Goodkind’s ‘Omen Machine’ revisits protagonists from ‘Sword of Truth’ saga

What do you do when people you've come to love and care about are poised to live happily ever after?

Feel happy for them, of course. And, then, try not to think too much about the not-necessarily-so-happy things -- the challenges, the losses, the hard decisions -- that inevitably will follow.

Because life is like that, and that's so even in the fantasy universe Southern Nevada author Terry Goodkind has created over the span of nearly 20 years in his internationally best-selling "Sword of Truth" saga.

This week, a new chapter in the lives of Richard and Kahlan, the series' much-loved protagonists, begins with the release of Goodkind's latest novel, "The Omen Machine" ($29.99, Tor Books).

However, while the story does begin on the morning after the grand wedding at the end of "Confessor" -- the 2007 book that concluded the "Sword of Truth" -- Goodkind says "The Omen Machine" isn't a continuation of that saga.

"The 'Sword of Truth' story (had) a story arc that had a beginning, a middle and an end. I believe readers deserved to have an ending to the story, and the 'Sword of Truth' had an ending," Goodkind says. "However, just because one chapter of a character's life is over doesn't mean that their life doesn't go on.

"The 'Sword of Truth' storyline is concluded. The struggle has ended. The world has changed. Peace has come. Richard won the war. In the (story) that's starting now, with "The Omen Machine," he has to win the peace."

Goodkind laughs. After "Confessor," everything "ended happily ever after for not quite 24 hours. So things rapidly come apart, and we get to meet a real sinister new character named Hannis Arc, and he's a very nasty piece of work."

"I'm excited," Goodkind adds, laughing again. "It's going to be a fun journey."

Goodkind's return to Richard and Kahlan comes after the publication in 2009 of "The Law of Nines," his first contemporary thriller. That book -- which seemed hampered by a marketing campaign that couldn't decide whether it was a thriller or a fantasy and ultimately tried to sell it as both -- didn't sell as well as Goodkind's "Sword of Truth" novels.

Nonetheless, Goodkind says, "I probably had more fun writing 'The Law of Nines' than any book I've ever written."

Goodkind enjoyed, first, the freedom of being able to tell a story that didn't involve a multivolume collection of previously created history.

"When I wrote 'Law of Nines,' there were no restraints," he says. "I had complete freedom, like being let out of school and having recess and getting to play."

"The Law of Nines" also taught Goodkind how to "write a faster-paced, contemporary novel," and he says careful readers may notice in "The Omen Machine" a "much more contemporary feel.

"It moves faster, and that's one of the things I was able to carry over from the experience of writing 'The Law of Nines.' "

Finally, "The Law of Nines" proved that "I really can write contemporary novels," Goodkind says. "I was very comfortable writing a contemporary novel, and it's something I feel very confident in my ability to do.

"It was just an all-new experience for me from every angle, and I had a tremendous experience with fans who were surprised in a good way."

In fact, Goodkind views "The Law of Nines" as "kind of a landmark in my career, because I've always wondered if I could write contemporary novels, and I think I've proved that I can."

The upshot: Readers shouldn't be surprised to see Goodkind again delve into the contemporary fiction genre.

"I'm going to do more," he says, although one of those books may or may not be a sequel to "The Law of Nines." While Goodkind says he would like to explore what happens to Alex and Jax, that book's main characters, "there are a lot of different contemporary stories -- really cool, strong stories -- that I want to tell."

But, he says, "right now, I want to do more stories with Richard and Kahlan.

"People love them, and I love writing about them, and there are a lot more stories to tell, so that's going to be my day job. But I'm also interested in telling a lot of other stories I have in my head."

Goodkind has a three-book contract with Tor -- which published the "Sword of Truth" series -- but says he doesn't want to confine Richard and Kahlan's new saga to "three books or any set number. It's an ongoing story of Richard and Kahlan and another epic battle in their world, and it's going to be very fun."

Goodkind isn't a fan of labels for literary genres, and in the past has resisted the categorization of his "Sword of Truth" stories as fantasy. But he also figures that his fans -- and readers in general -- don't pay much attention to labels, either, but merely want to read good stories that are told well.

"Basically, at heart, most people are the same: They want to read a story, whether it's contemporary or fantasy or science fiction or fiction, about characters they like that they see triumph over adversity.

"The setting is secondary. The thing is how engaging the story is. Whether you have a story about a hero who's on a spaceship or a hero who is on horseback is not as important as (that) the story is about the hero."

"That's what people lose sight of when they start going into esoteric discussions of various genres," Goodkind says. "I think most people just want to read a good story."

Contact reporter John Przybys at jprzybys@review journal.com or 702-383-0280.