"Phantom"

[bolson]

"Phantom", by Terry Goodkind

Good book. I'm still trying to figure out the author's politics, but that's probably because I think about politics too much these days. (Some kind of crazy monarchist libertarian, I think.) Still all the good elements I expect from this series, swords, magic, adventure, drama, intrigue, etc. Our Heroine has some awesome "No power in the 'verse can stop me" moments. Anyway, it's a fine amusement for a lazy day of reading but in some ways is just filler and ends without resolution so that it can lead up to the next book which is supposed to be the grand finale of the series. It will be better to judge this book by the payoff in the next book.

Comments

[omega-13.livejournal.com]

Of the two Goodkind books I read, I didnt really like the way he ended his books - seemed sudden, off of the pacing of the rest of the book, that sort of thing.

[soong.livejournal.com]

Yes, absolutely true. Every single one of his books does that. 90% of the book leads up to two pages where Our Hero pulls a rabbit out of his hat then its over but they spend a few pages talking about how great it is to be past that and setting up a problem for the next book.

[omega-13.livejournal.com]

Ouch. Decent as I found the overall writing, characters, story, etc. is/are/appropriate-verb-form-of-to-be, I'm not sure I could bring myself to read more of that, especially with so many other things in my reading PQueue.

I was hoping he'd kinda improved.

[soong.livejournal.com]

The sixth book in the series was my favorite by far. It was good enough that I would have read six more mediocre books in the series just in case there was another gem like that one. So now I just finished the tenth book. I bought the last two in hardcover, which I'm sure I'll do for the eleventh and supposedly final book. If I'm critical it's because I was hoping for more and despite nits to pick they're still good enough for me.

Looking back at the series lined up, it occurs to me that the 2nd, 3rd and 7th books are the weakest in my opinion. I think they could almost be skipped without missing much of the major plot of the world.

[motyl.livejournal.com]

Hunh. Thanks for reminding me that another one is out.

I had no idea he had plans to end the series - I thought it would continue on endlessly in a Jordanesque fashion.