I love these books. The obvious, still very interesting.
Philosophy
First and foremost, it should be said that Terry Goodkind does not consider himself an author of fantasy qua fantasy. Sure, he is an author writing a series in a fantasy setting, but he is by no means limited to that genre. This is an important distinction when considering his work, as it helps the reader to understand his motivation. That is, he is not writing about magic and swords so much as he is writing about characters who use magic and swords. The genre, for him, is a means to an end, an end which is multi-fold...
Telling a Story
Terry's first goal, and any author for that matter, is to tell a story. Whether the story is fiction or non-fiction, the story always follows a specific formula: beginning, middle, climax, end. The only thing that varies between stories is the agents and vehicles the author uses to navigate between these points. Terry's agents are, of course, Richard and Kahlan and Zedd, et al. His vehicle, however, is quite a more complex thing.
Take, for instance, the Creator and the Keeper. One might think them agents of the story, as they are referred to in a personified form via the characters, when in fact they are actually vehicles. Neither the Creator nor the Keeper ever have a direct impact on the events of the story itself. Ever notice that Richard never says "Thank the Creator!" anywhere throughout the series? That is very much by design. While many characters in the story will act in concordance with what they believe either the Creator or the Keeper would approve of, none can know for sure what is in the "minds" of these deific figures. As such, the Creator can be nothing more than a compelling vehicle that drives the actions of the agents forward. It is the characters themselves that decide to do a thing, not the Creator. It is the free will of the characters that moves the story along, and their motivations, such as greed, lust, honor, self-defense, or... enacting their perceived will of a supreme being. This is an integral illustration of not only Terry's personal value judgments, but the whole underlying theme of the Sword of Truth series, which is to decipher from reality the knowable truth.
Value Judgments
The other ends to the story's means is the illustration of Terry's view on life. Ayn Rand said that art is a representation of the artist's metaphysical value judgments. What this means is that any work of art, be it music, poetry, painting or writing, makes some statement of their view of reality. This is not just inevitable, it is the purpose of art itself.
Consider J.R.R. Tollkien's Lord of the Rings series. Tollkien expressly stated that this series was not intended to be didactic or even metaphorical of the real world. This may very well be true, but it is not difficult to glean from what he writes about and how he presents it to the audience what some of Tollkien's views probably were. One might point to Saruman and say he disdained unbridled expansionism or industrialism; another might see in Lothlorien or Hobbiton his affection for country life and being close to nature. Perhaps Tollkien did not intend these metaphors, but the value judgments are inherent nonetheless. While he may very well have made no specific contemporaneous political statement in his saga, it is proper to consider something and pass judgment upon it; for this is the purpose of thinking.
This is an important aspect of art: what does the viewer see? One might look at a Dali painting and see disfigurement and gore and find themselves wholly apalled by his representation of reality (his value judgments). Another might believe there is true genius behind the artist and the entire Surrealist/Dadaist movement as they unlock the expressly intended psychological and philosophical meanings of his work. Certainly the perception of art, one's tastes, is a subjective matter, but the purpose of the artist is not.
Solving the riddle
In recent books, some fans have expressed discontent with "the sudden change in Terry's style". Terry has, rightfully, been rather vocal about this false perception. From the first sentences of Wizard's First Rule, the Sword of Truth has always had the exact same agents and vehicles. This is not to say that he has not evolved as a writer, or otherwise developed his style over the series. Eight years have passed between the releases of Wizard's First Rule and Naked Empire, no doubt Terry has grown not only as an individual, but as an artist, as well, and this will inevitably be reflected in his work. Nonetheless, the value judgments which he presents in the series have not changed. It should be obvious to even the most obtuse or uninterested reader that he was drawing stark metaphors of the real world in his books. For those who yearned for just such a book, his words leapt from the page like a bolt of lightning. I cannot count how many times I read something and thought to myself, "Wow, he nailed that right on the head."
And that is the purpose of his art.
This much time and effort was not placed into the Sword of Truth series to churn out throw-away novels, and certainly not pulp fantasy. Terry has very expressly stated his own distaste for "world-building" stories, where the characters are the vehicles used to explore the worlds the author creates. Terry's stories focus on people, because we live in a world of people, full of people problems and people questions. While magic is a useful tool for exploring some of these concepts, and one might just as easily use elves and orcs metaphorically to illustrate racial tension in the real world, all of these to at least some degree require the suspension of disbelief on behalf of the reader. By focusing on people, there is no disconnect between what the characters are feeling and thinking, and how the reader might relate to those emotions. Less time (page space) need be spent delving into the idiosyncrasies of a foreign culture to explain why a character might respond in a specific way. Yet, Terry does address the clash of cultures in good depth, but again, he uses the common thread of humaninty to do this, and thus the cultures feel more real to the reader, without the work of trying to empathize with a humanoid that glows in the dark, spits acid, and other nonesuch.
In other words, a lot more thought has gone into the creation of the books, the vehicles and the agents, than the reader even realizes, because these aspects are handled subtly and smoothly by Mr. Goodkind. Those who complain of Terry's heavy-handed writing style have failed to see just how quietly he manages some very sublime and profound details of his books.
The Reality of Truth
So what is it all really about? Honestly, if you don't know the answer to this question, you probably won't know it from reading this little dissertation, either. After all, it's as plain as the nose on your face: Sword of Truth. A better question is: "What is TRUTH?"
Ayn Rand also said that reality is real, and it can be known. Her position flies in the face of the Sophists, those who claim that nothing can be known for sure, that we cannot be truly certain about anything. The philosophical debate of Absolute Truth rages on. At the same time, Aristotle presented the Law of Identity over 2300 years ago, that A = A, and this maxim is as profound and immutable today as it was then. He basically stated that what is is, regardless of whether an agent perceives it for its true nature. Truth qua truth. Truly, when we look upon an object, we may only see it in the spectrum of light available to our eyes. Red, orange, green, blue, purple. But there are other spectrums of light beyond the chromatic, and though they are not readily available to us, the object, in its true form, is also visible in those spectrums. Does this mean the Sophists are right, that we cannot trust our sense to tell us the truth?
Absolutely not.
We have five senses, but each alone can't always fully tell us about the world around us. If we only could taste an apple, we could not know it was red. If we could only feel it, we could not tell what it would sound like to take a bite. It is the role of the brain to use the senses, to consider the data offered, in its myriad forms, and pass a judgment on the true nature of the object.
Richard and Kahlan face many epic and strange problems in their lives, and this is really not that much different than the world we live in. Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. And just like us, our heroes are required to act beyond their means, to conquer the seemingly inconquerable, and somehow, through the midst of the chaos, retain that esoteric and fleeting grasp on what life is about, what is dear to us, and what it means to be alive. The many cultures and ideologies Richard has come across always seemed alien to him at first, and there is no greater human fear than that of the unknown. Richard has always been able to overcome these obstacles by being able to decipher the true nature of foreign peoples and their concepts, thus lifting the veil of unsurety, thus destroying the inherent fear of relating to other humans.
Human interaction is frightening to many. The unknown of another's values is one reason we're apprehensive about making eye contact with strangers, why we look away when somebody notices us noticing them. War, after all, is a clash of values. Even money is nothing more than a manifestation of values; "a dollar's worth of work for a dollar's worth of bread" being one example. Terry, through his characters, is able to illustrate these ideas and ideals in ways that the reader may not even realize, and when the epiphany does finally settle in, whether treading lightly on cat's paws or rumbling into the mind like a furious rhinoceros, the realization is always the same: truth qua truth.
So what is your fantasy?
Say you drive to your local fast food restaurant, and order a value meal. You pay your money, and proceed to the next window. Routine. Mundane. Predictable. But after you've driven away, and dug into your bag, instead of a burger, you find a succulent filet mignon. Many people would be initially put out by this. "What is this? This isn't what I ordered (expected....)" The routine is broken, and a foreign element, surprise, has been introduced. The natural response is negative. People are creatures of habit, afer all. But then you stop and think. "Wow. I just got a filet mignon for $2.99! Cool!"
This, in a nutshell, is much the same reaction some might experience after reading the Sword of Truth. The preconceptions of what a fantasy novel should be, the pre-existing expectations of what you're going to get out of the novel may initially find in you an apprehension towards Terry's distinct flavor of fantasy. Don't be too quick to ask for a refund.
Just like with J.R.R. Tollkien, Terry Goodkind's metaphysical value judgments are readily apparent in his work. Terry's intent of delivery, however, couldn't be more different from Tollkien's. The Lord of the Rings was meant to be an epic fantasy, a momentary escape from the real world into a wonderful magical world. Few could challenge the success of Tollkien's intent. The Sword of Truth, however, is not an escape from the real world, it is a study of it. Like Tollkien, Terry is not telling you what you should think, nor why. He is offering his own value judgments, and just as he has used his mind to decipher the data his senses have given him, and passed judgment upon the information accordingly, you must do the same.
You, too, are a creature of habit. You are alive, and you have a choice to think or not to think. In thinking, you must assess, categorize and prioritize your values. The Sword of Truth cannot present to you the Absolute Truth. It wasn't intended to. It is intended instead to present a variety of values, the rational behind them, and the consequences of each, all illustrated through the actions of the many characters. It is up to you to recognize the truth of the values you identify with, and why.
You are not that different from Richard, or Kahlan, or Zedd... or Jagang. You are a human being, and the inescapable human magic inherent in you is the same magic these characters use to live their lives according to their own values. This magic cannot be usurped. but it can be forfeited. To uncover what it is, you need only answer this question: What is Richard Rahl's most powerful weapon?
Hint: utilizing it requires no suspension of disbelief, but it is not visible in any spectrum in the universe.
I had my own epiphany partway through Faith of the Fallen. When it hit me, I was initially annoyed with myself that I had not discovered it sooner. Shortly thereafter, though, I enjoyed the savory filet mignon of truth, as my own veils and preconceptions were realized, lifted, destroyed.
This is the philosophy of reality; both terrible and wondrous to behold. This is the philosophy of the Sword of Truth, a magical world that resonates deeply in our own. This is not another routine, expectable fantasy novel.
The Sword of Truth is but the means to the end: the meaning of TRUTH
First and foremost, it should be said that Terry Goodkind does not consider himself an author of fantasy qua fantasy. Sure, he is an author writing a series in a fantasy setting, but he is by no means limited to that genre. This is an important distinction when considering his work, as it helps the reader to understand his motivation. That is, he is not writing about magic and swords so much as he is writing about characters who use magic and swords. The genre, for him, is a means to an end, an end which is multi-fold...
Telling a Story
Terry's first goal, and any author for that matter, is to tell a story. Whether the story is fiction or non-fiction, the story always follows a specific formula: beginning, middle, climax, end. The only thing that varies between stories is the agents and vehicles the author uses to navigate between these points. Terry's agents are, of course, Richard and Kahlan and Zedd, et al. His vehicle, however, is quite a more complex thing.
Take, for instance, the Creator and the Keeper. One might think them agents of the story, as they are referred to in a personified form via the characters, when in fact they are actually vehicles. Neither the Creator nor the Keeper ever have a direct impact on the events of the story itself. Ever notice that Richard never says "Thank the Creator!" anywhere throughout the series? That is very much by design. While many characters in the story will act in concordance with what they believe either the Creator or the Keeper would approve of, none can know for sure what is in the "minds" of these deific figures. As such, the Creator can be nothing more than a compelling vehicle that drives the actions of the agents forward. It is the characters themselves that decide to do a thing, not the Creator. It is the free will of the characters that moves the story along, and their motivations, such as greed, lust, honor, self-defense, or... enacting their perceived will of a supreme being. This is an integral illustration of not only Terry's personal value judgments, but the whole underlying theme of the Sword of Truth series, which is to decipher from reality the knowable truth.
Value Judgments
The other ends to the story's means is the illustration of Terry's view on life. Ayn Rand said that art is a representation of the artist's metaphysical value judgments. What this means is that any work of art, be it music, poetry, painting or writing, makes some statement of their view of reality. This is not just inevitable, it is the purpose of art itself.
Consider J.R.R. Tollkien's Lord of the Rings series. Tollkien expressly stated that this series was not intended to be didactic or even metaphorical of the real world. This may very well be true, but it is not difficult to glean from what he writes about and how he presents it to the audience what some of Tollkien's views probably were. One might point to Saruman and say he disdained unbridled expansionism or industrialism; another might see in Lothlorien or Hobbiton his affection for country life and being close to nature. Perhaps Tollkien did not intend these metaphors, but the value judgments are inherent nonetheless. While he may very well have made no specific contemporaneous political statement in his saga, it is proper to consider something and pass judgment upon it; for this is the purpose of thinking.
This is an important aspect of art: what does the viewer see? One might look at a Dali painting and see disfigurement and gore and find themselves wholly apalled by his representation of reality (his value judgments). Another might believe there is true genius behind the artist and the entire Surrealist/Dadaist movement as they unlock the expressly intended psychological and philosophical meanings of his work. Certainly the perception of art, one's tastes, is a subjective matter, but the purpose of the artist is not.
Solving the riddle
In recent books, some fans have expressed discontent with "the sudden change in Terry's style". Terry has, rightfully, been rather vocal about this false perception. From the first sentences of Wizard's First Rule, the Sword of Truth has always had the exact same agents and vehicles. This is not to say that he has not evolved as a writer, or otherwise developed his style over the series. Eight years have passed between the releases of Wizard's First Rule and Naked Empire, no doubt Terry has grown not only as an individual, but as an artist, as well, and this will inevitably be reflected in his work. Nonetheless, the value judgments which he presents in the series have not changed. It should be obvious to even the most obtuse or uninterested reader that he was drawing stark metaphors of the real world in his books. For those who yearned for just such a book, his words leapt from the page like a bolt of lightning. I cannot count how many times I read something and thought to myself, "Wow, he nailed that right on the head."
And that is the purpose of his art.
This much time and effort was not placed into the Sword of Truth series to churn out throw-away novels, and certainly not pulp fantasy. Terry has very expressly stated his own distaste for "world-building" stories, where the characters are the vehicles used to explore the worlds the author creates. Terry's stories focus on people, because we live in a world of people, full of people problems and people questions. While magic is a useful tool for exploring some of these concepts, and one might just as easily use elves and orcs metaphorically to illustrate racial tension in the real world, all of these to at least some degree require the suspension of disbelief on behalf of the reader. By focusing on people, there is no disconnect between what the characters are feeling and thinking, and how the reader might relate to those emotions. Less time (page space) need be spent delving into the idiosyncrasies of a foreign culture to explain why a character might respond in a specific way. Yet, Terry does address the clash of cultures in good depth, but again, he uses the common thread of humaninty to do this, and thus the cultures feel more real to the reader, without the work of trying to empathize with a humanoid that glows in the dark, spits acid, and other nonesuch.
In other words, a lot more thought has gone into the creation of the books, the vehicles and the agents, than the reader even realizes, because these aspects are handled subtly and smoothly by Mr. Goodkind. Those who complain of Terry's heavy-handed writing style have failed to see just how quietly he manages some very sublime and profound details of his books.
The Reality of Truth
So what is it all really about? Honestly, if you don't know the answer to this question, you probably won't know it from reading this little dissertation, either. After all, it's as plain as the nose on your face: Sword of Truth. A better question is: "What is TRUTH?"
Ayn Rand also said that reality is real, and it can be known. Her position flies in the face of the Sophists, those who claim that nothing can be known for sure, that we cannot be truly certain about anything. The philosophical debate of Absolute Truth rages on. At the same time, Aristotle presented the Law of Identity over 2300 years ago, that A = A, and this maxim is as profound and immutable today as it was then. He basically stated that what is is, regardless of whether an agent perceives it for its true nature. Truth qua truth. Truly, when we look upon an object, we may only see it in the spectrum of light available to our eyes. Red, orange, green, blue, purple. But there are other spectrums of light beyond the chromatic, and though they are not readily available to us, the object, in its true form, is also visible in those spectrums. Does this mean the Sophists are right, that we cannot trust our sense to tell us the truth?
Absolutely not.
We have five senses, but each alone can't always fully tell us about the world around us. If we only could taste an apple, we could not know it was red. If we could only feel it, we could not tell what it would sound like to take a bite. It is the role of the brain to use the senses, to consider the data offered, in its myriad forms, and pass a judgment on the true nature of the object.
Richard and Kahlan face many epic and strange problems in their lives, and this is really not that much different than the world we live in. Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. And just like us, our heroes are required to act beyond their means, to conquer the seemingly inconquerable, and somehow, through the midst of the chaos, retain that esoteric and fleeting grasp on what life is about, what is dear to us, and what it means to be alive. The many cultures and ideologies Richard has come across always seemed alien to him at first, and there is no greater human fear than that of the unknown. Richard has always been able to overcome these obstacles by being able to decipher the true nature of foreign peoples and their concepts, thus lifting the veil of unsurety, thus destroying the inherent fear of relating to other humans.
Human interaction is frightening to many. The unknown of another's values is one reason we're apprehensive about making eye contact with strangers, why we look away when somebody notices us noticing them. War, after all, is a clash of values. Even money is nothing more than a manifestation of values; "a dollar's worth of work for a dollar's worth of bread" being one example. Terry, through his characters, is able to illustrate these ideas and ideals in ways that the reader may not even realize, and when the epiphany does finally settle in, whether treading lightly on cat's paws or rumbling into the mind like a furious rhinoceros, the realization is always the same: truth qua truth.
So what is your fantasy?
Say you drive to your local fast food restaurant, and order a value meal. You pay your money, and proceed to the next window. Routine. Mundane. Predictable. But after you've driven away, and dug into your bag, instead of a burger, you find a succulent filet mignon. Many people would be initially put out by this. "What is this? This isn't what I ordered (expected....)" The routine is broken, and a foreign element, surprise, has been introduced. The natural response is negative. People are creatures of habit, afer all. But then you stop and think. "Wow. I just got a filet mignon for $2.99! Cool!"
This, in a nutshell, is much the same reaction some might experience after reading the Sword of Truth. The preconceptions of what a fantasy novel should be, the pre-existing expectations of what you're going to get out of the novel may initially find in you an apprehension towards Terry's distinct flavor of fantasy. Don't be too quick to ask for a refund.
Just like with J.R.R. Tollkien, Terry Goodkind's metaphysical value judgments are readily apparent in his work. Terry's intent of delivery, however, couldn't be more different from Tollkien's. The Lord of the Rings was meant to be an epic fantasy, a momentary escape from the real world into a wonderful magical world. Few could challenge the success of Tollkien's intent. The Sword of Truth, however, is not an escape from the real world, it is a study of it. Like Tollkien, Terry is not telling you what you should think, nor why. He is offering his own value judgments, and just as he has used his mind to decipher the data his senses have given him, and passed judgment upon the information accordingly, you must do the same.
You, too, are a creature of habit. You are alive, and you have a choice to think or not to think. In thinking, you must assess, categorize and prioritize your values. The Sword of Truth cannot present to you the Absolute Truth. It wasn't intended to. It is intended instead to present a variety of values, the rational behind them, and the consequences of each, all illustrated through the actions of the many characters. It is up to you to recognize the truth of the values you identify with, and why.
You are not that different from Richard, or Kahlan, or Zedd... or Jagang. You are a human being, and the inescapable human magic inherent in you is the same magic these characters use to live their lives according to their own values. This magic cannot be usurped. but it can be forfeited. To uncover what it is, you need only answer this question: What is Richard Rahl's most powerful weapon?
Hint: utilizing it requires no suspension of disbelief, but it is not visible in any spectrum in the universe.
I had my own epiphany partway through Faith of the Fallen. When it hit me, I was initially annoyed with myself that I had not discovered it sooner. Shortly thereafter, though, I enjoyed the savory filet mignon of truth, as my own veils and preconceptions were realized, lifted, destroyed.
This is the philosophy of reality; both terrible and wondrous to behold. This is the philosophy of the Sword of Truth, a magical world that resonates deeply in our own. This is not another routine, expectable fantasy novel.
The Sword of Truth is but the means to the end: the meaning of TRUTH