The Sword of Truth Series

[Wuducynn]

I'm interested in starting this series soon. Are there any fans of it on this message board? Post in here and chat about it. Tell me what you think, your favorite books of the series etc. Thanks.

[OchrisO]

I will come back and reply to this at length when I have internet at home again, but thbis is probably my favorite set of books ever.

[Wuducynn]

Even more than the Dark Tower series?

[jayson]

i've considered starting it, but haven't gotten around to actually doing it yet. perhaps chris' review will help push me in one direction or the other. i could do with a new series to read.

[Wuducynn]

Same here. I've heard nothing but great things about it. Plus, I don't think its finished...although I could be wrong.

[ManOfWesternesse]

I bought & read the first book, (based on someone's advice here...)
Did not think a lot of it but bought second book anyway.
Struggled maybe a quarter/third of the way through that & put it back on the shelf.... and there it has stayed.
This series really did'nt grip me at all.
But there you go - we're all different (thank God)!

[Wuducynn]

I bought & read the first book, (based on someone's advice here...)
Did not think a lot of it but bought second book anyway.
Struggled maybe a quarter/third of the way through that & put it back on the shelf.... and there it has stayed.
This series really did'nt grip me at all.
But there you go - we're all different (thank God)!

Thanks for the feedback..but could you tell us what you didn't like about it? Why it didn't grip you? Thanks.

[OchrisO]

I'd say yes to the Dark Tower question, but not in a way that diminishes The Dark Tower at all. It is just more my sot of story. I've been a fantasy fan since I was a wee lad.


I think Goodkind is amazing at character development and making you really feel for the characters that he writes. I bought my two roommates the first book for Christmas(as a late present nearf the end of January) and they are both really enjoying it. One is already on book 6.


People point out a lot of similarities between organizations and such in The Sword of Truth and The Wheel of Time. Robert Jordan wrote 5 or 6 of his books before Goodkind started. However, from what I understand, both authors looked at it as bizzare coincidence.

I think you should at least pick up the first book and give it a shot. If you don't like it, that's only $7 or so down the drain anyway.

[Wuducynn]

Nice. I can actually pick the first one up for more like 3 bucks used near here. I've got to say I've heard a lot of bad things about Jordan's work..but thats just what others have said and I make my own mind about things. Although I'm normally not into traditional sword & sorcery fantasy, but I've heard so many other great things about the series, thats what has got me interested.

[OchrisO]

It isn't very conventional as far as fantasy goes. There's not orcs and goblins and such running aorund, but there is certainly mystical creatures and societies, they just aren't run of the mill fantasy.

I originally introduced Erin to this series and she's a huge fan now. I'm sure she will be in here once she sees the thread.

[Wuducynn]

It isn't very conventional as far as fantasy goes. There's not orcs and goblins and such running aorund, but there is certainly mystical creatures and societies, they just aren't run of the mill fantasy.


THIS just clinched it for me. I'm picking up the first book this weekend.

[ManOfWesternesse]

It's funny really - I absolutely love Jordans Wheel of Time series, and my 10-yr-old son is currently on Book 4 & loving it!

On the Sword of Truth question. hard to say just what I did'nt like about it. Certainly it struck me as ..... naive?.... over-simplified?..... something along those lines. It got to a point where it was just plain annoying me so I put it down.
This is no reason whatsoever why anyone else should not try it.
I'd advise anyone to try any Fantasy series/any series/any Book! Reading is one of the greatest pleasures in life & you should sample everything that tickles your fancy!

[jayson]

ok, that's one up and one down... i need a tie-breaker. :lol:
i will prob pick it up at some point and decide for myself.

[ManOfWesternesse]

i will prob pick it up at some point and decide for myself.
That's absolutely the solution!

[Erin]

I LOVE THE SWORD OF TRUTH! Like Chris said, he introduced me to the series awhile back and I read all the ones which were released straight in a row.

Seriously, he makes amazing characters and you will fall in love with Richard, Khalan and especially Zedd.

I could see how someone might not like the series though, at times Goodkind can be a bit repetititive (but this is because I saw an interview where he said he wanted a person to be able to pick up any book and understand what was going on) and later in the series, a bit preachy, especially in regard to Richard.

The first 5 books or so of the series are fan-freaking-tastic in my opinion, then it slows down a bit for a few books. I really wasn't a huge fan of Naked Empire, but the last three books in the series really picked back up and I absolutely loved Confessor, the final book.

I think you should give them a try, Matthew and Jayson. The first book of the series, Wizard's First Rule, is one of my favorite books of all time. I think you will like the first few, and if you lose interest, oh well, at least you enjoyed a few, right?


Oh...and i'm so freaking excited that Sam Raimi is turning Wizard's First Rule into a TV series for ABC this fall. :excited: :excited:

[Wuducynn]

Oh...and i'm so freaking excited that Sam Raimi is turning Wizard's First Rule into a TV series for ABC this fall. :excited: :excited:

I heard about that! Unless its wicked bad, I doubt I would start and not finish the whole series. From what I've been told on here and by others it sounds like something I could get into. As long as its not the tired, Tolkien re-hash, that a lot of sword & sorcery fantasy seems to be.

[Wuducynn]

Certainly it struck me as ..... naive?.... over-simplified?

What about it was naive and over-simplified?

[OchrisO]

Naive and simplified would probably be the last words I would use to describe the series, but i am speaking from the scope og the whole series. I think that beyond the fantasy elements, he tackles a lot of interesting takes on individuality, resisting the flow of the world when you know that it is wrong, the nature of existence and a host of other topics that aren't very simple.

[Wuducynn]

Sweet. I'm big on individuality.

[Erin]

Nope nope, it's not a Tolkien re-hash. There are a lot of new and interesting ideas in it.

[Wuducynn]

I thought the series wasn't finished but you're making it sound like it is. How many books are there? 6?

[Erin]

It is finished. The last book just came out in November. There are 11 full-length novels in the series (most of them being 700 pages or more) and then there is one novella called Debt of Bones, which is more of a prequal to Wizard's First Rule.

Goodkind said that he's done with that series, but he hasn't ruled out writing about the same characters in different adventures again. So here is to hoping we get more Richard down the line!

The books are:

Wizard's First Rule
Stone of Tears
Blood of the Fold
Temple of the Winds
Soul of the Fire
Faith of the Fallen
The Pillars of Creation
Naked Empire
Chainfire
Phantom
Confessor

and the novella, Debt of Bones

[Wuducynn]

So Debt of Bones is like Little Sisters of Eluria. Interesting. Yeah, this is exciting, although nothing will touch The Dark Tower series for me, but its great to get into another series again.

[Erin]

That's exactly how I felt! Book 7 of the Dark Tower had come out a couple years before and I was missing the thrill of reading a new series. So I started Sword of Truth and it was awesome to have another book after book to look forward to.

And you're right. It doesn't get near to touching the Dark Tower, but it's a damn good series anyways.

[Wuducynn]

That's exactly how I felt! Book 7 of the Dark Tower had come out a couple years before and I was missing the thrill of reading a new series. So I started Sword of Truth and it was awesome to have another book after book to look forward to.

And you're right. It doesn't get near to touching the Dark Tower, but it's a damn good series anyways.

And each book is mostly a stand-a-lone novel unlike the Dark Tower series. Stand-a-lone yet connected. Do I have that right?

[Erin]

The majority of them yes. A person could pick up one of the later books and understand for the most part what was going on. Also, almost all of the books (except for the last few) have resolution at the end. Kinda like a battle is finished by the end of each book, but the war is still ongoing until the very end of the series.

[Erin]

Oooh and when you read the series, I know for a fact you are absolutely going to love the Mord-Sith. My av and sig are both Sword of Truth, Mord-Sith related.

[Wuducynn]

Hmmmmm Richard is sure sounding like an awesome character though... is it the same characters throughout the saga?

[Erin]

Yep, the same characters the whole way through. With a few new ones added along the way.

[Wuducynn]

Publishers Weekly sure "loved" the first one..I was just reading their review on Amazon..not a positive one at all.

[Erin]

I've read that one before. Not good. It really seems to be one of those series where you either love or hate it.

[Wuducynn]

I'm reading a lot of these reviews on Amazon for the first book and I've got to be honest, while some of the criticisms seem honest enough to me..as in well balanced...not that I'm a judge of it since I haven't read the book...it seems like a lot fo these are harping on one thing, it being violent. Hmmmm that kind of thing makes me think some folk might be missing an important point of the book. Again I'm no one to judge..just going on intuition...

[Erin]

I'm looking around at reviews on Amazon now too. And ouch...there are some bad ones for Wizard's First Rule. At least Publisher's Weekly gave the 2nd book, Stone of Tears a good review.

[Wuducynn]

It doesn't matter to me, they are opinions and like I said before, I make up my own mind on things no matter what.

[NeedfulKings]

Interesting conversations here. I've got the first and (I think) the fourth books in this series. I just pick them up when convenient.

I won't get to them anytime soon. I'm not much into fantasy, sorcery, etc., but I plan to work my way through the Potter books, then the Tolkiens, and then hopefullly start on Terry's.

[Wuducynn]

Interesting conversations here. I've got the first and (I think) the fourth books in this series. I just pick them up when convenient.

I won't get to them anytime soon. I'm not much into fantasy, sorcery, etc., but I plan to work my way through the Potter books, then the Tolkiens, and then hopefullly start on Terry's.

Thats nice, William.

[ManOfWesternesse]

Certainly it struck me as ..... naive?.... over-simplified?

What about it was naive and over-simplified?
To be honest All_Hail, I'd have to skim through it again to jog the old memory fro specifics, and I'm unlikely to do so. (There are too many books out there to be read).


Oooh and when you read the series, I know for a fact you are absolutely going to love the Mord-Sith.
I hated the Mord-Sith. :lol:
(To be honest they just evoked an over-violent (by 'over' I mean more than needed - & I'm not an overly-squeamish reader) shadow of Robert Jordans sul'dame / damane setup and the a'dam (leash) control.
I think the Mord-Sith was one of the straws that broke this camel's back.

I'm just one reader who did not like this series. It's no big deal.
And, as I said above, I'm a big supporter of any reader trying this & any (& every) series/book.

[Wuducynn]

I'm just one reader who did not like this series. It's no big deal.

Yes it is a big deal..cause if you don't like the series I won't read it...your opinion means the world to me....*cries a little and curls up in the corner whimpering pathetically*

[ManOfWesternesse]

Allright, I liked it! I liked it! I've been lying all this time. I'm sorry!

[OchrisO]

Certainly it struck me as ..... naive?.... over-simplified?

What about it was naive and over-simplified?
To be honest All_Hail, I'd have to skim through it again to jog the old memory fro specifics, and I'm unlikely to do so. (There are too many books out there to be read).


Oooh and when you read the series, I know for a fact you are absolutely going to love the Mord-Sith.
I hated the Mord-Sith. :lol:
(To be honest they just evoked an over-violent (by 'over' I mean more than needed - & I'm not an overly-squeamish reader) shadow of Robert Jordans sul'dame / damane setup and the a'dam (leash) control.
I think the Mord-Sith was one of the straws that broke this camel's back.

I'm just one reader who did not like this series. It's no big deal.
And, as I said above, I'm a big supporter of any reader trying this & any (& every) series/book.

I don't think that the things that happen to Richard in book one and especially in book two would have been nearly as powerful if the Mord Sith hadn't been so violent. Denna shapes much of who Richard is and his aversion to being chained. There's also a lot of stuff that happens with Cara and some of the other Mord Sith after they are freed that is very much shaped by the violent upbringing and profession that they all had. I don't think it was over-violent at all, because it had purpose. In the end, the violence of the Mord Sith is closer to the reality of how people in our world can be than any of the rest of the story, and that it a big part of what they story is about in the end, how horrible people can be to each other.

[jayson]

thanks chris. it is sounding more and more appealing

[Wuducynn]

I'm picking up The Wizard's First Rule today after work. :cool:

[Erin]

Wooo hoooo! Yay!

[Wuducynn]

I went to the bookstore and they only had books 2 - 6 and 11, can you believe that?? :angry: I was wicked psyched too!! I'll check out another bookstore tomorrow and see if they have Wizards First Rule.

[Wuducynn]

I'm in the middle of chapter 3...I'm enjoying this a REAL lot. There is an underlying feeling of deep mysteries and the possibility for profound quests going on and I could barely put it down. I do see some weakness in writing but from what I understand this is Goodkind's first novel so I'm betting that smooths out as the book and the series, progresses.
Big :thumbsup: from me so far.

[Erin]

Yay Matthew! :D

I'm so glad you're enjoying it :excited:

[jayson]

picked up Wizard's First Rule this morning. it's up after No Country For Old Men [which shouldn't take long].

[Wuducynn]

Its getting hard to put it down, its that good. :harrier:

[Erin]

I haven't heard an update in a few days. Is the book still keeping your interest Matthew?

[Wuducynn]

I haven't heard an update in a few days. Is the book still keeping your interest Matthew?

Oh yeah...the only reason I didn't read more last night was the fact that The Long Road Home came out and I had to read that over again it was so good, and I was tired, so I got most of the way through that and fell asleep on it..I woke up an hour later with my face in the comic..yes, I'm a Dark Tower fan alright. :lol:
As far as Wizard's First Rule...MAN IT IS SO GOOD...I'm right now at the part where Richard has to figure out how to get the "across" the boundary.

[CRinVA]

Well I have actually met Terry Goodkind and have his autograph twice in the same book - Legends! Yet, I have not read word one from this series. I intend to - just need to find the time!

Terry was in Betts Bookstore the day of the King Bag of Bones book signing. I was struggling trying to determine which two books to get signed. I knew The Stand (the complete version was going to be one book, but the second???? Stu Tinker told me the day before the signing that Terry Goodkind would be in the store signing (randomly - not to take away from King's event) and I decided to buy a copy of Legends and get that signed as my second King book. Terrry Goodkind sells all of his books signed at Betts - he is the only other author Stu really deals in (other than those that write about King of course)! I already owned Legends but did not have it with me so I bought it again (sold the original copy I had on ebay a few months later) and it was flat signed by Goodkind in purple ink. I met him while standing in line and asked him to personalize my copy - he did so with a quote from one of his books - something about truth and honor I think and he signed it again (to Bob of course) although in a differetn ink color, so I have his autograph in there twice and King's once!

A couple of years ago I was in Betts and was contemplating starting The Sword of Truth series although planning to do so in paperback version as I did not want to start collecting hardbacks from another author! Stu gave me a Plume version of the first book and said if I liked it I could buy the rest from him later on!

It's not the first time Stu has given me something from his store. The man is a class act I say! Maybe this will nudge me to make the time to start the series. Too many books to read and too little time I say!

[Erin]

:o I'm so jealous!

Would you care to post a picture of his signature and personalization? I'd love to see the quote he used.

[Wuducynn]

Just a little update. I'm over a quarter of the way through, and loving it even more. :harrier:

[CRinVA]

:o I'm so jealous!

Would you care to post a picture of his signature and personalization? I'd love to see the quote he used.

Erin, I just came back here. I will get a pic up soon!

[CRinVA]

ow I jsut looked at the sig. It says To Bob, Enemies are the price of honor and is signed Terry and is dated 11-23-98.

His full sig is also on the page.

A neat surprise - I was looking at the King sig (flat signed - no date) and came across another I totally forgot about. On the page of the drawing that accoompanies The Little Sisters of Eluria is another sig "To Bob, Best Wishes, Erik Wilson" dated 8/2/99. That must have been the 5th Annual SKEMERs conference in Bangor! I do not even remember getting that sig!

Pics to follow soon!

[Wuducynn]

I will get a pic up soon!

Yes, get it up soon.

[CRinVA]

:o I'm so jealous!

Would you care to post a picture of his signature and personalization? I'd love to see the quote he used.

Erin, for your viewing pleasure the three sigs in my Legends:

Terry Goodkind - note the two colors and a cool second one just as Terry!
Two signatures that look totally different by the way!
http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/Goodkind_Small_.JPG

Erik Wilson - hard to see but it is Erik - he was the artist for that picture!
http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/Wilson_Small_.JPG

King signed this right after personalizing my copy of The Stand The Complete and Uncut Verison!
http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/500/King_Small_.JPG

[Erin]

CRinVA!!!!

Thank you so so so much for posting that! What an amazing group of signatures!

Of course the King signature is amazing, but Terry Goodkind's is great! He has such a nice, clear signature and it's so neat he did it in different color inks. And he used an amazing quote too. You are lucky to have such a great book in your collection!

:D :D :D

[CRinVA]

Thanks - Stu Tinker (Betts) carries most of Goodkind's books autographed. I asked Stu once how he came to have all these Goodkind books signed. He told me he met Terry I, think in Bar Harbor (an hour from Bangor) and they got to talking. Stu told Terry what he did for a living - sell SK books) and Terry said to him "I'm a writer, you know", to which Stu replied "Are you any good?", to which Terry said, "I'll send you a copy (of Wizards First Rule) when my book gets published." He did and Stu read it and loved it and the rest as they say is history! Terry has a vacation home in Bar harbor so they meet up at least every summer when Terry comes to Maine!

I may not have all the details of this little tale but this is how I remember my conversation with Stu! That was the day he gave me a Plume edition of Wizards First Rule and told me to read it and if I liked it to buy the rest from him. I have it to read but have not gotten to it yet! I will!

[Erin]

What a neat story!

Now I really need to visit Betts...not only for the King but for the Goodkind. :orely:

[Wuducynn]

Getting towards the end of the book now and that whole part with him made a slave by Denna was just one of the more grueling parts of any book I've ever read. This has been a fantastic read...

[OchrisO]

It really is grueling. Goodkind does an amazing job of putting you in the moment in that part of the book.

[Wuducynn]

Finished it yesterday. Loved it, loved it, loved it. A fantastic read, fascinating world and characters. I'll probably start book 2 after I finish my re-read of the DT and after Duma Key which is next in line.

[Erin]

Getting towards the end of the book now and that whole part with him made a slave by Denna was just one of the more grueling parts of any book I've ever read. This has been a fantastic read...

Oh yea. I loved that part. I was so furious at Denna during that scene. I wanted to punch her in her stupid Mord-Sith face.


Finished it yesterday. Loved it, loved it, loved it. A fantastic read, fascinating world and characters. I'll probably start book 2 after I finish my re-read of the DT and after Duma Key which is next in line.

Yay yay yay!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so glad you liked it! :wub: :wub: :wub: You meet one of my favorite characters in the 2nd book. :)

[KevinFlys]

No spam on the site, Please.

[Erin]

Oh...and i'm so freaking excited that Sam Raimi is turning Wizard's First Rule into a TV series for ABC this fall. :excited: :excited:

I was going through this thread and saw this part of a post by me and it seriously made me LOL for real.

I was so excited until I actually saw the steaming pile of crap that was Legend of the Seeker. :lol:

[OchrisO]

I can't wait for this:

The Omen Machine (A Richard and Kahlan Novel) by Terry Goodkind

This title will be released on July 19, 2011.

Product Description
From the beginning, with Wizard’s First Rule, Terry Goodkind set a new standard for epic storytelling. Now he returns with a powerful new tale from Richard and Kahlan’s world.

An accident leads to the discovery of a mysterious machine that has rested hidden deep underground for countless millennia. The machine awakens to begin issuing a series of increasingly alarming, if minor, omens. The omens turn out to be astonishingly accurate, and ever more ominous. As Zedd tries to figure out how to destroy the sinister device, the machine issues a cataclysmic omen involving Richard and Kahlan, foretelling an impending event beyond anyone’s ability to stop. As catastrophe approaches, the machine then reveals that it is within its power to withdraw the omen . . . In exchange for an impossible demand.

[Erin]

Woot! Can't wait!

[OchrisO]

I am surprised no one(including myself) dragged this thread out to talk about The Omen Machine. I was hesitant to return to a series that I basically thought of as over in my head, but The Omen Machine was actually really good. It had all of the sort of elements that made me love all of the original books.

The reason I dredged up this thread, though, is because of a post that Terry Goodkind made on his facebook page that has me pretty excited. Here it is:



The new novel is titled THE FIRST CONFESSOR: The Legend of Magda Searus. It will be available on July-2, this year. 18 days from now. English release, simultaneous and world-wide. There will be three formats available; ebook (available on all platforms including iPad, Nook, Kindle, etc), a printed and limited Collector's Edition, and an audiobook version. The ebook price will be $9.99, on sale for $8.99 the first week only. More details on the Collector's Edition and Audiobook will be revealed this weekend.
:panic:

[Maturins_Daughter]

I read the first 8 books years ago after falling in love with Wizard's First Rule. After about the 4th book, I seriously got tired of Kahlan always questioning Richard :D But pushed past that. Then somewhere at the beginning of Chainfire, I just got tired of the whole thing, so I stopped reading them.

Now, having picked them up from book 1 again, I'm almost at the end of Naked Empire and will be starting Chainfire again soon. I will persevere! I do love the characters (Cara is one of my favorites). Once done with the main series, will have to go back to the peripherals.

I actually enjoyed the TV series once I divorced it from the books. It was basically Xena/Hercules with different names. The location shoots were pretty much the same, with Raimi at the helm, so for a fantasy tv series it wasn't too bad (don't hate me!)

[beam*seeker]

I will come back and reply to this at length when I have internet at home again, but thbis is probably my favorite set of books ever.

Better than ASOIAF?

[OchrisO]

I will come back and reply to this at length when I have internet at home again, but thbis is probably my favorite set of books ever.

Better than ASOIAF?

Well, I wrote that in 2008 and I think I hadn't read A Song of Ice and Fire yet. I'd say ASOIAF is the better series, but that doesn't take away from how good The Sword of Truth series is, in my opinion.

[Maturins_Daughter]

I read the first 8 books years ago after falling in love with Wizard's First Rule. After about the 4th book, I seriously got tired of Kahlan always questioning Richard :D But pushed past that. Then somewhere at the beginning of Chainfire, I just got tired of the whole thing, so I stopped reading them.

Now, having picked them up from book 1 again, I'm almost at the end of Naked Empire and will be starting Chainfire again soon. I will persevere! I do love the characters (Cara is one of my favorites). Once done with the main series, will have to go back to the peripherals.


Finished the last three books and am SO glad I did. Now on to The First Confessor!