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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
I'm giving this four stars but probably I should give it 3 ahd a half. At times it drags and most of the people in this book are beyond compassion. But it's a good story once it picks up. Another Goodkind novel. What can you expect?
Richard: "I have an idea of what we should do and it is the direct opposite of what I am supposed to do and was advised to do. I can't explain why or give any good reason other then my special feelings are tingling. Don't protest, I am the very special Seeker."
Everyone: "Well, I guess we should do it what you think because you are very, very special"
Much later-
Kahlan: "I have a feeling of what we should do and I can't explain it and have no reasoning but I feel strongly about this."
Richard: "Well we can't do something if you don't have a reason! That's crazy!"
Everyone: "Well, I guess we should do it what you think because you are very, very special"
Much later-
Kahlan: "I have a feeling of what we should do and I can't explain it and have no reasoning but I feel strongly about this."
Richard: "Well we can't do something if you don't have a reason! That's crazy!"
This is the book where I stopped dead in my first reading of this series. After screaming through 1-4 I got about 10 pages into this one and just couldn't go on. 10 years later, I picked them back up and I can't say that was a good decision. I don't know if it's just because of nostalgia, but I definitely think the series peaks at book 4, before Goodkind goes all Randian and begins repeating his basic story structure again and again.
A large part of this book didn't deal with any of the main characters. I spent a lot of time wondering how any of it was relevant to the main story line (I had faith that it would be). It all eventually came together perfectly. But I did feel that it detracted a bit from my enjoyment of the book.
So, I wrote a review for this when I read it but accidentally deleted a whole bunch of reviews when I was reorganizing my shelves... So I guess I just have to read them all again so I can give accurate reviews :D
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
4 stars
Soul of the Fire is the fifth book in the epic fantasy series- Sword of Truth- by Terry Goodkind. I was rearranging my bookshelves recently when I came across this series hidden behind some newer purchases. I haven’t read them for quite some time and remember really loving the series when I first read it. So I thought I would re-read the books- and the best thing about that was I got to read them pretty much back to back- no waiting in-between for new books to release. I have enjoyed the series, almost as much as I did the first time- although there were a few minor issues I noticed this time around that I didn’t the first time I read them. These issues didn’t really detract from my enjoyment of the story- but proved that our tastes and expectations do evolve over time.
The story is filled with dark secrets, traps, fate, an important journey, intensity, fantasy, adventure, action, magic, danger, suspense, good vs evil, and so much more. I found it to be original and well written- with wonderful world building- Mr. Goodkind creativity resulted in a truly fascinating world, where every detail came to life before my eyes.
A great adventure that I am happy to have rediscovered again.
Thank you, Mr. Goodkind.
Soul of the Fire is the fifth book in the epic fantasy series- Sword of Truth- by Terry Goodkind. I was rearranging my bookshelves recently when I came across this series hidden behind some newer purchases. I haven’t read them for quite some time and remember really loving the series when I first read it. So I thought I would re-read the books- and the best thing about that was I got to read them pretty much back to back- no waiting in-between for new books to release. I have enjoyed the series, almost as much as I did the first time- although there were a few minor issues I noticed this time around that I didn’t the first time I read them. These issues didn’t really detract from my enjoyment of the story- but proved that our tastes and expectations do evolve over time.
The story is filled with dark secrets, traps, fate, an important journey, intensity, fantasy, adventure, action, magic, danger, suspense, good vs evil, and so much more. I found it to be original and well written- with wonderful world building- Mr. Goodkind creativity resulted in a truly fascinating world, where every detail came to life before my eyes.
A great adventure that I am happy to have rediscovered again.
Thank you, Mr. Goodkind.
I enjoyed the exercise in world building that this book seems to represent. The author laid out the history of Anderith and then used that foundation to give us a story about political intrigue and domination.
I also enjoyed how things played out at the end, though I'm not sure it made much sense. Wouldn't his past experiences have hardened him up and made a man out of him by this point? Are his actions believable?
I feel like Goodkind spends a lot of time building new characters up and developing them in really creative ways, only to have them meet their ends in extremely anti-climactic situations that felt rushed and left me wondering what the point of learning about them was in the first place.
That rushed feeling permeates the last 60 pages or so of the book. One moment everything is fine, and then suddenly the enemy is there and everything quickly wraps up in catastrophe. It doesn't feel measured. It doesn't feel like good storytelling. It feels like the author put too much time into the build-up and then realized he only had 50 pages to find some sort of conclusion. The ending was choppy and unsatisfying. Goodkind also puts too much weight on weak storylines. The prime example is
The story could have been better if Goodkind had spent less time detailing characters and a culture that were disposable and had spent more time developing the main characters instead. Throughout the story, all of the main characters fail to work together. The actions they take aren't believable given their situations.
The story just feels like a wasted opportunity, or like filler material.
I also enjoyed how things played out at the end, though I'm not sure it made much sense.
Spoiler
The common people would be the ones to suffer the most, while the elites who manipulated them in the first place would likely escape retribution, like Dalton. So, could that really satisfy Richard's desire for vengeance? It does make his actions seem more juvenile. What he's doing at the end of the story is pretty juvenile too. "They don't like me so I'm going home!" Isn't this guy supposed to be Lord Rahl?I feel like Goodkind spends a lot of time building new characters up and developing them in really creative ways, only to have them meet their ends in extremely anti-climactic situations that felt rushed and left me wondering what the point of learning about them was in the first place.
That rushed feeling permeates the last 60 pages or so of the book. One moment everything is fine, and then suddenly the enemy is there and everything quickly wraps up in catastrophe. It doesn't feel measured. It doesn't feel like good storytelling. It feels like the author put too much time into the build-up and then realized he only had 50 pages to find some sort of conclusion. The ending was choppy and unsatisfying. Goodkind also puts too much weight on weak storylines. The prime example is
Spoiler
using Franka's situation at the end of the book to explain Dalton's change of heart, but for that to be believable Dalton's relationship with Franka should have been more deeply examined.The story could have been better if Goodkind had spent less time detailing characters and a culture that were disposable and had spent more time developing the main characters instead. Throughout the story, all of the main characters fail to work together. The actions they take aren't believable given their situations.
Spoiler
Kahlan doubting Richard and the mud people elder about the chicken is the most glaring example. Why would they lie about it, and if it had turned out to be untrue, so what? They'd have checked and maybe killed a few chickens and then they could have settled things. Instead, she gets portrayed as a doubting, whining bitch that slows down story progression, which isn't fair to her considering who she is supposed to be. Richard has his turn to be an idiot when he doesn't trust Kahlan's opinion later on in the story.The story just feels like a wasted opportunity, or like filler material.