Chainfire (Sword of Truth)

Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Begging to the End
Review: As this is the begging of the end of the series, it starts off with a shock that sets up the rest of the series to be intense. The book is well written, and you can feel for the characters. You can feel the pain they go through every day. This is a wonderful addition to the Sword of Truth series, and a powerful and motivational story.

Rating:
Summary: Sadly disappointed with Goodkind...a whole lot of MUSH!!!!!
Review: Despite many of the bad reviews here I decided to go out and buy this book in hardback. I've never regretted a purchase of a book more!
Honestly, I haven't been able to get past the chapter where Richard has gone to Shota to find out about Kahlan (I still haven't been able to figure out WHY he does this). Yes, this scene is a complete copy of their first meeting in WFR.
EXCEPT now Goodkind has every woman around Richard suddenly in love with him, in one fashion or another. I mean come on!! I know Richard is the main character in the book, but really, I felt like Goodkind was trying to fulfill some sort of fantasy here...a very annoying one!
What happened to the Richard I have grown to love! (Please exclude Naked Empire and Pillars! I hated those books!) The Richard who, when he had a problem, took the time to solve them on his own! Or when he did seek help he didn't go whining, crying and begging in order to receive it ( I hate that scene with Richard and Shota so much I quit reading the book!)
I don't mind the preaching so much, if Goodkind wants to preach in his books, well that's fine with me. I'll just have to skip a few lines I guess (like I haven't done that in a George Martin, Robert Jordan or even in Tolkien's books. Seriously, how many of you actually read EVERY song or poem written in The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings).
What I care about is the decline of character in his characters. From the very began of the book Richard is nothing more than a whining child (or a shell of a man) who wastes precious time crying about losing Kahlan, trying to convence everyone around him that she exists (which I'm guessing is part of this new prophecy, uh-huh.), and rehashing old memories THAT EVERYONE WHO IS READING THIS BOOK ALREADY KNOWS!!! What person would start a serious at Book 9! All this before Richard even starts trying to solve the mystery of were Kahlan has gone.
But it's not just Richard, it's just about every character in this book!! Nicci is regulated to "girl with the huge crush" status, a replacement for the so far missing Kahlan (look folks, Nicci can lead an army too, and she has cooler magic than Kahlan, and BOOBS!! WOOOO!!) and Cara is her gossiping girlfriend? What kind of mush is this!!
Don't even get me started on Shota, because after I read that chapter I almost threw this book in the fire!!

I will write another review as soon as I finish this book this weekend. I'm not hoping for the best, but I have my fingers crossed. Hopefully it will get better when Richard gets to Zed. :)

Rating:
Summary: Mr. Goodkind, please start listening to your readers.
Review: First off, I have to say that I will probably read the last two books of the series. Not because I like the books (or even the charachters anymore), but because I just want to know how it ends. I hate that, because I used to be a big fan.

As I read most of the reviews that readers have posted, I saw that a large portion of them feel the way I feel: The series used to be very good and now it is not. These last two books have just been excruciating. I liked Chainfire a little bit more than I liked Naked Empire, but basically it was a frustrating read.

The first few books were like wonderful epic cinema with the supporting values and philosophy to reinforce the actions of the characters. These last few books seem like movies where Richard Rahl is up on the screen, reading to you out of a philosophy textbook for 3 hours. For every sentance in which a character does some type of action, there are 3 pages of explaination about how that character's philosophy led to the action.

The following example I have created could very well fit into any chapter of the last 2 books:

"Richard sat down.

The reason that Richard sat down is that he was tired from walking all day. It was an act of free will. If anyone had told him that he shouldn't sit down, he would not have listened to them because his life is his life is his own and nobody else can tell him what to do with his own life.

'It is reasonable to sit down when you are tired.' Said Richard, as he thought deeply about how much he hated prophecy because it doesn't allow for free will. 'Anyone who tells you to not sit down when you have gotten tired from walking all day is a fool, a FOOL!'"

. . . and so on for many more paragraphs.

I read the "Philosophy" section of Terry's official website, which is a response to people who complain that Terry's writing style has changed. The site claims that Terry's writing style hasn't changed at all. Well, yes it has. A majority of reader reviews acknowledge that fact (even most of the ones who give the book 5 stars make reference to the series getting "Off Track.")

So, in closing, this is my plea to Mr. Goodkind-

Please go back to the way you used to write. The points you have made in your last 2 books could have been made in about 1/10th the page space. You don't have to have 7 paragraphs in a row that say the exact same thing. We get it. Free will! Your life is your own!

Please don't just dismiss all of us readers who have this complaint as "shallow minded." We love your early work. Many of us are going to get your upcoming books. We would just like to enjoy them.

Rating:
Summary: Back on track!
Review: Goodkind brings back storytelling in this latest book. Character development is key, and there is plenty of it. Looking forward to the last two books in the series!

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely BRILLIANT! Best since Wizard's First Rule...
Review: I have totally forgotten why I ever picked up a copy of 'Wizard's First Rule'...all I remember is that I have rarely made a better literary decision than to begin the Sword of Truth Series. I really began my love of Fantasy after reading 'The Sword of Shannara' by Terry brooks back in 1979. Back then I felt that I would never read a book that could top it. How naive could I BE?? C'mon! Brooks improved upon his first novel in many ways, and I found the Grand Master of Fantasy in my late teens (Tolkien) but no matter how hard I tried, I simply could not find a Fantasy novel or series that captured me the way I needed in order to fully enjoy the way I wanted. Then one day about 8 years ago I gambled on Terry Goodkind and I have never once looked back.

After reading 'Wizard's First Rule' I was entirely blown away. 'Stone of Tears' was a mighty close 2nd place and further proved that Goodkind was anything but a one-hit-wonder. Like most authors, over time you hit bigger home runs than other times at bat, but each was a fantastic adventure. While each of the previous 8 novels were all connected, they were self-contained stories that (for the most part) wrapped up the storyline by the end...similar to the first 3 Shannara novels. But 'Chainfire' begins what looks to be a 3 novel arc which for the first time leaves one incredible cliff-hanger on the last page. I was NOT expecting this. I began to suspect that the story would not come to conclusion when I suddenly realized how few pages were left and how MUCH was left to sort out. I just assumed that while the war with Emperor Jagang would still be unfinished, the major storyline would come to a close. Nope. For those who have yet to start this book, you may find this a little help in knowing that by starting page 1 you will not be able to entirely finish this entire story for a year, possibly and most likely 2 years.

Now, with that said, is 'Chainfire' worth beginning? Without a DOUBT. This is Goodkind's best plotted story since 'Wizard'. Although it gets off to a slow start, it really doesn't take long for the rubber to hit the pavement. Richard finally takes a front seat in this stunning tale. After a few novels which have either reduced him to a supporting role, or turned him into a quasi-Preacher and Champion of the Oppressed, 'Chainfire' gives us an amazing premise: What if magic were used to totally erase the memory of one of the most influential people in the History of the land in the Sword of Truth? Specifically the Mother Confessor herself, Kahlan.

Richard awakes from a battle with the Imperial Order barely alive. Without Nicci's use of Subtractive Magic to save him, he most surely would have died. However, as he comes to, his thoughts immediately go to his wife. How is she? Did she survive? Is she alive, wounded -- what? The answers are worse than any nightmare Richard has ever faced: Nobody, not one single person has ANY memory that Richard was ever married, nor do they know who this Kahlan is. In fact they all believe this delusion Richard is speaking of directly is the result of his traumatic near-death experience in battle with the Order. The mind is a powerful tool which can alter or even invent memories to suit whatever is needed. But Richard (and all of us readers) knows that she ISN'T a fabricated memory but a real person who has influenced virtually everyone who also knows and accepts Richard as the Lord Rahl.

This is a serious problem. But it isn't Richard's only problem. Jagang's Dark Sisters have also conjured up a beast from the very Underworld that seeks to hunt him methodically until he has been killed. It neither thinks, sleeps nor does it even care how long it will take. But by all accounts, it is quite possibly the most vile and evil abomination since the Keeper himself. It is attracted by Richard's use of Magic, even calling upon the Sword of Truth immediately tells the Beast where he is. Even the casual reading of Prophecy forces Richard to unknowingly use his Gift, and can bring the Beast to kill him, and in so doing, kill virtually all around him.

Nobody believes this Kahlan exists...the Order is after hm with a creature of incredible complexity which seems to be unstoppable even to all who encounter it. Richard certainly has his hands full with 'Chainfire'. All of the characters you have been missing finally come together well in this novel. Nathan, Anne, Verna, Zedd, Cara and Nicci. About the one person we don't get to see much of is Kahlan herself.

Caution: Once you get into this tale, you will be hard pressed to put it down until you have reached the frustrating last page which solves almost nothing for us readers. Well, it does solve one major problem in the book, but I'll let you figure out what that is. I cannot thank Mr. Goodkind enough for giving me some much needed escape time into his amazing world. I loved 'Chainfire' more than ALL of his books -- save his first only...which is saying a LOT since it still remains one of my all-time favorite Fantasy books. 'Chainfire' may well be a much better plotted and written story, but for nostalgia reasons only I still rank his first book as the best...but that could change upon subsequent readings.

In short: Absolutely BRILLIANT Storytelling. I wouldn't change a single word -- except to actually add the conclusion to this tale as quickly as possible because waiting another 2 years for the entire tale to be finished will be totally maddening.

Rating:
Summary: Terry's getting back on track...
Review: I loved the first few books, I loved Faith of the Fallen, I had a hell of a time making it through Pillars of Creation, and Naked Empire. Chainfire is definately as good if not better than anything he's ever written.

Many authors survive by having very rich and immersive worlds and average, lackluster characters. Goodkind on the other hand has vibrant and rich characters, and the world is there solely to support those characters. In Pillars of Creation and Naked Empire, it seemed that Goodkind started focusing more on the world and on philosophy rather than the characters themselves. I have no problem with philosophy as long as it doesn't detract from the story. It seems that it has taken Goodkind a couple of books to find the balance, but I believe with this book he has.

Chainfire brings new depth to many of the characters we love, and spotlights one of the most dynamic characters in the whole story- Nicci. In Faith of the Fallen I had a healthy appreciation of Nicci, but in this book, I fell in love with her character.

I bought this book when it first came out, but wasn't able to bring myself to read it until three days ago, due to the fact I was so disenfranchised by Goodkinds last two books. I was afraid that one more of the same caliber would ruin the entire story for me. Once I started reading Chainfire, I couldn't put it down. I read the entire book in three days. I would go to work, and be excited about getting home again to read more. I can't rate this book highly enough.

Give it a try...

Rating:
Summary: Life lessons
Review: I would like to share my thoughts of Chainfire. In a word wonderful; two words: life altering. This is a series that has been written by a master. This series, including Chainfire has altered lives for the better in so many ways.
Chainfire is a mystery from page one, throughout the story line our main character is on a adventurous road to seek the truth. This being the first of a trilogy to end the series; the story takes the reader back to their roots, while laying the path for the future.
Terry Goodkind has a rare talent to maintain an individual novel within a series. He is a writer that can capture your soul through his characters. While he writes in the forum of "fantasy"; he shares basic, fundlemental, life lessons that we all, as a human race, can benefit from. He writes of life and love, while twisting through an epic adventure of survival. He has the ability to take you on the ride of life for the ultimate reward of truth in yourself.
Chainfire is a novel, that alone, can uplift and carry you to a higher dimension of thinking; while within the series, will also motivate the need for you to learn more. Knowledge is a tool we all seek to further ourselves intellectually; Terry Goodkind is a writer, that will give you the basic structure to utilize that knowledge.

Rating:
Summary: Another great SoT book
Review: This book had me even more on the edge of my seat than any other SoT book.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful trilogy starter
Review: This book is phenomenal. With this book Mr. Goodkind proves that he can write a trilogy just as well as a self-contained novel. Well, the start of one anyway since we're only a third of the way through!

With Kahlan missing the dynamic between the characters changes so much. It gives the reader a real glimpse into all the good things Kahlan has done for everyone throughout the series. Mr. Goodkind does an excellent job of making us question along with Richard whether or not she is real, or ever was real.

I would definitely recommend this book to everyone!

Rating:
Summary: Goodkind knew what he was doing
Review: This is a compelling fantasy novel that moves the series along in interesting directions. Despite the fact that some of the previous books appeared to be unfocused, straying from the storyline, Goodkind pulls everything together for the final trilogy of the series. The pieces from the previous novels fit together to create an interesting whole. The storyline is compelling and bodes well for the next two books. Yes, there is probably too much talk about freedom and self-determination, but anyone who has read any of his books knows that that is part of the package. It doesn't detract from a well-paced, interesting, involving novel.