mass market paperback, 820 pages
English language
Published Nov. 20, 1995 by Tom Doherty Associates.
The protective barrier that separates Westland from its neighbors to the east is about to fall, letting loose a monstrous evil upon the world. Only the combined efforts of a young man dedicated to finding the truth, an enigmatic woman intent on concealing her past, and a crusty old hermit resigned to his inevitable destiny can prevent the opening of the three boxes of Orden-an event with the potential to destroy existence itself. The inclusion of graphic scenes of sado-eroticism, though integral to the story, may deter purchase by some libraries. Nevertheless, this first novel offers an intriguing variant on the standard fantasy quest. The richly detailed world and complex characters will appeal to mature fantasy aficionados.
My youth was reading these books before going to sleep :)
Really enjoyed this book, hit the right balance between epic fantasy and not being ridiculously long (Wheel of Time I'm looking at you...). Although part of a series, the book ended at a definitive point which cleared up a lot of loose ends whilst still leaving enough open for me to want to read the next one.
Goodkind is an awkward, unskilled writer.
For years I would hear something good about this book, pick it up, then put it right back down again.
The first few chapters are by far the worst. They read as if Goodkind wrote them when he was a much younger man; then squirreled them away in a trunk somewhere, only to find them again 15 years later and decide to continue the novel without editing the first chapters one bit.
If you can manage to suffer through those first chapters, you'll be treated to a slight improvement in craft and a bland, well-trodden storyscape involving a land sealed off from magic and a battle between good and evil.
There are so many good books in the fantasy genre. This is not one of them. It is, rather, the beginning of a great time sink of a series. Do yourself a favor and …
Goodkind is an awkward, unskilled writer.
For years I would hear something good about this book, pick it up, then put it right back down again.
The first few chapters are by far the worst. They read as if Goodkind wrote them when he was a much younger man; then squirreled them away in a trunk somewhere, only to find them again 15 years later and decide to continue the novel without editing the first chapters one bit.
If you can manage to suffer through those first chapters, you'll be treated to a slight improvement in craft and a bland, well-trodden storyscape involving a land sealed off from magic and a battle between good and evil.
There are so many good books in the fantasy genre. This is not one of them. It is, rather, the beginning of a great time sink of a series. Do yourself a favor and pick up some George R. Martin or Melanie Rawn or Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman. They're all much, much more skilled practitioners of medieval high fantasy than Goodkind.
