The Omen Machine - Terry Goodkind [Sword of Truth]

The Omen Machine - Terry Goodkind [Sword of Truth]
Source: Kindle
Originally Reviewed: December 27, 2013
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Unfortunately, Terry Goodkind started to loose me with this one.

I loved the last 3 books of the Sword of Truth. They were philosophical, really dug deep into Richard, both his character and AS a character. He's a free will kind of person and by god it showed.

The Omen Machine does not detract from this - however, it starts veering from a philosophical slant (taking place after the war detailed in the last books of the SoT) into a more theological. Prophecy practically becomes religion.

However, he once again engages the reader using a variety of unusual and intriguing plot twists and manipulates the story and its characters masterfully, as always. I'm intrigued as to what the "Omen Machine" will turn out to be - but I was not so engaged as to have to immediately run out and purchase the next book. I could easily see him trying to turn this into another epic saga, and after completing SoT, reading all of the books written in the Terre d'Ange world by Jaqueline Carey, and STILL not managing to complete the WoT books yet, I don't think I have it in me to become emotionally involved in yet another massive epic - especially if it's going the direction this book indicates.

Hardcore fans of Terry Goodkind will, of course, love it - and what's not to love? You have your old, cranky/cheeky wizard, the dark, brooding and (sometimes overly) powerful sorceress of questionable morality, the noble, charismatic and steadfast protagonist and his ever-lasting love of pure beauty and goodness, countered by antagonists that make you grit your teeth and, despite their being purely fictional, have it in them to inspire hatred in even the most grounded of readers.

However, digging past the surface of what makes Terry Goodkind such an engaging writer, there is definitely something lacking in The Omen Machine that was present in the preceding books - I just can't put my finger on what it is. It will, sadly, prevent me from continuing on.