The Children of D'Hara
A royal couple fights to preserve their magic and their way of life in Terry Goodkind’s fantasy epic The Children of D’Hara.
The D’Haran Empire is finally at peace. Its rulers, Richard and Kahlan, risked much to secure that peace, and now they are confronted with the unintended consequences of their actions. Facing threats to both their family and their kingdom, Richard, Kahlan, and seven trusted associates undertake a perilous quest to protect everything they hold dear.
Goodkind has a vast, intriguing creative vision. His characters traverse many diverse locations as they seek to avoid—and later confront—the enemy. In the labyrinthine, trap-riddled catacombs of the People’s Palace, Richard risks his life in the timeless underworld to save a beloved ally. The group then ventures into enchanted forests and putrid swamps on their way to safety. The climax takes place in a strange, red-tinged world dominated by humid wetlands and hazardous rock formations.
Each location has its own challenges for the characters to overcome. Otherworldly creatures lurk in the palace’s shadowy corridors, striking whenever and wherever Richard and Kahlan are at their most vulnerable. A distant goddess, determined to “collect” D’Hara at any cost, can possess almost anyone, making trust a deadly luxury.
The worldbuilding is complex and intricate. Lengthy descriptions relay each setting’s dangers, the characters’ fears and doubts, and grisly scenes of battle and torture. In the end, it is not brute strength that wins the day, but intelligence and compassion. Sacrifices must be made, merciless foes slain, and unexpected allies persuaded to join this ultimate battle for the fate of two worlds.
Old villains resurface and new ones arise in The Children of D’Hara, an epic-length fantasy set in a sprawling world of magic and menace.
Reviewed by
Eileen Gonzalez
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