Debt of Bones (Sword of Truth Prequel Novel) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Terry Goodkind (Author)
Key Phrases: first wizard, dear spirits, Wizard Zorander, Coney Crossing, Panis Rahl (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Terry Goodkind (Faith of the Fallen) presents Debt of Bones, a prequel to his Sword of Truth series that involves series character First Wizard Zedd in the time before the Boundaries were drawn. Abby, a poor peasant who has an ancient claim on Zedd, asks the impossible of him to save her community, including her husband, child and father at the possible price of countless other lives. Illus.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal
As the armies of Panis Rahl spread across the land, a young woman from a beleaguered town begs a boon from First Wizard Zedd, ignorant of the consequences of her request. This revised version of a novella that first appeared in the fantasy anthology Legends illuminates the period in history before the events of Goodkind's "Sword of Truth" series. The conflict between love and duty forms a central theme in this brief and touching tale of people caught up in events they cannot fully control. Keith Parkinson's pencil illustrations add a delicate touch to the story, highlighting key events in the narrative. Libraries wishing to complete their Goodkind collection will want this gracefully written story.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 175 pages
• Publisher: Tor Fantasy; 1st edition (November 2, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765351544
• ISBN-13: 978-0765351548
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (80 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,005 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

173 of 179 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not a novel novella, October 29, 2001

By	"foxechick" (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Debt of Bones (Sword of Truth Prequel Novel) (Hardcover)

Terry Goodkind has become well-known amongst fantasy fans for his epic "Sword of Truth" series. Now, with "Debt of Bones", he revisits the world of his creation with a tale of old history.

This is a story about Zedd, the First Wizard of the Midlands. Readers of Goodkind's books will know some of the events that took place when Zedd's wife was killed and his daughter's life also at stake; now the story is revealed in detail. Grieving, bitter and disillusioned, Zedd closets himself from the world and its troubles. It takes a courageous young woman with a desperate need of her own to reach him and convince him to help her. The events that follow will change the world and shape the course of history.

Although I enjoyed reading this book- Goodkind's skill at weaving a convincing, enthralling story is as obvious as ever- I was somewhat disappointed with it. The book is quite short, more a novella than a novel, and is largely a reworking of a story by the same title that was previously published as part of an anthology, "Legends". Excellent novels can sometimes be produced in a similar manner, and many classic books (especially of the sci-fi genre) had their start as a short story. However, I feel that in this case, little has been added to the original in terms of quality or quantity.

In summary: I will always read Goodkind's books, but this one wasn't as worthwhile as I have come to expect.

7 stars out of 10

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not as good but OK..., October 14, 2001

By	KellyB (Altoona PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Debt of Bones (Sword of Truth Prequel Novel) (Hardcover)

This Terry Goodkind Novel was not as interesting as the original Sword of Truth books but it wasn't bad!I am a freshman in high school and it took me 2 1/2 hrs to read; so it is not nearly as long as the others.I really liked it because it was a chance to get reunited with Zedd. we learn what happens before Richard is born and how the war with Panis Rahl and D'Hara ends. The boundaries are created and some new caracters are even introduced. I recommend this book to someone who has already read the sword of truth series or to someone who has a new interest.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An exciting prequel and a pleasant one hour diversion!, October 27, 2005

By	Paul Weiss (Dundas, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Debt of Bones (Sword of Truth Prequel Novel) (Hardcover)

A most pleasant one hour diversion! In Debt of Bones, Goodkind has not only provided us with an excellent tale in its own right but has filled in some of the background to the war with the D'Harans, the Rahl dynasty, and the inside story on the history of the land outside the Midlands where no magic is allowed. It is quite astounding that Debt of Bones has all the requisites of a full length fantasy novel - good, evil, war, magic, epic battles, love, loyalty, treason, deceit and treachery - but he has managed to squeeze it into the size of a novella barely over 100 pages.

Goodkind, no doubt, achieved this brevity by omitting detailed explanations of some of the things that his fans would already understand - the devastating results of the touch of the Mother Confessor and the sadistic behaviour of the Mord Sith, for example. If you're a first-time Goodkind reader, my prediction is that you'll feel quite bewildered at times. Don't start here! Set this aside and go read the first three or four novels in The Sword of Truth series.

Then come back and pick this up again for a thoroughly enjoyable quickie!