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Submitted by Megan R. Phillips 
(Mar 08, 2004)

I think Naked Empire was a complete let down. Like others had stated more than once before, over half the book is just repetitive babble of the other six books. Sure there are readers who may catch up, but not on every little detail, no matter how big the importance. If they don't know all the little details then they should go back and read the series first, not start at number seven. Why should all of us readers suffer the monotonousness? I think the best book was Faith of the Fallen, it was definitely the turning point in the series. I don't think Goodkind knew where to go from there, though. He should have stopped and left the series clean and unscarred.

I own all of the S.O.T. books and have fallen in love with all of the characters... But, where were the characters in Naked Empire? The closeness was gone, the emotion was weak and, well okay I still loved it but it was half the book that all of the others were. Terry has the fantastic ability to make the reader feel what the characters are feeling but in N.E. he misses his usual bullseye.
The ideologies that Richard expresses in his speeches are far to composed compared to the past lessons in the other books. Richard is a wonderful character who always chooses right over all else and is still human, so even though I agree with this characters views and actions I still found that it and he did not fit into the world that he once lived in as a woods guide.
I am looking at the whole collection of hardcover books by Goodkind as I type and am very grateful for his wonderfully flowing and creative style. I plan to add more to my collection, but please Mr. Goodkind, find the hearts of your characters again and pull me under with their passion and strength. I am an eternal fan and beginning author and I owe you for your inspiration and lessons. Keep writing the dream.

I'd like to say that what first drew me to read all the books in this series was the first book Wizards First Rule - this is an amazing read!! And I have equally enjoyed the other 5 in the series (I have read them all a number of times!), but Pillars of Creation and Naked Empire have left me feeling very disppointed. As I think that both of them had something lacking.

In Naked Empire I was looking forward to being reunited with the much missed chararters of Richard and Khalan, and while this happend I found the story to be...boring? I found myself becoming annoyed with Richards sister and her goats, the group of people that Richard is to help by convincing them that they have to fight for themselves...and how about the way that he just gave in about them poisoning him??

I will say that I will continue to read the series to see how it all turns out, hopefully buy the last novel everything that I enjoyed in the begining will be back.

Why the hell does this book suck so much?? It takes at least 500 pages for anything even remotely exciting to happen (apart from Zedd who rocks). I think there should have been more of the knife wielding Rachel. I am willing to forgive Mr Goodkind because most of his other books have been fantastic.

I understand what he is trying to say/do, but it only slows the book down. I mean come on, there are speeches in that beast of a book that are pages long that only serve to tell other characters what happened while we were reading the last book. We've read it all before! The least he could have done was shorten the speeches a bit.

The book is a fair sequel to an excellent series of creative masterpiece. Goodkind manipulates characters, moods, plot stories like the master he has demonstrated himself to be throughout the entire S.O.T series.

Calling forth the magic of the past, the world that Goodkind reveals to the reader is powerfully dynamic and awesome. A place where the fate of all hinges in the actions of a few... Where the virtues of the "good fight" are upheld against the tyranny of the evil ones...

Goodkind has created another piece of magic in Naked Empire. Things I recommend for the next book...
1- A new and updated map!
2- A faster moving plot, one which spans more time/in a compressed format.
3- More of Nathan Rahl & more info about the way magic works in Goodkind's world.
4- The End of the Order and his Emperor and the beginning of a new chapter (storyline) in Richard & Kahlan story...

Ideas: Maybe a period of relative peace... where Richard And Kahlan can have kids [Confessor/wizard children...] Or maybe a comeback of Darken Rahl or his apprentice? Something which catapults the story into a new whirlwind...


RDG