The fifth volume of the internationally successful epic fantasy sequence from a man hailed as the future of the genre, and as the man whose fantasy fiction will become a classic in the tradition of Lord of the Rings. Goodkind writes fast-paced and atmospheric narratives aimed firmly at the adult fantasy reader, populated by a wealth of fully rounded characters living out their lives in a fully realised imaginative landscape. This new novel continues the story of Richard Cypher - now known as Richard Rahl - Wielder of the Sword of Truth and the only mortal capable of combatting the malicious evil of the Old World and protecting the interests of his homeland, the Midlands, and all the New World. The forces of the Old World are lead by the infamous Emperor Jagang, aided and abetted by his emissaries in the New World the duplicitous Sisters of the Dark. Like the four volumes that preceded it, this new book will be a tour-de-force of imaginative fiction that grabs the reader's imagination and holds it fast to the page for hours at a time.