Confessor Case

Confessor.

Over the course of this past semester, I have read several novels. Confessor, by Terry Goodkind was perhaps my favorite. It is the concluding volume of a twelve book cycle, and the first of the twelve to reach the top spot on bestseller lists, being released in November of 2007. Being something of a fantasy hound, I literally could not wait for this much-anticipated release.

I came upon Goodkind's series in a roundabout manner. At the time, about two or three years ago, I was floundering in my next choice of book. I had just concluded the available books of Robert Jordan's 'Wheel of Time' series, and was in the mood for another epic series. Jordan was considered heir apparent to J.R.R. Tolkien, a master of high fantasy. A friend, and fellow fantasy aficionado, recommended Goodkind to me, stating that he wrote in a style similar to Jordan, if not quite so well. So it was that I found 'The Sword of Truth' series, and become an avid fan.

As before stated, Confessor is the final book of the main story arc, although there have been rumors of secondary story arcs to be exploited in the future (I sincerely hope this bears out to be true). The hero of the series is Richard Rahl, a simple woods guide thrust into a legacy of magic and danger. A chance encounter with Kahlan, the Mother Confessor, changes his life in amazing ways. The world is being subsumed by an evil leader, and it falls to Richard to thwart these plans, and save all that he holds dear.

As the series progresses, Richard faces many obstacles to his hope of peace, yet also finds love and new friends. Kahlan becomes his wife, and he becomes ruler of an empire. All does not remain well, for an ancient evil arises again.

Jagang the Just, ruler of the Imperial Order, threatens the world with a tide of darkness.. In a way, the situation is akin to the threat the ancient Greeks faced from the Persian Empire. The Imperial Order is a brutal organization, led by religious fanatics, intent on making all people subservient to their rule, terrifying and vicious as it is. Its armies are more vast than anything the world has ever seen, , and the depths of evil its leaders will stoop to are unparallel. It falls to Richard and Kahlan to oppose this evil, and preserve the light of freedom