Terry Lee Goodkind (January 11, 1948September 17, 2020) was an American writer. He was known for the

epic fantasy High fantasy, or epic fantasy, is a subgenre of fantasy defined by the epic nature of its setting or by the epic stature of its characters, themes, or plot.Brian Stableford, ''The A to Z of Fantasy Literature'', (p. 198), Scarecrow Press, ...

series ''

The Sword of Truth ''The Sword of Truth'' is a series of twenty-one epic fantasy novels and 6 novellas written by Terry Goodkind. The books follow the protagonists Richard Cypher, Kahlan Amnell, Nicci, Cara, and Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander on their quest to defeat op ...

'' as well as the contemporary suspense novel ''

The Law of Nines ''The Law of Nines'' is a thriller/ speculative fiction novel by American author Terry Goodkind. The book was released on August 18, 2009. It debuted at #10 on the Times bestseller list. The book, though at essence a thriller, contains numerous ...

'' (2009), which has ties to his fantasy series. ''The Sword of Truth'' series sold 25 million copies worldwide and was translated into more than 20 languages. Additionally, it was adapted into a television series called ''

Legend of the Seeker ''Legend of the Seeker'' is an American television series created by Sam Raimi, based on the fantasy novel series ''The Sword of Truth'' by Terry Goodkind. Distributed in U.S. by Disney-ABC Domestic Television, ABC Studios produced the series f ...

'', which premiered on November 1, 2008, and ran for two seasons, ending in May 2010. Goodkind was a proponent of Ayn Rand's philosophical approach of

Objectivism Objectivism is a philosophical system developed by Russian-American writer and philosopher Ayn Rand. She described it as "the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievemen ...

, and made references to Rand's ideas and novels in his works.

Early life

Goodkind was born in 1948, and his home town was

Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest cit ...

. Because he had dyslexia, he found little interest in school, and therefore had no formal education beyond high school. In 1983, Goodkind moved with his wife, Jeri, to a house he built in Maine and later made his residence on the coast of

Lake Las Vegas Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, Nevada, refers to a reservoir and the developed area around the reservoir. The area is sometimes referred to as the ''Lake Las Vegas Resort''. It is being developed by 5 companies including Lake at Las Vegas Joint ...

Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...

, his primary home. Goodkind's dyslexia initially dissuaded him from any interest in writing. Before starting his career as a writer, Goodkind built cabinets and violins, and was a marine and wildlife artist, selling his paintings in galleries. In 1993, during the construction of his and Jeri's home on the forested

Mount Desert Island Mount Desert Island (MDI; french: Île des Monts Déserts) in Hancock County, Maine, is the largest island off the coast of Maine. With an area of it is the 52nd-largest island in the United States, the sixth-largest island in the contiguous ...

, off the coast of

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and ...

, he began to write his first novel, ''

Wizard's First Rule ''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 was also ...

'', and his writing career was launched with its publication in 1994.

Career

Goodkind's first book, ''

'', was auctioned to a group of three publishers in 1994 and sold for a record price of $275,000. He subsequently published 16 other novels and one novella. All of his books, with the exceptions of '' Stone of Tears'' and ''Wizard's First Rule'', have appeared on the '' New York Times Best Seller list''. Of his recent novels, '' Chainfire'' debuted at #3, in January 2005; ''

Phantom Phantom may refer to: * Spirit (animating force), the vital principle or animating force within all living things ** Ghost, the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that can appear to the living Aircraft * Boeing Phantom Ray, a stealthy un ...

'' at #1, in August 2006; and ''

Confessor Confessor is a title used within Christianity in several ways. Confessor of the Faith Its oldest use is to indicate a saint who has suffered persecution and torture for the faith but not to the point of death.Sword of Truth'' series have sold 25 million copies and been translated into more than 20 languages. Some of Goodkind's political views have provoked controversy, notably the dedication to his novel ''The Pillars of Creation'' (2001):

Don D'Ammassa Donald Eugene D'Ammassa (born April 24, 1946) is an American fantasy, science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts ...

described Goodkind as part of a "host of brand new writers

ith The Ith () is a ridge in Germany's Central Uplands which is up to 439 m high. It lies about 40 km southwest of Hanover and, at 22 kilometres, is the longest line of crags in North Germany. Geography Location The Ith is immediatel ...

no previous experience writing fiction but who could turn out one large epic adventure after another". Robert Eaglestone described his books as a "depressing read" due to the series' overarching cynicism, with a weakness being that the heroic characters are only likable in comparison with utterly murderous villains. In June 2008, Goodkind signed a contract to publish three mainstream novels with G.P. Putnam's Sons/

Penguin Books Penguin Books is a British publishing house. It was co-founded in 1935 by Allen Lane with his brothers Richard and John, as a line of the publishers The Bodley Head, only becoming a separate company the following year.The Law of Nines ''The Law of Nines'' is a thriller/ speculative fiction novel by American author Terry Goodkind. The book was released on August 18, 2009. It debuted at #10 on the Times bestseller list. The book, though at essence a thriller, contains numerous ...

'', was released August 18, 2009. In April 2010, Goodkind signed a contract to publish three more novels with

Tor Books Tor Books is the primary imprint of Tor Publishing Group (previously Tom Doherty Associates), a publishing company based in New York City. It primarily publishes science fiction and fantasy titles, and is the largest publisher of Chinese sci ...

, the first of which revisited the world and characters of the Sword of Truth series.

published the first new novel, ''The Omen Machine'', on August 16, 2011. Goodkind

self-published Self-publishing is the publication of media by its author at their own cost, without the involvement of a publisher. The term usually refers to written media, such as books and magazines, either as an ebook or as a physical copy using POD (pri ...

the second new novel, ''The First Confessor: the Legend of Magda Searus'', on July 2, 2012; the book was ranked #28 on the Kindle bestseller list by the next morning.

released the sequel to ''the Omen Machine'', ''The Third Kingdom'', on August 20, 2013, and the third novel, ''Severed Souls'', which continues where ''The Third Kingdom'' ended, on August 5, 2014. In January 2017, Goodkind's newest novel in the Sword of Truth Series was released, titled "Death's Mistress". In January 2019, Goodkind's continuation of the Sword of Truth series was announced, titled "The Scribbly Man".

Genre and influences

Goodkind perceived his novels to be more than just traditional fantasy because of their focus on philosophical and human themes. Goodkind believed that using the fantasy genre allowed him to better tell his stories and better convey the human themes and emotions he desired to share with readers. On real world inspiration behind the characters of Richard and Kahlan, Goodkind had this to say: "There were no such people. I created them both. I wanted them to be the kind of people I look up to." Goodkind was influenced by the work of Ayn Rand and Objectivist philosophy. Writing about the series in

The Atlas Society The Atlas Society (TAS) is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that promotes the philosophy of Ayn Rand. It is part of the Objectivist movement that split off from the Ayn Rand Institute in 1990 due to disagreements over whether Objectiv ...

newsletter, Willam Perry states that Goodkind's "characters, plots, and themes...are clearly and directly influenced by Rand’s work, and the book’s heroes occasionally invoke Objectivist principles". Perry notes the Objectivist themes become most obvious in ''

Faith of the Fallen ''The Sword of Truth'' is a series of twenty-one epic fantasy novels and 6 novellas written by Terry Goodkind. The books follow the protagonists Richard Cypher, Kahlan Amnell, Nicci, Cara, and Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander on their quest to defeat op ...

'', which made the novel controversial among Goodkind's fan base; moreover, the novel contains several scenes that echo the plots of Rand's books ''

The Fountainhead ''The Fountainhead'' is a 1943 novel by Russian-American author Ayn Rand, her first major literary success. The novel's protagonist, Howard Roark, is an intransigent young architect, who battles against conventional standards and refuses to comp ...

'' (1943) and '' Atlas Shrugged'' (1957).

Personal life and death

Goodkind competed in various forms of amateur and semi-professional auto racing, and drove a Radical SR8 SM-500 race car for his own Rahl Racing team. Goodkind died on September 17, 2020. The cause of death was not released.

Published works

The Sword of Truth ''The Sword of Truth'' is a series of twenty-one epic fantasy novels and 6 novellas written by Terry Goodkind. The books follow the protagonists Richard Cypher, Kahlan Amnell, Nicci, Cara, and Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander on their quest to defeat op ...

Arc#1 Darken Rahl * ''#1 –

'' (1994) * ''#2 – Stone of Tears'' (1995) Arc #2 – Imperial Order * ''#3 –

Blood of the Fold ''Blood of the Fold'' is the third book in Terry Goodkind's epic fantasy High fantasy, or epic fantasy, is a subgenre of fantasy defined by the epic nature of its setting or by the epic stature of its characters, themes, or plot.Brian St ...

'' (1996) * ''#4 – Temple of the Winds'' (1997) * ''#4.5 – Debt of Bones'' (originally published in ''

Legends A legend is a historical narrative, a symbolic representation of folk belief. Legend(s) or The Legend(s) may also refer to: Narrative * Urban legend, a widely repeated story of dubious truth * A fictitious identity used in espionage Books, co ...

'' (1998), standalone in 2001) * ''#5 –

Soul of the Fire ''Soul of the Fire'' is the fifth book in Terry Goodkind's epic fantasy series '' The Sword of Truth.'' Plot introduction Richard and Kahlan are finally married and are enjoying their wedding night back in the Spirit house in the Village of the M ...

'' (1999) * ''#6 –

'' (2000) Arc #3 – Pristinely Ungifted * ''#7 –

The Pillars of Creation ''The Pillars of Creation'' is the seventh book in Terry Goodkind's epic fantasy series ''The Sword of Truth.'' It is the first book in the series not to feature Richard Rahl as the protagonist, although he does appear. Plot introduction This ...

'' (2002) * ''#8 –

Naked Empire ''Naked Empire'' is the eighth book in Terry Goodkind's epic fantasy series ''The Sword of Truth ''The Sword of Truth'' is a series of twenty-one epic fantasy novels and 6 novellas written by Terry Goodkind. The books follow the protagonists ...

'' (2003) Arc #4 – Chainfire * ''#9 – Chainfire'' (2005) * ''#10 –

'' (2006) * ''#11 –

Confessor Confessor is a title used within Christianity in several ways. Confessor of the Faith Its oldest use is to indicate a saint who has suffered persecution and torture for the faith but not to the point of death.The Omen Machine ''The Omen Machine'' is Terry Goodkind's 12th novel, and the first in a new series about Richard and Kahlan. Events in the book take place directly after the end of ''Confessor''. Plot summary Richard and Kahlan are contentedly enjoying Cara's ...

'' (2011) * ''#13 – The First Confessor: The Legend of Magda Searus'' (2012) (pre-prequel novel) * ''#14 –

The Third Kingdom ''The Third Kingdom'' is the thirteenth novel in Terry Goodkind's epic fantasy series '' The Sword of Truth'', continuing the story arc started in '' The Omen Machine''. Plot summary Having survived their encounter with the Hedge Maid, Richard ...

'' (2013) * ''#15 – Severed Souls'' (2014) * ''#16 – Warheart'' (2015)

The Nicci Chronicles

#''Death's Mistress'' (2017) #''Shroud of Eternity'' (2018) #''Siege of Stone'' (2018) #''Heart of Black Ice'' (2020)

The Children of D'Hara

#''

The Scribbly Man ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

'' (2019) #'' Hateful Things'' (2019) #''

Wasteland Wasteland or waste land may refer to: * Desert or barren area * an uncultivated area of land, whether wooded or not, whether common land or not Art, entertainment, and media Comics * ''Wasteland'' (DC Comics), 1987–1989 anthology-style horror/ ...

'' (2019) #'' Witch's Oath'' (2020) #'' Into Darkness'' (2020) #'' The Children of D'Hara'' (2021)

Angela Constantine / Jack Raines

*''Nest'' (2016) *''Trouble's Child'' (2018) *''The Girl in the Moon'' (2018) *''Crazy Wanda'' (2018)

Modern standalone

*''

'' (2009) *''The Sky People'' (2019)

In other media

On July 24, 2006, it was announced that the Sword of Truth book series would be adapted as a television mini-series produced by Sam Raimi and Joshua Donen. The series was ultimately dubbed ''

'', in order to differentiate it from the novels and allow an episodic format of self-contained stories that moved beyond the first book. Raimi,

Robert Tapert Robert Gerard Tapert (born May 14, 1955) is an American film and television producer, writer and director, best known for co-creating the television series '' Xena: Warrior Princess''. He is also one of the founding partners of the film product ...

, Ken Biller, and Ned Nalle served as executive producers for the series, distributed by

ABC Studios ABC Signature is an American television Filmmaking#Production, production studio that is a subsidiary of Disney Television Studios, a division of Walt Disney Television, which is part of the List of assets owned by The Walt Disney Company#Disne ...

. The first episode aired in syndication on November 1, 2008, and the show lasted for two seasons until its cancellation in May 2010.

References

External links

* *
Interview on freetalklive.com
- about the political aspects of the ''Sword of Truth'' series * {{DEFAULTSORT:Goodkind, Terry 1948 births 2020 deaths American fantasy writers Writers from Omaha, Nebraska People from Mount Desert Island Objectivists 20th-century American novelists 21st-century American novelists American male novelists Writers with dyslexia 20th-century American male writers 21st-century American male writers