Rating: 
Summary: nicci's redemption and politics
Review: It is somewhat amusing to read the negative reviews on FOTF. Two that come to mind are that Nicci's epiphany is without merit and that Goodkind's views on the Imperial Order's politics are misguided. Let's deal with Nicci first.Some have written that Nicci's conversion at the end is unbelievable since she was so evil (evidenced by her sister of the dark status), that no amount of soul searching and challenging circumstances, is adequate to pull her away from the gravitational attraction of evil. If this is true,then none of us are safe, not just Nicci. This means that if one strays from the path of good, they can never change course again. Goodkind's developement of Nicci, makes clear that it is never too late for one to redeem themselves. Nicci is one of richest and deepest characters introduced in this series. It is obvious she will have a big role to play as the series concludes. Now as for the people criticizing Goodkind's views on communism/socialism, and religious fanaticsm-get over yourselves. His treatsie on the flaws of a political system based on "Old World," beliefs are not only intriguing, but also on the mark. One needs only to refer to recent history ie; the fall of the Soviet Union, the chaos in Afghanistan, to see the evidence of Goodkind's political acumen. Faith of the Fallen is a must read for sci/fantasy fans.
Rating: 
Summary: Typical Goodkind
Review: As we've come to expect from Goodkind, dear old Richard can do anything and everything... and do it better than anyone else. Kahlan was developed a bit in the book, showing her flaws and frailities. In others, being human. Goodkind beat us over the head again with the Communism Is Bad(tm) stick. I always feel robbed after reading one of these books.. Goodkind tantilizes us with intriguing villains, but fails to follow through with them. Same head true in this book with Nicci, Jagang, and Narev. Why is Narev such a zealot, Jagang so polar, Nicci so dispassionate?? The author just glosses over these aspects of the characters.
Rating:
Summary: Terry Goodking proves that he's still got vision
Review: I've always loved the scifi genre. terry goodkind is one of the better writers in my opinion. His first and second books were great reads. The rest up till this book sort of had the feeling that Terry was rushed in the writing and didn't care about giving as good as he could. With this book, he's proven that he still is capable of writing great reads...hopefully he will continue to do so.
Rating: 
Summary: Bad. Just Bad.
Review: This book was one of the worst written fantasy books I have made the mistake of paying money for. The plot is nothing more than a poorly-conceived stab at political commentary, and I think having teeth pulled is more fun than wading through it. What a terribly disappointing installment in a series that started out brilliantly, then went downhill from there. If you want to read a real fantasy author, try George R.R Martin, and leave Goodkind behind.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable but disappointing
Review: I agree somewhat with a previous author who wrote that he enjoyed the novel, yet at the same time was disappointed by it. However, my disappointment overshadowed my enjoyment of his writing style. As an ardent Goodkind fan, yet one who has the books in soft cover, I patiently awaited the softcover release so that I could continute the saga. Unlike some other readers, I often enjoy plot more then character development. This ultimately led to some disatisfaction with this novel. The final mighty blow to the novel came with the last half of the novel, where Goodkind quickly diverges from the fantasy genre and enters the realm of philosophical fiction. With Kahlan half-dead at the end of the second novel and the entire plot in ruins, I was eager to attack this plot ressurected. However, the plot essentially stagnates the entire novel as a newly healed Kahlan wages a losing war and Richard goes in search of faith. In fact, these are the only key plot points of the novel, with the characters finally appearing together in the end for a final victory to end the book on a high note. The characterization in the novel is top-notch, as can be expected from Goodkind. His characters are real and there motivations are as well. I also like that even the evil side is characterized through the eyes of evil characters themselves. Richard, in his Richard-like way however, becomes even more unrelatable as a character as he descends, through the eyes of the other characters, into a perfect philosophical hero. This is the major flaw of the novel. Goodkind must have just finished reading Foutainhead because the parallels between the ideals of this novel and those of any good disciple of Rand are uncanny. Richard is the Jesus figure hero of this ideal anti-Socialist world. Capitalism is good. Even when he does things wrong, they turn out to be right. Capitalism is good. His understanding of the world is beyong even that of the greatest wizard. Capitalism is good. He is an artist, a lover, a wizard, and a mighty sworsdman. Capitalism is good. It's amazing that with all of the propaganda in there, there was a moment to include some actual action or maybe a bit of fantasy. This book did not meet my expectations of the fantasy genre it was marketed in. He clearly had a philosophical epiphany as he was planning this book and it overwhelms the plot that while drying up recently, had shown so brightly in the first novels of the series. I will read the next novel, he has earned that much; but if it ever becomes as steeped in philosophical rhetoric as the end of that novel did, I will discard it and my love for Goodkind.
Rating: 
Summary: Inspirational, if somewhat flawed writing
Review: With all of the epic fantasy series that are out right now it is somewhat hard to now if you should stick with just one or read all of them. On one side you have the Wheel of Time series which started out excellent but went into the crap hole after the fourth book, and on the other hand you have The Song of Ice and Fire, which starts out excellent and gets even more excellent as it goes on. The Sword of Truth is right in the middle. Some of the books in the series are examples of truly inspired writing that keep you coming back for more (Temple of the Winds) and some are just examples of half-assed writing that makes you want to stop reading the series all together(Soul of the Fire). So, the series is rather inconsistent. Stick with the proven, if somewhat repetive writing of Jordan, the exciting, fast paced fare of Martin, or the mixed bag of Goodkind. Hmm...better get on to the review before I lose some readers... Faith of the Fallen is a mixed bag, just like the Sword of Truth series. It never gets quite as dramatic as Temple of the Winds or as half-assed as Soul of the Fire, but rather floats comfortably in the middle. There are a couple of things that really annoy the hell out of me in Faith of the Fallen, and there are things that really make it worth the time to keep on turning the pages. I'll start with the annoying stuff first. The character of Richard is really becoming way to Inconsistent. One moment he is moping and balling about the people of Anderith not voting in the D'haran empire's favor(Soul of the Fire), and the next he is ripping out his step-brother's spinal column.(Temple of the Winds) Seem a little confusing? He can be incredibly brutal and violent in one book, and all sensitive and warmharted in the next. The same goes w/ Faith of the Fallen. For the majority of the book Richard is insiteful and calm, never letting his temper throw him into a violent rage. Then, at the end, he slams a sledge hammer into the chest of a guy, and goes on to kill several patrols of guards. I'm not saying I don't think that people's personality's are diverse and different, but the sudden changes in Richard's personality are way to dramatic. Another thing that is kind of ridiculous about Richard's Character is the fact that he is perfect in almost every way. He can sculpt statues that can utterly change hundreds of thousands of people's attitude towards life just by looking at it. He is an experienced ranger and warrior who can kill thirty blademasters--who had devoted their entire life to training with the sword--alone and unnaided. He makes a Sister of the Dark, who has NO emotions, fall in love with him. He is a good roofer, and carpenter. He is the most powerful war wizard...ever. He is a natural womanizer. In just one year he went from a meek ranger that lived in the woods to the undisputed ruler of the entire D'haran empire.Get the point? A thing that Martin really excels at is creating a believable character that is never wholly good or evil, one that you could really believe would exist. This is a skill that neither Jordan nor Goodkind possess. The constant preaching of Captalism=Good Communism=Bad is really REALLY annoying after you hear it a hundred times. Maybe Terry should change his last name to McCarthy...ultimately, however, Goodkind does a very good job with the inspirational writing that comes from his hand while stressing the importance of freedom and individuality. It would have been better if he made his point and got on with it, instead of re-writing it in every chapter that is behind Richard's P.O.V. Killing of Warren?? Why not spend a little more time developing his character before you kill him off, that would make it not only shocking, but dramatic. Okay, enough of my bitchin...this book has some good aspects, or I wouldn't be giving it a 4. I liked the way in which Goodkind depicted Nicci and Jagang in this book. Nicci is just a interesting bundle, and it is satisfying to watch her slowly begin to see the truth of what the Order is after, and begin to care for Richard. It was quite entertaining to watch a woman with NO emotion begin to become more human. Jagang was actually depicted as a human instead of a Ogre in this book. You can tell that he is confused about his feelings toward Nicci, and doesn't know how to express himself. The book was good in the way that it portrayed the relationship between Cara, Richard and Kahlan. They have a genuine friendship, and I think my favorite part of the book is when the three are in Northern Westland, giving Kahlan time to recover. Goodkind creates a feeling of happiness between the three characters that leaves you with a smile, no matter how much you try to hold it back. I also liked Faith of the Fallen because the Imperial Order finally made their move, in a campaign that leads right to the heart of the Midlands. You get the feeling that their is going to be some intense battle action in later books. Overall this book was very good, but it is a shame that Goodkind didn't fix some of the small annoyances that are implanted in his series. This book had potential, and although that potential wasn't fully realized, he did a very good job and showing sometimes brief, sometimes broad glimpses of excellent writing.
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Summary: Ayn Rand Redux?
Review: While I generally enjoy reading the books in this series, this last one was a little over-the-top with regard to the economic philosophy (which did not necessarily mesh well with the orverriding message of "the Order" that has been set up in the past). First, I am a fan of Ayn Rand and love her books. Terry should leave it to her legacy and not try to invent a bastardization Fountainhead/Atlas Shrugged meets swords and sorcery, as it comes across as extremely strained at best. Also, while I can appreciate the idea that the author wants to apply relatively modern economic commerce in a medieval setting, focusing on that aspect highlights the anomaly. Next, a reminder that the main message of the Order through the earlier books is essentially death to magic. That does not mesh with the new message of the Order, sacrifice for your fellow man who has less. It seems that the Order as portrayed in the last book would not be out to destroy magic, but to subjugate it and bring it under control. Oh well, internal consistency is not always required. The book itself was a fun read, not too deep despite the author's attempts, but I am not looking for depth from this series, just entertainment. At least the story moved a little, although the whole "they were separated, kicked some (butt) and now they're together again" motif is getting a bit old. Still, I would recommned it to anyone who likes the series.
Rating: 
Summary: Getting bored now...
Review: Where's the zing that was in the first book? I'm wondering if I'm being too critical when I say that I was getting bored with this book?
Rating:
Summary: Back on the right track
Review: While this series started out in the first two books as exceptional, the following books left a little to be desired in plot and character depth. However, in this book it seems that Goodkind is getting back on the right track. Again his character are compelling, and the story line complex. This was thuroughly a good read, couldn't put it down!
Rating:
Summary: Inspiring
Review: Terry Goodkind's writing style is unique and only serves to make the plot of Faith of the Fallen more intriguing. Morals and lessons are colorfully woven into the plot and characters throughout the novel. We're introduced to the weaknesses of human nature and even the strengths! We see Nicci, a sister of the Dark, show that anyone can change and doesn't have to follow conformity. The plot, characters, the SOUL of the book was touching, intriging and full of lessons. Another fantastic literature piece for Terry Goodkind
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