Terry Goodkind Books in Order: Sword of Truth Reading Order

Terry Goodkind is best known for The Sword of Truth, the long fantasy saga that begins with Richard Cypher, Kahlan Amnell, Zedd, the Midlands, D’Hara, and a whole lot of magic, war, prophecy, and political conflict. If you’re trying to read the Terry Goodkind books in order, the simplest place to start is Wizard’s First Rule.

After the main series, Goodkind’s books branch into prequels, spin-offs, novellas, and thrillers outside the main fantasy sequence. The lists below keep those pieces separate so you can get to the right order without mixing everything together.

Jump to:

• Terry Goodkind Books by Series
• Terry Goodkind Books in Chronological Order
• Other Terry Goodkind Books
• What is The Sword of Truth?
• Who Was Terry Goodkind?

Terry Goodkind Books by Series

Most Terry Goodkind readers should treat the fantasy books as one connected world with a few clear branches. Start with the main Sword of Truth novels, then move into Richard and Kahlan, The Children of D’Hara, and The Nicci Chronicles. The prequels are listed here too, but they’re better after you already know the series.

The Sword of Truth

The original Sword of Truth novels are the core of Terry Goodkind’s fantasy world. This is the best starting point and the section most readers mean when they search for the Sword of Truth order.

Read these in publication order. The individual books have their own conflicts, but the relationships, magic, political stakes, and long-term story all build as the series goes on.

1. Wizard’s First Rule (1994)
2. Stone of Tears (1995)
3. Blood of the Fold (1996)
4. Temple of the Winds (1997)
5. Soul of the Fire (1999)
6. Faith of the Fallen (2000)
7. The Pillars of Creation (2001)
8. Naked Empire (2003)
9. Chainfire (2005)
10. Phantom (2006)
11. Confessor (2007)

Sword of Truth Prequels

These prequels take place before Wizard’s First Rule, but I wouldn’t read them first. They have more impact once you already know the main world, especially Zedd, D’Hara, the Confessors, and the history behind the boundaries.

1. The First Confessor (2012)
2. Debt of Bones (1998; standalone edition 2001)

Debt of Bones causes some date confusion because it first appeared in the Legends anthology in 1998, then later received its own standalone edition. That’s why you may see it dated differently from list to list.

Richard and Kahlan

The Richard and Kahlan books continue after the original Sword of Truth sequence. If you’ve finished Confessor and want the main story to keep going, this is the next place to go.

1. The Omen Machine (2011)
2. The Third Kingdom (2013)
3. Severed Souls (2014)
4. Warheart (2015)

The Nicci Chronicles

The Nicci Chronicles is a spin-off from the Sword of Truth world. It follows Nicci after Warheart, so don’t treat it as an entry point unless you already know the main series.

This series is sometimes listed under the longer title Sister of Darkness: The Nicci Chronicles, but most readers simply call it The Nicci Chronicles.

1. Death’s Mistress (2017)
2. Shroud of Eternity (2018)
3. Siege of Stone (2018)
4. Heart of Black Ice (2020)

The Children of D’Hara

The Children of D’Hara is a novella series that continues Richard and Kahlan’s story after Warheart. If you’re mainly reading for those two characters, read this before moving to Nicci’s spin-off books.

1. The Scribbly Man (2019)
2. Hateful Things (2019)
3. Wasteland (2019)
4. Witch’s Oath (2020)
5. Into Darkness (2020)

The five novellas were also collected in The Children of D’Hara. If you’d rather buy the whole arc together, that omnibus is the simplest option.

Terry Goodkind Books in Chronological Order

Chronological order starts with the prequels, but I don’t recommend that order for a first read. The First Confessor and Debt of Bones were written for readers who already understand the world, so publication order is safer if you’re new.

That said, here’s the main Sword of Truth world in a practical chronological order. After Warheart, the Richard and Kahlan novellas and the Nicci books can be read as separate arcs. I’ve placed The Children of D’Hara first because it stays closest to Richard and Kahlan.

1. The First Confessor (2012)
2. Debt of Bones (1998; standalone edition 2001)
3. Wizard’s First Rule (1994)
4. Stone of Tears (1995)
5. Blood of the Fold (1996)
6. Temple of the Winds (1997)
7. Soul of the Fire (1999)
8. Faith of the Fallen (2000)
9. The Pillars of Creation (2001)
10. Naked Empire (2003)
11. Chainfire (2005)
12. Phantom (2006)
13. Confessor (2007)
14. The Omen Machine (2011)
15. The Third Kingdom (2013)
16. Severed Souls (2014)
17. Warheart (2015)
18. The Scribbly Man (2019)
19. Hateful Things (2019)
20. Wasteland (2019)
21. Witch’s Oath (2020)
22. Into Darkness (2020)
23. Death’s Mistress (2017)
24. Shroud of Eternity (2018)
25. Siege of Stone (2018)
26. Heart of Black Ice (2020)

Other Terry Goodkind Books

Goodkind also wrote thrillers, standalone work, and a couple of anthology pieces outside the main Richard and Kahlan reading order. You don’t need these to follow The Sword of Truth, but they’re worth listing for a complete Terry Goodkind bibliography.

Jack Raines and Angela Constantine

These books move away from epic fantasy and into darker thriller territory. They’re outside the main Sword of Truth reading order, so you can read them whenever you want a different side of Goodkind.

1. Nest (2016)
2. Trouble’s Child (2018) (novella)
3. The Girl in the Moon (2018)
4. Crazy Wanda (2018) (novella)

Terry Goodkind Standalone Novels and Novellas

These books sit outside the main Richard and Kahlan order. The Law of Nines is the one fans may debate because it has ties that matter to The Sword of Truth, but it still works best as a separate book rather than something to insert into the main sequence.

1. The Law of Nines (2009)
2. The Sky People (2019) (novella)

Terry Goodkind Anthology Appearances

Goodkind’s anthology appearances matter mostly because of Debt of Bones. If you only want the story, the standalone edition is easier. But if you’re trying to track where the story first appeared, these are the anthologies to know.

1. Legends: Short Novels by the Masters of Modern Fantasy (1998) (includes “Debt of Bones”)
2. Year’s Best Fantasy (2001) (includes “Debt of Bones”)

What is The Sword of Truth?

The Sword of Truth is Terry Goodkind’s fantasy saga about Richard Cypher, Kahlan Amnell, Zedd, D’Hara, the Midlands, magic, prophecy, war, and power. The series begins with Wizard’s First Rule, then expands into a much larger world.

The books are not pure standalones. Some volumes have a central problem that gets resolved, but the character arcs and political conflicts build across the series. That’s why I’d read them in order, especially the first time through.

The later books are often grouped in different ways. Some lists separate the original Sword of Truth books from Richard and Kahlan, Nicci, and The Children of D’Hara. Others fold most of the fantasy books into the wider Sword of Truth world. Both approaches make sense. For reading, the important thing is simple: start with Wizard’s First Rule, then follow the main story forward.

Who Was Terry Goodkind?

Terry Goodkind was an American fantasy and thriller author best known for creating The Sword of Truth. Before he became a full-time novelist, he worked as a wildlife artist, cabinetmaker, and violin maker.

Wizard’s First Rule was his debut novel, and it launched the world that defined most of his career. His work later expanded into Richard and Kahlan’s continuation books, Nicci’s spin-off series, the Children of D’Hara novellas, and contemporary thrillers outside the main fantasy order.

Goodkind died in 2020, but his books remain a major part of modern epic fantasy, especially for readers who want a long series centered on big moral choices, intense character loyalty, and a fantasy world that keeps widening as it goes.

Looking for more books in order?

If you want more fantasy authors and reading-order guides like this one, start with my Fantasy Books in Order index.

• Books in Order (Full Index)
• Wheel of Time Books in Order
• Shannara Books in Order
• Discworld Books in Order