This is the first night of our Sword of Truth 13 night Marathon. We will begin where it all started…..Wizard’s First Rule.
Wizard’s First Rule by Terry Goodkind – a Review
In honor of the great Terry Goodkind, I will for the very first time, attempt a review of the book that began a journey so vast, that it changed the way I would read forever. Wizard’s First Rule. The harrowing first installment of the phenomenal Sword of Truth series. I would like to warn any who read this, that I could never find words adequate enough to express the immense joy this series has brought me throughout the fifteen years I have been reading them.
SoT represents far more than fantastic literature for me. Like many others whom have been lucky enough to discover this fine work, this series literally changed my life. Furthermore, it changed my entire outlook on the gift we are all given OF life, and showcases the inner core of strength we all possess, to live in any way, or means we deem as right.
Not only is this series one of the most innovative Fantasy Epic’s ever written…one that will live on generation upon generation, but it is also a work to inspire the heart, stir the senses, and invigorate the soul. If you have been on the fence as to whether or not you would enjoy a novel written of the Fantasy Genre….know that this is a wholly original series unlike anything you have read, or will ever read again. A rare work of literature that transcends genres flawlessly. With that, I will begin…..
If I was ever asked to name the most amazing single book I have ever read. The one novel, in my long repertoire that I will never forget as long as I live, no matter the number of books I complete….I would name Wizard’s First Rule. To this day, even the very first line of this superb novel stays with me, as I somehow knew I was embarking on a journey unlike any other I have experienced.
It is in this moment we meet a woods guide named Richard Cypher, whom lives in a place called Westland. A land without fantastical creatures, or magic. At first glance, you begin to ask yourself, if you are truly reading a fantasy, because Richard’s underwhelming World mirrors our own. In addition, Richard Cypher is as normal as any man you could meet in reality. He has lived a quiet, rustic life with his family. He is infallibly polite, kindhearted, compassionate, considerate, and hardworking. This is a man who would never tell an untruth. A man who could never conceptualize the darkness of evil, or thirst for power–because this is a man who would never even contemplate bringing harm unto another.
Richard Cypher, although by all appearances is not special, or gifted…is the type of hero little girls dream about, and hope to earn the love of upon becoming a woman. This is a type of hero boys idolize, and wish to emulate when becoming a man. As you may have guessed, readers learn more about Richard Cypher with every page we turn. With every book we complete, Richard transforms, and becomes MORE. Yet somehow, as we watch our hero grow, discovering his many strengths, abilities, and gifts, as we watch him change….so too does he somehow…stay exactly the same.
With a finesse few authors could achieve, this hero who is oft times honed in blood, darkness, and shadow–retains the innate goodness of heart, and purity of soul of which we were first introduced in the form of a simple woods guide. Richard is one of those rare characters in literature whom is incorruptible. Yet so too is he flawed, relatable, and REAL. His capacity for love, forgiveness, and understanding never wavers, no matter the horrors he suffers, or the betrayals he receives.
I told myself I would remain unbiased, and unemotional in my depictions of this phenomenal hero in literature….but if it was not already obvious, I will just come out and admit it. Richard Cypher is my most favorite male in all of fiction. None who preceded him could rival his greatness, and none to come, could ever take his place in my heart.
Once again I will reiterate that I can not express accurately with words, the talent of Terry Goodkind. Readers do not just see the world of Sword of Truth, learning its secrets through Richard’s eyes…but the meticulous attention to detail, and vividly bright descriptions, take us on the journey ourselves, walking alongside Richard.
A moment that will forever stay within my head–a brilliant, crystal clear mental image–is the moment when Richard is lounging in the woods early on in the book. Through the trees, glittering amongst the bright rays of sunshine, he glimpses flashes of white. This is a moment with which the reader almost feels as if time slows down, as Richard comes to the realization that the flashes of white is produced by a lone woman, fleeing four heavily armed men, chasing her through the woods. This is the moment that turns Richard’s world upside down, and changes his destiny forever.
Which brings me to our heroine. This is not a series with which a reviewer can offer many spoilers without ruining this incredible journey for others, so I cannot offer much information on the female lead. I will say she is from a place called the Midlands. The polar opposite of the land form which our hero comes from. A place ripe with powerful magic, fantastical beings, and brimming with the ambition of evil. A place where weaponry is forged from much more than steal. A place where darkness rubs elbows with light…and of which is beyond Richard wildest dreams…and nightmares.
In this moment that the lone woman is glimpsed in her flight through the trees, Richard makes the split second decision to offer the strange woman aid. Using his tracking skills as a woods guide to make up ground and reach the men before they can inflict bodily harm. He gives chase. This is the moment when our hero and heroine first meet. Enter Kahlan Amnell, our mystery woman. Dressed in strange attire, a simple, yet symbolic white dress, with fabric that flows with her every movement. A woman whom meets Richard’s eyes with a piercing green stare that is alive with staggering intelligence. One of which peers into his very soul, steeling his breath, and stirring something long hidden within him. No compulsion, no judgment, just a quiet regalness that urges Richard to make the decision to act, or to walk away….
Like her male counterpart, Kahlan Amnell for me, remains the most finely constructed female lead in fiction. This is a woman who will never compromise in what she believes is right and just. A woman who is dedicated to safeguarding the lives of the innocent. A woman whom never wavers in the pursuit of Truth. Possessing limitless integrity, and an unbreakable will. This is a woman whom is feared by the people she exists to protect, and of whom has never known the feel of a simple touch in kindness from another. A woman whom has never known friendship….and sadly….will never know love.
Wizard’s First Rule begins the journey of the Seeker of Truth, and the Mother Confessor. A journey entailing a yin yang of literature, equal parts light, and equal parts shadow. A journey that will address the classic question as to which entity is truly more powerful than the other. Showcasing a true testament to the strength of the human spirit. A literary gauntlet that will test the limits of any reader. Filled with laughing out loud humor, heart wrenching emotion, and unimaginable suffering. You will cry with these characters whom will steal your heart forever. You will hurt with them when they suffer. You will cheer with each triumph earned, and you will be left breathless with each thrilling end.
In closing, I cant promise this series will be easy read….but I can promise that it will be worth every hour spent doing so.
Reviewed by Miranda
