Wizard's First Rule

Wizard's First Rule
Author	Terry Goodkind
Cover artist	Doug Beekman
Country	United States
Language	English
Series	The Sword of Truth
Genre(s)	Epic fantasy
Publisher	Tor Fantasy
Publication date	August 1994
Media type	Print (Hardback)
Pages	479
ISBN	0-312-85705-5
OCLC Number	30547887
Dewey Decimal	813/.54 20
LC Classification	PS3557.O5826 W59 1994
Preceded by	Debt of Bones
Followed by	Stone of Tears

Wizard's First Rule, written by Terry Goodkind, is the bestselling 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 also was re-released with new cover artwork by Keith Parkinson in paperback on June 23, 2001. The novel was adapted to television in the 2008 television series Legend of the Seeker.

Rights to the novel were sold at auction by Goodkind for $275,000,^[1] the most ever paid for a fantasy novel by a first time author.^[2]

Plot introduction

Richard Cypher's decision to help a woman in the Upper Ven near the Boundary between the Midlands and Westland creates more trouble than first appears. The woman, Kahlan Amnell, seeks the help of a wizard in the Westland, and she brings with her dark news from the other side of the Boundary: Darken Rahl, Ruler of D'Hara, has brought down the Boundary between D'Hara and the Midlands. This menacing ruler continues his dead father's quest for control by pressing war on the now vulnerable Midlands. Kahlan wants the wizard to name a Seeker of Truth who can try to stop Darken Rahl. When she finds the Old Wizard, he names Richard to be the Seeker and starts him on the quest that will forever alter the world.

Plot summary

Cover of the paperback edition, with artwork by Keith Parkinson.

The primary protagonist in Wizard’s First Rule is Richard Cypher, a young woods guide. Richard lives in an area of the world known as Westland, which is the only part of the world that at the time contains no magic. The Westland is separated from the other lands by a dangerous magical boundary that prevents anyone without the aid of powerful magic from passing through it. On the other side of the boundary are many sovereign nations, jointly known as the Midlands, and farther still past another magical boundary lies the empire of D'Hara. Richard works as a woods guide leading important political figures through dangerous forests, while his brother's interests lie entirely in politics.

Richard is naturally compelled to investigate the mysterious brutal murder of his father who worked as a trader of ancient artifacts. Investigating the only clue he has, a small piece of red vine, he happens upon a woman named Kahlan Amnell, whom he helps keep alive as she is being hunted by a group of four men sent to assassinate her.

After saving Kahlan’s life, it is revealed that Kahlan has somehow come through the boundary searching for the First Wizard, who is rumored to have crossed into the Westland after the creation of the boundaries. Richard feels that this woman is in need of protection and takes her to the only man he can trust, his best friend and mentor, Zedd.

Richard discovers that this close friend of his has kept many secrets from him for his entire life, Zedd, is not the simple man that Richard had presumed him to be, but rather the wizard for whom Kahlan is looking.

Kahlan tells him of the events taking place on the other side of the boundary. An evil leader called Darken Rahl is leading his army against the Midlands. At the same time, Zedd reveals that after studying Richard soon after he was born he discovered him to be worthy to be the Seeker which comes with many responsibilities such as the Sword of Truth: an ancient magical weapon forged by the powerful wizards of old to enhance the righteous anger of the Seeker of Truth. Zedd explains that while the Sword is an awesome tool it is not the true weapon that Richard is. They begin their journey together to stop Darken Rahl and prevent him from opening the boxes of Orden: magical devices which can give absolute power over life and death. Kahlan tells them that Rahl has two of the boxes but requires the third before he is able to make the magic work. Richard and Kahlan are tasked with finding the third box and keeping it out of Rahl's hands until the winter solstice, at which time, unless Rahl has successfully joined the three boxes, his life will be forfeit to the magic of Orden.

However, due to an attack from some of the creatures of the boundary, Richard and Kahlan are forced to leave their companions in the care of Adie: a mysterious bone woman and cross the boundary alone. They journey to the village of the Mud People, a tribe of people with the ability to contact spirit ancestors for guidance, in order to seek out where the third box of Orden is hidden. After finally convincing them to comply, they learn that only the witch woman Shota, who is more feared than any other person in all the Midlands, has the power to reveal the location of the last box of Orden.

Richard and Kahlan travel to Agaden Reach where Shota tells them that the last box is in the hands of Queen Milena. From Agaden Reach they travel to Tamarang, seat of Queen Milena, meeting back up with Zedd along the way.

The story continues as it follows the team of Richard, Kahlan, Zedd and Chase as they attempt to collect one of the mysterious boxes of Orden and prevent Darken Rahl from gaining absolute power.

Characters in Wizard's First Rule

• Richard Cypher
• Kahlan Amnell
• Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander
• Adie
• George Cypher
• Michael Cypher
• Darken Rahl
• Demmin Nass
• Chase
• Giller
• Queen Milena
• Princess Violet
• Rachel
• Denna
• Shota
• Samuel
• Brophy
• Scarlet
• Panis Rahl
• The Mud People

Wizard's First Rule

This volume reveals the Wizard's First Rule:

"People are stupid; given proper motivation, almost anyone will believe almost anything. Because people are stupid, they will believe a lie because they want to believe it's true, or because they are afraid it might be true. People’s heads are full of knowledge, facts, and beliefs, and most of it is false, yet they think it all true. People are stupid; they can only rarely tell the difference between a lie and the truth, and yet they are confident they can, and so are all the easier to fool."

—Chapter 36, p.397, U.S. hardcover edition

"Wizards's First Rule: people are stupid." Richard and Kahlan frowned even more. "People are stupid; given proper motivation, almost anyone will believe almost anything. Because people are stupid, they will believe a lie because they want to believe it's true, or because they are afraid it might be true. People’s heads are full of knowledge, facts, and beliefs, and most of it is false, yet they think it all true. People are stupid; they can only rarely tell the difference between a lie and the truth, and yet they are confident they can, and so are all the easier to fool."
Because of Wizards First Rule, the old wizards created Confessors, and Seekers, as a means of helping find the truth, when the truth is important enough. Rahl knows the Wizard's Rules. He is using the first one. People need an enemy to feel a sense of purpose. It's easy to lead people when they have a sense of purpose. Sense of purpose is more important by far than the truth. In fact, truth has no bearing in this. Darken Rahl is providing them with an enemy, other than himself, a sense of purpose. People are stupid; they want to believe, so they do."

—Chapter 36, p.560, U.S. Paper Back Edition

TV series

The first season of the TV series Legend of the Seeker is based on Wizard's First Rule. Starring Craig Horner as Richard and Bridget Regan as Kahlan, the series is produced by Sam Raimi and Robert Tapert, and expands upon the themes of the book's storyline. It premiered on November 1, 2008.

References

External links

• Official Terry Goodkind website
• Unofficial Terry Goodkind website (endorsed by Terry Goodkind)
• Official TV series website
• Welcome to the Sword of Truth Wiki, including characters, places, items, etc.