Phantom
by Terry Goodkind
Chainfire Trilogy (2), Sword of Truth (10), Sword of Truth: Chronological (11)
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Bestselling author Terry Goodkind's epic Sword of Truth series continues with the next stunning installment, PhantomOn the day she awoke remembering nothing but her name, Kahlan Amnell became the most dangerous woman alive. For everyone else, that was the day that the world began to end.As her husband, Richard, desperately searches for his beloved, whom only he remembers, he knows that if she doesn't soon discover who she really is, she will unwittingly become the instrument that will show more unleash annihilation. But Kahlan learns that if she ever were to unlock the truth of her lost identity, then evil itself would finally possess her, body and soul.If she is to survive in a murky world of deception and betrayal, where life is not only cheap but fleeting, Kahlan must find out why she is such a central figure in the war-torn world swirling around her. What she uncovers are secrets darker than she could ever have imagined. show lessTags
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If you're looking for something along the lines of Mages vs. Sorcerers, some big battles and lots of action... look elsewhere.
I've heard a lot of things said about Terry Goodkind since I first began reading the Sword of Truth novels back in high school, both bad and good. Because of where my interests lay in fantasy, I kept on, because there was definitely something ELSE in Terry Goodkind's works that I couldn't find in other fantasy books that I'd read.
The world he developed is extensive and astounding, filled with rich detail. It gives your imagination plenty of room to play whether provided with stereotypical battle action, or more subtle, thought-out, philosophical action.
Phantom is chalk full of the latter. Richard is a thinker. If show more you've paid attention at all throughout the series, you would know this. Battle doesn't become him, and the actions he chooses in Phantom only enforce this. The last 3 books of the Sword of Truth are the epitome of Khalan's and Richard's personalities. Neither of them enjoy the fight - the do it only when they have to, when they feel there truly is no other option. It's a tactical measure to be used only when it has some real benefit.
It's been a long while since I read Chainfire, but I remember the general premise - which is what's important here. The Chainfire spell is the central motivating aspect behind everything that takes place in the last 3 books. Without it, this becomes little more than a typical, unimaginative high-action epic fantasy, to pull from the books themselves... "steel vs. steel, magic against magic."
Chainfire gives it something DIFFERENT.
I enjoy the almost philosophical twists and turns Goodkind uses to move the story forward. You may read through parts or introductions to people thinking, "Oh, another inconsequential brute" or "why does this even matter?" but Goodkind has thought ahead. He does not introduce events, people, or things without there being a Very. Good. Reason.
I'm going to reiterate here, because this is probably the most important part about whether or not you'll enjoy Phantom or not. If you're looking for a lot of in your face action, the last 3 books in the Sword of Truth are not for you. If you're into the subtleties, the actual MAGIC, and don't mind a plot being moved forward by getting an insight into characters minds, thoughts and deeds, then you'll thoroughly enjoy the Chainfire trilogy. show less
I've heard a lot of things said about Terry Goodkind since I first began reading the Sword of Truth novels back in high school, both bad and good. Because of where my interests lay in fantasy, I kept on, because there was definitely something ELSE in Terry Goodkind's works that I couldn't find in other fantasy books that I'd read.
The world he developed is extensive and astounding, filled with rich detail. It gives your imagination plenty of room to play whether provided with stereotypical battle action, or more subtle, thought-out, philosophical action.
Phantom is chalk full of the latter. Richard is a thinker. If show more you've paid attention at all throughout the series, you would know this. Battle doesn't become him, and the actions he chooses in Phantom only enforce this. The last 3 books of the Sword of Truth are the epitome of Khalan's and Richard's personalities. Neither of them enjoy the fight - the do it only when they have to, when they feel there truly is no other option. It's a tactical measure to be used only when it has some real benefit.
It's been a long while since I read Chainfire, but I remember the general premise - which is what's important here. The Chainfire spell is the central motivating aspect behind everything that takes place in the last 3 books. Without it, this becomes little more than a typical, unimaginative high-action epic fantasy, to pull from the books themselves... "steel vs. steel, magic against magic."
Chainfire gives it something DIFFERENT.
I enjoy the almost philosophical twists and turns Goodkind uses to move the story forward. You may read through parts or introductions to people thinking, "Oh, another inconsequential brute" or "why does this even matter?" but Goodkind has thought ahead. He does not introduce events, people, or things without there being a Very. Good. Reason.
I'm going to reiterate here, because this is probably the most important part about whether or not you'll enjoy Phantom or not. If you're looking for a lot of in your face action, the last 3 books in the Sword of Truth are not for you. If you're into the subtleties, the actual MAGIC, and don't mind a plot being moved forward by getting an insight into characters minds, thoughts and deeds, then you'll thoroughly enjoy the Chainfire trilogy. show less
To my everloving shame, I seem to have waylayed my reading of these books for a bit more than a decade. Oops. But apart from a few minor quibbles I had with the series from before, I really did enjoy them.
Their direct and not-so-direct homages to WoT, the traditional feel of quest-laden fantasy and rather brutal over-the-top wallowing in torture and grimdark horror, and of course our rather overpowered and mythically pure Richard... following the last book's rather dark turn.
Chainfire, or the wiping out of his wife, the Mother Confessor, from everyone's memories. Only he remembers her, but worse, other creatures, like dragons and unspecified other ideas and memories are getting lost, progressively. Even the understanding of magic. The show more corruption is preparing to wipe out everyone.
And if that isn't bad enough, there's also that army of philosophical darkness relying on a future world and abnegation of life on this one that is about to roll over every existing land, treating every living man and woman and child like nothing more than an inconvenience. Where every soldier considers themselves expendable. Where all women are treated like playthings and death REALLY IS preferable.
I really did enjoy this book, no matter how dark this sounds. But why? Ahhh, the reason is a double-edged sword. I've never reviewed his other books but there's this one little aspect that I both LOVE and HATE, heavy-handedly doling out the philosophy in a big way.
Oh? What philosophy?
Objectivism. As in, Ayn Rand. I personally love the crap out of Objectivism and really appreciate how Goodkind turns each of these novels into a vehicle for loving life and pooping all over rotters and self-abnegators and anyone who thinks that coercion is a good thing.
However. Goodkind spends about half the novel in great action, battles, cool magic system stuff, worldbuilding, heart-wrenching emotion and horrors and the OTHER half in carefully deconstructing everything that's happening in the world and situation in terms of Objectivism. :) With a very heavy hand. Holding a big iron-objectivism bar. Or a sword. Called Truth. :) lol
Even for someone who loves this shit, it IS a bit much. A subtler presentation would have left me in pure delight.
No big deal! I still enjoyed the hell out of it. I'm almost tempted to pick up the next novel right away. :) But I will get to it, regardless. show less
Their direct and not-so-direct homages to WoT, the traditional feel of quest-laden fantasy and rather brutal over-the-top wallowing in torture and grimdark horror, and of course our rather overpowered and mythically pure Richard... following the last book's rather dark turn.
Chainfire, or the wiping out of his wife, the Mother Confessor, from everyone's memories. Only he remembers her, but worse, other creatures, like dragons and unspecified other ideas and memories are getting lost, progressively. Even the understanding of magic. The show more corruption is preparing to wipe out everyone.
And if that isn't bad enough, there's also that army of philosophical darkness relying on a future world and abnegation of life on this one that is about to roll over every existing land, treating every living man and woman and child like nothing more than an inconvenience. Where every soldier considers themselves expendable. Where all women are treated like playthings and death REALLY IS preferable.
I really did enjoy this book, no matter how dark this sounds. But why? Ahhh, the reason is a double-edged sword. I've never reviewed his other books but there's this one little aspect that I both LOVE and HATE, heavy-handedly doling out the philosophy in a big way.
Oh? What philosophy?
Objectivism. As in, Ayn Rand. I personally love the crap out of Objectivism and really appreciate how Goodkind turns each of these novels into a vehicle for loving life and pooping all over rotters and self-abnegators and anyone who thinks that coercion is a good thing.
However. Goodkind spends about half the novel in great action, battles, cool magic system stuff, worldbuilding, heart-wrenching emotion and horrors and the OTHER half in carefully deconstructing everything that's happening in the world and situation in terms of Objectivism. :) With a very heavy hand. Holding a big iron-objectivism bar. Or a sword. Called Truth. :) lol
Even for someone who loves this shit, it IS a bit much. A subtler presentation would have left me in pure delight.
No big deal! I still enjoyed the hell out of it. I'm almost tempted to pick up the next novel right away. :) But I will get to it, regardless. show less
I think this is the worst book in the series, and until The Pillars of Creation, I was rating these books at least four stars. I actually used to love this series. I'd give the first one, Wizard's First Rule five stars. No, not because it's an undying classic, or I don't see flaws, but it was a terrific read I just sprinted through madly turning pages--I didn't feel its hefty length. I liked the characters, in some cases loved them, and was fascinated by Goodkind's world and themes. That liking started dropping off after the seventh book for me (some point to the fifth as the book where it jumped the shark) but I didn't find these tedious until the book just before this one starts the "Chainfire Trilogy" that ends the "Sword of Truth" show more series. (Well, actually the Pillars of Creation before that dragged too.) The next and concluding book after this, Confessor doesn't quite redeem the series for me, but I'd still point to Phantom as the low point.
Why? Because as pointed out in review after review, NOTHING HAPPENS. Oh, there be word after word on the page, there's lots of people talking things to death. But advancement of plot? Character development? What is this you say? And like others, here is where I really, really got tired of the zillionth time Kahlan has to ward off rape. If you skipped to the last book, I don't think you'd miss anything. show less
Why? Because as pointed out in review after review, NOTHING HAPPENS. Oh, there be word after word on the page, there's lots of people talking things to death. But advancement of plot? Character development? What is this you say? And like others, here is where I really, really got tired of the zillionth time Kahlan has to ward off rape. If you skipped to the last book, I don't think you'd miss anything. show less
Empiezo a pensar que Terry Goodkind no sabe cómo terminar este proyecto. O lo que es peor, que se le estén agotando las ideas y sólo le quede volver sobre sus pasos para contarnos algo ya contado, pero de otra manera. Ya en este volumen, el décimo (aunque en España sigue dividiéndose cada libro en dos, con lo que estaríamos hablando del 19 y el 20), Goodkind riza el rizo. Si en el libro anterior nos quedamos en ascuas, sin saber qué le había sucedido a Kahlan y dónde se encontraba, en este los personajes se pasan más de medio libro buscándole los tres pies al gato, intentado dar con la solución al hechizo Cadena de Fuego. Esto en sí no es malo, pero cuando masticas tanto una cosa, como es el caso, hasta convertirla en una show more papilla sin sabor, el tema empieza a aburrir. Kahlan aparece por fin y asistimos a sus penurias, tanto por estar cautiva por las Hermanas de las Tinieblas, como por su pérdida de memoria y el que la gente ni la vea ni la recuerde. Para colmo, Goodkind se saca otro personaje más de la manga, otro jugador, una siniestra bruja con sus planes personales, por supuesto con Richard Rahl como centro de todo. Y digo yo, ¿qué necesidad había? Qué pena que Goodkind le esté dando tan mal final a su saga. Esperemos que se centre más en los siguientes. show less
While tighter editing (especially of the preachy treatises on the evils of the Order and the virtues of individuality) and fewer graphic descriptions of gratuitous torture and violence would have improved this volume in the Sword of Truth series, there is a creative, complex, and intriguing story being told. I wish Goodkind would just tell it!
Having read a lot of the reviews I was not expecting much from this book even though I absolutely love all the rest of them. However I couldn't resist giving it a go and I am so glad I did.
There are some bits when the explanations go on a bit such as the spell construction and some of the description scenes of the atrocities but I kept going. I realised that the people who go on are the characters who would do that in their lives and as for the other scenes, horrible as it is we need to get the feelings of the horrors.
A number of the reviews ask for shorter or less words but I say to Terry Goodkind PLEASE in NO WAY cut down your words. I love the long books and get so involved in them that I just don't want them to stop.
A brilliant book show more and author who really gets into the story and allows us to be part of it. show less
There are some bits when the explanations go on a bit such as the spell construction and some of the description scenes of the atrocities but I kept going. I realised that the people who go on are the characters who would do that in their lives and as for the other scenes, horrible as it is we need to get the feelings of the horrors.
A number of the reviews ask for shorter or less words but I say to Terry Goodkind PLEASE in NO WAY cut down your words. I love the long books and get so involved in them that I just don't want them to stop.
A brilliant book show more and author who really gets into the story and allows us to be part of it. show less
I like science fiction and fantasy, and I’d never read anything by Terry Goodkind until this month. How’s that for a confession? I think his books must have started coming out when I was avoiding series (due to kids, lack of finances… who knows). But Phantom sounded really intriguing, with a female protagonist who can’t remember who she is, and a husband who’s the only person left who knows she exists. Throw in a little magic and global annihilation and I’m bound to be hooked. I decided, with a series this long, it had to be possible to pick the story up halfway through so of course I bought the book.
Terry Goodkind has certainly created a fascinating world, and I learned a lot about it as I read—its history, its mythology, show more the way its magic works. I particularly loved a scene where the protagonist looks at a magic spell and tries to explain how symbolically there must be something wrong. I guess because I’m a mathematician, and mathematicians work with symbols, the concept intrigued me. It felt like when I’ve tried to explain that a proof is false without being able straight away to put my finger on the reason.
The author fills in gaps in the backstory quite cleverly, bringing this new reader at least partly up to date. But I found the adventure much slower than I expected, with lots of paragraphs devoted to explaining and re-explaining the same feelings—thoughts that go round in circles repeated on the page. It was a fun story, and if the next really is the concluding tale in the series I will probably plan on reading it. But it was a surprisingly heavy read, so I may not go back to catch up on the earlier books. show less
Terry Goodkind has certainly created a fascinating world, and I learned a lot about it as I read—its history, its mythology, show more the way its magic works. I particularly loved a scene where the protagonist looks at a magic spell and tries to explain how symbolically there must be something wrong. I guess because I’m a mathematician, and mathematicians work with symbols, the concept intrigued me. It felt like when I’ve tried to explain that a proof is false without being able straight away to put my finger on the reason.
The author fills in gaps in the backstory quite cleverly, bringing this new reader at least partly up to date. But I found the adventure much slower than I expected, with lots of paragraphs devoted to explaining and re-explaining the same feelings—thoughts that go round in circles repeated on the page. It was a fun story, and if the next really is the concluding tale in the series I will probably plan on reading it. But it was a surprisingly heavy read, so I may not go back to catch up on the earlier books. show less
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Writer Terry Goodkind was born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1949. As a child, he had trouble reading and writing because he suffered from a form of dyslexia. It wasn't until high school that a composition teacher recognized his writing talent. Before becoming a writer, he worked as a carpenter, violin-maker, hypnotherapist, wildlife artist and restorer show more of rare artifacts. Goodkind's first novel, "Wizards First Rule" (1994), took a year for him to write and had a record-breaking debut. It became an international bestseller and won the praise of many writers in the fantasy genre. The sequels "Stone of Tears" (1995) and "Blood of the Fold" (1996) experienced equal success. His fourth book, "Temple of the Winds" was published in 1997. His other books include The Pillars of Creation, Naked Empire, Confessor, The Omen Machine, Severed Souls, and Shroud of Eternity. His series included Sword of Truth; Richard and Kahlan; Jack Raines; Nicci Chronicles; and Children of D'Hara. Terry Goodkind, author of over 35 books, novellas, and short stories, died on September 17, 2020. He was 72. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Phantom
- Original title
- Phantom
- Original publication date
- 2006-07-18
- People/Characters
- Richard Rahl; Kahlan Amnell
- Important places*
- D'Hara
- Epigraph
- Zij die hier zijn gekomen om te haten,
moeten nu vertrekken, want in hun haat
verraden ze slechts zichzelf.
- vertaal uit Het boek des levens
Those who have come here to hate should
leave now, for in their hatred they only betray
themselves.
-------------translated from The Book of Life - Dedication
- To Phil and Debra Pizzolato, and their kids, Joey, Nicolette, Philip, and Adriana, who constantly remind me of the value of life by bringing their love and laughter to mine
- First words
- Kahlan stood quietly in the shadows, watching, as evil knocked softly on the door.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)If she couldn't trust Richard, then life wasn't worth living.
- Publisher's editor
- Nielsen Hayden, Patrick
- Original language*
- Englisch
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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