Customer Reviews

Chainfire: Chainfire Trilogy, Part 1 (Sword of Truth, Book 9)

5 star:		(122)
4 star:		(79)
3 star:		(74)
2 star:		(60)
1 star:		(63)

 

 

I greatly anticipated Chainfire and even read all 8 prior books in preparation of reading it. Unfortunately it has left me "wanting more" and not because of the storyline. Although the last 100 pages were good, the first 500 had me continuously wanting to "skip ahead" to GET TO THE GOOD STUFF!

Terry seems to be obsessed with reiterating certain aspects of prior books. This detracts from the story and only "adds pages" without adding content. If a person is reading book #9 and has not yet read any of the prior 8 books in the SOT series, then I don't have much compassion for those people. Figure it out!

While there were a couple good twists in this book and a few things happened that I didn't suspect, I didn't feel there was much continuity to the Naked Empire. Also Richard has not progressed one iota as a wizard (nor as a human being for that matter).

I guess what I wanted for this book (eg begin to show Richard's skill and potential as a great wizard) as well as his ability to defeat Jajang on his own terms will never be realized. This book series has gotten more "preachy" as it's gone on.

Terry are you listening? Bring back the excitement of wizardry and magic, combined with a great love story. It's time to wrap up this plotline (with Jajang) and move on to other adventures with Richard and Kahlen.

I have always been an avid fan of the "High" Fantasy genre, which I've typically associated with the exceptional works of Melanie Rawn, Robert Jordan, Stephen Donaldson, Kate Elliot, Tad Williams and their contemporaries. High Fantasy incorporates art with complicated and enriched story lines, vision and characters that hold form and personality outside of the text. An author capable of this is a rare commodity and so when they are discovered, I hold dearly to their works and diligently read and collect every volume. When Terry Goodkind came to my attention with "Wizards First Rule", I was intrigued and thankful to add another author to my collection. He was talented and able to develop characters with a depth and substance that connected them to the reader.

I followed the story of Richard and Kahlan through their many disappointments and victories, enjoying the ever evolving relationship and the roles they each played in the government/leadership of a fractured nation. Even as the storyline began to over-run, threatening to become stagnant and bland, I stayed loyal and true. With his 9th work in this series the story, however, has evolved into something worse than bland, it has become mediocre. The story is a diatribe of philosophical gibberish that exudes existentialism with careless abandon making the volume, ironically, appear more prosaic rather than meaningful. It leaves the reader's thirst for development/progression, un-sated with characters reduced to flat and formless entities, interchangeable and amorphous.

I have never, in all my years, ever put a book down unfinished once I've begun...until now. Less than one third of the way to completion, I decided that I had read enough, and decided to waste my time no more. Mr. Goodkind, in his attempts to appease the public's thirst for more, has given them, instead, far less.

I'm one of those many who was not a big fan of the 7th and 8th books, so while I was hoping to be impressed I was not at all expecting it. But it is really truly good reading that has left me drooling for book 10. The stroy isn't as fast paced as the last book, and it's laden with little bits of goodness and food for thought all throughout. Goodkind said this was the first in a trilogy to end the series, and now all the loose ends are begining to come together. The characters once more have a nice depth of dimmension which just adds to the enjoyment. For those who reached a certain peak of disgust at all the preaching in previous books, this one is almost entirely story driven (the philosophy is still there; it's just worked into the plot like in the first part of the series). All in all, this has all the elements that made me love the series in the first place, and virtually none of what made me dislike later books.

I'm going to be honest. I like Terry Goodkind's work, even if some elements do play off of another fantasy series. But the characters have sprung into a life of their own, and Goodkind has managed to weave the story into something fully original.

I won't be one of the ones to say that this is his best work, because it honestly isn't. I enjoyed Wizard's First Rule and Faith of the Fallen much more than I did this book. But it is a good book. Goodkind has managed to take an idea seldom heard, if ever, and work it into the fabric of the reality that he has spun for all of his loyal readers. What's more, he has managed to keep the interactions between the characters believable, even taking into account the many different plot twists.

The only downside I found to this book is that there were a few instances where I could not believe what was going on. There was also one or two instances where concepts involving prophecy left me befuddled. But despite the few bad points, it still does not diminish from the effort he has put into this. I literally read it from cover to cover in six straight hours, and was enchanted the entire time.

In short, people want to whine because it doesn't have the few elements they've become accustomed to. And people want to heap praise and adulation upon a new book simply because of who wrote it. I hope I do neither. I like this book, and hope that this review will help someone enjoy it as much as I did.

"Chainfire" is the ninth novel in the "Sword of Truth" series revisiting a prevalent theme in prior volumes. The preachy writing has brief moments of interest. Other than Richard, Kahlan has been entirely erased from history, memory, and prophecy as having ever been alive. Below is my synopsis of the recurring trials of love involving Kahlan and Richard Rahl in the previous novels.

Book 1: Richard taken by Mord-Sith
Book 2: Richard taken by Sisters of the Light
Book 3: adventuring separately, doubts of love
Book 4: adventuring separately, doubts of love
Book 5: Richard and Kahlan together for first time, try to save pacifist culture
Book 6: Richard taken by Nicci
Book 8: adventuring separately, Richard poisoned by different pacifist culture

Throughout the novel, Richard behaves as a selfish lovesick bully, rudely demanding answers, constantly thinks life is meaningless without Kahlan, and contemplates suicide. A young girl begs him to save her grandfather but Richard refuses because his search for information regarding Kahlan is more important, making the girl assist him while someone else volunteers to separately help her grandfather. He is a disturbing hypocrite, preaching about living your life how you wish yet demands others help. Richard forces them to choose his bidding, indirectly removing free will with the threat of violence (not really a choice for the child). Richard constantly states the evil Imperial Order must be eradicated for wanting to destroy free will but obsesses over Kahlan and leaves others to battle Jagang's forces. He chooses to deny a leadership role, potentially sacrificing the world, for Kahlan. As a result, the author failed to create a romantic quest while trying to have her disappearance a mystery amidst a fantasy story.

Richard verbally oppresses people, not allowing explanations whereas his remarks must be fully heard. He even yelled at and disrespected his grandfather. Furthermore, he doesn't explain essential details nor give details of important events because his time is crucial for lecturing. The reader encounters pages of unbearably long-winded sermons that slowly illustrate a concept. The second consecutive chapter of an argument about Kahlan's existence had nonstop speech (hardback - Chapter 14 from bottom page 153 to middle page 156) with 4 short actions (lifting an arm or jabbing finger) and 1 small out of place paragraph describing a character outfit and environment. Richard preaches the importance of fighting the Imperial Order for freedom in solid dialogue (Chapter 15 from page 165 to middle page 170) with five 2-line comments from a crowd and couple minor actions. That is a five and a half page mind-numbing speech. I haven't read every novel let alone every fantasy novel, but that is a staggering lecture. Constantly a solid page of a repeated speech hammers a Goodkind concept into the readers. Combined with Nathan, Nicci, Shota, and Zedd speaking the same teaching manner, the lengthy dialogue becomes exceedingly boring and neglects to distinguish the characters as separate individuals. Characters behave lovesick the same, cannot live or exist without their love and will die without the person, a morbid manner.

Richard doesn't fully understand his abilities, casting spontaneous magic. While Emperor Jagang travels with an entire army, his counterpart Lord Rahl recklessly and unrealistically travels with few companions through enemy territory. Samuel, the previous owner of the Sword of Truth, is as physically twisted and mentally obsessed as Gollum (an exact clone of a short, dark form with a pallid head, gray skin, bulging yellow eyes like twin lanterns) of "Lord of the Rings" is with a magical item.

The writing has degraded through the series. I no longer collect them in hardback and read the newer books from the library having to forego paying even though time is money. As with many readers, I will see how characters I once greatly enjoyed retire.

The book isn't without redeeming qualities. Nathan and Zedd when not teaching philosophy are engaging individuals. Nicci has become a much-needed person in the war against the Imperial Order with her expertise. Even though she is not a war wizard, why not try teaching Richard magical skills. The final 100 pages raise the rating with creativity in characterization and magical reasoning.

Thank you.

This was about a hundred times better than his last book. In fact normally I give 4 stars to books that I feel are 3.5 - however, there is a reason why I am only giving this one 3. (Why doesn't Amazon use a 10 star system?) Once again Richard and Kahlan are separated - surprised anyone? I have grown quite tired of this plot device. I was pleased to see that there was NOT a "villain of the week" as there have been in the last 4 or 5 books. Here we are back to Jajang and the Sisters of the Dark. My one problem is the method that Richard and Kahlan are separated by...I don't want to spoil the plotline but anyone who knows what "Balefire" is from the wheel of time series will know what I am talking about. Its amazing to me that "Chainfire" turns out to be the exact same as "Balefire" form the "other" TOR fantasy series. I almost want to suggest that Goodking and Jordan merge their stories into one to save me money and maybe put out one more 5 star book...
Anyhow, this was a good book despite the relatively unoriginal plot line. It sets itself up for a good sequel and is worth a read. If only I could cast Chainfire on the Naked Empire and the Pillars of Creation I would be happy...


Relic113

I didn't like "Naked Empire", but I stuck with the series in hopes of a return to better days. This book is a little better than "Naked Empire" but it still has many of the same problems, just not as much.

My first problem is the philosophy. Don't get me wrong. I love Ayn Rand, I love the philosophy, and I love the fact the characters in Mr. Goodkind's books live and work using the philosophy of objectivism. My problem are the extended speeches that Richard Rahl gives. In the first four books the characters actions showed their beliefs. The message is weaker when it is told and not shown. I like Ayn Rand's non-fiction works, but it is "Atlas Shrugged" and "The Fountainhead" that I especially love because I get to see them live the philosophy. Goodkind did this in the first several books but has gotten progressively worse.

My other problem is the lack of action. He misses a prime chance to show us an awesome battle between Richard and a band of order troops. The first chapter begins by showing us a gravely wounded Richard. He could have started the story ten minutes early and had a more exciting book. I read fantasy because I like fantasy. I like the magic duels and epic battles. While I don't need massive amounts I do like it. I got the feeling in this book that what action there was was thrown in because Goodkind felt it was expected. I didn't get the feeling that Goodkind was into it.

My last problem was that the plot was the same old same old. Uh Oh. Kahlan and Richard have been seperated by some mystic force. The emperor has unleashed some new magic weapon. Somethings up with the books of prophecy. They discover some new magic.

The reason it gets three stars is that despite the philosophy, which wasn't as much as the last, and the same old plot, which is a decent plot just been done, I was entertained. I do wish I hadn't started buying these books in hardback though. I would rather wait and buy these books in paperback but since I've invested this much already I might as well finish.

"Get on with it!" as one character said to another as yet another endless restating of the facts takes place. You have to admire Goodkind's writing skills -- he can take one sentence and spin it into 4 pages.

And Where's the rest of this story? At least, in the past, you could count on Goodkind to tell a self-contained story, one that at least resolved the main issue of that particular book, but we're left hanging at the end of this one.

Is it true there are only 2 more books to go? Well, at least an end is in sight (hey, Mr. Jordan, you paying attention?)

This could have been an incredible 5-book series -- the best ever, but Goodkind was no doubt told to stretch it out to make more money. . .so now we have a mediocre series where readers skip over vast numbers of pages in a book (without missing a thing,) waiting for the final story.

Wizards First Rule was just amazing - let's hope the last two books measure up.

Ok I slept through Pillars of Creation and Naked Empire wasn't much better. The first five books really grabbed me from beginning to end but by 5 & 6 the repeatitve preachy-ness of the philosophy was getting old and my emotional involvment in the story and characters was starting to take a frustrating turn toward boredom.However, like others here I was dedicated to see this series through.

Chainfire had me from beginning to end. After working a 12 hour day yesterday I was up in bed until 3am to finish the book, I could not put it down.. I agree that too preachy philosophy is still there though not flooded as the last couple tomes. I concur as well that the plot of Kahlan & Richard separated etc. is nothing new but I thoroughly enjoyed this latest installment of it. There were some twist and turns that surprised me and for the most part it was a very edge of your seat book. (I confess to being easily entertained and not as intensely judgemental as some die hard readers) The Viper with 4-Heads was unexpected and the end left me definitely eager with questions and extrapolations for the next chapter in this tale.

I would say this is the best volumne in this series to arrive on the scene since the first four got me hooked.

I'm angry that there are such good plot items introduced throughout the entirety of the series that are totally panhandled to the background in favor of repetitive diatribe in his last three volumes. I'm angry that there were great characters that could have been but never were... no development beyond the paragraphs they were required to occupy. I'm angry that such a brilliant and evil villain like Jagang is left undeveloped and ignored and his sweeping and overwhelming army is on some sort of Tivo pause. I'm angry that Richard has to endure being a hapless buffoon throughout the pages of dribbling crud like "Chainfire" and "Naked Empire" in his quest against evil.
After Naked Empire I decided his books weren't worth my hard earned money. After Chainfire I've decided his books aren't even worth my time. Someone send me an email and tell me how it all ends because I'm through. Read at your own peril.