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Temple of the Winds

by Terry Goodkind

Reviewed by Coral


If Richard and Kahlan thought they had enough problems with trying to unite the Midlands and fight a war with Jagang, nothing could have prepared them for what they are about to face now.

Shota is causing problems for them, yet again, this time sending them a wedding present in the form of Nadine, a woman Richard knew back in Westland. Only problem is that she expects Nadine to be Richard's wife instead of Kahlan. But Nadine is not the only unexpected visitor they'll be dealing with.

Suddenly arriving to see them is Drefan, the non-gifted high priest of the D'Haran sect of healers and Richard's half-brother. Having spent all his life in fear of Darken Rahl learning about him and murdering him, Drefan is tired of living a half life and has come to swear loyalty to Richard or die by his hands. Richard tentatively welcomes his brother, feeling guilty about seeing Darken when he looks at Drefan but not being able to shake the feeling that Drefan isn't completely what he seems.

Of course, all of these problems aside, the biggest problem facing them is the magical plague that Jagang has unleashed upon them. If they do nothing then they're all dead. But prophecy says the only way to end the plague is for Kahlan to betray Richard and for Richard to sacrifice his life.

Unfortunately their allies aren't having the easiest time of it either.

Verna and Warren have hit upon a plan to infiltrate Jagang's ranks to rescue the Sisters of the Light he has captured. Only Warren's new Prophet powers have caused his headaches to return. And, without another male wizard to help him or a collar to block them, there might be nothing they can do to save Warren's life.

Zedd and Ann are continuing on their journey to find Nathan until they find a message he's left behind, warning them of the danger Richard faces. Now, to prevent Jagang from becoming even more powerful they must find the treasure of the extinct Jocopo people, if they can ever manage to get themselves out of enemy hands.

Finally having gotten Zedd and Ann off his trail Nathan sets off on his own mission. Guided by the prophecies inside of his head, it will take him right into the heart of Jagang's empire. But after hundreds of years of being the prisoner of the Sisters of the Light, can Nathan truly be trusted? Or will his madness cost the people of the Midlands - and everyone that Richard and Kahlan loves - everything?

I'm not exactly sure if there were more subplots in this book but it certainly felt like there was. There was a jumbled kind of feeling about it, though nowhere near as jumbled and confusing as Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series.

Although I think it started in the last book, this repetitive thing of Goodkind's really started to get annoying this time round. Not only is he constantly rehashing plots from previous books, sometimes he's repeating himself a couple of times in this book. And, unfortunately, that's one thing that doesn't go away in the later books.

I'm pretty sure this is also where I started to get bored with the Richard and Kahlan romantic sub-plot. There was so much else going on in the story that every time the focus is on their relationship it feels like wasted time.

Also, I really don't think Ann has much of a right to complain about nobody in the Midlands stepping in to put a stop to the human sacrifice practices of one of the tribes in The Wilds when the Sisters of the Lights pretty much allowed the Baka Ban Mana to be sacrificed; they never bothered to step in to try and save them or anything. Hypocritical at least.

Anyways, this was another good book in a really good series.

Grade: B