Phantom is book 10 of the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. I have the complete series in paperback (and I wonder why we have so much junk!).
I have enjoyed this series quite a bit, but this book isn't the greatest. The big finale war is coming, so it was a lot of war, torture, etc type of action in this book. I prefer when things are a bit more lighthearted. But the book promises that the next one is the last one, and I see that hardcover is to come out in November, so probably another year for paperback. My favorite books from this series was probably the first one, "Wizard's First Rule" and one mid series "Faith of the Fallen".
But that said, I read the entire book in under a week, and it was nice to read something that wasn't a parenting book, a business book or something related to work. It was a page turner.
I've read fantasy (not science fiction) for a long time now. I started with Anne McCaffrey and the Dragonriders of Pern. In fact, in grade six or seven we had to do a book report, I asked the teacher if I could do mine on a trilogy! Gee, I wonder why I wasn't popular.
Most fantasy novels share several themes, all going back to Toilken:
- There must be magic.
- Low technology (usually around the middle ages)
- There is a build up to an epic battle.
- Usually the "Keeper", which is basically the devil, is holed up in the mountain.
- The hero (almost always male - hmm, maybe I should write one with the female hero) falls into the role and is reluctant to do it.
- The hero will fall in love.
- There are wizards and witches, usually both evil and good ones.
