[HoosierDaddy]

Well, there is the fact that he has his story arc's basically written, and has foreshadowed events 3 to 4 books before they happen which would tend to support that he knows what he is doing and isn't simply making things up as he goes along.

[Terez]

Certain things, anyway.

[Apocalypse Now]

I heard people talk about Goodkind and how his world doesn't have a lot of set rules, and well, I laughed at the irony, because its so true, and made richer by these quotes:

Quote

Orem Utah: What do you think distinguishes your books from all of the other fantasy books out there, and why should readers choose to read your series?

Terry Goodkind: There are several things. First of all, I don't write fantasy. I write stories that have important human themes. They have elements of romance, history, adventure, mystery and philosophy. Most fantasy is one-dimensional. It's either about magic or a world-building. I don't do either.

And in most fantasy magic is a mystical element. In my books fantasy is a metaphysical reality that behaves according to its own laws of identity.

Because most fantasy is about world-building and magic, a lot of it is plotless and has no story. My primary interest is in telling stories that are fun to read and make people think. That puts my books in a genre all their own.

So I guess readers who are interested in story rather than world-building and details of magic would have a good time reading my books.

...

Quote

Haddonfield, NJ: Second Question - I've noticed similarities between your Sword of Truth series and Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series...(Black Sisterhood vs. Black Ajah; The Order vs. The Seanchan; Richard vs. Rand both discovering their powers, both have Nameless evil Gods...etc.) I've often voiced my suspicion that these two series might be occurring on the same world...how crazy am I?

Terry Goodkind: If you notice a similarity, then you probably aren't old enough to read my books.

...

Quote

Weymouth, MA: In your opinion who is the most must-read, cutting edge writer publishing today?

Terry Goodkind: Ayn Rand.

ahahahaahah

Quote

Kansas City, KS: What made you choose to leave out other common races(dwarves, elves, etc) from your books?

Terry Goodkind: Please refer to the previous answer, in which I explain that I'm not writing fantasy ... My purpose is not weirdo cultural diversity. I repeat: I am writing stories about important human beings.

Cultural diversity: weird. ALL PRAISE GOODKIND AND HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE.

Quote

hoenix, Arizona: What authors do you read yourself?

Terry Goodkind: I think the most important author to read is Ayn Rand. Most of my reading is research for the things I'm writing about, but if I have any time to read, one of the people I like is Dean Koontz. I like his sense of life. He's one of the few writers around today, other than me, who seems interested in writing about heroic individuals who are worthy of being heroes.

There's actually very little to read today because more and more books center around characters who are either unremarkable, pathetic or reprehensible. I don't like authors who choose to tell stories about these kinds of people. I like stories about individuals who can show the nobility of mankind.

Kicking an eight year old in the face, THE NOBILITY OF MANKIND!

Quote

Grand Haven, Michigan: How much influence does politics and current affairs have on the story you're writing at the time?

Terry Goodkind: Philosophy is what has an influence on me. Current affairs and politics are driven by the same philosophy, therefore my stories always seem to be relevant to what's happening at the moment.

If you could take my stories back to any time in history and read them at that time, they would also seem relevant to what was happening now. The reason is because, as I said, the stories are about the way people think and about their philosophy. People's good or bad outlook on life remains constant.

Quote

Norman, Oklahoma: I have noticed reading your books that they tend to make you do a great deal of thinking. I personally enjoy books that make me speculate what the next move or scenario will be. I suppose this is your intent when writing your stories, am I orrect in thinking this?

Terry Goodkind: Yes. The successful pursuit of values is a precondition to life. In this context, when I talk about values, I'm talking about those things which help us live. For example, a bird that can catch a worm has successfully pursued values to perpetuate its life.

The distinguishing characteristic of human beings is their ability to use reason to survive. Everything that you have, everything around you, was created by the mind of man. It could only be created through the process of thought. If my books make you think, then I have achieved a noble goal.

And then, the last one. My god it's a doozy.

Quote

What I have done with my work has irrevocably changed the face of fantasy. In so doing I've raised the standards. I have not only injected thought into a tired empty genre, but, more importantly, I've transcended it showing what more it can be-and is so doing spread my readership to completely new groups who don’t like and wont read typical fantasy.

Goodkind, everyone, Mr. Terry Goodkind!

[Grief]

Damn, that mans modest...

[Apocalypse Now]

Also, I find it strange that people trash on GRRM. I mean, someone said that he was too slow in his plotting? How so, I mean, it's only four books in. It's not like this guy is Jordan here. And some people said that Martin put in too much? I find it funny coming from Erikson fans, I love Erikson, but jesus christ, I think Erikson beats Martin if you had a "holy shit all this fucking info ahhhhh" contest.

I find it funny Goodkind thinks he portrays females well. I heard this mentioned on the ASoIF forum, where someone mentioned that Kahlan can't have sex with Richard because she can't hold back her Confessor power, and said that someone must have been lying a lot to Terry, because he's suggesting women orgasm all the time during sex.

[Grief]

I love his bollocks about it always being relevant.
Seems success has made him a bit full of himself.
Oh wait, he was like that before success...

[Grief]

Having said that, I feel this shouldnt be turned into a solely Goodkind bashing thread, its for general, not specific bashing.

Btw, are you the same name of on westeros AN?

[Apocalypse Now]

Yeah. Same avatar too, actually IIRC, lol.

[Grief]

Lol, cool .

Anyhow, I must be heading for bed now, so goodnight, enjoy your bashing

[Tsundoku]

While occasionally funny, Goodkind bashing is a bit like puppy bashing in that it's far too easy. Do we want to waste multiple threads on it? It also tends to make Tary fans feel a bit persecuted, and the last thing they need is a genuine claim at anything like the moral high ground.

Back on topic, I recall trying out a book called the Sword of Callandra (or somesuch) ages ago, by Susan Dexter I think. Ghastly.

Also found Sara Douglass' Axis stuff unfinishable, as well as having a couple of tilts at Martin Middleton but couldn't continue. I know I should support them as both being Australian writers, but I can't support crap.

A lot of the shared-world stuff from TSR/DnD and warhammer is simply execrable, and after trying a couple of other game-based books around I've regrettably come to the inevitable conclusion that so much game-based writing is awful, the occasional gem just isn't good enough to be worth your time wading through the rest of the shit. if someone can point out those rare gems to me (and have their opinions backed up by a few others) I might give them a go. The only exception in my experience has been Dan Abnett, who writes for Black Library (Warhammer and 40k) and is actually very good.

Most Star Wars stuff is ... average ... and I left it behind a long time ago. I refuse to waste my time with anything Star Trek related.

I read the first couple of pages of Eragon in a bookstore waaaaay back in the day and put it down rapidly. Badly-written teenage wish fulfilment that seems eerily like the plot of Star Wars (aka A New Hope).

I generally stick to friends recommendations these days - including this forum - or browsing blogs like Pat's and a couple of others. Sometimes a few top ratings by respected reviewers like SFX, Interzone etc on the cover for a new book will at least make me give a book by an unknown (to me) author a second browse.

Cheers,

La Sombra, too little time these days to waste any on crap. This includes people.

[Macros]

The Darkwar Trilogy by Feist. Retiring after the legends of the riftwar would have been a fine idea Raymond

[Terez]

I only read the Magician books by Feist, and had no desire to read any more. It was a good story, but his writing style to me was just...dusty? Maybe that's not the right word. Everything just seemed to be described simplistically. I actually enjoyed Goodkind's writing style more than Feist's (my current hatred for Tairy derives mostly from his asshattery irl, not from his books, which weren't bad until I realized that Richard=Tairy, a self-centered and delusional schmuck).

This post has been edited by Terez: 03 January 2009 - 05:23 PM

[Macros]

did you read the original magician or the tenth anniversary edition? (a considerable step up as he rewrote the book)

[Terez]

Hmm, I'm not sure. I borrowed the books from a friend and gave them back. But they looked pretty old for paperbacks (like he might have picked them up at a used bookstore, or actually bought them back in the day) so I'm thinking they were probably not the new version (I don't recall seeing anything that said they were revised).

I read up to the point where Pug becomes Milamber and goes to that other world - I think that was the end of the Magician series? I'm pretty sure I read 4 books. It was either 3 or 4.

[Macros]

uh.
Pug becomes milamber in magician, and returns to being pug at the end (magican was originally two books, apprentice and master)

[alt146]

I didnt mind the first couple of Feist's books, but the "the guys we defeated in the last book were actually just the pawns of these new bad guys now we need to go kill them" bit at the beginning of the later books put me off a little. Doubt I'll go back for a reread.

Having recently finished the PoN Trilogy I can agree that some of the stuff that gets spoken about is a little tiresome, but I still really enjoyed them. And apparently his next trilogy is going to cut down on the philosophy because of how much criticism he received for it.

Cant actually name any truly terrible series, since I dont ever read anything that I havent heard good things about. Although reading the blurbs of a lot of fantasy books makes me think this thread should be full of authors of the "write crap about elves cos fantasy readers are idiots stuck in their parents basement" variety.

[T'renn]

They tend to get a bit repeative don't they ?

Ever stronger evasions, Whaaa a Dark Gods Medling....

O, by the way, Goodkind is quite good, but got worse with his multi-page ethical monologs going nowhere....

What really sucks in my oppinion is the Dragonvarld trilogy by Weiss

Like she was high (on the ashes of the body of Tolkien she dug up, burned and then sniffed up) and thinking, "....OOOH what a beautifull colours, and look at those Dragons ..... or ar they humans...oooh they're perfect......." falls away in deeper (more importantly more silent) delusions.

This post has been edited by Imperial High Mage Tayschrenn: 03 January 2009 - 10:30 PM

[Terez]

 Macros, on Jan 3 2009, 02:08 PM, said:

uh.
Pug becomes milamber in magician, and returns to being pug at the end (magican was originally two books, apprentice and master)

Yeah, I have heard that some American editions were split up - the ones I read were pretty small books (4-500 page mass market paperbacks). It's been a while and the details are foggy but I didn't get into the whole Riftwar thing.

[Apocalypse Now]

I read the first fifty pages or so of that book Talon of the Silver Hawk or something by Feist, it was ok from what I read, but it sounded pretty generic so I stopped. Only now after really getting into fantasy have I discovered that Feist is supposed to be one of the better authors or something, so I don't know what to think.

[Terez]

I was also surprised so see that so many people liked Feist when I started hanging out at fantasy forums. What really trips me out are the people who think Feist is awesome but RJ is not. :s I put Feist on the same level as Eddings as far as depth goes, and Eddings was a more entertaining writer IMO. I think Feist's story was better (though I remember little of it - I'm going off of my memory of impressions at the time) but his telling of it was just so boring. They went here, and did that. Ho hum, fiddle-dee-dee.

This post has been edited by Terez: 04 January 2009 - 02:08 AM