The traditional good versus evil plot exists, but questions of what is right and wrong are raised. The books go beyond being fantasy stories, and it is the philosophy that emerges that unifies these books. Ideas of the value of individual effort are reminiscent of Ayn Rand's philosophy and her strong defense of capitalism. Thoughts of individuals taking responsibility and being active agents are hinted in the first few books and developed in the latter part of the series. The first book is called Wizards First Rule and each book reveals one of the rules of the wizards. Interestingly, these rules are not based on magic but are more practical and common sense, such as people will believe anything they want to, because they are afraid that it's true, and how sometimes the best intentions can create problems.
The characters are well-developed, my favorite being Richard Rahl and the mord-sith Cara. Emperor Jagang brings to mind Contemporary religious troubles. He genuinely believes he is doing the Creator's work, while his misguided actions create death and disharmony. His character echoes religious fanatics, who are single-minded in their cause and passionate about imposing their beliefs on others.
There were some books which were a bit tedious, my least favorite being "The Pillars of Creation" which dragged on forever and then just ended abruptly. I was also slightly bored by "Soul of the Fire." My favorites were "Faith of the Fallen" and the last three books of the series, just because they were exciting and action-packed!
So if you are a fantasy lover, this is one of the best series that I have read so far. I read these books a few months ago and was seriously considering re-reading them. But I figured I should read something new and maybe come back to these next year, though I must admit I am currently re-reading the Harry Potter series!
