| The Sword of Truth | |
| Books: | In chronological order:[1] |
| Author: | Terry Goodkind |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Pub Date: | 15 August 1994 – 30 June 2020 |
| Media Type: | Print (hardcover and paperback), audiobook |
| Preceded By: | Debt of Bones |
The Sword of Truth is a series of 21 sword and sorcery novels and six novellas written by Terry Goodkind. The books follow the protagonists Richard Cypher, Kahlan Amnell, Nicci, Cara, and Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander on their quest to defeat oppressors who seek to control the world and those who wish to unleash evil upon the world of the living. While each novel was written to stand alone, except for the final three that were intended to be a trilogy, they follow a common timeline and are linked by ongoing events that occur throughout the series.
The series began in 1994 with Wizard's First Rule and Goodkind wrote eighteen more novels in addition to a novella titled Debt of Bones. The latest novel in the series, Heart of Black Ice, was released in 2020. As of 2008, 25 million copies of the series' books have been sold worldwide,[2] and the series has been translated into more than 20 languages.[3] A television series adaptation of the novels, titled Legend of the Seeker, produced by ABC Studios and broadcast via syndication, first aired on November 1, 2008. The TV series loosely adapts the book series, mixing together elements of several volumes.
Keith Parkinson served as the cover artist for all the novels of the first edition, apart from Wizard's First Rule and Blood of the Fold. New hardback and paperback editions of those two books were later published with new cover illustrations by Parkinson. Parkinson died on October 26, 2005, but not before completing the cover art for two more novels in the series.
The series is set in a world divided into two major regions: the New World and the Old World. The New World consists of three lands with Westland in the west, D'Hara in the east, and the Midlands between them. D'Hara is ruled by a magically gifted member of the Rahl family, while the welfare of the Midlands is decided by a council of representatives led by the Mother Confessor, who is also the leader of the Confessors. The Confessors are a group of women who each have a magical power to force a person to become entirely devoted to them. People touched by a Confessor's power will do anything for her or truthfully answer any question she asks, hence the name Confessor. Westland, a land of no magic, is also ruled by a council of representatives. The Old World is not introduced until the second book in the series and its geographical features are described in less detail.
The main character is a young man named Richard Cypher, a Westland woods guide whose simple life is forever changed after he becomes the Seeker of Truth, a champion of truth and justice. Over the course of the series, Richard learns about his heritage while seeking to stop the evil that others would unleash upon the world of the living. Because Richard refuses to sacrifice his values and lives his life as a free man, others begin to understand the nobility of man and what it means to be free. Each book is loosely themed around a Wizard's Rule, tenets by which all wizards should abide. The eleventh full-length novel, Confessor, concludes the series' central story arc regarding the invasion of the Imperial Order, an empire in the Old World led by Jagang. Warheart was the last novel in the series.
The first book, Wizard's First Rule, takes place in the New World, some twenty or so years after two magical boundaries were raised to separate Westland, the Midlands, and D'Hara. The story deals with the growth of the D'Haran Empire under its leader, Darken Rahl, as he invades the Midlands, taking over its territories while seeking to gain control of an ancient power over life called the Boxes of Orden. The book begins a few weeks after the murder of Richard's father. Richard encounters a young woman by the name of Kahlan Amnell, the Mother Confessor who has come from the Midlands in search of the "Old One," a legendary wizard. He discovers that his best friend and mentor, Zeddicus Zu'l "Zedd" Zorander, is the wizard whom she seeks. Zedd appoints Richard the Seeker of Truth and gives him the Sword of Truth. The sword is said to work through perception; it will cut through anything that its wielder perceives to be a threat but will not cut anything or anyone the wielder regards as innocent. The Sword also amplifies anger, thereby granting its wielder added strength, agility, and conviction.
Richard, Kahlan, and Zedd journey to the Midlands in search of the last Box of Orden that Rahl needs to acquire before he can use the magic of Orden. Along the way, Richard and Kahlan fall in love. The first book concludes with Richard killing Rahl by tricking him into making a mistake, and with the revelation of Richard's true parentage.
The series continues with Stone of Tears, which immediately follows the events that occurred in Wizard's First Rule. Unbeknownst to Richard, the opening of the boxes of Orden has torn the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead, allowing minions of the Keeper of the Underworld to come forth. Richard and Kahlan return to the Mud People (whom Richard and Kahlan befriend and defend in Wizard's First Rule) and decide to marry. However, before they can, they are separated when Richard is captured by the Sisters of the Light, sorceresses from the Old World who train men to become wizards. Richard is taken to the Old World while Kahlan goes to Aydindril to ask Zedd for help. On the way, she witnesses the beginning of the Imperial Order's invasion of the New World, led by Emperor Jagang. Upon reaching Aydindril, she discovers that her people have been swayed by the Order's corrupt morality; she is subsequently sentenced to death.
Meanwhile, at the Palace of the Prophets (the Sisters' home in the Old World) Richard learns more about magic, prophecies, and his identity. He escapes the Palace and returns to D'Hara to stop the Keeper from devouring the world of the living. The novel ends with Richard discovering that Kahlan is safe outside Aydindril with her identity shielded by Zedd. Kahlan is reassured that Richard has returned to the New World.
In the third novel, Blood of the Fold, Richard's plan to reunite with Kahlan is delayed by the arrival of beast-like assassins called Mriswith and by the advancement of Jagang's army into the New World. Having accepted his identity as a war wizard - and as the gifted son of Darken Rahl—Richard decides to claim the throne of D'Hara as a means of unifying the fractured Midlands, which, in Kahlan's absence, has weakened to the point of being unable to resist the Order. Kahlan, along with the sorceress Adie, is captured on her way back to Aydindril by the Blood of the Fold, a violent group of zealots who oppose magic on religious grounds. The Blood of the Fold are being tricked by Emperor Jagang, the leader of the Imperial Order, to do his bidding. After realizing that the Blood of the Fold have taken Kahlan and Adie to the Palace of the Prophets, Richard travels to the Old World to rescue them. He takes this opportunity to destroy the Palace, preventing Jagang from using the treasures it holds. While Verna, the new Prelate, leads the Sisters of the Light and their students to join the D'Haran army, Richard and Kahlan return to Aydindril and defeat the Mriswiths, as well as the Blood of the Fold.
The fourth novel, Temple of the Winds, tells of the struggles Richard, Kahlan, and their friends face as they attempt to stop a plague released by Jagang and to prevent him from seizing important items that will help him win the war. As Richard's ancestor Nathan Rahl receives books from Jagang under a tentative deal struck between them, he sends Zedd and Ann, former Prelate of the Sisters of the Light, to destroy the prophecies found within the Jocopo Treasure. As foretold by prophecy regarding the plague, Kahlan betrays Richard in order for him to gain admittance into the Temple of the Winds, wherein he stops the plague. However, the spirit of Darken Rahl appears in the Temple and refuses to let Richard leave unless he willingly contracts the plague. When Richard eventually returns, he and Kahlan forgive each other for their actions. With Nathan and Cara's help, Kahlan is able to cure Richard. The book concludes with Richard and Kahlan's wedding at the Mud People's village, where they are reunited with Zedd and Ann.
Directly following Temple of the Winds, Soul of the Fire revolves around Richard and Kahlan dealing with two threats: the gradual disappearance of all magic and the leaders of the nation of Anderith, who are considering surrendering to the Imperial Order. In so doing, Anderith would hand over control of the Dominie Dirtch, a weapon of mass destruction. Richard and Kahlan discover that a terrible magic known as the "Chimes" has been released and is draining magic from the world, causing magic to fail and creatures of magic to die. They head to Anderith, a place they believe to be connected to the Chimes. As Jagang's army marches towards Anderith, Richard attempts to save its people by urging them to join the D'Haran Empire, but he fails to persuade them. Meanwhile, Ann attempts to save the Sisters of the Light enslaved by Jagang but is betrayed by them and captured. She escapes with the help of her former student, who is a Sister of the Dark. The novel ends with Richard banishing the Chimes and deciding to return to Westland, where he will help Kahlan recover from injuries sustained in Anderith and wait until the people of the New World prove to him that they truly want freedom.
The next volume in the series, Faith of the Fallen, chronicles more than one and a half years of the characters' lives. Nicci, a Sister of the Dark and a follower of the Imperial Order, captures Richard and forces him to travel with her to the Old World by using a magical spell that allows her to control Kahlan's life. Prevented from following Richard, Kahlan and Cara rejoin the D'Haran army in the Midlands. Kahlan assumes control of the army and stalls Jagang's army from capturing Aydindril, the seat of power in the Midlands. When Kahlan finally realizes that she can delay but not stop Jagang's massive army, she travels to the Old World with Cara in search of Richard. Meanwhile, in the Old World capital of Altur'Rang, Richard has begun to inspire its people, including Nicci, to reconsider their moral code and to challenge the Order. The people of Altur'Rang rebel against the Order and declare themselves free of its oppression. Repenting, Nicci removes the spell from Kahlan and joins Richard and Kahlan in their fight against the Order.
While continuing on from Faith of the Fallen, The Pillars of Creation differs from the other novels in the series in that its protagonists are not Richard and Kahlan, but new characters by the names of Jennsen Rahl and Oba Rahl, who are Richard's half siblings. Both are unaware that they are pristinely ungifted and immune to magic. Jennsen, who has spent most of her life hiding from the Lord Rahl (originally Darken Rahl), meets an Imperial Order spy named Sebastian, who fuels her hatred of the new Lord Rahl (Richard) by convincing her that the Order's beliefs are virtuous. She joins Jagang and his army as they launch an attack on the Confessor's Palace in Aydindril. After their defeat, Jennsen strikes a deal with the Keeper to surrender herself in exchange for Richard's death. Meanwhile, Oba follows the bidding of the Keeper, who is using him in his plan to enter the world of the living. In the novel's climax, Jennsen sees through the Order's lies and chooses to help Richard in his quest against Jagang.
In the eighth novel, Naked Empire, Richard and Kahlan are interrupted during their journey home to the New World when a man named Owen from the empire of Bandakar asks them to help free his people from the Order. Richard and Kahlan reluctantly refuse the request because they are needed elsewhere. In response, Owen poisons Richard and says that he will provide the antidote only if Richard agrees to help. Richard and Kahlan learn that the people of Bandakar are pristinely ungifted like Jennsen and Oba, and that they have been overrun by the Order because they have shunned all forms of violence, refusing to fight for their own lives. Richard eventually convinces them to rise up and drive the Order from their mountain homeland. In the process, Richard learns to restore his gift, which had failed because he misunderstood its true nature and purpose. Meanwhile, the Wizard's Keep in Aydindril is infiltrated by Bandakarian men that the Order has enslaved. The novel ends with Zedd and Chase reclaiming the Keep, and the defeat of the Imperial Order's army in Bandakar.
Three novels of the series, Chainfire, Phantom, and Confessor, were written as a trilogy called the Chainfire Trilogy, which brings the story arc concerning Jagang's invasion to an end. After recovering from an injury, Richard wakes up to find Kahlan missing and that no one remembers her existence. Richard discovers that the Sisters of the Dark kidnapped Kahlan and cast the Chainfire spell to erase everyone's memories of her, as well as most of Kahlan's memories of herself. However, Richard's mind was protected from the spell by the Sword of Truth. The Sisters use Kahlan to steal the boxes of Orden from the People's Palace in D'Hara, which they intend to use to unleash their master, the Keeper of the Underworld, into the world of the living. Unbeknownst to the Sisters, Jagang still has access to their minds and knows their plans. Meanwhile, Richard, using an alias, is captured by the Imperial Order, who are making their way to the People's Palace in D'Hara. Kahlan, who has also been captured by Jagang, sees Richard, and although she does not remember him, she feels encouraged to fight on and remember her past. After Richard and Kahlan escape from Jagang, they return to the People's Palace, where Richard defeats the Sisters of the Dark and Jagang. To remove the Chainfire spell, Richard must use the magic of Orden. With that power, he not only restores Kahlan's memories and others' memories of her, he also creates an identical world or parallel universe, to which he banishes all people who refuse to cease their assault on individuality and prosperity. Jennsen and the people of Bandakar voluntarily decide to go to this new world devoid of magic because, if they stayed and bred in Richard's world, magic would eventually die out. Richard then closes the gateway and separates the worlds. The series ends with the marriage of Cara and General Meiffert, and Richard's declaration that the traditional D'Haran devotions are no longer necessary, because everyone's life is their own to live.
In addition to the novels, Goodkind wrote a short story titled Debt of Bones for the 1998 anthology Legends, edited by Robert Silverberg. It was published as a stand-alone novella in 2001. The story takes place in The Sword of Truth universe and is set a few decades before the events in the main series, focusing on the creation of the boundaries that separated Westland, the Midlands, and D'Hara in Wizard's First Rule.
Set millennia prior to the main Sword of Truth series, was initially released on July 15, 2012 as an e-book; it was published in print in July 2015. The First Confessor covers a wide variety of information including the Wizards' War, the creation of the Sword of Truth, Confessors, and information about the damage done to magic with the Temple of the Winds. Terry Goodkind's website refers to the book as the "foundation" of the Sword of Truth series.[4]
See main article: The Omen Machine (novel). On April 2, 2010, a video went up on Terry Goodkind's official site and YouTube channel promoting a new Richard and Kahlan novel that was released on August 16, 2011.[5] [6] The Omen Machine takes place immediately after Confessor, beginning on the night of the wedding of General Benjamin Meiffert and the Mord-Sith Cara. A mysterious machine is found underground and it begins to give predictions, most of which are seemingly benign, but Zedd believes the machine must be destroyed until a prediction is given that scares him to death—one which, if true, will tear apart Richard and Kahlan's life as they know it.
See main article: The Third Kingdom. Published on August 20, 2013, The Third Kingdom is the second novel in Goodkind's Richard and Kahlan series. Following an attack by the mysterious "half people" of the Dark Lands, Richard and Kahlan find themselves abandoned by their friends. Richard sets out on a quest to save his friends and meets the sinister Bishop Hannis Arc.
See main article: Severed Souls. The third novel in the Richard and Kahlan series, Severed Souls, was published on August 5, 2014. Following the events of the previous two books, Richard must find a way to cure Kahlan and himself from the Hedge Maid's stain of death. Meanwhile, Hannis Arc and Emperor Sulachan march toward the heart of D'Hara.
See main article: Warheart. Warheart[7] is the fourth and final entry in the Richard and Kahlan series, published November 17, 2015.
Taking place after the events of the four Richard & Kahlan novels, The Nicci Chronicles follow further exploits of former Sister of the Dark, Nicci, and former prophet, Nathan Rahl.
Released January 24, 2017, Death's Mistress is the first entry in the Nicci Chronicles series and the 18th novel, chronologically, in the Sword of Truth universe. Following the events of Warheart, Nicci decides to take her leave of Richard and Kahlan for a time. Nathan Rahl chooses to accompany her. They go on a mission to the Dark Lands to visit the witch, Red, who tells them of a vague prophecy that she will save the world. Nicci and Nathan's quest takes them across the known world and deep into a forgotten, unmapped region known as the Phantom Coast. Nicci saves a young sailor named Bannon, who joins them on their quest. Nathan begins to lose control of his magic, seemingly because prophecy itself has been eradicated. The trio crosses the Phantom Coast, fights off Viking-like Norukai and vicious sea monsters, stops a mad judge who froze an entire population with a cursed necklace, meets the last dragon left in the Old World, and discovers an ancient archive of arcane magic.[8]
See main article: articles and Shroud of Eternity. Shroud of Eternity, released January 9, 2018, is the second entry in the Nicci Chronicles series and is the 19th novel, chronologically, in the Sword of Truth universe. Picking up where Death's Mistress left off, Nicci, Nathan, and Bannon find Kol Adair, a mountain pass which leads to a field full of petrified soldiers. Nathan recognizes some of the soldiers' insignias, claiming them to be the army of a General Utros, a powerful military commander who served another would-be despot, Emperor Kurgan, 1,500 years prior. The following night, Nicci, Nathan, and Bannon encounter three strange young men who are destroying the statues. The three men lead them into the city of Ildakar which, an ancient city frozen in time. Recently, the shroud of protective magic around the city has begun to fail. Nicci, Nathan, and Bannon introduce themselves to the Ildakarians as official emissaries of Lord Rahl and begin trying to forge an alliance. They soon learn that Ildakar is a society ruled over by the gifted, who enjoy lavish lifestyles and enslave the ungifted. Prelate Verna Sauventreen and General Zimmer, having returned to Tanimura to lead an excavation of the Palace of the Prophets, decide to assist Nicci and Nathan.[9]
Released December 31, 2018, Siege of Stone is the third entry in the Nicci Chronicles and is the 20th novel, chronologically, in the Sword of Truth universe. After a joining a slave uprising and overthrowing the leader of Ildakar, Nicci, Nathan, and Bannon begin working to rebuild the city. Commander Maxim, husband of the city's defeated leader, goes missing, and shortly thereafter, General Utros's army of stone soldiers awakens and renews its war on Ildakar in the name of an Emperor long dead. The Norukai King, Grieve, also begins planning assaults on Ildakar and the D'Haran Empire, hoping to conquer the world.[10]
Heart of Black Ice, released January 21, 2020, is the fourth and final entry in the Nicci Chronicles and the 21st Novel, chronologically, in the Sword of Truth universe. After Nicci travels north to warn the cities of the Old World of the impending attacks, the leadership of Ildakar betray her and her allies, recreating the Shroud of Eternity and leaving them stranded. As the third Sliph, an emphatic supporter of old Emperor Sulachan, realizes that Nicci is her enemy, she decides to strand her alone in the ruins of the city of Orogang, somewhere in the mountains of the Phantom Coast. Bannon is captured and enslaved by the Norukai and the protagonists' army is vastly outnumbered by Utros's stone soldiers. Utros makes a deal with Grieve to unite their forces and declare war on D'Hara.[11]
In 2019, Terry Goodkind began to release novellas following Richard & Kahlan after the events of Warheart. Richard promises Kahlan that they would help bring about a new Golden Age for their empire. The People's Palace is suddenly attacked by an amphibian race of beings from another dimension who call themselves the Glee. They wish to hunt man for sport and follow the commands of their queen, known only as the Golden Goddess. They can possess humans and disappear at will but are confused and terrified by magic. The Glee believe that they will no longer have to fear magic if they eliminate Richard's bloodline because he is the most powerful wizard alive. Kahlan learns that she is pregnant with Richard Rahl's children—a pair of fraternal twins.[12]
| Published Order | Chronological Order | Title | Publication Date | Series | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Wizard's First Rule | August 15, 1994 | Sword of Truth | |
| 2 | 4 | Stone of Tears | September 15, 1995 | Sword of Truth | |
| 3 | 5 | Blood of the Fold | October 15, 1996 | Sword of Truth | |
| 4 | 6 | Temple of the Winds | September 15, 1997 | Sword of Truth | |
| 5 | 2 | Debt of Bones | August 25, 1998 | Prequel | |
| 6 | 7 | Soul of the Fire | March 15, 1999 | Sword of Truth | |
| 7 | 8 | Faith of the Fallen | August 22, 2000 | Sword of Truth | |
| 8 | 9 | The Pillars of Creation | November 20, 2001 | Sword of Truth | |
| 9 | 10 | Naked Empire | July 21, 2003 | Sword of Truth | |
| 10 | 11 | Chainfire | January 4, 2005 | Sword of Truth | |
| 11 | 12 | Phantom | July 18, 2006 | Sword of Truth | |
| 12 | 13 | Confessor | November 13, 2007 | Sword of Truth | |
| 13 | 23 | The Law of Nines | August 18, 2009 | Far Future Sequel | |
| 14 | 14 | The Omen Machine | August 16, 2011 | Richard and Kahlan | |
| 15 | 1 | The First Confessor: The Legend of Magda Searus | July 2, 2012 | Prequel | |
| 16 | 15 | The Third Kingdom | August 20, 2013 | Richard and Kahlan | |
| 17 | 16 | Severed Souls | August 12, 2014 | Richard and Kahlan | |
| 18 | 17 | Warheart | November 17, 2015 | Richard and Kahlan | |
| 19 | 18b | Death's Mistress | January 24, 2017 | The Nicci Chronicles* | |
| 20 | 19b | Shroud of Eternity | January 9, 2018 | The Nicci Chronicles* | |
| 21 | 20b | Siege of Stone | January 1, 2019 | The Nicci Chronicles* | |
| 22 | 18a | The Scribbly Man | April 4, 2019 | Children of D'Hara* | |
| 23 | 19a | Hateful Things | June 6, 2019 | Children of D'Hara* | |
| 24 | 20a | Wasteland | August 1, 2019 | Children of D'Hara* | |
| 25 | 21a | Witch's Oath | January 6, 2020 | Children of D'Hara* | |
| 26 | 21b | Heart of Black Ice | January 21, 2020 | The Nicci Chronicles* | |
| 27 | 22a | Into Darkness | June 30, 2020 | Children of D'Hara* |
See main article: Legend of the Seeker. In July 2006, Goodkind announced on his official website that he had entered into negotiations with The Evil Dead and Spider-Man director Sam Raimi and producer Rob Tapert to bring The Sword of Truth to life as a TV live-action weekly series. According to the article, Raimi, Tapert and Joshua Donen planned to begin work on the Wizard's First Rule live-action weekly series in May 2008. Raimi & Tapert also wanted Goodkind to remain intimately involved with the project.[14] The show was renamed Legend of the Seeker because the producers wanted to be able to continue the series beyond the first book, and they felt the title Wizard's First Rule was too restrictive. It premiered on November 1, 2008.[15]
There are significant differences between the events of the novels and those of the series. In a February 2008 letter addressed to the fans, Terry Goodkind wrote, "The nature of TV syndication requires that each week's episode be a story in itself, meaning that while the TV series will follow the background story of the book, it will not be able to follow the book exactly because there would be parts that would make an incomplete episode." He later confirmed:
Sam Raimi and his team want to keep the TV series true to my vision, so rest assured that I am going to be intimately involved in the writing of each of the episodes. If you love the book just the way it is, then enjoy the book for what it is and come to the TV series prepared to enjoy the show for what it is.[16]
The TV series ran for two seasons, concluding May 22, 2010 with a total of 44 episodes.
A thread woven through the original series are the 11 "Wizard's Rules", which are practical teachings given to young wizards. The first rule appears in Wizard's First Rule.[17] Further rules are mentioned on occasion, afterwards.
Throughout the series, various magical creatures & beings were brought up, or made appearances. Some of them were from actual mythology, others were fictionalized by the author & others were based on existing mythology, but with unique twists in the original idea.
First appearance—Chainfire; Last appearance—Confessor
First appearance—Wizard's First Rule; Last appearance—Confessor
Appearance—Soul of the Fire
First appearance—The First Confessor; Last appearance—The Children of D'Hara 5: Into Darkness
First appearance—Wizard's First Rule; Last appearance—The Nicci Chronicles
First appearance—Blood of the Fold; Last appearance—Confessor
Appearance—The Nicci Chronicles: Death's Mistress
First appearance—Wizard's First Rule; Last appearance—Confessor
First appearance—The Children of D'Hara 1: The Scribbly Man; Last appearance—The Children of D'Hara 5: Into Darkness
First appearance—The Third Kingdom; Last appearance—Warheart
First appearance—Wizard's First Rule; Last appearance—The Pillars of Creation
Appearance—The Omen Machine
Appearance—The Nicci Chronicles: Death's Mistress
Appearance—The Nicci Chronicles: Death's Mistress
First appearance—The Nicci Chronicles: Shroud if Eternity; Last appearance—The Nicci Chronicles; Heart of Black Ice
First appearance—Wizard's First Rule; Last appearance—The Children of D'Hara 5: Into Darkness
First appearance—Stone of Tears; Last appearance—Blood of the Fold
First appearance—Wizard's First Rule; Last appearance—Confessor
First appearance—Chainfire; Last appearance—Confessor
First appearance—Pillars of Creation; Last appearance—Confessor
First appearance—Stone of Tears; Last appearance—Warheart
Appearance—Stone of Tears
Appearance—The Nicci Chronicles: Heart of Black Ice
First appearance—Wizard's First Rule; Last appearance—The Children of D'Hara 5: Into Darkness
First appearance—Stone of Tears; Last appearance—Confessor
First appearance—The Nicci Chronicles: Death's Mistress; Last appearance—The Nicci Chronicles: Heart of Black Ice
First appearance—Stone of Tears; Last appearance—Confessor
First appearance—Stone of Tears; Last appearance—The Nicci Chronicles: Heart of Black Ice
First appearance—Stone of Tears; Last appearance—Temple of the Winds
Appearance—Naked Empire
First appearance—Blood of the Fold; Last appearance—The Nicci Chronicles: Heart of Black Ice
Appearance—Faith of the Fallen
First appearance—Wizard's First Rule; Last appearance—The Nicci Chronicles: Heart of Black Ice
First appearance—The Children of D'Hara 3: Wasteland; Last appearance—The Children of D'Hara 4: Witch's Oath
First appearance—Wizard's First Rule; Last appearance—The Children of D'Hara 5: Into Darkness
First appearance—Wizard's First Rule; Last appearance—The Children of D'Hara 5: Into Darkness
Appearance—The Nicci Chronicles: Heart of Black Ice
Various magical relics, artifacts and powers come up throughout the series as well. These are explained below.
The novel series frequently enters lists of top fantasy novels. In 2011, an NPR poll of 60,000 readers from among 5,000 fantasy novels nominated, found the series as the 62nd most popular fantasy/science fiction novel of all time.[33] The series has an average rating of roughly four stars on Goodreads, with some of the novels having received thousands of reviews.[34]
The influence of Goodkind's political philosophy in his writing has been noted by reviewers and commentators[35] [36] and has led to divisive reactions about his novels, with some criticizing their Objectivist themes and others praising them.[37] [38] Goodkind himself was open about this influence and was described as an invigorating contrarian[39] who enjoyed stirring up controversy. He has been criticized for writing female characters who adhere to sexist stereotypes and for frequently subjecting them to sexual violence, though he stated his stories were centered on "strong female characters" and once objected to a book cover he considered sexist.[40]