Short review: Law of Nines
The Law of Nines, by Terry Goodkind, was incredibly underwhelming for me. The main character is from our world, present day, and he becomes the center of a prophecy from a parallel world where magic takes the place of technology. I felt like throughout the book the main characters talked about what was going on rather than Goodkind showing us through description. You never visit the other, magical world, and therefore don't really care about what happens to it. The text isn't slow, but it is driven by violent fighting scenes rather than a real interest in what happens next. I never connected enough with the story or the characters to become emotionally involved, even during scenes of intended intense emotion. I didn't mind reading it, but I was left with a funny aftertaste. Plus, the love story was underdeveloped and trite (she is the perfectest most beautifulest and bravest woman ever!), which to me is a dealbreaker. Unless you really really loved the Sword of Truth series and can't wait for more Goodkind, skip it.