Re: In memorium, Terry goodkind
I've had a fairly long history with Mr. Goodkind's work. I started out by devouring most of the Sword of Truth novels, but felt my interest taper off after the sixth book. The first two, in particular, grabbed me and opened my eyes in ways that few fantasy books had before now. Unlike Dark, I wasn't shocked by the Mord-Sith because I'd seen such things before in fiction - and- although I was plenty sickened by what was happening to Richard, and implied to have happened to countless others - but there were a lot of questions about morality, philosophy and agency that I quite enjoyed on first read. As time went by, I found myself poking a lot of holes in the Sword of Truth series overall, especially in its latter half. I haven't read everything this writer has written, but I've read more than three-quarters of it. He had a flair for description that was at times tedious but at other times quite convincing. His dialogue got worse as he aged, and his plots stranger, but he still knew how to make a world and then largely stay consistently within its scope. My favourite character, and probably my favourite story arc by consequence, was Nicci, and Faith of the Fallen, where she truly becomes her own character, and we begin to see just how possible it is to rise above what other people have made of you. Nicci did some awful things, but ultimately was able to turn it around; as ham-fisted as that book occasionally was, I thought her slow awakening, as it were, was probably one of the most touching things Mr. Goodkind ever pulled off as a writer.
If he is not remembered as the best fantasy author of his generation, he will doubtless be remembered as someone who brought some new life to the genre, and who may still be worth a read. I am not his biggest fan, but he has brought me plenty of joy over the years, and his books have helped in small ways to improve my own writing and thinking. It is a heavy thought, to know that there will be no new novels in this universe, to know that what there is is all there is ever apt to be. The thought of mortality in this way can be a heavy thing, especially when the death was, to us at least, unexpected.
Rest in peace, Terry Goodkind. Your voice will be missed.
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