Moving to Night #2 of our Sword of Truth 13 night Marathon. We will review the second novel of the series…..Stone of Tears.
Stone of Tears by Terry Goodkind – a Review
I loved Stone of Tears, loved the fact that I was able to continue to the next book without waiting, as most of you have had to do. Being able to do this, makes you even more obsessed with the characters, if you become attached to them, like I have. Many of you have told me how you become obsessed with the characters that Terry Goodkind has created. They were so right….Richard & Kahlan, are wonderful characters that I will get to enjoy for awhile longer. Perhaps even the best characters I will ever meet.
The book starts from the beginning with intense excitement with the escape of the screeling, and Zedd and the others trying to escape. As always , Goodkind brings in many new secondary characters, which this book had quite a lot of. Some great, some interesting, some others …were just added parts to the story. However, I wasn’t crazy that we had to wait so long (chapter 6) to see Kahlan and Richard again. Chandalen turns out to be a great secondary character and watching him and Kahlan get close at the end was great. The time with the mud people was a bit slow, as you kept waiting for them to finally get together, which of course never happens. But it did bring in the Sisters of the Light (Dark), and Verna. By the time they reached the Palace, maybe even a bit before, I started to like Verna. I knew she was good, though a bit too stern in her belief, which later changes.
So quickly things changed to separate Richard and Kahlan again. The part with Deena was good, as she did redeem herself to save Richard from Darken Rahl & the Keeper. But it was so sad what Kahlan had to do to save Richard’s life. That indeed was an emotional part of the book, changing the entire storyline. But poor Richard & Kahlan, once again they are torn apart.
Kahlan is fantastic, what a great female character. Teaching the young men how to fight a war, the power she has within (which I am sure will grow even more powerful later on), her bravado at such trying times, simply amazes me. When she makes the men and herself whitewash themselves and go nude was a classic trick. Lol bravo to her, not only to go naked as the lone women, but to think of something like that. It was pretty scary, when they dragged her off the horse, and thankfully Orsk became one of hers to protect her (he was a funny character with his ax). Also the scene earlier, when the young men brought their former friend to her (after they killed the others), and she forced him to tell them that he would have betrayed them, was also classic, as the soldiers saw her power, and realized how she saved them. They became totally loyal to her then. Prindin was a surprise, though I saw he wanted her throughout and should have expected he would turn. Good points in this story, but still not as good as Richard’s. Well at least until they came to Kahlan’s home and the council. That was exciting, but a bit of a turnoff , the way they treated her, the guy (forgot his name) standing on the bed urinating (was this necessary lol), sending her to the pits, the horror, the wizard who did that to her. Awful part, and perhaps in those days, that may be the way things were (when men like this thought little of women), but it was depressing. Just when she gets away, Zedd betrays her (I know he lost his memory, and didn’t know her) to have her brought back to be beheaded. Of course, we knew nothing will happen to Kahlan, she has a lot more books to go, not to mention one of the main characters. lol Why didn’t they just have her escape, why go through that. I guess to make Richard originally think she died.
On to Richard and the Sisters of the Light. I thought the trip to the Palace was a bit too long, many unnecessary parts. However, I loved seeing Richard meet Gratch. Loved how they both played, & loved each other. And how Gratch followed Richard to the Palace. Lol Great character, even better then Scarlett, whom we did not see too much, but nice to see again later on. Things got better, after they got to the Palace. I thought despite my dislike of the sisters of the light, this was a very good storyline. You knew he would discover things about his power, and what he was meant to do. You knew about the sisters of the dark, and waited for them to come out. The best parts of course was Gratch, and the most emotional when he forced himself to say goodbye to Gratch, to save his life. I felt so bad, and hated Pasha and the sisters when they went to kill him. Verna coming to tell him to save Gratch, was the final thing that made me like her even more. But at the same time, this was the moment, I kept waiting for, when Richard realizes that Kahlan did love him. She did to him, what he did to Gratch to save his life. Great scenes.
The time element (time moves slowly and hundreds of years would go by) was an excellent addition to the Sisters story. It was great to watch Richard grow more powerful, believe in himself, then to escape and get back to home and to try and save Kahlan. Bringing Scarlett to fly him was great, Verna’s comments of him finding strange pets was hysterical. His grief to find out that Kahlan was beheaded was sad, and Kahlan’s belief that Richard was lost for 300 years was also sad. But I thought it was a nice touch for Denna to be the one to bring them together finally. The only beef I have with that, is I would have preferred them together in their world, not elsewhere, where they still have to travel to meet up.
I loved, loved Richard meeting up with Gratch again, and how he tells Gratch that he can stay with him and Kahlan, and she will love him too. Great scene.
Some parts I wasn’t crazy about were the torture scenes, that throughout the story tended to be extreme. I also understand, but do not like the total separation, instead of short periods, of Richard and Kahlan being apart. I know this is not a romance, but without their love for one another, this story would not be as powerful as it is. This is Richard & Kahlan’s story. However, all said and done, I loved Stone of Tears.
Reviewed by Barb
another wonderful review Barb…I think I have about 9 books from the series…and of course…where do I find the time…..lol
I enjoyed reading your review of Stone of Tears again, so much Ms. Barb! Your clear and concise summation is just what people count on when looking into a novel they have never read. I tend to allow my emotion to pour out in reviews, detracting from the actual book, and I always admire your ability to state what you loved about a novel, and what you did not.
I do find it interesting that to me, I feel as if the torture that comes along with this world being at war, is few and far between after the scene with Richard and Denna in WFR–yet in your perception it is still forefront in the storyline. Perhaps I have been desensitized of such, having read in this genre for so long, and that is why I cannot really recall it being prominent.
For me personally, I found Richard and Kahlan’s struggle to keep their immense love alive more difficult to read then the horrors of war. The scene where Kahlan is standing before Richard in her beautiful blue wedding dress, the day before they were to be married, will forever be burned into my mind. These two thought that they had overcome the greatest obstacle blocking their path, in order to be together. How wrong they were. It felt like my heart was ripped from my chest and stomped into the ground, witnessing Kahlan fight for his life….forcing him to relive what he suffered in Denna’s hands in order to get him to put the collar around his neck to save him. Like I said before…Kahlan has a will of pure iron.
You hit on so many high points of this fantastic novel. Time and time again Goodkind manages to deliver a quality novel, with its own unique plot, with its own beginning, middle, and end. The way he weaves each individual plot tier, into the main story arc of the Sword of Truth series, is seemless everytime. Over all, Stone of Tears is one of the most well written arcs of the series.
Miranda, you do sensational reviews. Never put yourself down.
This was a great book that perfectly continued from WFR.
As for the torture, if i had to pick anything that i wasn’t crazy about, as I have said, it is the torture, and many were so extreme. but reading other fantasy or urban fantasy, i do see torture similar.
I got to read the first 4 books back to back… then came the aggravating waits for the next and the next. Miranda I make special trips to read your reviews… you do great jobs of the books you report on. Barb, you are right in there with the best. I am never disappointed with what I read for reviews on these walls. That includes what you write too Sandy. (Don’t want to miss anyone). Something tells me I am going to dig myself a grave … point is I have not read a bad review anywhere here from anyone. I cannot say enough how much I have enjoyed this series, and I have read them many times over.
lmao that’s ok Maryann, we love you too. 🙂
I have to agree you did another great job on this one and I have to day that this book did have a few parts that were slow. But as always it picks back and well your back to the awesome story . i can’t wait until tomorrows review.
Crowgoddess, despite some of the slow parts, this story has so many wonderful classic parts that made it a great book.
I agree I Love when Richard keeps telling them he is not staying and they think he is just being a child then finally they realize nope he really isn’t gonna stay then well everything goes into chaos at that point and the story gets really good. Gotta love Richard
Crowgoddess, the storyline at sisters of the light, was excellent. This really was a great book, with two different stories going on, Kahlan, Cara & Zedd, and Richard coming more into his ability. truly awesome.
the more i read this review, the more i think i should go back to read this series.
Wonderful review, Barb. Again reading these reviews makes me want to explore this series. I do not have the time right now to read big books like this. Personally I prefer the short novellas, but this does sound great.
Great review Barb, although I have to say this isn’t one of my fav books in the series. I found some parts to be long winded and I didn’t care for the introduction of the Denna and her Mord Sith(sp) sisters. However, having said that I understand why we had these characters introduced along with the events that happened in this book. All of it helped to shape both Kahlan and Richard to further them along in their journey/quest.
*shaking my head, and whistling low*
Mmm mmm mmm Marcie Mouse. I think a re-read is do for you my friend. First Ian and Sarah from Daughters of the Glen, and now this. I believe you meant Verna and her sisters of the light?
Do not fret. I have trouble remembering the details too sometimes. *cough*
You know what Miranda, I’m getting the books confused with the tv show. They combined so many books in those two seasons that it confused me when I was reading the books, plus the books were so freaking long I felt like I was never going to end the series at one point. Don’t get me wrong, love the series, just didn’t like how long it took me to catch up with it.
Umm in regards to a re-read, not happening in the for see-able future. Too many other books to read and don’t have time to put my list aside for a year as that’s how long it took me the first time to read through this series. LOL!!!! I’m serious took me a year to read the whole series.
WOW! Mranda and Barb, this seems to be a very emotional as well as sometime tragic story. But I enjoy the concept of what doesn’t destroy you will make you stronger. How they treat Kahlan is horrible. Urinating on the bed. Terrible. But I know down through history women have been treated in a horrifc manner.I know certain points in the story it’ll be a hard read for me. Looking forward to reading this series and seeing Richard reunited with his lady love.
Certainly true Lavonda. As much as I adore this series, as much as I feel it is one of the most Epic love stories ever told, I do not recommend them to everyone due to the immense heartbreak and tragedy contained within. The important thing to remember as you contemplate reading this series, is that there are so many wonderful, funny, tender AMAZINGLY good moments to balance out the bad. Such is why I refer to SoT as a Yin Yang of literature.
I am still shocked how many people I have told about this series, from the CF community, who utterly LOVE these books as much as I do. I never expected such, because I know so many people that have loved books 1 through 4, and then just stop reading because they cannot take Richard and Kahlan’s struggle just to be. It seems like they are seperated more often than not, but they DO end up husband and wife, and have their HEA. Everything they get through is so profound, and the reward is so much more gratifying.
I have always been the type of reader that can endure anything I witness in literature, as long as good overcomes evil, and the guy gets the girl at the end. *laughing*