I enjoy reading fantasy literature and “Wizards First Rule” was a good addition. “Wizards First Rule”, written by Terry Goodkind, is the first book in the epic fantasy series The Sword of Truth. The novel was adapted to TV in the 2008 series Legend of the Seeker. People seem to either love or hate this book, so there is a 50/50 chance you will disagree with my opinion.

1. Warning!!! There are many adult themes in this book. I felt Terry Goodkind had a bit of a “split personality” disorder in the writing of this book. He would have scenes like in the beginning which presented a great deal of naiveté on the part of the protagonists. Then in other portions of the book he delves into very dark fantasy with graphic descriptions of or allusions to torture, rape, child molestation. I would not recommend this book for young readers even though the first few pages would make you think otherwise.

2. I felt the story moved along well and I was entertained in spite of it being a bit of an adventure on rails.

3. I thought some areas of the writing was a bit awkward. If you are a perfectionist this will drive you crazy. If you can cut the author some slack like me, then it’s just fine.

4. I actually like that the main character falls far before getting back up. It’s interesting to see how that develops his character.

5. I saw the TV show before watching the book and enjoyed it. After reading the book I can’t watch the TV show anymore. They changed too much from the book and it just makes me angry to watch.

Overall I would recommend this book to people who like fantasy novels and can deal with adult themes.

Who is Paul Darr?

Paul Darr has lived in California, Oregon, Colorado, and currently lives in San Antonio, Texas. Paul is also an Army Veteran, who has deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. On the political spectrum Paul is a Libertarian that advocates fiscal responsibility and social tolerance. Paul is currently employed as an IT Manager and is a father of a handsome boy and beautiful daughter. In his free time Paul enjoys reading, using and modifying open source software, gaming, and several other geeky pursuits.