The Shrine

I know a bunch of you have read it.

I am maybe 220 pages into the first book "Wizard's First Rule". So far, I'm really enjoying it. I like the characters a lot and there is a lot of action even this far.

Goodkind's writing style is very nice also.

His style is super simplisctic. I felt like his books were easy and fun reads where you didnt have to look up every other word in the dictionary. The only complaint i would have is that i thought it got preachy at times.

While the characters may be a little one dimensional, i liked them too (except for Richard at times since he is the ultimate holier than thou, can do no wrong protagonist). As long as you read the books for the enjoyment and are not looking for the next Tolkein type of story, im sure you will like the series.

The most annoying thing is Goodkind's picture on the back flap. He looks like every uber nerd i ever met at Magic card tournaments and RPG clubs. Deeper than that, his no smile expression makes it look like he thinks he is the shit, lol. His beard is trimmed too well, his shirt is too tight, and his hair is perfectly pulled back. I want to mess it all up, knock over his mountain dew, and rip his Shivan Dragon.

Ha...my copies are soft cover with no photo. The guy does look like the uber nerd though. hahaha

These books are nice change from George RR Martin's super intense stuff where anyone can die at a moment's notice.

How do the later books hold up? Do they fall into the Robert Jordan WoT trap where there are a million threads that need to be closed up?

I agree, a few years ago SoT and ASoI&F were my two favorite series' and probably for the same contrasting styles that you pointed out. Goodkinds nonstop action is just what the brain needs after Martin's political scheming and unanswered questions that make ones head hurt. Well, they still are my fav series', but the authors need to get writing! >:O

I think the later SoT books hold up well. Goodkind does well at introducing new arcs so the story never feels like its going nowhere. The later books may even be more interesting than the first 3 or 4. Just keep plugging away, it will take some time to get through them all, but you probably wont feel the need to take a break.

Flip wrote: The most annoying thing is Goodkind's picture on the back flap. He looks like every uber nerd i ever met at Magic card tournaments and RPG clubs. Deeper than that, his no smile expression makes it look like he thinks he is the shit, lol. His beard is trimmed too well, his shirt is too tight, and his hair is perfectly pulled back. I want to mess it all up, knock over his mountain dew, and rip his Shivan Dragon.

Jesus, dude...judge much? You've never even met him. What if he turned out to be nothing like your wild guesses here? I can't even count the number of times I've conceived of a dislike of somebody based on some physical appearance aspect that turned out to be completely false later...I try not to do it so much anymore.

Besides which, I hate to say it, but as far as the social stigma goes, I have news for you, me, and all of us...if you are at the Magic card gathering or RPG event, you have already joined the stigmatized. I personally think all those value judgements are BS.

Heh, i dont really hate on the guy! If i met him i would be as polite as can be and im sure i would be wrong on every unfounded comment i spewed. Its just a funny ass pic and i cant help my imagination running wild.

Flip wrote:
The most annoying thing is Goodkind's picture on the back flap. He looks like every uber nerd i ever met at Magic card tournaments and RPG clubs. Deeper than that, his no smile expression makes it look like he thinks he is the shit, lol. His beard is trimmed too well, his shirt is too tight, and his hair is perfectly pulled back. I want to mess it all up, knock over his mountain dew, and rip his Shivan Dragon.

We have had negative words many time, but this time you made melaugh my fucking ass off =P

I totally agree. He's even wearing a black tee.

Flip wrote:Heh, i dont really hate on the guy! If i met him i would be as polite as can be and im sure i would be wrong on every unfounded comment i spewed. Its just a funny ass pic and i cant help my imagination running wild.

lulz. fair enough, then.

No need to repeat my love for the series
And yeah, I always thought he looked like a DND nerdy type. Like he should be wearing this:

http://www.birkoph.com/Wolf_tshirt.htm

Lest we forget: you are 100x more likely to get laid in one of these.

SineSwiper wrote:http://www.birkoph.com/Wolf_tshirt.htm

Lest we forget: you are 100x more likely to get laid in one of these.

and it totally cures AIDS

Holy crap. I've seen the jpeg of that wolf shirt with the comments for years (and laughed so hard every time), but the jpeg ends with the moderator's AIDS comment. Sweet!