tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post2029072514404798307..comments2024-03-17T14:31:27.014-04:00Comments on Fantasy Book Critic: "Confessor" by Terry GoodkindRoberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15006565422867420980noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post-20940571350555140632013-01-05T12:46:03.785-05:002013-01-05T12:46:03.785-05:00I don't mind preachy if the writing is sharp a...I don't mind preachy if the writing is sharp and the story line is captivating. But damn, Goodkind is awful on every level! If I had to describe his style I would call it cloying, repetitive, unimaginative and painfully tedious to suffer through. His accumulated words read like a noxious, boilerplate romance novel heavily seasoned with uninspired magicality. Blech!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post-29084090231900818482009-01-23T16:00:00.000-05:002009-01-23T16:00:00.000-05:00You guys (who say it's too "preachy") are taking h...You guys (who say it's too "preachy") are taking his stories WAY too personally...Goodkind does not want you to blindly follow what he believes (that would be against his beliefs actualy lol). His beliefs simply overflow into his art, which is inevitable for any artist (read his interview and you'll understand). <BR/><BR/>Read the books for the underlying story and the metaphors contained within them, and try to accept the "preachy" as the character's own voice, and you will enjoy them a lot more. I promise. <BR/><BR/>Sure, if I paid attention to all of the preaching I'd get sick of it too, but I read them for the stories contained within. I adore how well he has managed to craft an entire world and set of characters, purely from his own imagination. <BR/><BR/>Oh and to the guy who said that Goodkind stole ideas from Jordan...I challenge you to read the interview and discover that Goodkind almost NEVER reads any books, least of all a convoluted and unnecessarily complicated series like Wheel of Time.FlareHearthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10359634248929501516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post-73992366057592299992008-12-06T12:17:00.000-05:002008-12-06T12:17:00.000-05:00I enjoyed the whole series, with PoC as my least f...I enjoyed the whole series, with PoC as my least favorite. I understand why some people wouldn't like it, because it challenges the way you think. It isn't escapist and does involve a certain philosophical agenda. And I am OK with that...actually it's the reason I like the books so much.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post-78881123632926645902008-01-13T11:46:00.000-05:002008-01-13T11:46:00.000-05:00While I love the whole series. I continue to be di...While I love the whole series. I continue to be disappointed at the lack of raw power that the first war wizard in 3ooo years should show. The end of Confessor was a bit of a fizzle for me, leaving me wanting at least one scene like the one in PoC. Man in black and gold stepping off a dying horse, shards of raw power blasting 1000 soldiers out of existance. That's what I felt was missing from this book. Though as others have said a fitting ending to the series and not quite as preachy as some earlier volumes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post-25009606861740384372007-12-25T00:36:00.000-05:002007-12-25T00:36:00.000-05:00I think David Craddock REALLY like Terry Goodkind....I think David Craddock REALLY like Terry Goodkind. Sounded like admitting there were flaws in the writing was painful :)<BR/><BR/>Goodkind is at the top of my shelf along with Grampa Tolkien as my favorites. I just finished 'Confessor' late last night. <BR/><BR/>I think the Chainfire trilogy was a strong conclusion to what started off as a great series and lost its way after a time. <BR/><BR/>From the standpoint of one who loved the characters, the Confessor was a satisfying conclusion. I have to agree with David that there were some mighty coincidences and parts of the final conclusion felt rushed and brief. At times I'm okay with that as being pulled through events faster than they were ready for is what often happened and appealed to me about the first few books. And if you are feeling that way, it can be said the author did a good job of immersing you in the story.<BR/><BR/>I do think there were times, starting with Faith of the Fallen, and increasing with these last 3 novels, that Goodkind got too preachy. Not in the messages he was sending or ideas he was exploring, but in the manner in which the characters spoke of them. Some overly long soapbox speeches that at times seemed out of place or begging for an interruption or reaction by others. Nicci was allowed to carry on for a long time to Jagang in this last book when the Jagang we were introduced to prior to this would have stopped her with violence. Many of Richard's speeches at times were overly long. At times I was aware of the author's ethical voice more than I should have been.<BR/><BR/>Those things being said, I've thoroughly enjoyed the Sword of Truth series. The final Chainfire trilogy was a great work with the introduction of a scenario that blew my mind away...Richard's perseverance was never so sorely tested as in the face of the entire world forgetting about Kahlan. I was enthralled with him and his struggle.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post-3413653877467392312007-12-20T17:03:00.000-05:002007-12-20T17:03:00.000-05:00I thoroughly enjoyed the first two or three books ...I thoroughly enjoyed the first two or three books in the SoT series, but the quality definitely declined as time went on. It seems a common pitfall for authors of sucessful series to tred literary water and extend the life of their work well beyond what is wanted or deserved. The last five or six books have been a complete mess, where Goodkind substituted basic writing tenants with rambling sililoquies, endless repetition and a crass lack of subtlety in both character and plot that sucked all the pleasure from the story. The author clearly lost his enthusiam for the work a long time ago and it is one of the clearest examples of writing for profit I've seen.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post-65063799035675986222007-12-10T16:17:00.000-05:002007-12-10T16:17:00.000-05:00I dont understand what people who dislike the auth...I dont understand what people who dislike the author, and especially people who stopped reading the series and admittedly wont read this book, are doing commenting.<BR/><BR/>David, excellent excellent review. I also especially enjoyed your interview with Mr. Goodkind. Thank you. I agree with your responses here, as well.<BR/><BR/>Plenty of people didn't like PoC. It is certainly my least favorite book in the series - though it still ranks higher than a great deal of other fantasy works. Understandable - in some ways, PoC would have worked much better as a more stand-alone work. Taken as an independent work, apart from the series, it is an excellent book (something that it was hard for me to admit to myself on my recent re-read of it, but true nonetheless as far as Im concerned). As a part of the series... it just does not fit properly. Without it there would be gaps in the reader's knowledge of the Sword of Truth world, and, in that sense, it is vital to the overarching storyline - but in other ways it just doesnt belong.<BR/><BR/>To those who find him "heavy-handed" and "preachy"... whatever. I dont, but if you do, no skin off my back - noone says you have to like him. As far as _technical_ aspects are concerned, the books have not declined in quality, but improved. If you have been turned off by the introduction of depth through greater philosophical influence, your loss - but the quality of Goodkind's writing has followed a clear and steady increase.<BR/><BR/>My favorite book is Naked Empire. For second favorite, I would have to name the Chainfire trilogy as a whole.<BR/><BR/>To the commenter who "would go to church" if he wanted a "sermon", you have clearly missed some important things here, but clearly you dont even realize it and thus theres nothing to say to you.<BR/><BR/><BR/>Well, Ive been rather long-winded here. All in all, "luke marrott" said it best here, so I will just quote his comment.<BR/><BR/>"Ignore the negative comments. Sword of Truth is a worthy series for any reader."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post-16396578622829146482007-11-29T23:47:00.000-05:002007-11-29T23:47:00.000-05:00In my opinion the Sword of Truth series was amazin...In my opinion the Sword of Truth series was amazing untill Pillars of Creation.... It didn't look up again untill Confessor. I dont know about every one else but if I wanted a sermon I'd go to church, not the fantasy isle of Barns and Noble.Jordanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17051548640686895109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post-47265543159753394402007-11-23T09:22:00.000-05:002007-11-23T09:22:00.000-05:00I know I had something profound to say, but "fecal...I know I had something profound to say, but "fecal goulash" has me laughing so hard I can't think. I stopped reading after <I>Pillars of Creation</I>. Just totally lost interest. Prior to that one, every book seemed to be: <I>Richard loves Kahlan- Richard and Kahlan are separated- Richard and Kahlan will never be together- Richard does something noble- Richard and Kahlan are together again. </I> BTW- did you really have to mention Venn diagrams? I teach 7th grade and get enough of that at school. Good review!<BR/>DaveDavehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03845840296916894578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post-26285688560172419542007-11-22T02:51:00.000-05:002007-11-22T02:51:00.000-05:00I've never been able to go back and read Goodkind ...I've never been able to go back and read Goodkind after I realized how many ideas he seemed to have stolen from Jordan. <BR/><BR/>I liked the first couple of books, but like a lot of people I felt the story just got too repetitive. I can't even begin to guess where the story is now but it still sounds kind of the same as before.SQThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04251030404220909306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post-1350702520974567632007-11-21T11:59:00.000-05:002007-11-21T11:59:00.000-05:00It's always interesting to hear/read the comments ...It's always interesting to hear/read the comments folks have about Terry Goodkind. Some tend to find the books too preachy, but as for me, I've always found them interesting.<BR/><BR/>What most attracts me to his work is that the books are very character-driven and convincingly written. There's really no one character I don't like--hard to say with any book, movie, TV show, video game, etc--in Sword of Truth. Of course, I prefer some over others, but that's the case with any walk of life.<BR/><BR/>Though I haven't liked every book in SoT, I thoroughly enjoyed the Chainfire trilogy, and reviewed the conclusion as such. Given that it's the last book, I hope the naysayers will finish the series just so their opinion, whether a "yay" or a "nay", can be whole.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post-90266197657339918232007-11-21T11:21:00.000-05:002007-11-21T11:21:00.000-05:00Finished it last night and it was great. FotF is s...Finished it last night and it was great. FotF is still my favorite, but the series ended great! Ignore the negative comments. Sword of Truth is a worthy series for any reader.lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16037112870183849406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post-78972816339015706492007-11-21T09:27:00.000-05:002007-11-21T09:27:00.000-05:00I have a soft spot for Goodkind. I mean after Tolk...I have a soft spot for Goodkind. I mean after Tolkien, and then Jordan, the next epic fantasy series I got into was Goodkind's and to this day, "Wizard's First Rule" and "Stone of Tears" remain a couple of my favorite fantasy novels ever :) Granted, it's been a while since I read them, and maybe if I went back and re-read them my opinions might differ, but what I can say...I really enjoyed them :)<BR/><BR/>That said, the books <I>have</I> declined in quality since then, and even though I'm a stickler when it comes to finishing a series, a few of the books have been tough to get through. Still, I think he's kind of redeemed himself with Phantom/Chainfire, and if nothing else, I'm interested to see how he concludes the series :)<BR/><BR/>Anyways, it's interesting to see what other people think. It's all opinion after all ;) Personally, I can't wait until we post the interview that David did with Mr. Goodkind... That should be an intriguing read :)Roberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15006565422867420980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post-65493427854812532782007-11-21T07:51:00.000-05:002007-11-21T07:51:00.000-05:00goodkind went from enjoyable to heavy-handed after...goodkind went from enjoyable to heavy-handed after a few books.<BR/><BR/>his meditations against religion and socialism seem wooden and kinda dull. also the fact that enemies tend to go from being uber-competent/ultra successful and after meeting richard and/or a representative...they fall to pieces within days.<BR/><BR/>i can tell you enjoyed it greatly, but the author has simply rubbed me the wrong way after the faith of the fallen(though i was already leary after Temple of the Winds).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post-253536447882032622007-11-21T01:10:00.000-05:002007-11-21T01:10:00.000-05:00That sounds utterly alien from the fecal goulash t...That sounds utterly alien from the fecal goulash that I believed Goodkind served up in his first seven novels that I did read (not to mention the majority of the comments I've read on other sites). Interesting viewpoint, to say the least. Just don't know if I agree with it.Larry Nolenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16001420558511460998noreply@blogger.com