Wizard's First Rule

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Wizard's First Rule

Author	Terry Goodkind
Cover artist	Doug Beekman
Country	United States
Language	English
Series	The Sword of Truth
Genre(s)	Epic fantasy
Publisher	Tor Fantasy
Publication date	August 1994
Media type	Print (Hardback)
Pages	479
ISBN	ISBN 0-312-85705-5
Preceded by	Debt of Bones
Followed by	Stone of Tears

Wizard's First Rule, written by Terry Goodkind, is the first book in the epic fantasy series The Sword of Truth. Published by Tor Books, it was released on August 15, 1994 in hardcover and in paperback on July 15, 1997. The book also was re-released with new cover artwork by Keith Parkinson in paperback on June 23, 2001.

1 Success
2 Plot introduction
3 Plot summary
4 Characters in Wizard's First Rule
5 Wizard's First Rule
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Success

At age 45, Terry Goodkind decided to fulfill his lifelong dream of being a novelist. A year later he sent a query letter describing his first effort, the three hundred thousand word opus titled Wizard's First Rule, to Russell Galen. Galen, one of the genre's most influential agents, quickly wrote back, "I feel a ripple of history in the making. Send me your book."^[1]

Ten weeks later, Wizard's First Rule made news long before its actual publication due to the fact that the first-time novelist received an advance far above the average: $275,000, with a $300,000 ad/promo budget. Published in August 1994 with a first print run of sixty thousand copies - three to five thousand is the norm - it has become an international bestseller and garnered praise from the likes of Marion Zimmer Bradley, Piers Anthony, Anne McCaffery, and the Kirkus Review. It is also one of the most successful debut fantasy novels in the history of trade publishing. Immediately following its success, Tor published a sequel, Stone of Tears, which was given an equally impressive launch and led to the purchase of the rights to three more books and the entire Sword of Truth series.

Currently, there is a television series in the works, produced by Sam Raimi. Craig Horner will star as Richard and Bridget Regan has been cast as Kahlan.

[edit] 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.

[edit] Plot summary

Cover of the paperback edition, with artwork by Keith Parkinson.

The primary protagonist in Wizard’s First Rule is Richard Cypher, a young woods guide. Richard lives in an area of the world known as Westland, which is the only part of the world that at the time contained no magic. The Westland is separated from the other lands by a dangerous magical boundary that prevents anyone without powerful magic from passing through it. On the other side of the boundary lie many sovereign nations, jointly known as the Midlands, and the empire of D'Hara. 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 can give absolute power over life and death.

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.