We are now in the final stretch of our Sword of Truth 13 Night Marathon. Tonight we start the first of the trilogy that will complete the Sword of Truth arc….Chainfire.

Chainfire by Terry Goodkind – a Review

When I started Chainfire, I was so looking forward to the final trilogy that will end Sword of Truth, and bring Richard & Kahlan together (I hope) forever.  Then the first chapter of Chainfire threw me for a loop.  I had to go Miranda to get some answers, and to calm down.  Afterall, what would you think my reaction would be to “Who is Kahlan”  I knew that something happened to Kahlan in Phantom, but not in Chainfire. 

Crap, here we go again, separating Richard and Kahlan.  Upon talking to Miranda, I further discovered that I had endure no Kahlan in Chainfire, but also in Phantom.  I love SOT because of Richard & Kahlan (and Cara too).  So I was sort of depressed knowing I had to read this book without a major part of it (Kahlan).

The beginning was a shock, then it became sort of pushing my way through it. Then, came the part of Richard saving Cara.  That turned things around a bit.  Those scenes with Richard taking Cara’s pain, loving her, and forcing her back to life, was one of the most emotional scenes in any book I have read.  Bravo to Goodkind for this part.  Very well done. 

The Shota storyline was excellent, and kept my interest.  Though I do not like Shota, usually she comes through for them eventually.  Giving up the Sword of Truth was puzzling, but I can see that Shota must have known that some how Samuel would come to the rescue.  Mind you, I have no idea whether he will be a danger in Phantom, but for now he helped them. 

What I did not like throughout the book, was the constant belittling of Richard, that he was delirious. I understood it, but that and Richard’s over and over and over saying “ I have to find Kahlan”.   You got tired of him having to say it all the time, and then watching Ann,  Nathan, and Zedd putting him down. I feel bad to only have seen Kahlan for one chapter, and the way they treated her.  Damn, I hope soon she gets her revenge.

The last 1/2 of the book was very exciting, and even now I feel myself still tense.  Nicci saving Richard from killing himself, Rikka (though she couldn’t go) joining with Cara and Nicci to help Richard escape from Ann, Nathan, and Zedd, seeing the sliph again, going to caska/jillian, the palace with the missing boxes of orden and Nicci getting all the answers from Tovi.  Nicci wanting Richard to kill her (as Cara did earlier), but both (and Rikka)  believing in him as he addressed Ann,Nathan, Zedd, even if they still couldn’t remember Kahlan.  I enjoyed Cara seeing Benjamin again, Nicci pushing him to Cara, and Nicci knowing how much Richard loved Kahlan.

I also have to say in this book, I liked Nicci.  No not for Richard, but as a protector, similar to the way Cara is to him.  Richard needs all he can get to help him with this.  Having Nicci and Cara will help him get Kahlan back, and all of them, including Zedd, Nathan and Ann (maybe Verna) will finally destroy Jagang.

The worst part was the cliffhanger ending that I so love.  🙂  I don’t know how anyone had to wait for so long for the next book.  Thankfully I can read Phantom next. As the sooner we get Kahlan back, the better I will feel.  Now if that doesn’t sound like someone obsessed.. I don’t know what is.

Let’s here your thoughts on Chainfire.

Reviewed by Barb