the first... 4, I think. I read 3 in one week, almost no sleep. I have heard his latest is back to form, but to get there I'd have to slog through one half finished book and then another.

My Terry Goodkind rant

The first few books were so amazing, so breathtaking, that I couldn't have been more hooked if he had laced the pages with crack cocaine. Those first few books were heading SOMEWHERE. The timing and pacing seemed flawless. The amount of detail and PLOT and action and PLOT and characterization and PLOT and suspense and PLOT and oh did I mention PLOT, where incredible. But then, around Temple of the winds, it seemed to me that some stuffy executive pulled him into a room and said, "You know you can't keep the pacing up like this, if you do, you'll finish the series in the next book or two. So I need you to strecth things out, go on some tangeants that have little to do with the original arc you established in the first few books."

But, I love the characters so much, that I sloughed through the other books, up until about naked Empire and chainfire. So now, i'm beyond annoyed. I feel betrayed. We are on what, book 9 and he still have very little control of his powers.

it is a shame. I find that I simply can't read the next book, chainfire was the last for me. The series is now akin to visiting an alcoholic parent behind bars... You love them, but it's just to painful to see them doing wrong. Well, that is my thoughts about this series. God I loved it, but enough is enough. Cant take it anymore. Which is a shame.

o.k. I feel better now.

Dgiharris

I stopped reading after Naked Empire as well. It was just too pathetic to keep reading after the glory that was Wizard's First Rule.

My-Immortal said:

I enjoyed the first couple SoT books and pushed on through to "Naked Empire" but I just couldn't read any more...which is sad...because I actually liked the characters/story at the beginning.

Click to expand...

I agree entirely.

I also gave up. They became pointless. I keep confusing Terry Goodkind's confused mess with Robert Jordan's confused mess anyhow, they've both gone on so long.

The Lady said:

I also gave up. They became pointless. I keep confusing Terry Goodkind's confused mess with Robert Jordan's confused mess anyhow, they've both gone on so long.

Click to expand...

I agree entirely with this, too! I should just wait for you guys to post and then tag my name to it.

I liked "Wizard's First Rule," but haven't read any of the others. The plots were nice and good, but I thought the characterization was not there. Also, I read it around the same time as "Eragon" and kept getting the two confused.

My Terry Goodkind rant

The first few books were so amazing, so breathtaking, that I couldn't have been more hooked if he had laced the pages with crack cocaine. Those first few books were heading SOMEWHERE. The timing and pacing seemed flawless. The amount of detail and PLOT and action and PLOT and characterization and PLOT and suspense and PLOT and oh did I mention PLOT, where incredible. But then, around Temple of the winds, it seemed to me that some stuffy executive pulled him into a room and said, "You know you can't keep the pacing up like this, if you do, you'll finish the series in the next book or two. So I need you to strecth things out, go on some tangeants that have little to do with the original arc you established in the first few books."

But, I love the characters so much, that I sloughed through the other books, up until about naked Empire and chainfire. So now, i'm beyond annoyed. I feel betrayed. We are on what, book 9 and he still have very little control of his powers.

it is a shame. I find that I simply can't read the next book, chainfire was the last for me. The series is now akin to visiting an alcoholic parent behind bars... You love them, but it's just to painful to see them doing wrong. Well, that is my thoughts about this series. God I loved it, but enough is enough. Cant take it anymore. Which is a shame.

o.k. I feel better now.

Dgiharris

dgiharris said:

My Terry Goodkind rant

The first few books were so amazing, so breathtaking, that I couldn't have been more hooked if he had laced the pages with crack cocaine. Those first few books were heading SOMEWHERE. The timing and pacing seemed flawless. The amount of detail and PLOT and action and PLOT and characterization and PLOT and suspense and PLOT and oh did I mention PLOT, where incredible. But then, around Temple of the winds, it seemed to me that some stuffy executive pulled him into a room and said, "You know you can't keep the pacing up like this, if you do, you'll finish the series in the next book or two. So I need you to strecth things out, go on some tangeants that have little to do with the original arc you established in the first few books."

But, I love the characters so much, that I sloughed through the other books, up until about naked Empire and chainfire. So now, i'm beyond annoyed. I feel betrayed. We are on what, book 9 and he still have very little control of his powers.

it is a shame. I find that I simply can't read the next book, chainfire was the last for me. The series is now akin to visiting an alcoholic parent behind bars... You love them, but it's just to painful to see them doing wrong. Well, that is my thoughts about this series. God I loved it, but enough is enough. Cant take it anymore. Which is a shame.

o.k. I feel better now.

Dgiharris

Click to expand...

I'm largely in the same camp with you, Dgiharris, although I'm comitted to visiting that alcoholic parent until they are finally released or put out of their misery. I absolutely loved the first six books with Stone of Tears and Faith of the Fallen being my favorites and Blood of the Fold being the one I wasn't as crazy about. But when he hit Pillars of Creation, it was like hitting a brick wall. It had nothing to do with the rest of the series and was boring and tedious. Then with Naked Empire, he wratched up the tedious factor and filled hundreds of pages with pointless speeches from characters preaching things that the other characters already knew. Chainfire was a little bit better, but still had endless speeches.

Phantom started off weak, but I have to say the lasts half of it was a return to form. Goodkind came up with some genuinely interesting connundrums for all of the main characters and he's working (perhaps straining too hard) to tie in EVERY theme from each book of the series. It's a huge juggling act and he only has one book to pull everything together. I've invested this much time, so I'm gonna finish off the series. All I can say is, Richard bettter not open the boxes of Orden and "wish" Jagang and his army out of existence. Anyone wanna propose another ending?

I miss Gar.

Betty W01 said:

Can someone explain to me briefly his social/political WV, so I don't have to read them? This is DS#2's favorite series, and I'd love to figure out what he sees in it. I tried to read... just couldn't slog through them.

Click to expand...

"Communism is bad". There. I just saved you about seven thousand pages of speeches. And I'm not being glib, either. That's the whole thing. Communism is bad.

dgiharris said:

My Terry Goodkind rant

The first few books were so amazing, so breathtaking, that I couldn't have been more hooked if he had laced the pages with crack cocaine. Those first few books were heading SOMEWHERE. The timing and pacing seemed flawless. The amount of detail and PLOT and action and PLOT and characterization and PLOT and suspense and PLOT and oh did I mention PLOT, where incredible. But then, around Temple of the winds, it seemed to me that some stuffy executive pulled him into a room and said, "You know you can't keep the pacing up like this, if you do, you'll finish the series in the next book or two. So I need you to strecth things out, go on some tangeants that have little to do with the original arc you established in the first few books."

But, I love the characters so much, that I sloughed through the other books, up until about naked Empire and chainfire. So now, i'm beyond annoyed. I feel betrayed. We are on what, book 9 and he still have very little control of his powers.

it is a shame. I find that I simply can't read the next book, chainfire was the last for me. The series is now akin to visiting an alcoholic parent behind bars... You love them, but it's just to painful to see them doing wrong. Well, that is my thoughts about this series. God I loved it, but enough is enough. Cant take it anymore. Which is a shame.

o.k. I feel better now.

Dgiharris

Click to expand...

100% agree, though I stopped reading after Blood of the Fold. WFR is still one of my all time favorite books, but I could tell by BotF that I would be in for another "Robert Jordanish" disaster if I read much more. Not to mention that, by then, I despised Richard with every bone in my body. He is such a whiny git.

Once I started reading LKH's Anita Blake series, I came to the conclusion it's something with the name. All Richards are losers.

Okay, I'm done ranting, though that wasn't much of a rant, especially compared to yours, DGI.

I really enjoyed the first few of the series, I could not read it after Pillars of Creation. I really lost interest at that point. It was the first fantasy novel I ever picked up and I now adore that genre. I really liked the characters, but I agree that he does tend to beat you over the head with his viewpoints. I tried to pick up the one right after Pillars, but even that, I could not read it. I have reread the first three though!