Terry Goodkind Sword Of Truth/ Good Or Bad?

[Urien]

It started well enough, but the accumulation of negative coincidence (inability to ever be in the same place with Zed so he could learn about his powers), and the political philosophy began to grate.

 

[DeepThought]

Incidentally, 11 is better than 10.

Agreed.

Jordan finally dealt/closed a lot of subplots in Knife of Dreams which he initially left hanging open throughout the breadth of the series, not surprising since A Memory of Light is the last novel. It's a sad fact that the man himself is not with us to see it through to the end, but it seems he left enough material...[SIZE=-1]Brandon Sanderson (who is said to be a long time fan[/SIZE][SIZE=-1] and an upcoming talented author in his own right) can give us fans who read and followed the series faithfully, a bit of closure and perhaps a respectable end to Jordan's legacy.

Cheers, DeepThought [/SIZE]

 

[Clansman]

Goodkind lost me pretty early on in the series. He had some neat ideas, and some that were pure adolescent sexual fantasy (Mord-Sith, anyone?). I had to read an Ayn Rand book once, and it just about killed me to slog my way through it. Goodkind's Randian philosophy was enough to turn off all but the most ardent fans, but even it could have been forgiven had there been some good writing around it. Sloppy plotting, non-existent character growth, and straw-man evil dudes that any idiot with a club (even a stick) could knock over. I gave up at Naked Empire, and am ashamed that I lasted that long. His arrogance was pretty insufferable too. He says he doesn't write fantasy, but let's see:

Guy with magic sword, magic-endowed girlfriend/wife, wizard for a grandfather, becomes a wizard (a War wizard, no less) himself, does a bunch of magical things, defeats an evil wizard (his father), defeats major magic obstacles, rides a dragon, casts spells, trains at a school for wizards filled with priestesses who use magic, and some bad ones who steal magical abilities from the wizard students... WHO IS HE KIDDING???

Goodkind makes Jordan look like a literary masterpiece. If Jordan had tightened down WoT to seven or eight books, it would have been awesome. But -- he didn't.

 

[DarrellR]

Most of you just don't know what you're talking about. Goodkind has a great series there. I mean come on. Who didn't fall in love with the Evil Chicken. You all know when you read that the understanding came in mind that you have just picked up the best piece of literature you have read in quite some time. We all have those dreams of chickens that are possessed and out to kill us...

...anyway now that I am done with the sarcasm I was basically like another poster. The first book was okay enough and I pushed through a few more till I simply couldn't take much more. I usually finish any series I start but I lost interest in the world and character portrayed.

Now in regards to the series the OP really meant to bring into question I felt the Wheel of Time was an okay series. It began to drag after a while and I found myself skimming through the last two books or so. I can't even seem to get into the 10th which is a shame since I heard it was an improvement. I'll probably try again later. The series was innovative in a way with a world with some decent depth. But like I said it stopped grabbing me around book 7 or so. Nothing like Martin or Erikson's pull on me or even Bakker.

 

[the_faery_queen]

the end wasn't in sight tho. cos i read ten when it came out. it was another few years until 11 came out and would have been another year on top until it was paperback. and i didn't want to pay anymore cash out for a series that i found dull as mud and for characters i didn't care about. i don't usually quit things, but it was just SO boring that i didn't care about the characters
and still don't
so why would i want/need to read on? who cares if they all explode? not me!

 

[Shingetsu]

I liked both series, but both authors had the same problem later on and that's why their not much liked now. Between braid pulling and knowing exactly what everyone is wearing down to the design and no plot development for a couple books for Jordan. And endless dialogue and being preachy for Goodkind.

Though I didn't have as much problems as others, I was lucky enough to stick to the story and not pay attention to any faults(mostly).

 

[wook-bot5000]

I started reading the Goodkind series as it was recommended to me, but cannot for the life of me finish the first book! It is so boring!
Cant believe I bought the second book as well! But it was going for 99 cents on ebay! (Now I know why! lol).

 

[Tansy]

I read SoT and just took it for what it was - an entertaing story and no more. I don't tend to care enough about who wrote a book to read up about them to be honest so I take the books at face value. I got through all of the SoT books, however, it did make me wonder how a couple who had been through so many battles, torture and ordeals as Kahlan and Richard could still emerge at the end triumphant and as gorgeous as ever lol and not ugly, bitter and twisted. As I get older the "good will prevail.. eventually" fantasy format is wearing a bit thin, probably why I'm enjoying GRRM atm.

I loved the first couple of the WOT books, but then book by book with nothing happening I got to book nine and couldn't even bring myself to finish it as it bored me silly. I might just read the last one to see if anything does happen at the end, but the thought of picking up that book again just zaps me of energy. It could have been a great series if he hadn't padded it out so long.

 

[Laerten]

The first and last books were OK (but not great) but I only bought the rest of the series (and read them) because I can't buy a book of a series without the others. Too much preaching for me.

Didn't he reportedly get £250,000 for his first book? Gives me hope that if I can finish my own book and it's not stunning then I may still get published!!

 

[GOLLUM]

The first and last books were OK (but not great) but I only bought the rest of the series (and read them) because I can't buy a book of a series without the others. Too much preaching for me.

Huh? You mean you bought the entire series even when you knew it was crap? Wow, now that's impressive....

 

[Laerten]

It's always the way, I would always wonder to myself 'what happened after that? Did the books get better?'

It's the same with all the books that I own, I have to buy and read all the books by that author to get a complete picture of their writing. It's not as if I read them only once, I re-read all the time. I think i'm up to 7 or 8 times now with Raymond E. Feist.

 

[Laerten]

Unfortunately now when I go through the books I tend to notice every discrepency, whether it's words in the wrong place, spelling mistakes and even wrongly identified people/objects/places.

For example, on my last read of REF Flight of the Nighthawk, when Kaspar is having dinner with the 2 Keshian Princes and sees the banter between them, he is thinking that he never had that as he was an only child and only has his daughter. He doesn't even have a daughter! It's his sister!

 

[Sire Of Dragons]

I read a trilogy by Elaine Cunningham that was a story about R.A. Salvatore's Dark Elves, and that was very poorly edited. There were parts I could not even comprehend right away simply because of the grammar mistakes. Sometimes I tried to reason that it was some sort of fantasy word or terminology, but in most cases they were not.

It was a great story, but that is the part a reader remembers most.

 

[Tickle]

I love this series. It was one of the first fantasy series I read (right along with Jordan's WOT series). I like the characters (especially Richard, Nicci, Gratch, Cara, Bernadine, and Zed) and I like the struggle they are going thru. The only issue I have is how many times Richard and Kahlan are seperated, that is getting very old.

I think people put way too much thought into what they think Goodkind is trying to say, preach, rant or whatever you think he is doing, instead of just enjoying the story. Take it for what it is, a nice love story set in a magical world.

 

[bookfan]

Kahlan is hot!

Ahem, I too have enjoyed the first three books in the series. I thought of continuing with the series but I never got around to it. After so long a break from reading SoT, my interest has practically dropped to zero.

 

[Clansman]

Bookfan.

Stop now, and do not go any further. It is not too late for you, as it is for me. I will never get back the time lost to terrible books such as Faith of the Fallen and Naked Empire, but you can avoid that pain. I too, was lulled by the first books, and then WHAM! it was too late.

Naked Empire actually flew from my hand into the waste basket, almost of its own accord, like it was going home...

 

[Elstor]

Ok I'm aware the topic of the thread has moved from SoT to WoT but as I haven't read WoT I can only comment on SoT. I must be one of the few who enjoyed it (or are willing to admit it). Heavy handed moral rants? Sure at times........Richard and Kahlan impossibly righteous? I guess so............Evil chicken? How can you not love Evil Chicken? It may not be the pinnacle of fantasy writing but I was absorbed. And I've never seen an interview of Goodkind and in truth I dont give a rats what the author is like.

 

[LJonesy]

Bad.

Stupid 7 characters rule...

 

[Ramoth's Rider]

I must be one of the few who enjoyed it (or are willing to admit it). Heavy handed moral rants? Sure at times........Richard and Kahlan impossibly righteous? I guess so............Evil chicken? How can you not love Evil Chicken? It may not be the pinnacle of fantasy writing but I was absorbed. And I've never seen an interview of Goodkind and in truth I dont give a rats what the author is like.

I enjoyed it too and have been ridiculed for it! I see it as a story and i got past the preachy parts(and yes i admit they are most definately there).
I am not a Goodkind Minion as i believe the phrase here is. I even, shock horror, enjoy Robert Jordan, George RR martin and David Gemmell!
Ah maybe its because im blonde!

 

[Michael01]

Wheel of Time is great. I've read the first four books of Sword of Truth and, although I thought they were okay, it's nowhere near as good as Wheel of Time.