For the past ten years, master storyteller Terry Goodkind has enthralled millions of readers with his groundbreaking novels. A writer whose last five books have hit at the top of the country's bestsellers lists, including the New York Times, USA Today, and the Wall Street Journal, Terry Goodkind is one of today's premier authors.

Goodkind's stellar popularity stems from his extraordinary talent for writing fast-paced novels that reach out not only to adventure readers, but also to people intrigued by the exploration of the human spirit. Strictly embargoed, each of Terry Goodkind's novels creates strong pre-publication buzz. With no early review copies, critics and readers alike must wait with bated breath to learn what's behind each of his huge bestsellers.

His latest, Chainfire, is no exception. This new novel is the first in the Chainfire Trilogy, a sequence of three novels that will bring the epic story of Richard Rahl and his wife, Kahlan, to its conclusion and mark the end of the bestselling Sword of Truth series.

In Chainfire, after being gravely injured in battle, Richard awakes to discover Kahlan missing. To his disbelief, no one remembers the woman he is frantically trying to find. Worse, no one believes that she really exists, or that he was ever married. Alone as never before, Richard must find the woman he loves more than life itself...if she is even still alive...if she was ever even real.

Terry Goodkind's novels are intensely thought-provoking, sweeping adventures that center on powerful human relationships, the triumph of ideals over force, and the nobility of the human spirit. Chainfire brilliantly continues the tradition, and once again proves that Terry Goodkind is at the forefront of today's legendary authors.

"A weak, repetitive plot mars the ninth novel in bestseller Goodkind's Sword of Truth fantasy series (after 2003's Naked Empire). The story opens promisingly enough. Richard, Lord Rahl, ruler of D'Hara, seeker and bearer of the Sword of Truth, is sorely wounded in battle. Healed by the sorceress Nicci, he regains consciousness only to discover his wife, Kahlan, is missing-and no one believes she exists. Meanwhile, the armies of Emperor Jagang, leader of the brutal Imperial Order, threaten D'Hara. Distracted by Kahlan's disappearance, Richard refuses to lead troops against Jagang's forces, insisting his people must stand up for themselves. Bargaining with the witch woman Shota, he trades the Sword of Truth for information on Kahlan and learns of 'chainfire,' hidden in 'the place of the bones in the Deep Nothing.' Journeying there, Richard discovers chainfire is a spell capable of unraveling existence. Meanwhile, the Sisters of the Dark have stolen two of the three boxes of Orden, seeking to call the Keeper of the Dead to life. Even fans will be disappointed by the minimal action and lengthy speeches that slow this juggernaut of a novel to a tedious crawl. Hopefully, Goodkind has positioned all his pieces and the pace will pick up in the next installment." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

With Wizard's First Rule and seven subsequent masterpieces, Terry Goodkind has thrilled readers worldwide with the unique sweep of his storytelling. Now Goodkind returns with a new novel of Richard and Kahlan, the beginning of a sequence of three novels that will bring their epic story to its culmination.

After being gravely injured in battle, Richard awakes to discover Kahlan missing. To his disbelief, no one remembers the woman he is frantically trying to find. Worse, no one believes that she really exists, or that he was ever married. Alone as never before, he must find the woman he loves more than life itself...if she is even still alive. If she was ever even real.

The author of Wizard's First Rule returns with a new novel of Richard and Kahlan, the beginning of a sequence of three novels that will bring their epic story to its culmination.

The author of numerous New York Times bestsellers, Terry Goodkind lives in the western United States.