Rating: 
Summary: A Jewel of Modern Literature
Review: "Where other authors appear to be building towers, Goodkind looks to be building a pyramid." - Piers Anthony. No one else could have put better to words what Goodkind is doing with the most recent book in the unprecedented Sword of Truth series. I read this book in awe of the mastery goodkind has over creating characters and settings 5 books ago, and yet each time a new book comes out the scenery is as refreshing as when I first took the series up. The characters grow in each book, and through their growth lessons are learned by the characters and by the readers. What most impressed me about this book was the rhetoric and soul searching that the character Richard did to finally find his place in life, and finally find his meaning of existence. With such passages as: "Reason is a choice. Wishes and whims are not facts, nor are they a means to discovering them. Reason is our only way to grasping reality--Its our basic tool of survival. We are free to evade the effort of thinking, to reject reason, but we are nto free to avoid the penalty of the abyss we refuse to see." This passage foretells the lesson learned in this book, many times I was thinking to myself the similarities between this book and 1984 by Orwell. Goodking does not just tell an incredible fantasy story, he teaches the reader something in the bargain. This book was phenominal, and the best in the series. Whichever depth you choose to read this book to you will enjoy it. I hope that literary scholars note this book, and see it for more than just a simple fantasy yarn; this book should be awarded the highest accolades the literary world could offer.
Rating: 
Summary: Definite rehash of Atlas Shrugged
Review: A previous reviewer suggested this book was comparable to "Atlas Shrugged." They are correct. Clearly Terry Goodkind has been immersing himself in Ayn Rand's philosophy and fictional works that demonstrated that philosophy. The problem I have with this is that nowhere did Goodkind credit Ayn Rand for her philosophy that he used as this book's basis, nor did he even bother to change the words Ayn Rand's characters used, for the most part. Richard Rahl and company were channeling John Galt and Howard Roark throughout "Faith of the Fallen." Those not familiar with Ayn Rand's works probably are under the illusion that Objectivism is the product of Mr. Goodkind's mind instead of an uncredited borrowing from another. The ending is clear that we can expect at least one more book in this series. How many more ways can two people (Richard and Kahlan) managed to become separated by fate, others, etc? Where is Nathan Rahl? Did Richard's friend, the red dragon (and all other dragons) bite the dust? I have enjoyed the series (despite its shortcomings), have become interested in the fate of the characters, and blood and gore doesn't bother me, so I gave it three stars. If Mr. Goodkind had bothered to credit the source of his characters philosophy, the racking would have been higher. I cannot reward this lack of honesty more than I have.
Rating:
Summary: simply awsome
Review: I have read all the other sword of truth books and none have been as good as this one. This book will have you reading nonstop until you finish. You will wounder where Goodkind gets his unmatchable plot that this book is centered around. If i could i would give this book a rating in its own class. I have read Eragon,Harry Potter, and countless other masterpices and non can compair to this book. It is simply marvelous.
Rating:
Summary: Magnificent! One of the best so far.
Review: This chapter in the Sword of Truth series is perhaps the best because the story focuses on the Imperial Order. The Mistress of Death is featured, and the reader is treated to an in-depth background of this character. This background is essential in understanding the Imperial Order's motivations and how they see the world and their place in it.
Other readers have blasted Mr. Goodkind for overdoing the philosophy in this volume. I can see their points, however, this philosophy provides the important backdrop for the Order and does an excellent job of making them more real and alive. HOw many other "villains" do we get this much background on? Most of the time the author just says "they're evil" and that's it. With this book, the Order is explained and while Mr. Goodkind makes his opinions known (which is fine, it's his book) you are now given ample information to make your own decisions.
One of the things I like so much about this series is the no-nonsense way Mr. Goodkind lays out his thoughts about society and civilization. Giving intelligent people interesting and challenging things to think about is a wonderful reward to reading. If you want a lighter book that requires little invidivual thought, there are countless other authors to enjoy. (Which I do, also).
I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series!
Rating: 
Summary: A Really Good Read If You Can Get Over Yourself
Review: I have been reading Sci-Fi/Fantasy for a very long time, and have read just about every Fantasy series in existence. Everyone of them has a philosophy incorporated into the pages of EVERY book. What is the big deal? You either agree or don't agree with the philosophy. If all you read are books with a philosophy with which you agree, where is the growth?
I believe Faith of the Fallen is a good read. In this case, Terry's philosophy happens to agree with mine. However, I read the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant three times, and I don't agree with the philosophy in them at all. If you want to criticize a book for being bad literature, that is all well and good. Leave politics out of it. Every author has his/her own view on things. Let that stand and get over yourself.
Faith of the Fallen does repeat from time to time, I admit that. My personal view is that the book is a good read and a lot of fun. What good is it if your main character is mediocre? There should be something outstanding about him. The one thing that I have noticed about Richard is that he is longsuffering and makes an effort to understand his situation and those around him, no matter what. And as to the criticism that he couldn't learn stone carving in one month..read the book. He had been carving for a lot longer than that, just not in stone. In addition, the carving is a part of his magic. If you're going to read a book, really read it. This one is worth the effort.
Rating:
Summary: What Goodkind was thinking...
Review: Guess what? Terry Goodkind doesn't fancy himself a fantasy writer... not even one bit. Go to his website, read some interviews... he honestly says that the fantastic world that he creates is just a place to espouse his philosophy. Yes, Wizard's First Rule was less of this, and some of you out there may be unfamiliar with fantasy as a genre that does espouse Idealism, Libertarianism, Individualism... many books out there do not do it as obviously as Goodkind does, but it's there, even in the first few books of this series. I believe wholeheartedly in the "virtue of selfishness" and Ayn Rand, although I belong to a segment of it that gives more credance to emotion... in a rational sense. (yes, even the great Rand was wrong sometimes, but her essentials were dead on.) However, just like Richard and Kahlan, I will not let emotion blind me to reality, and I will not use emotion to excuse anything that I do wrong... Some of the contributors to this forum are genuinely frightening... you actually believe that I am wrong because I see my own preservation as the only moral purpose of my life? I'm not fighting for it all the time, thanks to humans motivated by self-benefit through history, we have developed technology that has helped us to easily overcome the hardships that cavemen faced... but when I DO feel that I am fighting is when people like the detractors here are talking. You will not get my money, my time, or my help when you demand that I sacrifice myself to you or your inane causes. No, instead, I will make a productive life that I can live off of, and in the process teach my childen that when they are finally adult humans, they can be so incredible that they cannot imagine it... THAT is what we should be teaching our kids... to help themselves... not to live every day in a stagnant pool of mediocrity and altruism... that's what happened to Nicci... I can only hope that some of you see in yourselves what she saw in herself... that you are that incredible, and that capable...
"Your life is yours alone! Rise up and live it!"
Oh, and by the way.... Richard was gifted in the ways of the stone... it was magic, how he carved the statue. There are stories told in the book about how some wizards were born with this gift... to use their intellect in that way. The fact that "that's not possible in real life" is irrelevant. The story is still fantasy. The philosophy behind the book is the real truth.
Rating:
Summary: Faith of the Fallen
Review: I have read literally hundreds of books from various authors. The Sword of Truth series is by far the best series I have ever read. I have looked over all these reviews and paid special attention to the bad ones. These people that write the bad reviews are nothing more than petty liberals. The philosphy in the Sword of Truth series is a conservative one. That only you are responsible for yourself. That only through your ability and hard work will you succeed in life. Some people do not like that philosphy and would try to stamp it out if they could. I see some of that in the comments made about Terry's books. The anger and rage directed at an author for only telling the masses the truth about what a free society is. The story in FotF is extremely well written and centers around the belief that you are responsible for yourself and not for someone else. This book isnt for you if you believe that half the population should support the other half or that the government should make all your decisions for you. If you believe that then this book will enrage you. This book basically shows the horror and abuse that occurs in that type of society. The degradation of the human spirit to the point that you can no longer think for yourself. The brain washing that begins at birth so you look at other societies as evil and uncivilized. People who buy into that type of system will only see this book as trash and hate it all the more for speaking the truth. I found this book very insightful, well written, and touching. The masses that believe in a free society will find this book a confirmation of their beliefs and values. It will give them strength and heart to fight the good fight. Keep it up Terry!
Rating: 
Summary: Rehashed Ayn Rand
Review: The first book in this series, I thought, was the best sci-fantasy book to come down the pike in ages. Almost since the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. But the books have devolved quickly, culminating in this latest installment. Faith of the Fallen is Atlas Shrugged all over again. And while Ayn Rand can fairly be called a philosopher, Terry Goodkind is an author. There's a big difference, and one which Mr. Goodkind ignores.
One similarity to Ms. Rand, however, is Goodkind's incessant need to repeat. Like in Atlas Shrugged, it was "90-page rant on the evils of surrenduring your will to that of the community," followed by "100-page soliloquy on the evils of surrenduring your will to that of the community." Condensed, I think the plot development took about 10 pages.
And, unfortunately, those 10 pages were an almost-verbatim repeat of prior plots. But this point is aptly addressed in the other several-hundred negative reviews on this book, so I'll leave you to read those.
Rating:
Summary: Decent book, not great
Review: I found this book to be reasonably well written. However the plot developement really wasn't what I was looking for. The characters added weren't too terribly interesting and it could have been written much better. Overall, still worth a read.
Rating:
Summary: not 5 but still good
Review: Terry Goodkind has done it again. He has woven a story of huge proportion. I admit that he took quite a leap by trapping Richard in the Old World, and that the story through most of the book was slow paced at best. The ending still justified the means. Goodkind showed the everlasting and defiant spirit characterized in every human being. He showed the meaning of freedom to an unprecedented degree. Hence I give Faith of the Fallen 4 stars.
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