Rating: 
Summary: Something to tide you over until book 6
Review: I listened to the unabridged audiobook version of Soul of Fire. After getting over the rude shock of not hearing Dick Hill doing the narrating, I got used to the new reader's voice and settled in for what I hoped was a good adventure. It was, kind of... I enjoyed the introduction of the new characters, although I must admit my first thought was to pull the tape out of the recorder to make sure I'd stuck in the correct book. I just didn't expect a good portion of the book to be about people I didn't know. But I got over that and began to enjoy the fact that they could add to the story and could possibly be new people that I'd like to have around. Also, I found their story and the story of their country interesting. And, unlike some people, I didn't mind the "chicken that's not a chicken" scenes. In a fantasy world, you should expect anything, so that was palatable. The Chimes were interesting too, after I figured out what in the heck they were and how they fit into the story. But the story as a whole was lacking the usual sense of adventure you get when you read a Goodkind book. The story was there, but the sense of adventure wasn't. I agree with a few comments about the sex in the book. It wasn't necessary, but to be truthful, I wasn't offended by it. If it hadn't been there, I wouldn't have missed it. Since it was there, I didn't mind. It just wasn't necessary. While I enjoyed the book and will buy the next, it just wasn't as good as its predecessors. The ending for me was abrupt and left a lot of questions unanswered. Richard and Kahlan didn't appear to accomplish much in this story. But I guess that leaves room for another. All in all, a decent read, but not Goodkind's best. I'd give it a 3.5 but since you can't, I give it a 3--mainly because of the ending. I really didn't like that. Would I recommend it? Yes. If you like the series, this one is worth the read. Just don't expect it to be as good as the others and you won't be disappointed. It is good, but it's not AS good.
Rating: 
Summary: 'voice' of the character isn't always 'voice' of the writer
Review: I've read all of the reviews on here and i feel that those who've said that it was too slow or that Goodkind is getting bored/angry w/the series and should stop writing or he was shoehorning the story into a outline provided by others are perhaps forgetting something about the series and the characters in it. In less than a year(on richard's world) he has gone from woodsguide to one of the most powerful men in the land, fought and killed his father, was taken by the sisters of the light, held by mord-sith, returned duchalia and her people to their land, helped to destroy the palace of the prophets, etc and all the other main characters have undergone similar trials. That would stress and tire out anybody and I feel that that is the perspective Goodkind took with the characters in this book, to show the toll that has taken on all of them and how it has burned them out, which is why the book has a slow 'voice'. Richard and co. are not eager for battle anymore. They're sick and tired of it and just want to go home.
Rating: 
Summary: Enjoyable..
Review: Reading a lot of the reviews before actually diving into the book I thought I was going to be disappointed. I'm not. While this may not be the Sword of Truth novel many were looking for, I for one, still found it a good read. I liked Fith and I enjoyed all the information on Anderith and the culture there. I found myself caring for the Hakens and I was flipping the pages anxiously waiting to see what would happen next to Fith and Beata. A little more Zedd would've been nice, but there's always the next book. Not to give it away but after learning more about the Chimes and how they operate I didn't find the "chicken monster" section all that hard to believe. Overall I liked the book a lot..
Rating:
Summary: With a hero like this, how can you not like the series?
Review: The top of Richard's black boots are wrapped with leather thongs pinned with silver emblems embossed with geometric designs, and covered with black wool trousers. Over a black shirt was a black, open sided tunic, decorated with symbols twisting along a wide gold band running all the way around its squared edges. His wide, multilayered belt cinches the magnificent tunic at his waist. The belt bore more of the silver emblems and carried a gold-worked pouch to each side. Hooked on the belt was a small leather purse. At each wrist he wore a wide, leather-padded band bearing linked rings encompassing more of the strange symbols. His broad shoulders held the resplendent cape that appears nothing so much as spun gold. He held a sword, but even without his sword he looked at once noble and sinister. Regal, and deadly. He looked like the commander of kings. Your gaze falls upon his sword. The silver scabbard gleams with gold flourishes that embellishes it in sweeps and waves. Steel cross guards sweep out and down aggressively. Finely twisted silver wire cover the grip, and interwoven along the side of the braided silver, gold wire forms the word Truth. This, you think, is the sword of a king. It is the finest weapon you have ever seen. Richard closes his fingers around the hilt and pulls the sword free, the blade making a ringing, metallic sound that hangs in the air. You have never heard a sword make a sound quite like it. There is something about him, just his presence, that takes your breath. No one you have ever met strike you with such a feeling of awe as does this man, the Lord Rahl. It isn't just his size, his broad shoulders, his penetrating grey eyes, or his black and gold outfit with the broad belt holding gold-worked leather pouches and strange symbols. It is his presence. He doesn't look proper or fancy, but rather, he looked noble, purposeful, and at the same time. . .dangerous. Deadly. He is kind enough looking, and handsome, but you just know that if he ever turns those grey eyes at you in anger, you might be stuck dead by their intensity. . .
Rating:
Summary: A delightful entrance into a war yet to come.
Review: Fantastic reality thrown into the saga of Richard and Kahlan has certainly created a new begining. As new characters were introduced and dissected, it was easy to become friends with them and even relate to their obvious evil intentions -- as if they were for a greater purpose. I truly believe that a lot of readers are missing the big picture here. This is one tale that pulls the entire story back on track and perhaps creates the setting for a much longer story.This was the best in the series to date, solely because of the change of pace and the anticipation of whats to come.
Rating: 
Summary: What the heck happened?
Review: Goodkind really screwed up. The end was really, really rushed. It seemed like he was getting bored and so decided to skip a whole bunch of important stuff. Fitch and Beata were useless and served no point in the story. All the political manuevering just distracted from the real story- the Chimes. I did not care about the Minister of Culture- I want to know about the chimes! Zedd kinda was gone, but the scene where he vanished was superb. The whole end was stupid. Richard "quits". Stupid. Is he ending it here? Cara couldn't stop two boys? Stupid. All the sexual content? Stupid, unnecessary. It was also boring. It left too many loose ends... Read some Jordan and enjoy an excellent fantasy.
Rating:
Summary: perfectly content
Review: From one who has been following this series for some time, I enjoyed this book thoroughly. I am, frankly, annoyed at all of these negative comments. If they made sense, I wouldn't mind, but many of you are complaining about it's 'lack of action' and 'slowness'. To the former of the two complaints, I say if that's why you're reading the book, then just quit the series because you obviously do not enjoy the brilliant intricacies Mr. Goodkind has weaved into the tale. To the latter, please! I have respect for Mr. Goodkind for not trying to 'outdo' his other books, as so many authors do. Life doesn't just get more and more exciting. I feel books like this are incredibly phony and distasteful. This book only made me like Terry Goodkind more.
Rating:
Summary: The over all story was great ,the end was verry bad...
Review: I loved the frist books . He did a verry good job with the storry line, (SOUL OF THE FIRE) I got started an did not wount to put it down. Untill I got to the last few pages Mr Goodkind left the end to open he could at least have rapped it up a little better.
Rating:
Summary: More crap from the Wizard of Unoriginality
Review: Gods, you people who love Goodkind have got to find better writers. People like him, Brooks, Feist and McKiernan have ruined modern fantasy. Thank the gods for Robin Hobb, George RR Martin, Guy Gavriel Kay and Glen Cook. And forget Jordan, the overrated windbag that he is.
Rating:
Summary: A Real Letdown :o(
Review: Having re-read the first four novels in preparation for receiving the 5th I have to say that I was just a bit disappointed with "Soul". Too much time was spent on building the character of Fitch and the lifestyle of Anderith. It seemed that almost half the novel focused on these two things. While I apprecite building familiarity with new characters it really seems like this novel has fallen the way that many "series" novels in the past have... The author starts to loose interest in writing more sequels and the content suffers. The ending was a tremendous let down and many of the past "Key" characters were only breifly acknowledged. Whatever happened to Adie? How come Shota, who seemed to be able to see everything in the future (basically) with regards to Richard and Kahlan didnt see this tradegy with the chimes? or that even though she gave Kahlan the amulet to keep her from conceiving that it would fail when the magic failed? Too many unanswered questions, a weak plot and a weaker ending may prevail to sway my future readings to that of Robert Jordans "Wheel of Time" which became long winded, repetitive and therefore unreadable. I give 3 stars only in recognition of the past 4 novels which were easily 4, some closer to 5. Sorry Mr. Goodkind, but if you have lost interest in building this series you should really let your publisher know.
|
