Terry Goodkind
By: Tor: Tom Doherty Associates
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Subjects -> Science Fiction & Fantasy -> Fantasy -> Series -> Sword of Truth
Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1
Average rating: 4.0 of 5
An interesting departure 4 out of 5 stars.
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The fact that Goodkind follows a new set of characters in this novel instead of the main heroes of the series is not, by itself, a good reason to rate the book poorly, yet it seems to be the main reason given by most of the critics here. If anything, Goodkind should instead be praised for trying something a little different after the ambitious and successful Faith of the Fallen.
As for how successful he is here, it's true that this is not among the best books of the series--some of the new characters are better than others, and some parts of the story more engrossing than others--but it is still quite good. I especially liked Althea and her husband Friedrich, and Tom. Jennsen is a mixed case, but more good than bad. Oba was a bit annoying. Sebastian is one of the best new Goodkind characters, good or evil (perhaps in this case not obviously either), in a long time. The section when he takes Jennsen to meet Emperor Jagang for the storming of Aydindril stands up to almost anything in the series thus far.
And, as usual, Goodkind's story illustrates important political and philosophical themes. Here we have a novel about the crucial need of, appropriately enough in light of 9/11, good intelligence agencies (though this is hardly an Ian Fleming novel), and more deeply of using your own judgment rather than relying on what others tell you is the right or wrong thing to do. A worthy message well told.