Sep
23
An epic fantasy that only the CW could bring us!
All kidding aside, you just know I’ll be watching. It’s based on The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. Anyone ever read them? I haven’t. Oh, and his name is Craig Horner. You’re welcome.
UPDATE: It’s aired now. HERE IS MY REVIEW!
September 23rd, 2008 at 8:54 pm
Haven’t read any of the series, but I’ll probably check out the show. At least the first episode, just to see if it piques my interest.
And the guy with the long hair, holding that globe thingee…is he the same guy who flew the plane in that Mad Max sequel???
HUGS…
September 23rd, 2008 at 8:56 pm
I never saw any of the Mad Max movies. Does that make me a bad sci fi geek?
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:26 pm
Craig, Craig, Craig, you make it so hard some times (that’s what he said) to defend your scifi geekiness.
Polt: I’m not sure if it is him, but it certainly looks like him.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:40 pm
Hmmmmm. That’s kind of up my alley. Will have to see if it’s worthwhile. Never read the books, this way I can’t be disappointed if it sucks compared to them. Ignorance is bliss sometimes.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:43 pm
I was so excited when I saw this post!… but then I realized it wasn’t a movie, but a tv series. WHAT! Ok… let me reveal my true dorkiness…
a) I’ve read every book in the sword of true series… more than once
b) I was really pissed off when the seeker: dark is rising movie was announced and it was not actually a part of the sword of truth series
c) I’m pissed off again now that it’s happening all over again.
Why cruel world. WHY!?
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:32 pm
I tried and succeeded in reading four Goodkind books. The man writes the worst dialogue ever. I can’t even imagine what the spoken word is like on the show.
September 24th, 2008 at 12:59 am
As a person who as read all of the Sword of Truth books, I’m excited. It probably won’t follow the story perfectly, but there is a ton of content available. And hell, I’m vain enough to be excited for the prettiness!
September 24th, 2008 at 2:15 am
mmmm I loved this series - complete and total fluff. Howard’s right the dialog is difficult at times, but I’m so in love with Richard Rahl I don’t much care.
September 24th, 2008 at 2:16 am
Oh, forgot to say I’m gonna have to reread the entire series before November now. Sigh… better get busy!
September 25th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Yes, this will be a lot of fun!
Here’s a Facebook page for Legend of the Seeker:
http://www.new.facebook.com/pages/Legend-of-the-Seeker/25088724403?ref=ts
September 26th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
I honestly think they will try to remain true to the charactors but, I don’t expect all the details of the story to be the same. Goodkind rejected the idea of making a movie because he felt it would water down the story and be too short of a canvas to really tell the story. I think it could have been done like LOR, afterall a picture is worth a thousand words!
October 7th, 2008 at 12:11 am
yea they do tend to ruin movies based on books. and there is waaay to much going on in the first book alone to be muttled into one film. but i will be watching the series religiously ^.^ i can’t wait to see the mord sith
October 15th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
New trailer (amazing) and new interviews with cast members (also cool) are on the LOTS site now. Looking great.
http://www.legendoftheseeker.com/
October 31st, 2008 at 1:39 am
alright guys i learned of this show tonight while watching smallville. i watched the first 10 minutes and i am very unhappy with the whole way they are going mess up the whole story. within the first 10 minutes they take away 4 parts of the book out of the story, if they do that in the first 10 minutes imagine what they butcher the rest of the series. if you want to do something stay true to the book, also they mord sith is a woman with red clothing not much to see, what about the gars with the blood flies, that is what i would like to see.
October 31st, 2008 at 6:31 pm
allenjash: I’m going into this knowing it won’t be like the books so much. It will be its own show, with characters and settings that are familiar, but the idea is to do more episodic television where continuity within the show is more important than the books. Some things, like the Book of Counted Shadows, might be more dramatic if they actually exist. Just being in Richard’s head lowers the dramatic stakes a bit.
November 1st, 2008 at 9:03 pm
talk about a slap in the face. i just woke up this morning to a preview of a show
that premiers tonight, that i’ve been waiting for forever. waiting and not even knowing it.
of course, im saying i havent even heard of it till today.
Big fan of the books. *crosses fingers*
November 2nd, 2008 at 3:08 am
The characters are very true to the book, but the story has been altered quite a bit to fit a more action packed tv series. So if you haven’t read the books, but enjoy the show, I highly recommend reading all the books to get all the deep down information that isn’t in the show. *a few key things are missing here and there* No spoilers for you, but it’s surpassed what I expected because after i watched it I wasn’t disappointed like I have been with other movie/show from books.
November 2nd, 2008 at 8:12 am
I can’t say i was impressed with the show. It made richard into a lil…i dunno…and even though he was wielding the sword of truth, he was pathetically weak. They completely and utterly destroyed the story…./sigh..
was really looking foward to it also….oh well, at least i still got the books…
November 3rd, 2008 at 4:56 pm
I am not overly happy with some of the fundamental changes made ie The Book of Counted Shadows, the way they did the boundary. Darken Rahl is blonde and Zedd is Richard’s Grandfather. Richard’s mother was married to George Cypher. Chase was not well armed enough, Kahlan did not collapse after using her power, I can go on and on…
They are going to have to make some changes to keep the fans happy!! I have been a huge fan of the SoT series. Please don’t disappoint!!
November 3rd, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Would you people quit ruining stuff already…readers don’t find out about Zedd until well into the book, it’s not something that you learn right away!
November 3rd, 2008 at 6:34 pm
i’m still undecided as to whether i’ll watch more. does anyone know if it’ll be available on iTunes? also, this is a really funny blog post for why you should keep watching it….the rest of her stuff is pretty on target with my preferences too:
http://dorkscape.wordpress.com/2008/10/30/tv-fantasy-full-of-cliches-still-entertaining/
November 3rd, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Well i am a diehard Sword of Truth fan, and this movie pretty much sucked. All the changes they made aside (which i totally understand, can you imagine all the episodes they’d need before this to set up the info for the boundry, Richards father getting the BoS ect) the quality was horrible, like a low class SciFi movie. My advice, stick with the books. Period.
November 4th, 2008 at 2:42 am
Bad try adaption are logic from book to serie or movie, but these are so many and most against the spirit off the books.
Only reason I can imagine that the makers are to stupid to be able to build up suspence.
Richard becomes a hero start not out as one, doesn’t know how to use a sword.
Zedd is a humorfull man not a mysterious wizard, and so on and so on.
Point is the books are about a normal man who has to live up to the situation.
Series is a not very creative hero story now.
Pan’s Labyrinth showed people that you don’t need big special effects to make a good fantasy movie. Ah well what else should we have expected from the maker off Spiderman:)
November 4th, 2008 at 7:00 am
Wizard’s First Rule is the only Goodkind book worth reading. In it the characters are still “human” and believable. In the rest of the series they (mostly Richard) gradually become mouthpieces for the preaching of objectivist propaganda. Knowing this, I was really hoping for a TV series that would closely follow the first book and not have the rest of the story cluttered with what follows in the rest of the series, but it seems to me that the pace the first episodes have set, we will be deep into Blood of the Fold by the time the season is over. I did not expect much from Goodkind, but even I did not think he would sell out his first and only good book, by allowing such drastic changes to the story. Oh well, at least Zedd and Kahlan seem to be properly cast, while Richard seems like a wimpy adolescent…hardly inspiring and utterly pathetic.
November 4th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Horrible, bad, terrible, pathetic….. I could go on and on. They destroyed most of the major plot lines in the first hour. All they are left with is trying to defeat Darken Rahl. What a disappointment. I have read all of the books and I was really looking forward to this. I knew there would be changes, but this only vaguely resembles the books. The character names are the same. That pretty much covers the similiarities. HUGE let down. Now I am stuck waiting for July and Harry Potter. Back to reading the Runelords series…
November 5th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
I watched this today and I must say… IT SUCKS! They COMPLETELY messed up the story. I suppose if you had never read the books it might be okay… but I’m sorry at this point having erad the books I can say they are more interesting than the show is…. I mean Lord of the Rings had less discrepencies in it than this show did in the first 10 minutes… And what about those gars? definatly NOT what I expected… and the guy they got to play Zedd… not how I pictured him at all… and yes Darken Rahl was blonde… I am completely disappointed…
November 6th, 2008 at 2:56 am
Got my hands on the full 2 episode and let me be tortured by them.
Based on the books is a gross overstatement apart from the characters names and the literal interpretation of the snake vine its hard to find anything back from the books not adapted to 1 dimensional thinking, also a few faults in the filming most obvious the chase scene folowed by the death scene. Very polite of the bad guys to back off after having shot1 actor so they could have time to do a death scene, but very unconvincing.
It’s now a bad cross between Star Wars and Xena/Hercules.
Only positive points Khalan scenery and not to bad Zedd.
Oh well it’s typical to Terry’s thinking it’s his own creation so if we wants to make big bucks on it who are we to complain.
We are just the loyal fans who bought the books till the bitter end for most. Last 3 books where also more I want to see it ended then that you really good enjoy the book.
But based on Objectivisme he has every right to sell out the dream he created and let some people murder the creation. Well I still like the books up till part 9 but lost all faith that in the writer in any work he might publish later.
November 6th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
I have read the books cover to cover 4 times (all of them). I am not a sci- fi geek. I am a mother of three teenagers that also loved the series. I work hard for a living, an army wife (new recruit @36yrs guys). But these stories took you away from the mundane for a little while.
Terry sold out to mediocrity.
Kahlan in the show is missing the arrogant haughtiness that Kahlan in the book had. Kings and Queens bough to her. At the very least Terry, make them give Darken Rahl blonde hair!!!
November 7th, 2008 at 3:10 am
Personaly I would find the folowing announcement closer to the truth.
“A series based on some characters from the Books, made as a mix between Starwars and Xena/Hercules adapted to family watching made understandable for people with low IQ (no thinking needed).
Based on the all old Good versus Evil strugle instead of human emotions strugles and growing up and needing to adapt to changed circumstances”.
Also there is much faulty scripting/filming there are some major mistakes if you pay attention.
not only if you compare them with the book but come on Khalan is chased and has time to have a toughing death scene with her sister, etc.
Michael leading the mob was a big laugh not becaue it was funny but that they missed that easy oportunity to get some humor in.
And the big fight scene when they defend the pass made in the boundary what a cheap adaption to get some extra action scenes in.
November 7th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
i understand that they had to make changes, but the book of counted shadows really should be in his head, because even if he didn’t need in the first book, its crucial that he knows all of it when goes to defeat darken, and they talked nothing about pansis (sp?) darkens father, and even if they dont want zedd to be richards grand dad, a big point of the book was that richard looked up to zedd and was with him almost 24/7 and then you get to george cypher he should have been killed at least by a rahl, it adds to the dark personality of the rahl family and helps with the determanation of richard to get darken. and another problem is that when he and kahalan (sp?) she was a bitch insted of the getting to know each other and the party that richards brother had, really helps with the story further down in the series. and did anyone else notice that the quad that was trying to kill kahalan (sp) had five people?
November 7th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
when he and kahalan (sp?) she was a bitch.
was trying to say when he and kahalan first meet she was a bitch
sorry for poor grammar and spelling mistakes
November 9th, 2008 at 4:53 am
There won’t be any mord’sith scenes apparently. I officially stopped looking at this crap today, this is stupid and should be boycotted. Jacob doesn’t make a map to trap Richard, a girl we’ve never seen enters the story and makes up about 2/3 of the episode and no hint whatsoever for Richard to be trapped by Denna.
I’m guessing this will turn out to be a new “Hercules” or “Xena”, utter crap fantasy with actors who acts like they’re in Glamour or Sunset Beach.
Pwaah!
November 9th, 2008 at 8:57 am
I’ve read every Terry Goodkind book and was so excited that this movie was coming out…I am going to hang in there and keep watching…after reading all those books and the violence they entail, I was afraid a tv series wouldn’t be able to pull it off…I’m going to keep watching and hoping
November 9th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
I have also read all of the books several times. I was very excided about this series. After the first episode hower, I have several concerns. 1) Where is the magic of the sword? In the books, when Richard kills, he experiences it’s magic in pain. 2) where is the anger? Richard uses his anger as a shield agains the sword’s magic. 3) as stated earlier in this thread, Where is the relationship between Zed and Richard? It is critical. 4) Also, as stated earlier, the book of counted shadows should have been in his father’s posession earlier. In the book, Richard had memorized the book. In fact, in a later book in the series, we are introducted to the prelate of the sisters when Richard is taken to the old country when his magic goes out of control. By having Richard receive the book in the manner he did totally removes a major section of the later storyline.
November 10th, 2008 at 12:51 am
Bogus.. that is all I can say. Episode 3 was completely pointless. With the exception of the character names, this storyline is so mangled and distorted, they shouldn’t have even bothered with trying to come across as an adaptation of the book. After all this waiting, I just feel sick and disappointed. I was really excited to see how they adapted the Mord Sith.. because they were a HUGE part of the story. Guess I won’t be Tivo’ing this bunch of crap!
November 10th, 2008 at 2:54 am
Ah episode 3 well its syndicated so it will probally last the first 22 episodes.
No Mord Sith what a surprise they stayed to the story line so close before
Well I showed the first 2 episodes 2 a friend who never read the books and his verdict was also very clear. Weak story lines, decent scenery, acting not very strong but passable, the casted actors he found okay, he did miss humor.
A show to watch after a “few” drinks he said.
November 10th, 2008 at 3:02 am
Small proof you can adapt story to movie very easy:
Man and boy standing by a fire they throw in a book.
Magic effects above fire.
Richard and Michael having a argument about the death of ther father which ends with Richard walking angry toward the woods.
Richard wondering the woods looking for a match for a vine he is holding.
Wizards casting a Spell on Kahlan who enters the boundary.
The wizards killing themselves Kahlan wondering a death and dark land folowing a glowing wisp.
Richard finding a match for the vine and notices its killing a tree he gets angry and try’s to rip the vine off.
get bit by a thorn which sticks out a bit when he try’s to get it out it wiggles into the wound.
Richard staring at the woods from a high point seeing a woman walking then he sees 4 big blonde man seeming to folow her. First he looks amuzed then alarmed then concerned. He walks off into the woods in the direction he saw the woman.
Took me 5-10 minutes and its beter then the script they used
PS: and if you want to establish his goodness, fit in his saving a girl from rape and beating some teeth out thats within the time line.
November 10th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
What the heck! I am sure that none of the people who made this show has ever read the books. I was so excited about my favorite books on TV. This has almost no resemblance to the books I love. Shame on them.
November 10th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
By the way did anyone notice that Kahlan didnt even have green eyes? They counldnt even spring for contacts.
November 11th, 2008 at 3:40 am
Khalan no green eyes, Darken Rahl not blonde, Squad 5 man, a literal snake vine these are cosmetic faults.
Good has to beat up Evil instead of a seeker for the truth, pre ordained hero instead of a a man making his own choices which ultimate will lead him to having to do heroic deeds.
Stupid hero instead of naïeve, heroine who is now a mix up between a damsel in distress and a fighting bitch.
Oh and they mixed up another serie with the introduction off Fain (WOT)
And its hard to imagine those script writers are payed professionals, looks more like a some of there kids did there work
November 12th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
i have read the sword of truth books and they kick ass. this “legend of the seeker” crap is not even close to the books. WHY, Terry Goodkind, Why did you allow this to made.
November 12th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
So, obviously, for those of us who have read the series however many times… we were all dissapointed. There is no need for me to re-hash all the discrepancies we’ve seen in just one episode, from what i have read above, we can all see them… from charaters attitudes and appearances, to events and the way and order in which they occur (if they were even anything that occured at all). It is sad and unfortunate, as i am sure we were all beyond ecstatic at the mere idea of this series becoming something visual. I am doing my best to hold hope that there is a reason for all this seemingly senseless change. Of course it’s difficult to translate from book to tv or movie, especially from a book with so much detail and backstory involved. But i am afraid i will discover that there is no justified reason, and it is a pure and simple butchery. Unfortunately, (or not so unfortunately from what i gathered from the synopsis) i missed the 3rd episode. And so… with a sad heart i will continue to watch anyway, with fingers crossed, hoping that something right happens with this.
As far as the appearance of Mord-Sith goes- on the legendoftheseeker.com site in the episode guide section, episode #8 is entitled “Denna” So maybe it’s not too late to see some Mord-Sith? I guess we will see.
November 12th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Still very bad, i will stick in to see if it gets better
November 13th, 2008 at 5:57 am
Well let me say it this way, if I did not had read the books I would have no reason to watch this very mediocre series. I would have watched the first 2 episodes and concluded that it is Fantasy but very badly scripted (A-team/knight rider lvl and then I am beeing generous)
Acting mediocre not any reason to watch, character building no seen any.
So I would write it off, knowing the books it still has great amusement value for me by beeing so badly made
So, as long as I am sure I don’t support the series.
I probally try to keep track of how they butcher the books.
November 13th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Goodkind should be taken out back and beaten for him letting this happen i have read the series twice and thouroghly enjoyed them disappointment is an understatement i’ll more than likely not read the series again after this debacle after the first two i decided i would give a chance and after the third i’m not sure ican stomach i’ll go back to bein a (wot) fan where the characters are childish
November 13th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
TERRY WHY, why would you do this, we weloved this series, the books were fantastic even when we were ten books and richard was playing NFL for 9/10ths of the book, but still we loved them, but you sold out and and left us WITH A PILE OF CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 13th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
when you read the book you are carried away on a fantastic voyage of adventure and dicovery, when you watch the tv series you just know that RAIMI only read the blurbs.
November 14th, 2008 at 2:49 am
ok. i watched the 10 min trailer and love what it done with the story. everyone has to realize if the made the book into the movie straight up all we would be doing is watching a video of the book, most uncool. i myself hate when they butcher a book completely but i can take the little differences that they are making. There is to much to put into a show thats slated for 16 to 22 episodes. Plus we all have to remember that goodkind has the right to over look and change anything with the script. If you look it up, a lot of people have tried to get the rights to make a movie or show of it. Rami proved it to him to get it. So if goodkind approves then i will watch it till it gets removed off the air. I’ve seen shots of the gars and love them, plus some shot i will not mention due to the fact that i have seen what is not supposed to be seen. Have fun with the show. the real seeker has bin found and no one can stop him.
November 14th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
I just heard about this series today on the radio and could not believe my ears. I had dreamed of this for so long!! My excitement quickly ebbed when I started reading posts such as this one. I will still give it a shot but not holding much hope.
I agree with one of the posters that Wizard’s first rule was the only really good book of the whole series. Sure I read the others but they became more and more ridiculous with Goodkind repeating himself endlessly and at 800+ pages apiece it became a chore sometimes. Anyways I am going to finish the series since I am 11/13 of the way done but I have little hope for an ending worth the read…
-sigh-
I wish they would make a kick ass movie of the first book, it is self contained and is really an awesome story. Well at least I can still look forward to J.J Abrams doing the Dark Tower
November 15th, 2008 at 5:35 pm
I have watched some of the series on the telly and I think it does no justice to the stories (books) I’ve read. True - Terry Goodkind writes terrible dialogue, but the overall premiss and plot is great. What is needed is a good screenwriter and director to produce movies for the series (much the same as was done for LOTR). Just my opinion of course.
- “No matter where you go . . . . There you are!”
November 15th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
Okay people, I’ve a lot of these posts and I think many of you are taking this TV series way too seriously. First, let’s be honest with ourselves…there is no way that a TV show can replace the fantastic characters and stories as we’ve pictured them in our own minds. I have not seen a single movie adaptation that has come close to meeting my expectations. That includes LoTR which, while a great movie trilogy, can never replace the books in my mind. I’m a big fan of Goodkind’s books, and I agree that the TV series completely butchers the story line and that the casting is weak (except Zedd) and that they should have spent more time on the details. Regardless, I think there is potential for the series if they don’t stray too far from the main story lines. Bruce Spence was a good casting choice and is the only one that comes even close to capturing the essence of his character. Craig Horner must work to tone down some of his ‘beach-boyish’ deliveries so that he stops coming across as a moron. Bridget Regan is close, but she needs to work on some kind of accent…her raw delivery doesn’t match her complexion. Anyway, I’m not going to bash the series until season one is over. Every series has it’s growing pains and I’d like to hold on to the hope that this one will make it through.
November 16th, 2008 at 5:10 am
Legend of the Seeker, Adaptation of SoT Book 1: 22 episodes, 45 minutes each episode = 990 minutes
Lord of the Ring Movies, Adaptation of 3 books: approximately 178 - 201 minutes per movie, 3 movies = 558 minutes
What’s my point? If you can make a decent adaptation of all three LOTR books in 558 minutes you would think it is possible to do a decent adaptation of a single SoT book in 990 minutes… That is A LOT of time to work with.
Unfortunately this series is brought to us by the same people who made Hercules and Xena (no offense if you liked those shows) so I don’t hold out much hope for it. Also is it just me or does it appear that all references to Terry Goodkind and the Sword of Truth book series have been removed from the show’s website? I can’t even find a place where it mentions the show is an adaptation.
November 16th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
The only references to Goodkind are in the news section of the website.
Do a Google search like this:
Goodkind site:http://www.legendoftheseeker.com/
Makes me wonder if Goodkind is trying to distance himself from what could be an epic disaster.
November 17th, 2008 at 9:40 am
Or they afraid some people will actual read the books after seeing the series and be real disapointed in the quality offered if they had these books to base them on
.
November 17th, 2008 at 9:30 pm
I’m not going to say that I’m utterly crushed, but it’s a near thing, let me say that. I must say, I’m going to watch this series to the end, and be consoled by the fact that it won’t last onto the other books - unless the quality improves miraculously, in which case it will be win-win for us serious loyal fans. Let’s be fair here - they syndicated twenty-two one hour episodes, which is a lot of screentime, and there’s not enough action in WFR to keep the average viewer interested over twenty-two hours. Of course they were going to mutilate the plot to some degree, but honestly, it could have been a HELL of a lot worse. All I’m waiting for are the Mord-Sith and the Boxes of Orden (which haven’t even been MENTIIONED yet, much to my surprise and fear). Just remember that the series isn’t even half over yet - it could pick up considerably after a rocky start. We just need to see… I don’t know, some good personality and character development to start, and maybe - if we’re really lucky - we might get continuity thrown in somewhere…
November 18th, 2008 at 9:35 am
No one has even said anythign about richard’s eyes…they are brown not grey liek in the books…goodkind makes alot of referances to Richard’s grey raptor gaze…but I digress. From watching the first two episodes I seriously doubt they are going to bring in the fact that Richard is a wizard…the first with both sides of the magic in 3,000 years. This sadens me because the entire series is about the prophacies surounding the fact that a wizard with both sides of magic will save the world (so to speak), and Richard fighting the prophacies with his free will.
The casting for Richard was way off the man in the role looks to puny.
The castign for Kahlan is ok…but they mis say her name…I’ve always said it Ka–lan not Kay-len.
The casting for zedd..well he might not look like waht I imagined in my head but I think this is the only actor to have read the books..he plays the hungry ravenous zedd very well…they need to add his leturous side in, he was a horn dog…
The casting for chase, was fairly well done, he just needs more ammo..and he was a boundry warden not a council guard…..
the casting for Michael…faily good
Richards dad…..ok well he was dead at the beggining of the book, but memory wise he would of been fine…but he’s dead….
Richards mom….uh ok Zedd’s daughter, not some random chick in a burning village.
Darken Rahl…not bad casting…needs to be blonde….if Johnny depp or orlando bloom can be blonde so can this dude
Sicne they arne’t following the storyline of Richard being a wizard who needs mord sith….
I could go on and on…nto a bad sries on its own, but as a series based off a book, its horrible, I have to say though its better than Queen of the Damned
November 18th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
Can anyone satisfactorily explain to me WHY directors feel the need to tell their own versions of popular stories. The series has a HUGE fan base all by itself. Why then did Sam Raimey feel the need to alter an already well composed story so dramatically. Also, people fell in love with Goodkind’s stories, not some bastardized versions thereof. When you change the story, you alter the characters profoundly. I for one love Richard Rahl. I totally agree with his views on morality, family, love, honor, and especially justice. He is something that all good men should aspire to be more like. Including his temper. Anger is not inherently evil, and some situations require a vengful wrath. Much like this farce of a T.V. series. Even as a stand alone, it is not that great. And when compared to the grandure of the books, it’s absolutely insulting to fans. I’ve seen better crappy SciFi original programing before. I love Goodkind’s work, and have an autographed copy of Wizard’s First Rule, but this is not a compliment to his series at all.
November 18th, 2008 at 11:42 pm
I read the Sword of Truth series and it is better than LOTR’s. The Legend of the Seeker is like watching Hercules or a Sci Fi Channel B movie. I was diappointed that it didn’t hold true to the books. They could at least picked people who resemble the characters in the book. ): Yet I’m still watching it, lol.
November 19th, 2008 at 2:41 am
Well I survived episode 4 still lot off unlogical reactions.
Kahlan finds out Zedd is Richard Grand dad which makes his loony wizard of the hill starrt even more unlogical. Some scenes have a hint that they have been taken out of later books. And how funny they are going to introduce a mind reading boy in episode5 as I understood. Well it will be fun to see how many popular other series they going to “borow” from. And they missed the change to make the remark sometimes a clever trick is as good a magic in the You not my son but I help you if you have a problem:(
November 19th, 2008 at 4:00 am
PS the only thing beter about SOT compared with LOTR was that more details where worked out LOTR is still beter writen in my eyes that author was concentrating on the story not in lecturing his readers, which is a failing in Goodkind
November 19th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
It seems that once again creative license has been taken without regard for the written word. Where did they find these screenwriters. I was like some one said “Okay, so there’s this guy and this girl and a sword and a wizard - GO!!!!” Terry Goodkind should be embarrased to be associated with this utter disgrace of a show. Do us all a favor….just cut your losses Raimi and stop this crap and try again. Your fans are begging you. Kill it before it kills both of you.
November 19th, 2008 at 11:26 pm
Goodkind has every right to put his ideals in his books. He has millions of fans, so he must be doing something right. I am not going to debate which series is better, because that is a matter of personal opinion. I will however say that calling him putting his ideals into his own story a “failing” is pretentious in the extreme. He has a dozen very popular books in his portfolio. Tell us how many you have written Wally. I await that reply with baited breath.
November 20th, 2008 at 5:08 am
you missing the point LordRahl, the failing is not in putting his ideals in every writer does that. the failing is in him taking a kind of preaching attitude to his readers.
And as a reader I have every right to critism a writer without having writen anything myself.
I base my critism on comparisons to other writers, which is scientifical a sound principle.
November 20th, 2008 at 7:43 am
They’re HIS books. How is that a failing? He can write whatever he wants, you are not obligated to read it. You would not be surprised if you were attacked by a bear in the woods. Why then are you surprised when a man with obviously strong opinions makes said opinions a central part of his stories? It is in his nature.
November 21st, 2008 at 6:42 am
You still misunderstand the failing is in him lecturing about them good writers put there ideas in there story’s and don’t feel the need to explain them in detail.
It seems Goodkind is afraid someone miss the mesage so preaches about his opinions from time to time.
I did manage to finish the series at the end it felt more like work them pleasure.
I also have some objections against othere writers for example Jordan who feels he has to add a few new plot lines at every book.
Tolkien managed to write a magic story from start to end I still miss that by both writers.
November 21st, 2008 at 9:30 am
The closest so far I know off is David Eddings who also magaged to create a world and a finished Story 3 times 2 times very good last time bit weak.
November 21st, 2008 at 9:40 am
What I have most against both tries is that constructive planning is ignored in favor off spur of the moment actions. Lots a small 5/6 overall LOTS so far a low 2/3 if you set the books on 10.
November 21st, 2008 at 5:47 pm
I’m so upset with this show. The stroy has been twisted substantially. The Barrier being breached? The book of counted shadows being burnt? Richard not spending his child hood rememberising the book? WHAT!
I give up!
November 22nd, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Did any1 notice that they use slow-motion way to much?
I did…
November 22nd, 2008 at 8:13 pm
The show sucks terry goodkind should be stoned for giving over the rights to make this tv show. It does not follow the bucks the fightings seens suck and the actors are terrible and are not any thing like the book describes them I would rather see the series made into a movie plus the book catered to adults the tv show is for kids, but I don’t know any kids that would watch this sucky show
November 22nd, 2008 at 8:47 pm
So far, I’ve only seen negative feedback on the web. Except for the official site of course. It really should be canceled. I only watched part of the first episode, but I decided then that I would rather watch baby seals being clubbed to death than watch one more second of that refuse. On a side note, do any of you know how to speak or type in propper english? Just curious.
November 23rd, 2008 at 6:17 am
I just found out about this series and did a search. It seems like a lot of fans of the books hate it. Well, I never read the books, and I am really enjoying the show. All TV shows take a while to hit their pace, and I can see this one going a long way. It isn’t LOTR, but that is not what they are going for at all. It doesn’t have a crazy huge budget. I am not expecting spectacular effects and oscar performances. Its a guilty pleasure type show, and the quality is far good enough that I can enjoy watching it, and honestly the scenery is gorgeous, the fighting well done, and the actors total eye candy. It is also an episodic show with a plots that conclude every week. This is not the way you faithfully follow a novel length story. Raime said that they added stuff and changed things around to put emphasis on the episodes and not on the background story arc. This is fine because it is a TV show and not a movie or a novel.
So, I guess if you hate it, fine, but at least try to enjoy it for what it is and don’t hate it only on the basis of what it is not.
November 23rd, 2008 at 10:48 am
WOW after this latest episode, The Listener, I give up. The sisters of light in a hidden valley? I want Deaths Mistress, I want the Mord Sith. Why not follow the books like a soap opera? It worked for battlestar galatica. There are to many changes, in the few episodes that the whole Legend of the seeker has had, it now resembles nothing of the origonal Books but in the names of the characters.
November 24th, 2008 at 12:33 am
All of u complainers on how much the series sux or how other stories were made better in the transition need to realize that its not the book, if it was the book they would be half way through the first book by episode like 10 at least, they are taking the richard and making a wimpy character into a hero that is what catches peoples attention. on goodkinds website he says to take the book series for what it is and the tv show for what it is, if u compare u will only be angry. i like the show i read all the books and i think goodkind is a phenominal writer. if u dont think he was a good writer and thought the tv show sucked then dont post u make no difference anyways cause ur not a fan. eat dirt. ty now leave. as for fans watch the tv show and wait. they are taking a complex book series and making it a tv show, that takes a lot of work let the movie/tv ppl do their job. i saw one person that posted that said they never read the books and they liked the show. so far they make more of a difference to the success of the show than any fan of the books will. if non-book readers enjoy it for what it is then it is succeeding. so quit whinning and just watch it and let the “NEW” story lead to the next part each week. if it bugs u that much then go read the books again and dont waste other peoples time.
November 24th, 2008 at 12:40 am
oh yeah and for the person that was complaining about goodkind putting “HIS” ideals into “HIS” own book series, plz dont talk anymore. its their books, besides his series is based on his ideals, not the story of a hero, that aspect is just played out really well
November 24th, 2008 at 2:38 am
For the last time I don’t mind him putting his ideals in the books.
Reading is also a art it seems lost on most people here.
I mind his lecturing a very good writer put his ideals in the story and won’t feel the need to explain them in detail, but trusts in his writing style to get the message across.
November 24th, 2008 at 4:01 am
And I don’t mind him stealing from other writers all writers do that.
The snake vine bite is for example a copy off the sliver loged in Frodo in LOTR.
Still his adaption is very nicely done. Tolkien stole lots from old stories as well.
November 24th, 2008 at 7:21 am
The story is absolutely based on the “story of a hero”. I.E. Richard. The entire series is central to him, everyone and everything else is secondary. If you do not believe me, then you either never read the books or you read at a third grade level. With a third grader’s level of comprehension. The show took an impressive man’s origin story, and made it into a series of spagetti western style scrapes. Where are some of the best characters? Brophy, Demin Nass (excellent and easily hated bad guy), the dragon, and Denna for God’s sake. It is not a comprehensive story. It is a T.V. show, and as such every episode seems to act as a stand alone story. I can only describe this whole ordeal as, and I rarely use such language but, a giant sloppy cluster fuck.
November 24th, 2008 at 7:27 am
And I’d also like to say that maybe he did not trust the average person to grasp his ideas without spelling them out in great detail. If this seems like preaching, then so be it. The average person is an idiot, thus the namesake of the first book. I totally understood his heavy handed way of relating his ideas.
For those of you that are still fuzzy, I’ll make it simple.
BOOK GOOD!
TELEVISION SHOW BAD!
November 24th, 2008 at 9:09 am
That´s strange you like heavy handed and you don´t like the show, thats made so every idiot can folow it so far.
November 24th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Well with some characters he cant add them yet they are not to that part in the story yet, so the dragon and denna, especially demin nass, they would be great to add to the story. demin nass should have been added already, i agree on that, and with the story about a hero, that hero is based off of his ideals, which in turn means that anything dealing with the “story of a hero” is based on the ideals that he put into the character, without the ideals the character would not be the hero that we like so much, and i dont care about stealing little things like the whole snake vine thing, who cares, he made it his own and thats what matters. i also agree with them trying to dumb down the story a lot for a lot of ppl but keep it simple stupid is sometimes the best route. and i do not read at a 3rd grade level or have the comprehension of a 3rd grader. The ideals make Richard the most important aspect so the way u just explained it, i guess the best way to look at it is that Richard=ideals so they both are number one and everything else would be secondary. but i wouldnt say that the television show is THAT bad they did only just start and havent introduced a lot of aspects, as for the ideals and the way richard is in the books, that will never be, well that we know of right now cause for all we know, come week 12 the story could be set straight and it could turn into the story we want.
November 24th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
I know I’m probably just repeating what everyone has said over and over on here already, but…I haven’t even seen the show yet. I’ve read the entire series about 7 times. I absolutely adore the books, because Terry Goodkind wrote some wonderful characters that I fell in love with and almost felt like I knew (after 12 books I suppose I could say I did.) Like I said I haven’t seen the show, but I did read the episode guides. The only thing I can tell so far that is the same between the books and episodes is charater names. I don’t know if the show is bad or good, but I don’t think I really want to watch it because I have such a set picture of what it should be. I’m afraid would just be too disappointed. Maybe I’ll just wait until the season or show is over and then just buy it and watch it as a whole and then make my decision, but I don’t think I could watch it right now. Especially since I just started reading the series again and think I would be picking the whold tv show apart, and getting frustrated as hell… Oh well…those are my thoughts for now.
November 24th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Everybody who has read all the books is most likely not going to fall in love with this series as the screenwriters have gone off on their own tangents with respect to the books. Even if the TV show sucks we have to be grateful that our beloved books and characters are finally getting some screen time. I have been a fantasy reader since the 80’s and can count on one hand the number of books I love that have been adapted to TV/Movies. Nobody has ever done anything like what Jackson did the The Lord of the Rings and if you thought the a TV adaptation of an epic novel would come close you have been smoking your meals. Let us just rejoice that one our stories has been put to the test even if it is some of the worst TV out there right now. I will keep watching and giving all new fantasy a chance for the future.
November 24th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
I am disappointed with the tv show, though some things need to be put into perspective. While the books have plenty of action, and a carefully developed plot, these are spread out over a number of lengthy volumes. Each book’s plot is generally resolved at the end of 800 or so pages. If you did that with the tv show, you would have the resolution only after 5,6,7 episodes. Unfortunately, mass media demands the solution after 44 minutes.
This demand means that tv shows/movies made from complex books will be simplified and altered to fit the format. Having said this, I believe there is plenty in the books that could be used without making up stuff that is irrelevant. (same w/LOTR, but that’s another blog)
In addition, much of the material in the books is just too violent and disturbing for basic cable tv stations. HBO or someone else would have been a better bet, but I guess they weren’t interested.
But maybe more books, novels and series, will be used to make tv shows, instead of whatever crap they pass off as entertainment. The trick is making these into real entertainment, not more crap.
November 24th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
Way to go Drizzt, we must have been psychically linked!
November 24th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
I wish that HBO would have done the series instead of some stupid local cable channel. I bet most of the bitching we have been doing wouldnt be here cause they can do way more with HBO. I do admit that i will be really bummed when they introduce the mord sith who will prolly be as whimpy as the main character is right now. Oh well.
November 24th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
Montella, you are right about the books being too violent to TV. Hell just some of the religious implications would shut some shows down quick. Some people still think Harry Potter is the Devil!! Most epic stories would not work for TV but some would be wonderful to see. Think of the single books and simpler stories out there and we have a whole library of books to use for future projects.
November 24th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
I agree, like you I’m glad there is a renewed interest in fantasy; Fantasy sells! (unfortunately). I think it would have been better to take a shorter series, since it works better for tv format, and has the potential to be fully developed. Eddings comes to mind (someone tossed that series into the mix above), maybe either series by Tad Williams. Unfortunately, scifi/fantasy movies/tv tends to be very good or very bad.
good Fantasy in general should push the envelope, and expose different perspectives on life, the universe, and everything. While some people disagree with goodkind’s “objectivism,” he does a good job in carrying the theme throughout the books, and he makes it work. This tv show isn’t doing much here, but then again it’s going out to a huge audience. Goodkind’s books, while popular and acclaimed, will not have the same scope. First of all, readers are in a different category. How many people actually read? Right; therefore, people who don’t read, even for pleasure, have even more limited imaginations and cognitive skills than those who do, which we know is a very limited portion of the population. So the show has to be dumbed down, at the expense of the reader.
I still am disappointed of course, but considering how little respect the general american public has for reading, this interpretation of the series is expected. I would have been very surprised had it stuck to the plot, character development, and so forth. The scenery is great, isn’t that the scene in the two towers…
November 24th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
I don’t understand why they went to the trouble of getting the rights from Goodkind to say the show is based on his book. It is only similar in the loosest of ways. Why does anyone ever bother to make an “adaptation” from one medium to another when the end result is so very dissimilar to the originating idea. Most movie/T.V. adaptations are nothing like their parent medium. If you wanna make your own story that may happen to be loosely based on something someone else has done, then go for it. I’ll watch that all day long. But if you want to make a story that you claim is based on someone else’s work, make sure it is pretty close. If it is an already established work, people are going to expect it to be very similar to it’s parent idea.
November 24th, 2008 at 11:20 pm
If Lord of the Rings had come out, and Frodo had been killed 20 min. into the first movie and Sam had destroyed the ring, Gollum was not even present, Gandalf had not come back from the dead, and there were no ring wraiths, then it would have sold 10,000 tickets instead of several hundred million. No one would have cared about it being a good independent story. Or at least very few. It’s success was in it’s similarity to it’s parent story. It’s either very similar, and you can call it an adaptation of another medium, or it’s almost nothing like any other story, and you call it an original idea with a few similar traits to another story. End of story, you can not have it both ways.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:49 am
A tv series can be imagined as a game of dungeons and dragons. You have infinite possibilities of playing out roles and story lines. This series develops one particular way in which these probabilities unfolded. The game, characters, and events mutate as the game advances. Outcomes based on outcomes. That’s what gives the writers’ this “creative license” with the work of an author.
November 25th, 2008 at 3:36 am
Suffered the Listener, seems black mail is an acceptable in the series makers eyes.
How you get information more important then what you do with it or the ones you give it 2.
A false beard a good disguise even when you tell them you a Wizard of the first order.
The Sisters of Light live in a hidden valley apart from Evil (except there own of course).
A wizard of the first order makes a obvious line of flowers to folow for the Seeker he probally to stupid to track
Kahlan had a bad dad, stupidity is catching it seems all in contact with Richard act like it
November 29th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Lord Rahl You suck don’t ever comment on my grammer! Like you never made a type-O. You suck your name should be Lord Suck. lol
November 29th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
I hate to say but this last episode didn’t suck as much it actually was watchable.
November 29th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
This one was more tolerable than the others. I liked the wizard sword fight. It was a nice way to work in Kahlan’s turning powers. Also, a bizarre setup for: instead of deciding if something is “good or bad,” it becomes “complex.” Sounds like a historiography lecture.
The first one and this one are probably the episodes so far. Next week’s glimpse seems promising. Finally getting onto some of the story. In bizarre ways, of course.
November 30th, 2008 at 12:46 am
Anyone miss the Mud People? Have to say that I do. I’m still watching this series and I’ve had to chalk it up to “it’s a different story with the same characters - sort of”. Since the beginning is so completely screwed up from the way we know the series does in fact end, there really isn’t a lot of hope. I’m still trying to figure out what Goodkind was thinking. Thanks man - could’ve had an excellent series. Incredible writer - crappy decisions.
November 30th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
I definitely miss the mud people. Why go mucking about with irrelevant story lines when there is a perfectly good one in the book? Who writes these episodes? While these stories have to fit into tight time restraints and tv plot developments, it is no excuse to be mediocre. Dr. Who episodes are generally interesting, and have few holes in them. Maybe should have got some british writers instead. There’s not much to hope for when Xena writers are running the show.
December 1st, 2008 at 6:50 am
Well watched episode 6 and looks the series is improving.
It’s now on a A-team Knight rider lvl.
Lot of fighting no blood its almost like watching show wrestling :), cheap moral messages and flat story line. and they borow heavy from book 2 in this episode.
All in all not to bad to watch hope they can keep improving.
December 2nd, 2008 at 4:55 am
Well shoot me down in flames for the next few remarks but I have to stick to my honest opinion. I have read the books and loved the story as it unfolded and was so looking forward to this series. I was really happy that finally a sci-fi series that I like is going to hit the headlines.
Unfortunately I now feel let down. Greatly. The story is confusing me as so many things have changed and have not stuck to the book. The casting is awful it really is. Maybe I can let them off with Kahlan but Richard/Chase/Darken Rahl?? Come on. Darken Rahl is supposed to be one of the most stunning men around and look what they’ve cast as him. An Average Joe. Richard is meant to have a grey eyed raptor like stare and not a brown doe eyed pretty boy look. I know people will probably jump down my throat for this but you get an idea of characters in your head and how the author wants the reader to visualise them. The scriptwriter and director have hardly stuck to this. And I also realise they expect the characters to grow as the story unfolds like they do in the book but come one, getting some of the basics right first is only the right thing to do. It’s fairly insulting to the legion of readers that Goodkind has who know the story and the characters. It’s like saying “oh well they won’t notice”.
Is it me or did anyone else keep expecting Zena and Hercules to burst out of the bushes on occasion? I would have like to have seen better casting and also maybe a grittier type of filming rather than cheesy filming like in Zena.
And to those that say yeah man you suck, don’t watch it etc. Last time i checked freedom of speech was still allowed around here. Each to their own and all that.
December 2nd, 2008 at 12:07 pm
I think you already know that you are a Dork! Lighten up. I’ve read the books too and since the author himself is involved with the series, I’m willing to have a little faith in the integrity of the show. Not all self-proclaimed sci-fi geeks are guys. Personally, I think the casting for Richard/Chase/Darken Rahl was pretty spot on. It’s not all the looks (although Craig Horner is spectacular eye-candy), it’s the essence of the person. BTW Bridget Regan has blue eyes, not green, if you want to be that picky. Tell me when you’ve ever witnessed a true translation of novel to screen? I love the books and I’ll keep watching the series - for various reasons.
December 2nd, 2008 at 5:34 pm
I start to ask myself, did Goodkind watch any of these episodes? If so, how did he feel? I’ll bet that if he watched even the first episode, you know, the one that was at least slightly like part of a book, that he probably had the same feeling as someone that just got a really bad tatoo. If he is worth the books he wrote. The simple fact is that if you take away all the sword of truth referances, all you have is a bad scifi fantacy series. The horrible truth is that when the “creators” of this show handed T Goodkind a check they werent buying his ideas, they were buying his fans. We all became a quick buck. To answer Selena’s question above; No, I have never witnessed a true translation of novel to screen but I’ve never been left so cheated as by this.
December 2nd, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Well then, Ju-ustin, why don’t you author an episode?
December 2nd, 2008 at 10:00 pm
Well….. ok, here goes. A confessor, a wizard and a seeker are walking in the woods. We dont know where but they really hate evil lord rahl. The confessor and the seeker meet glances, blush, giggle and look away. Seeing this exchange, the wizard rolls his eyes and mutters a word under his breath. We cant hear what he says but we know it isnt “bags”. As they walk on, they discuss the trouble of the land (rahl). The seeker sighs and almost says: “I’m just a woods guide.” but instead says” so, um, how about that barrier guys? I mean, if only we knew all we needed to do was throw a couple rocks at the underworld for it to give way, I wou…” The seeker stopped suddenly, looking alarmed. “What is it?” the confessor whispers. The wizards eyes grew wide with awe and almost to himself he says:” …his seeker senses are tingling- he IS the true seeker!” No sooner than the wizard made this exclaimation (again) they all heard the shrill scream of a little girl echo through the woods. The three looked at eachother with alarm and broke into a sprint twards the scream’s origin. They run and run and then a commercial (ford, Twilight the movie and 5, 5 dala, 5 dala foot longs) more running. Finally they enter a clearing to find a young blond girl cornered by a black panther against a rocky clif face. The wizards face twists into an angry grimace and he yells ” does rahl’s evil know no bounds?!” Seeing what the wizard was about to do, the seeker yells “NO! Please no more wizard’s fire, not again! there has to be another way!”
“what do you suggest I do then?!” the wizard exclaimed. “I dont think there is anything we can do now,” observed the confessor, “the beast is almost upon her!” The panther crouched to spring and the little girl wimpered. All became still.the confessor covered her eyes as the creature was about to leap. Suddenly, from out of no where a deep booming voice said “Down Simba, leave that girl be.” The panther eased its stance and retreated twards where the voice had come from. All eyes followed to see who had comanded this wild beast and saved the little girl. The wizard gasped out his next words: “My word! It’s my old friend Dar, the Beast Master!” “Yes,it is I, old man.” The scantly clad and chisled gentleman said with a dashing grin. “and I see that my wife is with you.” The seeker whipped around to face the confessor only to see her sprint off into the woods. The seeker turned back just as the little girl wrapped her arms around his waist. “Daddy” she wimpered “you’ve found me at last!”
Trying to wriggle free of the little girl, the seeker turns to the wizard with a look of pleading confusion. The wizard just shrugs at him, turns to the studio audiance grins and winks.
TO BE CONTINUED, not.
Guest starring Kevin Sorbo
December 3rd, 2008 at 2:39 am
Omg. If that was the episode on T.V. I would tune in every week to see what happened next! Lmao. But he does have a point. The series does NOT follow the book in any way after the 2nd episode. It’s very dissappointing when all of us who followed Goodkind and waited for the releases of the books to have a television show that just trashes his books. Who’s going to want to read them when the series is soo crappy. And why would Goodkind have spent so many hours writing the series to just hand it over to somone? Why didn’t he oversee the series being made? Why didn’t he just try to make each book into movies? Then they could be made like the books, violence and all. I had high expectations for this and he let me down! I could have been waaay more creative than whoever is the screenwriter. The series plot doesn’t make sense. I guess he never really read the books, just opened each book to a page and said “Hey that’s the plot for today! Let’s take some girl and give her a stick and say she’s a mordsith…. Then have her get sucked into some goo and travel different places. Until next time….. the plot never thickens. Damn it Goodkind, you sold out!
December 3rd, 2008 at 4:45 am
Selena: Lmao at you, that would be the first time i think i’ve ever been described as a dork. Just because i have an opinion different to yours it doesn’t mean that i’m a dork or have to “lighten up”. You have your opinion, i have mine. You think it’s great tv, I think it’s shockingly bad.
You say Goodkind is involved in it all? I’d heard they jacked him off the job not long after it started so it looks like the old rumour mill doesn’t know what it’s on about.
I’m not going to bother going into further detail of explaining myself as no point debating with brick walls. Original post pretty much said what i think. Never fail to understand why people have to be insulting just because other people’s opinions vary.
December 3rd, 2008 at 6:48 am
Did Goodkind sell out or was he just fooled by Disney, kind of both I guess.
Bad thing about Goodkind is that he is not complaining (might be in the contract) but he is telling you have to judge the series apart from the books.
Well I do now and it’s a mediocre B-Serries so far.
Casting could be beter, script writing much beter special effects are not impressive, acting mediocre to poor but thats also partly due to script writing.
End verdict so far nice to watch for a raining afternoon or after a few beers.
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Hi Midlander, I agree with much of what you said, even though you are a dork
The story is not well-developed and confusing; modified to fit a 44 minute program. I think a greater effort should have been made to incorporate the book. They could have experimented with 2, even 3 part episodes. Why not? There are 22 in all, no reason why each one has to have a conclusion. Not even all the books “conclude.”
I don’t agree with all your casting critiques. Darken Rahl is not badly cast, though he should have blond hair. I don’t think Craig Horner is sexy at all, not even boy cute. NOt ugly, but I wouldn’t look twice at him. I thought Chase was a good match. Kahlan is fine, not as “sublimely beautiful” as I had imagined, but my imagination is generally better than any tv show image. Zedd, I was expecting him to be funnier and zanier; for me it’s more of a script problem than a casting one.
Three cheers for the 1st amendment
December 3rd, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Lol, not a dork honest. Maybe it’s because Dork is an American word and as a Brit i’m afraid it doesn’t apply
Maybe that’s why I don’t appreciate the series. It’s just all a bit too cheesy for my stiff British humour 
December 3rd, 2008 at 8:17 pm
I think Craig Horner is sexy, remember Haldir in LotR? Craig Horner looks fantastic a a blonde!! He would be a better Darken Rahl if he just read the first book.
December 4th, 2008 at 3:59 am
Karen Haldir was suposed to be a Elf as legolas so slender, actors playing Boromir or Aragon where human and more fleshed out
in that case they put some tought in the casting it seems.
December 5th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Have read the book….it was really an amazing experience…just loved it
Ne of you guys have an idea if this show is telecasted in canada ??
December 6th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
Does nobody bother to consult Terry Goodkind’s website and/or myspace? He has stated in both areas that the stories and the show will have BASIC similarities. “Based on the book” means just that, based off of, not copied from. Yes there are fundamental differences, but who’s to know what will happen later in the season. Terry Goodkind has, and will read the scripts of each episode, and has obviously judged the ones done so far as something he wants. Enjoy the show for what it is, and if you want realism, dust the books off and open them up.
December 7th, 2008 at 12:06 am
Midlander - laugh all you want, I apologize for the Dork comment, I thought it was you poking fun at yourself and I was playing along (it was my first time on this site). If you knew me you wouldn’t say I was a brick wall … a brick house maybe … but I digress. I think it’s great people have different opinions and we can agree to disagree. I never claimed it to be great tv, but it does the job for me.
Ju-ustin - kudos on your episode. I would definately tune in.
December 7th, 2008 at 4:36 am
I’ve read a bunch of comments about the show and all I can say is wow you people sound like a bunch of pricks so what you don’t like the show obviously it has enough fans to keep on air you don’t have to like it, just because it sucks compared to the books does not mean the show sucks all that bad, if you take away the books the series is fine yeah it doesn’t have the greatest effects what did you expect from a brand new show. Also if so many of you think you could do so much better why don’t you have a TV show, not to mention that books will always be better than a tv show or movie because you get to form your own pictures instead of having them drawn out for you.
Also I agree with Bad Karma you like the books so much read ‘em again stop talking about something you hate it’s just going to make it so much worse I learned that with the HP series. I’ll admit I’m a fan of the show and have yet to read the books, I find the episodes enticing because of their action and lets face it, if these were made into a movie more stuff would be right on spot because they can do that they have atleast two hours to get you hooked and most stories based on books are rarely two hours, When they first aired the episodes they had to play two of them just to get people excited about it meaning they had to cut anything that people that hadn’t read the book wouldn’t know to make it more exciting and catch more people’s attention.
This series as it seems was made for people that haven’t read the books so if they put in half of the details they left out it wouldn’t have attracted much from the people that didn’t know about the books. Also you people that are sitting their saying how the acting was poor and the actikon scenes were bad, you’re not critics so don’t act like it. So what you’ve watched a lot of movies, oh you read the books doesn’t give you any right to bash anothers work you don’t like it don’t watch do us and yourself a favor and stop complaining and watching the show kudos to you taht still want to give it a chance, and the only person you’re insulting by saying how crappy it is, taht person would be Terry Goodkind the person who’s books you’re all in love with.
December 7th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Well, I just saw Episode 7.. funny thing about it is that they are FINALLY getting close to the true storyline of WFR: Demmin Nass is there, as are the Boxes of Orden. It is actually a surprisingly good episode, and makes a fair bit of sense. Hell, even Shota and Sammuel appeared in the episode.
If anything, it seems like the series is getting better over time, not worse. I’m actually looking forward to the next episode (and that’s a first, given how the series started).
I’m going to advise everyone not to give up on this show yet - it is getting better, and frankly, it is pretty entertaining at times, I’m not gonna lie. And if Wikipedia is to be believed, the next episode is called ‘Denna.’
This could be… interesting.
December 7th, 2008 at 10:40 pm
This show is terrible. If you actually read the books which are great, you should have any affinity for this crap. I’ not sure if the directer and writers even read the book. It is complete murder. And despite the severe differences, the show is not all that high quality. It copied the slow motion battle scenes from 300 and plus some of these stories are just stupid (the mind reading child?). the only episodes that retain a small amount of merit are those that somewhat follow it.
December 7th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
oh and its impossible to have the same ending because richard never memorized the book of counted shadows so yes it doesn’t follow the book but immediately it has plot lupe holes
December 8th, 2008 at 2:28 am
Well I watched episode 7 and my opinion is still about the same its slowly improving.
Most obvious is that if they read the books they have very bad memory, I guess the Identity is a try to get the impersonation off Zedd in.
Visions can be avoided prophecy not what a cheap part was that.
In the books interpretation of any prophecy is the key which makes more sense and how easy it is to misinterpretate due to your own ideas/basic vieuw on what is .
Warren the boxes of Orden have a different role in the series, I agree the good parts are gone (them beeing the reason for the Great Wizard to leave the midlands for example)
Well a Seeker is a assasin with special powers and a single goal so far.
A wizard a guy which can summon fire and light a few things.
A confessor a fainting girl whith ninja fighting powers.
How can you be surprised Boxes of Orden can be something else
December 26th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
I watched the first couple of episodes before I started reading the books. I enjoyed the episodes, even though they did remind me of Xena or Beastmaster. I have to say, now that I have read the first book and part of the second, I think they are treating the first book as if it is the only book. It sort of makes sense. Most likely, a show like this will not last long enough to encompass the later books, so it looks like they have chosen to only borrow random things from them. If you pretend the later books don’t exist, it opens up a lot of area for the creators to use their “creative license”, like Kahlan’s past and the Sisters of the Light. That way they can pay homage to certain things, but change them around to suit whatever endgame they have.
I have to admit to being surprised at some of the changes, like the Book of Counted Shadows and Richard’s mother. Also, now he is supposed to kill Darken Rahl with the sword, instead of not being able to and having to find another way. It seems that by making the whole “world” of the Sword of Truth smaller, they have also diminished the importance of all three main characters. Zedd is clearly not the only wizard left; is Kahlan the only confessor left. Have they even mentioned that she is the Mother Confessor, not just a confessor. They have invented some sidequests to lengthen the story without having to venture into the later books. They have invented a quest for Richard’s mother (Zedd’s daughter), which wasn’t in the book and have apparently started with Rahl’s acquisition of the first Box of Orden. In the book, he already had 2 before the story started.
All of the characters and situations seem to be less important, less charismatic, less intense, and certainly less dark than in the book. I chalk that up to an effort to appeal to the masses. Obviously, the larger audience they are going for isn’t going to be the super fan of the books, as that probably isn’t enough to keep it on the air, despite the popularity of the books. I will likely continue on to read all of the books, as I really am enjoying them, but have already found many similarities between them and Robert Jordan’s wheel of time series. I will likely continue watching the series as it is a nice diversion.
December 28th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
*sob sob sob* i am so heart broken. Terry Goodkind series is my favorite book series ever and i have dreamed of them becoming a movie set or tv series for so long and was OVERJOYED when i found out this was happening.
Now after watching 5 episodes i am disgusted and disappointed beyond belief!
the first one loosely related to the books, but that was it, the next 4 were about some random stuff that never occurs in the books at all.
the mother confessor is this touchy feely girl who even hugged zedd?? um hello she is not supposed to touch anyone because of her powers let alone hug some random wizard she just meet! i realise they are trying to show that she likes richard but really come on now, it is an important part of her role that she is not touchy feely.
chase is a boundry warden, he is not part of Micheals homeguard and where are all his weapons? his main part of his role is that he is a walking arsenal!
there are so many things wrong it would take me hours to point them all out, and then the actual special effects such as zedd’s magic and fighting scenes is rubbish! so so lame and cheap
if i was Terry Goodkind i would be mortified at how they have butchered such a great series with this crappy tv show.
December 31st, 2008 at 1:57 pm
A substandard Hercules the Legendary Journeys with a sword.
January 3rd, 2009 at 6:37 pm
This is to those of you who OBVIOUSLY don’t go to the official Terry Goodkind site. On Terry’s site he said, “Take the books for what they are and take the show for what it’s going to be.” Though I will admit that I had to keep telling myself that the show wasn’t going to follow the books exactly. Based upon means that you have the foundation of something. So beings that the show is BASED upon the books… I think this show is freakin awesome. And I appreciate that it will give way to let other things happen as well. It will be almost like a rewrite.Terry has his hand in every bit of this and if you don’t put the expectation of it following the book exactly then you will come to love the show as I do. And as a side note the directors that were part of the Herc and Xena series are the ones doing Legend of the Seeker. I think that is what also maks this a great show as well.
January 4th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Opinionated - we’re allowed to be critical, the viewing public are what makes these series or movies into hits so i guess we’re allowed an opinion on whether we think they’re rubbish or not? You’re right though on one thing - the books are better as they do allow you to formulate your own ideas, guess that’s why a lot of do prefer the books.
And you’re right, if we don’t think it’s good, don’t watch it. That’s why at episode 4 i switched off 
So i guess if you take away the books and watch the tv show for what it is then it’s just cheesy fluff really. Great if you like that sort of thing, bad if you don’t
January 8th, 2009 at 9:32 pm
I am so sad! I loved the books. I am totaly in love with Richard! If I ever get married again, it will be to a man like him.
Why oh why did they ruin such a wonderful story and life changing lessons. They had so many great actors to choose from, why cast a pre pubesent teen as the Seeker of Truth? There are so many things wrong with it all, people that never existed and the time line so messed up, I will not watch it! I do not want this to ruin my outlook on such inspiring books!
SHAME ON ALL THAT RUINED IT !!!
January 20th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
I have read all of the books in the series and am a huge fan.. Iwas really excited to see a series coming out.. I have watched every episode and have enjoyed them all. I was not disappointed at all. Yeah some things are different. But isn;t that the way it is with all made for tv or big screen productions???What did you expect???
January 25th, 2009 at 11:20 pm
I was disappointed that none of the D;haran soldiers had noticed that Kahlan Mord-sith struck with her hand rather than an Aiegel. What about the time lapse of the the birth of the baby? So how long has this journey lasted? 3, 4 months already? Some changes must be endured, but a little more attention to detail would be appreciated.
February 22nd, 2009 at 10:58 pm
I would also like to point out the slip in storyline this past episode of the lying moon. Richard claimed to have buried the box of O. under a tree, but hadn’t Zedd taken it to a safe place?
February 22nd, 2009 at 11:04 pm
I’m not sure about what happened to the box, but this past episode was like a lame clip show. I thought we left clip shows back in the 90’s where they belonged.
February 23rd, 2009 at 9:51 am
well, in these times of economic hardship, recycling should be at the fore of all industries. I’ll bet this will bring back flashback episodes…
February 23rd, 2009 at 9:59 am
LOL. Thanks Montella. Green TV is the wave of the future!
March 1st, 2009 at 12:09 am
I’ve been a MAJOR critic of this show. Some have even said that I am a dork. I feel that a clip show has indeed validated my point of view. This also comes as a bit of a suprise as I didn’t think they would run out of material so soon. Maybe they felt they needed to bring all of the “new audiance” up to speed (even though one episode has nothing to do with the rest). I think if they were going to stoop this low they should have at least played some clips from some good shows or movies like: “Hey Zed remember when Richard found my head in that box at the end of Seven?” Then they could play that clip. “What’s in the box- whats in the f***ing box?”
I dont know what’s in the f***ing box but its probably not a f***ing Emmy.
March 15th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Were they supposed to figure out that Richard was immune or somehow able to overcome Kahlen’s power when she touched him during her “blood rage,” since he was fine? Or is that Zedd’s job?
March 21st, 2009 at 11:12 pm
The series is crap!…acting and story..crap! the books were better.
March 22nd, 2009 at 1:55 pm
absolutely.
i simply don’t understand why they have changed so many things from the original series. They changed what made it so interesting. I’m not talking about reducing sex and violence for a prime time national network; I mean other stuff, and you all know what I mean. Why these ridiculous reworkings of the original plot: Richards’ mother disappearing, only to re-emerge as the mother of a pristinely gifted (pillar of creation), and mother of 2 darken rahl children? So, if she hid richard the first time, how was it she was raped a second time, only to bear this ungifted daughter, and why was the daughter allowed to live for so long (since they are apparently killed b4 5)?
People writing/slapping together story-lines, is it too much to ask for attention to details and consistency?
May 14th, 2009 at 8:09 am
this lots show rellay is boring at times but the only reason i watch it is when i get to see him without his shirt !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! other then that i rellay don’t like the show
May 27th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
I read all of them, and now the i’m watching it. I love the show