Synopsis by All Fantasy All the Time Richard Cypher is a child of prophecy, a wizard born from the blending of two bloodlines of the most powerful magical families in the world. This information, however, is not known to Richard himself as he lives as a humble woods guide in a land without magic. Now a grown man, Richard happens upon a strange woman dressed in a long white dress marching through the woods. He helps save her from men chasing her, and her appearance starts them on an adventure that not only changes their own lives, but reshapes the entire known world. Richard learns that the woman, Kahlan, is from beyond the magical boundary that protects his homeland from the touch of magic. She is a Confessor, and her magic obliterates the being of those she touches with it, replacing it with only the love for her and the need to please her. Her victims will tell her anything she asks them and they will do anything for her, even die on command. Richard is thrust into a world he doesn’t understand with a destiny he fights to embrace. He is named Seeker, and is given the Sword of Truth by a great wizard (who he thought was just a good friend, but actually is his mother’s father). The Seeker is one who pursues the truth, and has a knack for pulling it from people, one way or another. The sword has inherent magic that he must learn to control. Later he finds out that he is a wizard and must master his own gift. As Richard learns to accept who and what he is, Kahlan becomes the center of his life. Richard and Kahlan share a love for each other that is unmatched in passion, or in complication. Their trust is tested, twisted, and torn throughout the series, yet their relationship endures. The world of The Sword of Truth Series is a vast land divided into four sections: Westland, Richard’s homeland which is devoid of magic, cut off from the others by a barrier of the underworld; The Midlands, the land where Kahlan hails from, ruled by a class of Confessors and kingdoms; D’Hara, the land beyond the mountains to the east, where the cruel wizard, Darken Rahl, allies with the Keeper of the Underwold to dominate the world of the living; and The Old World, an expansive land to the South beyond a barrier of magical towers set in place by wizards of old. If there were a time period in our own history that mirrors Richard’s, think of the middle ages. There are swords, horses and carts, primitive living, and enormous palaces with servants and stone hearths. The technology of the world is in its magic. There are no modern conveniences to speak of. I’d have to say that the target audience is young adult to adult. There is some adult material that could be rated R, so preview the material before you let your precious children read it.