SOUL OF THE FIRE
by Terry Goodkind
Another entry in Goodkind’s fantasy Sword of Truth series (Temple of the Winds, 1997, etc.) and a new adventure for Richard, Lord Rahl, the Seeker of Truth and wielder of the Sword of Truth, his wife Kahlen Amnell, the Mother Confessor, and grandfather Zedd the wizard. The D’Haran Empire faces new challenges: the mysterious “chimes” possess a magical power that can steal souls; and war with the powerful Imperial Order may be unavoidable. Richard will discover that the chimes are themselves slaves of an undead being who has created for himself an impenetrable otherworldly fortress. Goodkind demonstrates that it’s perfectly possible—from the reader’s point of view, highly desirable—to write a commendably self-contained, shapely yarn within a previously defined scenario while leaving scope for plenty of new discoveries and embellishments.