In Memoriam – Terry Goodkind

Terry Goodkind (b.1948) died on September 17.  Goodkind, who suffered from dyslexia, published his first novel, Wizard’s First Rule, in 1994 after a career as a woodworker and artist. Wizard’s First Rule was the first volume in Goodkind’s Sword of Truth series. Most of his other novels were set in the same world as the Sword of Truth series with two series following the characters Richard and Kahlan and another series following Nicci. His novels, Nest and The Girl in the Moon, are unrelated to the fantasy series. Although most of Goodkind’s fiction is at novel length, he has also written several novellas including the five volume Children of D’Hara series published in 2019 and 2020. In 2008, his Sword of Truth series was adapted for television as Legend of the Seeker, which ran for two seasons.

SFWA President, Mary Robinette Kowal commented, “Terry Goodkind was the entry point to fantasy for so many young fans. He has been a presence in the field for decades and leaves a gap in our community.”