[Blood Groove]

I plan to start "Wizard's First Rule" soon I'm just curious as to how many sword fights and battle scenes are in the series and if so how well are the written? This will be the first time I've read Goodkind so I have high hopes.
I know I could probably find this stuff out myself if I read some of the post but I'd hate to accidentally read a spoiler.
One more question about Goodkind dose he write about elves and dwarfs? I know this isn't a popular opinion in the fantasy world but I'm just not a big fan of that type of fantasy anymore, no offense to those who are but for me if I pick a book up at the book store and see elf or dwarf on it it goes back on the shelf. I know there a lot of good books with them in it and I've read a lot of them but I guess I'm burnt out on it so off with their pretty little heads.:D

[Hopesfalltoashe]

Lots and lots of sword fights and good battle scenes.
No elves and no dwarves.
There.:)

[Blood Groove]

Thanks I can't wait now, I just read the interview with him that was posted he sounds like a head case so I'm sure I'll like his stuff.:D

[JBI]

His fight scenes are mediocure. His characters are pretty much unkillable, and the combat is completly unrealistic. For those considering contradicting me, read these spoilers.

Stone of Tears
Richard takes on 50 men who are said to have trained day and night and been each able to take 50 men solo. He does this in 4 seconds.
Phantom
Richard without his gift and with a normal sword alone butchers hundreds of people without tiring, without feeling anything, and without taking a wound. This is riddiculous. You could argue with his power he may have had some skill, but powerless that is the stupidest thing ever written. 100 men of any skill all with swords can take anyone down regardless of how good they are. Simply exaustion would kill him. Swords are heavy.

[Hopesfalltoashe]

Er.. I think you've missed the part where he was said to be the most powerful wizard in... centuries?

[jallenw]

The bible has some passages about a guy who single handedly defeats 100,000 men in one night with only a sword. It says he couldn't let go of the sword afterwards. It doesn't seem like 100 at once is unreasonable.

SoT is a fantasy novel, after all. It's fantastic. Personally I read these things because they are unlike real life, which makes them fun. You may feel more comfortable with historical fiction or science fiction. Those authors tend to be more realistic and less fantastic.

Also, I assume that you've read the Lord of the Rings series. Legolas and Gimmle square off against a couple thousand orcs and manage to come out of it alive.

Perhaps SoT simply isn't what you are looking for in a novel. Move on to other works and find something you enjoy. We all are different. We won't all like the same books. We must accept that and allow each other the freedom of our preferences.

[saintjon]

It's not like Legolas and Gimli were there by themselves or anything...

[Akuni]

The Sword fights are ok, but are quite odd. My only real qualm with them is the complete lake of realism. Forgetting the time Richard fought and killed thirty blade masters, as he did have magic and they were coming at him one or two at a time, I completely agree with JBI. Like the time one a blademaster broke into a barracks and killed fity men before being killed. It's impossible, no matter how much he trains. Unless he snuck in while they were sleeping and unarmed and silently killed the first few dozen, which seems unlikely considering their sense of honor.

If you don't believe me, try fencing. You'll be exhausted after just a few bouts, then throw out the rules and fence a few people at the same time. Unless you're a magician, you'll get stabbed a lot. Trust me.

[clockwirk]

Er.. I think you've missed the part where he was said to be the most powerful wizard in... centuries?

Then why was he using a sword in the first place? Practice?

[JBI]

Then why was he using a sword in the first place? Practice?

This was in the newest volume, where he loses his power due to some wierdo dues ex machina plot that makes no sense therefore there are no excuses for idiocy.