Sword of Truth by Terry Goodkind

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Submitted by mark 
(Aug 22, 2010)

The Sword of Truth series is the first series I read. I have looked over many of the other reviews and decided to give my take. Right from the start I liked Richard, and as the story progressed my interest and feelings for him grew to great admiration. Some of the storyline is iffy on occasion but overall I enjoyed it. I think what makes the whole thing work is Richard. The way he does what he must do to prevale. I think Richard is an example of how to live our lives, love and respect your fellow man, fight for what you believe in, perserverence in the face of adversity. Those are all good things to live by. I relate to Richard because of some of the things that have happened in my life, and I feel as though I live my life the same way. The main characters are interesting, but sometimes when a new character is introduced it gets a little slow but in the end TG brings it all together nicely. Pillars of Creation is my least favorite of the series due to the overwhelming focus on characters that I think wrather unimportant in the overall story line. I would recomend the series to anybody who enjoys the tale of a hero who is a hero not for glory or power but because he does what he must to stop evil from shadowing the whole world.

I have worked in a bookstore for the last ten years. As a huge fantasy fiction fan, one would think I would have gobbled up Terry Goodkind's lengthy Sword of Truth series long before now. Such is not the case. After sitting on Wizard's First Rule for nearly five years, I finally read it. At the same time, I caught an episode of Legend of the Seeker, the television series based on these books, which, despite its truly dreadful nature, only raised more questions for me about the storyline.

My verdict? Meh.

It took me a while to pinpoint what my exact problem was with this series. It has all of the elements that I usually enjoy in a fantasy series. Magic and sword fights and impossible odds. A quest to save the world. Danger and intrigue and a hint of romance. (If a somewhat unbelievable romance. All it took was long hair and a pair of green eyes and Richard was smitten, it seems. Who knew?)

Now, eight books in and with the end in sight, I know what part of the problem is, at least. Repetition. Richard has been a war wizard for something like six books now and still does nothing but gripe about it. I've read about Kahlan's beautiful green eyes, Zedd's overwhelming appetite, Cara's red leather outfit, and the evils of socialism so often that at this point I'm mostly just skimming each page for the gist of what it says. Call me compulsive, and I am, but I've invested so much time and money into this series that I will finish it if it's the last thing I do.

I will finish it, despite the fact that nearly every female character has been beaten up and/or raped. Despite the fact that nearly every other character in Richard's inner circle has become freakishly codependent. (Kahlan, the Mother Confessor, the terror of the Midlands, is a prime example. She spent nearly all of Stone of Tears crying, and the first half of Blood of the Fold nagging and henpecking and disbelieving her new hubby. Is he not the Seeker? Did you not spend the entire first book claiming that only he could save you?) I will finish this series despite the fact that almost every time you begin a new book either Richard or Kahlan is kidnapped. I will finish it, despite the fact that Goodkind has become annoyingly preachy.

Despite all of the things I don't like about the series, I have continued reading it, and that is for the moments of greatness. The storyline is still compelling enough that I want to know what happens next. Richard is likeable enough as a protagonist that the reader wants him to succeed in whatever it is he's trying to accomplish this time. The world is brutal, but, at times, lovely.

Still, if I knew then what I know now, ultimately I probably would have chosen to give this series a pass.

I heard about the Sword of Truth: "The series is to a fantasy reader what a fine wine is to a connoisseur."

Unfortunately, upon reading the novels, I find it more accurate to compare the series to a Merlot (watch "Sideways" 2004). It tastes good enough that the common person will enjoy it. But it lacks subtlety, it lacks refinement, and it lacks the rich depth of flavours that really makes fine wine enjoyable to a connoisseur. Don't read this for depth, don't read it for subtlety, don't come in as a critic of fine Fantasy novels, and you will likely really enjoy the series. I did. But I enjoyed it despite its lack of finesse.

Not a bad series bit to preachy to the end but mostly fun to read best part the first 6 books worst part the last 5 books.
Story line is solid till he hasty wraps it up in my opinion.
Romance is nice world building is almost not in it.
Magic system is a bit sloppy for the main hero for others its reasonable and logical.
There are some simularity's with Jordan so if you like that you might like this series.

I really don't like this series, I started it on the recommendation of a friend and have been mildly bored with it for a long while now. I have this thing that once I start a series I tend to finish it. So I'm a quarter of the way through Chainfire now. The series is written for teenagers at best, with practically no development of characters or storyline. Most of the characters are weak and inhuman, Richard most of all. He just comes off as a pompous know it all throughout the entire series. Kahlan is a decent enough character but nothing special. The minor characters are more interesting than the mains. Cara, Nathan, Zedd these are fun characters that one can identify with, and Goodkind does nothing with them. I purposely avoid people like Richard that I meet in real life. The entire series is over analytical in the extreme. The world is decent enough, I have little issue with the combat described in the series, but the magic? That's a real problem. Goodkind tries too hard to explain it with science. Explains EVERYTHING too much with Richard's totalitarian rationality. My latest analogy is that Goodkind is to fantasy novels as metachlorians were to Star Wars. Add to that the books should have ended a long long time ago. Pillars of Creation is horrid! I'm so tired of Richard being a "wizard" and still not knowing how to use his gift. Harry Potter would whip Richard's raging butt. It's one pathetic excuse after another for not learning. Richard is obsessed with telling people to learn and yet never tries to do it himself. He's a close minded, hypocritical knowledge nazi.