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Summary and Reviews of Soul of The Fire by Terry Goodkind

Soul of The Fire by Terry Goodkind

Soul of The Fire

Sword of Truth, Book 5

by Terry Goodkind
  • BookBrowse Review:
  • Critics' Consensus (6):
  • Readers' Rating (2):
  • First Published:
  • Apr 1, 1999, 508 pages
  • Paperback:
  • Mar 2000, 792 pages
  • Rate this book

About This Book

Book Summary

Return to the world of Wizard's First Rule, which "has everything one could ask for in an epic fantasy" (Publishers Weekly), the world of Richard Cypher, a simple woods guide who never dreamed he would get caught up in magic, war, and dangers so extraordinary that the fate of the entire world would hang on his actions and decisions.

In Wizard's First Rule Richard and Kahlan Amnell, the Mother Confessor of the Midlands and the woman he would come to love, were the last hope against the forces of Darken Rahl, who had vowed to enslave the land on behalf of the Keeper, the evil lord of the Underworld.

Richard slowly learned to accept his true role, first as the Seeker and the wielder of the Sword of Truth and then, in Stone of Tears, as the new Lord Rahl and the war wizard who led the fight against the Keeper and his dark minions.

Richard managed to seal the Keeper in the Underworld and, in Blood of the Fold, defended the Midlands from the genocidal armies of the Blood of the Fodl.

In Temple of the Winds Richard was faced with an evil even he couldn't stand against--a dread plague loosed by the mad Emperor Jagang. Only by journeying to the Temple of the Winds was Richard able to thwart the plans of Jagang and save his world and the life of his beloved Kahlan.

But when Kahlan summoned the dominion of the chimes to save Richard, unwittingly she loosed arcane powers that now not only threaten those she loves, but are bent on reshaping the world itself into forbidding visions that will forever alter the very nature of life itself.

Richard and Kahlan must now hunt the chimes, those mysterious of hunters--the unseen stalkers of souls, the thieves of order--and in so doing plunge headfirst into danger perilous. For there is no place so dangerous as a world without magic.

Chapter One

I wonder what's bothering the chickens," Richard said.

Kahlan nuzzled tighter against his shoulder. "Maybe your grandfather is pestering them now, too." When he didn't reply, she tilted her head back to squint up at him in the dim firelight. He was watching the door. "Or maybe they're grouchy because we kept them awake most of the night."

Richard grinned and kissed her forehead. The brief squawking on the other side of the door had ceased. No doubt the village children, still reveling in the wedding celebration, had been chasing the chickens from a favorite roost on the squat wall outside the spirit house. She told him as much.

Faint sounds of distant laughter, conversation, and singing drifted into their quiet sanctuary. The scent of the balsam sticks that were always burned in the spirit-house hearth mingled with the tang of sweat earned in passion, and the spicy-sweet aroma of roasted peppers and onions. Kahlan watched the firelight reflecting...

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Reviews

BookBrowse Review

BookBrowse

Terry Goodkind once again demonstrates that fantasy writing works as a vehicle for exploring adult themes. While employing all of the action and magic typical of the genre, he incorporates a sense of realism.

BookBrowse

Terry Goodkind once again demonstrates that fantasy writing works as a vehicle for exploring adult themes. While employing all of the action and magic typical of the genre, he incorporates a sense of realism.

Media Reviews

Publishing News
Few writers have Goodkind's power of creation....The Sword of Truth sequence is a phenomenal piece of imaginative writing, exhaustive in its scope and riveting in its detail.

Romantic Times
Mr. Goodkind has the extraordinary ability to imbue rousing fantasy adventure with a rare emotional depth, once again exploring the power of love.

Romantic Times
Mr. Goodkind has the extraordinary ability to imbue rousing fantasy adventure with a rare emotional depth, once again exploring the power of love.

Kirkus Reviews
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.

Reader Reviews

ArchAngel Darkfire

Well, what can I sya other then I loved the book, even though it probably wasn't the best.
Though I kind of found the connection between Joseph Ander and the Chimes a little confusing (and I'm only 13)
And the fatal grace was also a little confusing!
...   Read More
Dustin

Good but not great
I recently started reading The Sword of Truth series. The first four books were amazing. I couldn't put the books down and time flew by when i was reading them. Soul of the Fire lacked the greatness the first four books had. Soul of the Fire was good...   Read More
Anonymous
Brice Christopherson
First of all, I'd like to say I respect Terry Goodkind. His greatest strength, in my opinion, is he is very capable of breathing life into somewhat straight forward, archetypical characters. In the prior books, his characters had...   Read More
Anonymous
Wes
Well, Terry has done it again. A masterful piece of artwork that held me on the edge of my seat till the very end. Mr. Goodkind has a magnificent gift of characterization that surpasses even that of Robert Jordan. His ability to make the reader ...   Read More

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Read-Alikes

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