I Wish I Could Have Heard the Conversation With His Editor

Terry Goodkind's new not-at-all-fantasy novel, The Law of Nines, will be published in September by Putnam. I just read the Publishers Weekly review (close to the top of this page) and noticed that it's set in the modern world with connections to a fantasy world.

Sounds like a good choice for a writer trying to move from secondary-world fantasy to contemporary thrillers; so far, so good.

But his hero is named Alex Rahl, and he lives in Orden, Nebraska -- which is either an indication that this novel isn't as separate from the "Sword of Truth" books as it seems to be, or that Goodkind likes to nudge his readers very very heavily in the ribs. Very curious....