The Pillars of Creation
Terry Goodkind

Rating:
Publisher: Tor Fantasy
Publish Date: 2001

            The Pillars of Creation is the latest, but not the first Terry Goodkind book I have picked up. As usual, I found there to be both things which I consider praiseworthy as well as some elements which could have been done better. For those of you who have been following The Sword of Truth series, as I have, you will find this novel to be a significant departure from the proceeding six. Rather than focusing on Richard and Kahlan Rahl, The Pillars of Creation follows Jennsen Daggett and Oba, two of the former Lord Rahl's illegitimate children. Jennsen, the central protagonist, has been on the run all her life. Protected only by her mother, by hiding in the remote wilderness from the butcher's knives of the quads sent out to destroy all Lord Rahl's ungifted offspring; Jennsen must run once again when those who would kill her close in. She is aided in her flight by Sebastian, her rescuer and military strategist for an invading army from the Old World. But Jennsen has only one thing on her mind, kill Lord Rahl before he kills her. I found Jennsen to be an inviting and sympathetic character. Goodkind has taken care to create her complete with insecurities, dreams, foibles and a believable personality. However, I do wish that Jennsen was not portrayed as being quite so naive. There were elements of the plot that were telegraphed so clearly in advance that only an idiot could fail to see them coming. Which brings me to my second point. I will not ruin the story for those of you who have not read it, but the big "AH HA" moment is revealed well before I believe the author intended it to be. I would like to see a little more subtlety and less reliance on literary mechanisms that are more appropriate for short stories.

            Oba Rahl was one character that I found to be quite compelling. On the one hand, Goodkind finds a way to make you sympathize with his mental defects and violent upbringing, while on the other you despise him for his brutality. One thing that has always been a consistent in Goodkind's writing for me has been his knack for bringing me to the edge of disgust and then toning it back just in time. Granted, there are no Mord-Sith doing what they do best in this novel, but Oba more than makes up for it with his wanton killing sprees and amoral torture of innocents. There is no question that Goodkind uses violence and graphic descriptions of battle or torture more liberally than most fantasy authors, but in his work I believe he does so to good effect.

            Behind what is clearly a personal drama about Jennsen's struggle to survive while retaining her human dignity, there are broader events taking place. An army is invading The New World and the question is whether they are there to liberate or enslave. Jennsen finds herself an integral part of this drama as she learns that Sebastian and Emperor Jagang, of the invading army, expect her to fulfill her destiny by killing Lord Rahl for them. As you might expect, the culmination of the story's various plot lines takes place at the sun baked, deserted pillars of creation. Overall, this is an enjoyable read which deserves three swords.

Reviewed by Chris Hart