Wizard's First Rule discussion

I absolutly love legend of the seeker and i was heart broken when it was canceled. later i found out it was adapted from the sword of truth series but i'm not sure if i should read it because a lot of people claim the tv show is better

I use transit and when reading this book i had strangers telling me what a great book it was. I must admit i have to agree with them; it was an excellent read.

The show was fun. The books are way better.

I completely agree with Sean. I've read most of the series, and the books at the beginning are outstanding. The later books? Not so much. The first three or four are on my go-to reread list if I need something to read on short notice.

I tried to watch the TV series, but the characters were SO visually different than their descriptions in the books it distracted me and and I had to stop.

Definitely worth reading, this series is one of my favourites. I've re-read a lot of them. I would definitely recommend you try the first one at least. I also couldn't watch the series because the characters were so different to the books.

worth reading. The 1st four books are great, then the next 3-5 goes downhill and the last 4 are awesome again. Read it.

No, not really.

Goodkind is a good writer. There is a strong political subtext in the work and the first five hundred pages are very similar to Terry Brooks (no bad thing). Its a good and easy read to this point.

Then (without spoiling it) the author does something that turns the experience into a BDSM fantasy. You get to the other side of this 'experience' feeling pretty soiled and the book ends well enough.

Within fifty pages of the second book, you find yourself in a carbon copy plot from the BDSM section of the first one. It progresses differently, but seems to be a recurring 'fetish' for the author.

If you like this sort of thing, then go for it.;)

Personally, loved this series. Yes some of the middle books were not as awesome as the first and later books. But, all in all, if you love to read fantasy this is a great series. I liked it a lot better than the TV show. I couldn't even really watch it because I knew how much more was in the books...

I enjoyed it. I didn't finish the whole series but I prob will someday.

I personally have enjoyed all of the books in the series, and am in the process of doing it again. But then, I love epic fantasy and always hate to see the story end.

If you get tired of reading about the same charactors, then these might no be for you. You might check out Terry Brooks instead...He tends to stay in the same family line but doesn't wear out the charactors.

As for the television version of this one; I never watched it. I usually am dissapointed by the lack of details and changes made by the producers and so would avoid watching it even if I didn't just dislike TV in general.

I think opinions on which is better might be more based on which the individual was first exposed to, but that's just my opinion.

The books are enjoyable. It's basically Atlas Shrugged in a fantasy world. The first two books aren't so bad with the preaching, but after that it's basically a soap box for Goodkind's political, socio-economic viewpoints.

He even alludes to these books being political on his website.

I have read the series. first several books are really, really great. most definitely worth reading. But he becomes a broken record, preaching the same unnecessary and pointless sermon over and over. Life is worth living and everyone should have the courage to live it: there; i just summarized over a thousand pages from Goodkind's later books. the TV series was awful, I thought.

I agree with a lot of the other comments: the first few books are amazing. I stuck with it because I really wanted to see how the story resolved, but the latter part of the series is unnecessarily preachy, and Goodkind gets detailed to the point of ridiculousness when you're just trying to find out what happens next.

I have to say I enjoyed the first...5 books or so...but really I just wanted him to come to some kind of conclusion. I stopped reading them.

I enjoyed the Sword of Truth series for the most part. The first book was really really great when I first read it, but I eventually (after the fourth or fifth) got sidetracked by other series and stories and lack of time to read for awhile.

I saw that the Legend of the Seeker was on Netflix, so gave it a go for the first several episodes, just to see how it would be. I couldn't watch the show anymore, it just seemed pale and pathetic in comparison to the story I'd remembered reading. Especially Zed's character, the tv show just ruined him, and utterly.

And the actual Wizard's First Rule: it is SO absolutely true. Overall, it's a great read, I recommend it!

I would definitely recommend the first couple of books. I agree with the general consensus though that after the 4th book, the series definitely goes downhill but then again so does the Wheel of Time series which is also an excellent read and along the same lines/genres.

I couldn't even watch the series since it just seemed like they barely based the show on the books and that was upsetting me. I strongly disliked Kahlan's character in the show and Zedd seemed so lackluster compared to his strong character in the book themselves. Richard...is Richard.

Yes, the series starts to go downhill about midway but the first book is a MUST read. Richard and Kahlan are great together.

Forewarning, though. The TV show is VERY fluffy compared to the books because it was meant meant to be a "family" show. It also veered off of the plot A LOT. Especially in regards to Darken Rahl.

I personally think of the book and the TV series are two entirely different entities...

Jessica wrote: "Veronica wrote: "Yes, the series starts to go downhill about midway but the first book is a MUST read. Richard and Kahlan are great together.

Forewarning, though. The TV show is VERY fluffy compar..."

It was good show on it's own. A lot of my family members actually watched the TV series before I started reading the books (at the time, I didn't know they were related to one another). I think if I had watched it with them beforehand, I would have liked the series on it's own.

I watched it afterwards, however, and it was okay but I kept yelling at the TV saying "That doesn't happen!" I mean, the one thing that got me off the bat was that they made Darkhen Rahl (view spoiler)[his brother instead of father because rape would have been too much for the show (hide spoiler)].

Ah well literary gods, I tried to save them...;)

Allen wrote: "No, not really.

Goodkind is a good writer. There is a strong political subtext in the work and the first five hundred pages are very similar to Terry Brooks (no bad thing).

The political subtext stops being subtext in the later books and the series becomes an Objectivist Polemic.

I really enjoyed this book and actually--the entire series :)

Be warned that the book is nothing at all like the show. Pretty much the only thing in common is the names. Everything else veered so far off track.

I enjoyed this series at first, but then Goodkind pulled a Rober Jordan and kept on going and going when he could have wrapped up the story so much sooner and IMHO better. That's not to say I didn't like the characters, which I did. But there are whole books which almsot go without a mention of the main characters which I found annoying.
And the TV series was well done even though they had to cut corners and mix a few stories up.

I haven't read this series, but a lady in the bookstore told me this was one of the best series out there.

Read it! :)

The series as a whole was pretty good, although the quality dipped some midway in the series. I do agree the series got dragged out a bit a la Jordan. However, "The Omen Machine" & "The First Confessor" were really awesome. They were standalones so Goodkind didn't have to reach to create a story.

I have never met anyone who has read the book and also enjoyed the TV series. The TV series takes some information from the book and sort of just moves on its own accord.
Personally I appreciate the format of this fantasy series for so many reasons. Mainly it keeps it simple and circles around just a few main characters. There are so many more things that happen over the course of the series that no TV series could ever show. Yes there are some books people dislike more than others but they are still all at least enjoyable. That being said, I hardly got through the last 3 (now 4 books apparently another one came out) because its just going on and on.
But beware if you are a fan of Robert Jordan you may be annoyed at the very much confirmed rip off is just too distracting or not enjoyable.

But read the first one. Its covers a lot of the premise of what was going on in the show and you may just really like the characters and choose to continue. I suggest you push through the first and even read a few more. The first book of any long series can be brutal to get through. But my favorite moments of the characters don't come till other books.

Oh and I don't agree that the series goes downhill half way because the best book of the entire series is Faith of the Fallen (IMO of course). Its one of the few books I stopped reading an amazing part and had to re-read it because it was so outstanding.

I would have to say this series is completely worth the struggle it is to finish. Yes, it is a long series, and yes there are some books that drag on, and are extremely hard to finish, but they are all fantastic pieces of fantasy. The ending three or four books are the most beautifully aggravating book I've read. The plot, itself is aggravating, but in a way that is incredibly creative, and almost genius. If you're not in it for the "long haul" it really isn't worth it.

The books are ten times better, the books have more emotions behind them it has more of a story to it the TV show was a terrible adaptation of the books.

I enjoyed the whole series. I do agree it slogged along in the middle some but it was well worth it to reach the last few books! I have read the series twice now and will, every few years, read it again. It is on my classics list....
As for the TV show, a complete waste of time. I tried several times to watch it and never finished a single show. All the characters are wrong, especially Richard! What a wimp! They sure didn't try to make it for us readers.

I've read the entire series three times and have enjoyed it all the way through each time. It's the characters that do it for me as much as the plot. Therein, though I haven't seen the TV series, I can't see it working at all. Visual media very rarely matches the book as far as I'm concerned.

I could not get into the show or the first book, which I gave up after a couple hundred pages.

definitly read the first book, the first book alone was pretty cool what with the barrier and Darken Rahl. and what pushed it over the top for me was the Mord Sith. Having female body guards was unique. and their training methods were cruel. part one is head and shoulders above all the rest of the series.

I would read at least the first book, (don’t get bogged down, it takes some time to take off but is worth the work if you love the characters) and then you can tell if you want to go on.
I watched "Legend of the Seeker", and then had to read the books it was based on. they are different but you can see how the family based TV show came to be from its more adult parent "Wizard's First Rule" I feel the characters are basically the same though the story arc is quite different. hope you enjoy.

I would say that if you find yourself intrigued, then you should definitely read the book. In my mind, reading something is never a waste of time. Having said that, I truly disliked this book. I have a rule that if a book hasn't caught my interest in the first hundred pages, then I'll drop it. This book snuck its' way past my guard, and by the time I found myself not enjoying the read, I had too much time invested to just stop, and pushed through to the end of the book. I hadn't yet fully formed my leftist political views when I read it, but all the same, the right wing ideology was barely concealed in the narrative and seemed bald and out of place. Also, the violence was sophomoric and ridiculously over the top, and this is coming from a guy who enjoys a well-written action scene.

Suffice to say, I didn't read the rest of the series.

YES is the answer you are looking for. I do not have to explain why, when you will read it you will know the many reasons why these books are so great.

The series are (in my opinion) terrible, I only saw the first episode and didn't even finish it. The characters are completely messed up.

The show is horrible, and was made more kid friendly than the book. The book will blow your mind. However, it is very long, and if you are intimidated by a book as big as a door stop stay away.

I did enjoy both the book series as well as the Legend of the Seeker tv series, though I completely agree that they're very different from one another. I don't have a problem with that though. I rather enjoy "alternate universe" takes on characters I love. I consider the books cannon of course, but the tv show has it's own charm and it was very pretty.

Hopefully this finds you reading the book. I loved the show then red the books and the books were amazing nothing like the show so much better and so much more darker and serious then the show. I finished the first 8 Loved the first 4 or so and then meh but hear there get better.

I couldn't watch the t series as I couldn't help screaming at the screen, "THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED!!" I love the books and have read them all more than once.

Books are great, never finished everything though.....too many....

Lola wrote: "I absolutly love legend of the seeker and i was heart broken when it was canceled. later i found out it was adapted from the sword of truth series but i'm not sure if i should read it because a lot..."

I have just finished Wizards first Rule, and just before that I had read Dept of Bones. I also love Legend of the Seaker, and like you was devastated when it was canceled. But having read WfR, in know way is Legend better than the book. In fact WfR is the best book I have aver read. I couldn't put it down. Read the book, it is a must!!!!

The books are must read, really. If you want to compare it to the tv-show though: don't. It's no comparing the two. The tv-show borrows some themes of the books, but was only very loosely based on them.

i loved the novels, wizards first rule was the first fantasy book I ever read. I must admit I never made it to the end of the series though and think as the series goes on it starts to get a little boring but this series will always hold a special place in my heart for introducing me to this genre that has become such a HUGE part of my life. I watched the about half of the first episode of the tv series but just couldn't get into it!!!

I havn't seen the tv series but have read all the books & loved them all. The New book first confessor was terrific.

Lesley wrote: "I havn't seen the tv series but have read all the books & loved them all. The New book first confessor was terrific."

I wwould recomend watching the show but as much as I lovethee show,based on these revowed I think you'll like the book better

Although I have the first 8 books of the series in my library, I've only read the first 5, but and I intend to read the others in due course. If you read them simply for pleasure, disregarding the political views etc, then the Sword of Truth series is a very enjoyable and entertaining read. I would recommend them for any lover of the fantasy genre.

The TV series was well made and enjoyable, but sadly, did not stay true to the books. However, it is worth watching.

IMHO, the first 1-4 books are just fine. Then, somewhere around there (I forget the exact book) Goodkind strays from even his original concept of Richard and gets all atlas shrugged on us.
In the beginning, Richard paid a price for death. When you get to that one book, he just kills, with no apparent consequence. Up till then I enjoyed the books a lot. (for the record, Jordan's Wheel of Time is similar, stops being good about the 4-5th book)

(view spoiler)[The other thing about the series, which gets worse as it goes on, is every solution to the most insolvable problem is a deux ex machina at the end, a la Wizard of Oz "Why dorothy, you've had the ability to leave all along!" Only it's "Why Richard, of course you could overcome this because warrior magic (or whatever) is unique and you could have always fixed it up until now!" This becomes the pattern.
However, book one, if never continued, is just fine. (hide spoiler)]

A BETTER series about magic would be http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37...

IMHO.

Lola wrote: "I absolutly love legend of the seeker and i was heart broken when it was canceled. later i found out it was adapted from the sword of truth series but i'm not sure if i should read it because a lot..."
I liked the show, but books are much better. It may be "hard to swallow" at times, but I really love the story about main characters, their journeys and everything.
There are so many of them, so I can recommend Wizards First Rule, Temple of the Winds and Faith of the Fallen. Those are my favorite of the series. Then of course the last book Confessor, but you'd have to read all 3 last ones in order to appreciate the ending.

I read the entire series and the first is one of my favorites. I found the TV series before I knew of the books and of course, there are differences but they did not really bother me that much. I was able to enjoy both as separate entities.