Terry Goodkind - The Sword of Truth Complete Series book 1-11 plus prequel including Confessor 2007
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Description:
Sword Of Truth Series - Complete Set Books 1-11
Goodkind's novels(audiobooks) included:
# of Mp3's Time Size Bitrate
Prequel * Debt of Bones (1998) - 4 mp3's - 03 Hours - 81.4mb - 64bit
1 * Wizard's First Rule (1994) - 44 mp3's - 31 Hours - 915mb - 64bit
2 * Stone of Tears (1995) - 189 mp3's - 35 hours - 1.01gb - 64bit
3 * Blood of the Fold (1996) - 17 mp3's - 22 hours - 587mb - 64bit
4 * Temple of the Winds (1997) - 19 mp3's - 30 hours - 721mb - 64bit
5 * Soul of the Fire (1999) - 32 mp3's - 24 hours - 668mb - 64bit
6 * Faith of the Fallen (2000) - 40 mp3's - 27 hours - 840mb - 64bit
7 * The Pillars of Creation (2002) - 28 mp3's - 23 hours - 618mb - 64bit
8 * Naked Empire (2003) - 19 mp3's - 23 hours - 627mb - 64bit
9 * Chainfire (2005) - 22 mp3's - 26 Hours - 727mb - 64bit
10 * Phantom (2006) - 20 mp3's - 23 hours - 643mb - 64bit
11 * Confessor (2007) - 65 mp3's - 26 Hours - 956mb - 96bit
*****WARNING - PLOTS BELOW CONTAIN SPOILERS*****
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Prequel * Debt of Bones (1998)
Debt of Bones is a novella by Terry Goodkind. It was first published in the 1998 anthology Legends then later published as a stand alone book in hardcover in 2001 and in paperback in 2004.
Plot introduction
Before the Boundaries there was the war between D'Hara and the Midlands. Zedd was First Wizard of the Midlands in charge of countering the dangerous magic of Panis Rahl, and was doing quite well until a supplicant came to the Wizard's Keep bearing a burden as heavy as bones. Abby's request was quite simple: Repay a Debt of bones by saving the people of her home, Coney Crossing, from the cluches of the D'Harans; save her daughter. But this is no simple debt to be repaid. If Zedd is to uphold his end, it might forfeit the war with D'Hara.
Plot summary
During the war against D'Hara, a young woman meets with Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander, Wizard of the First Order and First Wizard.
Much later in the plot, Wizard Zorander, during a coup attempt from the D'Haran Empire, summoned a massive ball of wizard's fire while invoking a spell of threes. With one of the three wishes the spell effectively grants, he gained the knowledge to summon barriers, barriers wrought from the underworld that split the Midlands, D'hara, and Westland. With the next invocation, he split the Midlands and Westland with his subtractive-magic barriers. While still summoning his blast of wizard's fire, he used the final invocation to create a barrier between the Midlands and D'hara. As the barrier went up, he released his wizard's fire, which screamed towards the palace where Panis Rahl and his young son, Darken, lived. The wizard's fire grazed the underworld barrier and gained it's properties, slicing through Panis Rahl's mighty defenses. Panis Rahl perished and his son almost died, permanently scarred--and vengeful.
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Book 1 * Wizard's First Rule (1994)
Plot introduction
Richard Cypher's decision to help a woman in the Upper Ven near the Boundary between the Midlands and Westland sires more trouble than first appears. Kahlan Amnell seeks the help of a wizard in the Westland, and she brings with her dark news from the other side of the Boundary: Darken Rahl, Ruler of D'Hara, has brought down the other Boundary between D'Hara and the Midlands. This menacing ruler continues his dead father's quest for control by pressing war on the now vulnerable Midlands. Kahlan wants the wizard to name a Seeker of Truth who can try to stop Darken Rahl. When she finds the Old Wizard, he names Richard to be the Seeker and starts him on the quest that will forever alter the world.
Plot summary
The primary protagonist in Wizard’s First Rule is Richard Cypher, a single young woods guide. Richard lives in an area of the fantasy world known as Westland, which is the only part of the fantasy that at the time contained no magic. Note: There is actually some magic, i.e. The book of Counted Shadows, and the people do have the "spark of the Gift" (see The Pillars of Creation). The Westland is separated from everyone by a dangerous magical boundary that prevents anyone from passing through it. On the other side of the boundary lie many sovereign nations, jointly known as the Midlands, and the large empires D'Hara and The Old World. Richard works as a woods guide leading important political figures through dangerous forests, while his brother's interests lie entirely in politics.
Richard is naturally compelled to investigate the mysterious murder of his father when he happens upon a woman named Kahlan Amnell, whom he helps keep alive, as she is being hunted by a group of four men known as a quad.
After saving Kahlan’s life, it is revealed that Kahlan has somehow come through the boundary and is now searching for the First Wizard, who is rumored to have crossed into the Westland before the creation of the boundaries. Richard feels that this woman is in need of protection and takes her to the only man he can trust, his best friend and mentor, Zedd.
Richard discovers that this close friend of his has kept many secrets from him for his entire life; Zedd is not the simple man that Richard had presumed him to be, but rather the wizard for whom Kahlan is looking.
Kahlan tells him of the events taking place on the other side of the boundary. An evil leader called Darken Rahl is leading his army against the Midlands. At the same time, Zedd comes to the decision that Richard is the one Seeker of Truth and gives him the Sword of Truth. They begin their journey together to stop Darken Rahl and prevent him from opening the boxes of Orden, magical devices which could destroy the world.
However, due to a series of events, Richard and Kahlan are forced to cross the boundary alone and go on to the village of the Mud People in hopes of finding out where the third box of Orden is hidden. From there, they learn that only the witch woman, Shota, in Agaden Reach, has the power to reveal to them the location of the last box of Orden.
The story continues as it follows the team of Richard, Kahlan, Zedd and Chase as they attempt to collect one of the mysterious boxes of Orden and prevent Darken Rahl from gaining absolute power.
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Book 2 * Stone of Tears (1995)
Plot introduction
With Darken Rahl defeated, Richard and Kahlan head back to the Mud People to be married. As they wait for their wedding day to approach, they discover the Sisters of the Light are pursuing Richard, intending to take him back to the Old World to be trained as a Wizard. Additionally, unbeknownst to Richard and Kahlan, the veil has been torn and the Stone of Tears has entered the world. According to prophecy, the only person who has a chance at closing the veil is the one bonded to the blade, the one born true.
Plot summary
After the death of Darken Rahl, Richard is afflicted by a series of painful headaches. He also learns from Shota of his lineage as the bastard son of Darken Rahl and the grandson (on his mother's side) of Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander.
After having mastered the Wizard's First Rule, Richard learns that the opening of the boxes of Orden has torn the veil between the world of the living and the underworld and thus, he has made a grave mistake; the violation of the Wizard's Second Rule, namely, that "The greatest harm can result from the best intentions".
While trying to receive guidance on how to repair the veil, Richard violates the second rule again, inadvertently bringing his father Darken Rahl through the veil and back into the world of the living. This allows him to continue his task of bringing the Keeper into the world.
Richard later gets a visit from three Sisters of the Light, who inform him that his headaches are caused by the awakening of the gift within him and are fatal and unstoppable, unless Richard receives magical training. The sisters tell him that he must go with them, and wear a magical collar in order to control his headaches and the gift.
Having been collared before in Wizard's First Rule by Denna, the Mord-Sith, Richard is extremely reluctant to have another one around his neck, let alone voluntarily putting it there himself. After having a surprise meeting with Denna's sprit, Kahlan comes to understand that if she wants Richard to live, she must convince him to put the collar on, whatever the cost. Two of the sisters commit suicide, trying to convince Richard of the need for him to accompany them, yet he still resists.
Richard misinterprets Kahlan's intentions, believing that she no longer loves him. Completely devastated, Richard submits to the sisters, and leaves with the sisters in search of a cure for his headaches.
Richard travels with Verna, the last of the three sisters, to the Palace of the Prophets, which is located in the Old World. The sisters see their job as spreading knowledge of the Creator to the world via their trained wizards.
Before reaching the palace, Richard is forced into a battle with thirty Baka Ban Mana blademasters, whose job it is to teach the Seeker to dance with the spirits -- using the Sword of Truth's magic to access the collective knowledge of all previous users of it... Be a feather, not a rock. Float on the wind of the storm is the first tactical advice he receives from the Sword's magic.
During his stay at the palace, Richard comes to terms with the fact that he has the gift of magic and moreover discovers he is a War Wizard, one who has the gift of both additive and subtractive magic. Later, he learns from Nathan Rahl, another wizard in the Palace of the Prophets, that he is the first to be born with such power in three thousand years.
It is revealed that the Prelate took Richard to the Palace to flush out the Sisters of the Dark, a secret society within the Sisters of the Light dedicated to the task of unleashing the Keeper into the world of the living. As the Prelate herself says: "When your house is overrun with rats, the only thing you can do is bring in a cat. This cat sees us all as rats. Maybe with good reason..."
Richard also finds out that it was the Prelate and Nathan that helped Richard's step father, George Cypher, retrieve the Book of Counted Shadows, containing instructions on how to correctly open the Boxes of Orden.
Richard also realizes belatedly that the Palace of the Prophets is the "trap in time" foretold by Shota the witch woman; the palace is spelled so that those within its walls age at a much slower rate. Nathan Rahl himself is close to one thousand years old.
Kahlan embarks on a long trek back to her home of Aydindril along with three Mud People. Along the way they come across a sacked city with the inhabitants' corpses filling the streets and the surrounding countryside. A new enemy has come.
Kahlan and the three mud people race to catch up with a band of some 5000 troops that are trailing the enemy. After getting over her shock, she assumes command of the army and begins her strategies of taking on the far superior army of what she now knows to be The Imperial Order.
Escaping the trap after months of imprisonment, Richard races to stop a prophecy from coming to pass, one he received in the Valley of the Lost: Of all there were, but a single one born of the magic to bring forth truth will remain alive when the shadow's threat is lifted. Therefore comes the greater darkness of the dead. For there to be a chance at life's bond, this one in white must be offered to her people, to bring their joy and good cheer.
The prophecy speaks of the beheading of his love, Kahlan, whom he now realises was only trying to help him by sending him with the sisters.
Only by fulfilling the prophecy can Richard close the veil and thwart Darken Rahl, casting the Keeper back into the underworld with the eponymous Stone of Tears.
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Book 3 * Blood of the Fold (1996)
Plot introduction
Richard has finally come to terms with his true identity and none-too-soon. The New World, and all the freedom of humankind, is under threat from a terrible nemesis: The Imperial Order from the Old World. With the barrier between the Old and New Worlds down, The Imperial Order wastes no time in sending its delegations to the countries of the New World, quickly followed by its expeditionary army forces. Richard's only option to stop the invasion is to claim his heritage and unite all free kingdoms and provinces under one rule and one command. One chance to survive the onslaught of barbarians bent on destroying all that is good in life.
Plot summary
Blood of the Fold picks up the story where the last volume, Stone of Tears, left off. Richard Rahl has just reunited with his future wife, Kahlan Amnell, the Mother Confessor, in a place between worlds. When he gets back, he finds there's only one way to halt the continuous advance of the Imperial Order throughout the Midlands: seize power. Richard ends the alliance upon which the Midlands was based and the rule of the Confessors. Thus, Richard Rahl, the new Master of D'Hara, takes control over Aydindril.
Meanwhile, in the Old World, trouble courses through the Palace of the Prophets. Sister Verna, the newly named Prelate, discovers the former Prelate, Annalina, isn't really dead, but has fled with Nathan Rahl, the prophet. The two of them reveal that they are on a quest to fulfill the Prophecies and save the New World from the dominion of Jagang, the Dream Walker, Emperor of the Old World.
The lands of the Midlands must decide whether to surrender to D'Hara or the Imperial Order. However, there is a force that, although it claims to be loyal to the Order, bows to no one: The Blood of the Fold. In his neverending search for banelings, what The Blood call those with some form of the gift, Tobias Brogan, the Lord General of the Blood of the Fold, captures Kahlan Amnell and Adie and takes them, following the instructions of a so-called Creator (the Dream Walker, actually), to the Palace of the Prophets.
Richard, who finds out too late his wife-to-be is in the Old World, uses an ancient means of transportation, the Sliph, to travel to her almost instantaneously. There, seduced by the ability to become invisible (granted to him by his mriswith cape), Richard inadvertently releases the Mriswith Queen, who then flees to Aydindril back through the Sliph.
Brought back to his senses, Richard then destroys the Palace of the Prophets to prevent Jagang from receiving the treasures inside, saves Kahlan, and hurries back to the New World, where he leads his armies toward a victorious battle over the Blood of the Fold and the mriswith.
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Book 4 * Temple of the Winds (1997)
Plot introduction
Jagang, Emperor of the Imperial Order, has invoked a bound fork prophecy binding Richard and Kahlan to a fate of pain, betrayal, and a path to the Underworld. At Jagang's behest a Sister of the Dark gains access into the fabled Temple of the Winds and has unleashed a plague that sweeps across the lands like a firestorm consuming lives at an alarming rate. In order to stop the plague Richard and Kahlan are forced to sacrifice everything they have between them.
Plot summary
Temple of the Winds picks up shortly after where the last volume, Blood of the Fold, left off. A wizard named Marlin, appears in Aydindril announcing his intent to kill Richard Rahl. He is immediately captured and questioned by the Mother Confessor, Kahlan Amnell, and one of Richard's bodyguards, Cara. Cara uses her Mord'Sith ability to capture Marlin's gift when he tries to escape, but the link between Cara and Marlin is used against her when Emperor Jagang takes possession of Marlin soon thereafter. Later a woman from Richard's past appears, Nadine, a herbalist from the Westland. She attempts to heal Cara, but fails. Richard's half-brother Drefan, a high priest of a secret sect, does however succeed in curing Cara.
Meanwhile, Zedd and Prelate Annalina continue their search for the unleashed Nathan Rahl. Their search leads them to a run down inn in an unnamed city, where they discover that Nathan misled them into following another man. The man then gives them a message informing them not to follow Nathan but to protect a treasure instead. A Sister of the Dark, who was also following Nathan, ends up getting caught in a snare Zedd intended for the Prophet Rahl.
Richard and Berdine continue to work on the translation of the journal of Kolo, a dead wizard found in the depths of the Wizard's Keep. In the midst of all these activities, a Sister of the Dark travels through Aydindril spreading a magical plague. In a search for a cure, Richard travels to the First Wizard's Enclave.
In order to save the people of the Midlands from the plague, Kahlan Amnell must betray Richard in order to allow him to enter the Temple of the Winds. In doing so, Richard saves the people of the Midlands, but in order to return, he pays the price of knowledge, leaving the Temple with something that no vast library of knowledge can ever teach - understanding. Through this, Richard is saved from the life of the eternally condemned.
Meanwhile, Nathan rescues a woman named Clarissa from a life of slavery in the Imperial Order. He then builds a relationship with the woman and uses her to obtain items from Jagang that were given under a tentative deal struck between Nathan (acting as Lord Rahl at the time) and the Emperor.
When Richard returns, Kahlan learns that she must destroy a book in order to save Richard, so she travels to the Old World in the sliph. Upon her arrival she finds Nathan, Sister Verna, and Warren in a compromised situation, and she immediately spring into action to aid them. Clarissa is killed in the struggle by traitors.
With the book, Kahlan returns to Aydindril, but a battle ensues with Drefan, and she is unable to defeat him. Luckily, Richard arrives and disables Drefan by ripping his spine out through his stomach. When Richard rushes to Kahlan's side, the still-conscious Drefan gets up and prepares to attack him, but is killed by the sliph. Kahlan destroys the book, and Richard is cured of the plague.
Richard and Kahlan travel to the land of the Mud People to be wed, where they meet up with Zedd and Ann. Richard and Kahlan are soon thereafter wed and are visited by the witch woman Shota, who once again warns them not to conceive a child.
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Book 5 * Soul of the Fire (1999)
Plot introduction
Richard and Kahlan are finally married and enjoying their wedding night back in the Spirit house in the Village of the Mud People. Soon, sudden and unexplainable deaths begin to occur, and Richard comes to the conclusion that when Kahlan called forth the Chimes in order to save him, they remained free, causing havoc. Zedd sends Richard and Kahlan off the Wizards Keep in Aydindril to get a special bottle that contains a spell that will stop the threat.
While en-route, Richard, Kahlan, and their Mord Sith protector Cara are sidetracked into dealing with the people of Anderith, who posses a powerful weapon of mass destruction called the Dominie Dirtch. They find the leadership of Anderith wishes to surrender to the Imperial Order rather than surrender to the D'Haran Empire. As Richard tries his best to convince the people of Anderith of the danger the Imperial Order possesses, he becomes firmly convinced that the Chimes are loose.
Plot summary
Continuing on from Temple of the Winds, we begin the story after Richard and Kahlan's wedding in the village of the Mud People.
Strange deaths and the appearance of a 'Chicken That Isn't A Chicken' leave Richard fearing the worst. Zedd confides in Richard that the chicken is in fact a Lurk sent by Emperor Jagang. According to Zedd, the only way to destroy the Lurk is by smashing a bottle from the Wizard's Keep in Aydindril with The Sword of Truth.
However, Zedd is actually lying. He has surmised that a terrible magic known as "the chimes" has been released. The chimes will eventually drain all magic from the world of the living, beginning with the additive magic. This would cause death to beings which require magic and possibly cause the destruction of the world if additive magic were to completely fail. Zedd determines that he must find a remedy and wants Richard and Kahlan safely out of the way while he does so.
Richard, Kahlan and Cara, unaware of the truth, set out to accomplish the task of breaking the bottle. Meanwhile, Zedd and Ann set off in separate ways. Zedd recalls some lore that relates the chimes to Anderith and he travels there to attempt to banish the chimes. Ann infiltrates the Imperial Order in order to save the Sisters of the Light under Jagang's enslavement.
Elsewhere, we are introduced to the ways of Anderith. Both the Anders, black-haired people who govern the city, and the Hakens, red-haired people under the boot of Ander oppression, occupy Anderith. From an early age Hakens are kept under control and disrespected by the Anders and are taught that this oppression is a necessity to protect the Hakens from their violent ancestral ways. Most Hakens have bought into this idea and willingly subject themselves to the oppression.
Anderith is being wooed by the Imperial Order in the person of Stein, who personifies the savage ruthlessness of Jagang's empire. Stein offers double the going rate for any goods that merchants, all of the Ander race, will sell to the Imperial Order. He also plots with the Minister of Culture, Bertrand Chanboor, to surrender Anderith to the Order. They begin infiltrating Imperial Order soldiers into Anderith under the guise of Special Anderian Troops.
Dalton Campbell, aide to the Minister of Culture, has a hand in most events within the Anderith nation. He uses his connections, along with his squad of messengers, to accomplish underhanded tasks to ensure that the Minister will ascend to the chair of Sovereign (a religious position similar to the real world pope) when the present one passes on. Dalton treasures his wife Teresa above all else.
A kitchen scullion, Fitch, is recruited into the messenger corps by Dalton. Though he has conflicting goals and values, Fitch's gratitude towards Dalton results in blind obedience and he smothers his conscience to accomplish Dalton's bidding. Ultimately Dalton betrays Fitch, who is forced to flee. Fitch determines to redeem himself by becoming The Seeker of Truth, a long time fantasy of his. The first step to becoming Seeker is to obtain the Sword of Truth.
We are also given a glimpse at the Anderith Army which is seriously under-trained and little more than children. The Anderith Army guards the Dominie Dirtch, a defensive line of giant bell shaped structures, seemingly made from a solid piece of dark veined stone, which kill anything in front of them when struck.
Elsewhere, Richard realizes the chimes are, in fact, loose, and so he sends Cara to Aydindril to retrieve the Sword of Truth while Richard, Kahlan and Du Chaillu (Richard's first "wife" and spirit woman of the Baka Tau Mana) head to Anderith to banish the chimes. Richard also deduces that the army of the Imperial Order is marching on Anderith. If the Imperial Order conquers Anderith it will be a continuing imminent threat the the rest of the midlands. Arriving in Anderith first, Zedd attempts to banish the chimes by offering them his soul. This is the cause of the chimes' presence: they don't have souls, and when she summoned them Kahlan promised them Richard's soul. However, it is not his soul the chimes want. Zedd's attempt fails and he undergoes a transformation.
Richard and Kahlan arrive in Anderith and set out to look for the chimes but also work on joining Anderith with the D'Haran Empire. Word spreads and a vote is taken. While Richard makes a good plea to the people of Anderith, Dalton Campbell's interference sways the vote, leaving Richard defeated. At the same time, Kahlan struggles with the knowledge that she is with child, and the trouble that will come because of it.
Meanwhile, Ann finds the captive Sisters of the Light and persuades them to come with her. Since magic is failing, Jagang's abilities as a Dream Walker are null, and Ann informs the Sisters of a bond to Richard, the Lord Rahl, that can keep them safe from the Dream Walker. However the Sisters, fearful of retribution by Jagang, betray Ann to the Imperial Order. She is left in her tent by herself when Sister Alessandra, a Sister of the Dark, begins visiting her and bringing her food. She attempts to sway Alessandra, at first to no avail.
Dalton Campbell, along with help from a Sister of the Dark, sets a group of his messengers on Kahlan when she is off by herself pondering on whether or not to keep Richard's child. She is beaten nearly to death, and when she's saved, Richard at first doesn't recognize her. When he finally does however, he realizes that he will be unable to heal her unless he manages to banish the chimes first.
Cara almost obtains the Sword of Truth, but is beaten to it by Fitch and a friend. A combination of sheer dumb luck and the fact that the Chimes have deactivated the Wizards' Keep defenses and killed many of its guards allow Fitch and his accomplice to easily obtain the Sword. Cara gives chase and kills the friend before chasing the Fitch back to Anderith. When she catches him at the Dominie Dirtch she loses the sword when Imperial Order scouts attack. The Order's soldiers collect the sword as a prize for Stein to present to emperor Jagang.
Around this time, Dalton Campbell manages to murder the Sovereign, instead of waiting for the feeble figurehead to pass naturally. This immediately pushes Bertrand Chanboor to the rank of Sovereign. The empowered Chanboor consummates his promotion by sleeping with Dalton's wife, Teresa. Dalton pretends not to be disturbed by this betrayal and even seemingly "joins" the web of infidelity by sleeping with both Teresa and Chanboor's wife in turn. In reality, however, Campbell is livid and even kills the Imperial Order emissary, Stein, (who had "shared" Teresa with Chanboor) gaining possession of the Sword of Truth in turn.
Having studied the actions of Joseph Ander, the ancient founder of Anderith, Richard comes to realize that the chimes and the Dominie Dirtch are connected. More specifically, Richard comes to understand that Joseph Ander enslaved the Chimes using them to power the Dominie Dirtch. Richard finally comes to understand that by using art as a form of intent he can alter the Grace and create a new pathway for magic. Thus Richard counters the magic Ander used to enslave the Chimes and calls them forth giving the chimes a choice: The Soul, his soul, they were promised by Kahlan or revenge on the spirit of Ander for enslaving them. The chimes choose vengeance, taking Ander to the underworld. Once he is successful in banishing the chimes, Richard sets off to heal Kahlan but is stopped by Du Chaillu, who tells Richard that his healing powers would kill her due to a hidden subtractive magic spell that has been placed within her.
Alessandra eventually frees Ann, who reverts her faith back to The Creator and gives her oath to Richard. The pair soon sets off out of Anderith, and when Zedd's soul is returned to his body with the banishment of the chimes, he also departs.
Richard decides to leave for Westland, where he plans to let Kahlan recover from her wounds naturally. Dalton Campbell sees them off with his apologies and informs Richard that Campbell, Chanboor, and both of their wives have become stricken with an "unfortunate", incurable venereal disease and have doomed themselves to a slow, agonizing demise. He returns the Sword of Truth to Richard before they set off. Richard claims he will wait in Westland until the people of the world can prove to him that they truly desire freedom.
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Book 6 * Faith of the Fallen (2000)
Plot introduction
The Imperial Order continues to bring unwanted war down upon the New World taking freedom and giving only slavery under the guise of good for all mankind. As Richard and Cara continue to nurse Kahlan back to health, Richard has a vision that if he leads the people of the New World into battle they will lose all. Richards’s vision reveals that only when the people understand what they are fighting for and that they are alone responsible for their lives will the people of the New World need him. He must withdraw and not lead people until they earn his leadership. Sister of the Dark Nicci frees herself from Jagang and goes to seize Richard. She will show Richard how wrong he is to fight for freedom and self. Employing an ancient magic spell to link herself to Kahlan, Nicci forces Richard to go away with her to the Old World not only to prove to him of the virtue and righteousness of the Imperial Order but secretly in search of what drives him, what secret he holds in his eyes.
Plot summary
Faith of the Fallen begins right where Soul of the Fire leaves off. Richard is taking Cara and an injured Kahlan to the high mountains of his homeland, Westland. At the end of the Soul of the Fire Richard realizes that he cannot win against Emperor Jagang until the people themselves want to fight for freedom. Because of this mindset Richard isolates himself in the woods, to allow Kahlan time to heal, and refuses to give orders to the D'Haran army. He insists that the fight against the Imperial Order is a doomed cause and further resistance can only result in the loss of more lives.
After Kahlan has made a significant recovery, the trio is reintroduced to Nicci, an impassive Sister of the Dark who was one of Richard’s instructors at the Palace of the Prophets in Stone of Tears. She provides great insight into the goals of the Order and about the Dreamwalker, Jagang himself. Nicci believes fully in the goal of the Order: to have everyone live in equality.
Nicci's goal is to capture Richard, something that she accomplishes using the rare and difficult maternity spell linking herself to Kahlan. Anything that happens to Nicci now happens to Kahlan. Faced with a hopeless situation, Richard is forced to go with Nicci into the Old World, leaving behind Kahlan, Cara, and the Sword of Truth.
Kahlan and Cara despite knowing Richard's objections, leave the Upper Ven and leave in search of help from Zedd and Sister Verna. Seeing the plight of her troops fighting against the Order, Kahlan takes command of the combined armies of D'Hara and the Midlands in a desperate attempt to halt the Order's advance into the New World.
While Kahlan and Richard's friends do battle in the New World, Richard is put to work in the Old World capital of Altur'Rang, doing whatever he can to make ends meet for him and Nicci. Nicci, expecting Richard to finally understand how oppressive life for the poor in the Old World can be, and how the Imperial Order provides relief, begins to understand how wrong she is and the Order have been all these years when Richard independently rises above the hardships placed in his path and he begins to do what is necessary to survive. Richard's freely helps others, shows that one can take pride in his work; himself and his surroundings people begin to take notice and soon find purpose in life. They find that it is only they who can make things better. Soon, the people around Richard change their lives and their outlook for the better. When Richard is ordered as punishment for unnamed crimes to carve a massive stone statue for the Emperor's Palace, he does as he is asked. When Richard reveals the statue, however, it is not the design given to him by Brother Narev, the self proclaimed leader of the order; it is an inspirational work of art depicting mankind, free and beautiful, in all its glory.
When Brother Narev orders Richard to destroy his own statue, the people of Altur'Rang rise up in rebellion and attack the Imperial Order. Kahlan and Cara, who having heard of Richard's plight issue orders to the Troops and journey to Altur'Rang to rescue Richard no matter the cost. They arrive just in time to see the uprising. When the dust settles, Richard, Kahlan, and Cara are reunited, Nicci pledges fealty to Richard after realizing the truth of his gospel, and the people of Altur'Rang have a new spirit, having tasted freedom.
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Book 7 * The Pillars of Creation (2002)
Plot introduction
This book revolves around several new characters in the Sword of Truth series. Jennsen, for most of her life, has been running from the assassins sent by Lord Rahl to kill her. Any ungifted child of the Lord Rahl must die. A stranger convinces her that running will do her no good for wherever she goes, Lord Rahl's soldiers will find her. It is time for her to stop fleeing and fight back. If she wants to live, she must kill Lord Rahl.
Plot summary
Jennsen Rahl, Richard Rahl's half sister, has spent the first twenty years of her life running from her father, Darken Rahl. Born without any aspect of the gift of magic, Jennsen has been marked for death since birth. When her mother is apparently murdered by D'Haran assassins she sets out with her new friend, Sebastian, to start her life over. Sebastian eventually reveals that he a spy for the Imperial Order. He speaks convincingly of the Order's goals concerning the fair treatment of all humanity and the elimination of magic. Above all else he esteems Emperor Jagang. In equal measure he despises Richard Rahl, who he claims has brought on war with an invasion of the Old World after bringing down the Barriers separating the sections of the known world.
Meanwhile, another sibling of Richard's, Oba Rahl, suffers under an abusive mother on the family farm. Oba imagines himself as energetic and the possessor of a healthy curiosity. His inquisitive nature manifests itself especially through pleasure in watching things die under his hand. Oba does not know that he, along with Jennsen, is pristinely ungifted and immune to magic. His mother sends him to a nearby sorceress to buy medicine and during the purchase he begins to the menace the magic user. Her attempts to defend herself with magic fail and Oba kills her brutally. During the fight Oba surrenders to a voice in his mind that promises invincibility in return for obedience. After returning home Oba kills his mother and resolves to see the world. He can travel comfortably with the funds he looted from the sorceress.
Jennsen wants to find another sorceress, sister of the one Oba killed, and who had previously helped Jennsen and her mother. Along with Sebastian she travels to the People's Palace, capital of the D'Haran empire. There she learns that the sorceress she seeks lives in a deadly enchanted swamp. After Sebastian is detained by D'Haran guards, a friendly stranger, Tom, helps a desperate Jennesen to the swamp. She safely reaches the sorcereress' home, her natural immunity to magic protecting her through the swamp, but only learns that nothing can be done to save her from Lord Rahl. She leaves, disappointed and upon returning to the People's Palace cleverly rescues Sebastian. He convinces Jennsen that she should visit Emperor Jagang, leader of the Imperial Order.
Oba is also aware of the second sorceress and the fact that she knows something concerning his fate or nature. He hires a guide to the swamp, which he safely negotiates as well. The sorceress reveals that Oba is now a thrall to the Keeper of the Underworld and kills herself before Oba can do the deed. This, along with the fact that his guide has stolen all his money, enrages Oba. He is mollified somewhat by the treasure he finds in the sorceresses' cottage but his rage returns when, after returning to the People's Palace, he spots his guide. After killing the guide he is briefly jailed but escapes and resolves to locate Richard Rahl.
Jennsen and Sebastian reach Emperor Jagang at the van of the army of the Imperial Order. Though initially shocked by the crude Order soldiers, she is advised not to be so picky and that the D'Harans are even worse. The day after her arrival the Jagang assaults the Confessor's Palace but is bloodily repulsed. Emperor Jagang is severely injured in the action. Even worse for the Order, their enemy unleashes an ancient magic on the main army, wreaking immense destruction. Jennsen reacts by making a pact with a dark force, the Keeper, to kill Richard Rahl in return for her surrender and obedience.
Oba captures Kahlan and is ordered by the Keeper to take her, along with the Sword of Truth to the Pillars of Creation. Using his link to the sword, Richard pursues Oba to the Pillars, where he encounters Jennsen, who has also been drawn to the same spot by the Keeper in order to kill Richard. The Keeper's supreme plan, however, was for Richard to kill Jennsen at the Pillars of Creation thereby opening a gate between the Keeper's realm and the world of the living. Richard discerns the plan and refuses to be goaded into cooperating. Jennsen then recognizes his integrity and the Keeper's plan is foiled. Jennsen learns that the men who were sent to kill her mother were actually soldiers of the Imperial Order, and after coming to believe that Richard is truly a loving and caring brother, she joins him and Kahlan in their quest against Jagang.
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Book 8 * Naked Empire (2003)
Plot introduction
This book opens with Richard and Kahlan still in the Old World traveling back to the New World. A new character Owen pleads for Richard and Kahlan’s help in freeing his people from the hands of the Imperial Order. They are set upon by a seemingly mysterious dust storm that holds the silhouette of a man. They are sent a warning letter by Nicci, but before they are able to finish reading the letter they are set upon by Imperial Order Mercenaries. After learning that Richard has been poisoned by Owen they must travel back deeper into the Old World to the Bandakar. They find an ancient boundary protecting the Bandakar Empire from outside invaders came down two years past and now the Imperial Order has occupied this nation of frail-minded people. Soon Richard and Kahlan learn of a new monster that was created by Jagang’s Sisters of the Dark.
Plot summary
The novel begins with a moderately long section detailing the travels of the main characters as they move through the Old World in order to accomplish temporary goals. Their travels are interrupted by the entrances of Nicholas, who is a Slide (a wizard that is capable of soul stealing and using souls to project himself into animals). This situation is further complicated by Owen, a man from the Bandakar Empire. He poisons Richard in order to force him to help the Bandakar Empire shed the yoke of the Imperial Order.
Much of the novel focuses around Richard's interactions with the Bandakar people. The people of Bandakar are all pristinely ungifted like Richard's half-sister Jennsen. They are descendants of the house of Rahl banished into the Old World thousands of years before. These people were then again banished by the people of the Old World, particularly a wizard, Kaja-Rang who bound them behind a boundary that would force any that leave to walk straight to the Pillars of Creation. This was done not because the people were pristinely ungifted, but because they "could not see evil" or, rather because they strongly embraced a philosophy which required them to disbelieve reality. They shunned all forms of violence, and judgment. They laid their lives down before any aggressor. This is why they were banished, because their ideas threatened the existence of the Old World.
Richard managed to convince several of the Bandakar to shed their ideals and embrace the individualist ideas espoused by Richard and his D'Haran Empire. This allowed the Bandakar to take up arms and fight for their own freedom. However, throughout the entire ordeal Richard was reeling not only from the poison the Bandakaran's gave him, but also his gift being out of balance.
Nathan and Ann came to the Bandakar Empire in order to bring Richard "back into prophecy" during which time they saved Richard and his companions from certain death, but were ultimately unable to aid him in restoring his gift to balance.
Eventually Richard discovered that since he rationalized that not eating meat balanced out his need to kill people he was in effect not putting his faith in himself or his abilities. This ultimately caused not only the gift within himself to twist and fail, but also the magic of the Sword of Truth to fail. After this revelation he once again began to eat meat, because he realized that his actions were justified in themselves and required no additional balancing.
After Richard had once again set himself in order, he and the Bandakar people destroyed the remaining Imperial Order encampment in Bandakar resulting in the death of Nicholas and the rescue of Kahlan. But, Richard still needed to cure the poison, but the remedy was destroyed by Nicholas so he used his gift to piece together the what and how of creating the antidote himself.
During the course of these actions, Zedd and Adie were captured as the Keep was taken by men captured from Bandakar and forced to do the work of the Imperial Order. They were forced to identify random objects from within the keep for a Sister of the Dark or they would be forced to listen to the screams of children being tortured while their parents begged them to give up the information.
As a result of this identification process, Zedd was able to unleash a constructed spell within an object that killed several men in the camp along with all the other artifacts. Zedd and Adie would have been destroyed as well, but they were saved by Captain Zimmer and some of his men, as well as Chase and Rachel. Adie went with Zimmer and his men to free the families being used for torture, while Zedd and Chase went back to reclaim the Keep.
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Book 9 * Chainfire (2005)
Plot introduction
During a raid on his camp, Richard is seriously wounded and now Nicci must use subtractive magic in order to save him. Richard awakens to find his wife Kahlan missing and discovers that he is the only person alive who remembers her. As he begins to search for her, he learns that he is also hunted by a beast created by Jagang's Sisters of the Dark.
Plot summary
Richard Rahl is the ruler of the D'Haran Empire, a collection of nations previously made up of D'Hara, the Midlands and Westland. Richard Rahl and the D'Haran Empire are currently locked in an epic struggle with the Imperial Order, an Empire from the Old World, led by Emperor Jagang.
Chainfire continues the story of Richard in his attempt to teach the people that their lives are theirs alone, that they can be free of the Imperial Order. Richard is gravely injured from an enemy arrow. He is brought to Nicci, a sorceress and former Sister of the Dark, who heals him using subtractive magic causing unforeseen events to spiral out of control. When he awakens, Richard discovers that his wife, Kahlan Amnell, the Mother Confessor, is missing. More than that, however, no one around him seems to remember her. Nicci and Cara both attribute Richard's memory of Kahlan to dreams and delusions brought about by his injury and quite possibly an unintended effect of the subtractive magic used in healing Richard.
Fearing for his beloved's life, Richard desperately tries to find some trace of her and at the same time convince the others that she exists. His search leads him to the witch woman, Shota, who revealing "that which you seek is long buried with the bones" demands the price of more information can only be offered for the price of the Sword of Truth. Shota utters the words "Chainfire" and "The Deep Nothing", demanding that Richard hand over the Sword of Truth to Samuel for this meager information. Shota also warns Richard of a "Beast" conjured by several Wizards and Sisters of the Dark, under the orders of Jagang. The beast is meant to kill Richard and is as unstoppable as it is unpredictable. What's more, the beast is now able to track Richard when he uses his gift.
In the meantime, Ann and Nathan together have discovered many blank pages in books of ancient prophecy. They seem to remember that the pages should not be blank but can't remember what was originally written there. Zedd makes the same discovery independently.
Concerned, but still determined to find his wife, Richard makes his way to the Wizard's Keep to find Zedd, who has no memory of Kahlan either. Ann, Nathan, and Nicci make their way to the Keep as well and are reunited with Richard, Zedd, and Cara.
As Richard continues to attempt to prove the existence of the woman he loves, the others become convinced he is mentally ill and plot to "heal" him. At the same time, the reader learns that Kahlan has been kidnapped by the four remaining Sisters of the Dark who escaped the Dream Walker in Blood of the Fold. The Sisters have cast a spell using subtractive magic to erase people's memories of Kahlan and Kahlan's memories of herself. The Sisters then use Kahlan to steal the boxes of Orden from the Garden of Life in the People's Palace in D'Hara.
Richard, Nicci, and Cara, make their way to the Sliph in order to escape the Keep and what the others would do. Richard learns that the Sliph knows of a place called the Deep Nothing. The Sliph takes them to a place called "Caska" in the Deep Nothing. Upon arriving they find themselves in the midst of a group of Imperial Order advanced scouts that have captured some of the people there. The reader is introduced to girl named Jillian and a people called the "Dream Casters". While eliminating the Imperial Troops, Richard and Jillian look for answers in the catacombs of Bones. Together they find the book called "Chainfire".
They travel to the People's Palace and learn that the boxes are missing. Richard figures out that the Sisters have stolen his wife and the boxes. While at the Peoples Palace, Richard needs to visit the troops and address them as well as the sisters of the Light informing them of the current events. While there they learn that an older woman has been captured and that there was something uniquely odd about her. As Nicci investigates she discovers that it is Sister Tovi, one of the sisters of the dark who gave an oath to Richard in order to be free of Jagang the Dream Walker. Nicci uses her considerable powers to learn every thing they can from Tovi, discovering that it was "the Seeker" who stabbed Tovi and took the Box of Orden she was carrying.
Richard, Nicci and Cara return to the Wizard's Keep and, with the information gathered from Tovi and the book "Chainfire", they finally they manage to convince Zedd, Nathan, and Ann of the truth. While no-one but Richard remembers Kahlan, at least now they believe that she exists.
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Book 10 * Phantom (2006)
Plot introduction
A continuation of the story in Chainfire, Phantom begins with Richard Rahl searching for his wife, Kahlan Amnell, whom only he remembers. As the reader discovered in Chainfire, the spell used to make everyone forget Kahlan, Chainfire, was initiated by The Sisters of the Dark, working for the Keeper of the Underworld. Richard reveals that not only the spell but also all magic has been corrupted due to the effects of the chimes being in the world. Due to this corruption Kahlan is not invisible to everyone and Jagang uses this fact to continue to control her.
Plot summary
This book continues Richard's quest to find his wife, Kahlan, and release her from the Chainfire spell. Kahlan still travels with the Sisters of the Dark Ulicia, Cecilia, and Armina as they hurry to catch up with the fourth Sister, Tovi. Unbeknownst to them Tovi is dead, stabbed by Samuel in the previous book and allowed to die after being questioned by Nicci. They stop at the White Horse Inn, and the Sisters are shocked when the innkeeper can see Kahlan and correctly title her. Because of the Chainfire enacted on Kahlan, no one should be able to know she exists. She was erased from the memories of all who knew her and anyone who sees her instantly forgets. The Sisters kill the man, and continue on, traveling toward Caska where they believe Tovi has gone.
Back at the Wizard's Keep, Richard senses powerful magic and goes to investigate. He discovers Zedd, Ann, and Nathan in a room where Nicci is caught up in the grips of a powerful spell called a verification web. The web is meant to examine the Chainfire spell and see if there is any way to undo it. Richard realizes that there is something wrong with the spell and tries to convince the others who don't really believe him, but Richard is able to disable the spell. Before Nicci can tell anyone that the spell was indeed corrupted, the deadly beast that Jagang had created to hunt Richard appears in the room. In order to drive it off, Nicci places herself back into the spell form to draw upon the power between life and death. By refusing to actually supply the magic to the spell, the power of life and the power of the underworld come together and strike the beast, driving it away for the time being.
When Nicci awakens for the second time, Richard has saved her from the spell. Richard realizes that the corruption to the spell was called by the presence of the three chimes being in the world, and the chimes not only corrupted the verification web, but they have corrupted all magic. Even the Chainfire spell was affected by the chimes (Reechani, Sentrosi, Vasi), and now he (Richard) believes that the Chimes are infecting anything with magic, not just Kahlan.
Shota arrives at the Keep, bringing Jebra in an attempt to make Richard believe that he is wasting his time trying to find Kahlan when there is a whole world that needs to be saved from the Imperial Order. To that end, Shota instructs Jebra to testify to the horrific terrors that had befallen the people of Ebissinia. Shota reveals that Samuel was under the control of another witch woman, Six. Richard says that he understands the situations but Shota is still unconvinced and touches Richard with her power, allowing his mind to see a vision that places Richard in the position of the slaughtered men of Ebissinia, who are condemned to death while listening to the vulgar promises of what the soldiers will do to their wives. In this dream-like reality, Richard sees Kahlan begging for his life and they profess their love for each other.
As Nicci and Shota have a minor confrontation, Richard realizes that Shota is right. Despite how important Kahlan's life is to him it's only one life, while the whole of the New World is threatened by the Order. Pleased, Shota gives Richard a prediction she has had from the flow of time. Long ago, the First Wizard Barracus went to the Temple of the Winds to ensure that someone with the Subtractive side of the gift would be born again. After Barracus came back from the temple he threw himself out his window, but not before he left a special book for Richard. Before Shota leaves, she gives him one last cryptic message: Richard's mother wasn't the only one to die in the fire that claimed her life.
After such events, Richard comes to understand that he was right all along when earlier he stated that it is impossible to fight the hordes of Imperial Order forces head on in one great final battle. Richard, Nicci and Cara travel in the Sliph to the main army in D'Hara and explains to the Commanders what he has come to understand and his position. Richard issues a command that the army be broken up into smaller units, stating that if the Old World wants war then they shall have it. The tactic being that while the Imperial Order is here in the New World, they shall become the Phantom D'Haran Legion, bringing death and destruction to the Old World. The death and destruction will be an endless reminder of what will happen to those who support the Order.
The three Sisters of the Dark and Kahlan follow Sister Tovi's trail to Caska, where they are surprised to find not Tovi (who has been dead since the end of the previous book), but Jagang waiting for them. Jagang once again proves that he is a master strategist by revealing that had never left the Sisters of the Dark's minds and that by tricking them into thinking their fake bond with Richard Rahl was working, he had much to learn from their quest. He also captures Kahlan, him being able to see her because he was linked to the Dark Sister when they performed the Chainfire spell on Kahlan, and he was therefore unaffected by it. Meanwhile, while traveling back to the Wizard's Keep through the Sliph, Richard is attacked by Jagang's beast and magic conjured the previously thought to be dead Princess Violet (now Queen Violet at Six's instruction), causing him to become separated from his power. The Sliph instigates "emergency measures" instilled in her thousands of years ago by First Wizard Barracus and shunts Richard to an emergency escape portal somewhere in the wilds close to the land of the Night Wisps. Richard must pass a test Barracus left for him before the Sliph will tell him why he needs to see the Night Wisps. After a brief visit to the land of the Night Wisps to recover a secret book left by the War Wizard Barracus (who left the outfit and ruby pendant), Secrets of a War Wizard's Power. Richard is captured by Six and taken to Tamarang. There, he hides Secrets of a War Wizard's Power in the room that he was tortured in during Wizard's First Rule, deciding that regardless of what happens to him, he cannot let anyone find the book that Barracus hid for 3000 years for him. While being taken to Violet, Richard attempts an escape killing dozens of Imperial Order soldiers. The commanding officer is impressed with his skill and takes Richard away as a captive to become a player of Ja'La dh Jin (Game of Life) on his division's team.
The division of the Imperial Order rejoins the main forces, now laying siege on the People's Palace. Richard catches a glimpse of Kahlan as he is taken into the camp and revives her will to fight on and remember her past. Back at the Wizard's Keep, while discussing Richard's desire to save Kahlan, Zedd states that even though Richard is trying hard, Kahlan is as good as dead. The Chainfire spell put in place over her destroys memories, not just overlap them or bury them; Kahlan will never remember any of them, even Richard, ever again. Nicci has a revelation about the all important Prophecies that Richard must lead them in the final battle and puts one of the Boxes of Orden in play in Richard's name, so that not only the Sisters of the Dark have superiority in that matter.
The major cliffhangers of this book are: Richard is a captive in the Imperial Order's main camp, without his sword or his gift; Kahlan is a captive of Jagang with a Rada'han (collar that restricts magic and movement at will); the Boxes of Orden are in play by both Richard and Sister Ulicia; there is a problem with Chainfire and with magic; that the Imperial Order is slowly making their way into the central stronghold of the D'Haran forces: the People's Palace, but also the D'Haran forces appear able to cut off the Imperial Order supply lines just as winter starts.
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Book 11 * Confessor (2007)
Plot introduction
A short plot description of the book was released on the author's official website, which read:[1]
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.
Plot summary
Richard Rahl is injured and is advised that he is a player -Ulicia is also advised that the time is set again i.e. one year from when Richard was put in play Six steals the third box of Orden from Nicci/ Zed - The Wizards Keep is damaged and must be abandoned. The catacombs below the People's Palace are revealed by Jagang's excavations - the sisters enter, kill Anne and capture Nicci. Soldiers are sent into the catacombs to prepare an attack and the hole is hidden. The sisters of the dark discover 'the original book of counted shadows'.
Richard paints his team in symbols to hide his features so he is not recognised. His team meet and defeat Jagangs team BUT Jagang announces the win is invalid. This unfair decision causes a riot in the camp during which Richard/ Nicci escape and Kahlan is 'rescued' by Samuel. Richard/ Nicci (helped by Adie) go back to the palace through the catacombs, helped by the fact that Nathan/ Cara are suspicious and are investigating the missing Anne and Nicci. Rachel is lured to Tamarang by Violet but is given a piece of chalk by someone looking like her mother (turns out to be Shota) and changes drawings, killing Violet and reuniting Richard with his gift. Zed is captured by Six - who is in league with Jagang and has helped attack D'Haran forces by riding a red dragon (so not all were destroyed by the chimes). Richard is told by Nicci that he must not reveal his love for Kahlan otherwise Chainfire will not restore her love for him - but will do the rest. Richard has to go through the underworld - is attacked by the beast - and is rescued by the Mud People (Shota has sent Rachel on Gratch-Richard's Gar friend- to tell them to do so). At the palace Nathan thinks Richard is dead and is going to accept Jagangs terms (which include surrendering Nicci - who is imprisoned and access to the Garden of Life to open the boxes). Kahlan is attacked by Samuel (who is taking her to Six) but touches the Sword of Truth and realises she is a Confessor, she touches Samuel.Richard on the way to Tamarang meets Kahlan and, although cannot reveal his love, carves another model of spirit. Six has imprisoned Zedd and Chase and appears when Richard reaches the cell. Shota kills Six and Richard/ Kahlan/ Zedd fly back to the People's palace on the red dragon (revealed as 'Gregory' son of Scarlett)
Back at the palace Richard causes Jagang to become infatuated with Nicci with nightmares. He surrenders, Jagang and the Sisters enter the Garden of Life. Jagang goes to see Nicci - who puts a Rada-Han on him and eventually kills him.
Back in the Garden the sisters complete the magic to find out which box is correct and open it. It turns out that all the books were fakes - they refer to the word Confessor, which was not known at the time that the boxes were created and so had been created later. The sisters are sucked into the Underworld.
The key to the magic of Orden is the Sword of Truth. Kahlan tells Richard she loves him - to Richard's dismay. Richard puts the sword on each box - one box turns the sword white. Richard opens the box and uses the magic to send believers in the Order to a new world, devoid of magic, as well as repairing the damage caused by the chimes. Kahlan then says she was protected because her love for Richard was genuine (for the second time) i.e. She had not been told she loved him.
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REFERENCE - Plot information was pulled from WIKIPEDIA.ORG
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Goodkind's novels(audiobooks) included:
# of Mp3's Time Size Bitrate
Prequel * Debt of Bones (1998) - 4 mp3's - 03 Hours - 81.4mb - 64bit
1 * Wizard's First Rule (1994) - 44 mp3's - 31 Hours - 915mb - 64bit
2 * Stone of Tears (1995) - 189 mp3's - 35 hours - 1.01gb - 64bit
3 * Blood of the Fold (1996) - 17 mp3's - 22 hours - 587mb - 64bit
4 * Temple of the Winds (1997) - 19 mp3's - 30 hours - 721mb - 64bit
5 * Soul of the Fire (1999) - 32 mp3's - 24 hours - 668mb - 64bit
6 * Faith of the Fallen (2000) - 40 mp3's - 27 hours - 840mb - 64bit
7 * The Pillars of Creation (2002) - 28 mp3's - 23 hours - 618mb - 64bit
8 * Naked Empire (2003) - 19 mp3's - 23 hours - 627mb - 64bit
9 * Chainfire (2005) - 22 mp3's - 26 Hours - 727mb - 64bit
10 * Phantom (2006) - 20 mp3's - 23 hours - 643mb - 64bit
11 * Confessor (2007) - 65 mp3's - 26 Hours - 956mb - 96bit
*****WARNING - PLOTS BELOW CONTAIN SPOILERS*****
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Prequel * Debt of Bones (1998)
Debt of Bones is a novella by Terry Goodkind. It was first published in the 1998 anthology Legends then later published as a stand alone book in hardcover in 2001 and in paperback in 2004.
Plot introduction
Before the Boundaries there was the war between D'Hara and the Midlands. Zedd was First Wizard of the Midlands in charge of countering the dangerous magic of Panis Rahl, and was doing quite well until a supplicant came to the Wizard's Keep bearing a burden as heavy as bones. Abby's request was quite simple: Repay a Debt of bones by saving the people of her home, Coney Crossing, from the cluches of the D'Harans; save her daughter. But this is no simple debt to be repaid. If Zedd is to uphold his end, it might forfeit the war with D'Hara.
Plot summary
During the war against D'Hara, a young woman meets with Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander, Wizard of the First Order and First Wizard.
Much later in the plot, Wizard Zorander, during a coup attempt from the D'Haran Empire, summoned a massive ball of wizard's fire while invoking a spell of threes. With one of the three wishes the spell effectively grants, he gained the knowledge to summon barriers, barriers wrought from the underworld that split the Midlands, D'hara, and Westland. With the next invocation, he split the Midlands and Westland with his subtractive-magic barriers. While still summoning his blast of wizard's fire, he used the final invocation to create a barrier between the Midlands and D'hara. As the barrier went up, he released his wizard's fire, which screamed towards the palace where Panis Rahl and his young son, Darken, lived. The wizard's fire grazed the underworld barrier and gained it's properties, slicing through Panis Rahl's mighty defenses. Panis Rahl perished and his son almost died, permanently scarred--and vengeful.
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Book 1 * Wizard's First Rule (1994)
Plot introduction
Richard Cypher's decision to help a woman in the Upper Ven near the Boundary between the Midlands and Westland sires more trouble than first appears. Kahlan Amnell seeks the help of a wizard in the Westland, and she brings with her dark news from the other side of the Boundary: Darken Rahl, Ruler of D'Hara, has brought down the other Boundary between D'Hara and the Midlands. This menacing ruler continues his dead father's quest for control by pressing war on the now vulnerable Midlands. Kahlan wants the wizard to name a Seeker of Truth who can try to stop Darken Rahl. When she finds the Old Wizard, he names Richard to be the Seeker and starts him on the quest that will forever alter the world.
Plot summary
The primary protagonist in Wizard’s First Rule is Richard Cypher, a single young woods guide. Richard lives in an area of the fantasy world known as Westland, which is the only part of the fantasy that at the time contained no magic. Note: There is actually some magic, i.e. The book of Counted Shadows, and the people do have the "spark of the Gift" (see The Pillars of Creation). The Westland is separated from everyone by a dangerous magical boundary that prevents anyone from passing through it. On the other side of the boundary lie many sovereign nations, jointly known as the Midlands, and the large empires D'Hara and The Old World. Richard works as a woods guide leading important political figures through dangerous forests, while his brother's interests lie entirely in politics.
Richard is naturally compelled to investigate the mysterious murder of his father when he happens upon a woman named Kahlan Amnell, whom he helps keep alive, as she is being hunted by a group of four men known as a quad.
After saving Kahlan’s life, it is revealed that Kahlan has somehow come through the boundary and is now searching for the First Wizard, who is rumored to have crossed into the Westland before the creation of the boundaries. Richard feels that this woman is in need of protection and takes her to the only man he can trust, his best friend and mentor, Zedd.
Richard discovers that this close friend of his has kept many secrets from him for his entire life; Zedd is not the simple man that Richard had presumed him to be, but rather the wizard for whom Kahlan is looking.
Kahlan tells him of the events taking place on the other side of the boundary. An evil leader called Darken Rahl is leading his army against the Midlands. At the same time, Zedd comes to the decision that Richard is the one Seeker of Truth and gives him the Sword of Truth. They begin their journey together to stop Darken Rahl and prevent him from opening the boxes of Orden, magical devices which could destroy the world.
However, due to a series of events, Richard and Kahlan are forced to cross the boundary alone and go on to the village of the Mud People in hopes of finding out where the third box of Orden is hidden. From there, they learn that only the witch woman, Shota, in Agaden Reach, has the power to reveal to them the location of the last box of Orden.
The story continues as it follows the team of Richard, Kahlan, Zedd and Chase as they attempt to collect one of the mysterious boxes of Orden and prevent Darken Rahl from gaining absolute power.
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Book 2 * Stone of Tears (1995)
Plot introduction
With Darken Rahl defeated, Richard and Kahlan head back to the Mud People to be married. As they wait for their wedding day to approach, they discover the Sisters of the Light are pursuing Richard, intending to take him back to the Old World to be trained as a Wizard. Additionally, unbeknownst to Richard and Kahlan, the veil has been torn and the Stone of Tears has entered the world. According to prophecy, the only person who has a chance at closing the veil is the one bonded to the blade, the one born true.
Plot summary
After the death of Darken Rahl, Richard is afflicted by a series of painful headaches. He also learns from Shota of his lineage as the bastard son of Darken Rahl and the grandson (on his mother's side) of Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander.
After having mastered the Wizard's First Rule, Richard learns that the opening of the boxes of Orden has torn the veil between the world of the living and the underworld and thus, he has made a grave mistake; the violation of the Wizard's Second Rule, namely, that "The greatest harm can result from the best intentions".
While trying to receive guidance on how to repair the veil, Richard violates the second rule again, inadvertently bringing his father Darken Rahl through the veil and back into the world of the living. This allows him to continue his task of bringing the Keeper into the world.
Richard later gets a visit from three Sisters of the Light, who inform him that his headaches are caused by the awakening of the gift within him and are fatal and unstoppable, unless Richard receives magical training. The sisters tell him that he must go with them, and wear a magical collar in order to control his headaches and the gift.
Having been collared before in Wizard's First Rule by Denna, the Mord-Sith, Richard is extremely reluctant to have another one around his neck, let alone voluntarily putting it there himself. After having a surprise meeting with Denna's sprit, Kahlan comes to understand that if she wants Richard to live, she must convince him to put the collar on, whatever the cost. Two of the sisters commit suicide, trying to convince Richard of the need for him to accompany them, yet he still resists.
Richard misinterprets Kahlan's intentions, believing that she no longer loves him. Completely devastated, Richard submits to the sisters, and leaves with the sisters in search of a cure for his headaches.
Richard travels with Verna, the last of the three sisters, to the Palace of the Prophets, which is located in the Old World. The sisters see their job as spreading knowledge of the Creator to the world via their trained wizards.
Before reaching the palace, Richard is forced into a battle with thirty Baka Ban Mana blademasters, whose job it is to teach the Seeker to dance with the spirits -- using the Sword of Truth's magic to access the collective knowledge of all previous users of it... Be a feather, not a rock. Float on the wind of the storm is the first tactical advice he receives from the Sword's magic.
During his stay at the palace, Richard comes to terms with the fact that he has the gift of magic and moreover discovers he is a War Wizard, one who has the gift of both additive and subtractive magic. Later, he learns from Nathan Rahl, another wizard in the Palace of the Prophets, that he is the first to be born with such power in three thousand years.
It is revealed that the Prelate took Richard to the Palace to flush out the Sisters of the Dark, a secret society within the Sisters of the Light dedicated to the task of unleashing the Keeper into the world of the living. As the Prelate herself says: "When your house is overrun with rats, the only thing you can do is bring in a cat. This cat sees us all as rats. Maybe with good reason..."
Richard also finds out that it was the Prelate and Nathan that helped Richard's step father, George Cypher, retrieve the Book of Counted Shadows, containing instructions on how to correctly open the Boxes of Orden.
Richard also realizes belatedly that the Palace of the Prophets is the "trap in time" foretold by Shota the witch woman; the palace is spelled so that those within its walls age at a much slower rate. Nathan Rahl himself is close to one thousand years old.
Kahlan embarks on a long trek back to her home of Aydindril along with three Mud People. Along the way they come across a sacked city with the inhabitants' corpses filling the streets and the surrounding countryside. A new enemy has come.
Kahlan and the three mud people race to catch up with a band of some 5000 troops that are trailing the enemy. After getting over her shock, she assumes command of the army and begins her strategies of taking on the far superior army of what she now knows to be The Imperial Order.
Escaping the trap after months of imprisonment, Richard races to stop a prophecy from coming to pass, one he received in the Valley of the Lost: Of all there were, but a single one born of the magic to bring forth truth will remain alive when the shadow's threat is lifted. Therefore comes the greater darkness of the dead. For there to be a chance at life's bond, this one in white must be offered to her people, to bring their joy and good cheer.
The prophecy speaks of the beheading of his love, Kahlan, whom he now realises was only trying to help him by sending him with the sisters.
Only by fulfilling the prophecy can Richard close the veil and thwart Darken Rahl, casting the Keeper back into the underworld with the eponymous Stone of Tears.
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Book 3 * Blood of the Fold (1996)
Plot introduction
Richard has finally come to terms with his true identity and none-too-soon. The New World, and all the freedom of humankind, is under threat from a terrible nemesis: The Imperial Order from the Old World. With the barrier between the Old and New Worlds down, The Imperial Order wastes no time in sending its delegations to the countries of the New World, quickly followed by its expeditionary army forces. Richard's only option to stop the invasion is to claim his heritage and unite all free kingdoms and provinces under one rule and one command. One chance to survive the onslaught of barbarians bent on destroying all that is good in life.
Plot summary
Blood of the Fold picks up the story where the last volume, Stone of Tears, left off. Richard Rahl has just reunited with his future wife, Kahlan Amnell, the Mother Confessor, in a place between worlds. When he gets back, he finds there's only one way to halt the continuous advance of the Imperial Order throughout the Midlands: seize power. Richard ends the alliance upon which the Midlands was based and the rule of the Confessors. Thus, Richard Rahl, the new Master of D'Hara, takes control over Aydindril.
Meanwhile, in the Old World, trouble courses through the Palace of the Prophets. Sister Verna, the newly named Prelate, discovers the former Prelate, Annalina, isn't really dead, but has fled with Nathan Rahl, the prophet. The two of them reveal that they are on a quest to fulfill the Prophecies and save the New World from the dominion of Jagang, the Dream Walker, Emperor of the Old World.
The lands of the Midlands must decide whether to surrender to D'Hara or the Imperial Order. However, there is a force that, although it claims to be loyal to the Order, bows to no one: The Blood of the Fold. In his neverending search for banelings, what The Blood call those with some form of the gift, Tobias Brogan, the Lord General of the Blood of the Fold, captures Kahlan Amnell and Adie and takes them, following the instructions of a so-called Creator (the Dream Walker, actually), to the Palace of the Prophets.
Richard, who finds out too late his wife-to-be is in the Old World, uses an ancient means of transportation, the Sliph, to travel to her almost instantaneously. There, seduced by the ability to become invisible (granted to him by his mriswith cape), Richard inadvertently releases the Mriswith Queen, who then flees to Aydindril back through the Sliph.
Brought back to his senses, Richard then destroys the Palace of the Prophets to prevent Jagang from receiving the treasures inside, saves Kahlan, and hurries back to the New World, where he leads his armies toward a victorious battle over the Blood of the Fold and the mriswith.
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Book 4 * Temple of the Winds (1997)
Plot introduction
Jagang, Emperor of the Imperial Order, has invoked a bound fork prophecy binding Richard and Kahlan to a fate of pain, betrayal, and a path to the Underworld. At Jagang's behest a Sister of the Dark gains access into the fabled Temple of the Winds and has unleashed a plague that sweeps across the lands like a firestorm consuming lives at an alarming rate. In order to stop the plague Richard and Kahlan are forced to sacrifice everything they have between them.
Plot summary
Temple of the Winds picks up shortly after where the last volume, Blood of the Fold, left off. A wizard named Marlin, appears in Aydindril announcing his intent to kill Richard Rahl. He is immediately captured and questioned by the Mother Confessor, Kahlan Amnell, and one of Richard's bodyguards, Cara. Cara uses her Mord'Sith ability to capture Marlin's gift when he tries to escape, but the link between Cara and Marlin is used against her when Emperor Jagang takes possession of Marlin soon thereafter. Later a woman from Richard's past appears, Nadine, a herbalist from the Westland. She attempts to heal Cara, but fails. Richard's half-brother Drefan, a high priest of a secret sect, does however succeed in curing Cara.
Meanwhile, Zedd and Prelate Annalina continue their search for the unleashed Nathan Rahl. Their search leads them to a run down inn in an unnamed city, where they discover that Nathan misled them into following another man. The man then gives them a message informing them not to follow Nathan but to protect a treasure instead. A Sister of the Dark, who was also following Nathan, ends up getting caught in a snare Zedd intended for the Prophet Rahl.
Richard and Berdine continue to work on the translation of the journal of Kolo, a dead wizard found in the depths of the Wizard's Keep. In the midst of all these activities, a Sister of the Dark travels through Aydindril spreading a magical plague. In a search for a cure, Richard travels to the First Wizard's Enclave.
In order to save the people of the Midlands from the plague, Kahlan Amnell must betray Richard in order to allow him to enter the Temple of the Winds. In doing so, Richard saves the people of the Midlands, but in order to return, he pays the price of knowledge, leaving the Temple with something that no vast library of knowledge can ever teach - understanding. Through this, Richard is saved from the life of the eternally condemned.
Meanwhile, Nathan rescues a woman named Clarissa from a life of slavery in the Imperial Order. He then builds a relationship with the woman and uses her to obtain items from Jagang that were given under a tentative deal struck between Nathan (acting as Lord Rahl at the time) and the Emperor.
When Richard returns, Kahlan learns that she must destroy a book in order to save Richard, so she travels to the Old World in the sliph. Upon her arrival she finds Nathan, Sister Verna, and Warren in a compromised situation, and she immediately spring into action to aid them. Clarissa is killed in the struggle by traitors.
With the book, Kahlan returns to Aydindril, but a battle ensues with Drefan, and she is unable to defeat him. Luckily, Richard arrives and disables Drefan by ripping his spine out through his stomach. When Richard rushes to Kahlan's side, the still-conscious Drefan gets up and prepares to attack him, but is killed by the sliph. Kahlan destroys the book, and Richard is cured of the plague.
Richard and Kahlan travel to the land of the Mud People to be wed, where they meet up with Zedd and Ann. Richard and Kahlan are soon thereafter wed and are visited by the witch woman Shota, who once again warns them not to conceive a child.
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Book 5 * Soul of the Fire (1999)
Plot introduction
Richard and Kahlan are finally married and enjoying their wedding night back in the Spirit house in the Village of the Mud People. Soon, sudden and unexplainable deaths begin to occur, and Richard comes to the conclusion that when Kahlan called forth the Chimes in order to save him, they remained free, causing havoc. Zedd sends Richard and Kahlan off the Wizards Keep in Aydindril to get a special bottle that contains a spell that will stop the threat.
While en-route, Richard, Kahlan, and their Mord Sith protector Cara are sidetracked into dealing with the people of Anderith, who posses a powerful weapon of mass destruction called the Dominie Dirtch. They find the leadership of Anderith wishes to surrender to the Imperial Order rather than surrender to the D'Haran Empire. As Richard tries his best to convince the people of Anderith of the danger the Imperial Order possesses, he becomes firmly convinced that the Chimes are loose.
Plot summary
Continuing on from Temple of the Winds, we begin the story after Richard and Kahlan's wedding in the village of the Mud People.
Strange deaths and the appearance of a 'Chicken That Isn't A Chicken' leave Richard fearing the worst. Zedd confides in Richard that the chicken is in fact a Lurk sent by Emperor Jagang. According to Zedd, the only way to destroy the Lurk is by smashing a bottle from the Wizard's Keep in Aydindril with The Sword of Truth.
However, Zedd is actually lying. He has surmised that a terrible magic known as "the chimes" has been released. The chimes will eventually drain all magic from the world of the living, beginning with the additive magic. This would cause death to beings which require magic and possibly cause the destruction of the world if additive magic were to completely fail. Zedd determines that he must find a remedy and wants Richard and Kahlan safely out of the way while he does so.
Richard, Kahlan and Cara, unaware of the truth, set out to accomplish the task of breaking the bottle. Meanwhile, Zedd and Ann set off in separate ways. Zedd recalls some lore that relates the chimes to Anderith and he travels there to attempt to banish the chimes. Ann infiltrates the Imperial Order in order to save the Sisters of the Light under Jagang's enslavement.
Elsewhere, we are introduced to the ways of Anderith. Both the Anders, black-haired people who govern the city, and the Hakens, red-haired people under the boot of Ander oppression, occupy Anderith. From an early age Hakens are kept under control and disrespected by the Anders and are taught that this oppression is a necessity to protect the Hakens from their violent ancestral ways. Most Hakens have bought into this idea and willingly subject themselves to the oppression.
Anderith is being wooed by the Imperial Order in the person of Stein, who personifies the savage ruthlessness of Jagang's empire. Stein offers double the going rate for any goods that merchants, all of the Ander race, will sell to the Imperial Order. He also plots with the Minister of Culture, Bertrand Chanboor, to surrender Anderith to the Order. They begin infiltrating Imperial Order soldiers into Anderith under the guise of Special Anderian Troops.
Dalton Campbell, aide to the Minister of Culture, has a hand in most events within the Anderith nation. He uses his connections, along with his squad of messengers, to accomplish underhanded tasks to ensure that the Minister will ascend to the chair of Sovereign (a religious position similar to the real world pope) when the present one passes on. Dalton treasures his wife Teresa above all else.
A kitchen scullion, Fitch, is recruited into the messenger corps by Dalton. Though he has conflicting goals and values, Fitch's gratitude towards Dalton results in blind obedience and he smothers his conscience to accomplish Dalton's bidding. Ultimately Dalton betrays Fitch, who is forced to flee. Fitch determines to redeem himself by becoming The Seeker of Truth, a long time fantasy of his. The first step to becoming Seeker is to obtain the Sword of Truth.
We are also given a glimpse at the Anderith Army which is seriously under-trained and little more than children. The Anderith Army guards the Dominie Dirtch, a defensive line of giant bell shaped structures, seemingly made from a solid piece of dark veined stone, which kill anything in front of them when struck.
Elsewhere, Richard realizes the chimes are, in fact, loose, and so he sends Cara to Aydindril to retrieve the Sword of Truth while Richard, Kahlan and Du Chaillu (Richard's first "wife" and spirit woman of the Baka Tau Mana) head to Anderith to banish the chimes. Richard also deduces that the army of the Imperial Order is marching on Anderith. If the Imperial Order conquers Anderith it will be a continuing imminent threat the the rest of the midlands. Arriving in Anderith first, Zedd attempts to banish the chimes by offering them his soul. This is the cause of the chimes' presence: they don't have souls, and when she summoned them Kahlan promised them Richard's soul. However, it is not his soul the chimes want. Zedd's attempt fails and he undergoes a transformation.
Richard and Kahlan arrive in Anderith and set out to look for the chimes but also work on joining Anderith with the D'Haran Empire. Word spreads and a vote is taken. While Richard makes a good plea to the people of Anderith, Dalton Campbell's interference sways the vote, leaving Richard defeated. At the same time, Kahlan struggles with the knowledge that she is with child, and the trouble that will come because of it.
Meanwhile, Ann finds the captive Sisters of the Light and persuades them to come with her. Since magic is failing, Jagang's abilities as a Dream Walker are null, and Ann informs the Sisters of a bond to Richard, the Lord Rahl, that can keep them safe from the Dream Walker. However the Sisters, fearful of retribution by Jagang, betray Ann to the Imperial Order. She is left in her tent by herself when Sister Alessandra, a Sister of the Dark, begins visiting her and bringing her food. She attempts to sway Alessandra, at first to no avail.
Dalton Campbell, along with help from a Sister of the Dark, sets a group of his messengers on Kahlan when she is off by herself pondering on whether or not to keep Richard's child. She is beaten nearly to death, and when she's saved, Richard at first doesn't recognize her. When he finally does however, he realizes that he will be unable to heal her unless he manages to banish the chimes first.
Cara almost obtains the Sword of Truth, but is beaten to it by Fitch and a friend. A combination of sheer dumb luck and the fact that the Chimes have deactivated the Wizards' Keep defenses and killed many of its guards allow Fitch and his accomplice to easily obtain the Sword. Cara gives chase and kills the friend before chasing the Fitch back to Anderith. When she catches him at the Dominie Dirtch she loses the sword when Imperial Order scouts attack. The Order's soldiers collect the sword as a prize for Stein to present to emperor Jagang.
Around this time, Dalton Campbell manages to murder the Sovereign, instead of waiting for the feeble figurehead to pass naturally. This immediately pushes Bertrand Chanboor to the rank of Sovereign. The empowered Chanboor consummates his promotion by sleeping with Dalton's wife, Teresa. Dalton pretends not to be disturbed by this betrayal and even seemingly "joins" the web of infidelity by sleeping with both Teresa and Chanboor's wife in turn. In reality, however, Campbell is livid and even kills the Imperial Order emissary, Stein, (who had "shared" Teresa with Chanboor) gaining possession of the Sword of Truth in turn.
Having studied the actions of Joseph Ander, the ancient founder of Anderith, Richard comes to realize that the chimes and the Dominie Dirtch are connected. More specifically, Richard comes to understand that Joseph Ander enslaved the Chimes using them to power the Dominie Dirtch. Richard finally comes to understand that by using art as a form of intent he can alter the Grace and create a new pathway for magic. Thus Richard counters the magic Ander used to enslave the Chimes and calls them forth giving the chimes a choice: The Soul, his soul, they were promised by Kahlan or revenge on the spirit of Ander for enslaving them. The chimes choose vengeance, taking Ander to the underworld. Once he is successful in banishing the chimes, Richard sets off to heal Kahlan but is stopped by Du Chaillu, who tells Richard that his healing powers would kill her due to a hidden subtractive magic spell that has been placed within her.
Alessandra eventually frees Ann, who reverts her faith back to The Creator and gives her oath to Richard. The pair soon sets off out of Anderith, and when Zedd's soul is returned to his body with the banishment of the chimes, he also departs.
Richard decides to leave for Westland, where he plans to let Kahlan recover from her wounds naturally. Dalton Campbell sees them off with his apologies and informs Richard that Campbell, Chanboor, and both of their wives have become stricken with an "unfortunate", incurable venereal disease and have doomed themselves to a slow, agonizing demise. He returns the Sword of Truth to Richard before they set off. Richard claims he will wait in Westland until the people of the world can prove to him that they truly desire freedom.
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Book 6 * Faith of the Fallen (2000)
Plot introduction
The Imperial Order continues to bring unwanted war down upon the New World taking freedom and giving only slavery under the guise of good for all mankind. As Richard and Cara continue to nurse Kahlan back to health, Richard has a vision that if he leads the people of the New World into battle they will lose all. Richards’s vision reveals that only when the people understand what they are fighting for and that they are alone responsible for their lives will the people of the New World need him. He must withdraw and not lead people until they earn his leadership. Sister of the Dark Nicci frees herself from Jagang and goes to seize Richard. She will show Richard how wrong he is to fight for freedom and self. Employing an ancient magic spell to link herself to Kahlan, Nicci forces Richard to go away with her to the Old World not only to prove to him of the virtue and righteousness of the Imperial Order but secretly in search of what drives him, what secret he holds in his eyes.
Plot summary
Faith of the Fallen begins right where Soul of the Fire leaves off. Richard is taking Cara and an injured Kahlan to the high mountains of his homeland, Westland. At the end of the Soul of the Fire Richard realizes that he cannot win against Emperor Jagang until the people themselves want to fight for freedom. Because of this mindset Richard isolates himself in the woods, to allow Kahlan time to heal, and refuses to give orders to the D'Haran army. He insists that the fight against the Imperial Order is a doomed cause and further resistance can only result in the loss of more lives.
After Kahlan has made a significant recovery, the trio is reintroduced to Nicci, an impassive Sister of the Dark who was one of Richard’s instructors at the Palace of the Prophets in Stone of Tears. She provides great insight into the goals of the Order and about the Dreamwalker, Jagang himself. Nicci believes fully in the goal of the Order: to have everyone live in equality.
Nicci's goal is to capture Richard, something that she accomplishes using the rare and difficult maternity spell linking herself to Kahlan. Anything that happens to Nicci now happens to Kahlan. Faced with a hopeless situation, Richard is forced to go with Nicci into the Old World, leaving behind Kahlan, Cara, and the Sword of Truth.
Kahlan and Cara despite knowing Richard's objections, leave the Upper Ven and leave in search of help from Zedd and Sister Verna. Seeing the plight of her troops fighting against the Order, Kahlan takes command of the combined armies of D'Hara and the Midlands in a desperate attempt to halt the Order's advance into the New World.
While Kahlan and Richard's friends do battle in the New World, Richard is put to work in the Old World capital of Altur'Rang, doing whatever he can to make ends meet for him and Nicci. Nicci, expecting Richard to finally understand how oppressive life for the poor in the Old World can be, and how the Imperial Order provides relief, begins to understand how wrong she is and the Order have been all these years when Richard independently rises above the hardships placed in his path and he begins to do what is necessary to survive. Richard's freely helps others, shows that one can take pride in his work; himself and his surroundings people begin to take notice and soon find purpose in life. They find that it is only they who can make things better. Soon, the people around Richard change their lives and their outlook for the better. When Richard is ordered as punishment for unnamed crimes to carve a massive stone statue for the Emperor's Palace, he does as he is asked. When Richard reveals the statue, however, it is not the design given to him by Brother Narev, the self proclaimed leader of the order; it is an inspirational work of art depicting mankind, free and beautiful, in all its glory.
When Brother Narev orders Richard to destroy his own statue, the people of Altur'Rang rise up in rebellion and attack the Imperial Order. Kahlan and Cara, who having heard of Richard's plight issue orders to the Troops and journey to Altur'Rang to rescue Richard no matter the cost. They arrive just in time to see the uprising. When the dust settles, Richard, Kahlan, and Cara are reunited, Nicci pledges fealty to Richard after realizing the truth of his gospel, and the people of Altur'Rang have a new spirit, having tasted freedom.
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Book 7 * The Pillars of Creation (2002)
Plot introduction
This book revolves around several new characters in the Sword of Truth series. Jennsen, for most of her life, has been running from the assassins sent by Lord Rahl to kill her. Any ungifted child of the Lord Rahl must die. A stranger convinces her that running will do her no good for wherever she goes, Lord Rahl's soldiers will find her. It is time for her to stop fleeing and fight back. If she wants to live, she must kill Lord Rahl.
Plot summary
Jennsen Rahl, Richard Rahl's half sister, has spent the first twenty years of her life running from her father, Darken Rahl. Born without any aspect of the gift of magic, Jennsen has been marked for death since birth. When her mother is apparently murdered by D'Haran assassins she sets out with her new friend, Sebastian, to start her life over. Sebastian eventually reveals that he a spy for the Imperial Order. He speaks convincingly of the Order's goals concerning the fair treatment of all humanity and the elimination of magic. Above all else he esteems Emperor Jagang. In equal measure he despises Richard Rahl, who he claims has brought on war with an invasion of the Old World after bringing down the Barriers separating the sections of the known world.
Meanwhile, another sibling of Richard's, Oba Rahl, suffers under an abusive mother on the family farm. Oba imagines himself as energetic and the possessor of a healthy curiosity. His inquisitive nature manifests itself especially through pleasure in watching things die under his hand. Oba does not know that he, along with Jennsen, is pristinely ungifted and immune to magic. His mother sends him to a nearby sorceress to buy medicine and during the purchase he begins to the menace the magic user. Her attempts to defend herself with magic fail and Oba kills her brutally. During the fight Oba surrenders to a voice in his mind that promises invincibility in return for obedience. After returning home Oba kills his mother and resolves to see the world. He can travel comfortably with the funds he looted from the sorceress.
Jennsen wants to find another sorceress, sister of the one Oba killed, and who had previously helped Jennsen and her mother. Along with Sebastian she travels to the People's Palace, capital of the D'Haran empire. There she learns that the sorceress she seeks lives in a deadly enchanted swamp. After Sebastian is detained by D'Haran guards, a friendly stranger, Tom, helps a desperate Jennesen to the swamp. She safely reaches the sorcereress' home, her natural immunity to magic protecting her through the swamp, but only learns that nothing can be done to save her from Lord Rahl. She leaves, disappointed and upon returning to the People's Palace cleverly rescues Sebastian. He convinces Jennsen that she should visit Emperor Jagang, leader of the Imperial Order.
Oba is also aware of the second sorceress and the fact that she knows something concerning his fate or nature. He hires a guide to the swamp, which he safely negotiates as well. The sorceress reveals that Oba is now a thrall to the Keeper of the Underworld and kills herself before Oba can do the deed. This, along with the fact that his guide has stolen all his money, enrages Oba. He is mollified somewhat by the treasure he finds in the sorceresses' cottage but his rage returns when, after returning to the People's Palace, he spots his guide. After killing the guide he is briefly jailed but escapes and resolves to locate Richard Rahl.
Jennsen and Sebastian reach Emperor Jagang at the van of the army of the Imperial Order. Though initially shocked by the crude Order soldiers, she is advised not to be so picky and that the D'Harans are even worse. The day after her arrival the Jagang assaults the Confessor's Palace but is bloodily repulsed. Emperor Jagang is severely injured in the action. Even worse for the Order, their enemy unleashes an ancient magic on the main army, wreaking immense destruction. Jennsen reacts by making a pact with a dark force, the Keeper, to kill Richard Rahl in return for her surrender and obedience.
Oba captures Kahlan and is ordered by the Keeper to take her, along with the Sword of Truth to the Pillars of Creation. Using his link to the sword, Richard pursues Oba to the Pillars, where he encounters Jennsen, who has also been drawn to the same spot by the Keeper in order to kill Richard. The Keeper's supreme plan, however, was for Richard to kill Jennsen at the Pillars of Creation thereby opening a gate between the Keeper's realm and the world of the living. Richard discerns the plan and refuses to be goaded into cooperating. Jennsen then recognizes his integrity and the Keeper's plan is foiled. Jennsen learns that the men who were sent to kill her mother were actually soldiers of the Imperial Order, and after coming to believe that Richard is truly a loving and caring brother, she joins him and Kahlan in their quest against Jagang.
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Book 8 * Naked Empire (2003)
Plot introduction
This book opens with Richard and Kahlan still in the Old World traveling back to the New World. A new character Owen pleads for Richard and Kahlan’s help in freeing his people from the hands of the Imperial Order. They are set upon by a seemingly mysterious dust storm that holds the silhouette of a man. They are sent a warning letter by Nicci, but before they are able to finish reading the letter they are set upon by Imperial Order Mercenaries. After learning that Richard has been poisoned by Owen they must travel back deeper into the Old World to the Bandakar. They find an ancient boundary protecting the Bandakar Empire from outside invaders came down two years past and now the Imperial Order has occupied this nation of frail-minded people. Soon Richard and Kahlan learn of a new monster that was created by Jagang’s Sisters of the Dark.
Plot summary
The novel begins with a moderately long section detailing the travels of the main characters as they move through the Old World in order to accomplish temporary goals. Their travels are interrupted by the entrances of Nicholas, who is a Slide (a wizard that is capable of soul stealing and using souls to project himself into animals). This situation is further complicated by Owen, a man from the Bandakar Empire. He poisons Richard in order to force him to help the Bandakar Empire shed the yoke of the Imperial Order.
Much of the novel focuses around Richard's interactions with the Bandakar people. The people of Bandakar are all pristinely ungifted like Richard's half-sister Jennsen. They are descendants of the house of Rahl banished into the Old World thousands of years before. These people were then again banished by the people of the Old World, particularly a wizard, Kaja-Rang who bound them behind a boundary that would force any that leave to walk straight to the Pillars of Creation. This was done not because the people were pristinely ungifted, but because they "could not see evil" or, rather because they strongly embraced a philosophy which required them to disbelieve reality. They shunned all forms of violence, and judgment. They laid their lives down before any aggressor. This is why they were banished, because their ideas threatened the existence of the Old World.
Richard managed to convince several of the Bandakar to shed their ideals and embrace the individualist ideas espoused by Richard and his D'Haran Empire. This allowed the Bandakar to take up arms and fight for their own freedom. However, throughout the entire ordeal Richard was reeling not only from the poison the Bandakaran's gave him, but also his gift being out of balance.
Nathan and Ann came to the Bandakar Empire in order to bring Richard "back into prophecy" during which time they saved Richard and his companions from certain death, but were ultimately unable to aid him in restoring his gift to balance.
Eventually Richard discovered that since he rationalized that not eating meat balanced out his need to kill people he was in effect not putting his faith in himself or his abilities. This ultimately caused not only the gift within himself to twist and fail, but also the magic of the Sword of Truth to fail. After this revelation he once again began to eat meat, because he realized that his actions were justified in themselves and required no additional balancing.
After Richard had once again set himself in order, he and the Bandakar people destroyed the remaining Imperial Order encampment in Bandakar resulting in the death of Nicholas and the rescue of Kahlan. But, Richard still needed to cure the poison, but the remedy was destroyed by Nicholas so he used his gift to piece together the what and how of creating the antidote himself.
During the course of these actions, Zedd and Adie were captured as the Keep was taken by men captured from Bandakar and forced to do the work of the Imperial Order. They were forced to identify random objects from within the keep for a Sister of the Dark or they would be forced to listen to the screams of children being tortured while their parents begged them to give up the information.
As a result of this identification process, Zedd was able to unleash a constructed spell within an object that killed several men in the camp along with all the other artifacts. Zedd and Adie would have been destroyed as well, but they were saved by Captain Zimmer and some of his men, as well as Chase and Rachel. Adie went with Zimmer and his men to free the families being used for torture, while Zedd and Chase went back to reclaim the Keep.
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Book 9 * Chainfire (2005)
Plot introduction
During a raid on his camp, Richard is seriously wounded and now Nicci must use subtractive magic in order to save him. Richard awakens to find his wife Kahlan missing and discovers that he is the only person alive who remembers her. As he begins to search for her, he learns that he is also hunted by a beast created by Jagang's Sisters of the Dark.
Plot summary
Richard Rahl is the ruler of the D'Haran Empire, a collection of nations previously made up of D'Hara, the Midlands and Westland. Richard Rahl and the D'Haran Empire are currently locked in an epic struggle with the Imperial Order, an Empire from the Old World, led by Emperor Jagang.
Chainfire continues the story of Richard in his attempt to teach the people that their lives are theirs alone, that they can be free of the Imperial Order. Richard is gravely injured from an enemy arrow. He is brought to Nicci, a sorceress and former Sister of the Dark, who heals him using subtractive magic causing unforeseen events to spiral out of control. When he awakens, Richard discovers that his wife, Kahlan Amnell, the Mother Confessor, is missing. More than that, however, no one around him seems to remember her. Nicci and Cara both attribute Richard's memory of Kahlan to dreams and delusions brought about by his injury and quite possibly an unintended effect of the subtractive magic used in healing Richard.
Fearing for his beloved's life, Richard desperately tries to find some trace of her and at the same time convince the others that she exists. His search leads him to the witch woman, Shota, who revealing "that which you seek is long buried with the bones" demands the price of more information can only be offered for the price of the Sword of Truth. Shota utters the words "Chainfire" and "The Deep Nothing", demanding that Richard hand over the Sword of Truth to Samuel for this meager information. Shota also warns Richard of a "Beast" conjured by several Wizards and Sisters of the Dark, under the orders of Jagang. The beast is meant to kill Richard and is as unstoppable as it is unpredictable. What's more, the beast is now able to track Richard when he uses his gift.
In the meantime, Ann and Nathan together have discovered many blank pages in books of ancient prophecy. They seem to remember that the pages should not be blank but can't remember what was originally written there. Zedd makes the same discovery independently.
Concerned, but still determined to find his wife, Richard makes his way to the Wizard's Keep to find Zedd, who has no memory of Kahlan either. Ann, Nathan, and Nicci make their way to the Keep as well and are reunited with Richard, Zedd, and Cara.
As Richard continues to attempt to prove the existence of the woman he loves, the others become convinced he is mentally ill and plot to "heal" him. At the same time, the reader learns that Kahlan has been kidnapped by the four remaining Sisters of the Dark who escaped the Dream Walker in Blood of the Fold. The Sisters have cast a spell using subtractive magic to erase people's memories of Kahlan and Kahlan's memories of herself. The Sisters then use Kahlan to steal the boxes of Orden from the Garden of Life in the People's Palace in D'Hara.
Richard, Nicci, and Cara, make their way to the Sliph in order to escape the Keep and what the others would do. Richard learns that the Sliph knows of a place called the Deep Nothing. The Sliph takes them to a place called "Caska" in the Deep Nothing. Upon arriving they find themselves in the midst of a group of Imperial Order advanced scouts that have captured some of the people there. The reader is introduced to girl named Jillian and a people called the "Dream Casters". While eliminating the Imperial Troops, Richard and Jillian look for answers in the catacombs of Bones. Together they find the book called "Chainfire".
They travel to the People's Palace and learn that the boxes are missing. Richard figures out that the Sisters have stolen his wife and the boxes. While at the Peoples Palace, Richard needs to visit the troops and address them as well as the sisters of the Light informing them of the current events. While there they learn that an older woman has been captured and that there was something uniquely odd about her. As Nicci investigates she discovers that it is Sister Tovi, one of the sisters of the dark who gave an oath to Richard in order to be free of Jagang the Dream Walker. Nicci uses her considerable powers to learn every thing they can from Tovi, discovering that it was "the Seeker" who stabbed Tovi and took the Box of Orden she was carrying.
Richard, Nicci and Cara return to the Wizard's Keep and, with the information gathered from Tovi and the book "Chainfire", they finally they manage to convince Zedd, Nathan, and Ann of the truth. While no-one but Richard remembers Kahlan, at least now they believe that she exists.
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Book 10 * Phantom (2006)
Plot introduction
A continuation of the story in Chainfire, Phantom begins with Richard Rahl searching for his wife, Kahlan Amnell, whom only he remembers. As the reader discovered in Chainfire, the spell used to make everyone forget Kahlan, Chainfire, was initiated by The Sisters of the Dark, working for the Keeper of the Underworld. Richard reveals that not only the spell but also all magic has been corrupted due to the effects of the chimes being in the world. Due to this corruption Kahlan is not invisible to everyone and Jagang uses this fact to continue to control her.
Plot summary
This book continues Richard's quest to find his wife, Kahlan, and release her from the Chainfire spell. Kahlan still travels with the Sisters of the Dark Ulicia, Cecilia, and Armina as they hurry to catch up with the fourth Sister, Tovi. Unbeknownst to them Tovi is dead, stabbed by Samuel in the previous book and allowed to die after being questioned by Nicci. They stop at the White Horse Inn, and the Sisters are shocked when the innkeeper can see Kahlan and correctly title her. Because of the Chainfire enacted on Kahlan, no one should be able to know she exists. She was erased from the memories of all who knew her and anyone who sees her instantly forgets. The Sisters kill the man, and continue on, traveling toward Caska where they believe Tovi has gone.
Back at the Wizard's Keep, Richard senses powerful magic and goes to investigate. He discovers Zedd, Ann, and Nathan in a room where Nicci is caught up in the grips of a powerful spell called a verification web. The web is meant to examine the Chainfire spell and see if there is any way to undo it. Richard realizes that there is something wrong with the spell and tries to convince the others who don't really believe him, but Richard is able to disable the spell. Before Nicci can tell anyone that the spell was indeed corrupted, the deadly beast that Jagang had created to hunt Richard appears in the room. In order to drive it off, Nicci places herself back into the spell form to draw upon the power between life and death. By refusing to actually supply the magic to the spell, the power of life and the power of the underworld come together and strike the beast, driving it away for the time being.
When Nicci awakens for the second time, Richard has saved her from the spell. Richard realizes that the corruption to the spell was called by the presence of the three chimes being in the world, and the chimes not only corrupted the verification web, but they have corrupted all magic. Even the Chainfire spell was affected by the chimes (Reechani, Sentrosi, Vasi), and now he (Richard) believes that the Chimes are infecting anything with magic, not just Kahlan.
Shota arrives at the Keep, bringing Jebra in an attempt to make Richard believe that he is wasting his time trying to find Kahlan when there is a whole world that needs to be saved from the Imperial Order. To that end, Shota instructs Jebra to testify to the horrific terrors that had befallen the people of Ebissinia. Shota reveals that Samuel was under the control of another witch woman, Six. Richard says that he understands the situations but Shota is still unconvinced and touches Richard with her power, allowing his mind to see a vision that places Richard in the position of the slaughtered men of Ebissinia, who are condemned to death while listening to the vulgar promises of what the soldiers will do to their wives. In this dream-like reality, Richard sees Kahlan begging for his life and they profess their love for each other.
As Nicci and Shota have a minor confrontation, Richard realizes that Shota is right. Despite how important Kahlan's life is to him it's only one life, while the whole of the New World is threatened by the Order. Pleased, Shota gives Richard a prediction she has had from the flow of time. Long ago, the First Wizard Barracus went to the Temple of the Winds to ensure that someone with the Subtractive side of the gift would be born again. After Barracus came back from the temple he threw himself out his window, but not before he left a special book for Richard. Before Shota leaves, she gives him one last cryptic message: Richard's mother wasn't the only one to die in the fire that claimed her life.
After such events, Richard comes to understand that he was right all along when earlier he stated that it is impossible to fight the hordes of Imperial Order forces head on in one great final battle. Richard, Nicci and Cara travel in the Sliph to the main army in D'Hara and explains to the Commanders what he has come to understand and his position. Richard issues a command that the army be broken up into smaller units, stating that if the Old World wants war then they shall have it. The tactic being that while the Imperial Order is here in the New World, they shall become the Phantom D'Haran Legion, bringing death and destruction to the Old World. The death and destruction will be an endless reminder of what will happen to those who support the Order.
The three Sisters of the Dark and Kahlan follow Sister Tovi's trail to Caska, where they are surprised to find not Tovi (who has been dead since the end of the previous book), but Jagang waiting for them. Jagang once again proves that he is a master strategist by revealing that had never left the Sisters of the Dark's minds and that by tricking them into thinking their fake bond with Richard Rahl was working, he had much to learn from their quest. He also captures Kahlan, him being able to see her because he was linked to the Dark Sister when they performed the Chainfire spell on Kahlan, and he was therefore unaffected by it. Meanwhile, while traveling back to the Wizard's Keep through the Sliph, Richard is attacked by Jagang's beast and magic conjured the previously thought to be dead Princess Violet (now Queen Violet at Six's instruction), causing him to become separated from his power. The Sliph instigates "emergency measures" instilled in her thousands of years ago by First Wizard Barracus and shunts Richard to an emergency escape portal somewhere in the wilds close to the land of the Night Wisps. Richard must pass a test Barracus left for him before the Sliph will tell him why he needs to see the Night Wisps. After a brief visit to the land of the Night Wisps to recover a secret book left by the War Wizard Barracus (who left the outfit and ruby pendant), Secrets of a War Wizard's Power. Richard is captured by Six and taken to Tamarang. There, he hides Secrets of a War Wizard's Power in the room that he was tortured in during Wizard's First Rule, deciding that regardless of what happens to him, he cannot let anyone find the book that Barracus hid for 3000 years for him. While being taken to Violet, Richard attempts an escape killing dozens of Imperial Order soldiers. The commanding officer is impressed with his skill and takes Richard away as a captive to become a player of Ja'La dh Jin (Game of Life) on his division's team.
The division of the Imperial Order rejoins the main forces, now laying siege on the People's Palace. Richard catches a glimpse of Kahlan as he is taken into the camp and revives her will to fight on and remember her past. Back at the Wizard's Keep, while discussing Richard's desire to save Kahlan, Zedd states that even though Richard is trying hard, Kahlan is as good as dead. The Chainfire spell put in place over her destroys memories, not just overlap them or bury them; Kahlan will never remember any of them, even Richard, ever again. Nicci has a revelation about the all important Prophecies that Richard must lead them in the final battle and puts one of the Boxes of Orden in play in Richard's name, so that not only the Sisters of the Dark have superiority in that matter.
The major cliffhangers of this book are: Richard is a captive in the Imperial Order's main camp, without his sword or his gift; Kahlan is a captive of Jagang with a Rada'han (collar that restricts magic and movement at will); the Boxes of Orden are in play by both Richard and Sister Ulicia; there is a problem with Chainfire and with magic; that the Imperial Order is slowly making their way into the central stronghold of the D'Haran forces: the People's Palace, but also the D'Haran forces appear able to cut off the Imperial Order supply lines just as winter starts.
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Book 11 * Confessor (2007)
Plot introduction
A short plot description of the book was released on the author's official website, which read:[1]
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.
Plot summary
Richard Rahl is injured and is advised that he is a player -Ulicia is also advised that the time is set again i.e. one year from when Richard was put in play Six steals the third box of Orden from Nicci/ Zed - The Wizards Keep is damaged and must be abandoned. The catacombs below the People's Palace are revealed by Jagang's excavations - the sisters enter, kill Anne and capture Nicci. Soldiers are sent into the catacombs to prepare an attack and the hole is hidden. The sisters of the dark discover 'the original book of counted shadows'.
Richard paints his team in symbols to hide his features so he is not recognised. His team meet and defeat Jagangs team BUT Jagang announces the win is invalid. This unfair decision causes a riot in the camp during which Richard/ Nicci escape and Kahlan is 'rescued' by Samuel. Richard/ Nicci (helped by Adie) go back to the palace through the catacombs, helped by the fact that Nathan/ Cara are suspicious and are investigating the missing Anne and Nicci. Rachel is lured to Tamarang by Violet but is given a piece of chalk by someone looking like her mother (turns out to be Shota) and changes drawings, killing Violet and reuniting Richard with his gift. Zed is captured by Six - who is in league with Jagang and has helped attack D'Haran forces by riding a red dragon (so not all were destroyed by the chimes). Richard is told by Nicci that he must not reveal his love for Kahlan otherwise Chainfire will not restore her love for him - but will do the rest. Richard has to go through the underworld - is attacked by the beast - and is rescued by the Mud People (Shota has sent Rachel on Gratch-Richard's Gar friend- to tell them to do so). At the palace Nathan thinks Richard is dead and is going to accept Jagangs terms (which include surrendering Nicci - who is imprisoned and access to the Garden of Life to open the boxes). Kahlan is attacked by Samuel (who is taking her to Six) but touches the Sword of Truth and realises she is a Confessor, she touches Samuel.Richard on the way to Tamarang meets Kahlan and, although cannot reveal his love, carves another model of spirit. Six has imprisoned Zedd and Chase and appears when Richard reaches the cell. Shota kills Six and Richard/ Kahlan/ Zedd fly back to the People's palace on the red dragon (revealed as 'Gregory' son of Scarlett)
Back at the palace Richard causes Jagang to become infatuated with Nicci with nightmares. He surrenders, Jagang and the Sisters enter the Garden of Life. Jagang goes to see Nicci - who puts a Rada-Han on him and eventually kills him.
Back in the Garden the sisters complete the magic to find out which box is correct and open it. It turns out that all the books were fakes - they refer to the word Confessor, which was not known at the time that the boxes were created and so had been created later. The sisters are sucked into the Underworld.
The key to the magic of Orden is the Sword of Truth. Kahlan tells Richard she loves him - to Richard's dismay. Richard puts the sword on each box - one box turns the sword white. Richard opens the box and uses the magic to send believers in the Order to a new world, devoid of magic, as well as repairing the damage caused by the chimes. Kahlan then says she was protected because her love for Richard was genuine (for the second time) i.e. She had not been told she loved him.
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REFERENCE - Plot information was pulled from WIKIPEDIA.ORG
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