When I gather the resolve to hark back to the days of ink and paper storytelling, I prefer to be in it for the long haul.  I read the occasional single book adventure, but I feel like epic is the best way to go when it comes to fiction.  This approach has been known to rear around and bite me from time to time, namely Douglas Adam’s “Dirk Gently” Series, which wasn’t so much Epic but Epically Awesome, and Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time masterpiece.  I can only hope that Orson Scott Card stays around long enough to finish the Shadow Series (despite what some people believe, perhaps even Mr. Card).  It isn’t done yet; see the loose ends.

In the latter half of last year I was introduced to a well established series in the Fantasy genre by Terry Goodkind.  It is known as “The Sword of Truth” series.  Before I start with my analysis I will set the foundation by saying, it is a good series.  After nearly every book you feel satisfied and ready for the next one.

This departs from some of the other fiction works I have consumed, by nearly every book having a definitive beginning, middle and end.  There is an underlying Meta-plot and consistent threats that span between the books, but between the first and last page of that particular book there will be resolution, just not always the resolution you expected or wanted.

I guess I am trying to say that Terry Goodkind believes in the power that contrast can have upon the human psyche.  He is the kind of guy that would skip meals for three days before Thanksgiving in order to make the upcoming feast so much more appreciated.  Sure that one meal will be spectacular, but Monday through Wednesday are going to suck.

Here is his approach to plot.  He will spend the first two hundred pages setting things up, like any writer would.  Then he will spend four to six hundred pages constantly beating down the Heroes and making the outcome look as grim as possible.  Soon into this phase you will fear the worst for the main characters at every moment.  The amount of time he spends writing about torture and suffering sometimes I wonder if Terry Goodkind is suppressing something.  It continuously feels like the knife is about to fall.

But 9 times out of 11 the conflict is resolved through various means, sometimes having bad side effect but overall good outcome.  This is why I think he seems to put a lot of stock in the use of pain and pleasure contrast.  Because it is such a relief to see the main characters escape from each book’s living hell to a place of relative safety if not long-term security, you pretty much forget the fear and anxiety you were just feeling for them.

Still, that is just my take on his plot progression.  Despite how pissed off I can be till the last 50 pages of each book, I end up enjoying the books thoroughly.  Maybe I am a bit of a sadomasochist myself in that regard, or perhaps I hate not finishing a story if it is at all good.

Regardless of this annoying tendency, the writing and the story are both very good.  There are one or two idiosyncrasies you may notice in the writing but they become endearing and almost trademark of his work.  The writing does not pander to the degree that some other authors seem to feel the average reader needs.  Simply put, a level of complexity a 10 year old can relate to.  

I respect the fact that he lets the reader figure out some of the finer points on their own.  Let alone that he creates a world that blatantly underlines the idea that evil often is spawned and fostered by ignorance, and only reason and objectivity can break through such willful closed-mindedness. 

I use the word “objectivity” because if Terry Goodkind could be called preachy, which few fiction writers couldn’t, it would be for the mindset of Objectivism.  The underlying Antagonist force is a horde of, in essence, Socialist Cult Fascists.  These folks believe life sucks, but the afterlife will be sweet if they don’t derive any pleasure in this life, only working towards the benefit of those less fortunate than them, and if you think otherwise horrible things will happen to you and anyone you care about.  Quite a bleak message, and it keeps with the “evil through ignorance” theme.

Whereas all the protagonists go by the philosophy that each person’s life is their own responsibility, and you should reap the rewards of your effort.  Very Rand-ish.

On more of a subtle line, he enjoys the painstaking development and complexity of interpersonal relationships of all kinds.  His most noteworthy focus is on love and trust, most often focusing on the intricacies of long developed positive connections.  He also gives a fair bit of time to those unhealthy and twisted relationships that often occur in everyone’s life at some point or another.

This is something that a lot of writers glance over, especially the confused and unhealthy connections that need to be acknowledged in order to begin healing.

To break it down to a simple statement, I would say that “The Sword of Truth” series is very human.  It is flawed but complex, honest but raw, loving and hateful.  It combines what we like about ourselves as people with what we hate in ourselves, and it doesn’t apologize.