Phantom

Author	Terry Goodkind
Cover Artist	Keith Parkinson
Country	United States
Language	English
Series	Sword of Truth
Genre(s)	Epic fantasy
Publisher	Tor Fantasy
Released	July 18, 2006
Media Type	Print (Hardback)
Pages	592
ISBN	ISBN 0-7653-0524-0
Preceded by	Chainfire

Phantom is the tenth book in Terry Goodkind's epic fantasy series The Sword of Truth. Phantom debuted in the #1 spot on the New York Times and Publishers Weekly best seller lists, among others. Image File history File linksMetadata Phantom_SoT.jpg‎ Summary Book cover for 1st edition of Phantom by Terry Goodkind. ... Terry Goodkind is a contemporary American writer, author of the Sword of Truth fantasy novels, which as of February 16, 2005, have sold more than 50 million copies worldwide. ... Keith Parkinson, Fantasy Artist Keith Parkinson (22 October 1958 - 26 October 2005) was a fantasy artist and illustrator. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... On the cover of Stone of Tears, Richard is seen holding, presumably, the Sword of Truth. ... High fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy fiction that is set in invented or parallel worlds. ... Tor Books is an imprint of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC which publishes popular fiction, and is particularly noted for its science fiction and fantasy titles. ... A hardcover (or hardback or hardbound) book is bound with rigid protective covers (typically of cardboard covered with cloth or heavy paper) and a stitched spine. ... Chainfire is the ninth book in the Sword_of_Truth fantasy series by Terry Goodkind. ... Terry Goodkind is a contemporary American writer, author of the Sword of Truth fantasy novels, which as of February 16, 2005, have sold more than 50 million copies worldwide. ... High fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy fiction that is set in invented or parallel worlds. ... On the cover of Stone of Tears, Richard is seen holding, presumably, the Sword of Truth. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... Publishers Weekly is a weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. ...

Plot introduction

Plot summary

This book continues Richard's quest to find his wife, Kahlan, and release her from the deadly Chainfire spell. Kahlan still travels with the Sisters of the Dark Ulicia, Cecilia, and Armenia as they hurry to catch up with the fourth Sister, Tovi. Unbeknownst to them Tovi is dead, stabbed by Samuel in the previous book and allowed to die after being questioned by Nicci. They stop at the White Horse Inn, and the Sisters are shocked when the innkeeper can see Kahlan. Because of the Chainfire enacted on Kahlan, no one should be able to know she exists. She was erased from the memories of all who knew her and anyone who sees her instantly forgets. The Sisters kill the man, and continue on, traveling toward Caska where they believe Tovi has gone.

Back at the Wizard's Keep, Richard senses powerful magic and goes to investigate. He discovers Zedd, Ann, and Nathan in a room where Nicci is caught up in the grips of a powerful spell called a verification web. The web is meant to examine the Chainfire spell and see if there is any way to undo it. Richard realizes that there is something wrong with the spell and tries to convince the others who don't really believe him, but Richard is able to disable the spell. Before Nicci can tell anyone that the spell was indeed corrupted, the deadly beast that Jagang had created to hunt Richard appears in the room. In order to drive it off, Nicci, places herself back into the spell form to draw upon the power between life and death. By refusing to actually supply the magic to the spell the power of life and the power of the underworld come together and strike the beast, driving it away for the time being.

When Nicci awakens from the second time Richard has saved her from the spell, Richard realizes that the corruption to the spell was called by the presence of the three chimes being in the world, and the chimes not only corrupted the verification web, but they have corrupted all magic. Even the Chainfire spell was effected by the chimes (Reechani, Sentrosi, Vasi), and now he (Richard) believe that the Chimes has infecting anything with magic, not just Kahlan.

Shota arrives at the Keep bringing Jebra in an attempt to make Richard believe that he [Richard] is wasting his time trying to find Kahlan when there is a whole world that needs to be saved from the Imperial Order. To that end, Shota instructs Jebra to testify to the horrific terrors that had befallen the people of Ebissinia. Shota reveals that Samuel was under the control of another witch woman, Six. Richard says that he understands the situations but Shota is still unconvinced and touches Richard with her power allowing his [Richard's} mind to see the atrocities imposed on the captives, from his own personal perspective. The vision places Richard in the place of the slaughtered men of Ebissinia, who are condemned to death while listening to the vulgar promises of what the soldiers will do to their wives. In this dream-like reality, Richard sees Kahlan begging for his life and they profess their love for each other.

As Nicci and Shota have a minor confrontation, Richard realizes that Shota is right. Despite how important Kahlan's life is to him it's only one life, while the whole of the New World if threatened by the order. Pleased, Shota gives Richard a prediction she has had from the flow of time. Long ago the First Wizard Barracus went to the Temple of the Winds to ensure that someone with the Subtractive side of the gift would be born again. After Barracus came back from the temple he threw himself out his window, but not before he left a special book for Richard. Before Shota leaves, she gives him one last cryptic message: Richard's mother wasn't the only to die in the fire that claimed her life.

After such events, Richard comes to understand that he was right all along when earlier he stated that it is impossible to fight the hordes of Imperial Order forces head on in one great final battle. Richard, Nicci and Cara travel in the Sliph to the main army in D'Hara and explains to the Commanders what he has come to understand and his position. Richard issues a command that the army be broken up into smaller units, stating that of the Old World wants war then they shall have it. The tactic being that while the IO is here in the New World, they shall become the Phantom Army, bringing death and distruction to the Old World. The death and destruction will be an endless reminder of what will happen to those who support the Order. DHara is a fictional location in the Sword of Truth fantasy series by Terry Goodkind. ...

The three Sisters of the Dark and Kahlan follow Sister Tovi's trail to Caska, where they are surprised to find not Tovi (who has been dead since the end of the previous book), but Jagang waiting for them. Jagang once again proves that he is a master strategist by revealing that had never left the Sisters of the Dark's minds and that by tricking them into thinking their fake bond with Richard Rahl was working, he had much to learn from their quest. He also captures Kahlan, him being able to see her because he was linked to the Dark Sister when they performed the Chainfire spell on Kahlan, and he was therefore unaffected by it. Meanwhile, while traveling back to the Wizard's Keep through the sliph, Richard is attack by Jagang's beast and magic conjured the previously thought to be dead Princess Violet, now Queen Violet at Six's instruction, causing him to become separated from his power. The Sliph instigates "emergency measures" instilled in her thousands of years ago by First Wizard Barracus and shunts Richard to an emergency escape portal somewhere in the wilds close to the land of the Night Wisps. Richard must pass a test Barracus left for him before the sliph will tell him why he needs to see the Night Wisps. After a brief visit to the land of the Night Wisps to recover a secret book left by the War Wizard Barracus (who left the outfit and ruby pendant), Secrets of a War Wizard's Power. Richard is captured by Six and taken to Tanamura. While being taken to Violet, Richard attempts an escape killing dozens of Imperial Order soldiers. The commanding officer is impressed with his skill and takes Richard away as a captive to become a Ja La player in the Imperial Order camp. Richard catches a glimpse of Kahlan as he is taken into the Order's main camp and revives her will to fight on and remember her past. Nicci has a revelation about the all important prophesy that Richard must lead them in the final battle and puts the Boxes of Orden in play, in Richard's name, so that not only the Sisters of the Dark have superiority in that matter.

The major cliffhangers of this book are: Richard is a captive in the Imperial Order's main camp, without his sword or his gift; Kahlan is a captive of Jagang with a rada'han (collar that restricts magic and movement at will); the Boxes of Orden are in play; there is a problem with Chainfire and with magic; and that the Imperial Order is slowly making their way into the central stronghold of the D'Haran forces: the People's Palace.

Characters in "Phantom"

• Richard Rahl
• Kahlan Amnell
• Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander
• Cara
• Nicci
• Prelate Annalina
• Nathan Rahl
• Verna
• Sister Ulicia
• Sister Armina
• Rachel
• Six
• Chase

Richard Rahl(aka Richard Cypher) is the protagonist in the Sword of Truth fantasy series by Terry Goodkind. ... In the Sword of Truth fantasy series by Terry Goodkind, Kahlan Amnell is the Mother Confessor and the last Confessor, originally from the Midlands. ... Zeddicus Zul Zorander (Zedd) is a fictional character in the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. ... Cara is a fictional character in the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. ... Nicci is a fictional character in the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. ... Prelate Annalina Aldurren is a main character in The Sword Of Truth series written by Terry Goodkind. ... Nathan Rahl is a fictional character in the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. ... Verna is a fictional character in Terry Goodkinds Sword of Truth series. ... The Sisters of the Dark are a fictional sect in the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. ... The Sisters of the Dark are a fictional sect in the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. ...

External links

• http://www.terrygoodkind.com/ - Official site, with numerous updates.
• http://www.terrygoodkind.com/chap1_phantom.html - Chapter 1 of the book.

Wizard's Tenth Rule

In this volume we discover the Wizard's Tenth Rule: "Willfully turning aside from the truth is treason to one's self." In the Sword of Truth series, a new Wizards Rule is introduced in each new novel. ...