Terry Goodkind

[Talysia]

Thanks for the advice, Lenny. It's been a while since the last time I picked one of his books up to try, so maybe it's about time I did. If nothing else, I'll be able to see why opinion is so divided for myself.

 

[Confessor_Kahlan]

Thanks for the advice, Lenny. It's been a while since the last time I picked one of his books up to try, so maybe it's about time I did. If nothing else, I'll be able to see why opinion is so divided for myself.

Good luck and hope you enjoy then as much as I do!

 

[jenna]

I've been wondering, too, why some people hate Goodkind so much. Please understand, I say this as someone who hates Ayn Rand (who seems to have deeply informed Goodkind's politics), who loathes and fears right-wing-nutism in general, and who is made seriously uncomfortable with Goodkind's preoccupation with rape. But somehow I enjoy his books despite all that. I guess it's how personally the Goodkind-haters take what to them is the badness of the books, that puzzles me. I mean, I almost think the haters would simply shrug off straight-up right-wing political freaks' writings--like, say, the oeuvre of Rush Limbaugh or Ann Coulter. But Goodkind really gets their blood pressure up.

On a related note, I wish we could get a Goodkind-dedicated area going, too. Even if it becomes a gathering of haters.

I think the reason that fantasy-philes dislike goodkind is due to his constant dissing of the genre that we love so much. Yes his work ranges from boring to highly offensive, but it's his many comments on the genre that have turned so many against him. His classic comments in the vain of "I don't read fantasy but I can go on and on about the flaws of other fantasy books", "I don't write fantasy, just because it's a fantastical world with magic, magical creatures, magical quests etc doesn't make it fantasy", "I have revolutionised the fantasy genre", "I am a misogynist ******" coupled with the rabid zealots that make up his hard core fan base are the basis of the general ill-feeling.

I have to add that, while my enjoyment of his books died a terrible death after book 4, and while I disliked the things that he said in his interviews, it wasn't until I actually had the displeasure of going to one of the gatherings and hearing the complete narcissism and arrogance that came out of his mouth that I began to wish him a nasty case of infectious diphtheria..

(Oh and PS if there's ever a goodkind forum in the authors section, I think I will vomit. For him to take a place amongst the greatest genre authors of all time would be such an extreme joke.)

 

[Jason_Taverner]

(Oh and PS if there's ever a goodkind forum in the authors section, I think I will vomit. For him to take a place amongst the greatest genre authors of all time would be such an extreme joke.)

well said

 

[Jason_Taverner]

So far, I haven't read any of Goodkind's work. For some reason, whenever I've picked them up off the shelves, they just didn't appeal to me. From reading back through these posts, though, I can tell that Goodkind's writing is controversial in its content, so I guess I'm not surprised that opinion is so divided. Still, I didn't expect the topic to get so heated!

why don't you give it a miss and try a different author, have you read Steven Erikson?

 

[Lenny]

Jason, just because you abhor Goodkind, doesn't mean that you should force others to miss his work altogether.

If Talysia reads Wizard's First Rule, or any other book in the series, and finds out she hates them too, then she's at least found out for herself, rather than just having people tell her "the characters are bad, the author is an arrogant prick, Richard reckons he is the moral savious of the world".

As Tal said:

It's been a while since the last time I picked one of his books up to try, so maybe it's about time I did. If nothing else, I'll be able to see why opinion is so divided for myself.

 

[Jason_Taverner]

I not force anything I writing an message on an internet message board,

 

[Talysia]

Oh dear! I didn't mean to start a controversy over a controversy!

Seriously, though, I've taken both of your points of view into consideration. I should thank you, too, for taking the time to put those points of view across.

 

[Confessor_Kahlan]

Look people, if you guys hate Terry Goodkind so much then why do you visit the humble section which is dedicated to him? If you loathe his personality and writing so much then why do you waste your 'precious' time to write about why you hate him so much? Sure there might not be many of us who do like him but we like him for what he writes. I myself, have never met him in real life therefore I do not know anything about his personal life. I do not know how his aspects in his writing are because I have never watched the interviews or radio talks, etc. So I don't see how he see's his work as not being fantasy. At some point I'm sure he's been full of himself but that's why some people in life need to be arrogant. I just hope his arrogance doesn't make his readers uncomfortable with his work. As for having a section dedicated to him I think it would be a grand idea but I know that will not happen. Hatred is such a strong word. If you guys hate him so much then go and post about your favorite author and please stop bashing Goodkind's work for those of us who do enjoy reading them. There are many other series out there that is just as much of rubbish as this is in your opinions. So I beseech you all, if you don't have anything good to say about the Sword of Truth Series then shush and keep your negative opinions to yourself. If you hate me for writing my opinions then fine. It's not like I'll be crushed by your negativeness.

 

[nixie]

OK guys lets keep this civil.If you don't like Goodkind thats fine, but others do. He has sold a lot of books and has a huge amount of fans. Please try and remember we all have different tastes and are entitled to have opinions with out fear of ridicule.

 

[Suzakk]

(Oh and PS if there's ever a goodkind forum in the authors section, I think I will vomit. For him to take a place amongst the greatest genre authors of all time would be such an extreme joke.)

I'm new, admittedly, but I believe that the individual authors area is for authors in whom there is particularly wide *interest*--not that it's a Greatest Authors list. I would never class Goodkind with, say, Tolkien either, but I would definitely be interested in discussing him.

 

[jenna]

It is not a greatest authors list, but it is filled with the greats..

 

[Jason_Taverner]

I have never and will never mock or abuse another member of chronicles as this website is a fantastic place to come and discuss book and other forms of entertainment. I would never abuse another members post on a personal level.

This thread is not called 'big love for Terry Goodkind.'

I have stated an opinion that I do not like him or his work. I have also noted their are a lot of far better authors.

Why not try them, they are all listed on this web site.

 

[Lenny]

I'm not wanting to start any more arguments.
I don't want people to reply saying "Oh, Goodkind is awful. He reckons he's not writing fantasy. We'd love to see things the way he does but we can't get our heads that for up our" none of it.

I just want to say that a date has been set for Confessor:

November 13th

Obviously, it's subject to change. But at least we've got a general date to wait for.

 

[needmorebooks]

It's fine to not like someones work. It's not fine to launch personal attacks on other people opinions. Someones opinion is their opinion its fine to disagree with it but it is stupid to tell someone what they say is wrong. If you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all. I like his work if you hate it thats fine there are lots of other books out there. And if you hate books there are other things to do in life and if you hate life then i am sincerely sorry. Also a lot of people have quoted goodkind and only taken a fraction of what he said. Also you cannot totally judge someone by a interview you cannot tell me you have never said anything stupid or that you regret especially when people are asking you difficult questions such as the ones that Terry is being asked. TBH I don't really care what he says i care what he writes. I like Goodkinds work if you don't thats ok with me and I would like to hear why but lets not attack each other. I would apreciate it if people would be more specific in their criticism, people say his characters are arrogant or his plot elements are unrealistic but no one has said how or given any examples of this. I would appreciate it if you would expound on these points. Thanks .

This thread proves that there is quite a bit of interest in Goodkind so maybee a forum would be good.

- needmorebooks

 

[jenna]

I would apreciate it if people would be more specific in their criticism, people say his characters are arrogant or his plot elements are unrealistic but no one has said how or given any examples of this.

Actually I'm pretty sure someone already brought up the evil chicken plot twist...

 

[Talysia]

Well, I've tried reading some of Goodkind's books now, and I have to say that I couldn't get on with them. I think it's a question of personal taste with regards to his style of writing for me. It's also very difficult reading a book like that - which I've known for a long time to have controversial material in it - whilst trying to stay neutral to people's opinions.

 

[Jason_Taverner]

Actually I'm pretty sure someone already brought up the evil chicken plot twist...

beat me to it

 

[Werthead]

Actually I'm pretty sure someone already brought up the evil chicken plot twist...

And the pacifists being massacred for absolutely no reason, then, once Richard has killed a few hundred of them, they agree to join forces with him, again for no reason.
And the noble goat who saves the day.
And the tens of thousands of innocent, unarmed women and children left to starve and die by Richard's troops after they sack their city and burn down the crops and salt the fields.
And the ambassador from another state that Zedd murders in cold blood just because they have a minor political disagreement.
And the army of young children that get sent into battle in the snow naked for some reason.
And the most revolting sex scene ever written in the history of literature, which cannot be in any way, shape or form described on this forum without everyone reading it throwing up and me being instantly banned. So I won't.

And so on.

 

[Coolhand]

And the most revolting sex scene ever written in the history of literature, which cannot be in any way, shape or form described on this forum without everyone reading it throwing up and me being instantly banned. So I won't.
.

Ah go on. I double dare you...