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Terry Goodkind, author of the enormously popular Sword of Truth novels, has forged perhaps his best yet, pitting Richard Rahl and Kahlan Amnell against threats to the freedom of the world. They both must struggle at opposite ends of the world against the relentless, monolithic forces of the Imperial Order. A Sister of the Dark captures Richard and takes him deep into the Old World, to the very heart of the Order, while his beloved Kahlan remains behind. Free because of Richard's sacrifice for her, but unwilling to abandon the cause of the Midlands, Kahlan violates not only prophecy but her last pledge to Richard, and raises an army against the advancing horde of the Imperial Order. Separated and fighting for their lives, Richard and Kahlan will be pushed to the limits of their endurance, and tested in their love for one another. Once again, the master storyteller weaves a riveting spell that will captivate even more fans for this incredible series.… (more)
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"Yes, I get it, socialism is EVIL and objectivism is GOOD now will you stop already?!"
Books with a message are fine, but I really don't like it when it feels as though that message is being beaten into my head with a sledgehammer. It was preachy and - at least to me - the
I'm in the third camp. The one that loved this series at one point, then thought it jumped the shark. Some cite the previous book, Soul of the Fire as where the series declined. Most of those readers who found themselves ultimately disappointed with the series cite this book. I'm actually not one of them. (No, for me Pillars of Creation, the next book, is where things became tedious.)
I do get why people are annoyed by this book though. Goodkind makes no bones about being an Ayn Rand devotee on his website. Unsurprising to me when I found that out, since I thought I could detect libertarian themes in the previous books. Something I found more attractive rather than repellant. But this is the book where it becomes overt--for many a reader it seems, far too overt. Yes, at times you can hear the anvils clanging in this parable about the EVILS of socialism.
Although if I were to point to the book's most annoying characteristic, it was the way in this book Richard becomes an overweening Marty-Stu. Yes, he's the hero. The hero of the series. I didn't blink an eye at him being a master tracker. Or a natural leader and general. Or even the greatest magician of his time. But when after all that he becomes a sculptor who makes Michelangelo seem a slacker? That's when I thought, head, meet desk.
So I can see what the detractors are sniping at in this high fantasy Atlas Shrugged. Truly. Yet I still found this book enormously entertaining. And I liked Nicci and her character arc. She's not up in awesomeness with Cara or Ann in my opinion, but she isn't a Jennsen either. For which, much thanks.
In Altur Rang, Richard sees what the Order has truly wrought - famine, despair, poverty, all in the name of faith. Nicci has him so she can find out why he parks such life in people, somethign she last knew when she was a little girl and her father alive and in business, before her mother practically klilled him for the order's beliefs.
While Richard is doing this, and learning other parts of his gift - sculpting - Kahlan returns with Cara to the D'Haran forces facing off against Jajang and the Order's army. With ingenuity and creativity, they hold off the mass of the order - 100,000 D'Harans and Midlanders to the 1.5 million of the Order. They finally retreat to Adyndrill and clear out the city, sending Zedd and Adie to guard the keep, while she and Cara undertake what they call a suicide mission to help Richard after capturing a Order soldier who used to live where Richard and Nicci are.
For the rest... ahh - you must read! but well worth it ;-)
His stories are engaging enough, so that's not an issue. They are extremely pornographic in their depictions of sex, rape, torture, and war...if that's your thing. It's
The beginning is a little slow, but I was still interested because Richard and
Throughout the story we get to see a different side of Richard. We always see him destroy with his Sword, but this time he is without his Sword, so we get to see him create! He is very talented with the help of his gift. There was a lot of anticipation and excitement in Richard's story to see how he was going to handle the situation he was in. With Kahlan's life on the line Richard will do anything!
I have to admit that I do not like Nicci! As the story went on I just couldn't believe how ignorant she was even when she gets to the Old World with Richard. Goodkind really brought out my feelings (both good and bad) towards Richard and Nicci in this novel.
Goodkind is a little better with his writing in this novel, though there was some repetition. His detail was amazing! I really felt like I was there with both Richard and Kahlan. You just have to get used to how Goodkind writes his novels and you will enjoy them even more.
Overall, this was one of the best stories so far; I give it a well deserved 5 stars! I found it to be very interesting and especially entertaining. I was engrossed in the novel all the way until the end!
See review of Goodkind's "Wizards First Rule" for a review of the series.
I know some people felt like this book did not advance the story enough. Quite a bit happens, and it is important to the story, but this book is about how the characters establish once and for all the righteousness of their cause. By exposing the Order as evil tyrants, enslaving everyone who follows them, they show to others that they have to lead themselves out of tyranny.
Hopefully the next books will bring the series back to what it used to be.