Book of Counted Shadows

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The Book of Counted Shadows is a fictional book in the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind.

[edit] Description

The Book of Counted Shadows was a magical book with a leather cover that gave explicit instructions on the use of the boxes of Orden as well as told of the events that would happen if the boxes were put into play and if each box was opened, such as the growth of the snake vine and the cataclysm that would sweep the land if the correct box was opened. Many of the instructions in the book were very precise and leaving out a single word could bring disaster. Like most magical instruction books, it gave no hint as to ways an outsider could stop the use of the magic. The actual explanation of what each box would do, directives to determine which box was which, and how to open one, took up only a relatively small portion at the end of the book and was very clear and precise. Most of the book, though, was taken up with directions for countering unforeseen eventualities, resolving problems that could prevent the holder of the boxes from succeeding, mostly problems with sun angles and clouds on the day of opening. The book started out with how to verify the truth of the instructions if read by another.

The Book of Counted Shadows was originally kept guarded by an intricate web of shields in the Wizard's Keep in Aydindril. George Cypher retrieved the book from a creature of the underworld that guarded it (summoned by Darken Rahl) and brought it with him to Westland to keep it safe until the keeper of the book came to claim it. He had Richard commit the book to memory before they destroyed it to keep it from falling into evil hands. The book now exists only within Richard's head. The keeper of the book was the First Wizard, Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander. Although he was keeper of the book, he never read it, in order to prevent the risk of spreading the knowledge.

In the most recent book, Phantom, it has been revealed that Richard may have memorized a false version of the book. Nicci discovers that if the true book was used incorrectly, the Boxes of Orden would have been destroyed. Since Darken Rahl picked the wrong box and the boxes were not destroyed, Nicci believes he used an incorrect version of the book. Darken Rahl's choice was made based on information given to him by Richard, and thus Nicci concludes that Richard must have memorized a false copy. The basis of Nicci's Claim is found in the "Book of Life" that refers to "The book of counted Shadows" simply as "the key."

Another book is also used in this assumtion stating "And they shall copy the book that should never be copied; fearfull of what they have done they shall cast the shadow of their crime among the bones."

[edit] Known Text from one Version of the Book of Counted Shadows

• First Line of the text:
  • "Verification of the truth of the words of the Book of Counted Shadows, if spoken by another, rather than read by the one who commands the boxes, can only be insured by the use of a Confessor."
• Page twelve - Under the heading Shedding the Covers
  • "The covering on the boxes may be removed by anyone with the knowledge, not only the one who has put them in play"
• Page seventeen - Third paragraph down
  • "If not, however, in the hours of darkness, but in the hours of the sun, the covering may be removed from the second box in the following manner. Hold the box where the sun may touch it, and face north. If there be clouds, hold the box where the sun would touch it if they were not present, but face the west. Turn the box that the small end with the blue stone may face the quadrant with the sun. The yellow stone is to face up. With the second finger of the right hand on the yellow stone in the center of the top, place the thumb of the right hand on the clear stone in the center of the bottom. Place the first finger of the left hand on the blue stone on the side facing away, the thumb of the left hand on the ruby stone of the side closest. Clear your mind of all thought, and in its place, put nothing but the image of white with a square of black in its center. Pull the two hands apart, taking the covering away with them."
• Miscellaneous text:
  • "And when the three boxes of Orden are put into play, the snake vine shall grow."