Severed Souls
 | |
| Author | Terry Goodkind |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Sword of Truth |
| Genre | Epic fantasy novel |
| Publisher | Tor Books |
Publication date | August 5, 2014 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
| Pages | 560 |
| ISBN | 978-0-7653-2774-1 |
| Preceded by | The Third Kingdom |
| Followed by | Warheart |
Severed Souls is Terry Goodkind's 17th novel. It's the 14th in the Sword of Truth series and the third novel in Goodkind's new Richard and Kahlan series, which takes off right after the end of the original Sword of Truth series.
Plot introduction
While Bishop Hannis Arc and the ancient Emperor Sulachan lead a vast horde of half people and undead into the heart of D'Hara, Richard and Kahlan must find a way to cure themselves from Jit's stain of death. Richard finds a message for him sent across time by the Magda Searus and Meritt. Eventually, in the unfolding of predestined events, Kahlan is killed and Richard gives up his own soul to try to get Kahlan back into the world of life.
Summary
Dead men want their dead friends from Richard. Hannis Arc tells Gerald a gravedigger, he'll tell people to choose between life under Hannis Arc or be dead puppets of Arc. First city taken care of. Richard tries to reason a Shun-tuk you can't take a soul from someone. Spirit trackers have to bring Richard to Lord Arc and they can have the souls of his friends. They act when Richard & Kahlan are weak. Sulachan will win in the end as even if Richard dies, he has a plan for him in the underworld. Richard should remain conscious to win. Richard plays not the mouse but the bait! He changes the battle to take the dead from both sides in the ravine; wizard's fire / soldiers kill the rest. Samantha managed a huge storm cracking down the walls of rocks squashing all the Shun-Tuk. She also made explosions on the ground. Richard and company pass a chasm through planks on two trees. Abbot Dreier developed in secret his occult power contrary to the bishop. Hannis Arc thinks he'll rule by chaos and turmoil. Abbot Dreier helped him to break the world apart and plans to be the savior putting pieces back together. They reach the citadel, the general resists to Dreier so he dies by plague. Dreier focuses on people instead of possessions. Darken Rahl had told Alice to get plenty of mord-siths. Instead she submitted to Arc. Erika " the others are still bound to Hannis Arc so no trust to them neither to Alice. Anger is a shield to pain for getting a soul away from someone. Killing a corpse is at will as there's no guilt. Irena "Richard won't last until the palace, there's a containment field at the Citadel. Zedd knows the solution, he wants Richard to withdraw. He explains normal hate is protection. Hate in men will kill them. Nicci distrusts Irena as she works to get the attention of Richard, Nicci feels she has occult power. She answers to Kahlan she has a few days to live, their souls are severed, both will have no link to Creation. They are attacked by bats, they follow Hunter to dark horned cunning folk. Red says to Khalan "you should kill Nicci before she kills Richard. You and Zedd will be killed". Khalan tells Richard, they both retire. At Saavedra Irena leads them to containment cells, the dungeon, it's a trap! Manacles by night, betrayed mord-siths question Richard. They get collar to Abbor Dreier. Richard finds Irena was communicationg with Dreier all along! She had killed her sisters, their husbands and hers, also beheaded Zedd. Richard kills Irena. Samantha seeing it impulsively kills Kahlan!!. Later on Richard asks Nicci to kill him. He saves Khalan's soul from the demons to be taken instead so she lives. Kahlan well knows Abbot Dreier can't revive Richard, he slows the corpse from rotting. Khalan allows him to leave and shots an arrow at him by the window.
Sequel
On January 11, 2015, Goodkind announced on Facebook that Warheart would be the sequel to Severed Souls and the final book in the series.