Book Review: Debt of Bones

Title: Debt of Bones
Author: Terry Goodkind
Published By: Tor
Publish Date: 2004
ISBN-13: 978-0765351548
Length: 160 Pages
Purchase From: Amazon @ $5.99

The Story:

I first learned of Debt of Bones while part way through the Sword of Truth Series by Terry Goodkind. Curious where it fit into the series, I did a little research to make sure that I didn’t inadvertently skip it. What I learned was that Debt of Bones was published before the Sword of Truth Series was concluded but encompassed a time long before the series was set into motion.

This book was written to give the reader a sense of understanding when it comes to First Wizard Zorander and the boundaries that are in place during Wizards First Rule. Even though this book takes place in the world created in the Sword of Truth series, it can easily stand on its own if read separately.

The story begins standing outside of the Wizards Keep in Aydindril. Standing among a crowd of people wishing to speak with the wizards inside, a young woman named Abby urgently needs to speak with First Wizard Zorander. Before making her journey to the keep, her village of Coney Crossing was overtaken by D’Haran troops. Among the many innocent people taken prisoner were Phillip and Jana, Abby’s husband and daughter.

Although Abby is ungifted and does not have the ability to call upon magic, we learn that her mother was a Sorceress. Before her death, she informed Abby of a debt involving the First Wizard and that Abby would inherit that debt and needed to travel to see the First Wizard.

With Abby’s village ravaged and her daughter and husband taken captive, she races to the Wizards Keep with the intention of calling the debt due and demanding that Wizard Zorander help her reclaim her family.

My Thoughts:

With this book being so short, I was able to read this is a single sitting. I thought that it was an interesting look at a very important character. The story takes little time unfold and as a result, feels like it is missing a little something.

While this book doesn’t impact the Sword of Truth Series and can be read after without raising too many questions, if I had to do it again I think I would have read the prequel first. The story places Zedd in a different light and would have made some of his actions later all the more meaningful had we known the terrible things within his past in more detail.