What an exciting read! I am lucky enough to have this in both audio and paperback, so I could listen when in the car or doing everyday "stuff", but when I wanted more pace (I read three or four times faster than this audiobook is read), I found a quiet corner and got stuck in. 
 This is my first novel by Terry Goodkind and he seems to be an author you love or hate! I can't judge from one book, but I enjoyed it enough to want to read the next in the series. The characters are likeable and the plot complex, but flowing. It contains a great deal of cruelty though, and I wouldn't recommend it for children. There is one section about three quarters of the way, that I think went on too long, and I considered dropping the rating to 4stars because of it, but by the time you get to the end, it's forgiven and the rest of it is so good.