Phantom: Chainfire Trilogy, Part 2 (Sword of Truth, Book 10)

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Book Description

On the day she awoke remembering nothing but her name, Kahlan Amnell became the most dangerous woman alive. For everyone else, that was the day that the world began to end. As her husband, Richard, desperately searches for his beloved, whom only he remembers, he knows that if she doesnt soon discover who she really is, she will unwittingly become the instrument that will unleash annihilation. But Kahlan learns that if she ever were to unlock the truth of her lost identity, then evil itself would finally possess her, body, and soul. If she is to survive in a murky world of deception and betrayal, where life is not only cheap but fleeting, Kahlan must find out why she is such a central figure in the war-torn world swirling around her. What she uncovers are secrets darker than she could ever have imagined.

Customer Reviews:

Only Terry.......2007-09-26

Terry seems to have Richard loose that woman more then anything in the world but over all he makes him losign her interesting each time....if you're looking at this you read all the others most likely so you know the deal

Disappointing ovreall with sparks of quality here and there.......2007-09-20

I am about ready to give up on this series, but I think I can make it one more book. This one was again disappointing. It rambled on and on over the exact same tired ground covered in other books. Then there would be a bit of action that was interesting and might have a good twist. Then it would ramble some more. I skipped whole paragraphs and pages and missed none of the plot. If you have stuck it out this long with the series, sure, so ahead. Otherwise don't bother.

Merely average.......2007-09-15

Phantom by Terry Godkind is the second book in the Chainfire trilogy, but also the tenth book in the Sword of Truth saga. For people not familiar with Mr. Goodkind, it may sound odd that a book is part of a trilogy and a saga at the same time, but that is the case with this book. The Chainfire trilogy is merely the final three books in the saga. By all accounts, the final book in the Chainfire trilogy, will in fact be the last book in the Sword of Truth saga. The saga that was started back in 1994 with Wizard's First Rule (Sword of Truth, Book 1) is due to close with the next book. There have been a mix of gems and duds among the books, but over all it's proven to be a solid series.

The overall plot of this book is almost identical to the plot of the previous book, Chainfire: Chainfire Trilogy, Part 1 (Sword of Truth, Book 9). In that Richard is still searching for Kahlan. The only difference is that in Chainfire, Richard had convinced those closest to him (Zed, Cara, Nicci etc) that Kahlan does exists. Sadly, nothing much changes in terms of that plot line. It almost seems as though Mr. Goodkind wants to milk that piece of plot for all it's worth. There are a few other subplots sprinkled in for good measure as well. Such as the Boxes of Orden and just what they can do. I particularly like this subplot because it ties up events from book one and is obviously bringing things together. There is also, as with previous books, a great deal of discussion of prophecy. This subplot seems to make the book become sluggish and redundant due to the fact the characters seem as though they are constantly repeating themselves. There is also the additional subplot of the First Grand Wizard, Baraccus, and the events he started way back when. Certainly, an interesting addition to the story.

The characters are largely the same characters that were present in the previous book, and the entire saga. There is not much character development at all for the main heroes. In fact, the character that seems to develop the most is Emperor Jagang. Jagang's development mostly centers on readers just leaning more about him. There is no real growth for the characters. At times, this novel felt as though the characters were secondary and they were being dragged along by the story. This is the second book in a row where Mr. Goodkind has offered very little in the way of character development. I was disappointed, especially being that this is the second to last book in the entire series to have flat characters, after readers have invested so much time following the story. I sincerely hope, with the last book, Mr. Goodkind adds a great deal of character development.

I have a few criticisms about this novel.

One being that at times the dialog drags on, and on... and on. The characters say the same thing over and over again. It is almost as though Mr. Goodkind is saying to the reader "I want you to get this point." And then proceeds to beat the reader over the head with the point.

Secondly, there are several times in this novel where the characters are struggling when suddenly one of the characters has an `ah ha!' moment and suddenly figures out a very vexing problem and has all the answers. This is very frustrating as a reader to see things `given' to the characters so easily. This happens no less than three times in this story.

Also, as I talked about above, the simple lack of character development. Sure, the story as a whole is advanced, but in terms of character development there is very little to be found.

Overall this is a slightly disappointing book. As a reader, I don't feel like a whole lot was accomplished in the broad scope of things. Fans of the series will certainly need to read this book, after all there is only one more left to complete the tale. People considering reading this novel, without prior knowledge of the series, need to really go back and start from the beginning. There are events and characters in this book that are discussed, or mentioned that would make no sense without reading the previous books. I would most likely recommend this series as a whole to more adult fantasy readers, yet in the same breath I think there are better fantasy series out there right now with less philosophical discussion based on the author's views and beliefs. This is simply an average fantasy book at best.

Phantom.......2007-09-08

As always Terry Goodkind keeps writing the books that you can not put down. The Phantom is deep into the series of Wizards first rule books (book 10) and it seems sometimes the "catching up" is a little tiresome but I just skip over these parts and truley love all the books that I have read by Terry Goodkind.

The continuation.......2007-09-01

TG in his SFT series has always felt the need to repeat himself hundreds of times so that a full third of the book rehashes the series up to the current point. However up till now the story had continued to advance enough that by the end of whatever book I had read it seemed worth reading. Phantom was a complete disappointment in that it did not. As slow paced as his books are I somehow doubt he'll be able to masterfully end what still stands in my mind as a good series in one final novel. Those who have the time I still would recommend the series, this book one just has to suffer through and in all honesty may not even be that bad if the reader can quickly move to the next one due in Nov 07'.

Lincoln's Sword: The Presidency and the Power of Words

Average customer rating:

Words that moved a nation
First-rate work
A Scholarly Analysis readable by Anyone
insightful
A wonderful read, and contains important material on what Lincoln actually wrote and said and why.

Lincoln's Sword: The Presidency and the Power of Words
Douglas L. Wilson
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Presidents & Heads of State | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Rhetoric | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1400040396
Release Date: 2006-11-14

Book Description

Abraham Lincoln now occupies an unparalleled place in American history, but when he was first elected president, a skeptical writer asked, “Who will write this ignorant man’s state papers?” Literary ability was, indeed, the last thing the public expected from the folksy, self-educated “rail-splitter,” but the forceful qualities of Lincoln’s writing eventually surprised his supporters and confounded his many critics. Since his assassination in 1865, no American’s words have become more familiar or more admired, and their enduring power has established him as one of our greatest writers. Now, in a groundbreaking study, the distinguished Lincoln scholar Douglas L. Wilson demonstrates that exploring Lincoln’s presidential writing provides a window onto his presidency and a key to his accomplishments.

Lincoln’s Sword tells the story of how Lincoln developed his writing skills, how they served him for a time as a hidden presidential asset, how it gradually became clear that he possessed a formidable literary talent, and it reveals how writing came to play an increasingly important role in his presidency. “By the time he came to write the Gettysburg Address,” Wilson says, “Lincoln was attempting to help put the horrific carnage of the Civil War in a positive light, and at the same time to do it in a way that would have constructive implications for the future. By the time he came to write the Second Inaugural Address, fifteen months later, he was quite consciously in the business of interpreting the war and its deeper meaning, not just for his contemporaries but for what he elsewhere called the ‘vast future.’ ”

Illustrated with reproductions of Lincoln’s original manuscripts, Lincoln’s Sword affords an unprecedented look at a distinctively American writer.

Customer Reviews:

Words that moved a nation.......2007-08-05

Author Douglas L. Wilson once again hits the bull's-eye, this time with a painstaking study of Lincoln's rhetoric (the President's personal "sword"). This book should appeal not only to persons interested in the Great Emancipator, but to those interested in the craft of writing. Wilson takes us step-by-step through the process Lincoln used to hone some of his most famous statements, a journey revealing principles of clear writing. Wilson shows that Lincoln's clarity of expression wasn't effortless, but resulted from hard work.

First-rate work.......2007-06-02

Bold in concept and careful in execution, this work is a gem. Lincoln's constant revising, his sense of what was appropriate in given situations, and his surging command of the language over decades impress the reader. Wilson's understanding of the context of Lincoln's deployment of language is impressive. Cautiously revisionist.

A Scholarly Analysis readable by Anyone.......2007-05-30

Lincoln's Sword illuminates the power and clarity of Lincoln's words. Even if the reader is not a Lincoln devotee or scholar, this book's treatment of Lincoln's speeches are clear, concise and pleasureable. This is a book that anyone would enjoy reading.

insightful.......2007-05-07

well worth the read to gain insight into an often little understood man. the depth of the writing gives testimony to the depth of the man. read it and learn - not just about lincoln - but also how to use communications to move people towards your goals.

A wonderful read, and contains important material on what Lincoln actually wrote and said and why........2007-02-09

Lincoln has become one of those tests where someone can tell you their thoughts about him and you can often tell where they are on any number of issues. The problem is that much of what people think they know about Lincoln is only a bumper sticker or sound byte version of what went on. We try to judge Lincoln (and most of our great historical figures) by our lights rather than seeing him in the context of his own time. Of course, it takes some work to learn what happened and why rather than wringing our hands over, say, the suspension of habeas corpus.

This excellent book can be a great contribution to your education about the real Abraham Lincoln and how he conducted himself as President. He came into office with the elite dismissing him as crude and hopelessly unsophisticated. This book shows us how carefully he worked on his public speeches and the letters and articles that were published during his time in office.

Sometimes we forget that by the time Lincoln took office on March 4, 1861 that the movement for secession was well underway and the firing on Fort Sumter was on April 12, 1861, just a few weeks later. His second inaugural address was given on March 4, 1865, Lee's Surrender at Appomattox was on April 9th, and Lincoln was shot by Booth on April 14th. He died the next day. So, his entire service as President was bounded by that terrible war.

Douglas Wilson takes several of the addresses and letters central to Lincoln's Presidency and shows us what the extant drafts reveal to us about Lincoln's purposes, approach, and the political realities he faced. He also brings in testimony by those who were involved with those documents, worked with Lincoln, and contemporaries who wrote about them. It is all quite fascinating, especially because it is focused on what was happening and what was thought at the time rather than imposing anachronistic views from our day on those events. However, Wilson does spend some time examining what some contemporary critics have said about these documents and events. For example, he uses a few apt quotes from Garry Wills' wonderful book (one you may want to read) on the Gettysburg address because they are among the best things said about it in our time.

While other documents are considered in passing, the central documents examined in this book are: Lincoln's farewell from Springfield for Washington, his First Inaugural, the July 4, 1861 address, the Emancipation Proclamation (and its antecedents), a letter to Greeley, the Corning letter, the Gettysburg Address, and the Second Inaugural.

I would suggest that you get a copy of Lincoln's addresses or get them from the Web and read the documents along with the book (most are not provided in the book because of their length and their wide availability). I recommend the two volume set of Lincoln's "Speeches and Writings" from the Library of America (only the second volume is needed for this book). Reading what Lincoln actually wrote and said is quite edifying because one learns first hand what he said and did rather than being the prisoner of what others selectively provide you to promote their own agenda.

This is a great read, is very informative, and I strongly recommend it to you as part of your self education on what American History really is.

Summer of the Sea Serpent (Magic Tree House #31)

Average customer rating:

Summer of the Sea Serpent (Magic Tree House #31)
Action-packed but creepy
Summer of the Sea Serpent
Summer of the Sea Serpent
At it again

Summer of the Sea Serpent (Magic Tree House #31)
Mary Pope Osborne
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0375827358
Release Date: 2004-03-09

Book Description

Jack and Annie are off on another mythical mission at the request of Merlin the magician. Luckily, they have a young sorcerer, Teddy, to help them. From underwater caves to a Spider Queen, from mystical selkies to a magical sword, this is a Magic Tree House adventure kids won’t want to miss!

Customer Reviews:

Summer of the Sea Serpent (Magic Tree House #31).......2007-08-29

I am trying to get my son to want to read and this book was very successful at getting him to want to continue reading to see what's going to happen next.

Action-packed but creepy.......2007-06-13

I love the Magic Tree House books, and Summer of the Sea Serpent is a very cool Merlin Mission, but it is very mysterious and creepy. In one part, they went into a cave where the Spider Queen who lives inside it, the drawing looks creepy because the spider has about 13 eyes! And some other parts are mysterious, too. I really appreciate Mary Pope Osborne's great fantasy books, but this not exactly the best nor the worst. If you are a fan of the Magic Tree House series, check it out in the library, but don't buy it. Still, I love Magic Tree House.

Summer of the Sea Serpent.......2007-01-06

You just got to keep up with the kids . If you have the collection the book is great as always. My kids really enjoy them.

Summer of the Sea Serpent.......2006-11-03

Summer of the Sea Serpent
By Mary Pope Osborne

The book I'm reading is called Summer of the Sea Serpent. In the book, Jack and Annie go to Camelot. They meet an old friend, Teddy. He is a boy sorcerer who turned himself into a dog by accident, and Jack and Annie free him. He enjoys going on adventures with Jack and Annie. Teddy respects his magic, but needs some work on his rhyming. He turned Jack and Annie into ravens during last mission by accident, and had the idea to turn them into seals this mission. Do you think Teddy is a good sorcerer?

Brian, 9
Cunniff School
Watertown, MA

At it again.......2006-08-30

Jack and Annie continue in this wonderful series. We read these books, and listen to them on audio tape and cd - acceptable for the whole family without being boring for the grownups

Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway

Average customer rating:

Midway seen in another light
Solid history, but somewhat over written
Excellent WWII book.
So very revealing and in depth abot the Psyche of the Japanese Navy
Fascinating and indispensable.

Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway
Jonathan Parshall , and Anthony Tully
Manufacturer: Potomac Books Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Japan | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1574889230

Book Description

Many consider the Battle of Midway to have turned the tide of the Pacific War. It is without question one of the most famous battles in history. Now, for the first time since Gordon W. Prange’s bestselling Miracle at Midway, Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully offer a new interpretation of this great naval engagement.

Unlike previous accounts, Shattered Sword makes extensive use of Japanese primary sources. It also corrects the many errors of Mitsuo Fuchida’s Midway: The Battle That Doomed Japan, an uncritical reliance upon which has tainted every previous Western account. It thus forces a major, potentially controversial reevaluation of the great battle. The authors examine the battle in detail and effortlessly place it within the context of the Imperial Navy’s doctrine and technology. With a foreword by leading WWII naval historian John Lundstrom, Shattered Sword will become an indispensable part of any military buff’s library. Winner of the 2005 John Lyman Book Award for the "Best Book in U.S. Naval History" and cited by Proceedings as one of its "Notable Naval Books" for 2005.

Customer Reviews:

Midway seen in another light.......2007-09-10

An excellently researched story of Midway giving a lot of new details and insights, all very well researched and with extensive proof to support the ideas put forward.

I thought I knew the story of Midway by heart, having read every book on the subject I could lay my hands on, who have been copying each other.

This book gives a completely new perspective and with the supporting documentation makes a credible point for a new look at the sequence of events.

The final book on Midway? Not likely, but it will be hard to surpass it in novel approach.

A book to read without stopping.

Only drawback is that (at least at the time I bought it), there was no paperback version, but that probably wouldn't have lasted long anyway because the book is begging to be re-read over and over again.

Solid history, but somewhat over written.......2007-08-17

Shattered Sword is an excellent, but somewhat over written work that is really two books in one. The first is a solid, well documented account of Japanese operations at Midway. The other is a reassessment of certain events that been centerpieces in most popular depictions of that battle.

The former is a foundational piece that should be included in any serious historian's bookshelf; a five-star work that provides considerable insight to Japanese strategy tactics and operations. The latter is an interesting, but ultimately over-advocated piece that deserves credit for correcting the historic record, but ultimately does not contribute nearly as much new knowledge as the first. A three-star work.

Parshall and Tully fill in a huge gap by providing a soup-to-nuts assessment of Japanese planning and operations that made up the Midway and Aleutians campaigns. Their meticulous analysis is remarkable, and seemingly consists of about two pages of analysis for one page of narrative. The end result is a keen understanding of how Japan conducted the campaign, and the fatal flaws that were both latent and all too visible.

It seems that the Japanese Imperial Navy was wholly unprepared to conduct a major war like the one they initiated, and not from a logistical/industrial standpoint either. The picture the authors paint (perhaps unintentionally) is of a military organization that is highly polished but extremely brittle. When they faced a surprised or weaker opponent, the Japanese dominated. But if the Japanese faced a foe even close to parity, their planning and organization would unravel, resulting in a high loss of life and material. The glaring flaws in their strategic and tactical planning, operations, and command structure seem to suggest that even if they won the Battle of Midway, it was only a matter of time before their organization failed and they would suffer some catastrophic disaster at the hands of the Americans.

As for the authors' reassessment of Midway, they try too hard to push these revelations. While I laud them for rectifying these errors, most of these issues are far less important than other topics the authors brought up. For example, the authors go to great lengths to explain how Nagumo's reserve strike were actually in the hanger rather on the flight deck, when the Americans made their decisive strike. It really seems to be a relatively minor detail, since (as the authors stated) the Japanese carriers had unarmored flight decks, and the American strike would have blown the carriers to smithereens in either case. What is of more importance, but is given less promotion, is that the Japanese were unable to launch an attack in the face of uncoordinated but persistent American attacks. This essentially says the Japanese never really had control of the battle from the very beginning.

Nevertheless, Shattered Sword is a fabulous and serious historical study. I look forward to future works from the authors.

Excellent WWII book........2007-08-06

Shattered Sword was a most interesting and informative book covering this famous battle as well as events leading up to it, primarily from the Japanese perspective. This in itself is unusual. The narrative was very detailed yet fast paced, even difficult to put down. What I enjoyed most, though, was that the authors related the events at Midway to strategic decisions made many years earlier. Thus, the battle of Tsushima in 1905 would ultimately affect placement of gun batteries and other such things which would determine the outcome at Midway in 1942. IMHO it is the good historian who is able to connect such distant dots.

So very revealing and in depth abot the Psyche of the Japanese Navy.......2007-07-13

I bought this book based on the writer's excellent website. What I expected was detail and facts. What I got was much better.
Shattered Sword not only totally covers the events of the MI raid but it looks back to the start of the war and how these successes actually laid the groundwork for the total failure of the Japanese Navy both at Midway and beyond. The authors reveal Yamamoto as both brilliant and a bully. His plans were shown to be flawed but pushed on the Navy by threats. The actual minute by minute account of the battle goes into incredible detail (based on many survivor accounts). The technical sections show how the carriers were attacked, damaged and how their poor damage control finally sent them to the bottom. Perhaps the most interesting were the debunking of the Myths of Midway. Read the book to find out what I mean.

It is a great book filled with detail, vivid descriptions, stories and analysis of the battle, its causes and its ultimate failure for the Japanese. Just for fun there is a what if section. Again read the book and enjoy.

Alan

Fascinating and indispensable........2007-07-09

The most important contribution to the literature on Midway in decades. Engagingly-written, convincingly-argued, resting on an extremely solid foundation of research, and profusely illustrated with rarely-seen photographs, illuminating diagrams and maps, and interesting technical drawings.

That "Shattered Sword" is something of a "revisionist" account of one of the more legendary battles of of World War II should not deter the potential reader. If anything, the truth is far more dramatic and compelling than the myths that have grown around this battle in the last 65 years.

The level of detail and sophistication of the analysis of a wide variety of subjects, from the narrow (Japanese carrier design, flight operations, and damage-control procedures) to the broad (the repercussions of the Japanese defeat at Midway, its ideological, doctrinal, and cultural roots, and the significance of the defeat to the outcome of the war generally) is of the highest caliber.

It is difficult to imagine this book being superseded on its topic for the foreseeable future, and equally difficult to imagine that both professional military historians and adventurous general readers interested in the subject would not take away a great deal of insight after having read this superb book.

Deeply satisfying, and strongly recommended.

Sword of Truth, Boxed Set III, Books 7-9: The Pillars of Creation, Naked Empire, Chainfire (Sword Of Truth)

Average customer rating:

Sword of Truth, Boxed Set III
sword of truth set 3
The Sword of truth Series by Terry Goodkind
Great reading
Great Job

Sword of Truth, Boxed Set III, Books 7-9: The Pillars of Creation, Naked Empire, Chainfire (Sword Of Truth)
Terry Goodkind
Manufacturer: Tor Fantasy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0765356856

Book Description

This Mass Market Boxed Set, is the Third Boxed Set of The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind:

The Box Set includes:
Pillars of Creation, 0-765-34074-7
Naked Empire, 0-765-34430-7
Chainfire, 0-765-34431-9

Book 7: Pillars of Creation

Sequel to the New York Times bestselling Faith of the Fallen

New York Times bestselling author Terry Goodkind has created his most lavish adventure yet. Tormented her entire life by inhuman voices, a young woman named Lauren seeks to end her intolerable agony. She at last discovers a way to silence the voices. For everyone else, the torment is about to begin.

With winter descending and the paralyzing dread of an army of annihilation occupying their homeland, Richard Rahl and his wife Kahlan must venture deep into a strange and desolate land. Their quest turns to terror when they find themselves the helpless prey of a tireless hunter.

Meanwhile, Lauren finds herself drawn into the center of a struggle for conquest and revenge. Worse yet, she finds her will seized by forces more abhorrent than anything she ever envisioned. Only then does she come to realize that the voices were real.

Staggered by loss and increasingly isolated, Richard and Kahlan must stop the relentless, unearthly threat which has come out of the darkest night of the human soul. To do so, Richard will be called upon to face the demons stalking among the Pillars of Creation.

Discover breathtaking adventure and true nobility of spirit. Find out why millions of readers the world over have elevated Terry Goodkind to the ranks of legend.

Book 8: Naked Empire
Beginning with Wizard's First Rule and continuing with six subsequent fantasy masterpieces, Terry Goodkind has thrilled and awed millions of readers worldwide. Now Goodkind returns with a broad-canvas adventure of epic intrigue, violent conflict, and terrifying peril for the beautiful Kahlan Amnell and her husband, the heroic Richard Rahl, the Sword of Truth.

Richard Rahl has been poisoned. Saving an empire from annihilation is the price of the antidote. With the shadow of death looming near, the empire crumbling before the invading hordes, and time running out, Richard is offered not only his own life but the salvation of a people, in exchange for delivering his wife, Kahlan, into bondage to the enemy.

Book 9: Chainfire
With Wizard's First Rule and seven subsequent masterpieces, Terry Goodkind has thrilled readers worldwide with the unique sweep of his storytelling. Now Goodkind returns with a new novel of Richard and Kahlan, the beginning of a sequence of three novels that will bring their epic story to its culmination.

After being gravely injured in battle, Richard awakes to discover Kahlan missing. To his disbelief, no one remembers the woman he is frantically trying to find. Worse, no one believes that she really exists, or that he was ever married. Alone as never before, he must find the woman he loves more than life itself....if she is even still alive. If she was ever even real.

Customer Reviews:

Sword of Truth, Boxed Set III.......2007-08-06

Terry Goodkind is one of the Kings of Fantasy and has the amazing ability to bring the reader right into the story with very few if any boring "set-ups." The adventure always rolls right along and gives the reader the never-ending desire to turn the page, read another chapter, oh heck, finish the book, it's not that late. Goodkind is an author those of you who love fantasy will read over and over and over again.

sword of truth set 3.......2007-05-07

Goodman has developed a complex vile group of villians in the Order and Jaagang. Reminds a reader of the current world events.

The Sword of truth Series by Terry Goodkind.......2007-04-12

Sorry, but I'm nowhere near reading ( Books 7-9)yet; I'm on book number 2( just started it) and with that said I am extremely happy I started reading this series of 12 books and I got the book before the series started. Terry Goodkind books just the kind books there should be more of, I'm looking forward to finding more of his work in the future. P.S. I bought 1 -9 and have put in an order for # 10 and the book that lead to the series to be deliver first of June. Thank you help me re-start my love for reading once more, by keep the cost down.

Great reading.......2007-03-21

I have read all but one of Terry Goodkinds sequels. I have found his books to be entertaining and they grip you with their tales. I hope these books get turned into movie sequels or tv sequels.

Great Job.......2007-01-10

I am very happy with the product and the person(s) I bought this from. It came very quickly as promised and I had no problems with it and I would do business with them again.

The Sword of Truth, Boxed Set I, Books 1-3: Wizard's First Rule, Blood of the Fold ,Stone of Tears

Average customer rating:

wizard set
Great style, substance and themes.
Sword of Truth
Fantasy at its best!
Don't Buy This Set

The Sword of Truth, Boxed Set I, Books 1-3: Wizard's First Rule, Blood of the Fold ,Stone of Tears
Terry Goodkind
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Magic & Wizards | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0812575601

Book Description

The Sword of Truth, Boxed Set I, Books 1-3 Wizard's First Rule, Stone of Tears, and Blood of the FoldThe Sword of Truth, Boxed Set I, Books 1-3 Wizard's First Rule, Stone of Tears, and Blood of the FoldBook 1: Wizards First Rule The masterpiece that started The New York Times bestselling epic Sword of TruthIn the aftermath of the brutal murder of his father, a mysterious woman, Kahlan Amnell, appears in Richard Cypher's forest sanctuary seeking help . . . and more. His world, his very beliefs, are shattered when ancient debts come due with thundering violence.In a dark age it takes courage to live, and more than mere courage to challenge those who hold dominion, Richard and Kahlan must take up that challenge or become the next victims. Beyond awaits a bewitching land where even the best of their hearts could betray them. Yet, Richard fears nothing so much as what secrets his sword might reveal about his own soul. Falling in love would destroy them--for reasons Richard can't imagine and Kahlan dare not say. In their darkest hour, hunted relentlessly, tormented by treachery and loss, Kahlan calls upon Richard to reach beyond his sword--to invoke within himself something more noble. Neither knows that the rules of battle have just changed . . . or that their time has run out. This is the beginning. One book. One Rule. Witness the birth of a legend.Book 2: Stone of Tears An Epic of Awesome PowerKahlan has at last gained the one goal she had always thought was beyond her grasp .... love. Against all odds, the ancient bonds of secret oaths, and the dark talents of men long dead, Richard has won her heart.Amid sudden and disastrous events, Richard's life is called due to satisfy those treacherous oaths. To save his life, Kahlan must forsake Richard's love and cast him into the chains of slavery, knowing there could be no sin worse than such a betrayal.Richard is determined to unlock the secrets bound in the magic of ancient oaths and to again be free. Kahlan, alone with the terrible truth of what she has done, must set about altering the course of a world thrown into war. But even that may be easier than ever winning back the heart of the only man she will ever love.Book 3: Blood of the Fold An Epic of Two WorldsIn a world as rich and real as our own, Richard Rahl and Kahlan Amnell stand against the ancient forces which besiege the New World-- forces so terrible that when last they threatened, they could only be withstood by sealing off the Old World from whence they came. Now the barrier has been breached, and the New World is again beset by their evil power.War and treachery plague the world, and only Richard and Kahlan can save it from an armageddon of unimaginable savagery and destruction.Terry Goodkind, author of the brilliant bestsellers Wizard's First Rule and Stone of Tears, has created his most masterful epic yet, a sumptuous feast of magic and excitement replete with the wonders of his unique fantasy vision.

Customer Reviews:

wizard set.......2007-09-12

great to get a set like this. When you finish the 1st book 2nd one is right there.

Great style, substance and themes........2007-09-11

Goodkind's writing seems to mature with each book, adding nuance and layer to his seemingly simple themes and characters, leaving the reader to wonder to themselves about what "good and evil" really are.

The stories come alive with great characters, plenty of action, and the wonderment that magical concepts add to the stories. All the fun of being a kid again, but with the adult themes that will keep you reading far into the night.

Have fun!

Sword of Truth.......2007-09-01

Very fast transaction and accurate description of the item, so I would recommend this Seller.

Fantasy at its best!.......2007-08-16

I recommend the first 3-4 volumes of this serie to every fan of good fantasy-literature.
Very creative story, fascinating characters, a lot of suspense, a lot original ideas!
It`s too bad that after "Temple of winds" the whole story started to lose its grip, logic and tended to repeat itself.
Nevertheless, as said before, the first 3-4 volumes are excellent!

Don't Buy This Set.......2007-08-05

Unless you've already read the series and just want to replace your copies, don't buy this set. I made the enormous error of purchasing this set without reading any of Goodkind's novels first. I forced my way through Wizard's First Rule and realized that I wasted my money. I have no intention of ever reading Blood of the Fold or Stone of Tears.

I have very, very few positive things to say about the Wizard's First Rule. So I'll just get the positives out of the way now. Zedd is a very likable character. Not very original, certainly, but he's kooky and funny and hard not to like. The character Giller, too, is likable after a fashion.

Well, that's about all I can say thats positive about the novel. So lets get to the negatives.

1. It's poorly written. The narrative is clumsy, the dialog is repetitive and unrealistic. Not only is the language poor, but Goodkind is unable to logically construct even a simple paragraph, let alone an entire chapter. He has a habit of meandering in his paragraphs so that the first sentence of the paragraph has absolutely nothing to do with the last sentence. This would be understandable were he writing in stream of consciousness, but, alas, he is not. He also has the annoying habit of changing the perspective of the narrator from paragraph to paragraph without informing the reader, making it difficult to sort out who thinks what.

2. The characters are detestable. As I already said, Zedd and Giller are good characters. But they are minor characters. The hero, Richard, is one of the most immediately dislikable protagonists I've ever seen. He's arrogant, whiny, awkward, stupid and completely intolerant of other people and their cultures. Which leads me to my third major criticism.

3. Inconsistent character development. Goodkind frequently changes the personality of his characters to suit the chapter. In one chapter, Richard throws a tantrum because he cannot use his right hand to do something because it is against the culture of a tribe he is visiting. A chapter or two later, he willingly eats the flesh of another person because the culture dictates he must. In addition, Richard (and the other characters) range from mind-bogglingly stupid to brilliant and back something within a couple paragraphs. Goodkind makes his characters smart when he needs to in order to advance the plot, then makes them stupid when he needs to. Richard, Kahlan, Zedd, etc., all do enormously stupid things, and then are brilliant the next chapter. And its not just one character, every character is in turns brilliant and stupid. And it seems that there is always one brilliant character and several stupid characters at any given time so there is always enough intelligence to advance the plot. What's the point of having 800 pages of character development if you just throw it away to advance the plot?

4. And speaking of the plot, the story of the Wizard's First Rule is pretty poorly devised and highly predictable. There are two major secrets in the novel, the first being the identity of the Wizard (which is readily apparent within the first 15 pages of the text) and the identity of the Traitor (which is apparent as soon as it is learned that Richard was betrayed). And despite how painfully obvious who these characters are, Goodkind painstakingly devotes hundreds of pages to discovering their identities. It's terribly painful clawing your way through this book when you already know how all the big secrets and how the book is going to end within the first few chapters.

5. Plot-lifting. In a lot of ways, Wizard's First Rule is a dumbed down version of Robert Jordan's the Wheel of Time. Richard is essentially Rand Al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn, though he is purely a good character and destined only to help the world. Kahlan Amnell and the Confessors are utterly identical in every way to Jordan's Aes Sedai. The torture and training Richard endures is identical (and often down to the very wording) to the training Egwene Al'Vere endures. Darken Rahl is a very poor rip off of Shai'Tan, the Dark One (and, for that matter Darth Vader of Star Wars fame). There is very, very little of Goodkind's original thought in the Wizard's First Rule, and what original thought there is is very poor.

6. Convenient Writing. Goodkind is the King of making crap up as he goes. Due to his inability to write his way out of a wet paper bag, Goodkind is constantly having to make up new powers or abilities to get his characters out of a seemingly impossible situation. The best example for this is one scene in which Kahlan, Zedd and Chase are ambushed by Darken Rahl's minions. For whatever reason, Zedd and Chase are incapacitated and Kahlan, for some other stupid reason, can't use her powers and is being raped. Suddenly, Kahlan develops a new ability that 1. has never been mentioned before, 2. she admits that she had never been able to do before, 3. must be taught by an expert, as stipulation Kahlan never met. Yet somehow, Kahlan is able to use this power and miraculously defeats the enemy. Goodkind's writing in these situations is so bad that he flat out admits what the character just did is impossible, but goes with it anyway.

In truth, I could list another dozen or so criticisms of this book. But I doubt anyone is going to read that much. My advice: If you've never read Terry Goodkind before, read him before you blow the extra money on this set. If you're an intelligent, well-read reader, you will likely hate the series and regret spending the money, as I did. You are more likely to enjoy this book if you are a child, say 10-12 years old, or you have never read a fantasy book before. If you fit into either of these categories, the cliches will not seem so bad, and the new world of fantasy will blind you to the very poor writing and storytelling. But in either of those circumstances, I would still advise against buying the set. Make sure you like Goodkind before you drop the money for three of his books. Go to the library and read a chapter or two first. There's a very good chance that you will despise this novel like most other experienced readers.

I gave this set two stars, by the way, for the reasons listed in the previous paragraph. If you're an inexperienced reader or are new to the fantasy world, this series will work well for you. In addition, Mr. Goodkind CAN write, and can write well. The Wizard's First Rule features one or two chapters that are marvelously written. But this is an extreme exception to the rule. Perhaps the later books are better, but after Book I, I will work very hard to ensure that I never read another word of Goodkind's writing.

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

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Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Confessor: Chainfire Trilogy, Part 3 (Sword Of Truth, Book 11)

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Confessor: Chainfire Trilogy, Part 3 (Sword Of Truth, Book 11)
Terry Goodkind
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0765315238
Release Date: 2007-11-13

Book Description

Descending into darkness, about to be overwhelmed by evil, those people still free are powerless to stop the coming dawn of a savage new world, while Richard faces the guilt of knowing that he must let it happen. Alone, he must bear the weight of a sin he dare not confess to the one person he loves…and has lost.

Join Richard and Kahlan in the concluding novel of one of the most remarkable and memorable journeys ever written. It started with one rule, and will end with the rule of all rules, the rule unwritten, the rule unspoken since the dawn of history.
When next the sun rises, the world will be forever changed.

A Crown of Swords (The Wheel of Time, Book 7)

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Better then reading the book
Not Free SF Reader
The best WoT book since the first one
Great Series
Will this ever end....?

A Crown of Swords (The Wheel of Time, Book 7)
Robert Jordan
Manufacturer: Tor Fantasy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0812550285

Amazon.com

Robert Jordan has created a rich and intricate tapestry of characters in his Wheel of Time series. In this seventh volume, Rand al'Thor--the Dragon Reborn--draws ever closer to the Last Battle as a stifling heat grips the world.

Book Description

The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow. Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time.

Customer Reviews:

Better then reading the book.......2007-09-10

I really enjoy RJ's work, but I, like many others wonder why he needs to repeat himself over and over. Or give us every single detail about even things that are not all that important. Myself, I really hope that there is only one book left and that RJ finishes it soon. And I pray that Kate Reading and Michael Kramer are still doing the unabridged audio CDs then too.

Both Kate Reading and Michael Ramer, the narrators in this book on CD do a wonderful job. Both do a brilliant job of instilling life into the words written by Jordan that you don't actually mind too much when things repeated needlessly by the author. Each narrator's voice add rich dimension to each character so that you can keep track with ease who is saying what while retaining the intended point of view in the written text.

The plot, as many other's have already reviewed doesn't move very fast in some sections and in the head, you are left wondering, why wasn't book 6 and 7 just made into one book and some of the needless stuff left out. We have enough character and plots/sub plots to last for the rest of the books. RJ doesn't need to add in more, but he does (Not only in this book but in the coming books).

Some things I liked:
Matt being chased by a queen of things as a play-toy
Nynaeve getting over her block
Lan's return to Nynaeve
Nynaeve and Lan's marriage - through really I would have liked to have more details about what happened during the actual `wedding' aboard the seafolk ship and what vows made/etc.

Some things I didn't like:
Faile's temper and how Perrin reacts with this slow wittedness that borders on stupid at times. Yes, yes, big strong guy, doesn't like to hurt people, likes to think things out. Joy to you, but when is he going to learn that his wife wants him to have a bit of a temper around her. Show her, who's boss, etc. Get a little rough with her, she won't break.

Elayne and Nynaeve's childish behaviors. Infact all the women seem to have this, almost foolish notation that they are always right even when it's proven they are not. Nynaeve was head of the women's circle back home. Elayne is supposed to be the daughter hair. These women are not children. Both should have learned, if not before the books started, then by now that everyone makes mistakes and that when you do the best thing to do is make amends and get on with life.

Anything with Shaido(spelling) these people are annoying and really don't seem to be doing anything with the over all plot. If RJ plans to make these the group that survice the last battle, I'm going to be really annoyed. Many of the Aes Sedai are the same way, why the heck are we bothering with all these subplots that don't seem to do anything at all.

And I'm starting to get annoyed without knowing certain things that would be good to know while being subjected to meaningless details about what people are wearing when we won't be seeing them again or if we do they are wearing something else that we get to hear about again.

With the books on CD, all those little details that can be really annoying while reading are far more tolerable. Names and places are easier to keep track of, at least for me. Pop in the CD, listen while you drive, workout, or doing yard work without all that worry about.. "is this the same person from earlier, darn I can't remember how her/his name was spelled"

I have all but book 8 and 9 on CD and prefer this media for enjoying RJ's work above any other. When I can find 8 and 9 I'll buy those as well. I strongly recommend listening to all the UNABRIDGED books on CD vs reading them

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

Rand has to fight a Forsaken he has fought before, who, in good supervillain fashion, just won't stay down.

A quest is also required to do something about the nasty weather that the evil Dark Lord has chosen to inflict upon them.

Aes Sedai politics continues to be a pain in the arse for a lot of people.

The best WoT book since the first one.......2007-03-13

The Wheel of Time series is doubtless epic in its proportions. In this volume (Book 7), our main characters are split into three basic storylines: 1. Mat, Nynaeve, and Elayne search for the magical artifact that can control the weather; 2. Rand, with the help of Perrin, reasserts himself as leader in Caemlyn and Carhein while plotting the death of the Forsaken Sammael; 3. Egwene, newly raised as leader of the rebel Aes Sedai, navigates the politics of her position. A dedicated reader of the series would cynically point out that this plot summary is, in fact, identical to that of Book 6. Fortunately for readers of Book 7, the problem lies with Book 6 - the slowest moving book of the series and one of the most painful to read. By comparison, Book 7 is a svelte 850 pages, and has more action and resolutions than Books 5 and 6 combined.

To be blunt, Book 7 is the story that Book 6 should have been. In fact, it starts with a retelling of the climactic battle of Book 6, told from the point of view of one group of Baddies, the Shaido. Rand then has to repair the damage done by this battle and by his kidnapping - damage to his reputation and to his authority (a new queen has herself crowned in his absence). Jordan then deftly interweaves multiple storylines, and we finally get some resolutions that we've been waiting for since the beginning of Book 6. Naturally, new complications are added, and some new characters, including a wise old Aes Sedai long thought to be dead (who tries to take Rand under her wing). The Seanchan make an apocalyptic return, and the strange behaviour of the Sea Folk is dealt with. We get to see into the minds of some of the Bad Guys as well, including chapters dedicated to Galina (the Aes Sedai leading the kidnapping of Rand), Moghedien (after her escape), and Alviarin and Elaida in Tar Valon.

Naturally there are some complaints, as there would have to be with a book this long and a plot this complex. Even I, who have read all the previous books recently (in the past year), find that I'm losing track of people and events. The standard complaint of pacing comes up in several Amazon reviews, but I find this book moves along at a good clip with lots of action. There is still the problem of some characters acting in ways that are obviously against their self-interest (Elayne and Nynaeve are particularly annoying). But all-in-all, this is the best book since the very first one. Sure, these plotlines should all have been ersolved in Book 6 instead, but that's a criticism for the previous book.

Great Series.......2007-02-07

I can't wait for the next book to come out. I wish this series would move faster though.

Will this ever end....?.......2006-12-22

I admit that I'm addicted - despite the s.l.o.w. progress, constant female bickering, and frequent fashion details. I want to see how this dang series ends...will it?

This particular installment of the Dragon et. al. left me feeling underwhelmed. The ending was a disappointment, but I'll press on and order book 8.

Tome of Battle: The Book of Nine Swords (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)

Average customer rating:

Our new favorite PC book
Excellent
broken but fun (review is for ppl who know the game)
Cool new classes and system
Excellent resource for high power campaigns

Tome of Battle: The Book of Nine Swords (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)
Richard Baker , Frank Brunner , and Joseph Carriker Jr.
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0786939222
Release Date: 2006-08-08

Book Description

Tome of Battle introduces a new combat subsystem for the D&D game. Tome of Battle introduces new rules for players who want new and interesting combat options for their characters. The nine martial disciplines presented within allow a character with the proper knowledge and focus to perform special combat maneuvers and nearly magical effects. Three new martial adept base classes are presented that allow a character to develop their discipline even further. Also included are new feats and prestige classes that build on the disciplines, new magic items and spells, and new monster and organizations.

Customer Reviews:

Our new favorite PC book.......2007-10-06

My entire gaming group reached a consensus: this book is our new favorite book for core classes in DnD 3.5.

First off, a cautionary note: DM's WILL want to read this before letting their player with all the disposable income roll up a character from this book, as its systems are complicated and the character abilities have been created almost whole-cloth. In general, we've found the classes to be powerful for a long time over a long series of encounters, but not QUITE overly so. When compared to the amount of damage a like-level sorcerer can throw around or a twinked-out feat-er, they're about right.

The core mechanics added are the nine martial Styles, which provide a choice of Maneuvers and Stances.

Styles: various fun, flavor-filled fighting styles, each with their own distinct forms, themes, signature weapons, etc. Example: Desert Wind focuses on slashing weapons and often allows a fighter to move quickly around the battlefield and deal elemental fire damage.

Maneuvers: Specific martial attacks with often near-spell-like effects that add a distinct descriptive element to the game. Maneuvers are used once, then lost, but can be regained during combat in a number of different ways, depending on your core class. Many attack-based maneuvers focus on making one standard action to achieve a very nice, powerful effect, so if your player knows his rules, this can actually speed UP combat if he usually plays a dual-wielding cheese monster (no, that's NEVER happened in any of my games...)

Stances: A martial stance that provides a continuous, ongoing benefit. Players can switch between them as a swift action.

The core classes are all very cool, and determine which Styles you have access to. As they start, they have access to a choice of lower-level maneuvers and stances, but these can be readily switched out later for more powerful ones, so their early choices don't become useless later on. In fact, the core classes are so cool, you often will stop looking for a prestige class, unless it is one of the few included in the book that also make use of the martial stance/maneuver system.

In addition to having access to specific style choices, each class also gets interesting class abilities as well. One cool example: the Warblade, a medium-armor figher type, can buy fighter-specific feats as an equivalent figher a few levels lower (read: weapon specialization, greater weapon specialization, etc.). In addition, they can CHANGE any weapon-specific feats to focus on a different weapon, such as weapon focus, weapon spec., with only a short amount of exercise at the beginning of the day. Did your character focus on swords but find a sweet magical greataxe? No problem.

Fans of White Wolf's Exalted game with notice some similarity in the stances and maneuvers to Exalted's Charm structure, the big plus being that lower-powered maneuvers learned early in a characters career can be switched out for higher ones, rather than lingering around at higher levels not doing anything like a bag of caltrops.

All in all, the Book of Nine Swords is not a must-have to play the game, and is certainly not appropriate to every single type of campaign, but most long-time DnD players will find the book adds new spice to their game, with new and interesting options that remain effective no matter what level your character is at the moment.

JT

Excellent.......2007-08-09

Great new classes in the book. It opens up wonderful new possibilities for melee characters.

broken but fun (review is for ppl who know the game).......2007-08-02

I haven't totally devoured the entire book. However, i am currently playing a third level Warblade (class level of four) in a very active campaign. I made sure to OK the class with the DM before using it. I made sure he was aware of how some people declare the class is broken, but he said it would be fine.

I have to admit, i didn't think it was broken until i had taken a few levels in the class. In short, my character just seems over powered, in combat. At the cost of next to nothing, he can add an extra d6 of damage to every other attack...and that is only one of the five "maneuvers" he has in his repertoire. As he continues to level, the amount of extra damage dice continues to climb. Along with these dice come other perks, such as disallowing your enemy to move for a round, or to bypass damage reduction. It just seems too easy to accomplish spell-like abilities for no real cost to the character.

It feels as though these maneuvers not only take the place of figher feats, they are far superior to them. Also, the Warblade gets some pretty decent class features, that make it almost swashbuckelerish, without any real penalties. My character is a Dwarven tank.

I should note that we are playing a rather high powered campaign. Strength and Constitution are both 18 and he has points in Intelligence to aid with the class abilities of the Warblade. He also has no negative modifiers on any of his abilities (all are 10 or above). However, all other characters were made using the same sytem.

I certainly wouldn't say the book is bad. The system they lay out for maneuvers and stances works and is consistent. I certainly have fun playing the axe-wielding cuisinart who mops up the bad guys. Our campaign has a deep enough storyline that just excelling in combat doesn't make for an over-powered character compared to the other characters.

But just be warned, that if you have a large party, with more than one front-line fighter, there may be some jealous glances thrown the way of your Warblade. And if your players aren't mature enough, you may find some arguments breaking out.

Cool new classes and system.......2007-07-19

The classes in this book are awesome and the weapon techniques are cool. The desert wind school has some of the coolest abilities as the shadow hand style. It makes for interesting strategic combat.

Excellent resource for high power campaigns.......2007-07-16

Gamers who play low-power, goblin-bashing campaigns will find little use with this resource. Using any of the classes or even some of the feats will greatly disrupt the balance of power in any low-magic, low-power gaming style. However, for those whose prefer supplemental books such as Epic or Unearthed Arcana , this is a fun and much needed resource.

This book brings relevancy to the fighter-based classes. In any high-power campaign, wizards, clerics, pscions and even druids wipe the floor with fighters and barbarians. Tome of Battle provides three alternative fighter classes that have spell-like abilities they may execute several times per day. Using martial-art style maneuvers, stances and counters, these ultra-fighters do extra damage, strike multiple targets, unleash a whip of fire or pounce like a wild cat.

I am a DM who eagerly purchased this book when it was first published. Now, I cannot run a campaign without at least one player choosing a Warblade or Swordsage. Even at low levels, I can really open up the Monster Manual and provide new, challenging and diverse encounters without having to worry about killing the PCs too quickly.

But more than bringing balance to my high-powered campaign, it makes fighter fun for all of my players, most of whom have been playing D&D for two decades. Versatility, adaptability and creativity have never been the hallmarks of the fighter classes, and for that reason, experienced players tend to choose classes with more depth. Tome of Battle brings that much needed depth to the fighter. This book makes fighters fun again. That's worth all of five stars.

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