Rating: 
Summary: A disappointing and repetitive addition to a gripping series
Review: While I very much enjoyed the first four books in this series (particularly books 1, 2, and 4), I was very disappointed in this one. The amount of regurgitation of previous material seems to be increasing in each book, and is getting ridiculous. I'm not sure why the author inserts 3 page synopses in random locations in the storyline -- if he feels the need to explain the previous 4 books, why doesn't he write a prologue for people who haven't read them?The main flaw in this book is that it does virtually nothing to advance the overall storyline of the Sword of Truth Series. It takes far too long to deliver a rather obvious parable about a politically correct and morally corrupt America, where victimhood is used as a weapon. I'm not saying such an allegory is a bad idea, just that it shouldn't take hundreds of repetitive pages to set up, and ultimately lead nowhere. Basically most of this book is an unsatisfying sideline to the main thrust of this series. It lacks the pacing and tension of the earlier books, and one of the most interesting characters, Kahlan, seems to be gradually turning into a petulant child. Overall, I'd say the Sword of Truth is showing alarming signs of degenerating into the kind of endless soap opera that Robert Jordan churns out. I hope I'll be proven wrong with the sixth book; I enjoyed the first four enough to forgive one disappointing entry in the series.
Rating:
Summary: BOOK IN THE FIRE
Review: THE FIRST TWO BOOKS HOOKED ME BUT THE LAST THREE ARE LIKE A SWORD THRUST IN THE BACK. GOODKIND IS A GIFTED WRITER BUT I DONT THINK EVEN HE KNOWS WERE THIS SERIES IS GOING. SOUL OF THE FIRE LEFT ME FEELING BETRAYED FOR A THIRD TIME. GOODKIND SHOULD DO US AND HIMSELF A FAVOR AND NOT PUBLISH HIS NEXT BOOK UNTIL GETS HIS PLOT STRAIGHTENED OUT. ALSO I AM GETTING TIRED OF RICHARD GOING FROM SUPREME MASTER TO WHIPPING BOY. IF HE CANT DO MAJIC THAN TEACH HIM. QUIT FLIP FLOPING HIM FROM MASTER TO NOVICE. I HAVE DECIDED TO GIVE FAITH OF THE FALLEN A CHANCE WHEN IT IS PUBLISHED, I HOPE GOODKIND REGAINS HIS FORM OR I WILL BE ONE OF THE FALLEN.
Rating: 
Summary: What happened?
Review: After reading SotF, I was left with a feeling of longing. A longing to keep on reading. I'm sorry, but after reading WFR, SoT, BotF, and TotW, Terry left a lot out of his fith instalment of the Sowrd of Truth series. I was expecting mabey a confrentation with Jangang, or that mabey he would learn a little about how to use his magic. Or terry would write about the old wizards and tell more about the wars between the old and new worlds. But all in all, it was still Goodkind and I liked it to a certain extent. It had the flare and action and depth like the rest of the books to make it good enough to be called a Sowrd of Truth novel.
Rating:
Summary: A Little Less Soul in this Fire
Review: Temple of the Winds was my favorite book of the series, so I was really pumped when I began this book. I have the impression TG was rushing this book. The whole chicken thing fiasco was ridiculous to say the least. The character depth was not there, and the characters' responses were inconsistent with both their personalties and the previous books. The villains were flatter than normal (exception - Dalton), I never got the impression that anyone was in mortal danger, and the overall plot did not progress. The climax of the book was rushed, and I felt unrewarded. The Goodkind parts - When Fitch was first introduced, I thought we might be getting a glimpse of the next Seeker, I was into it and enjoyed the twist. The other thing I enjoyed was the way Dalton took care of business at the end. That left my jaw hanging. My faith has not fallen - book 6 will come back strong. Despite the flaws, if you are reading the series don't stop! You will be rewarded.
Rating:
Summary: Sorry
Review: Alright, i retract my original opinion of the sword of truth, i reviewed the book "Wizards first Rule" as a wonderful book and an required read, well that was five books ago, and the plot,or anything at all, has changed from the original book, the sword of truth series "came in like a lion and out like a lamb" this lat book was so weak and tired, i havent finished it, i have simply put it onj my bookshelf, and hope that maybe a couple of months later i might have enough motivation to finish the damn thing, i got too bored of the series.
Rating:
Summary: Sword of Truth Series Loses Steam
Review: After reading Terry Goodkind's first four books, I definitely believe that he is a writer of immense talent. Unfortunately, Terry seems to have made a book unworthy of the series. I thoroughly enjoyed the first four books and eagerly awaited the arrival of this new chapter to the series. I sat down and read every word of the first two chapters. Thoroughly encompassed in Terry Goodkind's magic world I read on. As time passed, I slowly came out of his world. When trying to go back to reading this book, I read more and more unoriginal chapters. The longer I read, the more the story echoed that of the previous books. Although the story was not entirely origial, it was not boring. With all faults considered, this book still managed to be mildly interesting. Even though it did not live up to the standards set up by the previous books, I ask you this question: What could?
Rating:
Summary: Soul of Fire on Fire
Review: Terry Goodkind's latest novel i admit i anticipated being one of his most brilliant to come yet. I was slightly disappointed when it did not necessarily follow off where it left in the previous book. This one was not as fast paced, nor as humerous as others of his books. However, I am currently in the process of reading books by another Fantasy author, Robert Jordan. His books, albeit similar to Goodkind's, are not nearly as thrilling for me as The Sword of Truth series is. Goodkind's characters are believable, with no internal conflicts amongst them, and the story, for the most part, is thrilling in its complexity. You almost can't wait to finish his books in order to read the next one! Although I stated that i was mildly disappointed, the fact that this book was slightly different only serves as a catalyst. I cannot stand waiting anymore for the 6th book to come out. It can only get better from here!
Rating: 
Summary: Very disappointed
Review: I have read all of the Sword of Truth series, and eagerly awaited the 5th book. Now I wish I hadn't read it at all. If you take the first two chapters, the last two chapters, and summarize the rest into a paragraph, you'd have a short but decent book. Goodkind totally ignores pressing situations from the last 4 books, and spins off on a wild, and boring tangent about flat, and unimaginative subplots which never tie together in the end. I loved the first four books, but I wish I had skipped number five and went straight to six!
Rating: 
Summary: Better than before
Review: Unlike others in the fantasy field, I feel that every time terry goodkind sets pen to paper, a good book is going to come out. He has not made this series a slave to the same characters every book, nor even the same scenery; every book in the series continues to have it's own scenery, and specific characters, which makes this book less like a tired out series, and more like high quality stand alone books. The unifying characters are of course included in each book, and their development is very believeable and appealing to the reader. I really enjoyed this book, and can't wait till the next book in the series comes out.
Rating:
Summary: Soul of the Fire...Runt of the Litter
Review: Soul of the Fire is definately the weakest of the five books in the series. It did not advance the story or characters as far as its 500+ pages should have. Although well wordsmithed and vivid, this leg of the journey seemed a mere side trek. I became interested in the the secondary characters only to have their stories rendered fairly meaningless and the climax of the book wrapped hurriedly and neatly in the last 25 pages. The first 450 pages were 4 star material, the last 58 were 1-2 star cliff's notes. We needed about another 100 pages. I hope this isn't a sign of things to come. Mr. Goodkind is one of my favorites.
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