Nice novella of Zed
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Goodkind is known for writing real behemoths of fantasy books, the kind that fills volume after volume. Therefore it is refreshing to read a short fantasy tale from his hand with a beginning and a start in one volume, and I reckon this is exactly the change he wanted too, after filling several thousand pages worth of 'Wizard Rules'/Sword of Truth.
And he succeeds! The story revolves around a young Zed, whom readers may recognize as the powerful wizard from Goodkind's epic series.
I will not go to deeply into the story, as not to spoil anything.
Now the story itself is not terribly complicated, nor multilayered. It is fairly straighforward: somebody has a problem, explains it, there is a quest, a problem occurs, and the problem is solved with some nice action sequences in a thrilling writing style. Nor is the story challenging to read, but the story is entertaining and it provides readers with a better understanding of the wizard Zed. And isn't that what writing is about, entertainment of readers? Recommended for all those who can't get enough of the Wizard Rules/Sword of Truth universe and those who like fantasy tales in general.
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Debt of Bones
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Lovely little story, but too short, as it can be easily read in just a couple of hours.
It was nice to get to know Zedd a little more, as he's probably my favourite character, and has made me chuckle more than once through the series. It was also great to see the city of Aydandril in it's former glorly, with the Keep bursting with Confessors and Wizards, etc.
Well, like I said... a nice enough read, but way too short. I actually missed it searching for it on the library shelf 'cos it's so damn thin!
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Short but good
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I really liked this book, it was a page turner. Only problem was I ran out of pages too quick. Enjoyable to the end and full of excitement. I'd also suggest The Unsuspecting Mage by Brian S. Pratt. It's another awesome epic fantasy with magic, gods, war and an enigmatic little creature. It's his debut novel, a little rough, but well worth the time to read it.
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Not worth book status
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I read this story as a novella, as part of the "Legends" anthology, and enjoyed it. When I heard that it had been "developed" into a full novel, I imagined a greatly elaborated story, with more background, and possibly starting further back a little in history. It could have been elaborated also by giving the background of the characters, which is apparently known to regular readers of Terry Goodkind. I started reading the book, loaned to me by a friend, and quickly decided that I was glad that I had not bought it. Very little of the elaboration and enrichment of the story that I had hoped for, had been done. There is a good, novella-length story here, but nothing more. Coulda been, shoulda been, but just isn't.
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Short but worth reading
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The only negative comment about this book is that it isn't a novel - it's a short story. But it is 'this' story that originally made me want to read the rest of the books, so don't let that dishearten you or disappoint. If you're this far into the Terry Goodkind's 'Sword of Truth' series, then you enjoy the books and are going to want to read it. If you collect the books you are going to want to own it. In which case, just be prepared for a book about a quarter of a inch thick - which can be a bit of a shock when we are so used to much larger work from this author - and you won't go far wrong. As to the story itself - this is a lovely insight to the background of Zedd and the world as it was before the start of the series. The moment I began to read it I realised I had read this story before in an anthology of short stories a few years ago - it is the story that first piqued my interest in Terry Goodkind as a writer and made me want to read the Sword of Truth books. Now, having read it again, I have to agree with other reviews and say that it is a pity that it's so short. It would be nice if maybe one day the author pens a much longer prequel, but in the interim this does very nicely.
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