Naked Empire: Book Eight of The Sword of Truth - Softcover

Goodkind, Terry

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0765344300 ISBN 13: 9780765344304

Publisher: Tor Fantasy, 2004

Synopsis

The latest Sword of Truth novel from multiply New York Times-bestselling Terry Goodkind--a new, sprawling epic adventure focusing on the central figures of Richard and Kahlan

Beginning with Wizard's First Rule and continuing with six subsequent fantasy masterpieces, Terry Goodkind has thrilled and awed millions of readers worldwide. Now Goodkind returns with a broad-canvas adventure of epic intrigue, violent conflict, and terrifying peril for the beautiful Kahlan Amnell and her husband, the heroic Richard Rahl, the Sword of Truth.

Richard Rahl has been poisoned. Saving an empire from annihilation is the price of the antidote. With the shadow of death looming near, the empire crumbling before the invading hordes, and time running out, Richard is offered not only his own life but the salvation of a people, in exchange for delivering his wife, Kahlan, into bondage to the enemy.

About this title

Review

Naked Empire is book eight of Terry Goodkind's bestselling "Sword of Truth" fantasy series, following on directly from the events of the previous instalment The Pillars of Creation.

Richard, one of various gifted children of this world's former dark lord Darken Rahl, continues his journeying with the Sword of Truth and his wife Kahlan. Seven volumes of magical and military upheaval, and all too many desperate last-ditch measures, have left their scars: "The world was unravelling, in more ways than one. But there had been no choice".

Ancient sorcerous barriers have been accidentally toppled, freeing the unpleasant "Imperial Order" to rape, loot and pillage the rest of the world. The Emperor and his chief minion are revolting creatures whose sadism begins where Vlad the Impaler left off. Bandakar, a land of pacifists, has little chance of survival until someone gets the bright idea of giving the admired liberator Lord Rahl--that is, Richard--a dose of slow-acting poison. There is no antidote until he, personally and more or less single-handedly, frees Bandakar from the invading horde while, as pacifists, the natives will stand clear and disapprove of the slaughter. Some lessons in ethics and realism need to be learned here...

Goodkind deals in tougher issues and greater moral complexities than the typical blockbuster fantasy series, and underlines the dreadfulness of his characters' choices with unsparing descriptions of Imperial atrocity. Big trouble is also spreading elsewhere, with the Rahl homeland under siege and the fabled Wizard's Keep--a bastion that is actually the home of just two elderly magicians--threatened by magic-immune infiltrators.

Meanwhile in Bandakar, Richard and friends have greater problems than overwhelming opposition and useless allies. His personal magic "gift" is failing, he gets terrible headaches, his relationship with the Sword of Truth is in trouble, poison symptoms worsen, and the three vials of antidote are hidden in widely separated places. Worse, the local boss of Imperial forces is a soul-stealer who rides the minds of birds and beasts, watches Richard's progress through their eyes, and can gloatingly anticipate his plans. No-one said this was going to be easy.

A violent finale sees some good surprises and ingenuity, plus one cheeky deus ex machina, bringing this adventure to a neat conclusion. The greater war continues, though, and further sequels must follow. Newcomers to "Sword of Truth" may be dizzied by the number of back-story references, but the saga's legions of admirers will welcome this slickly crafted and compulsively readable episode. --David Langford

Review

"Wonderfully creative, seamless, and stirring." --Kirkus on Wizard's First Rule

"Wonderful." --Kliatt on Stone of Tears

"Each volume of the Sword of Truth...proves more difficult to review than the last. There are only so many was of heaping praise on a series that gets better and better." --SFX on Blood of the Fold

"...outstanding work...adrenaline and characters who actually behave like adults. Highly recommended." --San Diego Union Tribune on Temple of the Winds

"...thoroughly enjoyable." --VOYA on Soul of the Fire

"Mr. Goodkind's compelling prose weaves a magic spell over readers." --Romantic Times on Faith of the Fallen

"Near-perfect pacing, well-realized settings, and superior descriptive narrative." --VOYA on The Pillars of Creation

About this edition

• Publisher: Tor Fantasy
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0765344300
• ISBN 13: 9780765344304
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 752