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Phantom

Book Ten of the The Sword of Truth series

Phantom by Terry Goodkind is the tenth book in the Sword of Truth series, and book two of the Chainfire Trilogy. It was first released on July 18, 2006, and followed in paperback on May 29, 2007. It follows Chainfire and is followed by Confessor.

Synopsis[]

This book continues Richard's quest to find his wife, Kahlan, and release her from the Chainfire spell. Kahlan still travels with the Sisters of the Dark Ulicia, Cecilia, and Armina as they hurry to catch up with the fourth Sister, Tovi. Unbeknownst to them Tovi is dead, stabbed by Samuel in the previous book and allowed to die after being questioned by Nicci. They stop at the White Horse Inn, and the Sisters are shocked when the innkeeper can see Kahlan and correctly title her. Because of the Chainfire enacted on Kahlan, no one should be able to know she exists. She was erased from the memories of all who knew her and anyone who sees her instantly forgets. The Sisters kill the man, and continue on, traveling toward Caska where they believe Tovi has gone.

Back at the Wizard's Keep, Richard senses powerful magic and goes to investigate. He discovers Zedd, Ann, and Nathan in a room where Nicci is caught up in the grips of a powerful spell called a verification web. The web is meant to examine the Chainfire spell and see if there is any way to undo it. Richard realizes that there is something wrong with the spell and tries to convince the others who don't really believe him, but Richard is able to disable the spell. Before Nicci can tell anyone that the spell was indeed corrupted, the deadly beast that Jagang had created to hunt Richard appears in the room. In order to drive it off, Nicci places herself back into the spell form to draw upon the power between life and death. By refusing to actually supply the magic to the spell, the power of life and the power of the underworld come together and strike the beast, driving it away for the time being.

Nicci nearly loses her life because of this selfless act of bravery, but Richard manages to save her. Suddenly Richard realizes that the corruption in the verification web is a small symptom of a much larger problem: All magic has been corrupted by the presence of the chimes in the world of the life (which were used in Temple of the Winds to stop the Plague). From this he concludes that the Chainfire spell must also be corrupted.

Shota arrives at the Keep, bringing Jebra in an attempt to make Richard believe that he is wasting his time trying to find Kahlan when there is a whole world that needs to be saved from the Imperial Order. To that end, Shota instructs Jebra to testify to the horrific terrors that had befallen the people of Ebinissia. Shota reveals that Samuel was under the control of another witch woman, Six. Richard says that he understands the situation, but Shota is still unconvinced and touches Richard with her power, allowing his mind to see a vision that places Richard in the position of the slaughtered men of Ebinissia, who are condemned to death while listening to the vulgar promises of what the soldiers will do to their wives. In this dream-like reality, Richard sees Kahlan begging for his life and they profess their love for each other.

As Nicci and Shota have a minor confrontation, Richard realizes that Shota is right. Despite how important Kahlan's life is to him it's only one life, while the whole of the New World is threatened by the Order. Pleased, Shota gives Richard a prediction she has had from the flow of time. Long ago, the First Wizard Barracus went to the Temple of the Winds to ensure that someone with the Subtractive side of the gift would be born again. After Barracus came back from the temple he threw himself out his window, but not before he left a special book for Richard. Before Shota leaves, she gives him one last cryptic message: Richard's mother wasn't the only one to die in the fire that claimed her life.

After such events, Richard comes to understand that he was right all along when earlier he stated that it is impossible to fight the hordes of Imperial Order forces head on in one great final battle. Richard, Nicci and Cara travel in the Sliph to the main army in D'Hara and Richard explains to the Commanders what he has come to understand and his position. Richard issues a command that the army is to be broken up into smaller units, stating that if the Old World wants war then they shall have it. The tactic is that while the Imperial Order is here in the New World, they shall become the Phantom D'Haran Legion, bringing death and destruction to the Old World. The death and destruction will be an endless reminder of what will happen to those who support the Order.

The three Sisters of the Dark and Kahlan follow Sister Tovi's trail to Caska, where they are surprised to find not Tovi (who has been dead since the end of the previous book), but Jagang waiting for them. Jagang once again proves that he is a master strategist by revealing that had never left the Sisters of the Dark's minds and that by tricking them into thinking their fake bond with Richard Rahl was working, he had much to learn from their quest. Jagang is able to see and remember Kahlan because he was inside the mind of the Sister of the Dark when the Chainfire spell was cast.

Meanwhile, while traveling back to the Wizard's Keep through the Sliph, Richard is attacked by Jagang's beast and magic conjured by the previously thought to be dead Princess Violet (now Queen Violet at Six's instruction), causing him to become separated from his gift. The Sliph instigates "emergency measures" instilled in her thousands of years ago by First Wizard Barracus and shunts Richard to an emergency escape portal somewhere in The Wilds close to the land of the Night Wisps. Richard must pass a test Barracus left for him before the Sliph will tell him why he needs to see the Night Wisps. After a brief visit to the land of the Night Wisps to recover a secret book left by the War Wizard Barracus (who left the outfit and ruby pendant), Secrets of a War Wizard's Power, Richard is captured by Six and taken to Tamarang. There, he hides Secrets of a War Wizard's Power in the room that he was tortured in during Wizard's First Rule, deciding that regardless of what happens to him, he cannot let anyone find the book that Barracus hid for 3000 years for him. While being taken to Violet, Richard attempts an escape killing dozens of Imperial Order soldiers. The commanding officer, Commander Karg, is impressed with his skill and takes Richard away as a captive to become a player of Ja'La dh Jin (Game of Life) on his division's team.

The division of the Imperial Order rejoins the main forces, now laying siege on the People's Palace. Richard catches a glimpse of Kahlan as he is taken into the camp and revives her will to fight on and remember her past. Back at the Wizard's Keep, while discussing Richard's desire to save Kahlan, Zedd states that even though Richard is trying hard, Kahlan is as good as dead. The Chainfire spell put in place over her destroys memories, not just overlap them or bury them; Kahlan will never remember any of them, even Richard, ever again. Nicci then uses knowledge gained reading Book of Life to put the Boxes of Orden into play in Richard's name. By doing this she hopes to give him the power that he needs in order to win the battle for mankind.

The major cliffhangers of this book are: Richard is a captive in the Imperial Order's main camp, without his sword or his gift; Kahlan is a captive of Jagang with a Rada'Han; the Boxes of Orden are in play by Sister Ulicia; there is a problem with Chainfire and with magic; the Imperial Order is slowly making their way into the central stronghold of the D'Haran forces: the People's Palace. On the bright side, reports have been coming in that the Phantom D'Haran Legion has been successful in laying waste to the supply convoys from the Old World.

Resources[]

Wizard's Rule[]

Main Article: Wizard's Rules
Willfully turning aside from the truth is treason to one's self

Chapter guide[]

Phantom has a total of 58 chapters.

Characters[]

Here is a list of all the characters who appear in Phantom:

Creatures[]

Extras[]

Dedication[]

To Phil and Debra Pizzolato, and their kids, Joey, Nicolette, Phillip, and Adriana, who constantly remind me of the value of life by bringing their love and laughter to mine

Awards[]

  1. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list

Facts & trivia[]

  • The title of this book refers to both the Phantom D'Haran Legion and Richard's continuing pursuit of Kahlan, regularly called by his companions "chasing phantoms".

Alternate artwork[]

External links[]

Sword of Truth by Terry Goodkind

Prequel: The First Confessor
Prequel: Debt of Bones
Book 1: Wizard's First Rule
Book 2: Stone of Tears
Book 3: Blood of the Fold

Book 4: Temple of the Winds
Book 5: Soul of the Fire
Book 6: Faith of the Fallen
Book 7: Pillars of Creation
Book 8: Naked Empire

Book 9: Chainfire
Book 10: Phantom
Book 11: Confessor
Book 12: The Omen Machine
Book 13: The Third Kingdom

Book 14: Severed Souls
Book 15: Warheart
Book 16: Death's Mistress
Book 17: Shroud of Eternity
Book 18: Siege of Stone
Book 19: Heart Of Black Ice
Sequel: The Law of Nines

Wizard's Rules
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