Richard Rahl has traveled far from his roots as a simple woods guide. Emperor of the D'Haran Empire, war wizard, the Seeker of Truth--none of these roles mean as much to him as his newest: husband to his beloved Kahlan Amnell, Mother Confessor of the Midlands.
But their wedding day is the key that unlocks a spell sealed away long ago in a faraway country. Now a deadly power pours forth that threatens to turn the world into a lifeless waste.
Separated from the Sword of Truth and stripped of their magic, Richard and Kahlan must journey across the Midlands to discover a dark secret from the past and a trap that could tear them apart forever. For their fate has become inextricably entwined with that of the Midlands--and there's no place so dangerous as a world without magic...
This is the fifth book in the Sword of Truth series. At this point Richard and Kahlan are trying to unify the Midlands so they can withstand an attack by Jagang and the Imperial Order. The book ends basically the same way, so there has got to be something else, right? The Chimes were released when Kahlan saved Richard's life, and now they are draining [additive] magic from the land, and also killing. So the real storyline is Richard trying to stop the Chimes.
Richard and Kahlan don't even get to enjoy a honeymoon before they encounter a chicken that isn't a chicken, one of their mud people guards drowning in six inches of water, and other things that we later learn are caused by the Chimes and not limited to one area, but are happening everywhere.
Zedd sends Richard and Kahlan back to the Wizard's Keep. Richard and Kahlan while on their way back meet up with Du Chaillu and several Baka Tau Mana. These are people that Richard and Sister Verna met during Stone of Tears (SoT book 2) on their way to the Old World.
Most of this story takes place in Anderith. Anderith is sort of isolated, they have the Dominie Dirtch -- magic towers/bells along their border -- making invasion by an attacking force impossible. Goodkind creates Anders and Hakens and a whole culture. Kahlan explains the history to Richard, which is not the history that is taught locally. The local history is propoganda meant to keep the Hakens in subservient roles. Some of the individual characters that get a lot of focus are Fitch, Morley, Beata, Dalton Campbell and wife Teresa, Bertrand Chamboor and Hildemara. A recurring theme in the book is the slave mentality. The Anders control the Hakens, and Jagang controls the sisters of the light, but when that control is lifted how do they react. I think Goodkind tried to give us a little extra insight into Dalton Campbell.
If you look at it from the point of view of stopping the imperial order, that would leave you disappointed, as that wasn't furthered much. You have to take what is given to you, which is the fight against the chimes, and the internal politics of Anderith. I was satisfied. I had heard that the middle of the series bogged down, but I didn't find that to be the case.
