Well, I’ve finished the book, I’m at Uni waiting for Statistics to start… hey, why not write up this thing? ~_^

At any rate, Naked Empire is the eight book in Terry Goodkind’s Sword of Truth series. Unlike Pillars of Creation, which a few people found off putting (from what I’ve read) Naked Empire returns to being focused on the main characters of Richard & Kahlan, with another dashing, derring-do adventure.

In this book, Richard & co (co being Kahlan, Tom, Jennsen & Friedrich from Pillars of Creation) are begged to assist the Empire of the Bandakar in resisting the Imperial Order. When Richard refuses to help, the Bandakar emmisary, named Owen, poisons him and essentially blackmails him into helping them.

Of course, in the vein of Faith of the Fallen and Pillars of Creation, Naked Empire continues to do so but with some… preachy? dialogue along the way. Not only is it a fantasy adventure, it’s also a moral lesson. Which can, I’ll admit, get a bit irritating.

A new villain, Nicholas the Slide is introduced (and disposed of ~^) in this book - like dream walkers, Slides were a weapon created by Ye Olde Wizardés with a rather irritating ability. Slides are, effectively, soul stealers. They possess people’s souls, take them out of their bodies, and make them do… well, whatever. As such, they can be inside anything living with a soul, and can do funky things by placing controlled souls inside, say, big, nasty birds… ^^

At any rate, it’s a decent read, and a good story. Likeable and fun in most places… and we get to see Nathan & Ann kick some major arse. Always good.

Will post again later. Statistics. ;)

-Andiyar