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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
I like it. I'm about 75% through and while the writing isn't the most sophisticated I've ever read, it's still pretty good. I've come across a few grammatical errors, but not too many.
Gets a third star for an interesting story, but I’m afraid everything else was a pretty solid two.
Imagine Wheel of Time, but with a weird BDSM thing...
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Every journey begins with a single first step, and for Sword of Truth, this is the first step, that One Book, the One Rule, the Birth of what will become a legend.
I grew up reading these books. I remember my high school librarian recommending I read this book shortly after it was first published and handing me her own personal copy. I took that copy home on a Thursday, and by Monday morning, I handed her her copy back to her as I was not only done with the book, but I also had my own copy. I was hooked. And since that day, my life has never been the same.
I decided now that I am more into reviewing and more I am going through my books, that I would sit down and write my review not only for this book but for this series, I know I've already published my review for two of the later books. But, I want to do the rest of the series now.
So, here it begins.
“Take care, Seeker. You have the gift. Use it. Use everything you have to fight. Don't give in. Don't let him rule you. If you are to die, die fighting with everything you have, everything you know. That is the way of a dragon.”
Everything that Richard Cypher knows is about to change. And for better or for worse, it starts to change the day he father is killed, even though he doesn't realize that that's the catalyst for everything that's about to happen. He realizes everything is about to change when he meets a woman named Kahlan in the woods, and he takes her to meet his friend, a man she says is the lost wizard.
“People are stupid. They will believe a lie because they want to believe it's true, or because they are afraid it might be true.”
Terry Goodkind has created a set of three worlds that are unique unto themselves and divided in a way that is so different. I've never seen something so clever since reading Wizards First Rule.
This book is full of adventure, magic, dragons, evil queens, sorcerers, wild tribes, death, and life. A well-built magic system that is unique and well developed and thought out. The world building in this book is amazing. It is solid, well thought out, and developed, and it is fascinating.
His characters have such amazing arcs to them, and the characters themselves feel like they could be you or me. They are so realistic in this book. When they are talking, I feel like its you and me talking, and the way he talks, he talks to your soul. The story itself, though, it has a deeper meaning, and it's one of the things that I loved about this book. This book talks about the wisdom of life and love and that in and of itself resonates with me and always has.
“The light of a new day always chases the shadows of the night away, and shows us that the shape of our fears is only the ghost of our own minds.”
I think in it's own way, no matter the book, no matter the genre, they all have this one common thread that runs through them, they all tell the the story of the war between good and evil. I think what made this book so different was that instead of facing this dark and divisive creature that was obviously evil, Richard was facing another man who had given his soul to darkness.
And this mans goal is to eliminate free will all together. And because he is a man who does, in fact, still, in his own way, still have his own form of free will, he is more dark, mature, cruel, and even more disturbing. There are themes that need to be checked in this book and should have had trigger warning on them. Themes like rape, torture, and human sacrifice. But without darkness, we wouldn't have the light. Without the night, we wouldn't have the day.
“I am who I am; no more, no less.”
I don't actually think Richard will ever be the best of anything. He is certainly not the best protagonist we will ever ask for. I don't think any author could create a perfect protagonist. Every protagonist has to have their faults, they cannot be perfect in any way. We are all flawed, and that is what makes us who we are, and that is what makes us. In order to be the best character, an author has to be as authentic as possible and make the character as human as possible, and that means as perfect and as flawed as possible. Yes, he is older, he is brave and loyal and fair, a man who tries to temper his anger and control his temper. He learns that a righteous fury will deliver a means to using the sword of truth and delivering justice no matter how hard it may be. But, on top of all that, he is noble and can forgive his enemies and fight for a people he has never met. He is smart and above all the hero that this world needed at the time this world needed.
Kahlan is another smart character. She is a woman of great power and strong and confident, dedicated to her mission but also a nightmare to her enemies. Terry was right to give a price to her powers as there should always be a price to a power as great as hers,it is just unfortunate that it has to isolation and fear. I love her and Richard together. They are such a great power couple, but more than that, they are a healthy couple that is not always represented in literature.
“Love is not about what you want. It's about finding happiness for the one you love.”
Often, when I have an issue, I think of this book and what Richard of Wizard's First Rule would do. I qualify this because, as you will read, the later books are repetative and may not have been needed. But, we will review those later. Right now, we are here, and I will say this Richard and Kahlan live in me, and they did change my life, and for that, I am eternally grateful.
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual violence, Violence
Silly things happen. I love this book. In some strange fashion there's no doubt it's one of my favorite reads. However, simultaneously this is comfortably the worst book I've ever read. Most of my enjoyment came laughing uncontrollably at how silly this book is.
Give me more, I can't wait to read on. There are brief moments that are impressive in some sense. But that's drowned out by everything else.
Also shout out to this book for raising the rating on my name of the wind DNF.
Give me more, I can't wait to read on. There are brief moments that are impressive in some sense. But that's drowned out by everything else.
Also shout out to this book for raising the rating on my name of the wind DNF.
Wizard’s First Rule by Terry Goodkind
Is spectacularly different.
This book was recommended to me, and I am so glad they did! We follow Richard on a quest to stop the end of the world with old and new friends. I don’t want to give too much away, as I was just told “you'll like it”. And I wish to give the same experience to others. With no expectations or knowledge of what to expect it is a surprising read.
What I enjoyed most was that it was not a predictable slash and burn quest. It showed a nuanced world, with perceptions and circumstances leading to different world views and “truths”.
But the love. It was so nice to read about real love, not sexual love nor transactional love, but love for another with trust and understanding and without expectations. It was beautiful, redeeming, and refreshing. And how I was taught love should be.
I completely destroyed this book, and had many conversations about parts of it with many people - which is the mark of a book that goes beyond entertainment and marks your soul.
I would recommend this book for anyone that enjoys fantasy novels. But be warned it’s a very, truly long series with over 15 novels.
Is spectacularly different.
This book was recommended to me, and I am so glad they did! We follow Richard on a quest to stop the end of the world with old and new friends. I don’t want to give too much away, as I was just told “you'll like it”. And I wish to give the same experience to others. With no expectations or knowledge of what to expect it is a surprising read.
What I enjoyed most was that it was not a predictable slash and burn quest. It showed a nuanced world, with perceptions and circumstances leading to different world views and “truths”.
But the love. It was so nice to read about real love, not sexual love nor transactional love, but love for another with trust and understanding and without expectations. It was beautiful, redeeming, and refreshing. And how I was taught love should be.
I completely destroyed this book, and had many conversations about parts of it with many people - which is the mark of a book that goes beyond entertainment and marks your soul.
I would recommend this book for anyone that enjoys fantasy novels. But be warned it’s a very, truly long series with over 15 novels.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes