Naked Empire
 | |
| Author | Terry Goodkind |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Keith Parkinson |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Sword of Truth |
| Genre | Epic fantasy |
| Publisher | Tor Fantasy |
Publication date | July 2003 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback) |
| Pages | 608[1] |
| ISBN | 0-7653-0522-4 |
| OCLC | 52381073 |
| 813/.54 21 | |
| LC Class | PS3557.O5826 N35 2003 |
| Preceded by | The Pillars of Creation |
| Followed by | Chainfire |
Naked Empire is the eighth book in Terry Goodkind's epic fantasy series The Sword of Truth.
Plot introduction
This book opens with Richard and Kahlan still in the Old World traveling back to the New World. A new character Owen pleads for Richard and Kahlan’s help in freeing his people from the hands of the Imperial Order. They are set upon by a seemingly mysterious dust storm that holds the silhouette of a man. They are sent a warning letter by Nicci, but before they are able to finish reading the letter they are set upon by Imperial Order Mercenaries. After learning that Richard has been poisoned by Owen they must travel back deeper into the Old World to the Bandakar. They find an ancient boundary protecting the Bandakar Empire from outside invaders came down two years past and now the Imperial Order has occupied this nation of frail-minded people. Soon Richard and Kahlan learn of a new monster that was created by Jagang’s Sisters of the Dark.
Plot summary
Still in the Old World, Richard is poisoned by Owen, a man from the Bandakar Empire, in order to force Richard to save the Bandakar people from the Order. Arriving in the Bandakar lands, he finds they are stunted intellectually and culturally, and embrace a philosophy of aggressive passivity, allowing themselves to be dominated entirely by the Order. Given their complete lack of ability to do violence, Owen brought Richard, believing he could drive the Order away. Using the Bandakar as hostages, Jagang has sent them into the Wizards Tower to rob it, as the pristinely ungifted Bandakar are totally immune to magic.
Demanding to meet their leader, and is shocked to discover that the youngest Bandakar is named the spiritual leader and blindfolded, believing that innocent children could not lead them astray. After proving through debate that this is nonsensical, Richard is nearly killed by a Bandakar, and the horrified Bandakar realize that despite their passive ideology, they are also capable of violence. After raising an ad hoc army from the newly converted Bandakar, Richard assaults and kill Nicholas the Slide by tricking Nicholas into inhabiting Jensen's pet goat, which he had been using to spy on Richards plans.
Characters
Wizard's Eighth Rule
The Wizard's Eighth Rule, revealed in Naked Empire, is:
Deserve victory. (Translated from "Talga Vassternich" in High D'Haran, a literary fictional language)—Chapter 61, p.626, U.S. hardcover edition
It is explained in the novel as follows: "Be justified in your convictions. Be completely committed. Earn what you want and need rather than waiting for others to give you what you desire."
References
- ↑ Terry Goodkind: The Official Website. Retrieved November 1, 2010.
External links
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