Wizard's First Rule

Protagonist is an ‘Angry Young Man'... Check. Has great hidden powers... Check. Meets a beautiful maiden at the beginning of the tale... Check. Falls madly in love with her... Check. Has powerful friends (Wizard / Warrior)... Check. His enemies are even more powerful, and are absolutely Evil (with a capital E)... Check. I could go on and on.

If someone were to sit and create a template for Fantasy-Action-Adventure genre, they'd be wasting their time - ‘Cuz this book is IT.

And I can't really recommend it or, the rest of the 12 books in the series. If its action you're looking for, there are better options - Gemmell's works, for example. If its quality of writing and a believable world, there are better - check out Guy Gavriel Kay or Dan Simmons. And if you have the time to invest in a epic storyline, you could do better there as well - see David Eddings' or Robert Jordan's work (though those aren't exactly high quality either, just better).

This book is just so... mediocre. I felt like stopping more than a few times, but I plowed through - to an ending that I saw coming a mile (and a half) away.

In high school, my sister sent me Wizards First Rule as a Christmas gift. Sadly, I never did get around to reading it back then, missing out on a great fantasy world. This is the first in over a dozen books in Goodkinds Sword of Truth which was also made into a TV series: The Legend of the Seeker. The confessors were the most interesting part for me – women who can touch a person and control them for the rest of the their lives. The wizards of this story seemed all powerful and not powerful at once, which left me confused on their abilities.

I first read this book yrs ago and actually ended up naming 2 of my kids after characters from this book series. Kahlan and Cara. I loved it then and still really like the book now, however my views and reading preferences have certainly evolved since then

While I did not know it at the time Terry Goodkind was very much influences by Ayn Rand and it does come through alot in this series and book in general. This is not to say that it is a bad book by any means I sitll love it it. But it also has a very black and white objective right and wrong philosphy, Richard, Kahlan, Zed are inherently good guys while our big bad Darken Rahl and his minions are inherently Bad guys

That being said it is epic fantasy to a high degree, big world, big ideas and big book over 800 pages. The magic, division of the world and powerful magic of life and death is epic in scope and generally a enjoyable read for that epic fantasy fan.

I still enjoy this book and series and look forward to continuing my read of it and while I am giving it 3 stars it is still among my most loved book series that I have read. Richard and Kahlan among my favorite fantasy couples

I wanted to like this book because the TV series was not so bad. The quality of the writing is not the best, the main storyline is interesting, but the quest to achieve the main characters goals includes some side plots that were just not fun at all, like the Mud People.

Richard Cypher is the “Farm Boy” (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FarmBoy) who meets the damsel in distress Kahlan that turns out to be not so helpless after all. I liked the friendship between the two of them, it was very true and beautiful.

I already knew some of the story, so even though Kahlan decided to keep her secret from Richard for a long time, I understood her decisions along the way. However, I would be very frustrated if I did not knew that beforehand, as it took too long for it to be revealed, and was accompanied with a few few plot holes with it.

The Darken Rahl scenes were a bit annoying. He is an evil psychopath, and way too much time was spent trying to show how he could behave nicely to get what he wants. The outcome of one scene where this happened was very nice though, as it really transmitted his personality. He is only interested in knowledge and power, and the things he do to people to achieve his goals are of no consequence for him.

Zed is the very likable mentor/father figure for Richard. He is the old wizard who decided to live in isolation because the world is irrational and would not heed his warnings and advices.

One thing that REALLY bothered me is the book's title part of the story. The Wizard's first rule is stated as an actual “rule” for becoming a wizard, and it is a very “stupid” one (unintended pun, if you know the story). Basically they reduce being a wizard as being smart an intelligent. “You fooled me, therefore you could be a wizard” (paraphrasing). Not only that, but when Zed speaks of this, he makes it seem that only wizards can be smart. “Ah, you would know not to trust people if you were a wizard” (paraphrasing). It does makes sense that you need to be intelligent to be a wizard, but the exposition of this fact was too crude, close to saying “You need Int 14+ to be a wizard”.

I liked the Mord-Sith plot, as the transmitted perversion of goodness feeling was very fitting with the story. I think this might be the most memorable and unique part of the book. Oh, and I did not find the torture scenes too harsh as some people pointed out, but they were strong enough.

I do not intend to read any more books in the series because:
- This is the best book, and I didn't like it
- The way it ended, somewhat in the lines of the hero achieving ultimate power, is never conducing for a good sequel. (take Dune, Matrix or any other example for this)
- I know the plot of the second book because of the TV, and it is kind of good, but poorly executed.

By the way, the TV series as I remember was very faithful and well adapted from the book. Some concessions had to be made of course, such as the way Kahlan powers work. I found them to be much more interesting in the TV and a more convincing reason for she and Richard never being able to be together.