Rating: 
Summary: What can I say? I Think I'm in love!
Review: If you think that Terry Goodkind is sputtering and running out of ideas, you are sourley mistaken. He is the best author I have encountered yet, what with the way he brings his books to life! I can only dream & hope he will expand the Sword of Truth series into a deep elaborate series (Hopefully at least 10 books long :)
Rating: 
Summary: Satisfying
Review: I don't know why, but I dislike both Richard and Kahlan. Their characters are wooden, they lack depth, they have no faults and the chapters with them in main role, are written quite badly. There, with that said, you may find it easier to understand why I found the Anderith politics and the new characters the things that saved this book. First hundred pages were a pain. Nothing happens and Goodkind's inability to express human emotions and interaction is painstakingly clear. Richard and Kahlan are at their shallowest, Zedd reminds me something ripped out of a Disney movie and everything is so black and white that you want to scream. Then the book forgets about its boring heroes and focuses on Anderith and its politics. Goodkind could have pulled this off a lot better, but the result is pretty good. Goodkind is lacking in his writing, but he does weave a decent plot. It's not overly complex and intricate, but it has seven times more depth than anything with Richard or Kahlan. I'm beginning to think that they both would have worked a lot better as supporting characters. They simply don't have what it takes to be in the main role. Kahlan is crappy all the way to the end, but Richard regains some of the spark he had earlier in the series as the book draws closer to end. However, it could have been wrapped up a lot better. Problems with SoT are the weakness of its overall plot and the weakness of its main characters. SoT could be a great series but it lacks too much. As it is, it's a good, solidly entertaining series that rises above many other series, but can't be mentioned in the same sentence. with the likes of Song of Ice and Fire (Martin). It had the potential, but unfortunately it never reached it. Read it if you aren't too picky about what you read and you have read the previous SoT novels. If you are a Goodkind fan that wants to see Richard, Kahlan, Zedd, Chase and Gratch play at being important characters in an important series, don't get your hopes up. Soul of the Fire is a book about politics, intrigue and couple of nice characters. Politics are simple and so is the intrigue, but the way Goodkind has packaged it, I couldn't resist. Just to see what would happen, I devoured the book in a couple of days. I honestly liked it and suggest you read it if you are into SoT. It won't take your breath away, but it's a solid piece of fantasy. Goodkind is developing but I feel he is trapped with thin main characters and a simple main plot. I'll wait and see whether Goodkind can break those boundaries. Maybe.
Rating: 
Summary: Few refreshing moments don't compensate for repetition
Review: It took me three months to read this book. It was a trial getting past the sappy first two chapters after that things picked up. As is the authors trademark we had the pointless rape-du-jour that does nothing to advance the plot, we have a few grimly detailed mugings to round out the bit-o-ultraviolence too. The method by which Richard bansihes the chimes comes completely out of left field. Not enough of the favorite secondary characters like the Mud People, Mord Sith bondage babes or even smelly old Gratch. The final ending left openings for another book naturally but was tied up too neatly.
Rating:
Summary: Dissapointed
Review: I brought the hard cover version of this book, because I could not wait for the paper back, i was too eager to continue reading the series. I read a series by an author named Stephen Lawhead, "The Song of Abion" I spent the last 3 chapters in tears (which was a first for me)not only because of the ending but because the series had come to an end, I thought why end such a great story and rich characters, I read Soul of the Fire thinking, why didnt you end it, instead of dragging it on. I hope that this book is only leading into the next and setting the next one up for us. Thats the big problem with fantasy books, sometimes authors just dont know when to end the story. The sad part is ill by the hard back of number six hoping beyond hope that it gets better. A very teadias book that seemed to drag, i spent the book hoping the next chapter would go back to the origanal characters.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent as usual by the genius Goodkind
Review: The fifth book in Terry Goodkind's ingenious Sword of Truth series, I can't decide if it was the best or the worst of the five (of course, either way it is easily one of the best books I have ever read). Though the book is a little more thrown together than the other four, and strays a bit from the general theme of the series (which may be a welcome change for some readers, as the theme is perhaps a bit overdone), it is more fast-paced than the others as well. This is the book in which Richard Rahl finally comes to terms and understands (or at least begins to) the magic he has, as well as finding his place in the world. Goodkind's books will always be an entertaining and inspiring series for me. Read it and decide for yourself.
Rating:
Summary: Terry is running out of gas
Review: His first and second book were GREAT but they have gone down hill from there. I suggest you start this ride, but get off before the end.
Rating:
Summary: exciting as always.but a bit drawn out at times
Review: As always a thrilling and exciting adventure.For me Terry Goodkind has captured the good and a little of the bad aspects of fantasy writing.At times the story-line was a bit drawn out and focased more on background and past series info,instead of the characters(pity),but im sure book 6 will prove an even more level-headed book.thanks for everything Terry,an enjoyable series.
Rating:
Summary: Just a tangential story
Review: This book has nothing much to do with the rest of the series: it is a thinly veiled parable about modern politics. The fictional country of Anderish could easily be the United States -- politically correct, morally bankrupt, and intellectually dishonest. It is easy to see the "alleged" corruption and spinning of the Clinton administration in Anderish's leaders (and their wives), including sexual deceit, punishment of dissenters, and selling out to foreign powers for personal gain. It is an interesting parable, but faithful readers of the series could skip over this book without missing much.
Rating:
Summary: Maybe Terry should slow down...
Review: Terry Goodkind seems to be falling into the same trap that Robert Jordan did - albeit not as far. It's a decent book, but it's not the fantastic work that Wizards First Rule was. The plots are seeming more and more contrived - it's always the same formula of the thing saving the world turns out to be some horrible nasty menace in the next book. And the sex is getting kinda overboard, too. I realize the Order is supposed to be evil and horrific, but I think that a less 2-dimensional villian would be better.
Rating:
Summary: Throw-Away
Review: By the end of the series 5th book, it's obvious that Mr. Goodkind is just as tired of his characters as readers should be. With about 650 pages of buildup followed by 3 pages of resolution, I was left more than a little dissatisfied with the pat-ending, it more resembled an acute case of librus interruptus! I've enjoyed the series immensely to this point and hope this is the only throw-away book in the series. I had a sneaking suspicion when he went off the dark tangent of introducing the new characters that the story was not going to advance the main plot in the least and was coldly satisfied to see it play out so. I'm sure readers will be able to pick up number 6 after reading number 4 with little difficulty. Mr. Goodkind is capable of delivering the best misogynistic high-fantasy out there; here's hoping number 6 reverts to his innovative and absorbing style and not to more stretching this gravy-train out longer than post-Thanksgiving turkey surprises.
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