Goodkind, Terry

WIZARD'S FIRST RULE
Terry Goodkind
TOR 1994
PB 820 pages
ISBN # 0-812-54805-1
 
This first Sword of Truth novel wafts magic out of the three realms of: Westland, D'Hara, and The Midlands; stirs our good wizard with a compelling murder and the breach of the magical barrier dividing his land from the next; and introduces a very compelling hero and heroine with deep dark secrets which take many pages to unravel.  Full of action, and a good map to follow our heroes by, the reader visits all three realms, each with its own mix of magical beasts and culture.  Our heroes have to find the magic box of Orden before winter in order to stop the bad wizard--Darken Rahl--from taking over the world.  Problem is, first they have to cross the barrier: the one that drags the unwary into the underworld where the dead reach out and grab you!  

Richard Cypher: is chosen to be the Seeker.  He is given the Sword of Truth, full of power that awakens a hidden power within him. Kahlan: is the last of the Confessors, sworn to aid Richard on his quest, as are his dear friends Zedd: the good wizard and the heavily armed boundary warden, Chase.  Kahlan: is beautiful and Richard is smitten but they have many other things to contend with, the least of which is her big secret, before their love can bloom.

Yes, there really is a red dragon in the story just like on the cover, but the reader has to cover many pages before that scene unfolds. The wait is worth it.

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