Rating: Summary: Best Fantasy I've Read In A Long Time Review: Goodkind spins a wonderful tale that draws you in right from the start. The characters are life like and places exciting. I loved the book and have read all of the sequels. I highly recomend them
Rating: Summary: Flat characters, flat world. Need I say anything else? Review: I began Terry Goodkind when I was desperate for books. The cover was semi-atractive. By the time I finished the book I had decided that it was a waste of a good picture.
First the writing-if writing it can be called. The two main words used to describe people were "stupid" and "mean". If Goodkind can't see anymore cattaggories then that, he better get around some more. If he thought that he was underling the truth by understating it, he was wrong.
His concepts of good and evil were black and white, with no place in the middle, with the exception of Denna. That was the only relationship in the book that had the least depth, though it gave me a head-ace. All of the enamies were preverted. It was wonderful how you could identify them immidiatly. Michael MIGHT have been interesting- that is, if you saw him more then twice. As it was... who's Michael?
Richard's and Kahlan's relationship was SO deep. I mean, how many time has love at first sight been used? I don't try to count infinaties. In fairytales, the idea's sweet, but I don't expect that from a book that supposed to have good characters. Princess Violet of course has to epitamise absalute evil, sinse there is no middle way (wait, I forgot. She is: MEAN). Rachel, of course is the overly cute, sweety tipe, untouched by all the bad treatment she receives. Goodkind obviusly has no children.
The idea of duality, that the best can be most easily turned to evil is interesting, though done in an overly simplistic manner. If Goodkind had used this idea for any of his characters besides Denna, the book might have actually been good. As it was..
Rating: Summary: Pages and pages of nothing! Review: If you want to read great fantasy or if you just want to impress your friends by reading a book the size of a chihuahua, don't read this one. Read "The Wheel of Time" instead. Terry Goodkind obviously did
Rating: Summary: Unpredictable author has real talent Review: First things first.
I don't usually give novels a perfect score (this is
only the second), but this is the best book I've read
since "The Hobbit". It takes a lot of talent to equal-let alone surpass-the master of fantasy.
I believe Goodkind deserves it though. He grasps the readers attention the very first page and doesn't
let go until the last. He is unpredictable, which is an amazing feat for a fantasy writer. He stretchs
the boundaries of the tradional, though well-trod,
path of plotlines. During the story, you can never
tell what is going to happen from one page to the next. And when he's done, the boundaries are left
vague and ambiguous.
Besides which, the characters are so real and alive
that they almost become a part of your life. You
hold your breath while they try somrthing daring,
you synpathize at a loss, and you feel elation at a gain. You start to really care about what's going
to happen to them, whether physically or emotionally.
This is also a book that can be read over and over.
I've read it about six times already, and I still
look forward to the next time I pick it up. So
if you're looking for a real page turner that you won't be able to put down, this is THE book to read. (I know. I recieved it for Christmas and it was finished by Boxing Day.)
Rating: Summary: Goodkind and Tolkien: a league of their own Review: Since reading "Lord of the rings", I haven't read a single book that has the same power over its reader, urging him to continue to the last page, only to discover the story will go on. I just have to go and get the sequel: The stone of tears
Rating: Summary: Fantastic Review: This series is a story about the characters. Not about building an intricate origional, something you have never imagined before world. Its a tale about love and hardship and what must be done to endure. So the prose is not the greatest, the story itself more then makes up for it. Kahlan and the Seeker seem to reach out and grip you forcing you to read more of the book, and cheer for them as they overcome the many obstacles. So near the end its obvious that they will triumph, but when is it not obvious in a fantasy tale. The how of the triumph is not obvious imho. This book is definately a page turner as are his sequels, I urge you to read it and flow with it. If you can connect with any of the characters and see the story unfold through their eyes, you will not be unsatisfied. It is definately worth its price, and its one of the best tales i have read in quite some time
Rating: Summary: Great Book Review: If instead of a world with simple spell book magic, you like to see a variety of different magical powers. This is the book for you. Not only does it contain variety, but it also is a well developed world that leaves much anticipated for the sequel
Rating: Summary: Terrific debut novel Review: Goodkind has truly created a masterpiece with his first work, Wizard's First Rule. The characters he introduces are the most real I have read in a long time. You will lose yourself in the storyline, and will hunger for more. The power of the emotions that Richard and Kahlan feel have yet to be equaled in modern fantasy works, and will keep the reader glued to the pages. A must read for fans of the genre
Rating: Summary: Terrible prose Review: Goodkind writes like a five year old talks. This bookwas utterly unreadable, though I did finish just to seeif it got better toward the end. The first few paragraphs were obviously spruced up by his editor but the rest just plain sucked. Readability isn't everything, but neither is breathing, but it does come before what comes next. If Goodkind had taken the time to hone and polish his writing, I might have enjoyed it more; but, with as many cliches as he uses, I might not have.
Rating: Summary: One of the best books I've ever read. Review: Goodkind combines natural talent and a creat imagonation
and will clearly become one of the most popular righters of the genre.
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