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Summary: Epic Fantasy of Unmatched Beauty and Writing Skill
Review: Wizard's First Rule is only the beginning to the most hauntingly beautiful and enthralling story I have, and will ever have read. It lays predcessor to five other books that match and consecutively and increasingly improve upon what I first percieved as pure literary genius. After reading all six books, Sword of Truth has made all other books I have read in the past and ever book I have picked up since seem pale and dull in comparison. Read these books.
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Summary: Enchantingly absorbing...... an absolute "Must Read"
Review: I have never been an avid reader of fantasy novels, yet Goodkind has spellbounded me with his wondorous writing style and magnificent characters. You begin your read with such appreciation for the pace and direction of the story, that putting it down is almost painful. His characters are strong, intelligent yet not above pain and suffering. They are each representative of who we are in so many ways, and who we fantasize to be in our minds. The story itself never stops moving, not for a second. I loved that best of all! Terry does not write this book as a screenplay for Hollywood (as so many authors I find do today) he writes this as a true storyteller. I cannot say enough positive things about this book. Treat yourself by engulfing your mind into a fantastic story of love, hate, strength, weakness, and best of all magic!
Rating:
Summary: Good read
Review: This book has some silly points but I think it only enhances the feel of the novel. The character growth is excellent and I am impressed with the author's overall growth thoughout the novel. I recommend this book to all fantasy lovers and anyone who wants a series to get lost in.
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Summary: The best series of books I have ever read
Review: The way he makes the world and the people come to life it is just like watching a movie. I like how he vividly explains every thing in the whole book it gives a better picture. When I read it, it seemed like it would never end, he put a lot into it and it makes it seem like you are seeing Richards life go by one hour at a time! It is full of everything you could want in any book... It took a while to read this one but I read stone of tears a 9** page book in 5 days. They keep getting better and better.if you like these you should read Terry Brooks shannarah series
Rating: 
Summary: An engaging and conclusive story
Review: Wizard's First Rule is skillfully written and the action is riveting. I love Zedd's humor and Chase's stoicism. Darken Rahl is a masterfully crafted bad guy with all the personality nuances a reader could wish for. Unfortunately the main two people, Richard and Kahlan tend toward being flat. They are more interesting in the beginning, but progressively lose depth as they are lost in endless battles and last minute rescues. Zedd is reminiscent of good old Gandalf, just like a whole drove of other wizards and even Chase, I have seen many times before. However, the chapters flow by with plot twists and excitement. Disappointingly, things come to a halt at a certain point in the story which I cannot reveal, but you'll know when you reach it. The characters are constantly tortured until you become jaded, but the pace picks up again all the way to the satisfying conclusion. All the frayed ends are wrapped up(for once) and I greatly enjoyed this after countless pages of Robert Jordan. Wizard's First Rule is full of energy and is worth reading, but it falls short of being a classic due to its adherence to the beaten path. Do not read the next book though, unless you really like Goodkind. The Stone of Tears devolves into more endless conflict. If your opinion corresponds with mine, read the first book and move on.
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Summary: Derivative but Powerful S & S Fable
Review: I guess it is inevitable that every Swords and Sorcery novel should give a respectful nod or two to Tolkien's masterpiece. Wizard's First Rule bears perhaps more similarities than most and the reader must be forgiven for playing spot the parallels here. We have the slightly eccentric wizard Zedd (Gandalf), a stout yeoman man-at-arms character Chase (Aragorn), a creepy but tragic transformed creature Samuel (Gollum), rampaging hearthounds (Wargs), and of course the brave if reluctant hero Richard (Frodo). We have a journey from the cosy West to the spooky East, a talking dragon, a royal revelation etc. Goodkind has clearly employed a large dose of the sincerest form of flattery here! As the tale unfolds however more of Goodkind's own inventiveness becomes apparent. On the emotional level, some scenes are decidedly strong stuff. The smouldering sexual chemistry between Richard and Kahlan becomes surprisingly steamy at times. Scenes of prolongued torture leave few details hidden. Some decidedly distasteful subjects are included, such as rape, infanticide and paedophilia, to depict graphically the evil that Richard must conquer. Areas that Tolkien would leave to the reader's imagination, Goodkind lays bare in often excruciating detail. The tale gathers much momentum in the latter stages and I contentedly stayed up until the early hours to read the rivetting denouement. So, all in all, this is a worthwhile read and the sum of its parts amounts to rather more than just another Lord of the Rings tribute. Oh and I must say that Goodkind's dragon is rather nice!
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Summary: Great novel
Review: Wizard's First Rule is book one in an on going series. it was written over two years ago and i am still anxiously awaiting the next installment. I must say this is the only series i have ever done that for. While the format might have been done before, guy on quest, w/a wizard, a magic sword, powers he never knew he had, and a quick romantic interest, the characters and actual plot bring this story to life. It is never quite what you expect; you want everything to be okay but it's not set in stone that it will be. This book was wonderfully written and the cover was excellently drawn, and from the get go it gets your attention, and demands that you read it. You will find yourself unwilling, or unable, to put it down after you read for a few minutes. This is another book i suggest reading when you have the sequel's handy and you have three or four free days.
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Summary: An excellent fantasy epic
Review: This was one of the best fantasy books I've read. Yes, some ideas may be similar to other authors, such as Tolkien, Robert Jordan, and so on, but the whole fantasy genre is pretty limited to the stuff it can cover. So it is interesting to see what the author can do with those limitations that writting a fantasy novel provides. Each auther has his/her own writting style and flair that makes the reader want to know what will happen next. So if your tired of reading Goodkind then you might as well stop reading fantasy, because it's all similar. But anways, I thought this book was excellent. If your a first time reader you'll love this book, and if you're a regular fantasy reader you'll find it most enjoyable. It captures the emotion and has evil villans, believable characters, strange creatures, and more. Terry Goodkind is an awesome writer.
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Summary: more than 5 stars!
Review: I have read a lot of fantasy in my life. This book is one of my favorites of all time. I read this book and was addicted. Goodkind spins a perfectly plotted tale of a young man being thrown into something way out of his league. The story is excellent and the characters are well done. The strongest point is the setting. Goodkind paints vivid pictures and you can easily picture where the people are, without being bothered by too much description. The world that Goodkind has created is also compelling and a lot of fun to get to know. This book is a very good read. Read it.
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Summary: Entertaining but Marred
Review: The beginning of Goodkind's Sword of Truth series opens with fantastic premises (especially the sword's magical properties), characters and villains. Most important is its finely captured mood of otherworldiness. From about the midpoint on however, Goodkind begins to make what I consider small errors. Among them are some odd choices for point-of-view characters, torture scenes that are unnecessarily descriptive and drawn out, and an ending almost commercial in its blatant setup for the sequels to follow. I could have wished for something slightly better but this novel is impressive enough to be worth reading. It has the additional advantage of being a decent stand-alone novel with its own ending.
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