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Liked It1 of 1 members found this review helpful “The story starts out a little slow, but with stuff I like. Richard expounding upon difficult ideas and Wizardly arguments and discussions with the sorceress Nicci. Just as it was about to get old and boring again, Shota brings in some horrifying information. Which gets repeated. This was a tad...” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It2 of 2 members found this review helpful “Okay, so I just finished reading this book and I have to say that this has been one of my most frustrating reads to date. Terry Goodkind has this HUGE following, but after reading this book, I can't seem to find very many redeeming qualities in his writing that justify that following. I have to...” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“It was great to see more elements come together from previous books.”
Mae wrote this review 12 days ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Another disappointing effort by Goodkind. A series that started strong and had solid pacing and good characters is now hampered by truly banal dialogue bordering on the ridiculous (when one of randomly introduced new villains announces that she's now queen she says she is: "A queen with real power...Got it?” And later "“I asked if you got it.”) Yeah I got it.
Christopher Cross wrote this review Wednesday, March 14, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
The main villain has long since lost the ability to instill fear/dread and the bloated cast of protagonists do little to advance the story and just kind of hang around talking about oddly mathematical magic problems (mathemagical?). The pseudo-obejctivism of Goodkind is just dull and prone to rampant intellectual inconsistencies. Kind of disappointing because the series started as a somewhat gritty fantasy series that just lost its way as the world never coalesced. There's no sense of place in Goodkind's world such that it doesn't really matter where people travel to--as it's all the same. ”
“Kahlan is still a phantom, hence the creative title, in everyone's mind but Richard's and some random handful of characters for an unknown reason. Kahlan is even a phantom to herself, unable to remember who she was or what she did before she became a slave to the Sisters of the Dark. Richard, as predicted, is in desperate need of finding her while trying to juggle the other problems he has to face.
Diane F wrote this review Monday, February 27, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
The beast is still after Richard, Jagang's army is trudging ever closer to the People's Palace in D'Hara, the boxes of Orden are in play, AND the chimes degenerated magic enough to make it cycle uncontrollably towards a destructive end. Plus, Kahlan is missing and nobody knows who she is because of the Chainfire spell. Is there anything more that Goodkind could pile onto Richard's plate? In fact, there is, but to keep from spoiling anything I'll stay silent on those aspects. I feel like if Richard were a real person he would have punched Terry a good one for all of this. It's no surprise, after 10 books, that Goodkind has hefted so much onto Richard's imaginary shoulders, but it feels like it's just too unrealistic at this point. Almost TOO climactic. This is only the start of my worry for these far along books.
Little incongruities drive me crazy; I'm sure I'm not the only one. For example, why would the Sisters allow Kahlan personal items such as the Spirit statue that she left in the Garden of Life in the previous book? And her Confessor's dress? Odd, really. And the incongruities continue. Before everyone realizes that there are select handful of people in the world that can actually see Kahlan, remember her, and interact with her, she is handed the reins of a horse by a soldier. Sorry, Goodkind, but that soldier can't see her and if he did someone holding her captive would have noticed it, just like the first chapter of the book.
I'm also, frankly, torn on Goodkind's decision to go back to the beginning of the series (10 books ago) for what could be disguised as "new" material. He's spinning his wheels just to keep the series going. A reader doesn't want recycled material, but something new. This book has nearly none of that. It just adds to my distaste for the series and for the novel itself.
What's more, the reason I kept reading the series was for the intellectual philosophies placed within. Even THAT has gotten far too old and preachy. Goodkind continually questions religion and blind faith in officials in the same rote way which is beginning to feel more like a church sermon than an intellectual read.
The only reason three stars are given is because I've read far worse and the story is still concise, clear, and engaging enough to make me finish this devastatingly long series of books. Just don't expect a whole lot from this installment. ”
“"Wilfully turning aside from the truth is treason to one's self."
Dassiearwen wrote this review Friday, January 20, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
The same thoughts as with Chainfire. Loved it”
“SPOILERS PROBABLY
Ben wrote this review Sunday, February 26, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
The group knows Kahlan is real, but still no one remembers her besides Richard. In researching how to counter the Chainfire spell, Richard learns that he must use Orden, and that the last War Wizard played a huge part in the (creation and use of?) Chainfire and Orden – so he goes searching for Barracus’s remains, which he knows were left for him deliberately. Meanwhile, Richard is still being pursued by this Shadowbeast. Kahlan and her captors are captured by Jagang, who has known the plan all along.
Kahlan was a much bigger part of this book, which was a refreshing change from the last one. It’s notable that she doesn’t know who she is – in fact as a result of Chainfire her memory was wiped clean. But still, the core of her personality is intact and very revealing. We’ve only known her up till this point as one who has been influenced heavily by Richard, but her “solitary” or “basal” views reveal a resilient, thoughtful, and very intelligent character who is undoubtedly admirable and strong, despite the circumstances she finds herself in. In a sea of cowardly, despicable women and men, she shines like a beacon as a heroine.
It seems like the whole subplot of Six and Violet cutting Richard off from his power was a bit unnecessary and an overly elaborate way to prevent him from simply using the sliph. But oh well.
I was confused, but excited, to see TG’s choice of having Richard being captured by the Order and forced to play Ja’la. “Where is he going with this?” (It all works out in the end.) A very strange way to end Richard’s part of the book. But it might be symbolic that both main characters (Richard and Kahlan) are both held captive at the end of the book. This sets a penultimate of being low in this book, followed by the coming climax of the next and final book. This also gives both of them something really obvious and difficult to overcome and triumph against.
The end of this book, with all that being said, definitely is a set-up to the final book, and as I recall lacks any climactic battle against any enemy. It left me curious and motivated to read the final book and find out how everyone fares.”
“this was another fantastic book in the sword of truth series. continuing the chainfire arc, the reader gets to learn more about the magic involved in this spell, as well as many others, including the boxes of orden. while i may not agree with goodkind's philosophy in all regards (richard is in fact a radical individualist in these later books, rather than a communitarian as he was in the earliest three or so), i must admit that it is quite intriguing. he seems to agree with polymarchaus, that justice is giving people what they deserve, even through the paradoxes and complications which this causes. furthermore, he cannot be objectivist for the simple reason that richard and kahlan love each other (were they objectivist, their relationship would have manifested itself in terms of what each was gaining from the other at the exclusion of the other's happiness). this is a fantastic read, and one which i would suggest to anyone enjoying a good fantasy novel; start at the beginning though, or you're liable to be completely lost.”
chris eppo wrote this review Thursday, June 23, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Love every book in the series. Never want this story to end.”
Christina Denise Barnett wrote this review Sunday, May 29, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“The tenth book in the Sword of Truth series. To me it seemed that Chainfire, Phantom and Confessor were more of a trilogy than the other books. The others all seemed to have a sub-plot that began and ended in one book, while continuing the overall plot. Chainfire, well at the end, we learned that chainfire was the spell that erased Kahlan from the minds of people, but that menace was just added to the other problems confronting Richard and the forces of good.
John Loyd wrote this review Sunday, May 8, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
In Phantom Goodkind begins to refresh our memory much more often than in the previous books. There are quite a few discussions between the characters, about different elements of magic. A witch woman from the Old World starts causing havoc. While not necessarily on Jagang's side she is definitely making trouble for Richard.
The Imperial Order troops have split their forces. Leaving some troops at the northern passes into D'Hara, the rest coming south to attack across the Azrith Plain. The Dark sisters that captured Kahlan, and started the chainfire spell, have two of the boxes of Orden, but have in turn been retaken by Jagang. To complicate matters there is a beast from the Underworld that is trying to kill Richard, but can't itself be killed, only deflected for a time. It is attracted to Richard when he uses his magical abilities.
Have I got everything, no, the witch woman from the south is named six and she is using Samuel, the seeker of truth prior to Richard -- or at least the wielder of the sword of truth, and Violet -- princess Violet from Tamarang. ”
“Nice thick juicy plot. There's still a bunch of this magic trumps that magic and Goodkind just inventing new magic that somehow nobody had thought of until now that trumps everything else. But at least stuff's happening.”
Andrew K wrote this review Friday, February 25, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
