Debt of Bones

I wouldn't recommend reading this book before reading a couple from the Sword of Truth series. Characters have already been well established in future books (this is probably why many who read it first felt it lacked elaborate characterization).

It's a great easy read that lets you know some of the history before Richard's time. If you love Zed you'll love the book. I felt it was interesting seeing Abby then and how much she's changed. I feel that the events that made Zed the way he was already took place even before the events in this book but it did uncovered some of the why.

I would have preferred it to go on a bit longer to cover Zed's midlife in Westland in a similar story telling style as the other books but that would have changed show more the scope of this book dramatically. show less

I agree with the reviewer who called this book thin--both in length and plot (and really theme.) It's 119 pages and apparently the story first appeared as just one of three stories in the anthology Legends, so if you're going to insist on getting it, I suggest you seek out that book, which also included a novella by GRR Martin in his Song of Fire and Ice series and a novella by Anne McCaffrey in her Pern series. I don't think this adds much to the mythos of the Sword of Truth series. And as for a backstory for Zedd, I agree with the reviewers who say he's pretty unrecognizable here from the character I loved in the series. By the time Goodkind had published this prequel, the way he inserted his morality and politics, derived from Ayn show more Rand, into his books had become nigh unbearable. And I say that as someone who is more sympathetic than not to the philosophy. But when Goodkind through Zedd speaks dismissively to a young mother trying to save her child that he has no sympathy for her--that children's lives don't matter more than adults, well, I felt cold, cold, cold. And mind you, this is the reaction of a reviewer who rated the first book in the series, Wizard's First Rule, five stars. show less

This short novel is a prequel to Goodkind’s popular Sword of Truth series, wherein we find out how the boundaries were created. The story follows Abby, a young woman who pleads with the wizard Zedd to save her child. With Zedd’s own daughter also endangered, they embark upon a desperate plan to stop a war and save their loved ones. If you have finished all the other books in the series, pick up this one to plunge once more into the fantasy world Goodkind has created.

This is a prequel to book 1 in the Sword of Truth series. I recommend not reading it until after reading book 1 - Wizard's First Rule. I've read book 1 and this prequel and the world created by Terry Goodkind as it is in book 1 and it's well crafted and interesting. The prequel tells the story of how the world came to be the way we find it in book 1. It's a great story, and helps put things into perspective. It's also a story that makes much more sense once you see the world as it is in book 1. I'm very much looking forward to continuing the many books already written in this series.

This novella, set several decades before, is a sort of prequel to the 'Wizard's First Rule' series, explaining how Zed, as a younger wizard, set up the wall that kept magic out. Nicely written, though it's been a while since I read the series (so I don't have a basis to compare this story with the main series).

The only thing I would recommend is not to read the introduction first. Goodkind sets a challenge to your morals at the end of it, and it wasn't (for me) the nicest way to start reading a story. It would have been alright to have been challenged after having read it, though.

Might have been more enjoyable if I had already read the series that this is related to. A bit thin. Good beginning, made me interested in Abby and her mission, but her behavior at a key point seemed excessively histrionic, or perhaps my dissatisfaction is that Zedd responded to her while he was in the middle of a major struggle. Abby is not a strong heroine, understandably as she has been threatened & knows her family's lives are also at risk.
Synopsis: Abby learns to put the survival of the majority ahead of her own mother instincts.

Review Originally Posted At: FictionForesight

Review:

Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth Series was one of the first “long-series” that I ever read. So when looking for my next book to review, I decided to go back and re-read Debt of Bones. When I originally purchased it, I was very interested to learn what this prequel could add to what I already knew about how the story Wizards First Rule came to be. It’s a very short book compared to his others, with only 160 pages; and is further shortened by being Terry Goodkind's only book that provides pictures for the more intense scenes. Since this was a short book, this review will also be brief.

The Good:

It added some good flavor to the back story in regards to how “The New World” came to show more be divided. It gave the reader a greater understanding of the motives behind older characters; which led them to take actions that would change the course of history.

The Bad:

The story added some more detail to what the other books in the series told. However, it wasn’t all that much surprising (other than one event towards the end). Aside from this, my complaint with most of the books in this series, including this one, is that Terry Goodkind has a tendency to give a bit more detail than necessary to describe locations. Although this was not quite as apparent here as it was in his other books, the first half was still afflicted.

Overall:

For fans of the series looking for more depth and back story, it was an enjoyable read. Even though I’m a slow reader, this book only took me a day to finish. Although others may not like this series, it will always be one of my favorites. Upon finishing this book for my second time, I think I may have to go through and re-read the entire series. Don’t worry, if I do, I’ll be sure to keep you guys in the loop!

(www.FictionForesight.com) show less